This storm is the first in a series of three hurricanes that made landfall along the southeast Louisiana coast during the destructive 1860 Atlantic hurricane season. The hurricane caused a total of $260,000 (1860 USD) in damage, and killed over 47 people across its destructive trek.

Storm History

A tropical storm was first detected about 100 miles west of Tampa, Florida in the early morning hours of August 8, already packing estimated sustained winds of 45 kt (50 mph). This system likely formed a couple days earlier, to the east of the eastern Florida coastline, likely within the vicinity of the northern Bahamas. The recently formed tropical cyclone moved steadily westward across the northern Gulf of Mexico, under the influence of a concentrated area of easterly flow along the south side of the subtropical ridge, which extended westward to about the Mississippi coast. By the late afternoon hours of August 9, the cyclone attained hurricane status while located a couple hundred miles south of Pensacola, Florida, still moving westward. In the early morning hours of August 11, the system is estimated to have become a major hurricane while centered about 120 miles south of the Mouth of the Mississippi River. The hurricane was still moving westward at this time, but was quickly slowing down, as steering currents collapsed due to the weakening of the subtropical ridge.

Consequently, the hurricane took a northwesterly turn shortly thereafter, still moving painfully slow. Late that afternoon, the hurricane began to speed up, while also gradually turning northward and northeastward, owing to a further collapse of the ridge. The hurricane reached an estimated peak intensity of 110 kt (130 mph) before making its landfall just to the west of the western tip of Plaquemines Parish late on the evening of August 11. After landfall, the hurricane accelerated northeastward as steering currents restrengthened with the approach of a shortwave trough. Because of the swift forward speed of the tropical cyclone, it was able to retain Category 3 status as it moved across southern Mississippi. It weakened to a Category 1 hurricane by the time it had entered western Alabama late in the afternoon of August 12. The cyclone then began to take on a more easterly component of motion, riding the north side of the subtropical ridge. The cyclone weakened to a tropical storm late that same evening, and continued eastward through southern Alabama and Georgia, eventually emerging into the western Atlantic just offshore the southwestern coast of South Carolina near noon on August 14.

Shortly after the early morning hours of August 15, the cyclone once again turned northeastward ahead of the aforementioned trough, and ceased being tracked while located at 33.3N 72.0W. During this time, the cyclone still had 50 kt (60 mph) sustained winds near its center, though these were likely confined to the eastern or northeastern quadrant of the weakening circulation. This system likely later became an extratropical gale center as it moved across the higher latitudes of the north Atlantic.

Track


Figure 1. Track of the hurricane.

Impact

Louisiana

A 12 foot storm surge submerged portions of the Mississippi River Delta. Most of the buildings in Proctorville were destroyed, along with its lighthouse. Additionally, the lighthouse at Bayou St. John was also destroyed, along with the lighthouse keeper's dwelling; the Cat Island tower was also destroyed by the powerful hurricane. Cat Island itself was inundated by surge, which drowned all 300 cows on the island. The hurricane also destroyed a sizable portion of the sugar cane crop, as well as the corn and rice crops. In the small community of Pilottown, located in Plaquemines Parish, the hurricane uprooted trees; a 10 foot storm surge also inundated the parish. The Mississippi River rose a total of three feet during the hurricane.

Mississippi

Louisiana was not the only state impacted by the ferocious hurricane. Storm surges were observed east of the cyclone's center, all along the Mississippi coast.

Florida

Though no major effects occurred, there was some impact to the western Florida Panhandle. On August 11, Pensacola received 3.03 inches of rain, as well as gale force winds.