1876 San Felipe hurricane

1876 San Felipe hurricane

Track map of the hurricane.
Meteorological history
Formed	September 12, 1876 (1876-09-12)
Dissipated	September 19, 1876 (1876-09-19)
Category 3 major hurricane
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS)
Highest winds	120 mph (195 km/h)
Lowest pressure	980 mbar (hPa); 28.94 inHg
Overall effects
Fatalities	21
Areas affected	Antigua, St. Kitts, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, the Carolinas
IBTrACS
Part of the 1876 Atlantic hurricane season

The San Felipe Hurricane was the second tropical cyclone of the 1876 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm was first observed east of the Leeward Islands on September 12, later intensifying to a Category 3 hurricane on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson scale while approaching Puerto Rico. In the upcoming days, the storm would make landfall on Hispaniola and Cuba, while also at hurricane intensity. Weakening to a tropical storm, it crossed the island until emerging over central Cuba, and passing just east of Florida. The storm re-intensified into a hurricane and struck near Wilmington, North Carolina, as Category 1 hurricane. Continuing inland, the San Felipe Hurricane gradually weakened over the United States, reaching near Cape Cod before dissipation on September 19.

Many homes on Saint Thomas lost their roofs and fences, but impact from this storm was less than during comparable ones. Saint Croix, however, reportedly experienced its worst hurricane in 50 years, while Saint Kitts also suffered considerably. The storm was among the worst on Puerto Rico during the 19th century. In San Juan, the storm left few homes undamaged. Overflowing rivers and the storm itself carried away many bridges and caused significant losses to coffee, rice, and sugarcane estates. A total of 19 deaths were reported. At least 13 drownings occurred in North Carolina, two in Onslow County and eleven others after a ship sank at Portsmouth. Many other ships capsized along the coast of North Carolina. Flooding, damage to buildings, and uprooted trees were reported in Wilmington. The cyclone impacted several other states, particularly New Jersey, where the barrier islands in Cape May County alone tallied about $30,000 in damage.