388 THE WEST INDIAN HURRICANE OF SEPTEMBER, 1900 



pheric currents, follow inxths wliich recurve north and northeastward 

 near the southeastern coasts of the United States. As a niajorit_y of 

 the hurricanes traced have, followed the course indicated, it nia}'^ he 

 considered the normal course of West Indian storms when the usual 

 meteorological conditions ohtain over the Atlantic Ocean and the 

 United States. Some of the more important storms of the West 

 Indies have not recurved northward, but have moved westward over 

 the Gulf of Mexico and dissipated over Mexico or the southwestern 

 states. In such cases persistent high barometric pressure to the 

 northward covering their normal line of advance has ai)i>arentl3'' 

 prevented a recurve. 



Observation has shown that storms are commonly more violent in 

 the region where the}' recurve or attempt to recurve abnormall}'. 

 Observation has also shown that when the advance of a storm is ob- 

 structed and it is held back by an area of liigh pressure, it acquires 

 greater intensity on assuming an abnormal course. Among notable 

 storms of this class ma}' be mentioned the hurricane of August, 1886, 

 wliich totally destroyed the city of Indianola, Texas, and the hurri- 

 cane of September, 1888, which raged with destructive violence over 

 Cuba. These storms were apparently unable to recurve owing to 

 high barometric pressure to the northward. Forced westward, they 

 develo})ed intense energy and dissipated, one on the southeast slope 

 of the Rocky Mountains and the other over Mexico. 



It will be observed that the storm of September, 1900, made two 

 rather sharp abnormal turns in its course, and that manifestations 

 of increased energy attended these recurves. It will also be noted 

 that while the storm was most intense on the Texas coast, it exhausted 

 its energy at that point and did not again become formidable until 

 after its union with the northwestern disturbance. The scene of the 

 first of tliese recurves was the southern Florida Peninsula, and the 

 date was September 6. A reference to the chart of the morning of 

 the otli will show that the future course of the storm was not clearly 

 indicated by the conditions thereon presented. The middle and 

 north Atlantic coast districts were covered by an extensive area of 

 high l>arometer, and an area of low barometer was crossing the north- 

 western states in an easterly direction. The apparent activity of the 

 northwestern low area and decreasing pressure east of the INIissis- 

 sippi River indicated a probable path northward along the Atlantic 

 coast. It was also evident that excessive speed on the part of the 

 northwest depression would result in a failure on its part to dissipate 



