Weathering the Storm

The Galveston hurricane

Dear John and Mark,

How are you doing in North Dakota? It’s lonely here without my two older brothers nearby! I have a lot to write — so much has happened since I last saw you…

September 8, 1900 began peacefully in Galveston, Texas. For Mama, Papa, me, and Dwight, our nephew, it was completely ordinary. In fact, none of the 38,000 townsfolk had any idea that Galveston was about to change forever. More than 8,000 people wouldn’t survive the night, and our city would be completely destroyed. The reason? A massive hurricane, heading in our direction…

Hurricanes are the biggest storms, typically over 300 miles wide. They begin over the ocean, where warm water and moist air mix. Storms are only considered hurricanes if the winds travel at least 75 miles per hour — a little faster than how you drive on the highway! Winds can reach up to 200 mph — which is like traveling more than 200 feet per second! Based on how rapid the winds are, hurricanes are divided into categories from 1 to 5 — with 5 being the worst.

When I passed the beach in the afternoon, I noticed that the ocean looked a bit wild, but the sky was still mostly blue.

“Nothing to worry about,” Papa said.

But as evening approached, the storm clouds grew darker and thicker, and heavy rain began to fall.