Without television coverage, citizens had to depend on other methods for notification of pending storms. So they developed a system of flags that were raised in conspicuous places. In downtown Pensacola, they were placed on top of tall buildings where everyone could see them. The pennants were given certain colors to depict the direction of the wind and type of weather conditions expected. In late September, Pensacolians saw an ominous red flag with a black center flying above the city. This flag was a “storm warning” indicator. Newspaper accounts also warned of a huge hurricane coming in from south Florida. Several days later, another flag was quickly run up the pole and now everyone knew what was in store for their port city. The two red flags with black centers warned them to prepare quickly for an incoming hurricane. When the vicious hurricane of 1906 struck Pensacola around midnight of September 26th it pounded the port city for over the next twelve hours. It dumped over 3.8 inches of rain driven by high velocity winds up to 88-mph with tides reaching ten feet above normal.
Pensacola Hurricane of 1906
