1989 Atlantic hurricane season
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 Season summary map |
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| First storm formed: | June 24, 1989 |
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| Last storm dissipated: | December 4, 1989 |
| Strongest storm: | Hugo - 918 mbar (27.10 inHg), 160 mph (260 km/h) |
| Total storms: | 11 |
| Major storms (Cat. 3+): | 2 |
| Total damage: | $10.7 billion (1989 USD) $16.7 billion (2005 USD) |
| Total fatalities: | 84 total |
| Atlantic hurricane seasons 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 |
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The 1989 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1989, and lasted until November 30, 1989. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin.
The most notable storm of 1989 was Hurricane Hugo, which tracked across the Lesser Antilles and into South Carolina; Hugo killed 49 and caused $10 billion ($15.6 billion in 2005 US dollars) in damage, becoming the most expensive Atlantic hurricane until Hurricane Andrew in the 1992 season. Tropical Storm Allison caused inland flooding from Texas to Mississippi, doing $500 million (1989 USD) in damage and killing eleven. Hurricane Chantal was responsible for $100 million (1989 dollars) in damage when it made landfall at High Island, Texas, killing thirteen.
[edit] Storms
[edit] Tropical Storm Allison
- Main article: Tropical Storm Allison (1989)
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| Allison satellite picture and track map | |
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A tropical depression formed off the Mexican coast on June 24 from a tropical wave influenced by the remnants of Hurricane Cosme of the 1989 Pacific hurricane season. It was upgraded to Tropical Storm Allison two days later and made landfall near Freeport. Although it rapidly became extratropical over land, the remnants wandered over the southern United States for several days bringing heavy rains. The maximum amount measured in the storm was 25.67" at Winnfield, Louisiana [1]. The storm reached as far north as Indiana before turning south again and finally dissipating over Arkansas on July 7.
Eleven deaths by drowning were attributed to the rains associated with Allison, and flood damage in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi was estimated at $500 million (1989 USD).
[edit] Tropical Storm Barry
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| Barry satellite picture and track map | |
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Tropical Storm Barry formed midway between Africa and the Lesser Antilles becoming a tropical storm on July 11. It dissipated two days later due to strong upper level westerly shear without approaching land.
[edit] Hurricane Chantal
- Main article: Hurricane Chantal (1989)
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| Chantal satellite picture and track map | |
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Chantal developed from an Intertropical Convergence Zone disturbance first observed near Trinidad, but did not become a storm until north of Yucatan on July 31. It strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane before landfall at High Island, Texas on August 1. The storm's surface circulation dissipated in southwest Oklahoma, but its mid-level circulation persevered; recurving northeastward across the central Plains through the Great Lakes and through New York state. [2]
13 deaths were reported, including 10 crew of the oil-rig construction vessel Avco 5 which capsized off Morgan City, Louisiana. Damage caused by wind and flooding was estimated at $100 million (1989 USD).
[edit] Hurricane Dean
- Main article: Hurricane Dean (1989)
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| Dean satellite picture and track map | |
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Hurricane Dean developed as a tropical storm in the mid-Atlantic on August 1 and became a hurricane the next day. Initially headed for the Leeward Islands, it swung to the north, with the eye passing over Bermuda on August 6. It later passed over Nova Scotia and Newfoundland before losing tropical characteristics.
Damage in Bermuda approached $9 million (1989 USD), with 16 persons injured. No significant damage was reported from Canada.
[edit] Hurricane Erin
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| Erin satellite picture and track map | |
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A organised tropical wave was seen emerging off the coast of Africa on August 16, by METOSAT imagery. Once the system emerged off the coast of Africa into the cool Eastern Atlantic Ocean, its convection diminished, but left a small, well-organised low-level circulation. Slowly the tropical wave began to regain it's convection, so it became a tropical depression early on August 18, based DVORAK satelite observations near the Cape Verde Islands, while just southeast of the Cape Verde Islands. At this time another larger, well-organised tropical wave, that was located in the middle of the tropical Atlantic Ocean, and moving westward. Erin became a tropical storm on August 19 while 500 miles west of Cape Verde. The interaction between the tropical depression, the other tropical wave, and a subtropical system to the north, caused Erin to move north-northwestward. Erin continued to be steered north-northwestward, until August 21. It headed generally northwards, becoming a hurricane on August 22, after being in the environment of the northeastern quadrant of an upper-level low, which caused the stream above to become weaker and more conflicting. After being northeast of the upper-level low, Erin slowed and began to move more northwestward. However, shortly afterwards, a wave moving westward into Erin, changed it's direction to north, followed by north-northeast. Erin then began weakening and became a tropical storm, followed by becoming extratropical on August 27. It did not approach land.[3]
[edit] Tropical Depression Six
Sometime in August, Tropical Depression Six formed from a tropical wave. The next day, wind shear caused the system to degenerate into a wave. The wave eventually split in two, with the south part eventually becoming Pacific hurricane Lorena.
[edit] Hurricane Felix
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| Felix satellite picture and track map | |
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Felix became a storm August 26 north of Cape Verde. It headed generally northwards with varying intensity, eventually becoming a hurricane on September 7. It became extratropical two days later without approaching land. Felix took 13 days to reach the hurricane strength tying it with 2005s Hurricane Irene.
[edit] Hurricane Gabrielle
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| Gabrielle satellite picture and track map | |
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Gabrielle developed south of Felix and took a more westerly course. It became a tropical storm by August 31 and developed into a Category 4 major hurricane by September 3. It continued northwards, merging with a non-tropical storm off Newfoundland on September 13.
Although it never approached land, it was a large and powerful storm that generated swells up to 20 feet all the way from the Caribbean to Canada. These were responsible for eight deaths on the East Coast of the United States.
[edit] Tropical Depression Nine
Tropical Depression Nine started on August 28 from a tropical wave. The next day it degenerated into an open wave. The wave crossed the ocean and entered the Pacific, where it eventually became Hurricane Octave.
[edit] Hurricane Hugo
- Main article: Hurricane Hugo
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| Hugo satellite picture and track map | |
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A tropical wave became a tropical depression off the coast of Africa on September 10. It moved to the west, reaching tropical storm strength on the 11th and hurricane status on the 13th. As Hugo approached the Lesser Antilles, it rapidly intensified to a 160 mph Category 5 hurricane on the 15th, though weakened to a Category 3 while passing through there and Puerto Rico. After crossing Puerto Rico on the 18th Hugo weakened to a 105 mph Category 2 hurricane, but as it accelerated to the northwest, it again restrengthened. Just prior to hitting near Charleston, South Carolina on the 22nd it reached winds of 140 mph, and rapidly weakened as it turned to the northeast. Hugo became extratropical on the 23rd over northwestern Pennsylvania, and dissipated on the 25th while south of Greenland.
While crossing through the Caribbean, Hugo was responsible for $3 billion (1989 USD) in damages and 28 deaths. In the United States, the hurricane caused $7 billion (1989 USD) in damages and 21 deaths, mostly in South Carolina. A devastating hurricane, at the time this was the costliest in US history (and still the fifth costliest), causing great damage in the Caribbean and South Carolina.
[edit] Tropical Storm Iris
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| Iris satellite picture and track map | |
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Iris developed 400 miles east of Barbados from a tropical wave following the one which spawned Hugo. It reached tropical storm strength on September 18 but outflow from Hugo prevented further strengthening. The storm tracked north of the Lesser Antilles and had dissipated north-east of the Turks Islands by September 22. It brought further heavy rains to regions already drenched by Hugo, but no further damage or casualties were reported.
[edit] Hurricane Jerry
- Main article: Hurricane Jerry (1989)
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| Jerry satellite picture and track map | |
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Jerry developed from an African tropical wave, but no development occurred before it crossed the Yucatán Peninsula into the Bay of Campeche. There it became a tropical storm on October 13. It tracked generally northwards and reached hurricane strength on Galveston Island on October 15. The remnants moved through the Tennessee Valley ahead of a frontal zone, and eventually offshore the coast of the Mid-Atlantic states. [4]
Three people died when an automobile was blown off the Galveston, Texas seawall and State Highway 87 was washed away from High Island, Texas to the eastern portion of Sea Rim State Park. This was the last time that Highway 87 was open to traffic across much of Jefferson County due to increasing erosion; as of 2005 the area was used for sunbathers as the damaged highway continued to crumble into the Gulf of Mexico. Damage is estimated at $70 million (1989 USD, $110 million 2005 USD). [5]
[edit] Tropical Storm Karen
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| Karen satellite picture and track map | |
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Karen developed into a tropical storm south of the Isle of Youth on November 30. It wandered southwest and lost its circulation by December 4. The remnants passed over Nicaragua.
Karen brought heavy rain to western Cuba, causing damage to property and crops. No casualties were reported. Karen was unusual because the storm did not make landfall in the Caribbean.
[edit] Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) Rating
| ACE (104kt2) – Storm: Source | |||||
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| 1 | 42.7 | Hugo | 7 | 2.65 | Karen |
| 2 | 38.2 | Gabrielle | 8 | 2.54 | Iris |
| 3 | 15.9 | Dean | 9 | 2.45 | Chantal |
| 4 | 14.2 | Erin | 10 | 1.78 | Barry |
| 5 | 9.86 | Felix | 11 | 0.933 | Allison |
| 6 | 4.02 | Jerry | |||
| Total= 135.2619 (135) | |||||
The table on the right shows the ACE for each storm in the season. The ACE is, broadly speaking, a measure of the power of the hurricane multiplied by the length of time it existed for, so hurricanes that lasted a long time have higher ACEs.
[edit] 1989 storm names
The following names were used for named storms that formed in the north Atlantic in 1989. The names not retired from this list were used again in the 1995 season. This is the same list used for the 1983 season except for Allison, which replaced Alicia. Storms were named Allison, Erin, Felix, Gabrielle, Hugo, Iris, Jerry, and Karen for the first time in 1989. Names that were not assigned are marked in gray.
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[edit] Retirement
- See also: List of retired Atlantic hurricanes
The World Meteorological Organization retired one name in the spring of 1990: Hugo. It was replaced in the 1995 season by Humberto.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Monthly Weather Review
- Detailed information on all storms from 1989
- U.S. Rainfall caused by 1989 tropical cyclones
- UNISYS hurricane tracks for 1989
![[1]](http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/allison1989rain.gif){kind=link}
![[2]](http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/chantal1989rain.gif){kind=link}
![[3]](http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1989-prelim/erin/prelim01.gif){kind=link}
![[4]](http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/jerry1989rain.gif){kind=link}