| Basin: | Atl |
| Year: | 1885 |
| Track: | 1885 Atlantic hurricane season summary map.png |
| First Storm Formed: | August 7, 1885 |
| Last Storm Dissipated: | October 13, 1885 |
| Strongest Storm Name: | Two |
| Strongest Storm Winds: | 90 |
| Strongest Storm Pressure: | 953 |
| Average Wind Speed: | 1 |
| Total Storms: | 8 |
| Total Hurricanes: | 6 |
| Total Intense: | 0 |
| Fatalities: | 25 |
| Damages: | 1.806 |
| Five Seasons: | 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887 |
The 1885 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1885. This is the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. In 1885 there were two tropical storms and six hurricanes in the Atlantic basin. However, in the absence of modern satellite monitoring and remote-sensing technologies, only storms that affected populated land areas or encountered ships at sea were recorded, so the actual total could be higher. An undercount bias of zero to six tropical cyclones per year between 1851 and 1885 and zero to four per year between 1886 and 1910 has been estimated.[1]
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The Atlantic hurricane database (HURDAT)[2] recognizes eight tropical cyclones for 1885 in the Atlantic basin; two were tropical storms and six were hurricanes. The most significant storm of the season was Hurricane Two, which hit Georgia as a Category 2 hurricane, causing 25 deaths. The first cyclone was a tropical storm that existed in the Atlantic between August 7 and August 13 without making landfall. From north of Puerto Rico, Hurricane Two struck the Bahamas but then remained offshore until making a landfall in South Carolina. The hurricane caused considerable damage throughout the Carolinas, Georgia and Maryland. Also in August, Tropical Storm Three formed in the Gulf of Mexico, before crossing Florida and dissipating off South Carolina. Hurricane Four also grew from a tropical storm that formed in the Gulf of Mexico. It brought high winds and flooding to towns along the Gulf coast. This storm also crossed over Florida into the Atlantic and eventually made another landfall at New Brunswick as an extratropical storm. Hurricane Five existed in the tropical Atlantic between September 18 and September 21, without making landfall. Hurricane Six formed as a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico and reached hurricane strength off North Carolina a week later on October 2. The cyclone had impacted both Mississippi and Florida as it had travelled north. Hurricane Seven existed in the mid-Atlantic between September 26 and September 29. The last known cyclone of 1885 was Tropical Storm Eight which formed north of Cuba and impacted Florida. It travelled through the south-east United States and brought gales and flooding to the North Carolina coast.
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| Basin: | Atl |
| Formed: | August 7 |
| Dissipated: | August 13 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 80 |
| Prepressure: | ≤ |
| Pressure: | 975 |
A brig known as Lilian first encountered this storm to the southeast of Bermuda on August 7.[3] Consequently, the Atlantic hurricane database begins the track on that date about 500abbr=onNaNabbr=on northeast of the Leeward Islands. Initially a tropical storm, it moved north-northeastward and strengthened into a hurricane on August 8, based on ships recording barometric pressures around 990mbar.[4] The system turned to the northeast by August 10, passing to the south of Newfoundland and likely peaking with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (150 km/h), as the bark King County observed barometric pressures as low as 975mbar.[5] [4] The hurricane weakened over the north Atlantic Ocean, falling to tropical storm intensity on August 13 and becoming extratropical on the following day.
| Basin: | Atl |
| Formed: | August 21 |
| Dissipated: | August 27 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 90 |
| Prepressure: | ≤ |
| Pressure: | 953 |
Although observations prior to August 23 could not be located,[6] HURDAT begins the track of this storm approximately 185abbr=onNaNabbr=on north of Puerto Rico on August 21, based on a 1993 reanalysis led by C. J. Neumann.[6] The tropical storm moved generally westward and crossed the southern Bahamas, until curving north-northwestward while passing just west of Andros between August 22 and August 23. After intensifying into a hurricane early on August 24, the cyclone passed very close to Florida, including just over 10abbr=onNaNabbr=on east of Jupiter Island at 06:00 UTC. The storm then curved northeastward early the next day, hours prior to making landfall on Kiawah Island, South Carolina. Based on a pressure observation of 974abbr=onNaNabbr=on, the cyclone was likely a Category 2 hurricane with winds of 105 mph (165 km/h). The hurricane passed across North Carolina just west of Wilmington and Hatteras, near where it re-emerged into the Atlantic early on August 26. Although the storm weakened to a Category 1 hurricane, it re-intensified into a 105 mph (165 km/h) Category 2 hurricane, based on the bark Harold recording a barometric pressure of 958mbar.[7] Late on August 27, the system transitioned into an extratropical cyclone about 290miles east of Newfoundland, and continued northeastward until dissipating late the next day.
In Florida, abnormally high tides and "high winds pummeled the coast" according to Jay Barnes,[8] with a sustained wind speed of 60 mph (95 km/h) and hurricane-force wind gusts in Jacksonville.[9] Nearby, winds destroyed a hotel, while many buildings and boats suffered significant damage in Fernandina Beach.[10] The storm disrupted attempts to settle present-day Cocoa Beach, with waves flooding many homesteads. Nearby, severe erosion occurred in the vicinity of the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse, prompting an effort to move the lighthouse about 1miles farther inland.[8] Sustained winds in Georgia reached 56mph on Tybee Island.[9] About $1.69 million in damage occurred in Charleston, South Carolina. In North Carolina, an anemometer at Smithville (modern-day Southport) measured a 5-minute sustained wind speed of 98mph before being destroyed. The storm caused considerable damage at Wilmington, Smithville, and Morehead City. The value of this damage was estimated at $100,000.[11] Heavy rains and flooding were also seen across Maryland. At Ellicott City, lightning set fire to a residence, causing about $16,000 in damage.[12] In total, the hurricane caused 25 deaths,[13] with 21 of those occurring in South Carolina.[14]
| Basin: | Atl |
| Formed: | August 29 |
| Dissipated: | August 31 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 50 |
The Monthly Weather Review noted that this cyclone was first observed over the western Gulf of Mexico on August 29 but notes that "the center could not be definitely placed until the morning of Aug. 30".[6] Nevertheless, the official track begins on the former date approximately 245miles east-southeast of the mouth of the Rio Grande. After initially moving northwestward, it moved quickly to the northeast and made landfall on extreme southeastern Louisiana shortly before 12:00 UTC on August 30 as a
60 mph (95 km/h) tropical storm. Approximately 11 hours later, the cyclone made another landfall near Panama City Beach, Florida. The cyclone emerged into the Atlantic near Brunswick, Georgia, on August 31 and was last noted later that day.| Basin: | Atl |
| Formed: | September 17 |
| Dissipated: | September 23 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 80 |
| Pressure: | 973 |
With Galveston, Texas, experiencing abnormally high tides as early as September 17,[15] the official track for this cyclone approximately 120abbr=onNaNabbr=on east-northeast of Tuxpan, Veracruz. The storm moved parallel to the coasts of Mexico and Texas, turning northward that day and northeastward on September 19. By the following day, the cyclone accelerated east-northeastward. The system then made landfall near Port Eads, Louisiana, at 03:00 UTC on September 21 and then near Panama City Beach, Florida, about nine hours later, likely possessing sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) at both locations. After emerging into the Atlantic near Kingsland, Georgia, late on September 21, the storm curved northeastward on the following day and intensified into a hurricane. Due to ships recording barometric pressures as low as 973mbar, the system is estimated to have peaked with winds of 90 mph (150 km/h) on September 23.[4] Later that day, however, the storm became extratropical just prior to making landfall in southeastern Maine.
It paralleled the Gulf of Mexico coastline to the northeast flooding coastal towns. Winds along the Texas coast at Indianola were reported at 45mi/h. After hitting southeastern Louisiana on September 21, the storm crossed Florida. The storm brought flooding to Indianola and coastal flooding in the Galveston area. Four people died when a coal barge, the Orient, was cast adrift in the Gulf.[16]
| Basin: | Atl |
| Formed: | September 18 |
| Dissipated: | September 21 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 70 |
| Prepressure: | ≤ |
| Pressure: | 999 |
The steamship Sirius recorded a barometric pressure of 999mbar in a storm east of the Leeward Islands on September 18,[17] leading to the official track beginning about 400abbr=onNaNabbr=on east-northeast of Barbados. Moving slowly northwestward, the tropical storm intensified into a hurricane on September 19 and peaked with winds of
80 mph (130 km/h), based on the Sirius reporting winds "blowing a hurricane", according to the Monthly Weather Review.[17] Thereafter, the cyclone moved generally northward and was last noted on September 21 about 610abbr=onNaNabbr=on southeast of Bermuda.| Basin: | Atl |
| Formed: | September 24 |
| Dissipated: | October 2 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 70 |
The Monthly Weather Review reported the existence of this storm beginning on September 24.[18] Drifting north-northwestward, the cyclone struck Louisiana's Chandeleur Islands late on September 26 as a strong tropical storm. Early the next day, the system struck near Ocean Springs, Mississippi, and then turned eastward. Using a model created by meteorologists John Kaplan and Mark DeMaria, the storm is estimated to have weakened to a tropical depression over the Florida Panhandle on September 29.[4] Early on October 1, the depression emerged into the Atlantic near Jacksonville and quickly re-intensified into a tropical storm as it turned northeastward. Observations from the ship Lone Star indicate that the storm strengthened into a hurricane on October 2,[4] peaking with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h). However, the storm was last noted that day roughly 75abbr=onNaNabbr=on east of Salvo, North Carolina.
Climate researcher Michael Chenoweth's 2014 study argued that the Gulf of Mexico portion of the track of this storm should be deleted from HURDAT and the remaining path to be reclassified as extratropical.[19]
| Basin: | Atl |
| Formed: | September 26 |
| Dissipated: | September 29 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 80 |
| Pressure: | 982 |
Although no observations for this storm exists prior to September 28,[20] the official track begins about 600abbr=onNaNabbr=on northeast of the Leeward Islands, based on the 1993 reanalysis led by C. J. Neumann.[20] Moving north-northwestward, the cyclone intensified into a hurricane by September 29 and peaked with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (150 km/h) at 12:00 UTC, with the ship Mistletoe observing a barometric pressure of 982mbar.[4] However, the system was last noted later that day about 190abbr=onNaNabbr=on south of Sable Island, Nova Scotia.
| Basin: | Atl |
| Formed: | October 10 |
| Dissipated: | October 13 |
| 1-Min Winds: | 60 |
| Pressure: | 988 |
Despite no record of this storm in Cuba, the Atlantic hurricane database initiates the track on October 10 in the far southeastern Gulf of Mexico, matching Neumann's 1993 reanalysis.[21] After moving north-northwestward for about 24 hours, the cyclone turned northeastward on the following day and made landfall between Horseshoe Beach and Suwannee, Florida, around 22:00 UTC, with winds of 70 mph (110 km/h). Cedar Key recorded a barometric pressure of 988mbar.[20] By October 13, the storm transitioned into an extratropical over central Virginia and persisted until dissipating over western New York early the next day.
Gales of 44-56 mph occurred along the North Carolina coast. High tides coincided with the storms passage and led to the waterfront at Smithville (Southport) being flooded.[11]
Chenoweth proposed three other storms not currently listed in HURDAT:[19]