1998 Atlantic hurricane season
Encyclopedia
The 1998 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1998, and lasted until November 30, 1998. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclone
s form in the Atlantic basin
; however, the season
extended through December 1 as Hurricane Nicole
remained active after it formed in November. This season was above average because there were 14 named storms, 10 of which became hurricanes, and 3 of those were major hurricanes.
The most notable storms of the season were Hurricane Georges
and Hurricane Mitch
. Hurricane Georges caused heavy damages across the Caribbean Sea
and on the United States
' Gulf Coast
as well as 604 deaths. Hurricane Mitch killed at least 11,000 people, mostly in Honduras
and Nicaragua
, making it the deadliest hurricane of modern times. Another notable hurricane was Hurricane Bonnie
which caused $1 billion in damage to North Carolina
and Virginia
, the worst in those states since Hurricane Fran
of the 1996 season
. Total number of fatalities in 1998 was at least 12,000 people, however the exact death toll from Hurricane Mitch is unknown it was estimated between 11,000 to 18,000 people killed. In the Spring of 1999 the World Meteorological Organization
retired the names Georges and Mitch. Those two names were replaced by Gaston and Matthew in the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season
.
and Haiti
, and at the time was the nineteenth deadliest 20th century Atlantic hurricane. Although Georges was a record-setting storm, it was a distant second to Hurricane Mitch. Mitch was responsible for at least 11,000 deaths, mostly in Honduras
and Nicaragua
. Mitch is the second deadliest Atlantic hurricane on record, behind only the Great Hurricane of 1780
.
The season began in late July, and after a quiet beginning to August, the tropics remained active through early October. With 5 storms reaching hurricane status in September, the month was among the most active on record. 7 storms also occurred in the month. In addition, two storms existed in the month of November, one of which became a hurricane. In all, seven storms made landfall around the Atlantic Ocean, of which four were hurricanes. The Gulf of Mexico experienced six tropical cyclones, a relatively high amount.
An extremely unusual feature of the season was the presence of four simultaneous hurricanes; Georges, Ivan, Karl, and Jeanne on September 26. Such an event has never been recorded since the 1893 Atlantic hurricane season
.
The season's activity was reflected with a high accumulated cyclone energy
(ACE) rating of 182. ACE is, broadly speaking, a measure of the power of the hurricane multiplied by the length of time it existed, so storms that last a long time, as well as particularly strong hurricanes, have high ACEs. ACE is only calculated for full advisories on tropical systems at or exceeding 34 knots (39 mph, 63 km/h) or tropical storm strength.
, and quickly developed into a tropical depression by the next day, based on ship reports of a surface circulation. It moved quickly westward, and initially was elongated with minimal convection, despite favorable conditions. Late on July 28, convection increased near the center, and the depression intensified to Tropical Storm Alex. Further development came slowly, as a mid-upper level trough and another cyclonic circulation was present. Despite the presence of wind shear, another burst in convection allowed Alex to attain peak winds of 50 mph (80.5 km/h) early on July 31. Wind shear increased, making conditions hostile and causing steady weakening. Late on August 2 it was downgraded to a tropical depression. Early on August 3, information from the Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter reconnaissance aircraft indicated that Alex no longer had a closed circulation. Therefore, it was declared dissipated about 320 miles (515 km) to the northeast of Saint Martin
. Alex was the last storm to form in July, starting a three-year gap in which no tropical storms or hurricanes formed in July until 2002
, when Tropical Storm Arthur
formed on July 15. Tropical Storm Alex was also one of few known tropical cyclones to dissipate from wind shear in the deep tropics during a non-El Niño year, the other storm being Tropical Storm Chris of 2000
.
, and reached hurricane strength north of Puerto Rico
on August 22. At this point, Hurricane Bonnie turned to the northwest, away from the Bahamas and Florida, and toward the Carolinas. Bonnie strengthened into a 115 mph (185 km/h) Category 3 hurricane, and retained this strength until just before landfall on August 27 near Wilmington, North Carolina
. As it moved over land, it continued an eastward turn started just before landfall, and returned to the Atlantic as a tropical storm. Bonnie restrengthened to a minimal hurricane, but weakened as it headed rapidly to the northeast. Bonnie became extratropical on August 30 while about 240 miles (440 km) south-southeast of Newfoundland.
Bonnie produced a maximum of 14.61 inches (37.11 cm) of rain at a cooperative observing station located seven miles north of Wilmington, North Carolina
. Hurricane Bonnie is blamed for three deaths, and $720 million (1998 USD, $ USD) in damage, most of it in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Bonnie was the third hurricane to directly hit North Carolina in three years.
on the August 9. It headed west, and strengthened to a peak of 70 mph (110 km/h) just as it was making landfall near Port Aransas, Texas
on August 22. Charley continued inland before dissipating near Del Rio
on August 25.
Charley was responsible for serious inland flooding in and around Val Verde County, Texas
. Thirteen people died in Texas
, and seven deaths were reported across the border in Ciudad Acuña
, Coahuila
. In addition, 300-1,500 homes, businesses, mobile homes and apartments were either damaged or destroyed by the floods, amounting to a damage total of $50 million (1998 USD, $ USD). Del Rio recorded 17 inches (43 cm) of rain in 24 hours from the storm, a record for the city and the most rainfall from a tropical cyclone in Texas since Tropical Storm Claudette
in 1979.
on August 31, Danielle turned, first to the north, then the northeast. Bonnie had finally moved off to the northeast after making landfall on the Carolina coast on August 28. Now all eyes were on Danielle, which by now was a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale with sustained winds of 100 mph (161 km/h).
Danielle continued quickly northwest. A trough in the jet stream on the east coast prevented Danielle from making landfall in Bermuda
. As Danielle headed over colder water, it began losing its tropical characteristics. It was declared extratropical while south of Cape Race, Newfoundland on September 4. Danielle still had hurricane force winds when it became extratropical, and remained organized as it continued to the east. The extratropical storm was tracked until it merged with another system north of Ireland
on September 8.
No deaths were reported from Danielle as a tropical system. Danielle dissipated and became extratropical on September 3. The British Isles
took quite a lashing from the remnants of Danielle on September 6. Some people had to be rescued from treacherous sea conditions. Danielle was responsible for coastal damage in western Great Britain
, causing beach evacuations in Cornwall
.
. It made landfall at Category 1 on September 3 near Panama City, Florida
. After travelling inland, Earl became extratropical over Georgia
, and then moved back out to sea and was tracked into the North Atlantic until it was absorbed by the extratropical remnants of Hurricane Danielle on September 8.
Hurricane Earl was responsible for three deaths, and its eight foot storm surge
was largely responsible for an estimated $79 million (1998 USD, $ USD) in property damage. Prodigious rainfall fell during its transit of northern Florida, with 16.36 inches (415 mm) falling five miles (8 km) northeast of Panama City, Florida.
on September 11 as a moderately strong tropical storm. It weakened to a tropical depression as it travelled north, and dissipated north of Dallas, Texas
.
The storm was relatively large, with tropical storm force winds extending 300 miles (485 km) from the center of circulation. A storm surge of up to eight feet was reported along the Texas coastline, and rainfall totals for many areas exceeded 10 inches (254 mm).
Tropical Storm Frances was responsible for one direct death in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana
caused by a tornado. Heavy rainfall caused large amounts of flood damage in southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana
, with an estimated total of $500 million (1998 USD, $ USD) in property damage.
in mid September organized into a tropical depression on September 15 while 300 miles (560 km) south-southwest of Cape Verde. It continued to develop, and reached tropical storm force on the September 16, while centered 620 miles (1,140 km) west-southwest of Cape Verde. Georges took a typical track for a Cape Verde-type hurricane
, with a nearly straight west-northwest track. Georges continued to strengthen, and nearly reached Category 5 classification on September 20, while 285 miles (528 km) east of Guadeloupe
. Georges weakened from this point on, but was on a track to travel up all of the Leeward Islands
and the Greater Antilles
.
On the September 21, Georges began its seven landfalls in the Lesser Antilles, starting with Antigua
. After passing through the smaller islands, it made landfall in Puerto Rico. It strengthened slightly as it left the island, but its passage over the mountainous terrain of Hispaniola
left it a minimal hurricane. Georges continued on, and traveled up the northern coast of Cuba
. By September 25, it made landfall at Key West, Florida
at Category 2 strength. As it entered the Gulf of Mexico, Georges began a turn to the north, and made landfall near Biloxi, Mississippi
on September 28. Georges meandered over southern Mississippi
, then slowly traveled east before dissipating over northern Florida on October 1.
The damage caused by Hurricane Georges was very extensive and widespread, affecting nearly ten countries. There were 604 deaths directly associated with Georges, nearly all in the Dominican Republic
and Haiti
. Property damage to the United States
and its possessions is estimated at $5.9 billion. Monetary estimates of damage in other areas affected are not available. However, 185,000 were left homeless in the Dominican Republic, another 167,000 in Haiti, and 3,500 homes were destroyed in Cuba. Hurricane Georges was a very damaging storm, the 19th deadliest of the 20th century. Georges was one of four active Atlantic hurricanes on September 26.
on September 17. The depression looped around offshore, then headed north. On September 19, it was upgraded to Tropical Storm Hermine. It made landfall the next day near Cocodrie, Louisiana
. The storm produced two tornadoes and caused one injury and minor damage.
on September 26. Hurricane Ivan became extratropical the next day. Ivan caused no reported damage, and there were no land-based reports of tropical storm force winds. Ivan was one of four active Atlantic hurricanes on September 26.
. Jeanne formed farther east than any storm on record except for Tropical Storm Christine
in 1973. It moved west-northwest and was named Tropical Storm Jeanne later on the September 21. The storm continued strengthening, and became a Category 2 hurricane. On September 25, Hurricane Jeanne began a slow turn to the east. By September 27, it was heading north, and on October 1, it crossed the Azores heading east as a weakening tropical storm. As it left the Azores, it became extratropical. The extratropical storm brought gale force winds to Portugal
on October 4, and became unidentifiable over Spain
later that day. No damage was reported. Jeanne was one of four active Atlantic hurricanes on September 26.
that four hurricanes existed in the Atlantic simultaneously.
Hurricane Karl travelled generally northeast, and weakened to a tropical storm as it passed the Azores. On September 28, it became extratropical and was tracked until it was south of Ireland
the next day. Karl was one of four active Atlantic hurricanes on September 26.
from October 22, 1998 to November 5, 1998, killing at least 9,086 people and leaving over 9,000 missing. It was the deadliest hurricane in over 200 years and the second deadliest in Atlantic hurricane history.
Deaths were mostly from flooding, when the slow-moving hurricane and then tropical storm dropped nearly three feet (900 mm) of rain. Tens of thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed, leaving over three million homeless. Damage is estimated at over $5 billion (1998 USD).
As a much weaker storm, Mitch later traveled over Yucatán
and then across Florida. It continued out into the north Atlantic and was tracked north of Great Britain
.
. The storm moved west-southwest for several days, and wind shear caused it to weaken to a tropical depression on November 26. The system was so weak that the National Hurricane Center had discontinued issuing advisories. However, it strengthened again and was again classified as a tropical storm on November 27.
However, Nicole unexpectedly began a slow turn, and by November 30, Nicole was heading northeast toward the Azores
as a minimal hurricane. The storm then turned back to the north and was classified as extratropical on December 1. Hurricane Nicole never directly affected land and no damage was reported in association with it.
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On April 1, a large circulation developed about 230 miles (370 km) northeast of the island of Antigua
. It deepened as it moved steadily northeastward, and developed deep convection near the surface circulation as the winds increased to gale force. The system developed tropical characteristics
in that the latent heat release in thunderstorms was the primary energy source. The National Hurricane Center
issued a special tropical disturbance statement
on April 2, though by the following day the system began to weaken as the convection became disorganized. The low weakened further as it accelerated northeastward on April 4. Several ships encountered the storm, several of which reported winds in excess of 40 mi/h. Ships in the area reported seas of up to 24 feet (7.3 m) in height. The Tropical Prediction Center classified the system as a hybrid low, and the National Hurricane Center reviewed data on the system to determine if it developed into a subtropical cyclone
. Ultimately, it was excluded from the Atlantic hurricane database.
A broad low pressure area
developed over the northwestern Caribbean Sea
on October 19. It moved northwestward and gradually developed organized convection as it crossed the Yucatan Peninsula
. By October 21, the system resembled the formative stage of earlier Hurricane Earl
and Tropical Storm Frances
. A strong cold front
to its north turned the system to the southwest, and convection continued to develop near a surface center of circulation. Despite interaction with the cold front, the system organized further, prompting an Airforce reconnaissance
flight into the area. On October 23, the low moved ashore on Veracruz
before the recon flight reached the system. The low weakened and dissipated on October 24 over Mexico
. The nature of the system is unknown; the organization just prior to landfall suggested tropical characteristics
, though its interaction with the cold front indicated non-tropical characteristics. As such, the Tropical Prediction Center classified the system as a hybrid/tropical low.
. This is the same list used for the 1992 season
except for Alex, which replaced Andrew
. Storms were named Alex, Lisa, Mitch, and Nicole for the first time in 1998. Names that were not assigned are marked in .
retired two names in the spring of 1999: Georges and Mitch. They were replaced in the 2004 season
by Gaston and Matthew.
Tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
s form in the Atlantic basin
Atlantic Basin
The Atlantic Basin is the Atlantic Ocean.Atlantic Basin may also refer to:* Atlantic Basin Iron Works, an ironworks that operated in Brooklyn, New York, in the early to mid-20th century...
; however, the season
Atlantic hurricane season
The Atlantic hurricane season is the period in a year when hurricanes usually form in the Atlantic Ocean. Tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic are called hurricanes, tropical storms, or tropical depressions. In addition, there have been several storms over the years that have not been fully...
extended through December 1 as Hurricane Nicole
Hurricane Nicole (1998)
Hurricane Nicole was the last hurricane in the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season. It developed from a frontal low to the south of the Azores on November 24, and quickly strengthened to reach winds of 70 mph as it moved to the west-southwest...
remained active after it formed in November. This season was above average because there were 14 named storms, 10 of which became hurricanes, and 3 of those were major hurricanes.
The most notable storms of the season were Hurricane Georges
Hurricane Georges
Hurricane Georges was a very destructive, powerful and long-lived Cape Verde-type Category 4 hurricane. Georges was the seventh tropical storm, fourth hurricane, and second major hurricane of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season...
and Hurricane Mitch
Hurricane Mitch
Hurricane Mitch was the most powerful hurricane and the most destructive of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season, with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph . The storm was the thirteenth tropical storm, ninth hurricane, and third major hurricane of the season. Along with Hurricane Georges, Mitch...
. Hurricane Georges caused heavy damages across the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
and on the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
' Gulf Coast
Gulf Coast of the United States
The Gulf Coast of the United States, sometimes referred to as the Gulf South, South Coast, or 3rd Coast, comprises the coasts of American states that are on the Gulf of Mexico, which includes Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida and are known as the Gulf States...
as well as 604 deaths. Hurricane Mitch killed at least 11,000 people, mostly in Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
and Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, making it the deadliest hurricane of modern times. Another notable hurricane was Hurricane Bonnie
Hurricane Bonnie
The name Bonnie has been used for six tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean:* Hurricane Bonnie - moved north over the central Atlantic Ocean* Hurricane Bonnie - a minimal hurricane that hit Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas, causing light damage...
which caused $1 billion in damage to North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
and Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, the worst in those states since Hurricane Fran
Hurricane Fran
Hurricane Fran was a powerful Cape Verde-type hurricane of the 1996 Atlantic hurricane season that made landfall near Cape Fear in North Carolina at Category 3 strength. Throughout the eastern United States, early statistics on Fran reported 27 deaths and $3.2 billion in damage...
of the 1996 season
1996 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1996 Atlantic hurricane season was the first season since 1965 in which all tropical cyclones reached tropical storm status. It officially began on June 1, 1996, and lasted until November 30, 1996...
. Total number of fatalities in 1998 was at least 12,000 people, however the exact death toll from Hurricane Mitch is unknown it was estimated between 11,000 to 18,000 people killed. In the Spring of 1999 the World Meteorological Organization
World Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 189 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873...
retired the names Georges and Mitch. Those two names were replaced by Gaston and Matthew in the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season
2004 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2004 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 2004, and lasted until November 30, 2004. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin...
.
Season summary
The 1998 Atlantic hurricane season was the second deadliest season on record. One of the notable storms of the 1998 season was Hurricane Georges, which killed an estimated 604 people, mostly in the Dominican RepublicDominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
and Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, and at the time was the nineteenth deadliest 20th century Atlantic hurricane. Although Georges was a record-setting storm, it was a distant second to Hurricane Mitch. Mitch was responsible for at least 11,000 deaths, mostly in Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
and Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
. Mitch is the second deadliest Atlantic hurricane on record, behind only the Great Hurricane of 1780
Great Hurricane of 1780
The Great Hurricane of 1780, also known as Hurricane San Calixto, the Great Hurricane of the Antilles, and the 1780 Disaster, is the deadliest Atlantic hurricane on record. Over 20,000 people died when the storm passed through the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean between October 10 and October...
.
An extremely unusual feature of the season was the presence of four simultaneous hurricanes; Georges, Ivan, Karl, and Jeanne on September 26. Such an event has never been recorded since the 1893 Atlantic hurricane season
1893 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1893 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1893. The 1893 season was fairly active, with 12 tropical storms forming, 10 of which became hurricanes. Of those, 5 became major hurricanes...
.
The season's activity was reflected with a high accumulated cyclone energy
Accumulated cyclone energy
Accumulated cyclone energy is a measure used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to express the activity of individual tropical cyclones and entire tropical cyclone seasons, particularly the North Atlantic hurricane season. It uses an approximation of the energy used by a...
(ACE) rating of 182. ACE is, broadly speaking, a measure of the power of the hurricane multiplied by the length of time it existed, so storms that last a long time, as well as particularly strong hurricanes, have high ACEs. ACE is only calculated for full advisories on tropical systems at or exceeding 34 knots (39 mph, 63 km/h) or tropical storm strength.
Tropical Storm Alex
On July 26 a well-defined tropical wave moved off of AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, and quickly developed into a tropical depression by the next day, based on ship reports of a surface circulation. It moved quickly westward, and initially was elongated with minimal convection, despite favorable conditions. Late on July 28, convection increased near the center, and the depression intensified to Tropical Storm Alex. Further development came slowly, as a mid-upper level trough and another cyclonic circulation was present. Despite the presence of wind shear, another burst in convection allowed Alex to attain peak winds of 50 mph (80.5 km/h) early on July 31. Wind shear increased, making conditions hostile and causing steady weakening. Late on August 2 it was downgraded to a tropical depression. Early on August 3, information from the Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter reconnaissance aircraft indicated that Alex no longer had a closed circulation. Therefore, it was declared dissipated about 320 miles (515 km) to the northeast of Saint Martin
Saint Martin
Saint Martin is an island in the northeast Caribbean, approximately east of Puerto Rico. The 87 km2 island is divided roughly 60/40 between France and the Kingdom of the Netherlands ; however, the Dutch side has the larger population. It is one of the smallest sea islands divided between...
. Alex was the last storm to form in July, starting a three-year gap in which no tropical storms or hurricanes formed in July until 2002
2002 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2002 Atlantic hurricane season was an average Atlantic hurricane season, officially starting on June 1, 2002 and ending on November 30, dates which conventionally limit the period of each year when tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean tend to form...
, when Tropical Storm Arthur
Tropical Storm Arthur (2002)
Tropical Storm Arthur was the first tropical cyclone of the 2002 Atlantic hurricane season. The origins of the storm are believed to have been from a decaying cold front in the Gulf of Mexico, which dropped light to moderate rainfall across the southeastern United States...
formed on July 15. Tropical Storm Alex was also one of few known tropical cyclones to dissipate from wind shear in the deep tropics during a non-El Niño year, the other storm being Tropical Storm Chris of 2000
2000 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2000 Atlantic hurricane season was the first season without a tropical cyclone in July since 1987. The season officially began on June 1, 2000, and lasted until November 30, 2000. The June through November dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in...
.
Hurricane Bonnie
Bonnie formed out of a poorly organized tropical depression east of the Leeward Islands on August 19. The new tropical storm moved west-northwest, passing north of the AntillesAntilles
The Antilles islands form the greater part of the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea. The Antilles are divided into two major groups: the "Greater Antilles" to the north and west, including the larger islands of Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola , and Puerto Rico; and the smaller "Lesser Antilles" on the...
, and reached hurricane strength north of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
on August 22. At this point, Hurricane Bonnie turned to the northwest, away from the Bahamas and Florida, and toward the Carolinas. Bonnie strengthened into a 115 mph (185 km/h) Category 3 hurricane, and retained this strength until just before landfall on August 27 near Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
. As it moved over land, it continued an eastward turn started just before landfall, and returned to the Atlantic as a tropical storm. Bonnie restrengthened to a minimal hurricane, but weakened as it headed rapidly to the northeast. Bonnie became extratropical on August 30 while about 240 miles (440 km) south-southeast of Newfoundland.
Bonnie produced a maximum of 14.61 inches (37.11 cm) of rain at a cooperative observing station located seven miles north of Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
. Hurricane Bonnie is blamed for three deaths, and $720 million (1998 USD, $ USD) in damage, most of it in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Bonnie was the third hurricane to directly hit North Carolina in three years.
Tropical Storm Charley
Charley formed in the western Gulf of Mexico on August 21 from a tropical wave that moved off the coast of AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
on the August 9. It headed west, and strengthened to a peak of 70 mph (110 km/h) just as it was making landfall near Port Aransas, Texas
Port Aransas, Texas
Port Aransas is a city in Nueces County, Texas. The population was 3,370 at the 2000 census.-Early history:Karankawa Indians played a key role in the early development of the Texas Gulf Coast. The Karankawa Indians inhabited the Gulf Coast of Texas from Galveston Bay all the way to Corpus Christi Bay...
on August 22. Charley continued inland before dissipating near Del Rio
Del Rio, Texas
Del Rio is a border city in and the county seat of Val Verde County, Texas, United States.. Del Rio is connected with Ciudad Acuña via the Lake Amistad Dam International Crossing and Del Río-Ciudad Acuña International Bridge...
on August 25.
Charley was responsible for serious inland flooding in and around Val Verde County, Texas
Val Verde County, Texas
Val Verde County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2008, estimated population was 55,000. Its county seat is Del Rio. In 1936, Val Verde County received Recorded Texas Historic Landmark number 5625 to commemorate its founding.Val Verde, which means "green...
. Thirteen people died in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, and seven deaths were reported across the border in Ciudad Acuña
Ciudad Acuña
Ciudad Acuña, also known simply as Acuña, is a city located in the Mexican state of Coahuila, at and a mean height above sea level of 271 meters...
, Coahuila
Coahuila
Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico...
. In addition, 300-1,500 homes, businesses, mobile homes and apartments were either damaged or destroyed by the floods, amounting to a damage total of $50 million (1998 USD, $ USD). Del Rio recorded 17 inches (43 cm) of rain in 24 hours from the storm, a record for the city and the most rainfall from a tropical cyclone in Texas since Tropical Storm Claudette
Tropical Storm Claudette (1979)
Tropical Storm Claudette was a long living tropical storm that produced heavy rain across Puerto Rico and Texas in late July 1979. The storm killed 2 people and left $1.1 billion in damage...
in 1979.
Hurricane Danielle
Danielle was named on August 24 while roughly 600 miles (965 km) west-southwest of Cape Verde. The storm headed west-northwest and strengthened into a hurricane. Hurricane Danielle followed a nearly straight track for almost six days with its strength oscillating between a strong Category 2 storm and a weak Category 1. As it began to approach the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on August 31, Danielle turned, first to the north, then the northeast. Bonnie had finally moved off to the northeast after making landfall on the Carolina coast on August 28. Now all eyes were on Danielle, which by now was a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale with sustained winds of 100 mph (161 km/h).
Danielle continued quickly northwest. A trough in the jet stream on the east coast prevented Danielle from making landfall in Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
. As Danielle headed over colder water, it began losing its tropical characteristics. It was declared extratropical while south of Cape Race, Newfoundland on September 4. Danielle still had hurricane force winds when it became extratropical, and remained organized as it continued to the east. The extratropical storm was tracked until it merged with another system north of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
on September 8.
No deaths were reported from Danielle as a tropical system. Danielle dissipated and became extratropical on September 3. The British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
took quite a lashing from the remnants of Danielle on September 6. Some people had to be rescued from treacherous sea conditions. Danielle was responsible for coastal damage in western Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, causing beach evacuations in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
.
Hurricane Earl
Earl became a named system in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico on August 31. It headed generally northeast, and although it retained a subtropical-type structure with a comma head pattern and a large dry slot, it reached hurricane strength on September 2 while 125 miles (232 km) south-southeast of New Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. It made landfall at Category 1 on September 3 near Panama City, Florida
Panama City, Florida
-Personal income:The median income for a household in the city was $31,572, and the median income for a family was $40,890. Males had a median income of $30,401 versus $21,431 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,830...
. After travelling inland, Earl became extratropical over Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, and then moved back out to sea and was tracked into the North Atlantic until it was absorbed by the extratropical remnants of Hurricane Danielle on September 8.
Hurricane Earl was responsible for three deaths, and its eight foot storm surge
Storm surge
A storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically tropical cyclones and strong extratropical cyclones. Storm surges are caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean's surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea...
was largely responsible for an estimated $79 million (1998 USD, $ USD) in property damage. Prodigious rainfall fell during its transit of northern Florida, with 16.36 inches (415 mm) falling five miles (8 km) northeast of Panama City, Florida.
Tropical Storm Frances
Frances formed in the western Gulf of Mexico on September 8. It briefly drifted south, but then turned north and then northwest. It made landfall north of Corpus Christi, TexasCorpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
on September 11 as a moderately strong tropical storm. It weakened to a tropical depression as it travelled north, and dissipated north of Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
.
The storm was relatively large, with tropical storm force winds extending 300 miles (485 km) from the center of circulation. A storm surge of up to eight feet was reported along the Texas coastline, and rainfall totals for many areas exceeded 10 inches (254 mm).
Tropical Storm Frances was responsible for one direct death in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana
Lafourche Parish, Louisiana
Lafourche Parish is a parish located in the south of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It was originally the northern part of Lafourche Interior Parish, which consisted of the present parishes of Lafourche and Terrebonne. The parish seat is Thibodaux...
caused by a tornado. Heavy rainfall caused large amounts of flood damage in southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, with an estimated total of $500 million (1998 USD, $ USD) in property damage.
Hurricane Georges
A tropical wave that emerged from the coast of AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
in mid September organized into a tropical depression on September 15 while 300 miles (560 km) south-southwest of Cape Verde. It continued to develop, and reached tropical storm force on the September 16, while centered 620 miles (1,140 km) west-southwest of Cape Verde. Georges took a typical track for a Cape Verde-type hurricane
Cape Verde-type hurricane
A Cape Verde-type hurricane is an Atlantic hurricane that develops near the Cape Verde islands, off the west coast of Africa. The average hurricane season has about two Cape Verde-type hurricanes, which are usually the largest and most intense storms of the season because they often have plenty of...
, with a nearly straight west-northwest track. Georges continued to strengthen, and nearly reached Category 5 classification on September 20, while 285 miles (528 km) east of Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe is an archipelago located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres and a population of 400,000. It is the first overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe...
. Georges weakened from this point on, but was on a track to travel up all of the Leeward Islands
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands in the West Indies. They are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. As a group they start east of Puerto Rico and reach southward to Dominica. They are situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
and the Greater Antilles
Greater Antilles
The Greater Antilles are one of three island groups in the Caribbean. Comprising Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola , and Puerto Rico, the Greater Antilles constitute almost 90% of the land mass of the entire West Indies.-Greater Antilles in context :The islands of the Caribbean Sea, collectively known as...
.
On the September 21, Georges began its seven landfalls in the Lesser Antilles, starting with Antigua
Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda is a twin-island nation lying between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It consists of two major inhabited islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and a number of smaller islands...
. After passing through the smaller islands, it made landfall in Puerto Rico. It strengthened slightly as it left the island, but its passage over the mountainous terrain of Hispaniola
Hispaniola
Hispaniola is a major island in the Caribbean, containing the two sovereign states of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The island is located between the islands of Cuba to the west and Puerto Rico to the east, within the hurricane belt...
left it a minimal hurricane. Georges continued on, and traveled up the northern coast of Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. By September 25, it made landfall at Key West, Florida
Key West, Florida
Key West is a city in Monroe County, Florida, United States. The city encompasses the island of Key West, the part of Stock Island north of U.S. 1 , Sigsbee Park , Fleming Key , and Sunset Key...
at Category 2 strength. As it entered the Gulf of Mexico, Georges began a turn to the north, and made landfall near Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
on September 28. Georges meandered over southern Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, then slowly traveled east before dissipating over northern Florida on October 1.
The damage caused by Hurricane Georges was very extensive and widespread, affecting nearly ten countries. There were 604 deaths directly associated with Georges, nearly all in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
and Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
. Property damage to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and its possessions is estimated at $5.9 billion. Monetary estimates of damage in other areas affected are not available. However, 185,000 were left homeless in the Dominican Republic, another 167,000 in Haiti, and 3,500 homes were destroyed in Cuba. Hurricane Georges was a very damaging storm, the 19th deadliest of the 20th century. Georges was one of four active Atlantic hurricanes on September 26.
Tropical Storm Hermine
Hermine formed as a tropical depression several hundred miles south of LouisianaLouisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
on September 17. The depression looped around offshore, then headed north. On September 19, it was upgraded to Tropical Storm Hermine. It made landfall the next day near Cocodrie, Louisiana
Cocodrie, Louisiana
Cocodrie is an unincorporated fishing, shrimping and crabbing village in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, United States, ten miles south of Chauvin, due south of the larger town of Houma. It is part of the Houma–Bayou Cane–Thibodaux Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. The storm produced two tornadoes and caused one injury and minor damage.
Hurricane Ivan
A tropical wave just off Cape Verde organized into a tropical depression on September 19, and then traveled west-northwest before strengthening into Tropical Storm Ivan. Ivan began heading north and strengthened to a hurricane. It then gradually turned to the east, passing just north of the AzoresAzores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
on September 26. Hurricane Ivan became extratropical the next day. Ivan caused no reported damage, and there were no land-based reports of tropical storm force winds. Ivan was one of four active Atlantic hurricanes on September 26.
Hurricane Jeanne
Jeanne formed as a tropical depression on September 21 while 140 miles (260 km) of Guinea-BissauGuinea-Bissau
The Republic of Guinea-Bissau is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Senegal to the north, and Guinea to the south and east, with the Atlantic Ocean to its west....
. Jeanne formed farther east than any storm on record except for Tropical Storm Christine
Tropical Storm Christine (1973)
Tropical Storm Christine was the easternmost forming Atlantic tropical cyclone on record. Forming as a tropical depression over the country of Guinea on August 25, the system tracked nearly due west for several days before intensifying into a tropical storm on August 28...
in 1973. It moved west-northwest and was named Tropical Storm Jeanne later on the September 21. The storm continued strengthening, and became a Category 2 hurricane. On September 25, Hurricane Jeanne began a slow turn to the east. By September 27, it was heading north, and on October 1, it crossed the Azores heading east as a weakening tropical storm. As it left the Azores, it became extratropical. The extratropical storm brought gale force winds to Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
on October 4, and became unidentifiable over Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
later that day. No damage was reported. Jeanne was one of four active Atlantic hurricanes on September 26.
Hurricane Karl
Karl formed from a non-tropical low that traveled eastward just to the north of Bermuda on September 23. After a southerly dip, The storm began a dip to the south, and strengthened to hurricane intensity on September 25. It shared the Atlantic basin with Hurricanes Georges, Ivan, and Jeanne, the first time since 18931893 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1893 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1893. The 1893 season was fairly active, with 12 tropical storms forming, 10 of which became hurricanes. Of those, 5 became major hurricanes...
that four hurricanes existed in the Atlantic simultaneously.
Hurricane Karl travelled generally northeast, and weakened to a tropical storm as it passed the Azores. On September 28, it became extratropical and was tracked until it was south of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
the next day. Karl was one of four active Atlantic hurricanes on September 26.
Hurricane Lisa
Lisa formed from a tropical wave on October 5 about midway between Africa and the Lesser Antilles as the twelfth tropical depression of the season. Operationally it appeared that Lisa immediately was a tropical storm, although the tropical cyclone report states that it had originally been a tropical depression. It headed generally north, and very slowly strengthened over the next few days. That afternoon its forward speed increased to greater than 60 mph (100 km/h), unusually fast for a tropical system. Although the very high forward speed, it was operationally observed at a lesser speed, peaking at 48 mph (77 km/h) on the final public advisory. It briefly reached minimal hurricane strength, before becoming extratropical over the far northern Atlantic Ocean twelve hours later. By the next day, the extratropical remnants had become unidentifiable. Hurricane Lisa never affected land and no damage was reported at sea.Hurricane Mitch
Hurricane Mitch was one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes ever observed, with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph (290 km/h). Mitch battered Central AmericaCentral America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
from October 22, 1998 to November 5, 1998, killing at least 9,086 people and leaving over 9,000 missing. It was the deadliest hurricane in over 200 years and the second deadliest in Atlantic hurricane history.
Deaths were mostly from flooding, when the slow-moving hurricane and then tropical storm dropped nearly three feet (900 mm) of rain. Tens of thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed, leaving over three million homeless. Damage is estimated at over $5 billion (1998 USD).
As a much weaker storm, Mitch later traveled over Yucatán
Yucatán
Yucatán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Yucatán is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 106 municipalities and its capital city is Mérida....
and then across Florida. It continued out into the north Atlantic and was tracked north of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
.
Hurricane Nicole
Nicole was a late season hurricane that formed from a non-tropical system in the eastern Atlantic. It was named on November 24 while well west of the Canary IslandsCanary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
. The storm moved west-southwest for several days, and wind shear caused it to weaken to a tropical depression on November 26. The system was so weak that the National Hurricane Center had discontinued issuing advisories. However, it strengthened again and was again classified as a tropical storm on November 27.
However, Nicole unexpectedly began a slow turn, and by November 30, Nicole was heading northeast toward the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
as a minimal hurricane. The storm then turned back to the north and was classified as extratropical on December 1. Hurricane Nicole never directly affected land and no damage was reported in association with it.
Other storms
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
. It deepened as it moved steadily northeastward, and developed deep convection near the surface circulation as the winds increased to gale force. The system developed tropical characteristics
Tropical cyclogenesis
Tropical cyclogenesis is the term that describes the development and strengthening of a tropical cyclone in the atmosphere. The mechanisms through which tropical cyclogenesis occurs are distinctly different from those through which mid-latitude cyclogenesis occurs...
in that the latent heat release in thunderstorms was the primary energy source. The National Hurricane Center
National Hurricane Center
The National Hurricane Center , located at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, is the division of the National Weather Service responsible for tracking and predicting weather systems within the tropics between the Prime Meridian and the 140th meridian west poleward to the 30th...
issued a special tropical disturbance statement
Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert
A Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert is a bulletin released by the U.S. Navy-operated Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Honolulu, Hawaii or the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Norfolk, Virginia, warning of the possibility of a tropical cyclone forming from a tropical disturbance that has been...
on April 2, though by the following day the system began to weaken as the convection became disorganized. The low weakened further as it accelerated northeastward on April 4. Several ships encountered the storm, several of which reported winds in excess of 40 mi/h. Ships in the area reported seas of up to 24 feet (7.3 m) in height. The Tropical Prediction Center classified the system as a hybrid low, and the National Hurricane Center reviewed data on the system to determine if it developed into a subtropical cyclone
Subtropical cyclone
A subtropical cyclone is a weather system that has some characteristics of a tropical and an extratropical cyclone. As early as the 1950s, meteorologists were unclear whether they should be characterized as tropical or extratropical cyclones. They were officially recognized by the National...
. Ultimately, it was excluded from the Atlantic hurricane database.
A broad low pressure area
Low pressure area
A low-pressure area, or "low", is a region where the atmospheric pressure at sea level is below that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure systems form under areas of wind divergence which occur in upper levels of the troposphere. The formation process of a low-pressure area is known as...
developed over the northwestern Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
on October 19. It moved northwestward and gradually developed organized convection as it crossed the Yucatan Peninsula
Yucatán Peninsula
The Yucatán Peninsula, in southeastern Mexico, separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico, with the northern coastline on the Yucatán Channel...
. By October 21, the system resembled the formative stage of earlier Hurricane Earl
Hurricane Earl (1998)
Hurricane Earl was an atypical, short-lived Category 2 hurricane that caused moderate damage throughout the Southeast United States. It formed out of a poorly organized tropical disturbance over the southwest Gulf of Mexico late on August 31, 1998...
and Tropical Storm Frances
Tropical Storm Frances (1998)
Originating over the southwest Caribbean sea on September 4, Tropical Storm Frances became the sixth tropical storm of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season. The cyclone moved northward through the western Gulf of Mexico, making landfall across the central Texas coastline before recurving across the...
. A strong cold front
Surface weather analysis
Surface weather analysis is a special type of weather map that provides a view of weather elements over a geographical area at a specified time based on information from ground-based weather stations...
to its north turned the system to the southwest, and convection continued to develop near a surface center of circulation. Despite interaction with the cold front, the system organized further, prompting an Airforce reconnaissance
Hurricane Hunters
The Hurricane Hunters are aircraft that fly into tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic Ocean and Northeastern Pacific Ocean for the specific purpose of directly measuring weather data in and around those storms. In the United States, the Air Force, Navy, and NOAA units have all participated in...
flight into the area. On October 23, the low moved ashore on Veracruz
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...
before the recon flight reached the system. The low weakened and dissipated on October 24 over Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. The nature of the system is unknown; the organization just prior to landfall suggested tropical characteristics
Tropical cyclogenesis
Tropical cyclogenesis is the term that describes the development and strengthening of a tropical cyclone in the atmosphere. The mechanisms through which tropical cyclogenesis occurs are distinctly different from those through which mid-latitude cyclogenesis occurs...
, though its interaction with the cold front indicated non-tropical characteristics. As such, the Tropical Prediction Center classified the system as a hybrid/tropical low.
Storm names
The following names were used for named storms that formed in the north Atlantic in 1998. The names not retired from this list were used again in the 2004 season2004 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2004 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 2004, and lasted until November 30, 2004. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin...
. This is the same list used for the 1992 season
1992 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1992 Atlantic hurricane season had one of the latest dates on record for the first named storm. The season officially began on June 1, 1992, and lasted until November 30, 1992. It was the least active hurricane season in nine years due to a strong El Niño...
except for Alex, which replaced Andrew
Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew was the third Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the United States, after the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 and Hurricane Camille in 1969. Andrew was the first named storm and only major hurricane of the otherwise inactive 1992 Atlantic hurricane season...
. Storms were named Alex, Lisa, Mitch, and Nicole for the first time in 1998. Names that were not assigned are marked in .
|
Tropical Storm Hermine (1998) Tropical Storm Hermine was the eighth tropical cyclone and named storm of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season. Hermine developed from a tropical wave that emerged from the west coast of Africa on September 5. The wave moved westward across the Atlantic Ocean, and on entering the northwest Caribbean... Hurricane Ivan (1998) Hurricane Ivan was the tenth named storm of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season. It was a Category 1 hurricane that did not affect land as a hurricane or tropical storm... Hurricane Jeanne (1998) Hurricane Jeanne was the tenth named storm of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season. It was a Category 2 hurricane that did not affect land while tropical, although it brushed the Cape Verde Islands. Hurricane Jeanne was seen as a threat to the Azores. However, Jeanne caused some gusty winds in the... Hurricane Karl (1998) Hurricane Karl was one of four active hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean on September 26, 1998. The 11th tropical cyclone and named storm of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season, Karl developed from a non-tropical low pressure system that was noted off the coast of the Carolinas... Hurricane Lisa (1998) Hurricane Lisa was the 12th known tropical cyclone of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm developed from a tropical wave that entered the Atlantic Ocean on September 29 from the coast of Africa. By October 4, a low-level circulation developed, and the system was declared a tropical... Hurricane Mitch Hurricane Mitch was the most powerful hurricane and the most destructive of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season, with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph . The storm was the thirteenth tropical storm, ninth hurricane, and third major hurricane of the season. Along with Hurricane Georges, Mitch... Hurricane Nicole (1998) Hurricane Nicole was the last hurricane in the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season. It developed from a frontal low to the south of the Azores on November 24, and quickly strengthened to reach winds of 70 mph as it moved to the west-southwest... |
Retirement
The World Meteorological OrganizationWorld Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 189 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873...
retired two names in the spring of 1999: Georges and Mitch. They were replaced in the 2004 season
2004 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2004 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 2004, and lasted until November 30, 2004. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin...
by Gaston and Matthew.
Season impact
This is a table of the storms in 1998 and their landfall(s), if any. Damage and death totals include times when the storm was an extratropical storm or precursor wave.See also
- List of Atlantic hurricanes
- List of Atlantic hurricane seasons
- 1998 Pacific hurricane season1998 Pacific hurricane seasonThe 1998 Pacific hurricane season was a moderately active Pacific hurricane season with seven tropical cyclones directly affecting land. The season officially started on May 15 in the eastern Pacific, and on June 1 in the central Pacific, and ended on November 30; these dates conventionally delimit...
- 1998 Pacific typhoon season1998 Pacific typhoon seasonThe 1998 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between May and November...
- 1998 North Indian Ocean cyclone season1998 North Indian Ocean cyclone seasonThe 1998 North Indian Ocean cyclone season was an active season in annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. The season has no official bounds but cyclones tend to form between April and December. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the...
- South-West Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 1997–98, 1998–991998–99 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone seasonThe 1998–99 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season was an annual event of tropical cyclone formation. According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center it started on July 1, 1998 and ended on June 30, 1999. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in...
- Australian region cyclone seasons: 1997–98, 1998–991998–99 Australian region cyclone seasonThe 1998–99 Australian region cyclone season was an event in the ongoing cycle of tropical cyclone formation. It began on 1 November 1998 and ended on 30 April 1999...
- South Pacific cyclone seasons: 1997–98, 1998–991998–99 South Pacific cyclone seasonThe 1998–99 South Pacific cyclone season was a near average tropical cyclone seasons, with 8 tropical cyclones occurring within the South Pacific Ocean basin between 160°E and 120°W. Despite the season starting on November 1, the first tropical system of the season did not form until December 1,...