The Great Storm of 1913
Storms on the Great Lakes haunt those who sail them. The Great Lakes climate and natural environment is unique and subject to extreme weather conditions. The volume of water in the lakes allows them to hold heat and remain relatively warm late into the year. In the later months, two major weather tracks converge over the area, resulting in the “November gale” or "November witch” that produces powerful storms over the Great Lakes. The intense winds cause both erosion and flooding. There have been at least 25 killer storms affecting the region since 1847.
The Great Storm of 1913 was easily the Great Lakes region’s largest natural disaster ever. The four days of chaos have created an umistakable memory. Historically, the storm is referred to as the “Big Blow,” the “Freshwater Fury,” and the “White Hurricane.” It took shape in the form of a blizzard with hurricane force winds that devastated the Great Lakes Basin in the Midwest from November 7th to November 10th, 1913. Many cities—including Duluth, Chicago, and Cleveland—were paralyzed for days because of the deadly weather patterns. The Detroit Free Press reported that Cleveland was "shut off by storm for 30 hours," railroads were down, telephone poles were blown away, 5 feet of snow covered the city, and one man was killed by being blown off a box car.
The "extratropical cyclone" emerged because of two major storm fronts merging fueled by the relatively warm temperatures of the lakes. Wind gusts of 90mph, waves over 35 ft tall, and whiteout snowsqualls created unnavigable conditions in the Great Lakes. The storm itself claimed the lives of over 250 people, destroyed 19 ships, and stranded 19 more. Around $117 million worth of ships and cargo was lost, including coal, iron ore, and grain. The U.S. Weather Bureau's failure to predict the veracity of the storm slowed the process of preparation and communication.
In 1913, the Weather Bureau certainly did not have enough accurate data, communications, or atmospheric understanding to predict the storm. Without being able to predict the direction of the wind, ships were blindsided. Newspapers at the time reported "moderately severe" conditions, and captains complained of insufficient warnings. The Detroit Free Press reported on 17 November that year that Captain James Pratt blamed the Weather Bureau's insufficient warnings for the loss of life during the storm. Norman Conger of the Detroit weather office claimed the Captain was preposterous and that ample warnings were sent off. Lake Huron saw the worst of this hellish storm, with eight ships going under and 187 lives lost during one violent six-hour window. Some of the ships that went missing during the 1913 Great Lakes Storm have never been found. Lake travel becomes deadly very quickly, especially in November.
The storm in 1913 started brewing on November 6. The vicious blizzard that appeared after the storm fronts merged tore through the Midwest at an intense speed. Formiddable in their own right, the pre-storm conditions on Lake Superior and Lake Michigan damaged and ran aground several ships. The storm reached its height on November 9. The SS Charles S. Price capsized about 10 miles northeast of Fort Gratiot Light in Lake Huron during the strom. At 524 ft long, the ship was only three years old when it was claimed along with all 28 members of the crew. Following the storm, the Detroit Free Press reported the complete crew lists of five steamers that were lost to the storm. Every Great Lake except Ontario experienced major shipwreck damage. On Lake Huron, the SS Isaac M. Scott, SS Charles S. Price, SS Argus, SS Hydrus, SS John A. McGean, SS James Carruthers, SS Regina, and SS Wexford all went down. Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, and Lake Erie all claimed at least one major ship. The destruction was named the greatest storm since 1905.
Captain Selee recounted his experience on Lake Superior during the Great Storm: "I beg to advise you of the damage done to our vessel in the last blow on Lake Superior. It washed away all railing around forecastle deck, hand rail around No. 1 hatch bent and broken, hand rail around forward side of pilot house carried away...It was blowing a gale from the north and blinding snow, and a big sea running over us from stem to stern. It was impossible for a man to get on deck anywhere. We held up until 9:00 A.M. when I saw we could not stay there much longer and have our hatches hold on, so I turned around and went before it again. It was snowing hard and I could not see over a quarter of a mile."
Western Union Telegram
