Cape Verde-type hurricane
Encyclopedia
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 warm open ocean over which to develop before encountering land. The five largest Atlantic tropical cyclones on record have been Cape Verde-type hurricanes. Some of the longest-lived tropical cyclone
s in the Atlantic basin are Cape Verde hurricanes. While many move harmlessly out to sea, some move across the Caribbean sea
and Gulf of Mexico
, becoming damaging storms for Caribbean nations
, Mexico
, Bermuda
, the United States
, and occasionally even Canada
. Research projects since the 1970s have been launched to understand the formation of these storms.
s which form in the African savanna
during the wet season
, then move into the African steppe
s. The disturbances move off the western coast of Africa
and become tropical storms or tropical cyclones within 1000 kilometres (621.4 mi) of the Cape Verde Islands, usually in August or September. However, Cape Verde hurricanes have formed as early as July or as late as October. An average of two form per hurricane season.
The initial track of a Cape Verde storm tends to be generally westward from Cape Verde, with a turn to the north at some stage in the track for most storms lasting more than a few days. Once the cyclone
begins approaching South America, a Cape Verde hurricane can take several basic tracks and from there diverge, become extra-tropical, or dissipate.
Because this type of hurricane takes a near-westward path that starts in the eastern Atlantic, they can avoid the two situations that typically end the life of a tropical cyclone: interaction with land, and movement over cool water. Since storms that far out at sea can go over a week without moving over cooler water or near a landmass, Cape Verde-type hurricanes are some of the longest-lived storms. Hurricane Faith
, the third longest lasting Atlantic hurricane on record, was a Cape Verde hurricane. It lasted 16 days total and was a hurricane for 14. Hurricane Joan–Miriam of 1988 and Hurricane Irene–Olivia
of 1971 lasted longer, both having crossed narrow parts of Central America and regaining cyclonic motion in the Pacific.
(SSHS). Major hurricanes are hurricanes which have reached Category 3 of the SSHS. This is not an exhaustive list, since many hurricanes do not affect land in a significant way.
aircraft examined tropical wave
s which spawn Cape Verde hurricanes. In 2006, there was a two-month research project known as NAMMA-06 (short for NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Activities) which flew Douglas DC-8
's into seedling disturbances in the eastern Atlantic which had the potential to become Cape Verde hurricanes.
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
islands, off the west coast of Africa
Africa
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...
. 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 warm open ocean over which to develop before encountering land. The five largest Atlantic tropical cyclones on record have been Cape Verde-type hurricanes. Some of the longest-lived tropical cyclone
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 in the Atlantic basin are Cape Verde hurricanes. While many move harmlessly out to sea, some move 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 Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
, becoming damaging storms for Caribbean nations
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, 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...
, 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...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and occasionally even Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Research projects since the 1970s have been launched to understand the formation of these storms.
Origin
Cape Verde-type hurricanes typically develop from tropical waveTropical wave
Tropical waves, easterly waves, or tropical easterly waves, also known as African easterly waves in the Atlantic region, are a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which move from east to west across the tropics causing areas of...
s which form in the African savanna
Savanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
during the wet season
Wet season
The the wet season, or rainy season, is the time of year, covering one or more months, when most of the average annual rainfall in a region occurs. The term green season is also sometimes used as a euphemism by tourist authorities. Areas with wet seasons are dispersed across portions of the...
, then move into the African steppe
Steppe
In physical geography, steppe is an ecoregion, in the montane grasslands and shrublands and temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biomes, characterized by grassland plains without trees apart from those near rivers and lakes...
s. The disturbances move off the western coast of Africa
Africa
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 become tropical storms or tropical cyclones within 1000 kilometres (621.4 mi) of the Cape Verde Islands, usually in August or September. However, Cape Verde hurricanes have formed as early as July or as late as October. An average of two form per hurricane season.
Typical tracks
A typical Cape Verde hurricane will form as a tropical depression just south of the Cape Verde islands. It will normally reach hurricane strength in the mid-Atlantic, but sometimes will strengthen closer to Cape Verde or the Caribbean.The initial track of a Cape Verde storm tends to be generally westward from Cape Verde, with a turn to the north at some stage in the track for most storms lasting more than a few days. Once the cyclone
Cyclone
In meteorology, a cyclone is an area of closed, circular fluid motion rotating in the same direction as the Earth. This is usually characterized by inward spiraling winds that rotate anticlockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere of the Earth. Most large-scale...
begins approaching South America, a Cape Verde hurricane can take several basic tracks and from there diverge, become extra-tropical, or dissipate.
- It can continue to the west, and if it is far enough south, it will cross the Windward IslandsWindward IslandsThe Windward Islands are the southern islands of the Lesser Antilles, within the West Indies.-Name and geography:The Windward Islands are called such because they were more windward to sailing ships arriving in the New World than the Leeward Islands, given that the prevailing trade winds in the...
into the Caribbean SeaCaribbean SeaThe 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....
, possibly affecting VenezuelaVenezuelaVenezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
to some degree. From there it will often continue westward into NicaraguaNicaraguaNicaragua 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...
, HondurasHondurasHonduras 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...
, or BelizeBelizeBelize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
. For example, Hurricane Joan–Miriam took this southerly route in 1988, causing severe flooding in South AmericaSouth AmericaSouth America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, making landfall in Central AmericaCentral AmericaCentral 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...
, and continuing into the Pacific Basin, just as Hurricane Irene–OliviaHurricane Irene–OliviaHurricane Irene–Olivia was the first actively tracked tropical cyclone which moved into the eastern Pacific Ocean from the Atlantic basin. It originated as a tropical depression on September 11, 1971, in the tropical Atlantic. The cyclone tracked nearly due westward at a low latitude, passing...
did in 1971. Some storms pass unabated into the Gulf of Mexico. Hurricane IvanHurricane IvanHurricane Ivan was a large, long-lived, Cape Verde-type hurricane that caused widespread damage in the Caribbean and United States. The cyclone was the ninth named storm, the sixth hurricane and the fourth major hurricane of the active 2004 Atlantic hurricane season...
of 2004 began with a very southerly route yet it made landfall far to the north in AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. Somewhere in the middle of these extremes, storms such as 1980's Hurricane AllenHurricane AllenHurricane Allen was the first and strongest hurricane of the 1980 Atlantic hurricane season. It was one of the strongest hurricanes in recorded history, one of the few hurricanes to reach Category 5 status on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale on three separate occasions, and spent more time...
track toward the coast of MexicoMexicoThe 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...
, affecting areas from the Yucatán PeninsulaYucatán PeninsulaThe Yucatán Peninsula, in southeastern Mexico, separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico, with the northern coastline on the Yucatán Channel...
to TexasTexasTexas 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...
. Many of these southerly hurricanes strike JamaicaJamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, like the Galveston Hurricane of 1915 and Hurricane GilbertHurricane GilbertHurricane Gilbert was an extremely powerful Cape Verde-type hurricane that formed during the 1988 Atlantic hurricane season and created widespread destruction in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. It is the second most intense hurricane ever observed in the Atlantic basin behind only...
of 1988. Hurricane JanetHurricane JanetHurricane Janet was the most powerful hurricane of the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season and one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record. It made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, causing catastrophic damage and at least 687 deaths in the Lesser...
of 1955 will be remembered as one of the deadliest and strongest storms to strike the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico. - If the storm is further north, it may travel past the Leeward IslandsLeeward IslandsThe 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 into the Greater AntillesGreater AntillesThe 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...
. In 1998, Hurricane GeorgesHurricane GeorgesHurricane 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...
took a track of this nature as it continued into MississippiMississippiMississippi 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...
. Slightly further north, and the storm will track through the Bahamas and into FloridaFloridaFlorida 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...
in the manner of 1992's Hurricane AndrewHurricane AndrewHurricane 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...
. Many of these storms passing through the center of the Caribbean will strike the island of HispaniolaHispaniolaHispaniola 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...
, and CubaCubaThe 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...
, like Hurricane DavidHurricane DavidHurricane David was the fourth named tropical cyclone, second hurricane, and first major hurricane of the 1979 Atlantic hurricane season. A Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, David was among the deadliest hurricanes in the latter half of the 20th century, killing...
and Hurricane FredericHurricane FredericHurricane Frederic was the sixth tropical cyclone, third hurricane and second major hurricane of the 1979 Atlantic hurricane season. Frederic was the costliest hurricane to ever hit the U.S. Gulf Coast at that particular time...
did, both in 1979. Some storms on this track will turn to the west once in the Gulf, and thereby make landfall in Texas, as the Galveston Hurricane of 1900Galveston Hurricane of 1900The Hurricane of 1900 made landfall on the city of Galveston in the U.S. state of Texas, on September 8, 1900.It had estimated winds of at landfall, making it a Category 4 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale...
and Hurricane IkeHurricane IkeHurricane Ike was the second-costliest hurricane ever to make landfall in the United States, the costliest hurricane ever to impact Cuba and the second most active hurricane to reach the Canadian mainland in the Great Lakes Region after Hurricane Hazel in 1954...
of 2008. - A more northerly storm will often have its track affected by the high pressure that typically occurs over the eastern Atlantic in late summer. As these storms pass north of the Antilles, their tracks begin to curve to the north and to the east of the Florida Peninsula, often sending them away from land. A few storms will track northwest, making landfall in NorthNorth CarolinaNorth 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...
or South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. Hurricane HugoHurricane HugoHurricane Hugo was a classical, destructive and rare Cape Verde-type hurricane which struck the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe, Montserrat, St. Croix, Puerto Rico and the USA mainland in South Carolina as a Category 4 hurricane during September of the 1989 Atlantic hurricane season...
of 1989 and Hurricane FranHurricane FranHurricane 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 1996 are typical examples. Occasionally storms following this track can accelerate to the north and strike New EnglandNew EnglandNew England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. The New England Hurricane of 1938New England Hurricane of 1938The New England Hurricane of 1938 was the first major hurricane to strike New England since 1869...
and Hurricane GloriaHurricane GloriaHurricane Gloria was a powerful Cape Verde-type hurricane that formed during the 1985 Atlantic hurricane season and prowled the Atlantic Ocean from September 16 to September 28. Gloria reached Category 4 status on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale near the Bahamas, but weakened significantly...
in 1985 were two such cases. - When a storm tracks very far north, its potential for landfall is much less. Some storms do, however, track west-northwest to strike the Atlantic coast of the U.S. and the maritime provinces of Canada, such as 1933 Chesapeake–Potomac hurricane and Hurricane IsabelHurricane IsabelHurricane Isabel was the costliest and deadliest hurricane in the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season. The ninth named storm, fifth hurricane, and second major hurricane of the season, Isabel formed near the Cape Verde Islands from a tropical wave on September 6 in the tropical Atlantic Ocean...
of 2003, which struck the mid-Atlantic. Both Hurricane Bill (2009)Hurricane Bill (2009)Hurricane Bill was a relatively large Atlantic tropical cyclone, attaining a maximum gale-diameter of 460 mi . A Cape Verde type hurricane, Bill originated from a tropical wave that emerged from the western coast of Africa on August 12, and organized into a tropical depression near the Cape...
and Hurricane Daisy (1962)Hurricane Daisy (1962)Hurricane Daisy was a moderate hurricane in the 1962 Atlantic hurricane season, that caused severe damage in New England, and the Canadian Maritimes. The fourth named storm of the 1962 Atlantic hurricane season, it became a tropical depression on September 29, while moving west-northwest. On...
were Cape Verde storms that made landfall in Canada, just as Hurricane Luis (1995)Hurricane LuisHurricane Luis was one of the deadliest and most destructive hurricanes of the 1995 Atlantic hurricane season, with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph . The storm was the twelfth tropical storm, sixth hurricane, and second major hurricane of the season...
, Hurricane Earl (2010)Hurricane Earl (2010)Hurricane Earl was a long-lived, powerful tropical cyclone which became the first major hurricane to threaten New England since Hurricane Bob in 1991. The fifth named storm of the 2010 season, Earl developed out of a tropical wave roughly west of the Cape Verde Islands on August 25...
, and Hurricane Igor (2010)Hurricane Igor (2010)Hurricane Igor was the most destructive tropical cyclone to strike the Canadian island of Newfoundland on record. The origins of Igor were within a broad area of low pressure that moved off the west coast of Africa on September 6, 2010. Tracking slowly westward, it developed into a tropical...
did. If the storm's track is affected significantly, it will often pass near the Eastern U.S., Nova ScotiaNova ScotiaNova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, and Newfoundland Island and curve back out to sea, where it becomes extratropical over cooler water. An example of such was Hurricane EdouardHurricane Edouard (1996)Hurricane Edouard was the strongest hurricane in the 1996 Atlantic hurricane season, reaching winds of 145 mph on its path. Edouard remained a major hurricane for eight days, an unusually long amount of time. A Cape Verde-type hurricane, the storm formed near the coast of Africa in the middle...
in 1996. At the extreme, Cape Verde hurricanes can track so far north as to curve all the way to Europe, such as Hurricane HeleneHurricane Helene (2006)Hurricane Helene was the ninth tropical storm, fourth hurricane, and strongest hurricane of the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season.Helene was a long-lived Cape Verde-type hurricane that formed in the extreme southeastern part of the North Atlantic Ocean, peaking as a Category 3 hurricane on the...
of 2006 and Hurricane IsaacHurricane Isaac (2000)Hurricane Isaac was a tropical cyclone which was tied for the strongest tropical cyclone of the 2000 Atlantic hurricane season. The thirteenth tropical cyclone, ninth named storm, and the fifth hurricane of the season, Isaac developed from a tropical wave south of Cape Verde on September 21. On...
of 2000, both of which affected IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. - Sometimes, the subtropical ridgeSubtropical ridgeThe subtropical ridge is a significant belt of high pressure situated around the latitudes of 30°N in the Northern Hemisphere and 30°S in the Southern Hemisphere. It is characterized by mostly calm winds, which acts to reduce air quality under its axis by causing fog overnight, and haze during...
is displaced from its normal position, which allows storms to recurve quickly by being driven around the east side of an upper trough in the central Atlantic, generally missing land completely as they dissipate. Both Hurricane DanielleHurricane Danielle (2004)Hurricane Danielle was the first of several Cape Verde-type hurricane to form during the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. Danielle was the fourth named storm and third hurricane of the season...
and Hurricane KarlHurricane Karl (2004)Hurricane Karl was a powerful Cape Verde-type hurricane during the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. It was the eleventh named storm, eighth hurricane and sixth major hurricane of the 2004 season. Karl formed on September 16, originating from a strong tropical wave that emerged off of Africa. It...
were affected like this in 2004. In other cases, storms are steered north very early in their development near Cape Verde, such as the 1989 storms Hurricane Erin and Hurricane Felix which both traveled northwest and never threatened land.
Because this type of hurricane takes a near-westward path that starts in the eastern Atlantic, they can avoid the two situations that typically end the life of a tropical cyclone: interaction with land, and movement over cool water. Since storms that far out at sea can go over a week without moving over cooler water or near a landmass, Cape Verde-type hurricanes are some of the longest-lived storms. Hurricane Faith
Hurricane Faith (1966)
Hurricane Faith was the northernmost tracking tropical cyclone in the Atlantic basin, as well as the longest distance traveled. The eighth tropical cyclone and sixth named storm of the 1966 Atlantic hurricane season, Faith developed from an area of disturbed weather between Cape Verde and the west...
, the third longest lasting Atlantic hurricane on record, was a Cape Verde hurricane. It lasted 16 days total and was a hurricane for 14. Hurricane Joan–Miriam of 1988 and Hurricane Irene–Olivia
Hurricane Irene–Olivia
Hurricane Irene–Olivia was the first actively tracked tropical cyclone which moved into the eastern Pacific Ocean from the Atlantic basin. It originated as a tropical depression on September 11, 1971, in the tropical Atlantic. The cyclone tracked nearly due westward at a low latitude, passing...
of 1971 lasted longer, both having crossed narrow parts of Central America and regaining cyclonic motion in the Pacific.
Significant Cape Verde-type hurricanes
In the table below, a hurricane's peak category is the peak intensity of the hurricane, measured on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane ScaleSaffir-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...
(SSHS). Major hurricanes are hurricanes which have reached Category 3 of the SSHS. This is not an exhaustive list, since many hurricanes do not affect land in a significant way.
Year | Name | Category |
---|---|---|
1899 | 1899 Hurricane San Ciriaco 1899 Hurricane San Ciriaco 1899 San Ciriaco hurricane, also known as the 1899 Puerto Rico Hurricane, was the longest-lived Atlantic hurricane and the eleventh deadliest tropical cyclone in the basin. It was an intense and long-lived Atlantic Cape Verde-type hurricane which crossed Puerto Rico over the two day period August 8... |
4 |
1900 | Galveston Hurricane of 1900 Galveston Hurricane of 1900 The Hurricane of 1900 made landfall on the city of Galveston in the U.S. state of Texas, on September 8, 1900.It had estimated winds of at landfall, making it a Category 4 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale... |
4 |
1926 | 1926 Miami Hurricane 1926 Miami Hurricane The 1926 Miami hurricane was a Category 4 hurricane that devastated Miami in September 1926. The storm also caused significant damage in the Florida Panhandle, the U.S. state of Alabama, and the Bahamas... |
4 |
1928 | 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane The Okeechobee hurricane, or San Felipe Segundo hurricane, was a deadly hurricane that struck the Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and Florida in September of the 1928 Atlantic hurricane season... |
5 |
1938 | New England Hurricane of 1938 New England Hurricane of 1938 The New England Hurricane of 1938 was the first major hurricane to strike New England since 1869... , or the Long Island Express |
5 |
1947 | 1947 Fort Lauderdale Hurricane 1947 Fort Lauderdale Hurricane The Fort Lauderdale Hurricane was an intense Category 5 hurricane that affected the Bahamas, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi in September of the 1947 Atlantic hurricane season... |
5 |
1957 | Hurricane Carrie | 4 |
1958 | Hurricane Cleo | 5 |
1960 | Hurricane Donna Hurricane Donna Hurricane Donna in the 1960 Atlantic hurricane season was a Cape Verde-type hurricane which moved across the Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispanola, Cuba, The Bahamas, and every state on the East Coast of the United States... |
5 |
1964 | Hurricane Cleo Hurricane Cleo Hurricane Cleo was the third named storm, first hurricane, and first major hurricane of the 1964 Atlantic hurricane season. Cleo was one of the longest-lived storms of the season... |
4 |
1966 | Hurricane Faith Hurricane Faith (1966) Hurricane Faith was the northernmost tracking tropical cyclone in the Atlantic basin, as well as the longest distance traveled. The eighth tropical cyclone and sixth named storm of the 1966 Atlantic hurricane season, Faith developed from an area of disturbed weather between Cape Verde and the west... |
3 |
1966 | Hurricane Inez Hurricane Inez Hurricane Inez was a deadly, destructive, powerful and very long-lived Cape Verde-type hurricane that carved an erratic path through the Lesser Antilles, Hispaniola, Cuba, the Bahamas, Florida, and Mexico in 1966... |
4 |
1979 | Hurricane David Hurricane David Hurricane David was the fourth named tropical cyclone, second hurricane, and first major hurricane of the 1979 Atlantic hurricane season. A Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, David was among the deadliest hurricanes in the latter half of the 20th century, killing... |
5 |
1979 | Hurricane Frederic Hurricane Frederic Hurricane Frederic was the sixth tropical cyclone, third hurricane and second major hurricane of the 1979 Atlantic hurricane season. Frederic was the costliest hurricane to ever hit the U.S. Gulf Coast at that particular time... |
4 |
1980 | Hurricane Allen Hurricane Allen Hurricane Allen was the first and strongest hurricane of the 1980 Atlantic hurricane season. It was one of the strongest hurricanes in recorded history, one of the few hurricanes to reach Category 5 status on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale on three separate occasions, and spent more time... |
5 |
1985 | Hurricane Gloria Hurricane Gloria Hurricane Gloria was a powerful Cape Verde-type hurricane that formed during the 1985 Atlantic hurricane season and prowled the Atlantic Ocean from September 16 to September 28. Gloria reached Category 4 status on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale near the Bahamas, but weakened significantly... |
4 |
1988 | Hurricane Gilbert Hurricane Gilbert Hurricane Gilbert was an extremely powerful Cape Verde-type hurricane that formed during the 1988 Atlantic hurricane season and created widespread destruction in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. It is the second most intense hurricane ever observed in the Atlantic basin behind only... |
5 |
1989 | Hurricane Hugo Hurricane Hugo Hurricane Hugo was a classical, destructive and rare Cape Verde-type hurricane which struck the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe, Montserrat, St. Croix, Puerto Rico and the USA mainland in South Carolina as a Category 4 hurricane during September of the 1989 Atlantic hurricane season... |
5 |
1992 | Hurricane 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... |
5 |
1995 | Hurricane Felix Hurricane Felix (1995) Hurricane Felix was the sixth named tropical cyclone and the third hurricane of the unusually active 1995 Atlantic hurricane season. Though the Cape Verde-type hurricane never made landfall, Felix stalled off the coast of North Carolina, resulting in great uncertainty over its track... |
4 |
1995 | Hurricane Luis Hurricane Luis Hurricane Luis was one of the deadliest and most destructive hurricanes of the 1995 Atlantic hurricane season, with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph . The storm was the twelfth tropical storm, sixth hurricane, and second major hurricane of the season... |
4 |
1996 | Hurricane Bertha Hurricane Bertha (1996) Hurricane Bertha was a strong, early season major hurricane which impacted areas from the Leeward Islands to Atlantic Canada. Bertha originated from a tropical wave which moved off the eastern coast of Africa in early July. By July 3, an area of low pressure developed along the wave... |
3 |
1996 | Hurricane Edouard Hurricane Edouard (1996) Hurricane Edouard was the strongest hurricane in the 1996 Atlantic hurricane season, reaching winds of 145 mph on its path. Edouard remained a major hurricane for eight days, an unusually long amount of time. A Cape Verde-type hurricane, the storm formed near the coast of Africa in the middle... |
4 |
1996 | 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... |
3 |
1998 | Hurricane Bonnie Hurricane Bonnie (1998) Hurricane Bonnie was a major hurricane that made landfall in North Carolina, United States, inflicting severe crop damage. The second named storm, first hurricane, and first major hurricane of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season, Bonnie developed from a tropical wave that emerged off the coast of... |
3 |
1998 | 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... |
4 |
1999 | Hurricane Floyd Hurricane Floyd Hurricane Floyd was the sixth named storm, fourth hurricane, and third major hurricane in the 1999 Atlantic hurricane season. Floyd triggered the third largest evacuation in US history when 2.6 million coastal residents of five states were ordered from their homes as it approached... |
4 |
2002 | Hurricane Lili Hurricane Lili Hurricane Lili was the deadliest and costliest hurricane of the 2002 Atlantic hurricane season for the United States. Lili was the twelfth named storm, fourth hurricane, and second major hurricane of the 2002 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm developed from a tropical disturbance in the open... |
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2003 | Hurricane Fabian Hurricane Fabian Hurricane Fabian was a powerful Cape Verde-type hurricane that hit Bermuda in early September during the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season. Fabian, the sixth named storm, fourth hurricane, and first major hurricane of the season, developed from a tropical wave in the tropical Atlantic Ocean on August 25... |
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2003 | Hurricane Isabel Hurricane Isabel Hurricane Isabel was the costliest and deadliest hurricane in the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season. The ninth named storm, fifth hurricane, and second major hurricane of the season, Isabel formed near the Cape Verde Islands from a tropical wave on September 6 in the tropical Atlantic Ocean... |
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2004 | Hurricane Frances Hurricane Frances Hurricane Frances was the sixth named storm, the fourth hurricane, and the third major hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. The system crossing the open Atlantic during mid to late August, moving to the north of the Lesser Antilles while strengthening. Its outer bands affected Puerto... |
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2004 | Hurricane Ivan Hurricane Ivan Hurricane Ivan was a large, long-lived, Cape Verde-type hurricane that caused widespread damage in the Caribbean and United States. The cyclone was the ninth named storm, the sixth hurricane and the fourth major hurricane of the active 2004 Atlantic hurricane season... |
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2004 | Hurricane Karl Hurricane Karl (2004) Hurricane Karl was a powerful Cape Verde-type hurricane during the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. It was the eleventh named storm, eighth hurricane and sixth major hurricane of the 2004 season. Karl formed on September 16, originating from a strong tropical wave that emerged off of Africa. It... |
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2005 | Hurricane Emily Hurricane Emily (2005) Hurricane Emily was a powerful, early season tropical cyclone that caused significant damage across the Caribbean Sea to Mexico. A Cape Verde-type hurricane, the storm formed on July 10, 2005, in the central Atlantic Ocean before passing through the Windward Islands on July 14... |
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2007 | Hurricane Dean Hurricane Dean The name Dean was used for five tropical cyclones in the Northern Atlantic Ocean:*1983's Tropical Storm Dean, which struck the coast of Virginia, causing minor erosion and flooding... |
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2008 | Hurricane Ike Hurricane Ike Hurricane Ike was the second-costliest hurricane ever to make landfall in the United States, the costliest hurricane ever to impact Cuba and the second most active hurricane to reach the Canadian mainland in the Great Lakes Region after Hurricane Hazel in 1954... |
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2009 | Hurricane Bill Hurricane Bill (2009) Hurricane Bill was a relatively large Atlantic tropical cyclone, attaining a maximum gale-diameter of 460 mi . A Cape Verde type hurricane, Bill originated from a tropical wave that emerged from the western coast of Africa on August 12, and organized into a tropical depression near the Cape... |
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2010 | Hurricane Earl Hurricane Earl (2010) Hurricane Earl was a long-lived, powerful tropical cyclone which became the first major hurricane to threaten New England since Hurricane Bob in 1991. The fifth named storm of the 2010 season, Earl developed out of a tropical wave roughly west of the Cape Verde Islands on August 25... |
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2010 | Hurricane Igor Hurricane Igor (2010) Hurricane Igor was the most destructive tropical cyclone to strike the Canadian island of Newfoundland on record. The origins of Igor were within a broad area of low pressure that moved off the west coast of Africa on September 6, 2010. Tracking slowly westward, it developed into a tropical... |
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2011 | Hurricane Ophelia Hurricane Ophelia (2011) Hurricane Ophelia was a relatively large Atlantic tropical cyclone that affected the Leeward Islands, Bermuda, and Newfoundland during September and October 2011... |
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Research
Twenty nations took part in the GATE research project in 1974, where Douglas DC-6Douglas DC-6
The Douglas DC-6 is a piston-powered airliner and transport aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1946 to 1958. Originally intended as a military transport near the end of World War II, it was reworked after the war to compete with the Lockheed Constellation in the long-range...
aircraft examined tropical wave
Tropical wave
Tropical waves, easterly waves, or tropical easterly waves, also known as African easterly waves in the Atlantic region, are a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which move from east to west across the tropics causing areas of...
s which spawn Cape Verde hurricanes. In 2006, there was a two-month research project known as NAMMA-06 (short for NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Activities) which flew Douglas DC-8
Douglas DC-8
The Douglas DC-8 is a four-engined narrow-body passenger commercial jet airliner, manufactured from 1958 to 1972 by the Douglas Aircraft Company...
's into seedling disturbances in the eastern Atlantic which had the potential to become Cape Verde hurricanes.
See also
- List of Atlantic hurricane seasons
- List of tropical cyclones