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Hurricane Gordon

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This article is about the Atlantic hurricane of 1994. For other storms of the same name, see Hurricane Gordon (disambiguation).
Hurricane Gordon
Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS/NWS)
Hurricane Gordon near peak intensity.
FormedNovember 8, 1994
DissipatedNovember 21, 1994
Highest winds1-minute sustained: 85 mph (140 km/h)
Lowest pressure980 mbar (hPa); 28.94 inHg
Fatalities1,147 direct
Damage$514 million (1994 USD)
Areas affectedNicaragua, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina
Part of the 1994 Atlantic hurricane season

Forming in the western Caribbean sea during the first week of November, Hurricane Gordon became the twelfth tropical depression, the seventh named tropical storm, and the third hurricane of the 1994 Atlantic hurricane season. An erratic, long-lived system which remained a tropical storm for most of its existence, it followed a winding path through the western Caribbean and into Florida before strengthening into a Category 1 hurricane and threatening North Carolina. Gordon was a catastrophic storm in Haiti, killing an estimated 1,122 people.

Meteorological history

Main article: Meteorological history of Hurricane Gordon (1994)
Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
Map key
Saffir–Simpson scale
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown
Storm type
triangle Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

Widespread convection persisted in the southwestern Caribbean Sea during early November, which was enhanced by the passage of two tropical waves passing through the area. The second produced a low-level circulation just north of Panama early on November 6. Convection slowly organized as it drifted northwestward, and by 1200 UTC on November 7 the circulation displayed enough curvature to warrant initiating Dvorak technique estimates. Late the next day, convection became more concentrated, and based on surface observations and satellite estimates the National Hurricane Center estimates the system developed into Tropical Depression Twelve midday on November 8 while located a short distance off the southeast coast of Nicaragua.[1]

The depression continued drifting northwestward, and initially limited upper-level outflow led to very slow organization.[1] Its environment became more favorable, and by November 9 the system maintained banding features and increasingly defined outflow.[2] Proximity to land prevented strengthening, and early on November 10 it made landfall near Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua. Shortly thereafter, an upper-level trough turned the depression to the northeast, and the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Gordon after reaching open waters. Tracking slowly north-northeastward, the circulation of the cyclone was initially very broad, covering much of the western Caribbean Sea, and its combination with southwesterly wind shear prevented significant strengthening. By November 12 the center was exposed due to the shear,[1] though by later in the day the circulation became situated along the western edge of the deep convection.[3] Early on November 13, Gordon struck Jamaica near Kingston as a minimal tropical storm, and accelerating northeastward the cyclone made landfall near Guantánamo Bay, Cuba later that day.[1]

Around the time of Gordon crossing Jamaica, an upper-level trough spawned a low-level disturbance over the central Bahamas. From surface synoptic reports, the National Hurricane Center estimates Tropical Storm Gordon rapidly crossed Cuba and became the dominant system between Cuba and the Bahamas.[1] However, other meteorologists believe Gordon dissipated after hitting Cuba, and that a second cyclone became the dominant system.[4] A deep-layer ridge turned the storm to the west-northwest, and by November 14 the cloud pattern and surface wind field of Gordon resembled that of a subtropical cyclone, with little convection near and the strongest winds well-removed from the center. The storm paralleled the northern coast of Cuba, and Radiosonde indicated a largely cold-core system, with the exception of a mid-level warm core in its eastern semicircle. Early on November 15, Gordon began to re-acquire tropical characteristics, with a warm-core center re-developing near an area of deep convection. Later that day, the broad center crossed the Florida Keys near Key West.[1] Deep convection continued to build and concentrate over the center, and the wind field contracted as it transitioned into a fully tropical cyclone over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico.[5] Under the influence of an approaching mid- to upper-level trough, Gordon turned to the northeast and made landfall near Fort Myers, Florida on November 16 with winds of 50 mph (85 km/h).[1]

Gordon during its hybrid tropical/sub-tropical stage with a frontal band dropping rain over Haiti

Tropical Storm Gordon crossed the Florida peninsula in about nine hours, emerging into the Atlantic Ocean near Vero Beach.[1] As it reached the Gulf Stream, a small but intense area of convection developed over the center,[6] with winds increasing to 65 mph (105 km/h).[1] On November 17 the thunderstorm activity was impacted by wind shear, which was expected to prevent further strengthening.[7] However, Hurricane Hunters reported strong winds in excess of 90 mph (145 km/h) within the deep convection,[8] and late on November 17 Gordon attained hurricane status while located about 245 miles (345 km) southeast of Cape Fear, North Carolina; shortly thereafter the hurricane reached peak winds of 85 mph (140 km/h). Upon attaining hurricane status, the trough that had turned Gordon to the north surpassed the cyclone, resulting in the development of a mid-level ridge to its north. The ridge turned the hurricane sharply northwestward,[1] and at the time Gordon was expected to cross the Outer Banks as a minimal hurricane.[9] After passing about 90 miles (140 km) south of Cape Hatteras, Gordon turned to the south and south-southeast and weakened to a tropical storm. Encountering northwesterly wind shear and cooler, drier air, the cyclone steadily weakened as it lost much of its deep convection. On November 19, the storm turned to the southwest, and the next day Gordon deteriorated to tropical depression status as it curved westward. Early on November 20 Gordon moved ashore near Cape Canaveral, Florida as a minimal tropical cyclone; it turned northward into Georgia, and on November 21 Gordon dissipated over South Carolina.[1]

Lasting as a tropical cyclone for 324 hours, Gordon was tied with Hurricane Marco of 1996 as the longest lasting Atlantic tropical cyclone during the month of November.[10]

Impact

Impact by area
Region Deaths Damage
Costa Rica 6 Unknown
Jamaica 4 $11.8 million[11]
Cuba 2 $102 million[12]
Haiti 1,122 Unknown
Dominican Republic 5 Unknown
Florida 8 $400 million[13]
North Carolina 0 $500,000[14]
Total 1,147 $514 million

Although Gordon was a tropical storm for most of its existence, it caused enormous damage and loss of life. The United Nations estimated death toll in Haiti was 1,122. Six deaths were reported in Costa Rica, five in the Dominican Republic, two in Jamaica, two in Cuba, and eight in Florida. Property damage to the United States was estimated at $400 million (1994 dollars). Property damage statistics for the other affected areas are not available, but were reportedly severe in both Haiti and Cuba.

Haiti

Rainfall totals from Hurricane Gordon

i hate hurricanes

Florida

Between Hurricane Gordon's three Florida landfalls it disrupted power to 425,000 customers. During its second landfall it ran a 505 ft (154 m) cargo ship aground less than 148 ft (45 m) from the Ft. Lauderdale beach.[15] The storm's second landfall also spawned six tornadoes. Four of the tornadoes did no damage and were rated F0 on the Fujita scale, but two were rated F1, and one was given an F2 rating.[16] One of the F1 tornadoes occurred in Lake Worth where it uprooted several trees and damaged two businesses and 39 homes. The F2 tornado occurred closer to the landfall in Brevard County where it destroyed 62 mobile homes and damaged 229 more in the Snug Harbor/Barefoot Bay mobile home communities.[15]

Florida's physical geography was also damaged by the storm. Gordon caused significant beach erosion along portions of Florida east coast and destroyed $275 million (1994 dollars) of crops and farmland.[15]

Lack of retirement

Despite the devastation in Haiti and the extensive damage in Cuba and Florida, Gordon was not retired out of 1994 (which is unusual, given that such catastrophic storms usually get their names retired). The World Meteorological Organization issued an official statement crediting Jamaica and Cuba's warning infrastructure for the low loss of life there, and blaming Haiti's lack of such a system for the large number of deaths there.[17]

The name Gordon was used for the first time in 1994 (replacing 1988's Gilbert); it was used again in 2000 and 2006, and is scheduled to be used again in 2012.

See also

Template:Tcportal

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Richard Pasch (1995). "Hurricane Gordon Preliminary Report". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2007-10-04.
  2. ^ Avila (1994). "Tropical Depression Twelve Discussion Five". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2007-10-04.
  3. ^ Mayfield (1994). "Tropical Storm Gordon Discussion Nineteen". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2007-10-04.
  4. ^ Jose Fernandez-Partagas (1994). "Gordon: A Complex Weather System". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2007-10-04.
  5. ^ Avila (1994). "Tropical Storm Gordon Discussion Thirty-One". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2007-10-04.
  6. ^ Rappaport (1994). "Tropical Storm Gordon Discussion Thirty-Four". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2007-10-04.
  7. ^ Lawrence (1994). "Tropical Storm Gordon Discussion Thirty-Six". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2007-10-04.
  8. ^ Lawrence (1994). "Hurricane Gordon Discussion Thirty-Seven". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2007-10-04.
  9. ^ Rappaport (1994). "Hurricane Gordon Discussion Forty". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2007-10-04.
  10. ^ NHC Hurricane Research Division (2007). "Atlantic hurricane best track". NOAA. Retrieved 2007-10-04.
  11. ^ Jamaica National Meteorological Service (1994). "Tropical Storm Gordon Preliminary Damage Assessment". Retrieved 2007-09-09.
  12. ^ Université Catholique de Louvain (2007). "EM-DAT: The OFDA/CRED International Disaster Database for North America". Retrieved 2007-09-07.
  13. ^ NCDC: Event Details
  14. ^ NCDC: Event Details
  15. ^ a b c Avila, Lixion A. and Rappaport, Edward N. (1996-01-04). "Atlantic Hurricane Season of 1994" (PDF). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-07-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ Staff Writers (2008-05-11). "Infamous Florida Hurricanes" (PDF). 2008 Governor's Hurricane Conference. Retrieved 2008-07-16.
  17. ^ "Early Warning Saves Grief And Money". World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved 2006-11-08.
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