Hurricane Flora

Template:Infobox hurricane nopic Hurricane Flora was one of the deadliest hurricanes in history. Flora blasted through the Caribbean in September and October, 1963.

A tropical depression formed on September 26th in the Central Atlantic, developing from a disturbance in the Intertropical Convergence Zone. The depression moved rapidly west-northwestward, one factor disallowing intensification. On the 29th, it began to rapidly intensify, becoming a tropical storm that day, and a 120 mph Category 3 by the 30th. Flora moved through the Leeward Islands, first striking the island of Tobago. The hurricane caused such great damage that it changed the economy of the island from cash-crop agriculture towards tourism and fishing. Flora then crossed the Caribbean Sea and strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane, peaking at 140 mph winds.

Flora struck the southwest peninsula of Haiti on October 4 as a 140 mph hurricane, causing heavy rains and torrential crop damage. The Dominican Republic was luckier, but still was hit with flooding and crop damage. Flora hit southeast Cuba near Guantanamo Bay also on the 4th, but a high pressure system to its north and another to its west caused Flora to drift over Cuba. It reached the Caribbean again on the 6th, but it again hit Cuba on the 7th. A shortwave trough finally pulled Flora to the northeast, bringing the hurricane into the Atlantic Ocean on the 8th. Flora steadily strengthened to a 115 mph major hurricane on the 10th, but cooler water temperatures weakened Flora until it became extratropical on the 12th.

Flora left 7,193 people dead in Haiti and Cuba, making it one of the five deadliest hurricanes in Atlantic history. In addition, Flora caused a total of $528,500,000 in damage (1963 dollars).

The name Flora was retired and will never be used for a hurricane again; this name was replaced by Freda in 1967.

See also