Hurricane Gordon (1994)

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Hurricane Gordon (1994)
Type=hurricane
Year=1994
Basin=Atl
Image location=Hurricane Gordon 1994 nov 18 1308Z.jpg


Formed=November 9, 1994
Dissipated=November 21, 1994
1-min winds=75
Pressure=980
Da

Inflated=0
Fatalities=1,147 direct
Areas=Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina
Hurricane season=1994 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Gordon was the seventh named tropical storm and 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

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.cite web|author=Richard Pasch|year=1995|title=Hurricane Gordon Preliminary Report|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2007-10-04|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/1994gordon.html]

The depression continued drifting northwestward, and initially limited upper-level outflow led to very slow organization. Its environment became more favorable, and by November 9 the system maintained banding features and increasingly defined outflow.cite web|author=Avila|year=1994|title=Tropical Depression Twelve Discussion Five|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2007-10-04|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1994/gordon/tropdisc/nal1294.005] 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, though by later in the day the circulation became situated along the western edge of the deep convection.cite web|author=Mayfield|year=1994|title=Tropical Storm Gordon Discussion Nineteen|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2007-10-04|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1994/gordon/tropdisc/nal1294.019] 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.

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. However, other meteorologists believe Gordon dissipated after hitting Cuba, and that a second cyclone became the dominant system. [cite web|author=Jose Fernandez-Partagas|year=1994|title=Gordon: A Complex Weather System|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2007-10-04|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1994/gordon/preloc/fern01.gif] 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. 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. [cite web|author=Avila|year=1994|title=Tropical Storm Gordon Discussion Thirty-One|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2007-10-04|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1994/gordon/tropdisc/nal1294.031] 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).

Tropical Storm Gordon crossed the Florida peninsula in about nine hours, emerging into the Atlantic Ocean near Vero Beach. As it reached the Gulf Stream, a small but intense area of convection developed over the center,cite web|author=Rappaport|year=1994|title=Tropical Storm Gordon Discussion Thirty-Four|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2007-10-04|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1994/gordon/tropdisc/nal1294.034] with winds increasing to 65 mph (105 km/h). On November 17 the thunderstorm activity was impacted by wind shear, which was expected to prevent further strengthening.cite web|author=Lawrence|year=1994|title=Tropical Storm Gordon Discussion Thirty-Six|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2007-10-04|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1994/gordon/tropdisc/nal1294.036] However, Hurricane Hunters reported strong winds in excess of 90 mph (145 km/h) within the deep convection,cite web|author=Lawrence|year=1994|title=Hurricane Gordon Discussion Thirty-Seven|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2007-10-04|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1994/gordon/tropdisc/nal1294.037] 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, and at the time Gordon was expected to cross the Outer Banks as a minimal hurricane.cite web|author=Rappaport|year=1994|title=Hurricane Gordon Discussion Forty|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2007-10-04|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1994/gordon/tropdisc/nal1294.040] 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.

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.cite web| author=NHC Hurricane Research Division|title=Atlantic hurricane best track|publisher=NOAA|year=2007|accessdate=2007-10-04|url=http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/easyhurdat_5106.html]

Impact

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.

Haitian catastrophe

Haiti suffers large death tolls from many hurricanes, and was particularly devastated by Hurricane Gordon. Hurricane Gordon killed 1,122 in the impoverished nation in 1994 although estimates range as high as 2,200. It has been argued that the damage caused by Hurricane Gordon, among other storms, are in part human-caused disasters. Massive deforestation has left Haiti with about 1.4% of its forests as of 2004, leaving denuded mountain slopes that rainwater washes down unimpeded. The lack of tree cover contributed to the devastating floods that caused a majority of the deaths resulting from Hurricane Gordon.cite web|url=http://www.wunderground.com/education/haiti.asp|title=Hurricanes and Haiti: A Tragic History|last=Masters|first=Jeff|accessdate=2006-11-08|publisher=The Weather Underground]

Florida landfalls

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. 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.cite web|author=Staff Writers|publisher=2008 Governor's Hurricane Conference|title=Infamous Florida Hurricanes|date=2008-05-11|accessdate=2008-07-16|url=http://www.flghc.org/ppt/WSG104-1994Gordon.pdf] 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.cite web|author=Avila, Lixion A. and Rappaport, Edward N.|publisher=National Hurricane Center|date=1996-01-04|accessdate=2008-07-17|title=Atlantic Hurricane Season of 1994|url=http://ams.allenpress.com/archive/1520-0493/124/7/pdf/i1520-0493-124-7-1558.pdf]

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.

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 unlikely, given 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.cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20060822222809/http://www.wmo.ch/web/Press/warning.html|title=Early Warning Saves Grief And Money|accessdate=2006-11-08|publisher=World Meteorological Organization]

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

* List of tropical cyclones
* List of Atlantic hurricanes
* Geography of Haiti
* Economy of Haiti

References

External links

* [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/1994gordon.html NHC Tropical Cyclone Report on Hurricane Gordon]
* [http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/gordon1994.html HPC Report on Gordon's Rainfall]
* [http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/Storm_pages/gordon1994/index.html Hurricane Gordon 1994]
* [http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/retiram.html NOAA: The Retirement of Hurricane Names]
* [http://www.wunderground.com/education/haiti.asp Weather Underground: Haiti's Hurricane History]
* [http://www.wmo.ch/web/Press/warning.html Early Warning Saves Grief and Money]