1936 Atlantic hurricane season

The 1936 Atlantic hurricane season was a fairly active season, with 20 tropical cyclones recorded, 17 of which became tropical storms was tied with 2017. Seven storms became hurricanes, of which one became a major hurricane. In addition, the season was unusual in the fact that no storms moved across large portions of the Caribbean Sea. slightly higher than the 1931–1943 average of 91.2. ACE is a metric used to express the energy used by a tropical cyclone during its lifetime. Therefore, a storm with a longer duration will have high values of ACE. It is only calculated at six-hour increments in which specific tropical and subtropical systems are either at or above sustained wind speeds of 39 mph (63 km/h), which is the threshold for tropical storm intensity. Thus, tropical depressions are not included in the calculations. It moved northeastward across Central America, but dissipated before reaching the western Caribbean Sea on June 12. The storm quickly re-organized, and again developed into a tropical storm on June 12. It moved north-northeastward, resulting in light winds as it paralleled the eastern coasts of Belize and the Yucatán Peninsula. After reaching the Gulf of Mexico with peak winds of 45 mph (75 km/h), the storm turned to the northeast, then to the east. On June 15, the tropical storm made landfall about to the south of Fort Myers, Florida, and after crossing the state it passed over Miami before entering the Atlantic Ocean.

While crossing Central America, the storm produced heavy rainfall.. In southern Florida, winds from the storm ranged from to a peak of in Miami. The storm produced heavy rainfall in southern Florida, ranging from 8 to 15 in (200 to 380 mm). The rainfall caused flooding of highways and lowlands, drowned several livestock, and some damage. The storm caused three indirect deaths when a Coast Guard airplane crashed in Tampa Bay while in search of small boats. The storm rapidly weakened over land, and dissipated on June 28 near San Antonio, Texas. A small craft warning was issued for the Corpus Christi area on the morning of the storm making landfall, and the National Weather Bureau issued a hurricane warning just 45 minutes prior to the hurricane striking land. Severe crop damage was reported in San Patricio and Nueces Counties. In all, the hurricane caused $550,000 in damage (1936 USD), primarily to oil refinery property, though no deaths or injuries were reported.

Hurricane Five

A tropical storm was first observed over the southern Bahamas on July 27. It tracked to the west-northwest, and made landfall a short distance south of Homestead, Florida, with winds of 65 mph (100 km/h). After crossing the state, it intensified over the eastern Gulf of Mexico and became a hurricane on July 30. The hurricane continued to strengthen, and on July 31 hit the western Florida Panhandle near Camp Walton with peak winds of 105 mph (165 km/h). The hurricane indirectly killed four people when a boat capsized in the Gulf of Mexico.

Tropical Storm Six

The sixth tropical storm of the season was first spotted on August 4 while located east-northeast of Barbuda. It tracked northwestward, and reached a peak intensity of 40 mph (65 km/h) on August 5. It retained that intensity throughout its lifetime (although it is possible it remained a tropical depression but data was conflicting), which was followed by a turn to the northeast on August 8. On August 9, the storm passed to the west of Bermuda, and early on August 10 the storm became extratropical over the open Atlantic Ocean. The extratropical storm continued northeastward until dissipating late on August 11 while south of the eastern tip of Nova Scotia.

Tropical Storm Seven

A weak tropical storm formed on August 7 in the eastern Gulf of Mexico west-northwest of the Dry Tortugas. The system moved northwest towards the northwest Gulf of Mexico through August 9 while maintaining its peak of 40 mph (65 km/h). It is possible it weakened to a tropical depression at times, but there is no data supporting or denying such. The storm then began to curve more to the west-southwest on August 10 while located just south-southwest of Port Eads, Louisiana, while maintaining intensity. The storm continued moving southwest through August 11, weakening to a tropical depression shortly before making landfall near Tampico on August 12. The system weakened quickly after moving inland, and dissipated shortly afterwards.

Advisories were issued early on August 12 from the U.S. Weather Bureau in New Orleans for the system as it neared Mexico shortly before making landfall, but little damage and no deaths were reported in Mexico. The hurricane was also considered among the worst hurricanes on record in the Norfolk, Virginia, area. Winds of up to at Cape Henry destroyed windows, roofs, and some entire buildings, resulting in around $500,000 in damage (1936 USD). The hurricane produced a storm tide of in Sewell's Point, Virginia, the second highest on record at that location. Two locations along the James River experienced record crest levels of over . Rough seas washed several boats ashore, and shipping was cancelled in and out of Norfolk. The hurricane resulted in cancelled train service and increased traffic. The hurricane was indirectly responsible for two casualties. The first fatality occurred when debris from the hurricane struck a person in the head and later died. Another person drowned in the Elizabeth River in an effort to recover a rowboat blown adrift. Extensive property damage was reported in Nova Scotia. Up to of precipitation washed out a number of bridges, roads, and railroad tracks, causing two train derailments. Dozens of cars stalled, while slick roads resulted in several vehicular accidents. Crops also suffered significant damage, with thousands of dollars in losses to grain alone in Annapolis Valley. One person drowned in Antigonish while swimming in a lake that swelled to about twice its normal size. In Newfoundland, rough seas capsized a few boats, causing two deaths, while two fishing stages were also destroyed. Overall, the extratropical remnants of this hurricane caused five fatalities in Atlantic Canada.

Tropical Storm Fourteen

A tropical storm moved northward into Acapulco in the middle of September. Its large area of disturbed weather organized in the Bay of Campeche and developed into a tropical storm on September 10 a short distance off the coast of Tabasco. The storm initially moved westward, then turned to the north. It remained a minimal tropical storm for its entire lifetime, and after turning to the north west it made landfall near Brownsville, Texas, on September 13 with winds of 50 mph (85 km/h). The system weakened over Texas, and dissipated over northern Coahuila on September 14. Winds were generally minor from the storm, and tides were not much above normal. The storm resulted in heavy rainfall totaling at Broome, Texas, between September 15 and 17. Anticipating further intensification, one bulletin from the local weather bureau recommended citizens on offshore islands to evacuate inland.

Tropical Depression

A tropical depression formed in the western Atlantic Ocean on September 25. It moved west-northwestward, making landfall on eastern Florida before entering the Gulf of Mexico on September 28. The depression turned to the northwest, and struck land near Apalachicola as a minimal system. It dissipated over land on October 1. The minimum central pressure in the depression was . The depression produced winds of up to 35 mph (55 km/h) in Tarpon Springs. Effects were minimal.

References

External links

1936 Monthly Weather Review