View source for 1926 Miami hurricane

{{Short description|Category 4 Atlantic hurricane that hit Florida in 1926}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox weather event
| name = Hurricane Seven
| image = Miami hurricane weather map (enlarged), September 18, 1926 (5109773).jpg
| caption = [[Surface weather analysis]] of the hurricane making landfall near Miami in [[South Florida]] on September&nbsp;18
| formed = September 11, 1926
| dissipated = September 22, 1926
}}{{Infobox weather event/NWS
| winds = 130
| pressure = 930
| pressure-suffix = <br />(estimated)
}}{{Infobox weather event/Effects
| year = 1926
| fatalities = 372–539+
| damage = 100000000
| damage-suffix = <br />([[List of costliest Atlantic hurricanes|Costliest]] U.S. hurricane on record when adjusted for wealth [[normalization (statistics)|normalization]] – $235.9 billion in 2018)
| areas = {{flatlist|
*[[Turks and Caicos Islands]]
*[[The Bahamas]]
*[[Florida]]
*[[Alabama]]
*[[Mississippi]]
*[[Louisiana]]
*[[Texas]]
}}
| refs = <ref name=NHC-6 />{{sfn|Pfost|2003|p=1368}}<ref name=NYT-2 />{{sfn|Barnes|1998|p=[https://archive.org/details/floridashurrican0000barn_g4v2/page/120/ 120]}}
}}{{Infobox weather event/Footer
| season = [[1926 Atlantic hurricane season]]
}}

The ''' Great Miami Hurricane of 1926'''<ref name=NHC-6>{{cite report|type=United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Technical Memorandum|author1=Blake, Eric S.|author2=Gibney, Ethan J.|title=The Deadliest, Costliest, and Most Intense United States Tropical Cyclones from 1851 to 2010 (and Other Frequently Requested Hurricane Facts)|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/nws-nhc-6.pdf|publisher=[[National Hurricane Center]]|access-date=January 1, 2015|location=[[Miami]] and [[Asheville, North Carolina]]|date=August 2011}}</ref> was a large and intense [[tropical cyclone]] that devastated the [[Greater Miami]] area of [[Florida]] and caused catastrophic damage in [[the Bahamas]] and the [[Gulf Coast of the United States|U.S. Gulf Coast]] in September 1926, accruing a [[United States dollar|US$]]100&nbsp;million damage toll. The devastation brought by the hurricane resulted in the end of [[Florida land boom of the 1920s|Florida's land boom]], and represented an early start to the [[Great Depression]] in the state. It has been estimated that a similar hurricane would cause about $235 billion in damage if it were to hit Miami in 2018.<ref name="WeinkleEtAl2018" />

The hurricane is believed to have [[tropical cyclogenesis|formed]] in the central Atlantic Ocean on September 11.{{refn|group=nb|name=UTC|For consistency, [[Coordinated Universal Time]]&nbsp;<small>(UTC)</small> is used for all references of time as the cyclone existed in multiple [[time zone]]s during its existence.}} Steadily strengthening as it tracked west-northwestward, the storm reached hurricane intensity the next day. As a result of scattered observations at open sea, however, no ship encountered the storm until September 15, by which time it had reached [[major hurricane]] intensity north of the [[Virgin Islands]]. Strengthening continued up until the following day, when the storm reached peak intensity with a strength equivalent to a [[List of Category 4 Atlantic hurricanes|Category 4 hurricane]]. This intensity was maintained as the storm tracked across the [[Turks and Caicos]] and the Bahamas to [[landfall (meteorology)|landfall]] near Miami on September 18.

The hurricane caused immense destruction throughout the islands and across southern Florida. The storm destroyed hundreds of structures in its path over the islands, leaving thousands of residents homeless. At least seventeen deaths occurred on the islands, though many others—some related only indirectly to the storm—were reported in the aftermath. Upon striking [[South Florida]], the cyclone generated hurricane-force winds over a broad swath of the region, causing widespread and severe structural damage from both wind and water. Most of the deaths occurred near [[Lake Okeechobee]], when a large [[storm surge]] breached muck [[Levee|dikes]] and drowned hundreds of people.

The hurricane quickly traversed the Florida peninsula before emerging into the [[Gulf of Mexico]] near [[Fort Myers, Florida|Fort Myers]]. It flooded surrounding communities and [[barrier island]]s, while strong winds downed trees and disrupted electrical service. The storm later made two landfalls with weaker intensities on [[Alabama]] and [[Mississippi]] on September 20 and 21, respectively. It caused additional but less severe damage in those states, primarily from heavy rains and storm surge. Land interaction caused the cyclone to deteriorate and later dissipate on September 22.

==Meteorological history==
{{storm path|AL07 1926 path.png|colors=new}}
Due to the sparseness of available observations in the central Atlantic, the specific [[tropical cyclogenesis|origins]] of the 1926 Miami hurricane remain unclear.<ref name=metadata>{{cite web|author1=Landsea, Chris |display-authors=etal |title=Documentation of Atlantic Tropical Cyclones Changes in HURDAT|url=http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/metadata_master.html|publisher=[[Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory]]|access-date=January 1, 2015|location=Miami, Florida|date=April 2014}}</ref> Operationally, the [[National Weather Service|United States Weather Bureau]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], did not begin issuing [[Tropical cyclone warnings and watches#North Atlantic systems|advisories]] on the cyclone until September 14.<ref name=MWR>{{cite journal|last1=Mitchell|first1=Charles L.|editor1-last=Henry|editor1-first=Alfred J.|editor2-last=Varney|editor2-first=Burton M.|title=The West Indian Hurricane Of September 14–22, 1926|journal=Monthly Weather Review|date=October 1926|volume=54|issue=10|pages=409–414|doi=10.1175/1520-0493(1926)54<409:TWIHOS>2.0.CO;2|url=http://docs.lib.noaa.gov/rescue/mwr/054/mwr-054-10-0409.pdf|access-date=January 1, 2015|bibcode=1926MWRv...54..409M|doi-access=free}}</ref> However, the cyclone is first listed in [[HURDAT]]—the official [[Atlantic hurricane]] database—as having begun as a [[tropical storm]] with [[maximum sustained wind]]s of {{convert|65|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} roughly {{convert|1100|mi|km|abbr=on}} east of the island of [[Martinique]] in the [[Lesser Antilles]] on September 11. Tracking west-northwestward, the storm gradually intensified and reached hurricane intensity on September&nbsp;12 while still east of the Lesser Antilles.{{Atlantic hurricane best track}} The observation of low [[barometric pressure]]s and winds suggesting [[cyclonic rotation]] at [[Saint Kitts]] on the evening of September&nbsp;14 was the first to suggest that a hurricane had developed.<ref name=MWR /> The following day, the [[steamship]] ''Matura'' encountered the strengthening tropical cyclone and documented a minimum pressure of {{convert|28.82|inHg|mb|abbr=on|lk=on}}.<ref name=metadata /> By 06:00&nbsp;[[Universal Time Coordinate|UTC]] on September&nbsp;15, the storm had strengthened further to major hurricane intensity north of the [[Virgin Islands]].{{Atlantic hurricane best track}}

Strengthening continued into September&nbsp;16 as the hurricane reached a strength equivalent to that of a [[List of Category 4 Atlantic hurricanes|Category&nbsp;4]] on the modern-day [[Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale]]. Although no official minimum pressure readings were taken in the area at the time, the tropical cyclone peaked in wind-based intensity at 18:00&nbsp;UTC on September&nbsp;16 with sustained winds of {{convert|150|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}, near the uppermost limit of the modern-day ranking [[List of Category 4 Atlantic hurricanes|Category 4]].{{Atlantic hurricane best track}} With this strength the hurricane passed near the [[Turks and Caicos Islands]], though its intensity at the time was based on the extent of damage there as any measurement device was knocked out by the damaging winds.<ref name=metadata /><ref name=MWR-Turk>{{cite journal|last1=Goodwin|first1=George|title=The Hurricane At Turks Island, September&nbsp;16, 1926|journal=Monthly Weather Review|date=October 1926|volume=54|issue=10|pages=416–417|doi=10.1175/1520-0493(1926)54<416b:THATIS>2.0.CO;2|url=http://docs.lib.noaa.gov/rescue/mwr/054/mwr-054-10-0416b.pdf|access-date=January 1, 2015|bibcode=1926MWRv...54..416G|doi-access=free}}</ref> Shortly afterward, the cyclone struck the Bahamian island of [[Mayaguana]] at its peak intensity.{{Atlantic hurricane best track}} After passing the island, the hurricane slightly weakened but maintained formidable strength as it accelerated through the southern [[Bahamas]], passing near [[Nassau, Bahamas|Nassau]] on September&nbsp;17.{{Atlantic hurricane best track}}<ref name=MWR /> The storm then made a second landfall on [[Andros, Bahamas|Andros Island]] in the [[Mangrove Cay]] district early on September&nbsp;18. Thereafter, the hurricane crossed Andros Island and passed over the [[Gulf Stream]] en route to Florida. This trajectory brought the storm [[landfall (meteorology)|ashore]] on the coast of South Florida near [[Perrine, Florida|Perrine]], located just {{convert|15|mi|km|abbr=on}} south of [[Downtown Miami]], before 12:00&nbsp;UTC on September&nbsp;18 with winds of {{convert|145|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} and a minimum pressure estimated at {{convert|930|mb|inHg|abbr=on}}.<ref name=metadata />{{U.S. hurricanes}} At the time, the hurricane was very large in size, with a [[radius of outermost closed isobar]] {{convert|375|mi|km|abbr=on}} across;<ref name=Climate>{{cite journal|last=Landsea|first=Christopher W. |author2=Steve Feuer |author3=Andrew Hagen |author4=David A. Glenn |author5=Jamese Sims |author6=Ramón Pérez |author7=Michael Chenoweth |author8=Nicholas Anderson|title=A reanalysis of the 1921–1930 Atlantic hurricane database|journal=Journal of Climate|date=February 2012 |volume=25|issue=3|pages=865–85|doi=10.1175/JCLI-D-11-00026.1|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/landsea-et-al-jclimate2012.pdf|access-date=November 28, 2012|bibcode = 2012JCli...25..865L }}</ref> hurricane-force winds were reported from the upper [[Florida Keys]] to near [[St. Lucie County, Florida|St. Lucie County]].{{sfn|U.S. Weather Bureau|1926|p=39}}<ref name=Frank1926>{{cite news|last=Frank|first=Josh|url=https://sun-sentinel.newspapers.com/clip/47969988/south-florida-sun-sentinel/|title=A date with disaster: '26 storm would be devastating|newspaper=South Florida Sun-Sentinel|date=September 18, 2006|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|page=7B|access-date=April 4, 2020|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref> Around 20:30 UTC, the eye of the hurricane passed into the [[Gulf of Mexico]] near [[Punta Rassa, Florida|Punta Rassa]]; though by that time the pressure in the eye had only risen to {{convert|28.05|inHg|mb|abbr=on}},<ref name=MWR /> the winds in the eye wall had decreased to {{convert|105|mi/h|km/h||abbr=on}}. The hurricane had weakened over [[South Florida]] as a result of land interaction, but re-strengthened after emerging into the [[Gulf of Mexico]] off [[Punta Rassa, Florida|Punta Rassa]] six&nbsp;hours later.{{Atlantic hurricane best track}}<ref name=MWR />

The warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico allowed for the tropical cyclone to reach a secondary peak intensity with winds of {{convert|125|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} on September&nbsp;20, equivalent to that of a modern-day high-end Category&nbsp;3 hurricane. Although the storm had taken a more northwesterly course through the gulf, the hurricane later began paralleling the coast of the [[Florida Panhandle]] and thus slowly curved westward.{{Atlantic hurricane best track}} As a result, the major hurricane, now weakening quickly, made its second landfall near [[Perdido Beach, Alabama]], at around 21:30&nbsp;UTC that day with winds of {{convert|115|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{U.S. hurricanes}} After landfall, the storm quickly weakened and meandered off Alabama's barrier islands, eventually moving ashore for the last time on September&nbsp;21 near [[Gulfport, Mississippi]], as a tropical storm.<ref name=metadata /> The cyclone continued its decay inland, degenerating into a [[tropical depression]] the following day before dissipating over [[Louisiana]] shortly thereafter.{{Atlantic hurricane best track}}
{{Clear}}

==Preparations==
[[File:Miami_hurricane_weather_map,_September_15,_1926_(5987743).jpg|thumb|235x235px|Synoptic weather map of the hurricane passing north of the [[United States Virgin Islands|U.S Virgin Islands]] and [[Puerto Rico]] on September 15]]
On September&nbsp;16, the [[National Weather Service|United States Weather Bureau]] advised caution to ships tracking in Bahamian waters and the [[Straits of Florida|Florida Straits]]. The first [[tropical cyclone watches and warnings|tropical cyclone warning]] associated with the storm was a northeast storm warning issued on September&nbsp;17 for the Florida coast from [[Jupiter Inlet]] to [[Key West, Florida]]. Warnings along the United States [[East coast of the United States|Eastern Seaboard]] eventually stretched as far north as [[Charleston, South Carolina]], upon the storm's first landfall. Additional warnings were posted for the [[Gulf Coast of the United States|United States Gulf Coast]] on September&nbsp;19 and covered coastal areas from [[Apalachicola, Florida]], to [[Burrwood, Louisiana]]. Information on the storm as ascertained by the U.S. Weather Bureau was relayed by various radio and local press services, though the bureau specifically acknowledged the [[Press-Register|''Mobile Register'']] for their efforts in disseminating storm details.<ref name=MWR />

==Impact==
{{Costliest U.S. Atlantic hurricanes by wealth normalization}}

===Turks & Caicos and The Bahamas===
[[File:Miami_hurricane_weather_map,_September_17,_1926_(0865309).jpg|thumb|215x215px|Synoptic weather map of the hurricane over the [[The Bahamas|Bahamas]] and approaching South Florida on September 17|left]]
Although no fatalities were reported, the hurricane wrought extensive property damage to [[Grand Turk Island]]. Rain gauges recorded {{convert|10|in|mm|abbr=on|lk=on}} of [[rain]] during the storm, and high surf left knee-deep sand drifts on the island.<ref name=MWR-Turk /> The ocean covered the land up to {{convert|3/4|mi|km|abbr=on}} inland, and winds unroofed buildings at the weather station. Reportedly, the winds even ripped spines from [[Opuntia|prickly pear]] cacti.<ref name=MWR-Turk />  Nearly all [[lighter (barge)|lighters]] at port were lost.<ref name=EnormousDamage>{{cite news|title=Storm Does Enormous Damage|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/1482298/1926_miami_hurricane/|access-date=January 1, 2015|work=The Index-Journal|agency=Associated Press|volume=7|issue=224|date=September 17, 1926|location=[[Greenwood, South Carolina]]|page=1|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref> The storm left 4,000 people homeless on three of the islands in the Turks and Caicos.<ref name=NYT-1>{{cite news|date=September 22, 1926|title=Bahamas Are Hard Hit by Hurricane; Thousands of People Homeless on 3 Islands|newspaper=The New York Times|agency=The Associated Press}}</ref> Due to hampered communication, the extent of damage in the Bahamas was initially unclear.<ref name=Sweeps>{{cite news|title=Tropical Hurricane Sweeps Southern Part Of Country|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/1494413/1926_miami_hurricane/|access-date=January 1, 2015|work=[[Lancaster Eagle-Gazette]]|agency=Associated Press|volume=36|issue=137|date=September 18, 1926|location=[[Lancaster, Ohio]]|page=1|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref> In the Bahamas, the storm flattened hundreds of structures and killed at least 17&nbsp;people, mostly on [[Bimini]], where seven&nbsp;people died and the greatest property damage occurred. The hurricane also leveled many structures on [[Andros, Bahamas|Andros]], including churches and large buildings, and downed trees and other homes on New Providence.<ref name=NYT-2>{{cite news|date=September 24, 1926|title=17 Killed in the Bahamas|newspaper=The New York Times|agency=The Associated Press}}</ref> On parts of Andros, the storm snapped or felled almost all of the coconut palms,{{sfn|Neely|2009|p=125}} and in the [[Exuma]] district a large storm surge ruined many crops.{{sfn|Neely|2009|p=130}} The storm also destroyed 60% of the homes on the north island of Bimini, left water up to {{convert|7|ft|m|abbr=on}} deep in some areas, and was widely considered the worst storm on record in Bimini to date. Some sources say 25&nbsp;people died on Bimini, but these may have been indirect deaths, as many people reportedly perished after drinking contaminated well water.{{sfn|Neely|2009|pp=132–3}}
{{Clear}}

===United States===
[[File:1926 Miami hurricane 18 September 1926 4.jpg|left|thumb|225 px|Damage to a home near [[Miami]], Florida]]
The 1926&nbsp;hurricane is known primarily for its impacts and lasting aftermath in [[South Florida]], particularly in the Miami area. 

Effects were concentrated around Florida's southeastern coast and south-central Florida, with additional impacts in Northwest Florida. Damage figures from the storm in the state alone reached US$75&nbsp;million and accounted for most of the damage that the tropical cyclone produced.<ref name="metadata" /> Although the official number of fatalities would later be revised downward,<ref name="NHC-6" /> initial estimates suggested that the death toll would likely be over 1,000&nbsp;in Miami alone with an additional 2,000&nbsp;injured. Nonetheless, the grave number of casualties forced resorts to serve as temporary morgues and hospitals. Homes and office buildings were used to serve as refugee camps for the approximately 38,000&nbsp;people displaced by the hurricane.<ref name="500Dead">{{cite news|title=500&nbsp;Reported Killed In The City Of Miami|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/1482571/1926_miami_hurricane/|access-date=January 1, 2015|work=[[Portsmouth Daily Times]]|agency=Associated Press|volume=EXTRA|date=September 20, 1926|location=[[Portsmouth, Ohio]]|page=1|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref>

====Miami metropolitan area====
[[File:Looking East on Flagler St. from 13th Ave, 24 hours after the hurricane of Sept. 18th 1926, Miami, edit.jpg | thumb | Looking East on Flagler St. from 13th Ave, 24 hours after the hurricane of Sept. 18th 1926]]
[[File:1926 hurricane Fort Lauderdale Beach.jpg|right|thumb|225 px|Damage on Fort Lauderdale beach, near [[Port Everglades]]]]
The storm surge in South Florida was not as high as it would have been had the hurricane struck another area, owing to the deep offshore [[continental shelf]], which increased the energy needed to sustain a large surge.<ref name=Frank1926 /> However, along [[Biscayne Bay]], the hurricane produced a substantial storm surge; visual estimates suggested a peak height of {{convert|14|to|15|ft|m|abbr=on}} in [[Coconut Grove, Miami, Florida|Coconut Grove]],{{sfn|Barnes|1998|p=[https://archive.org/details/floridashurrican0000barn_g4v2/page/113/ 113]}} and a value of {{convert|11.7|ft|m|abbr=on}} occurred at [[Dinner Key]],<ref name=Dinner>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/47969491/the-miami-herald/|title=It Was Storm Without Name|newspaper=Miami Herald|date=September 18, 1976|page=19-A|access-date=April 4, 2020|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref> equal to the observation at [[U.S. Route 1 in Florida#Miami-Dade County|Biscayne Boulevard]] in Downtown Miami.{{sfn|Barnes|1998|p=[https://archive.org/details/floridashurrican0000barn_g4v2/page/113/ 113]}} In fact, the storm surge measured in the 1926&nbsp;hurricane was the highest ever officially documented on the east coast of South Florida until observers recorded a height of {{convert|16.89|ft|m|abbr=on}} at the [[Burger King#Structure and operations|Burger King International Headquarters]] near [[Cutler, Florida|Cutler]] in [[Miami-Dade County, Florida|Dade County]] during [[Hurricane Andrew]] in [[1992 Atlantic hurricane season|1992]].{{sfn|Duedall|Williams|2002|p=97}}<ref name="Andrew1992tcr">{{cite report|author=Edward Rappaport|date=1993-12-10|title=Hurricane Andrew|type=Preliminary Report|work=[[National Hurricane Center]]|access-date=2014-11-27|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/1992andrew.html|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's]] [[National Weather Service]]|location=Miami, Florida}}</ref> The hurricane's high [[storm surge]] swept into Miami and [[Miami Beach, Florida|Miami Beach]], flooding city streets with knee-deep water. Yachts and large vessels were carried by the intense wind and waves onto shore.<ref name=500Dead /> The [[MacArthur Causeway]] connecting Miami and Miami Beach was submerged under {{convert|6|ft|m|abbr=on}} of water.<ref name=Sweeps />
{{Quote box|quote = Waves several feet high were rolling up [[Las Olas Boulevard]], which had the appearance of a river rather than a street. ... Practically the entire town was covered with three feet of water.{{sfn|Hortt|1953|p=218}}|source= M. A. Hortt, former mayor of Fort Lauderdale|width = 22%|align=left|bgcolor= #c6dbf7}}

Communication between the two locales as well as the rest of the United States was cut after all local telecommunications and power lines were blown down.<ref name=Sweeps /> Due to their susceptibility to strong winds, most wooden buildings in Miami were either blown down or lost their roofs. Concrete and steel buildings were warped at their bases.<ref name=500Dead /> While [[List of tallest buildings in Miami|skyscrapers]] mostly sustained minor damage, the 18-story [[Meyer-Kiser Building]] bore considerable damage.<ref name=Highlights>{{cite news|title=Highlights of the Storm|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/1488502/1926_miami_hurricane/|access-date=January 1, 2015|work=Portsmouth Daily Times|agency=Associated Press|volume=EXTRA|date=September 20, 1926|location=Portsmouth, Ohio|page=1|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref> The structure reportedly swayed and vibrated precipitously during the storm; eyewitnesses likened it to the [[Charleston (dance)|Charleston dance]].{{sfn|Barnes|1998|pp=[https://archive.org/details/floridashurrican0000barn_g4v2/page/116/ 116]–[https://archive.org/details/floridashurrican0000barn_g4v2/page/117/ 7]}} Many of the injuries in the city were due to ballistic fragments of broken roofing including iron sheeting. Other structures across the region sustained significant damage. Strong winds leveled "hundreds" of working-class homes in [[Hialeah, Florida|Hialeah]] and severely damaged 70% of the town.{{sfn|Barnes|1998|p=[https://archive.org/details/floridashurrican0000barn_g4v2/page/119/ 119]}} Winds destroyed the interiors of buildings in [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida|Fort Lauderdale]], the [[county seat|seat]] of Broward County, and ripped the roof from the Broward County courthouse. Despite having only 12,000&nbsp;inhabitants, the town sustained severe damage to 3,500 of its buildings.{{sfn|Barnes|1998|p=[https://archive.org/details/floridashurrican0000barn_g4v2/page/120/ 120]}} Nearby, the storm severely damaged the abandoned [[Houses of Refuge in Florida#Locations|New River House of Refuge]].{{sfn|Linehan|Nelson|1994|p=99}}<ref name=Delray2>{{cite news|title=Survey Reveals Delray Damage|newspaper=Delray Beach News|date=September 24, 1926|page=1}}</ref> Cities as far north as [[Lake Park, Florida|Lake Park]] (then called Kelsey City) and [[West Palm Beach, Florida|West Palm Beach]] in [[Palm Beach County, Florida|Palm Beach County]] reported many roofs blown off, numerous small buildings destroyed, walls blown down, windows shattered, and trees, shrubs, and other objects torn apart or uprooted.<ref name=Delray2 /><ref name=PalmPost-1>{{cite news|title=City Is Cut Off From Nation When 100 Mile Hurricane Rages|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/47969716/the-palm-beach-post/|page=1|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|date=September 19, 1926|access-date=April 4, 2020|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref><ref name=PalmPost-2>{{cite news|title=Bulletins|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/47969766/the-palm-beach-post/|page=1|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|date=September 19, 1926|access-date=April 4, 2020|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref> The worst destruction occurred in the poorer, mostly [[black (people)|black]] sections of the towns, where many homes were destroyed.<ref name=Delray2 />

{{Quote box
| quote = We had never been through a hurricane in 1926, when we experienced our first one. ... We didn't know that all windows should be covered in a hurricane. ... I was watching as railroad cars were being knocked off the tracks and telegraph poles were snapped like toothpicks. ...[Immediately] almost all the windows on the top floor were broken.<ref name=Mitchell1>{{cite news|first=Sheffield|last=Skip|title=Stark memories of storms gone by|newspaper=Boca Raton News|date=June 28, 1981}}</ref>{{sfn|Mitchell|1978|pp=7–8}}
| source = Floy Cooke Mitchell, wife of former mayor of Boca Raton J. C. Mitchell
| width = 22%
| align = right
| bgcolor = #c6dbf7
}}
[[File:Baker's Haulover Inlet 1927.jpg|left|thumb|225 px|Remains of a bridge at Baker's Haulover Inlet]]
[[File:Miami_Beach_storm_surge_flooding_from_1926_hurricane.jpg|left|thumb|230x230px|Miami Beach flooded by [[storm surge]] during the hurricane]]
Along the east coast of South Florida, the storm caused widespread, significant [[Coastal erosion|beach erosion]].{{sfn|Simms|1984|p=11}} At [[Hillsboro Inlet Light]], high tides removed {{convert|20|ft|m|abbr=on}} of sand beneath the lighthouse.{{sfn|McGarry|1997|p=53}} The hurricane swept away much of State Road A1A in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties.{{sfn|Hortt|1953|p=219}} The combined force of waves and storm surge undermined coastal structures that collapsed, including multi-story casinos on [[Miami Beach, Florida|Miami Beach]],{{sfn|Barnes|1998|pp=[https://archive.org/details/floridashurrican0000barn_g4v2/page/116/ 116]–[https://archive.org/details/floridashurrican0000barn_g4v2/page/117/ 7]}} and washed out the coastal bridge on [[Florida State Road A1A]] at [[Baker's Haulover Inlet]].<ref name=NWSMiamipage-1>{{cite web|author1=National Weather Service|title=Memorial Web Page for the 1926 Great Miami Hurricane|url=http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mfl/?n=miamihurricane1926|website=srh.noaa.gov|publisher=[[National Weather Service]]|access-date=21 February 2015|location=[[Miami]], Florida|date=8 January 2009}}</ref> In [[Boca Raton, Florida|Boca Raton]], waves were so large that they rose to the top of the high ridge on the [[barrier island]], though they did not overtop it.<ref name=Delray1>{{cite news|last=Williams|first=Mrs. Arthur|title=Boca Raton News|newspaper=Delray Beach News|date=September 24, 1926|page=15}}</ref> High surf also destroyed a casino at the [[Boca Raton, Florida#Water|Boca Raton Inlet]]. "Knee-deep" water east of [[U.S. Route 1 in Florida|U.S. Route 1]] (Federal Highway) in Boca Raton blocked beach access, but residents waded through.<ref name=Delray1 /> Meanwhile, large waves left much debris and sand drifts several feet deep on State Road A1A in [[Delray Beach, Florida|Delray Beach]].<ref name=Delray2 /> The waters of the [[Lake Worth Lagoon]] overflowed their banks, submerging nearby streets, parks, and golf courses.<ref name=LakeWorth-1>{{cite news|title=Many Buildings in Lake Worth Razed by Storm|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/47969834/the-palm-beach-post/|page=1|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|date=September 19, 1926|access-date=April 4, 2020}} {{open access}}</ref> High tides piled debris on the streets of [[Palm Beach, Florida|Palm Beach]], caused a beachfront boardwalk to collapse, and exacerbated previous damage from the [[1926 Nassau hurricane|July hurricane]].<ref name=PalmPost-1 /> On [[Hollywood, Florida|Hollywood]] beach, waves smashed windows and invaded the interior of the Hollywood Beach Hotel. People on the second floor found sand drifts reaching "half way to the ceiling."{{sfn|Mitchell|1978|pp=7–8}}
[[File:Home_destroyed_in_Miami_Beach_after_the_1926_hurricane.jpg|left|thumb|A house destroyed In Miami Beach after the hurricane]]
[[File:Miami beach2.jpg|right|thumb|225 px|Damage on [[Miami Beach, Florida|Miami Beach]]]]
The storm also ravaged entertainment venues and historic sites. The storm flattened the [[Fulford–Miami Speedway]] in [[North Miami Beach, Florida|North Miami Beach]], which then ceased operation.<ref name=Fulford1>{{cite web|url=http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/late-1920s-the-remains-of-fulford-miami-speedway-after-it-news-photo/153801209|title=Fulford-Miami Speedway – Post Hurricane|work=[[Getty Images]]|date=1927-01-11|access-date=2013-08-21}}</ref><ref name=Fulford2>{{cite web|url=http://www.na-motorsports.com/Tracks/FL/MiamiFulford.html|title=Miami-Fulford Speedway|work=NA-Motorsports|access-date=2013-08-21}}</ref> Winds peeled the roof of the [[grandstand]] at [[Hialeah Park Race Track|Hialeah Race Track]] into pieces and destroyed the kennels, allowing [[Greyhound racing|racing]] [[greyhound]]s to escape.{{sfn|Barnes|1998|p=[https://archive.org/details/floridashurrican0000barn_g4v2/page/119/ 119]}} The storm wrecked prominent restaurants and tourist attractions on Miami Beach, including the Million Dollar [[Pier]].{{sfn|Barnes|1998|pp=[https://archive.org/details/floridashurrican0000barn_g4v2/page/116/ 116]–[https://archive.org/details/floridashurrican0000barn_g4v2/page/117/ 7]}} Many historic structures throughout South Florida sustained significant damage, including [[The Barnacle Historic State Park|the Barnacle]] and the [[Villa Vizcaya]], where the yacht [[USS Nepenthe (SP-112)|''Nepenthe'']] and fishing boat ''Psyche'' were sunk.<ref name=Barnacle-1>{{cite web|title=Our History|url=http://www.thebarnacle.org/our_history.aspx|website=thebarnacle.org|publisher=The Barnacle Society|access-date=21 February 2015|location=Coconut Grove, Miami, Florida|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150913055624/http://thebarnacle.org/our_history.aspx|archive-date=September 13, 2015}}</ref><ref name=Vizcaya-1>{{cite news|last1=Wooldridge|first1=Jane|date=September 16, 2012|url=https://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-vizcayamiami-20120916-story.html|title=Vizcaya Museum & Gardens in Miami shows a keen eye for detail|newspaper=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=April 4, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Sandler |first1=Nathaniel |last2=Wouters (Curator) |first2=Gina |title=Maritime Vizcaya – Boats and Boating Culture at the Estate (December 2016) |publisher=Vizcaya Museum & Gardens |year=2016 |url=http://vizcaya.org/house-maritime-vizcaya.asp |access-date=September 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180903082425/http://vizcaya.org/house-maritime-vizcaya.asp |archive-date=September 3, 2018  }}</ref> The storm damaged the main residence at the [[Bonnet House]]—the only hurricane to do so since the latter was first built. No other storm since 1926 caused a similar level of destruction to the property until [[Hurricane Wilma]] in 2005.{{sfn|Beard|2006|p=1}}

The storm ruined cultivated areas throughout South Florida. The storm flooded the surrounding [[citrus]] crop and agricultural fields south of Miami, particularly near [[Homestead, Florida|Homestead]] and [[Florida City, Florida|Florida City]],{{sfn|Simmons|Ogden|1998|p=4}}destroying half of the citrus-bearing trees in the area.<ref name=500Dead /> Much of the citrus crop in [[Dania Beach, Florida|Dania]] was a total loss as floodwaters submerged the area to depths of {{convert|6|ft|m|abbr=on}}; flooding lingered for more than a week after the storm.{{sfn|Cunningham|2008|p=5}}
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====Everglades, Lake Okeechobee, and Southwest Florida====
[[File:1926 hurricane damage to Knights Chapel.jpg|left|thumb|225 px|Damage to Knight's Chapel in [[Nokomis, Florida|Nokomis]]]]
A storm surge from Lake Okeechobee entirely inundated [[Clewiston, Florida|Clewiston]], reportedly leaving numerous bodies along the road connecting the city with Miami. Further inland, the surge burst through frail, earthen, {{convert|6|ft|m|adj=mid|-tall}} muck dikes,<ref name=500Dead />{{sfn|Kleinberg|2003|pp=15, 30}} submerging [[Moore Haven, Florida|Moore Haven]] under {{convert|13|to|15|ft|m|abbr=on}} of water. Residents scrambled, often unsuccessfully, to safety on rooftops but were swept away by the winds and storm surge.{{sfn|Barnes|1998|p=[https://archive.org/details/floridashurrican0000barn_g4v2/page/120/ 120]}} A nearby drainage dam was destroyed, causing additional flooding of the countryside. Most of the city's buildings were swept off of their original foundations.<ref name=500Dead /> Reports by the Red Cross and local authorities indicated that 150&nbsp;human corpses were found in Moore Haven alone;{{sfn|Barnes|1998|p=[https://archive.org/details/floridashurrican0000barn_g4v2/page/120/ 120]}} their estimates were incomplete as many bodies were never found, reportedly having been swept deep into the Everglades. Estimates of the dead near Lake Okeechobee ranged as high as 300.{{sfn|Barnes|1998|p=[https://archive.org/details/floridashurrican0000barn_g4v2/page/120/ 120]}} Two years later, another [[1928 Okeechobee hurricane#Florida|Category 4 hurricane]] killed at least 2,500&nbsp;people along Lake Okeechobee, but mostly affected the eastern shore, leaving Moore Haven largely unscathed.{{sfn|Kleinberg|2003|p=145}}<ref name=NWSMiamipage-2>{{cite report|title=Memorial Web Page for the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane|url=https://www.weather.gov/mfl/okeechobee|publisher=[[National Weather Service Miami, Florida]]|access-date=April 4, 2020}}</ref>
[[File:Miami_hurricane_rainfall_totals,_September_17-21,_1926.jpg|thumb|213x213px|Rainfall totals from the hurricane through September 17-21]]
The Gulf Coast of the Florida peninsula saw comparatively less damage compared to [[Greater Miami]] but still suffered significant impacts. A peak storm tide of {{convert|11|to|12|ft|m|abbr=on}} affected [[Punta Rassa, Florida|Punta Rassa]] and the islands of [[Captiva Island|Captiva]] and [[Sanibel Island|Sanibel]], causing $3,000,000 in flood damage.{{sfn|Edic|1996|pp=126–7}}{{sfn|Doyle|Sharma|Hine|Pilkey|1984|p=124}} The storm opened [[Redfish Pass]] between Captiva and [[North Captiva Island|North Captiva]] islands.{{sfn|Edic|1996|pp=126–7}} Between [[Tampa, Florida|Tampa]] and [[Naples, Florida|Naples]], strong winds destroyed windows and felled trees and power poles.{{sfn|Barnes|1998|p=[https://archive.org/details/floridashurrican0000barn_g4v2/page/121/ 121]}} In [[Fort Myers, Florida|Fort Myers]], citrus crops sustained some damage and public utilities were put out of commission. Strong winds uprooted trees in [[St. Petersburg, Florida|St. Petersburg]], while heavy rainfall caused flooding in the outlying districts of nearby Tampa.<ref name=500Dead /> South of the eye, a storm tide of {{convert|8|ft|m|abbr=on}} submerged the streets of [[Everglades City, Florida|Everglades City]], forcing people into the upper stories of buildings. Homes that were not secured to their foundations floated away on the tide.{{sfn|Barnes|1998|p=[https://archive.org/details/floridashurrican0000barn_g4v2/page/121/ 121]}} Tides reached {{convert|4|to|5|ft|m|abbr=on}} as far south as [[Flamingo, Florida|Flamingo]], sending seaweed, fish, and mud into dwellings.{{sfn|Simmons|Ogden|1998|p=163}} The project headquarters of [[Poinciana, Monroe County, Florida|Poinciana]], a development project in the lower [[Ten Thousand Islands]], were destroyed; the project was subsequently abandoned.
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====Florida Panhandle and elsewhere====
[[File:Bridge at Pensacola after the 1926 Miami hurricane.jpg|thumb|210x210px|Bridge swept away at Pensacola]]
[[File:Miami_hurricane_weather_map_9-21-1926_(610974).jpg|thumb|[[Surface weather analysis|Weather map]] of the hurricane over Alabama and Mississippi on September 21|left|214x214px]]
Although the hurricane weakened before striking the upper Gulf Coast, its slow movement produced substantial effects to coastal regions between Mobile and Pensacola; these areas experienced heavy damage from wind, rain, and storm surge.{{sfn|Barnes|1998|p=[https://archive.org/details/floridashurrican0000barn_g4v2/page/121/ 121]}} Wind records at Pensacola indicate that the city encountered sustained winds of hurricane force for more than 20&nbsp;hours, including winds above {{convert|100|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} for five&nbsp;hours. The storm tide destroyed nearly all waterfront structures on Pensacola Bay and peaked at {{convert|14|ft|m|abbr=on}} near [[Bagdad, Florida]].{{sfn|Barnes|1998|p=[https://archive.org/details/floridashurrican0000barn_g4v2/page/121/ 121]}} Rainfall peaked at [[Bay Minette, Alabama]], where {{convert|18 + 1/2|in|mm|abbr=on}} fell.<ref name="AlabamaRains">{{cite book|page=SA 4–23|title=Storm Total Rainfall In The United States|author=United States Army Corps of Engineers|publisher=War Department|date=1945}}</ref>
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==Aftermath==
[[Image:1926 Miami Hurricane damage.jpg|thumb|left|225 px|[[Panorama|Panoramic]] view of [[Greater Downtown Miami|Downtown Miami]] after the hurricane, wryly titled "Miami's New [[Drydock]]"]]
The disarray in Miami following the hurricane's passage led to a breakout of [[looting]] in the city's [[Residential segregation|African-American districts]] that resulted in seven arrests.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}} This unrest prompted the declaration of [[martial law]] with the swearing-in of 300&nbsp;special policemen for voluntary duty. Similarly, 200&nbsp;policemen were placed on duty in [[Hollywood, Florida]]. After a survey indicated that the available food and water supplies would only last 30&nbsp;days, [[hoarding]] was banned.<ref name=500Dead /> [[Soup kitchen]]s were set up in [[Downtown Miami#Central business district ("Downtown")|Miami's business district]] in order to serve food to the recently displaced and as a source for clean drinking water that was contaminated in other areas. The first aid arriving from outside the impacted areas was a relief train guarded by state militiamen that carted medical staff, medicine, potable water, and other relief supplies into Miami immediately following the storm's passage.<ref name=Breadlines>{{cite news|title=Bread Lines Appear In Miami; A Relief Train Rushed There|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/1488561/1926_miami_hurricane/|access-date=January 1, 2015|work=Portsmouth Daily Times|agency=Associated Press|volume=EXTRA|date=September 20, 1926|location=Portsmouth, Ohio|page=1|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref> Afterwards, then-[[President of the United States|U.S. president]] [[Calvin Coolidge]] placed the [[United States Army]] and [[United States Coast Guard|Coast Guard]] on standby should relief efforts necessitate their presence in Florida and the [[Bahamas]].<ref name=RushAid>{{cite news|title=Nation To Rush Aid|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/1488594/1926_miami_hurricane/|access-date=January 1, 2015|work=Portsmouth Daily Times|agency=United Press|volume=EXTRA|date=September 20, 1926|location=Portsmouth, Ohio|page=1|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref> The [[United States Red Cross|Red Cross]] offered its facilities and the [[Pullman Company]] offered its resources for use in relief efforts. The [[National Guard of the United States]] dispatched several companies of guardsmen to disaster areas following urgent appeals from then-[[List of Governors of Florida|Florida governor]] [[John W. Martin]].<ref name=500Dead /> In response to the widespread destruction of buildings on Miami Beach, [[John J. Farrey]] was appointed chief building, plumbing and electrical inspector. He initiated and enforced the first building code in the United States, which more than 5,000 US cities duplicated.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://dhr.dos.state.fl.us/services/sites/floridians/?section=m |title=Great Floridians 2000 Project |access-date=June 4, 2006 |archive-date=May 19, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060519165433/https://dhr.dos.state.fl.us/services/sites/floridians/?section=m  }}</ref>
[[Image:1926 Miami hurricane 18 September 1926 1.jpg|thumb|right|225 px|Destruction of vegetation near Miami]]
According to the [[American Red Cross]], the storm caused 372 fatalities, including 114 from the city of Miami, but these totals apparently do not include deaths outside the United States.{{sfn|Pfost|2003|p=1368}}{{sfn|Barnes|1998|p=[https://archive.org/details/floridashurrican0000barn_g4v2/page/126/ 126]}} Prior to 2003, the National Weather Service had long accepted 243 as the number of deaths, but historical research indicated that this total was far too low. The NWS then updated its totals to reflect the new findings.<ref name=NHC-6 /> Even the estimates for the United States are uncertain and vary, since there were many people, especially transients and colored migrants in South Florida, listed as "missing". About 43,000 people were left homeless, mostly in the Miami area. The toll for the storm in the United States was $100&nbsp;million (${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|100000000|1926|r=2}}}} {{#time:Y}}&nbsp;USD). It is estimated that if an identical storm hit in the year 2005, with modern development and prices, the storm would have caused $140–157&nbsp;billion in damage ($196&nbsp;billion in 2016); this would make the storm the costliest on record in the United States, adjusted for inflation, if it were to occur in contemporary times.<ref name="Pielke2008">{{ cite journal | last = Pielke | first = Roger A. Jr. |display-authors=etal| year = 2008 | title = Normalized Hurricane Damage in the United States: 1900–2005 | journal = Natural Hazards Review | volume = 9 | issue = 1 | pages = 29–42 | doi = 10.1061/(ASCE)1527-6988(2008)9:1(29) | url=http://forecast.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/shadow/docs/Pielkeetal2006a.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130617192222/http://forecast.mssl.ucl.ac.uk/shadow/docs/Pielkeetal2006a.pdf | archive-date=17 June 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1353/sgo.0.0045| title = Florida Hurricanes and Damage Costs| journal = Southeastern Geographer| volume = 49| issue = 2| pages = 108–131| year = 2009| last1 = Malmstadt |first1=Jill| last2 = Scheitlin |first2=Kelsey| last3 = Elsner |first3=James| s2cid = 129898413}}</ref>
[[Image:1926 Miami hurricane 18 September 1926 2.jpg|thumb|left|225 px|A damaged homesite in the Miami area]]
Several events, including the sinking of a ship in the Miami harbor and an embargo by the [[Florida East Coast Railroad]] before the storm, weakened the [[Florida land boom of the 1920s]] in South Florida. However, the storm is considered the final blow to end the boom locally. Thousands of newcomers to Florida left the state and cleared their bank accounts, leaving many banks to the brink of bankruptcy.<ref name="Gannon2012">{{cite book |last=Gannon |first=Michael |title=The New History of Florida |year=2012 |publisher=University Press of Florida |location=Gainesville |isbn=978-0-8130-1415-9 }}</ref>{{rp|295}} As a result, the Great Depression of 1929 did not make a great impact to Florida unlike the rest of the country.<ref name="Gannon2012" />{{rp|298}} Many planned developments, which had fallen into deadlock due to insufficient resources, were abandoned due to the economic effects of the hurricane. In Boca Raton, for instance, one planned community by [[Addison Mizner]], called Villa Rica, was destroyed by the hurricane and never rebuilt.{{sfn|Gillis|2007|p=97}} South Florida did not achieve full economic recovery until the 1940s.<ref name="Gannon2012" />{{rp|324}}
[[Image:1926 Miami hurricane 18 September 1926 3.jpg|thumb|right|225 px|Downed tree near Miami]]
The [[University of Miami]], located in Coral Gables, had been founded in 1925 and opened its doors for the first time just days after the hurricane passed.  The university's athletic teams were [[athletic nickname|nicknamed]] the [[Miami Hurricanes|Hurricanes]] in memory of this catastrophe. The school's mascot is [[Sebastian the Ibis]], an [[American white ibis|ibis]]. The ibis is a small white bird that can be seen around South Florida, including on the UM campus. According to [[folklore]], the ibis is the last bird to leave before a hurricane strikes and the first to return after the storm, hence its selection for the school mascot.<ref>{{cite web | title= Traditions :: University of Miami | url= http://www6.miami.edu/UMH/CDA/UMH_Main/1,1770,2472-1;2543-2;2671-3,00.html | access-date= 2007-11-08 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071017030920/http://www6.miami.edu/UMH/CDA/UMH_Main/1,1770,2472-1;2543-2;2671-3,00.html <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2007-10-17}}</ref>
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==See also==
{{Portal|Tropical cyclones}}
*[[Hurricane Andrew]]&nbsp;– caused unprecedented destruction in Greater Miami before striking Louisiana
*[[Hurricane Harvey]]&nbsp;– the costliest tropical cyclone in American history, noted for floods in [[Greater Houston]]
*[[1947 Fort Lauderdale hurricane]]&nbsp;– intense hurricane whose effects were lessened in southern Florida thanks to improved warning systems
*[[1945 Homestead hurricane]]&nbsp;– tracked across the Bahamas before curving into Florida and causing extensive damage
*[[1928 Okeechobee hurricane]]&nbsp;– third-deadliest tropical cyclone in American history, struck nearly two years to date after the 1926 hurricane

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=nb}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book|last=Barnes|first=Jay|year=1998|title=Florida's Hurricane History|publisher=[[University of North Carolina Press|UNC Press]]|location=[[Chapel Hill, North Carolina]]|edition=1st|url=https://archive.org/details/floridashurrican0000barn_g4v2/|url-access=registration|isbn=0-8078-2443-7|via=[[Internet Archive]]}}
*{{cite journal|last1=Beard|first1=Karen|date=Winter 2006|title=Letter from the Executive Director|journal=Bonnet House Museum & Gardens|page=1}}
*{{cite newsletter|last1=Cunningham|first1=Dennis|year=2008|title=The Big Blow: Broward County and the 1926 Hurricane|url=http://journals.fcla.edu/browardlegacy/article/download/76792/74363|volume=28|issue=1  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106231125/http://journals.fcla.edu/browardlegacy/article/download/76792/74363 |archive-date=6 January 2019 |magazine=Broward Legacy |publisher=Broward County Historical Commission|pages=1–28}}
*{{cite book|last1=Doyle|first1=Larry J.|last2=Sharma|first2=Dinesh C.|last3=Hine|first3=Albert C.|last4=Pilkey|first4=Orrin Jr. H.|last5=Neal|first5=William J.|last6=Pilkey Sr.|first6=Orrin H.|last7=Martin|first7=David|last8=Belknap|first8=Daniel F.|year=1984|title=Living with the West Florida Shore|publisher=Duke University Press|isbn=978-0-8223-0517-0|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/livingwithwestfl00doyl}}
*{{cite book|last1=Duedall|first1=Iver W.|last2=Williams|first2=John M.|year=2002|title=Florida Hurricanes and Tropical Storms, 1871–2001|publisher=University Press of Florida|isbn=978-0-8130-2494-3|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/floridahurricane0000will_g8q6}}
*{{cite book|last1=Edic|first1=Robert F.|year=1996|title=Fisherfolk of Charlotte Harbor, Florida|location=[[Gainesville, Florida]]|publisher=Institute of Archaeology and Paleoenvironmental Studies|isbn=978-1-881448-04-4}}
*{{cite book|last1=Gillis|first1=Susan|year=2007|title=Boomtime Boca: Boca Raton in the 1920s|location=[[Charleston, South Carolina]]|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=978-0-7385-4443-4}}
*{{cite book|last1=Grazulis|first1=Thomas P.|author-link=Thomas P. Grazulis|year=1993|title=Significant Tornadoes 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events|location=[[St. Johnsbury, Vermont]]|publisher=The Tornado Project of Environmental Films|isbn=978-1-879362-03-1}}
*{{cite book|last1=Harris|first1=Margaret Garnett|year=1990|title=Pioneer Daughter|location=[[Hypoluxo, Florida]]|publisher=Star Publishing}}
*{{cite book|last1=Hortt|first1=M. A.|year=1953|title=Gold Coast Pioneer|location=[[New York City|New York]]|publisher=Exposition Press|asin=B003VZWJQY}}
*{{cite magazine |title= In the wake of Hugo: The '26 storm revisited |url= http://historymiamiarchives.org/pdfs/sfh-1989-4.pdf |magazine= South Florida History Magazine |year= 1989 |issue= 4 |pages= 10–13 |access-date= November 16, 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171116184540/http://historymiamiarchives.org/pdfs/sfh-1989-4.pdf |archive-date= November 16, 2017  }} A first hand account written in 1926.
*{{cite book|last1=Kleinberg|first1=Elliot|year=2003|title=Black Cloud: the Deadly Hurricane of 1928|location=New York|publisher=Carroll & Graf|isbn=978-0-7867-1386-8}}
*{{cite tech report|last1=Lee|first1=Harris D.|title=Characteristics of the Hurricane Storm Surge|number=48|page=139|url=http://coast.noaa.gov/hes/images/pdf/CHARACTERISTICS_STORM_SURGE.pdf|institution=United States Weather Bureau|year=1963|place=Washington, D.C.|access-date=August 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161224165715/https://coast.noaa.gov/hes/images/pdf/CHARACTERISTICS_STORM_SURGE.pdf|archive-date=December 24, 2016}}
*{{cite book|last1=Linehan|first1=Mary Collar|last2=Nelson|first2=Mary Watts|year=1994|title=Pioneer Days on the Shores of Lake Worth, 1873–1893|location=[[St. Petersburg, Florida]]|publisher=Southern Heritage Press|isbn=978-0-941072-14-4}}
*{{cite book|last1=McGarry|first1=Carmen C.|year=1997|title=Magnificent Mile: A History of Hillsboro Beach|location=[[Morriston, Florida]]|publisher=RitAmelia Press|isbn=978-0-9641216-3-8}}
*{{cite journal|last1=Mitchell|first1=Floy C.|date=1978|title=Mrs Mitchell's Memories of Early Boca Raton|journal=The Spanish River Papers|publisher=Boca Raton Historical Society|volume=6|issue=2|pages=3–19|url=https://www.bocahistory.org/_files/span_river/SRP%20May%201978.pdf}}
*{{cite book|last=Neely|first=Wayne|year=2009|title=The Great Bahamian Hurricanes of 1926: the Story of Three of the Greatest Hurricanes to Ever Affect the Bahamas|location=[[New York City]]|publisher=[[iUniverse]]|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uTfM9Gtei_4C|url-access=limited|isbn=978-1-4401-5174-3|via=[[Google Books]]}}
*{{cite book|last=Neely|first=Wayne|year=2019|title=The Greatest and Deadliest Hurricanes to Impact the Bahamas|location=[[Cheyenne, Wyoming]]|publisher=UrLink|isbn=978-1-64753-121-8}}
*{{cite journal|last1=Pfost|first1=Russell L.|year=2003|title=Reassessing the Impact of Two Historical Florida Hurricanes|journal=Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society|volume=84|issue=10|pages=1367–72|doi=10.1175/BAMS-84-10-1367|bibcode = 2003BAMS...84.1367P |doi-access=free}}
*{{cite book|last1=Simms|first1=Louis M.|year=1984|title=In Place of Pearls: A Brief History of Deerfield Beach|publisher=Rimus Books|asin=B0007B2CVW}}
*{{cite book|last1=Simmons|first1=Glen|last2=Ogden|first2=Laura|year=1998|title=Gladesmen: Gator Hunters, Moonshiners, and Skiffers|location=Gainesville, Florida|publisher=University Press of Florida|isbn=978-0-8130-1573-6}}
*{{cite journal|author=U.S. Weather Bureau|year=1926|title=The Florida Hurricane, September 17–20, 1926|journal=Climatological Data|volume=30|issue=9|publisher=United States Department of Agriculture|publication-place=Washington, D.C.|place=[[Jacksonville, Florida]]|pages=39–40}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Miami Hurricane of 1926}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100417090456/http://www.southbeach-usa.com/news/pop-culture-history/2008/01/21/miami-hurricane-1926/ List of People Killed in the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926]
*[http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1926.pdf 1926 issue of the Monthly Weather Review]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110928210648/http://www.southcom.mil/usag-miami/sites/hurricane/hurricane_history.asp United States Hurricane History]
*[http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/E12.html NOAA hurricane lists]
*{{cite web |url= https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/miami-hurricane-1926/ |title= The Hurricane of 1926 |work= Mr. Miami Beach  |archive-date= 14 January 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160114065121/http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/miami/peopleevents/pande07.html |series= [[American Experience]] |url-status= live |publisher= [[PBS]]}}
*[http://www.floridamemory.com/PhotographicCollection/photo_exhibits/index.cfm Historic Images of Florida Hurricanes (Florida State Archives)]
*{{cite wikisource |last= Reese |first= Joseph Hugh |wslink= Florida's Great Hurricane |year= 1926 |publisher= Lysle E. Fesler}}


{{Category 4 Atlantic hurricanes}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Miami hurricane (1926)}}
[[Category:1926 Atlantic hurricane season|Miami]]
[[Category:Category 4 Atlantic hurricanes|1926]]
[[Category:Hurricanes in Florida]]
[[Category:Hurricanes in Alabama]]
[[Category:20th century in Miami]]
[[Category:1926 in Florida|Miami Hurricane]]
[[Category:Lake Okeechobee]]
[[Category:1926 natural disasters in the United States]]