Hurricane Gilbert

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Hurricane Gilbert
Category 5 hurricane (SSHS)
Hurricane Gilbert near peak intensity
Formed September 8, 1988
Dissipated September 19, 1988
Highest winds 1-minute sustained:
185 mph (295 km/h)
Lowest pressure 888 mbar (hPa; 26.22 inHg)
Fatalities 433 total
Damage $7.1 billion (1988 USD)
Areas affected Windward Islands, Venezuela, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Central America, Yucatán Peninsula, northern Mexico, Texas, South Central United States
Part of the 1988 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Gilbert was an extremely powerful Cape Verde-type hurricane that formed during the 1988 Atlantic hurricane season and wrought 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 Hurricane Wilma of the extremely active 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. Gilbert was also one of the largest tropical cyclones ever observed in the Atlantic basin. At one point, its tropical storm-force winds measured 588 mi (946 km) in diameter. In addition, Gilbert was the most intense tropical cyclone in recorded history to strike Mexico.

The seventh named storm and third hurricane of the 1988 Atlantic hurricane season, Gilbert developed from a tropical wave on September 8 while located 400 mi (640 km) east of Barbados. Following intensification into a tropical storm the next day, Gilbert steadily strengthened as it tracked west-northwestward into the Caribbean Sea. On September 10, Gilbert attained hurricane intensity, and rapidly intensified into a Category 3 hurricane on September 11. After striking Jamaica the following day, rapid intensification occurred once again, and the storm became a Category 5 hurricane late on September 13. Gilbert weakened slightly, and made landfall on the Yucatan Peninsula later that day while maintaining Category 5 intensity. After landfall, Gilbert weakened rapidly over the Yucatan Peninsula, and emerged into the Gulf of Mexico as a Category 2 on September 15. Gradual intensification occurred as Gilbert tracked across the Gulf of Mexico, and the storm made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in mainland Mexico on September 16. The hurricane gradually weakened after landfall, and eventually dissipated on September 19 over the Midwestern United States.

Gilbert wreaked havoc in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico for nearly nine days. In total, it killed 433 people and caused about $7.1 billion (1988 USD) in damages over the course of its path. As a result of the extensive damage caused by Gilbert, the World Meteorological Organization retired the name in the spring of 1989, and will never again be used for a tropical cyclone name; it was replaced with Gordon.

Contents

[edit] Meteorological history

Storm path

The origins of Hurricane Gilbert trace back to an easterly tropical wave—an elongated low-pressure area moving from east to west—that exited the northwestern coast of Africa on September 3, 1988. Over the subsequent days, the wave traversed the tropical Atlantic and developed a broad wind circulation extending just north of the equator. The system remained disorganized until September 8, when satellite images showed a defined circulation center approaching the Windward Islands. The following day, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) classified it as the twelfth tropical depression of the annual hurricane season using the Dvorak technique, when it was located about 400 mi (640 km) east of Barbados. The depression proceeded toward the west-northwest, and while moving through the Lesser Antilles near Martinique, it gained enough strength to be designated as Tropical Storm Gilbert.[1]

After becoming a tropical storm, Gilbert underwent a period of significant strengthening. Passing to the south of Hispaniola, it became a hurricane late on September 10 and further strengthened to Category 3 intensity on the Saffir–Simpson scale the next day. At that time, Gilbert was classified as a major hurricane with sustained winds of 125 mph (200 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure 960 mbar (hPa; 28.35 inHg). On September 12, the hurricane made landfall on the eastern coast of Jamaica at this intensity; its 15 mi (25 km)-wide eye moved from east to west across the entire length of the island.[1][2]

Gilbert approaching Jamaica on September 12

Gilbert strengthened rapidly after emerging from the coast of Jamaica. As the hurricane brushed the Cayman Islands a reporting station on Grand Cayman recorded a wind gust of 156 mph (252 km/h) while the storm passed just to the southeast on September 13. Extreme intensification continued until Gilbert reached a minimum pressure of 888 mbar (26.22 inHg) with sustained flight-level winds of 185 mph (295 km/h), having intensified by 72 mbar in a space of 24 hours.[nb 1][1] This pressure was the lowest ever observed in the Western hemisphere and made Gilbert the most intense Atlantic hurricane on record, until it was surpassed by Hurricane Wilma in the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season.

Gilbert made landfall for a second time on the island of Cozumel and then Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula on September 14 as a Category 5 hurricane,[1][4] making it the first Category 5 to make landfall in the Atlantic basin since Hurricane David hit Hispanola in 1979; the minimum pressure at landfall in Cozumel was estimated to be 900 mbar (26.6 inHg).[4] The storm weakened quickly while crossing land before emerging into the Gulf of Mexico as a Category 2 hurricane.[5] Gilbert restrengthened rapidly, however, and made landfall for a final time as a Category 3 hurricane near La Pesca, Tamaulipas, on September 16.

On September 17 Gilbert brushed the inland city of Monterrey, Nuevo León before taking a sharp turn to the north. The storm spawned 29 tornadoes in Texas on September 18 before moving across Oklahoma and being absorbed by a low-pressure system over Missouri on September 19.[1]

[edit] Preparations

Late on September 10, a tropical storm warning was issued by the National Hurricane Center for the southern coast of the Dominican Republic alongside a hurricane watch for the Barahona Peninsula. The hurricane watch for Barahona was upgraded to a Hurricane Warning in the early morning of September 11. Later that day, hurricane watches were posted for the Dominican Republic's southern coast, Jamaica, and the southern coast of Cuba east of Cabo Cruz; the hurricane watch in Jamaica would be upgraded to a hurricane warning by the end of the day. Hurricane warnings for the southern coast of Haiti were also posted on September 11.[6]

On September 12, a hurricane watch was issued for the Cayman Islands, and the hurricane watch for the southern coast of Cuba was extended to Cienfuegos, with the portion of the watch east of Camaguey upgraded to a hurricane warning. That same day's evening, the Yucatán Peninsula was place under a hurricane watch between Felipe Carrillo Puerto and Progreso. This area included the resort cities of Cancún and Cozumel.[6] The following day, hurricane watches were posted for Pinar del Río and Isla de la Juventud, and the Cayman Islands were placed under a hurricane warning.[6] The watches in western Cuba and the Yucatán Peninsula were replaced with warnings at about mid-day September 13.[7] As Gilbert approached the Yucatán Peninsula on September 14, the hurricane warning in the region was extended to cover the entire coast between Chetumal and Champotón, while a hurricane watch was posted for the northern district of Belize.[7]

Once Gilbert's entered the Gulf of Mexico on September 15, hurricane watches were posted for the portion of the shore between Port Arthur and Tampico. Around noon that day, the hurricane watch was upgraded to a hurricane warning between Tampico and Port O'Connor.[7]

Texas governor Bill Clements issued a decree allowing municipalities to lift laws in the name of public safety, including contraflow lane reversals[8] and speed limits.[9]

[edit] Impact

Most intense Atlantic hurricanes
Rank Hurricane Season Pressure
hPa inHg
1 Wilma 2005 882 26.0
2 Gilbert 1988 888 26.2
3 "Labor Day" 1935 892 26.3
4 Rita 2005 895 26.4
5 Allen 1980 899 26.5
6 Katrina 2005 902 26.6
7 Camille 1969 905 26.7
Mitch 1998 905 26.7
Dean 2007 905 26.7
10 "Cuba" 1924 910 26.9
Ivan 2004 910 26.9
Source: HURDAT[10]
Impact by Country
Country Deaths Damage
Mexico 240[11] $2 billion[12]
Jamaica 49[11] $4 billion[2]
Haiti 54[11] $91.2 million[11]
Guatemala 16[13] Unknown
Honduras 12[4] Unknown
Dominican Republic 5[4] Unknown
Venezuela 5[4] Unknown
United States 3[4] $80 million[14]
Costa Rica 2[4] Unknown
Nicaragua 2[4] Unknown
Total 433 $7.1 billion

Gilbert claimed 433 lives, mostly in Mexico. Exact monetary damage figures are not available, but the total for all areas affected by Gilbert is estimated to be near $7.1 billion (1988 USD). A preliminary report assessed Gilbert as the costliest Atlantic hurricane of all time with an initial damage total of over $10 billion (USD),[15] though it was not later confirmed.

[edit] Venezuela

Outflow bands from Gilbert produced flash floods in northern Venezuela, which killed five people.[16]

[edit] Jamaica

Hurricane Gilbert produced a 19 ft (5.8 m) storm surge and brought over 700 mm (27 inches) of rain in the mountainous areas of Jamaica, causing inland flash flooding.[17] About 45 people died.[18] Gilbert was the most severe hurricane to hit Jamaica since Hurricane Charlie in 1951.[2] The storm left $4 billion (1988 USD) in damage. Gilbert also destroyed crops, buildings, houses and roads and even turned small aircraft into shambles.[2]

[edit] Cayman Islands

Gilbert passed 30 miles (48 km) to the south of the Cayman Islands, with a gust of 157 mph (253 km/h) reported early on September 13. However, the islands largely escaped the hurricane's wrath due to Gilbert's rather quick forward motion, and the deepness of the water surrounding the islands limited the height of the storm surge to 5 ft (1.5 m) Nevertheless, there was very severe damage to crops, trees and pastures, and a number of private homes were ruined.[19]

[edit] Mexico

Rainfall in the United States and Mexico from Gilbert

[edit] Yucatán Peninsula

35,000 people were left homeless and 83 ships sank when Gilbert struck the Yucatán Peninsula. 60,000 homes were destroyed, and damage was estimated at between $1 and 2 billion (1989 USD).[12] In the Cancún region, Gilbert produced waves 7 m (23 ft) high, washing away 60% of the city's beaches; the storm surge from the storm penetrated up to 5 km (3.1 mi) inland.[20] A further loss of $87 million (1989 USD) due to a decline in tourism was estimated for the months October, November and December in 1988.[21] Rainfall in the Yucatán Peninsula peaked at 13.78 inches in Progreso, Yucatán.[22]

[edit] Northeastern Mexico

Heavy rains in and around Monterrey caused tremendous flooding. More than 100 people died when five buses carrying evacuees were overturned in the raging floodwaters.[12] Rainfall in northeastern Mexico peaked at over 10 inches (250 mm) in localized areas of inland Tamaulipas.[22] In Coahuila, rainfall from Gilbert caused the deaths of 5 people who were swept away by rising waters. Among these was a paramedic and a pregnant woman who died when a Mexican Red Cross ambulance fell into a flooded arroyo near Los Chorros after a bridge collapsed.[23]

[edit] United States

Despite concerns that Texas might suffer a direct hit, there was only minor damage reported in southern Texas from Gilbert's landfall, 60 miles (97 km) to the south. Winds gusted to hurricane force in a few places, but the main impact felt in the state was beach erosion from a 3-5-foot storm surge, and tornadoes, which mainly affected the San Antonio area.[24]

Oklahoma recorded the highest measurement of rainfall in the United States, 8.6 inches, in Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge. Isolated locations in Texas and Oklahoma reported over 7 inches (180 mm), while moderate rainfall of up to 3 inches (76 mm) fell in central Michigan.[22]

[edit] Aftermath

Most intense landfalling Atlantic hurricanes
Intensity is measured solely by central pressure
Rank Hurricane Season Landfall pressure
1 "Labor Day" 1935 892 mbar (hPa)
2 Gilbert 1988 900 mbar (hPa)
3 Dean 2007 905 mbar (hPa)
Source: National Hurricane Center

Hurricane Gilbert was the most destructive storm in the history of Jamaica.

In Quintana Roo, the Gilbert caused defoliation in the jungle. The debris eventually fueled a fire that started in 1989, which ultimately burned 460 sq mi (1,200 km2).[25]

[edit] Retirement

See also: List of retired Atlantic hurricane names

As the first landfalling Category 5 hurricane since Hurricane Andrew in the 1992 season, and due to its extensive damage and widespread impact, the name Gilbert was retired in the spring of 1989 by the World Meteorological Organization during its annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, and will not be used for a future Atlantic hurricane.[26] It was replaced by Gordon during the 1994 Atlantic hurricane season.[27]

[edit] See also

Portal icon Tropical cyclones portal
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Hurricane Gilbert

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ While the storm was active, the National Hurricane Center estimated the minimum pressure to be 885 mbar (885 hPa; 26.1 inHg) based on reports from weather reconnaissance aircraft. However, this estimate was revised to 888 mbar (888 hPa; 26.2 inHg) during post-storm analysis, as it was discovered that the pressure transducer used to calculate the aircraft's static pressure had a bias towards low pressures.[3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e (GIF) Preliminary Report Hurricane Gilbert: 08–19 September 1988 (Report). 1988 Atlantic Hurricane Season: Atlantic Storm Wallet Digital Archives. National Hurricane Center. 1988-10-26. p. 1. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1988-prelim/gilbert/prelim01.gif. Retrieved 2011-12-31. 
  2. ^ a b c d The Hurricane and its Effects: Hurricane Gilbert - Jamaica undated
  3. ^ Willoughby, H. E.; Masters, J. M., Landsea, C. W. (December 1989). "A Record Minimum Sea Level Pressure Observed in Hurricane Gilbert" (PDF). Monthly Weather Review 117 (12): 2825. Bibcode 1989MWRv..117.2824W. doi:10.1175/1520-0493(1989)117<2824:ARMSLP>2.0.CO;2. 
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h "Hurricane Gilbert Preliminary Report (Page 2)" (GIF). National Hurricane Center. 2008-08-20. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1988-prelim/gilbert/prelim02.gif. 
  5. ^ "Hurricane Gilbert Preliminary Report (Page 9)" (GIF). National Hurricane Center. 1988. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1988-prelim/gilbert/prelim09.gif. Retrieved 2008-08-20. 
  6. ^ a b c (GIF) Preliminary Report Hurricane Gilbert: 08–19 September 1988 (Report). 1988 Atlantic Hurricane Season: Atlantic Storm Wallet Digital Archives. National Hurricane Center. 1988-10-26. p. 11. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1988-prelim/gilbert/prelim11.gif. Retrieved 2011-12-31. 
  7. ^ a b c (GIF) Preliminary Report Hurricane Gilbert: 08–19 September 1988 (Report). 1988 Atlantic Hurricane Season: Atlantic Storm Wallet Digital Archives. National Hurricane Center. 1988-10-26. p. 12. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1988-prelim/gilbert/prelim12.gif. Retrieved 2011-12-31. 
  8. ^ "Killer storm heads for US coast". New Straits Times. 1988-09-17. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0q1UAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GJADAAAAIBAJ&pg=5203,293197&dq=hurricane-gilbert+texas+governor&hl=en. Retrieved 2012-03-02. 
  9. ^ "El paso del huracán ‘Gilberto’, televisado en directo" (in (Spanish)). El País (Madrid). 1988-09-17. http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/ESTADOS_UNIDOS/MEXICO/AMERICA_CENTRAL/CARIBE/paso/huracan/Gilberto/televisado/directo/elpepiint/19880917elpepiint_10/Tes. Retrieved 2012-01-03. 
  10. ^ Hurricane Research Division (August 2011). "Atlantic hurricane best track (Hurdat)". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/tracks1851to2010_atl_reanal.html. Retrieved 2011-09-19. 
  11. ^ a b c d "International Disaster Database: Disaster List". Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters. 2012. http://www.emdat.be/disaster-list. Retrieved November 1, 2010. 
  12. ^ a b c E. Jáuregui (PDF). Climatology of landfalling hurricanes and tropical storms in Mexico. Centro de Ciencias de la Atmósfera, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México June 11, 2003. Archived from the original on June 14, 2006. http://web.archive.org/web/20060614065451/http://www.ejournal.unam.mx/atmosfera/Vol16-4/ATM16401.pdf. Retrieved October 1, 2006. 
  13. ^ UNDRO (September 14, 1988). "UNDRO Information Report No. 4". ReliefWeb. http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/ACOS-64D3DP?OpenDocument. Retrieved November 1, 2010. 
  14. ^ "The deadliest, costliest and most intense United States tropical cyclones from 1851 to 2010 (and other frequently requested hurricane facts)". National Climatic Data Center, National Hurricane Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2011-08-10. p. 47. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/nws-nhc-6.pdf. Retrieved 2011-08-10. 
  15. ^ Thomas C. Hayes (1988-09-18). "Gilbert Said to Be Most Destructive". New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE5D71F38F93BA2575AC0A96E948260. Retrieved 2008-07-09. 
  16. ^ National Weather Service (1988). "1988 Monthly Weather Review" (PDF). http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1988.pdf. Retrieved 2006-07-21. 
  17. ^ Preliminary Report: Hurricane Erin 31 July - 6 August 1995
  18. ^ Miles B. Lawrence and James M. Gross (1989). "Atlantic Hurricane Season of 1988" (PDF). National Hurricane Center. http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1988.pdf. Retrieved 2007-03-20. 
  19. ^ Hurricanecity. "Grand Cayman's history with tropical systems". Hurricanecity. http://www.hurricanecity.com/city/caymanislands.htm. Retrieved September 29, 2006. 
  20. ^ León, Mario Alberto (2005-07-18). "'Gilberto', el monstruo de viento y lluvia" (in (Spanish)). esmas.com (Noticieros Televisa). http://www.esmas.com/noticierostelevisa/investigaciones/460583.html. Retrieved 2011-12-31. 
  21. ^ Benigono Aguirre. "CANCUN UNDER GILBERT: PRELIMENARY OBSERVATIONS" (PDF). International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters March 1989 7 (1,): 69–82. Archived from the original on June 20, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070620211210/http://www.udel.edu/DRC/Aguirre/publications/ag35.pdf. Retrieved October 1, 2006. 
  22. ^ a b c David Roth (2006). "Rainfall data for Hurricane Gilbert". http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/gilbert1988.html. Retrieved 2006-10-16. 
  23. ^ Muñoz, Camelia (2009-09-17). "Huracán Gilberto: Hace 21 años fue un caudal de destrucción". El Zócalo (Saltillo: Grupo Zócalo). http://www.zocalo.com.mx/seccion/articulo/Huracan-Gilberto-Hace-21-anos-fue-un-caudal-de-destruccion. Retrieved 2012-01-01. 
  24. ^ Then & Now: The tornadoes of 1988 July 31, 2005
  25. ^ Natural Hazards of North America. National Geographic Society. July 1998. 
  26. ^ National Hurricane Center (2009). "Retired Hurricane Names Since 1954". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/retirednames.shtml. Retrieved 2009-09-13. 
  27. ^ "1994 Hurricane Names". The Public Square. 1994-09-22. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=q7scAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aHwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6346,1449487&dq=1994+atlantic+hurricane+season+names&hl=en. Retrieved 2011-04-06. 
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