1858 San Diego hurricane facts for kids
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Surface weather analysis and track of the storm approaching California
|
|
| Formed | September 1858 |
|---|---|
| Dissipated | October 2, 1858 |
| Highest winds | 1-minute sustained: 80 mph (130 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 994 mbar (hPa); 29.35 inHg (corrected sea level) |
| Fatalities | Unknown |
| Damage | >$100 (1858 USD) |
| Areas affected | Southern California, northwestern Mexico |
| Part of the pre-1900 Pacific hurricane seasons | |
The 1858 San Diego hurricane was a very unusual and powerful storm that hit Southern California. It is the only known hurricane to directly reach California. Other storms have hit California, but they were weaker tropical storms, not full hurricanes. This storm caused a lot of damage to homes and other buildings, especially around San Diego. Experts later figured out that if a storm like this happened today, it could cause hundreds of millions of dollars in damage.
Contents
How the Hurricane Formed and Moved
In late September 1858, a hurricane began to form far out in the eastern Pacific Ocean. This happened during a time when the ocean was warmer than usual, known as an El Niño event.
Most storms in this part of the Pacific move west. But this hurricane was different. It sped up and moved toward the north-northeast, heading straight for California.
By October 2, the hurricane got close to Southern California. It started to get weaker because the ocean water there was cooler. Also, strong winds high up in the atmosphere pushed against the storm, making it lose power.
The hurricane just missed hitting land directly. It turned toward the west-northwest. The storm then moved near Santa Catalina Island in the Channel Islands. It completely disappeared later that same day. Scientists are still studying its exact path.
What Happened During the Storm
The hurricane caused a lot of problems in different parts of Southern California.
Damage in San Diego
In San Diego, heavy rain poured down. Many homes lost their roofs, and some even fell apart. Trees were pulled out of the ground, and fences were knocked over. A new windmill was completely blown away.
Three ships, called the Plutus, the Lovely Flora, and the X.L., were pushed onto the shore. Only the X.L. was badly damaged.
Impacts in Other Areas
In San Pedro, there was also a lot of rain. But strong winds were not reported there. Parts of the city's waterfront were washed away. This caused about US$100 in damage, which was not a lot of money back then.
A yacht named Medora was also washed ashore. People first thought it was completely broken. But later, it was found that the damage was not that bad and it could be fixed. A large boat called a barge was destroyed. A big part of the San Pedro wharf was also ruined.
El Monte had very strong winds. These winds damaged corn crops and many trees. In Los Angeles and Visalia, there was a lot of rain, up to 7 inches (178 mm). However, the winds were not very strong in these cities.
Modern Day Damage Estimate
Two researchers from NOAA, Michael Chenoweth and Christopher Landsea, studied old newspaper reports. They used these reports to figure out where the hurricane went.
They estimated that if a storm like this hit California in 2004, it would have caused about US$500 million in damage. This shows how powerful the 1858 hurricane was.
Why This Hurricane Was So Rare
The 1858 San Diego hurricane was the only known hurricane to directly hit California. This is because of two main reasons:
- Cold Water: The ocean water near California is usually very cold. Tropical cyclones need warm water to stay strong. When they move over cold water, they quickly get weaker.
- Ocean Currents: The normal ocean currents in the eastern Pacific Ocean usually steer storms away from land. They push them out into the open ocean.
Because of these reasons, it is very unusual for a hurricane to reach California.
See also
In Spanish: Huracán de San Diego de 1858 para niños
