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Hurricane Katrina (1981)
Encyclopedia
Hurricane Katrina was the twenty-first tropical depression, eleventh named storm and seventh hurricane of the 1981 Atlantic hurricane season
. During its lifetime, Katrina affected the Cayman Islands
, Cuba
and the Bahamas, causing the death of two people in Cuba
as it passed over the island. The storm formed from an area of cloudiness on November 1 in the western Caribbean Sea
; the cloudiness became Tropical Depression Twenty-one two days later, and Tropical Storm Katrina the following day. After passing over Grand Cayman
, Katrina moved to the northeast, grazing Cuba as a Category 1 hurricane
; it later affected the Bahamas as a tropical storm, where it caused 14 in (360 mm) of rainfall
. Katrina merged with a frontal trough on November 7.
began to form. On November 3, the system was designated a tropical depression while located about 150 miles (241.4 km) to the south of the Cayman Islands
. The depression intensified while drifting northward, and it was upgraded to a tropical storm early on November 4. As the eleventh tropical storm of the 1981 Atlantic hurricane season
, it received the name "Katrina".
Within 24 hours the storm passed by Grand Cayman Island. On nearby Cayman Brac
, winds gusted to about 70 miles per hour (112.7 km/h). Continually strengthening, Katrina accelerated toward the northeast. At 0600 UTC on November 5, the storm was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
. Later that same day, a NOAA
reconnaissance
flight reported a minimum barometric pressure of 980 mbar, and several hours later the flight recorded winds of about 85 miles per hour (136.8 km/h) on the surface
. However, Katrina weakened as it approached land; at the time of landfall
on eastern Cuba, the minimum central pressure had risen 15 mbar. The storm proceeded northeast, crossing The Bahamas
on November 6. At the time, the cyclone was moving at 23 miles per hour (37 km/h) while maintaining windspeeds of approximately 60 miles per hour (96.6 km/h). Katrina's remnants merged with a frontal system
over the southwestern Atlantic Ocean
, and the storm was deemed dissipated on November 8.
, small craft were advised to remain close to port. However, the storm was not expected to pose a threat to the United States. Heavy rainfall, potentially exceeding 10 inches (254 mm), was anticipated throughout portions of central and eastern Cuba. Cuban Civil Defense officers issued a storm alert for five provinces.
In Grand Cayman, rough seas ripped out a grape tree
and slammed it into the Brac Reef Hotel's Bar. Cuba encountered some flash flood
ing in mountainous areas as Katrina moved across the country. Cuban officials also reported that two people were killed. The Bahamas received a total of 14 in (360 mm) of rain; while no deaths or injuries were reported there, heavy rains in the Central area caused flood damage to watermelon
, tomato
and corn
crops on Long Island
. Damage was otherwise minimal, as Katrina never regained the strength it lost after making landfall in Cuba.
Bad weather from Hurricane Katrina caused the cancellation of the 15th running of the Benson and Hedges Gold Cup Race.
1981 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1981 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1981, and lasted until November 30, 1981. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The 1981 season was high in activity with 18 tropical depressions and...
. During its lifetime, Katrina affected the Cayman Islands
Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands is a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union located in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, located south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica...
, 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...
and the Bahamas, causing the death of two people in 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...
as it passed over the island. The storm formed from an area of cloudiness on November 1 in the western 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....
; the cloudiness became Tropical Depression Twenty-one two days later, and Tropical Storm Katrina the following day. After passing over Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman is the largest of the three Cayman Islands and the location of the nation's capital, George Town. In relation to the other two Cayman Islands, it is approximately 75 miles southwest of Little Cayman and 90 miles southwest of Cayman Brac.-Geography:Grand Cayman encompasses 76% of...
, Katrina moved to the northeast, grazing Cuba as a Category 1 hurricane
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
; it later affected the Bahamas as a tropical storm, where it caused 14 in (360 mm) of rainfall
Rain
Rain is liquid precipitation, as opposed to non-liquid kinds of precipitation such as snow, hail and sleet. Rain requires the presence of a thick layer of the atmosphere to have temperatures above the melting point of water near and above the Earth's surface...
. Katrina merged with a frontal trough on November 7.
Meteorological history
On November 1, an area of disturbed weather developed over the western Caribbean. Subsequently, an area of low pressureLow 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...
began to form. On November 3, the system was designated a tropical depression while located about 150 miles (241.4 km) to the south of the Cayman Islands
Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands is a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union located in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, located south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica...
. The depression intensified while drifting northward, and it was upgraded to a tropical storm early on November 4. As the eleventh tropical storm of the 1981 Atlantic hurricane season
1981 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1981 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1981, and lasted until November 30, 1981. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The 1981 season was high in activity with 18 tropical depressions and...
, it received the name "Katrina".
Within 24 hours the storm passed by Grand Cayman Island. On nearby Cayman Brac
Cayman Brac
Cayman Brac is an island that is part of the Cayman Islands. It lies in the Caribbean Sea about 90 miles northeast of Grand Cayman and 5 miles east of Little Cayman. It is about 12 miles long, with an average width of 1 mile...
, winds gusted to about 70 miles per hour (112.7 km/h). Continually strengthening, Katrina accelerated toward the northeast. At 0600 UTC on November 5, the storm was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
. Later that same day, a NOAA
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
reconnaissance
Aerial reconnaissance
Aerial reconnaissance is reconnaissance that is conducted using unmanned aerial vehicles or reconnaissance aircraft. Their roles are to collect imagery intelligence, signals intelligence and measurement and signature intelligence...
flight reported a minimum barometric pressure of 980 mbar, and several hours later the flight recorded winds of about 85 miles per hour (136.8 km/h) on the surface
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...
. However, Katrina weakened as it approached land; at the time of landfall
Landfall (meteorology)
Landfall is the event of a tropical cyclone or a waterspout coming onto land after being over water. When a waterspout makes landfall it is reclassified as a tornado, which can then cause damage inland...
on eastern Cuba, the minimum central pressure had risen 15 mbar. The storm proceeded northeast, crossing The Bahamas
The Bahamas
The Bahamas , officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, is a nation consisting of 29 islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 islets . It is located in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cuba and Hispaniola , northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and southeast of the United States...
on November 6. At the time, the cyclone was moving at 23 miles per hour (37 km/h) while maintaining windspeeds of approximately 60 miles per hour (96.6 km/h). Katrina's remnants merged with a frontal system
Weather front
A weather front is a boundary separating two masses of air of different densities, and is the principal cause of meteorological phenomena. In surface weather analyses, fronts are depicted using various colored lines and symbols, depending on the type of front...
over the southwestern Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, and the storm was deemed dissipated on November 8.
Preparations and impact
In advance of Katrina, it is estimated that approximately 73,000 residents were evacuated, along with several thousand head of cattle. A hurricane watch was declared for the central and eastern Bahamas. Along the southeast coast of FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, small craft were advised to remain close to port. However, the storm was not expected to pose a threat to the United States. Heavy rainfall, potentially exceeding 10 inches (254 mm), was anticipated throughout portions of central and eastern Cuba. Cuban Civil Defense officers issued a storm alert for five provinces.
In Grand Cayman, rough seas ripped out a grape tree
Coccoloba uvifera
Coccoloba uvifera is a species of flowering plant in the buckwheat family, Polygonaceae, that is native to coastal beaches throughout tropical America and the Caribbean, including southern Florida, the Bahamas, Barbados and Bermuda...
and slammed it into the Brac Reef Hotel's Bar. Cuba encountered some flash flood
Flash flood
A flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas—washes, rivers, dry lakes and basins. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a storm, hurricane, or tropical storm or meltwater from ice or snow flowing over ice sheets or snowfields...
ing in mountainous areas as Katrina moved across the country. Cuban officials also reported that two people were killed. The Bahamas received a total of 14 in (360 mm) of rain; while no deaths or injuries were reported there, heavy rains in the Central area caused flood damage to watermelon
Watermelon
Watermelon is a vine-like flowering plant originally from southern Africa. Its fruit, which is also called watermelon, is a special kind referred to by botanists as a pepo, a berry which has a thick rind and fleshy center...
, tomato
Tomato
The word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...
and corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
crops on Long Island
Long Island, Bahamas
Long Island is an island in the Bahamas that is split by the Tropic of Cancer. Its capital is Clarence Town. Long Island is one of the Districts of the Bahamas and is known as the most scenic island in the Bahamas. The population is roughly 4,000 inhabitants.-Geography:Long Island is about 130...
. Damage was otherwise minimal, as Katrina never regained the strength it lost after making landfall in Cuba.
Bad weather from Hurricane Katrina caused the cancellation of the 15th running of the Benson and Hedges Gold Cup Race.
See also
- Other storms named KatrinaTropical Storm Katrina (disambiguation)The name Katrina has been used for three tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean, three tropical cyclones in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and one tropical cyclone in the South Pacific. It was used in the Pacific on the old four-year lists. The name is not to be confused with Karina, which is on the...
- North Atlantic tropical cyclone