1994 Atlantic hurricane season
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The 1994 Atlantic hurricane season was an ongoing event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. It officially started June 1, 1994, and lasted until November 30, 1994.
The season was relatively quiet with only seven named storms. Tropical Storm Beryl caused significant damage in South Carolina and other Atlantic states. Hurricane Chris approached Bermuda, but with little effect. Tropical Storm Debby is blamed for several deaths across the Caribbean.
The worst storm of the season was Hurricane Gordon, which killed 1,145 people, nearly all in Haiti.
| Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Wind speed | Storm surge | ||
| mph (km/h) | ft (m) | |||
| | ||||
| 5 | >156 (>250) | >18 (>5.5) | ||
| 4 | 131–155 (210–249) | 13–18 (4.0–5.5) | ||
| 3 | 111–130 (178–209) | 9–12 (2.7–3.7) | ||
| 2 | 96–110 (154–177) | 6–8 (1.8–2.4) | ||
| 1 | 74–95 (119–153) | 4–5 (1.2–1.5) | ||
| | ||||
| Tropical storm | 35–73 (56–117) | 0–3 (0–0.9) | ||
| (edit) (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/wiki.phtml?title=Template:Saffir-Simpson-US&action=edit) | ||||
| Contents |
Storms
Tropical Storm Alberto
Main article: Tropical Storm Alberto
Alberto formed from a north-moving tropical depression north of the Yucatan Peninsula on July 2. Tropical Storm Alberto continued north, making landfall near Destin, Florida on July 3 as a moderately strong tropical storm. The storm weakened quickly to a tropical depression, which then meandered over Georgia and Alabama until it dissipated on July 7.
There were 30 deaths attributed to the direct effects of Tropical Storm Alberto, all from inland flooding. Some of the deaths were reported after the dissipation of the storm's circulation, as Alberto's remnants continued to produce heavy rain. Property damage was estimated at $500 million (1994 dollars), most in Georgia.
Tropical Storm Beryl
Beryl formed just off the coast of the Florida panhandle on August 15, just twelve hours before landfall near Panama City, Florida. Beryl caused inland flooding as it moved through Georgia, across the Carolinas, and all the way to Connecticut where it was absorbed by a frontal system.
Tropical Storm Beryl was a weak system, and unlike Alberto, its rapid motion up the Eastern Seaboard spread its heavy rainfall across a large area. Property damage was estimated at $73 million (1994 dollars), most in South Carolina. Although there were no deaths caused by Beryl, a large number of people were injured by the numerous tornadoes Beryl produced as it weakened.
Hurricane Chris
Chris formed midway between the Lesser Antilles and Cape Verde on August 17, and reached hurricane strength the next day. It travelled generally northwest, then turned north and brushed Bermuda as a minimal tropical storm on the 21st. Chris continued north, then turned northeast and merged with another system.
Hurricane Chris caused no damage, and the only effect to Bermuda was 2.83 in (72 mm) of rain.
Tropical Storm Debby
Tropical Storm Debby formed on September 10, just east of Saint Lucia. The storm crossed the island, and dissipated well south of Puerto Rico the next day. Debby's remnants would continue to cause severe weather as they moved over Hispaniola. Nine people were reported dead. Property damage estimates are not available, but flooding and landslides were severe in Saint Lucia.
Tropical Storm Ernesto
Ernesto formed southwest of Cape Verde and reached tropical storm strength on September 22. It moved north for two days, and by the 24th had weakened to a tropical depression. Ernesto dissipated on September 25 having never affected land.
Hurricane Florence
Florence initially formed as a subtropical depression in the mid-Atlantic on November 2. As it moved generally northwest, it took on tropical characteristics and was classified as Tropical Storm Florence on the 4th. It reached hurricane strength, then on November 6 turned sharply to the northeast. Florence was absorbed by a cold from on the 8th. No damage was caused by Hurricane Florence.
Hurricane Gordon
Hurricane Gordon was a long-lived system that remained a tropical storm for most of its existence and followed a winding, atypical track through the western Caribbean and into Florida. It caused massive loss of life in Haiti.
Gordon became a named storm just off the Nicaraguan coast on November 10. Tropical Storm Gordon headed generally north, then turned east and passed along the southeastern coast of Jamaica on the 13th. It then headed north and passed over Guantánamo, Cuba the same day. After passing over Cuba, a disorganized Gordon turned west-northwest, parallel to Cuba's northern coast.
As Gordon approached the Florida Keys, it reorganized. After passing over Key West on November 15, Gordon turned back to the northeast, and struck mainland Florida near Fort Meyers the next day. The storm continued across the peninsula and into the Atlantic. Still heading northeast, Gordon strengthened into a hurricane, and performed an anticyclonic loop off the coast of North Carolina. As it exited the loop, Gordon began weakening rapidly, and was a tropical depression on the 20th. The depression continued back into Florida, and northward before dissipating over South Carolina on November 21.
Although Gordon was only a tropical storm for most of its long existence, it caused enormous damage. A United Nations estimate of the death toll in Haiti was 1,122. There were six deaths reported in Costa Rica, five in the Dominican Republic, two in Jamaica, two in Cuba, and eight in Florida. 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.
Property damage in the United States was estimated at $400 million. Property damage statistics for other affected areas are not available, but were reportedly severe in both Haiti and Cuba.
Tropical depressions
In addition to the seven named storms, there were five numbered tropical depressions did not strengthen into named storms. Of these, only Tropical Depression Ten, which formed in late September, caused any significant effects. Heavy rainfall was reported in parts of Cuba in relation to this system.
1994 storm names
The following names were used for named storms that formed in the north Atlantic in 1994. No names were retired, so it was used again in the 2000 season. This is the same list used for the 1988 season except for Gordon and Joyce, which replaced Gilbert and Joan. A storm was named Gordon for the first time in 1994. Names that were not assigned are marked in gray.
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Retirement
The World Meteorological Organization retired no names used in the 1994 season.
See also
External links
- Detailed information on all storms from 1994 (ftp://ftp.nhc.noaa.gov/pub/storm_archives/atlantic/prelimat/atl1994)
- WMO statement: "Early warning saves grief and money" (http://www.wmo.ch/web/Press/warning.html)