1943 Mazatlán hurricane
Encyclopedia
The 1943 Mazatlán hurricane was a powerful tropical cyclone
that struck the Pacific coast of Mexico
in October 1943. First observed off the coast of Sinaloa
, the hurricane made landfall
just south of Mazatlán
on October 9 with a pressure of 959 mbar
and maximum sustained winds of at least 136 mph (220 km/h). The hurricane destroyed two small towns and half of Mazatlán, killing around 100 people, injuring 102, and leaving over 1,000 homeless. Total damage was estimated at $4.5 million (1943 USD
, $56 million 2008 USD). The hurricane was the strongest on record to strike Mazatlán.
was first observed between the Revillagigedo Islands
and Islas Marías
. It moved rapidly northeastward as an intense hurricane, with the station at Mazatlán
, Sinaloa
, reporting a 28 mbar
(0.827 inHg
) drop in pressure
in the 8 hours as the storm approached. At 1530 UTC
on October 9, the hurricane made landfall
just south of Mazatlán, where a pressure of 958.6 mbar (28.31 inHg) was reported. Also in Mazatlán, an anemometer reported winds of 136 mph (220 km/h) for a period of 15 minutes, before the instrument was blown loose. With sustained winds greater than 131 mph (210 km/h), the hurricane would have been classified at least as a Category 4 on the modern-day Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
. The hurricane was the strongest hurricane on record to strike the city, and was one of only three major hurricanes to do so; the others were Hurricane Olivia
in 1975, which hit the city with winds of 115 mph (185 km/h), and a storm in 1957. However, Hurricane Tico
in 1983 moved ashore very near the city as a major hurricane.
The storm dropped little precipitation along its path, accruing to about 2 inches (50 mm) after the center moved ashore. As the hurricane continued inland, it rapidly weakened over the Sierra Madre Occidental
. It passed into Chihuahua and was predicted to continue into the southern United States
, though the remainder of its path is unknown.
, $56 million 2008 USD).
Several fishing boats were lost during the storm, and at least six fishing casualties were reported. By two days after the storm, the death toll rose to 18; the next day, the Associated Press
reported 52 deaths and 102 injuries. Ten days after the storm, military officials reported the death toll rose to 57, and the number of people left homeless by the storm reached over 1,000. Ultimately, the death toll was estimated at around 100.
By 24 hours after the storm, President Manuel Ávila Camacho
ordered nurses and doctors on standby, and for military workers in the area to prepare to assist in the aftermath. By five days after the storm, officials had restored power and communications in the area. Around the same time, the president issued an appeal for public donations for storm victims. Within a week, citizens sent large quantities of food, clothing, and medicine to the worst affected areas. The President of Mexico personally visited Mazatlán with other officials, bringing aid in the form of medicine and clothing.
Tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
that struck the Pacific coast of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
in October 1943. First observed off the coast of Sinaloa
Sinaloa
Sinaloa officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 18 municipalities and its capital city is Culiacán Rosales....
, the hurricane made landfall
Landfall (meteorology)
Landfall is the event of a tropical cyclone or a waterspout coming onto land after being over water. When a waterspout makes landfall it is reclassified as a tornado, which can then cause damage inland...
just south of Mazatlán
Mazatlán
Mazatlán is a city in the Mexican state of Sinaloa; the surrounding municipio for which the city serves as the municipal seat is Mazatlán Municipality. It is located at on the Pacific coast, across from the southernmost tip of the Baja California peninsula.Mazatlán is a Nahuatl word meaning...
on October 9 with a pressure of 959 mbar
Bar (unit)
The bar is a unit of pressure equal to 100 kilopascals, and roughly equal to the atmospheric pressure on Earth at sea level. Other units derived from the bar are the megabar , kilobar , decibar , centibar , and millibar...
and maximum sustained winds of at least 136 mph (220 km/h). The hurricane destroyed two small towns and half of Mazatlán, killing around 100 people, injuring 102, and leaving over 1,000 homeless. Total damage was estimated at $4.5 million (1943 USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
, $56 million 2008 USD). The hurricane was the strongest on record to strike Mazatlán.
Meteorological history
On October 8, a developing tropical cycloneTropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
was first observed between the Revillagigedo Islands
Revillagigedo Islands
The Revillagigedo Islands or Revillagigedo Archipelago are a group of four volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean, known for their unique ecosystem...
and Islas Marías
Islas Marías
The Islas Marías are an archipelago of four islands that belong to Mexico. They are located in the Pacific Ocean, some off the coast of the state of Nayarit. They are part of the municipality of San Blas, Nayarit...
. It moved rapidly northeastward as an intense hurricane, with the station at Mazatlán
Mazatlán
Mazatlán is a city in the Mexican state of Sinaloa; the surrounding municipio for which the city serves as the municipal seat is Mazatlán Municipality. It is located at on the Pacific coast, across from the southernmost tip of the Baja California peninsula.Mazatlán is a Nahuatl word meaning...
, Sinaloa
Sinaloa
Sinaloa officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 18 municipalities and its capital city is Culiacán Rosales....
, reporting a 28 mbar
Bar (unit)
The bar is a unit of pressure equal to 100 kilopascals, and roughly equal to the atmospheric pressure on Earth at sea level. Other units derived from the bar are the megabar , kilobar , decibar , centibar , and millibar...
(0.827 inHg
Inch of mercury
Inches of mercury, ' is a unit of measurement for pressure. It is still widely used for barometric pressure in weather reports, refrigeration and aviation in the United States, but is seldom used elsewhere....
) drop in pressure
Atmospheric pressure
Atmospheric pressure is the force per unit area exerted into a surface by the weight of air above that surface in the atmosphere of Earth . In most circumstances atmospheric pressure is closely approximated by the hydrostatic pressure caused by the weight of air above the measurement point...
in the 8 hours as the storm approached. At 1530 UTC
Coordinated Universal Time
Coordinated Universal Time is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is one of several closely related successors to Greenwich Mean Time. Computer servers, online services and other entities that rely on having a universally accepted time use UTC for that purpose...
on October 9, the hurricane made landfall
Landfall (meteorology)
Landfall is the event of a tropical cyclone or a waterspout coming onto land after being over water. When a waterspout makes landfall it is reclassified as a tornado, which can then cause damage inland...
just south of Mazatlán, where a pressure of 958.6 mbar (28.31 inHg) was reported. Also in Mazatlán, an anemometer reported winds of 136 mph (220 km/h) for a period of 15 minutes, before the instrument was blown loose. With sustained winds greater than 131 mph (210 km/h), the hurricane would have been classified at least as a Category 4 on the modern-day Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
. The hurricane was the strongest hurricane on record to strike the city, and was one of only three major hurricanes to do so; the others were Hurricane Olivia
Hurricane Olivia (1975)
Hurricane Olivia was considered the worst hurricane to hit Mazatlán, Sinaloa since 1943, in addition to being the strongest landfalling and costliest hurricane of the 1975 Pacific hurricane season. Olivia formed on October 22 to the south of Mexico, quickly intensifying into a tropical storm....
in 1975, which hit the city with winds of 115 mph (185 km/h), and a storm in 1957. However, Hurricane Tico
Hurricane Tico (1983)
Hurricane Tico was among the deadliest and costliest Pacific hurricanes on record. Forming on October 11, the cyclone steadily intensified off the Pacific coast of Mexico. Three days after forming, Tico reached hurricane intensity. Early on October 19, Tico peaked as a Category 4 hurricane on...
in 1983 moved ashore very near the city as a major hurricane.
The storm dropped little precipitation along its path, accruing to about 2 inches (50 mm) after the center moved ashore. As the hurricane continued inland, it rapidly weakened over the Sierra Madre Occidental
Sierra Madre Occidental
The Sierra Madre Occidental is a mountain range in western Mexico.-Setting:The range runs north to south, from just south of the Sonora–Arizona border southeast through eastern Sonora, western Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Durango, Zacatecas, Nayarit, Jalisco, Aguascalientes to Guanajuato, where it joins...
. It passed into Chihuahua and was predicted to continue into the southern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, though the remainder of its path is unknown.
Impact and aftermath
Moving ashore as a powerful hurricane, the storm destroyed two small towns, and also severely damaged the port at Mazatlán. Though the storm was reported to have struck "without warning", most of the residents in the cities that were destroyed were able to reach safety in higher ground. The hurricane destroyed about half of the buildings in Mazatlán, and near the ocean, the combination of strong waves, high winds, and rainfall left many hotels and houses heavily damaged. The storm damaged water systems, leaving people without potable water or sewage systems. In a 50-mile (80 km) portion of the coastline, the storm severely impacted the communication and transportation infrastructure. The airport at Mazatlán sustained damage to its radio tower, and for at least 18 hours, the only communication between the city and the rest of Mexico was through the radio of a plane in the airport. Total damage was estimated at $4.5 million (1943 USDUnited States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
, $56 million 2008 USD).
Several fishing boats were lost during the storm, and at least six fishing casualties were reported. By two days after the storm, the death toll rose to 18; the next day, the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
reported 52 deaths and 102 injuries. Ten days after the storm, military officials reported the death toll rose to 57, and the number of people left homeless by the storm reached over 1,000. Ultimately, the death toll was estimated at around 100.
By 24 hours after the storm, President Manuel Ávila Camacho
Manuel Ávila Camacho
Manuel Ávila Camacho served as the President of Mexico from 1940 to 1946.Manuel Ávila was born in the city of Teziutlán, a small town in Puebla, to middle-class parents, Manuel Ávila Castillo and Eufrosina Camacho Bello. He had several siblings, among them sister María Jovita Ávila Camacho and...
ordered nurses and doctors on standby, and for military workers in the area to prepare to assist in the aftermath. By five days after the storm, officials had restored power and communications in the area. Around the same time, the president issued an appeal for public donations for storm victims. Within a week, citizens sent large quantities of food, clothing, and medicine to the worst affected areas. The President of Mexico personally visited Mazatlán with other officials, bringing aid in the form of medicine and clothing.