The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-05-09
-Dietz on Science /
HURRICANE is
YEARLY EVENT
FOR FLORIDA
Total of as Storms Swept
State in as Years,
Says Bureau.
BY DAVID DIETZ
Scripps- Science Editor

The state of Florida averages
about one hurricane a year. ac-
cording to statistics collected by
Richard w. Gray of United States
weather bureau in Miami.
Gray reports that in the 45-year
period ending with 1889, forty-six
tropical cyclones either moved in
land over Florida, or passed near
enough to cause damaging winds in
the coastal regions of the state.
Of the forty-six storms, thirty
seven were severe enough to be
classed as hurricanes. The other
nine were either less than ilurri-
cane intensity or doubtful as to
hurricane intensity.
The average occurrence of hur-
ricanes is less than one a year for
any particular locality in the state,
and different localities show differ
ent averages.
The chance for a hurricane on
any 100-mile section of the eastern
coast line of Florida is about one in
twenty years The chances are a
little higher for a similar section of
the western coast line, the average
there being about one storm in 1873
years.
Tampa Nearly Exempt
Tampa, Gary says, has been more
nearly exempt from hurricanes
during the last forty-five years than
any other city in southern Florida.
Key West. on account of its ex-
posed location in the Florida Straits,
and Pensacola, on account of its ex-
posed position to western Caribbean
storms, have experienced more hur-
ricaneS than any other section of
the state.
Contrary to popular belief, more
hurricanes have occurred in Florida
in october than in any other month,
Gray says. This is true in spite of
the fact that no hurricane has
passed inland over the east coast Of
Florida during October in the last
ffty-one, years.
All october storms either have
tsruck the west or extreme south
coasts, or have recurved to the
norteastward off the lower east
coast" he says.
Develop in Caribbean
The decided tendency for
tropical cyclones to develop over
the western Caribbean sea near the
end Of the hurricane season is
shown by the fact that, of twenty
one Florida storms that had their
origin in the western Caribbean in
the last forty-f1ve years, twelve
occurred in October, and two in No
vember.
One of these was the famous
loop hurricane of October, 1910,
that twice swept over Key West
and Havana.
The most belated tropical cyclone
Of record to reach the coast of the
United States developed over the
western Caribbean and moved
northeastward through the Yucca
tan channel, to the extreme lower
west coast Of Florida, where it
passed inland on Nov. 80, 1925. 1t
passed off the upper coast of Florida
on Dec. l.
Rains Are Excessive
This storm was attended by winds
of hurricane force on the extreme
lower west coast and by excessive
rains throughout the peninsula.
The forty-six storms during the
last forty-five years were divided
by months as follows: Five in
June, three in July, seven in Au-
gust, thirteen in September, sixteen
in October and two in November.
Just as many scientists believe
buildings can be built in California
to resist earthquakes, so Gray thinks
that hurricanes can be successfully
resisted in Florida.
If in addition to the proper con-
struction, all windows, doors and
vents are protected by storm shut
tiers, the building should withstand
strong hurricane winds with prac-
tically no damage
Such a building can be construct
ed at only moderate increase of
cost above that for the usual type
of construction, and the saving in
storm insurance will repay the extra