Rio Grande

The 1917 Nueva Gerona hurricane was the most intense tropical cyclone to strike the Florida Panhandle until Hurricane Opal in 1995. The eighth tropical cyclone and fourth tropical storm of the season, this system was identified as a tropical storm east of the Lesser Antilles on September 20. After crossing the Lesser Antilles, the system entered the Caribbean Sea and achieved hurricane intensity on September 21. After becoming a Category 2 hurricane, the storm struck the northern coast of Jamaica on September 23. Early on September 25, the cyclone reached Category 4 status and attained maximum sustained winds of 150 mph soon thereafter. Later that day, the hurricane made landfall in eastern Pinar del Río Province, Cuba. The system entered the Gulf of Mexico shortly thereafter and weakened slightly. Recurving to the northeast, the hurricane briefly threatened Louisiana before turning toward Florida. Early on September 29, the hurricane made landfall near Fort Walton Beach, Florida, with winds of 115 mph . Once over land, the cyclone rapidly weakened and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone before dissipating on September 30. Some islands in the Lesser Antilles experienced strong winds and heavy rainfall, including Dominica, Guadeloupe, and Saint Lucia. In Jamaica, the hurricane caused significant damage to banana and coconut plantations. Communications from Holland Bay were disrupted when the station was demolished. The greatest damages were reported from the northern half of the island. Nine deaths occurred in the city of Port Antonio. In Nueva Gerona, Cuba, strong winds destroyed well-constructed buildings and all but 10 homes. The Isla de la Juventud overall experienced about $2 million in damage and there were at least 20 fatalities. Orchards and crops were destroyed on the Pinar del Río Province. In Louisiana and Mississippi, impact was generally limited to damaged crops and timber stands. Ten deaths from drowning were reported in Louisiana. Farther east in Mobile, Alabama, portions of roofs, trees, and other debris littered streets. Communications were severed in Pensacola, Florida. Several small watercraft washed ashore, and numerous wharves, docks, and boat storages suffered impact. Total damages were estimated near $170,000 in Pensacola area. Five deaths were reported in Florida, all of them in Crestview. The storm and its remnants also produced rainfall in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
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