1893 Great Charleston hurricane

The 1893 Great Charleston hurricane compounded the effects of the deadly Sea Islands hurricane in August and proceeded to impact areas as far north as Ontario. The ninth known tropical cyclone, ninth hurricane, and fourth major hurricane of the season, this system was first observed south of the Cabo Verde Islands on September 25. It moved westward and intensified into a hurricane on September 28, before turning northwestward on October 2. By then, the system strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane and likely peaked with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 km/h). The hurricane then moved west-northwestward for several days, beginning on October 6. After passing just north of the Abaco Islands on October 12, the storm curved northwestward and then north-northwestward, remaining closely offshore Florida and Georgia. The hurricane then turned northeastward, and on October 13, it made landfall near McClellanville, South Carolina, winds of 120 mph (195 km/h). Moving rapidly northward from North Carolina into eastern Canada, the system became extratropical over far southern Quebec on October 14 and dissipated over the northeastern portions of the province on the following day.

In the Bahamas, abnormally high tides inundated some streets on New Providence and nearby Hog Island (modern-day Paradise Island), sweeping away the home of the assistant lighthouse keeper. The storm severely damaged pineapple cultivation facilities on Eleuthera and plantations on the Abaco Islands, where many other buildings were destroyed. In Florida, storm surge reached several feet above ground between Palm Beach and Jacksonville, while heavy rains fell, leading to flooding in a number of coastal communities. Coastal flooding impacted South Carolina from Georgetown southward, though the worst occurred between Winyah Bay and Murrells Inlet. The National Hurricane Center lists the combined death toll for Florida and South Carolina at 28. North Carolina reported extensive damage to crops, trees, homes, and shipping, as well as 22 fatalities. Many towns across Virginia, the Mid-Atlantic, New England, and Ontario experienced wind damage and some coastal and freshwater flooding. In Maryland, the storm caused two indirect deaths and about $1 million in damage in Baltimore alone. Inside the Great Lakes, the storm capsized nearly 40 vessels, leading to a loss of 54 lives. Four other people died in Buffalo, New York. Overall, 110 deaths are attributed to the storm.