page_title: 1910 Cuba hurricane
section_title: Southern Florida
hierarchical_section_title: 1910 Cuba hurricane / Impact / Southern Florida
caption_attribution_description: The La Brisa after the 1910 Hurricane. Stone and Webster Electric Company photo collection. Effects of the 1910 Cuba hurricane in Key West, Florida, October 1910.
context_page_description: The 1910 Cuba hurricane, popularly known as the Cyclone of the Five Days, was an unusual and destructive tropical cyclone that struck Cuba and the United States in October 1910. It formed in the southern Caribbean on October 9 and strengthened as it moved northwestward, becoming a hurricane on October 12. After crossing the western tip of Cuba, it peaked in intensity on October 16, corresponding to Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. That same day, the hurricane moved in a counterclockwise loop and hit Cuba again. It then tracked toward Florida, landing near Cape Romano. After moving through the state, it hugged the coast of the Southeastern United States on its way out to sea.
  Due to its unusual loop, initial reports suggested it was two separate storms that developed and hit land in rapid succession. Its track was subject to much debate at the time; eventually, it was identified as a single storm. Analysis of the event gave a greater understanding of weather systems that took similar paths.
  The hurricane is considered one of the worst natural disasters in Cuban history. Damage was extensive, and thousands were left homeless.
context_section_description: At Key West, pressures began to fall at midnight on October 12 as the storm approached from the southwest. By late on October 13, heavy rain had begun to fall, and winds began to increase, reaching 50 mph (80 km/h) on October 14.  Gusts reached 110 mph (180 km/h) and storm tide ran 15 ft (4.6 m) above normal; swells in the area attained "unusually high" levels. Many docks were destroyed, and on October 17, the basement of the Weather Bureau office was submerged by rising waters. Before the rain gauge was washed out to sea, 3.89 in (99 mm) of precipitation was recorded. Along the southern and western shores of Key West, buildings were heavily damaged and in some cases swept off their foundations. La Brisa, a large structure used as an entertainment venue, was destroyed. A woman and two of her children drowned in the pounding surf while attempting to flee their home. Overall damage throughout the Florida Keys was estimated at worth around $250,000 (1910 USD).
  As the storm progressed westward, Tampa and nearby locations started to experience its effects. Strong winds from the northeast blew water out of the Tampa Bay to the lowest level ever recorded. The barometer fell to 961 mbar (hPa; 28.4 inHg), and extremely high waves battered the shore from Flamingo to Cape Romano. The surf continued well inland, forcing survivors to cling atop trees. North of Tampa, the hurricane's effects were moderate or light, while in the southwestern part of the state, damage increased in severity. A portion of the local citrus crop was destroyed. Property damage was widespread from Tampa to Jacksonville and points south. High winds tore the roofs off homes and shook some structures off their foundations.
  Seven men lost their lives in the wreckage of several Cuban schooners at Punta Gorda. Nearby, one man and a baby drowned as a result of the storm surge, and another died while attempting to cross a flooded river. A French steamship, the Louisiane, went ashore with 600 passengers; all people aboard the vessel were rescued by the Forward, a Revenue cutter.
caption: La Brisa, a building destroyed by the hurricane in Key West
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