The 1932 Atlantic hurricane season featured several powerful storms, including the Cuba hurricane, which remains the deadliest tropical cyclone in the history of Cuba and among the most intense to strike the island nation. It was a relatively active season, with fifteen known storms, six hurricanes, and four major hurricanes. However, tropical cyclones that did not approach populated areas or shipping lanes, especially if they were relatively weak and of short duration, may have remained undetected. Because technologies such as satellite monitoring were not available until the 1960s, historical data on tropical cyclones from this period are often not reliable. The Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project discovered four new tropical cyclones, all of which were tropical storms, that occurred during the year. Two storms attained Category 5 intensity, the first known occurrence in which multiple Category 5 hurricanes formed in the same year. The season's first cyclone developed on May 5, while the last remaining system transitioned into an extratropical cyclone by November 13.
The strongest storm of the season was the Cuba hurricane, which heavily impacted portions of northern Colombia, the Netherlands Antilles, the Greater Antilles, and the Bahamas in November, leaving at least 3,144 fatalities and $44 million (1932 USD) in damage, the vast majority of which occurred in Cuba. In early September, the Abaco hurricane battered the northern Bahamas as a Category 5 hurricane, devastating portions of the island nation and resulting in at least 16 deaths. Another destructive storm was the Freeport hurricane, which caused 40 deaths and about $7.5 million in damage in Texas in August. The San Ciprian hurricane also wreaked havoc on the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic in late September, with damage totaling approximately $35.8 million and the death toll reaching 272. Collectively, the tropical cyclones during the 1932 season caused around $87.57 million in damage and at least 3,473 fatalities.
Season summary
Tropical cyclogenesis began in early May, with a system developing over the central Caribbean Sea on May 5. The storm made landfall in the Dominican Republic, before becoming extratropical offshore the East Coast of the United States on May 10. However, the season went dormant for about three months until the next system, the Freeport hurricane, formed over the southern Gulf of Mexico on August 12. Two other storms originated in the month of August – the Florida–Alabama and Abaco hurricanes. September was the most active month, with a total of six tropical cyclones developing, five tropical storms and one hurricane, the San Ciprián hurricane. Four more tropical cyclones formed in October, including three tropical storms and a hurricane, the Cuba hurricane, though much of its duration was in November. The season's final tropical cyclone, a hurricane, developed well east of the Windward Islands on November 3 and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone southwest of the Azores on November 10.
A total of fifteen tropical cyclones developed, the most since 1916. Six of the systems strengthened into a hurricane, while four reached major hurricane status, which is Category 3 or higher on the Saffir–Simpson scale. For the first time on record, two cyclones intensified into Category 5 hurricanes. The Abaco hurricane became the first of four tropical cyclones to have struck the Bahamas at Category 5 intensity, later followed by the Cuba–Brownsville hurricane in 1933, Hurricane Andrew in 1992, and Hurricane Dorian in 2019. Additionally, the Cuba hurricane remains among the most intense tropical systems to strike that country. Most of the storms also impacted land, with several causing devastating effects. Overall, the tropical cyclones of the season collectively resulted in at least $87.57 million in damage and approximately 3,473 deaths.
The season's total activity was reflected with an accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) rating of 170, the highest value since 1926, and well above the 1931–1943 average of 91.2. ACE is a metric used to express the energy used by a tropical cyclone during its lifetime. Therefore, a storm with a longer duration will have high values of ACE. It is only calculated at six-hour increments in which specific tropical and subtropical systems are either at or above sustained wind speeds of 39 mph (63 km/h), which is the threshold for tropical storm intensity. Thus, tropical depressions are not included here.
Systems
Tropical Storm One
A tropical depression formed on May 5 in the south-central Caribbean Sea. Moving slowly northeast, the system became a tropical storm the next day and gradually strengthened before making landfall just west of Baní in the Dominican Republic's modern-day Peravia Province with winds of 45 mph (72 km/h) on May 7. Within six hours, the storm emerged into the western Atlantic on May 8 and continued to strengthen. The system reached its peak intensity of 65 mph (105 km/h) on May 9 while centered south-southwest of Bermuda. The diffuse system later transitioned into an extratropical cyclone the same day, later dissipating on May 11 well to the northwest of Bermuda after merging with a frontal boundary. Heavy rainfall was reported in far eastern Cuba and the Dominican Republic, with the latter recording over 6 in (150 mm) of precipitation in 12 hours.
Hurricane Two
A tropical disturbance developed into a tropical storm in the southern Gulf of Mexico near the Yucatán Peninsula early on August 12. Moving north-northwestward, the cyclone strengthened into a hurricane by early the next day. Thereafter, the storm rapidly intensified, becoming a Category 4 hurricane early on August 13. Strengthening slightly further, the compact hurricane attained its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds estimated at 150 mph (240 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 935 mbar (27.6 inHg) shortly before making landfall near Freeport, Texas, at 04:00 UTC on August 13. The cyclone then rapidly weakened, falling below major hurricane intensity just eight hours later and to tropical storm intensity about fourteen hours after landfall. On August 15, the system deteriorated to a tropical depression, before dissipating over the Texas Panhandle around 18:00 UTC.
Official warning on the storm began just four hours prior to the storm's landfall in Texas, forcing many people evacuating inland to abandon their cars in high winds and heavy rains. In Galveston, power to electrical and phone service was cut off, temporarily reducing communications. The passage between Galveston Island and mainland Texas was flooded, briefly isolating Galveston. Heavy rains occurred, and a foot of rain fell as the storm moved north towards the coast. A total of 40 people were killed by the hurricane. The greatest single death toll for any town was seven in West Columbia, where sustained winds over 100 mph (160 km/h) flattened several homes. Two neighborhoods that had been constructed for oil industry workers there were nearly destroyed by the high tides and storm surge. Angleton, Freeport, and Galveston suffered extensive wind damage, while the inland towns of Brazoria, West Columbia, Damon and Needville, all in the path of the eye, were also devastated. Damages associated with the hurricane were estimated to total to $7.5 million.
Hurricane Three
A tropical disturbance was first identified southeast of Puerto Rico on August 24. Moving northwestward, the disturbance developed into a tropical depression two days later north of Hispaniola. Slowly moving towards the west-northwest, it intensified into a tropical storm late on August 27. The storm made landfall on the north end of Key Largo, Florida, with sustained winds of 65 mph (105 km/h) around 04:00 UTC on August 30, before striking the mainland south of Homestead. After crossing the Florida peninsula and entering the Gulf of Mexico, the system reached its peak intensity as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (137 km/h), before subsequently making its final landfall just east Mississippi–Alabama state line on September 1 at the same intensity. Over land, the hurricane weakened, and after becoming an extratropical cyclone over northwestern Mississippi on September 2, the storm merged with another extratropical system over Quebec on September 4.
At the storm's landfall in southern Florida, heavy rains and strong winds caused extensive damage to crops, particularly to avocado and citrus. A fire in Hollywood that firefighters were unable to extinguish due to winds damaging equipment led to approximately $20,000 in damage. As the strengthening hurricane moved northwestwards through the Gulf of Mexico, it generated strong surf that caused severe damage to coastal areas across western Florida, before making its second landfall, where it produced hurricane-force winds across a wide swath of the coast. In and around Pensacola, the hurricane caused about $100,000 in damage, including impacts to buildings, homes, waterfront properties, power lines, and cotton crops. Agricultural lands in coastal regions of Mississippi and Alabama were damaged by strong winds and heavy rain. Storm surge also submerged portions of Bayou La Batre and Mobile in Alabama, with about $105,000 in damage in the latter. The hurricane caused one death and about $229,000 in total damages across its path.
Hurricane Four
A tropical depression was first detected north of the Virgin Islands late on August 30. Moving towards the west-northwest, the depression steadily intensified, reaching tropical storm strength and later hurricane strength on September 2, as it passed near the Turks and Caicos Islands. After reaching hurricane intensity, the hurricane began to rapidly intensify, becoming a major hurricane on September 4. The intensifying hurricane moved through the Bahamas and reached its peak intensity as a Category 5 hurricane, the first of the season, with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph (260 km/h) at 18:00 UTC on September 5. Shortly thereafter, the hurricane struck the Abaco Islands. Curving north-northeastward, the cyclone slowly weakened, falling to Category 4 intensity by late on September 6. The storm continued weakening as it accelerated northeastward, bypassing New England before becoming extratropical about 150 mi (240 km) south of Cape Sable Island on September 9. The extratropical cyclone brushed Newfoundland and traversed across Iceland and later dissipated just offshore Russia's Kola Peninsula on September 17.
The hurricane caused extensive devastation across much of the Bahamas, where it killed 16 people and injured an additional 300 people. Strong winds destroyed numerous homes and hampered water and food supplies. The large hurricane also generated a strong storm surge which inundated the Abaco Islands. The Abaco Islands were the worst impacted area, where the severity of damage indicated that sustained wind speeds exceeded 150 mph (240 km/h). At Hope Town, the hurricane demolished 83 homes, severely damaged 63 others, and damaged 40 others to a lesser degree. Strong winds also destroyed all churches and public buildings in the community. Similarly, all buildings – including churches, government buildings, and schools – and homes were demolished on Green Turtle Cay. Only six homes remained standing in Coopers Town and just four others withstood the hurricane at Great Guana Cay. The hurricane also completely destroyed the Bluff Point community. Most homes in Marsh Harbour were severely damaged, while the cyclone destroyed 12 other homes and all schools in the town. Effects in the United States were much less severe, due to the distance of the hurricane. However, strong gales still swept through much of New England. In Atlantic Canada, the storm caused 14 or 15 deaths, all related to maritime incidents. On land, wind gusts reached 81 mph (130 km/h) in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Some homes and buildings were damaged or destroyed, while approximately 10 percent of apple crops in Annapolis Valley were lost.
Tropical Storm Five
On September 4, an area of low pressure developed from a stationary front approximately 740 mi (1,190 km) south-southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland. At the time, a warm front and cold front were connected to the system, but further observations revealed minimal temperature deviations. The following day, the disturbance appeared to have acquired subtropical characteristics, but became tropical after observations showed that winds associated with the storm were near the center. The system peaked as a strong tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 km/h) on September 5. The storm later weakened and was absorbed by a frontal boundary at 18:00 UTC on September 7 roughly 165 mi (265 km) southeast of Cape Race.
Tropical Storm Six
A tropical storm formed in the Bay of Campeche on September 9. Moving slowly northwards, the storm reached its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) while located south of the Mississippi River Delta. Beginning on September 14, the storm began to accelerate as it turned towards the northeast. Around 04:00 UTC on September 15, the cyclone made landfall in St. Marks, Florida, at peak intensity. The storm crossed the state quickly and briefly entered Georgia before emerging into the Atlantic less than eight hours after landfall. However, the system soon transitioned into an extratropical cyclone a short distance east of Sapelo Island around 12:00 UTC on September 15. The extratropical cyclone quickly accelerated parallel to the United States East Coast, before being absorbed by another extratropical system over Quebec.