Major Texas Hurricanes

by Cindy Kay Stewart | May 1, 2020 | News

Hurricane Harvey pushed ashore Friday, August 25, 2017, the first category four hurricane to hit Texas in many years. Sharing part of its western border with the Gulf of Mexico, Texas has been pummeled by many hurricanes, some especially vicious. 

When and where have other devastating hurricanes landed in Texas?  

Indianola Hurricanes of 1875 and 1886

In the 1800’s, Indianola, TX was a thriving seaport on Matagorda Bay, located in the area of present day Victoria, TX. Indianola competed with Galveston for supremacy in shipping and trade. Also, many immigrants to the U.S. disembarked at Indianola, most notably German immigrants making their way to the western lands. In September of 1875, many visitors filled the city to witness an important trial when a hurricane with 100 MPH winds pushed the waters of Matagorda Bay into the city.

The storm lasted two days, left only eight buildings undamaged, and took approximately 270 lives. The city and port recovered but not to the same level of greatness. In August of 1886, another hurricane of equal strength hit the port city, completely destroying it with water and fire. Indianola became a ghost town. 

Galveston Hurricanes of 1900 & 1915

Late on September 8, 1900, a category 4 hurricane, with winds of 130 MPH came ashore south of Galveston and sent storm tides of 8 to 15 feet across Galveston Island. Approximately 8000 people died, although estimates range from 6000 to 12,000 lives lost. No other weather disaster in U.S. history has been as deadly. Property damage was estimated at $30 million. The hurricane went north over the Great Lakes and Canada and emerged in the north Atlantic on September 15th.

In August of 1915, another category 4 hurricane, but with winds of 140 MPH, spun ashore at Galveston, causing 275 deaths and $50 million of damage. The recently built seawall protected many lives.

The Great Corpus Christi Hurricane of 1919 (Atlantic Gulf Hurricane)

On September 14, 1919, a category 4 hurricane, with winds of 140 MPH, hit the coast south of Corpus Christi, causing a storm surge of 12 feet and swamping the city. Before moving into Mexico, the hurricane left $22 million in damage and 284 deaths. Robert Simpson, a young man who survived the storm, later became the director of the National Hurricane Center and co-founded the Saffir-Simpson Scale. This hurricane is classified as the third most intense to land on the U.S. coast.

Hurricane Audrey

On June 27, 1957, Audrey came ashore at Sabine Pass, near the Texas-Louisiana border, as a category 4 hurricane with wind speeds of 145 miles per hour. The storm took 390 lives in Texas and Louisiana. Storm surges of 8 to 12 feet pushed water 25 miles inland in Louisiana.

Hurricane Carla

Early on the morning of September 11, 1961, Carla became a category 5 hurricane, with winds of 175 miles per hour. In the afternoon, her winds dropped to 145 miles per hour, and her eye passed over Port O’Connor and Port Lavaca. Prior to landfall, a mandatory evacuation was issued, and half a million people made their way to safety—the largest evacuation in U.S. history up to that time. Tides of 15 to 17 feet above sea level devastated Port O’Connor, Indianola, Palacios, and Matagorda, and the storm surge continued inland for 10 miles in places. Eighteen tornadoes formed, including an F4 in Galveston. The category 4 storm was responsible for only 46 deaths, but 465 injuries.