1881 Atlantic hurricane season in Encyclopedia

The 1881 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1881, and lasted until November 30, 1881. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. There are very few records about this season. The records that do exist show this season to be an inactive season. Only seven storms were observed.

Storms

Tropical Storm One

The first storm of the season formed on August 1 to the northwest of the western tip of Cuba. It tracked northward, and hit Mississippi before dissipating on the 4th.

Tropical Storm Two

A tropical storm hit Corpus Christi, Texas in the middle of August, but caused no reported deaths. Signals were blown down at the harbor, and one boat was lost.

Hurricane Three

From August 11 to the 18th, a hurricane existed in the tropical Atlantic before turning northward and losing its identity.

Hurricane Four

The fourth storm of the season developed on August 16 off the eastern coast of the Yucat n Peninsula. It tracked northeastward throughout its lifetime, passing through Cuba, the Florida Keys, and the Bahamas before becoming a hurricane. It became extratropical on the 21st.

Hurricane Five

A westward moving tropical storm moved through the northeastern Lesser Antilles on August 22. It reached hurricane strength on the 24th, and continued northwestward until its Georgia landfall on the 27th as a Category 2 hurricane. It moved inland, dissipating on the 29th over northwestern Mississippi, resulting in around 700 deaths.

Hurricane Six

A hurricane existed north of Hispanola on September 7. It moved northwestward, reaching a peak of 100 mph prior to hitting southern North Carolina. It weakened to a tropical storm over land, bringing heavy, yet beneficial, rain to the mid-Atlantic. It moved out to sea, dissipating near Cape Cod.

Tropical Storm Seven

The final storm of the season was first seen on September 18 to the northwest of Bermuda. It tracked to the northeast, reaching a peak of 70 mph (113 km/h) on the 19th while southeast of the Canadian Maritimes. It weakened over the north Atlantic, and became extratropical on the 22nd.