Whistling Through The Graveyard

[bubba]

The Atom Smashers are historically attributed from August 26-September 16(can you say 1928). Therafter,the Carribean Sidewinders(West to East across Florida-see Wilma)run the traveling road show.

[bubba]

The 1935 "Labor Day" Hurricane remains Florida's most intense at the time of landfall. This Hurricane was a Cape Verde that hit in the Islamorda area in the evening hours of September 2, 1935. It was an extremely compact storm if not small but the level of damage and specific instances of horror are legendary.

It's barometric pressure of 26.35 inches or 892 milibars remains the lowest ever "officially" recorded in the state of Florida and the US."Officially" in the vernacular of any Hurricane discussion is many times an oxymoron as the loss of recording instuments and similar gear is virtually par for the course because of the insane conditions.

Engineering analysis deduced that winds in the 15 mile radius on the eastern side of the storm center were 200 MPH. Experts within the group of engineers suggested 250 MPH, which appeared more in line with eyewiness reports together with observations of relief crews.The more conservative estimate of 200 MPH was chosen most likely because the 250 MPH number was too outrageous although perhaps more accurate.

This is the Hurricane that killed Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railroad/Keys Division.In various areas, track and crossties of the railroad were washed off concrete viaducts that were 30 feet above ordinary water level. At Islamorada, the track was turned on it's side like a fence and ten train cars were tossed 100 feet off the track.

The observations of survivors were probably the most remarkable. A witness reported that a six-by-eight inch wooden beam 18 feet long was hurled 300 yards through the air like a missle into his house early in the storm(before the real action started). Many survivors were found clinging to Coconut Palms 30 feet in the air.Other survivors reported an eerie illumination observed in the blackness of the night storm. High winds lifted sand granules into the air, which generated static electricity that caused flashes in the sky like millions of fireflies.

Victim stories were beyond the pale. One helpless victim was discovered the day after the storm, impaled by a two-by-four but still alive. He was found sitting calmly with the timber passing completely through him,in under his ribs and out over his kidneys. As a doctor prepared to remove the two-by-four, the man announced that he was going to die and refused the shot of morphine.Instead he requested two beers, which he drank,and then told the doctor to pull. The doctor pulled out the board and the man died.

[Zeeth]

Oh wow... What a thrilling account!

[bubba]

Zeeth,Have you ever been through a Hurricun?

[Zeeth]

Yeah, but never any really bad ones. The worst that happened was that some windows got smashed, and a lot of people that I knew had their homes flooded.

[tropicbreeze]

"The Labor Day Hurricane was the only storm known to make landfall in the United States with a minimum central pressure below 900 mbar; only two others have struck the country with winds of Category 5 strength. It remains the third-strongest Atlantic hurricane on record, surpassed only by Hurricanes Gilbert (1988) and Wilma (2005).

The maximum sustained wind speed at landfall is estimated to have been near 160 mph (260 km/h). However, recent reanalysis studies conducted by the NOAA Hurricane Research Division (HRD) suggest that the maximum sustained winds were more likely around 185 mph (295 km/h) at landfall.[2] A landfall intensity of 185 mph with a 892 mbar pressure would be plausible as 2005's Hurricane Wilma had a similar pressure and winds. The recorded central pressure was reported as 26.35 inHg (892 mbar hPa). This was the record low pressure for a hurricane anywhere in the Western Hemisphere until surpassed by Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 and Hurricane Wilma in 2005."

[epicure3]

Wow. Quite a story.

[bubba]

My source is Florida's Hurricane History by Jay Barnes published in 1998 with extensive imput from former Director of the National Hurricane Center, Neil Frank.In his interesting analysis of the "Labor Day Hurricane of 1935", he invokes David Ludlum's American Weather Book as the source for engineering analysis indicating winds of 200 MPH. Barnes further suggests that other estimates were as high as 250 MPH. These estimates take into account eyewitness reports and the observations of relief crews, who provided evidence of seemingly impossible sights.

Obviously, these incredibily high estimates of wind speed most likely were effected by the emotions of those who actually witnessed the carnage.No wind gauges survived and the only basis was a barometer of one of the survivors that was sent to Washington for official calibration, where it was confirmed at 26.35 or 892 milibars.

Further eyewitness accounts were codified by Gene Burnett in his article, "Surviving the Horrific Hurricane of 1935":

Objects careened through the air with deadly speed. Sheet metal roofs became flying guillotines, decapitating several victims, amputating the limbs of others.Whirling lumber became lethal javelins,impaling victims or knocking them loose from precarious grips on poles and trees. Like exploding atoms, pounding sheets of sand sheared clothes and even the skin off victims, leaving them clad only in belts and shoes, often with their faces literally sandblasted beyond identification. And then came the rushing force of tons of water in an 18 foot tidal wave that smashed homes to splinters, crushing or drowning occupants and sweeping bodies pell-mell into tangled mangrove thickets or out to sea.

Wind speed is always suspect.As an example the highest wind speed ever recorded in Palm Beach County was a one minute sustained wind of 153 MPH at the Jupiter Lighthouse in the August 1947 Cape Verde.However, the nuclear missle of a Hurricane experienced in 1928 was estimated to have only seen gusts of 150 MPH.It is interesting to observe that a long gust in the 1928 storm literally moved the Jupiter Lighthouse 17 inches off it's foundation.The lighthouse keeper retained consciousness long enough to marvel at the mortar, which squeezed from between bricks like toothpaste.

I would be willing to bet that the windspeed necessary to move the Jupiter Lighthouse 17 inches off it's foundation was likely somewhat higher than the "official record windspeed" for Palm Beach County of 153 MPH recorded at the same spot.My Grandparents had the pleasure of experiencing both the 1928 and 1947 Hurricuns(derived from evil wind in Caribe). While the 1947 was evil, the 1928 Hurricane was "end of the world" stuff.I sat with my Grandad and five other of his life long friends to listen to their collective memories. They were all in their late 80's, still spoke reluctantly of what they went through,all had incredible headaches, nausea and vomiting during the passing of the green eyewall, were all injured when the structures collapsed as the real wind came after the passing of the eyewall and notwithstanding their injuries they all loaded up on the back of trucks to help the people to the West in the Glades who really got nailed.

A family friend of mine today is the grandson of one of those who lived through the Western Lake Okeechobee experience in 1928. His grandfather was the sole survivor of a family of 9. His grandfather, who was under 10 years old, was rescued clinging 25 feet up in the air to the remnants of an Australian Pine.His last memory was loosing his fathers grip as a blast of water rocked his world forever.

This Hurricun stuff is real.

[bubba]

Footnote-All references to 1947 Hurricane were intended to refer to the August 26, 1949 Hurricane.