Wikipedia:Today's featured article/October 3, 2011



The 1941 Florida hurricane was a strong tropical cyclone that affected the Bahamas, Florida, and the southeastern United States in October 1941. The fifth known storm of the 1941 Atlantic hurricane season, it was first observed to the north of the Virgin Islands on October 3. The storm tracked generally westward through the Bahamas, reaching peak winds of 120 mph. After moving across southern Florida the hurricane emerged into the Gulf of Mexico and made another landfall along the Florida Panhandle. Turning northeast, it crossed Georgia and South Carolina, and entered the Atlantic Ocean on October 8. In the Bahamas, where winds reached 104 mph, the storm killed three people. The city of Nassau was struck particularly hard. In Florida, damage was relatively severe, and included the deaths of several people. High winds brought down trees and powerlines, though the storm was characterized by highly unusual rainfall patterns. Storm surge in the Everglades region flooded local streets. As the storm progressed northward, the city of Tallahassee suffered widespread power outages and damage to numerous vehicles. Throughout the state, the hurricane inflicted $675,000 (1941 USD) in damages. The cyclone later killed one person in Georgia. (more...)

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