128
Deetbs
--___
0 0 0 3
0
10 7,193 7 5
7,218
_____
MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW
Injuries
0
0 0
0
0 50
(7
14
(*)
Vol. 92, No. 3
Date
July 31-Aug. 11 .......
Aug. 20-28.. .......... Sept. 10-15- ........... Sept. 1619 ...______...
Sept. 1w4. Sept. 23-29 ............ Scpt. 20-Oct. 13 .......
Oct. 16-30 ............. Oct. 25-29 .............
...........
........................
THE HURRICANE SEASON
GORDON E. DUNN and STAFF*
U.S. Weather Bureau Office, Miami, Ha.
Damage
$300,000 0 0
1~,560,000 0 46,621,600 528,550,000 400,000 500,000
588,931,600
1. GENERAL SUMMARY
Nine tropical cyclones were observed in the Atlantic
during the 1963 season and all but two were of hurricane
intensity, although several were barely so. This is close
to the normal number of ten which has been the average
during the past three decades. Indeed, the storm of May
30June 4 which developed in the southwestern Caribbean
and resulted in heavy rains along the middle Atlantic
coast as it moved northward was probably tropical during
n portion of its history and might well have been included
in the list. Also there were a number of tropical depres-
sions which never reached storm intensity. The majority
of the tropical cyclones developed initially between the
Antilles and Africa but none attained hurricane intensity
east of longitude 48' W. (fig. 1). The number of hurri-
cane days greatly exceeded the average.
For the second consecutive year no major hurricane
crossed the coastline of the continental United States.
However, from the standpoint of loss of life this was the
second most disastrous hurricane season of record in the
Atlantic area as a whole, and will be long remembered in
Cuba and Haiti.
The season started slowly with about the same pattern
as in 1962 : tropical cyclones developing in the mid-Atlantic
and a strong east coast trough forcing early recurvature
away from the United States mainland. For two years
this persistent east coast trough has recurved every trop-
ical cyclone forming in the Atlantic before it could reach
the coast of the United States. I n general, hurricanes
continued weak and poorly organized. However, during
August the planetary circulation began to change and
Cyclone
Arlene ..._ ..........
Beulah .............. Unnamed ...........
Cindy ............... Debra ....................
Edith ............... Flora ................ Ginny ...................
Helena.. ............
Total
'Paul L. Moore; Gilbert B. Clark; Neil L. Frank; Elbert C . Hill; Raymond H. Kraft;
Arnold L. Sugg.
Intensity
Hurricane ......... .._..do .............
Tropical storin ....
Hurricane ......... do ............. .___.do ............. _____do ............. do .............
Tropical s t orin.. ..
.............................
-__
Sept,ember and October were very active hurricane months
in the Tropics and subtropics.
I n July in the middle troposphere, the east coast trough,
especially from Hatteras southward, was stronger than
normal and westerly winds at 500 mb. frequently prevailed
as far south as latitude 25' N. At sea level in the Atlantic,
the subtropical ridge was slightly west of, and about 5 mb.
weaker than, normal near the Azores [I]. Tropical cyclone
activity did not begin until the last day of the month.
While the east coast trough at 500 mb. in August
strengthened north of latitude 35' N., it weakened over
southern latitudes. At 700 mb., a mean negative height
anomaly of 120 ft. wits observed for the month near 20'
N., 50' W., with n positive departure of 210 ft. near 42'
N., 35' W., increasing the easterly flow over much of the
tropical Atlantic. Tropical activity was almost normal,
although both August hurricanes failed to reach major
intensity .
I n September at 700 mb., a strong positive height
anomaly of 250 ft. was centered in the Atlantic near 40'
N ., 40' W. with negative departures extending through-
out the Tropics and subtropics from the Gulf of Mexico
(60 ft.) to 22' N., 5' E. (240 ft.), producing a much-above-
nornial easterly flow south of latitude 40' N. This synop-
tic situation is considered favorable for tropical cyclone
formation and one was noted on the surface weather
charts (with the exception of only two days) continuously
from September 10 to October 30. For the first time in
two years, one hurricane reached the coast of the United
States, and two others threatened and to some extent
affected the mainland.
Statistics on casualties and damage for the 1963 hurri-
cane season are shown in table 1. As of January 5, 1964,
final evaluation of these figures had not been completed
in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Cuba.
TABLE 1.-Casualty and damage statistics, North Atlantic tropical cyclones, 1963
Principal area affected
-
Bermuda.
Texas-Louisiana.
Lesser Antilles. Haiti, Cuba. Florida North Carolina, Northeast. Guadelbupe.
*Total unknown.
~~~
March 1964 Gordon E. Dunn
130
~-
MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW Vol. 92, No. 3
2. INDIVIDUAL TROPICAL CYCLONES
Hurricane Arlene, July $l-Au!just 11 .-A cloud iniiss
first detccted in the inid-Atlmtic by tlie TlROS VI
satellite a t 1505 GMT July 31, wtis undoubtedly Arlene i n
her embryonic tropical depression stagc. Too far away
then for inimedi:tte air i*ecoiintiiss:iIicc, it was loctated by
the Na1.y tis n fully de\-eloped hurricane a t 1642 QMT
August 2 tit 14.2' N., 49.8" W. During the preceding
night the Mormactrader passed \-cry close to Arlene.
Although ta complete ship's log is not av:iilable, :in exanii-
ricLtion of her excellent 6-hourly reports indicates thtit the
cyclone liiid just reached tropical storm intensity. It is
estimated that Arlene intensified from storm to Iturricane
force within 12 hr., a rather rapid development. Three
different flights which penetrated the cyclone during the
next 26-lir. period reported hurricnne-force winds. Based
upon the surface pressurcs talcen from the dropsondes,
vwious pressure-wind grtiplis would support most of tlie
tiurricnnc-force winds reported by the nircraft. There is
110 doubt i t was :L well-dcvelopcd liurricane, and was so
described by t,he plane's ineteorologist, yet rapid deterio-
riition of the eye structure :is wcll :as a rcductioti of winds
took place during t!ie night of August 3-4 in :in I L ~C I L
where this rarely occurs, :Lnd by midday of tlie 4 t h Arlene
IVILS, a t no st, a tropical dcpression.
Tropicid depression in tensity wtis main taiiied through
August 7, nitiinly, i t is bclieved, i ~s it reflection of ti circula-
tion aloft which seemed to persist throughout this degener-
ate stage, although a t tinies tlie surface perturbation
appeared to be nothing more than :a disturbed area.
Ship reports during the Lite evening of the 7th indicatccl
that Arlene was once tigtiin i i tropicd storm aiid by
1357 GMT August 8, an Air Force planc penetrated the
center. The eye was well defined and maximum surface
wirids were estimated a t 75 1n.p.h. A rather unusual
type of fix tind a \-cry exccllent one was obtained by radar
from the USS Lawrence just prior to the Air Force plane
penetrrttion.
Except for an increase i r i S'orwird speed, Arlene changed
little during the night and early morning hours of August
8-9. The eye pnssed over Bermuda a t 1600 GMT tilid
observers there were able to obtain an eye sounding.
Temperatures in the eye, a t least in the lower ancl middle
tropospherc, were quite siinilttr to those obtained in ttic
eye of an October liurrictine a t Tiiinpa it1 1944 [2]. Teni-
peratures a t higher levels in tlie Beriiiuda sounding were
considerably lower than in the Tampit sounding. As
observed winds aloft indicate, the radiosonde did not
remain within the eye throughout its flight.
There were 110 lives lost a t Berniudta nlthough there
was $300,000 property damage. The lowest pressure
mas 28.78 in. or 974.5 nib., while rainfall mas 2.69 in.
Highest winds a t Berniudti were from the east-southeast,
69 m.p.li., with gusts to 98 in.p.li., and tidcs were esti-
n-rnted a t 4 f t . above normnl.
After leaving Bcrmud:i, Arlene mored on n iktbward
course and probably increased slightly in intensity for ti
short while, only to wealien a bit on the 10th. During
tlic night of August 10-11, i t quickly lost tropical char-
acteristics and merged with a po1:ar front some 200 mi.
southcast of Cape Race, Newfoundland.
be answered :It this time. Why did i t IMI-e so many
changes in intensity while over water, mid why did some
of tliese occur ovcr a re1:~tively short period of time?
Most explunations for changes in intensity of tropical
cyclones relate to tlie inflow-outflow iiiechtuiism nt high
lel-els tis pointed out by Rich1 [a] years ago. rndeed,
dattt and subjecti1.c analyses a t high levels tiround
Arlene suggest that there wiis a t titnes a good correlation
between surf:ice deepening :itid the outflow :it, the 200-nib.
surfitce, as well as tlie intensity of the trough aloft during
the weaker stages. Howevcr, if this reliition is to be a
good tool in forecasting, the pattern d o f t iiiust be rinte-
cedent to and not in tLssociittion with the sui*fwe chiinges.
Most forecasters feel that if the Iiigli-level charts tare to
be of tiny great vuluc in tlic casc of deepening, (ti) tlie
change in vorticity inust be localized in just the right
plncc, (b) tlic outflow should be into the wcsterlies, t ~n d
(c) this feature must preccdc the surface clrt~nge. These
cannot be well demonstrated with Arlene's limited dnta.
Datii were insufficient to make a detailed aiialysis a t
200 tnb. a t tlic tittie the sudden loss of intensity took
phce but i t was obvious no outflow was taking plnce a t
0000 C:MT August 5.
fhrricane Beulah, klu,qust 20-28.--The circulation that
developed into hurrictine Beulah was lociited by tierial
recoiinaissancc nenr 14" N., 61' W. about middtiy on
August 20. M:iximuni winds werc 35 ni.p.11. in squalls
and the lowest observed surface pressure was 1006 nib.
or 29.71 in. Cloudincss aiid shower activity covered a
large area. Surface ship reports during thc prcceding
several days litid indicated disturbed conditions over
much of the area from the Cape Verdcs wcstward to the
longitude of the incipient storm. Data liniitations
preclude specification of the exact position of the Inter-
tropical Convergencc Zone during this period, but south
and southwcst winds of 23 to 30 1n.p.h. were prevalent
its much as 300 mi. to the north of the normal ITC
position. Spursity of dtittt nlso makes the carlier history
of the rortes obscurc. Westward itlovemetit of about
11 ni.p.h. would haw brought i~ cloud mass photographed
by TrROS VI near 13" N. 25" W. on August 14 to the
1-icinity of the de17cloping circu1:ition. However, it is
not possible to say whether this represented the nascent
stagcs of Beuldi.
At 1200 GMT August 21, surface ships reported winds
of 85 to 40 1n.p.h. nnd when reconnaisstLtice aircriift
reached tlie area around noon, masiniuni winds were
52 iii.p.11. with A niiliinium pressure of 1005 nib. (29.68
in.) a t thc ccnter near 16.5" N., 54.5" W. The storm
moi-cd to\v;Lrd the wcs t-northwest a t about 10 11i.p.h.
and slowly intensified during the next 24 hr. On August
2 2 , Navy reconnaissance reported that Beulah had in-
r , .I here are some questions about Arlene which ctannot
March 1964 Gordon E. Dunn 131
creased to hurricane intensity with i~ well-formed eye arid
centrid pressure 994 nib. or 29.35 in. Winds of 78 m.p.11.
were observed just east of the center. A change to a iiiore
northwestward course which begnn during the afternoon
removed m y threat to the Leeward Islands. The
highest swells tit Sint Maarten, Netherlnnds West Indies,
were 4 ft. o\7er the open waters.
The lrurricime began to deepen more rapidly late 011
the 22d and continued to intensify through the 23d.
The lowest central pressure observed during the life of
tlie storm was 95s nib. (28.29 in.) a t 0630 GRIT August 24.
Radar showed an elliptical eye with a 20- to 30-mi.
dinmeter. It is estimated that iniisiiiiu~n winds a t this
time were about 120 m.p.h. During the late forenoon,
aircriLft penetriiting the center indicttted the beginning
of a filling trend with an obser\red centrnl pressure of 961
nib. or 28.38 in., and maximum winds of 115 1n.p.h. The
wenkening stage, which persisted for the nest 24 hr., wits
accompnnied by an increase in the eye diameter to 60 mi.
Maximum winds dropped to about 105 1ii.p.h. on the 25th.
Beulnh moved a t 5 to 10 m.p.11. toward the north-
northwest during the %day period covering the inarked
deepening and subsequent filling, then turned to the north
mid began to accelerate. By the 26th, forward speed
titid iiicreiLsed to 23 n1.p.h. or inoi-e towtird the northeast.
Under the influence of an upper trough off the United
States eiist comt, the hurricane continued to accelerate
and latc on the 27th passed some 250 mi. east of New-
foundlid, moving on a north-uortl~eastward course a t
about 40 m.p.h. By 0400 GMT August 25, it was consid-
ered estlntropicd, R cold front htiving entered the cir-
culation. However, niaxi~nu~ii winds remained 70 m.p.h.
or higher and when the low center renched the British Isles,
on August 30, it was still accotnpnnied by gales.
There wtis no loss of life or pioperty dimage attrib-
utable to hurricane Beulah.
One of the more interesting tispccts of Beulah’s history
wtis the intensity wiriation from the 21st to 24th. During
the initiiil deepening to hurricnne intensity, the storni
center was under the southwest quadriint of an upper-
tropospheric anticyclone, a superposition which has been
found statistically favorable to development. A cold
trough in the westerlies moved etistwiird to the north of
the storm on the 23d and 24th mid niean flow charts €or
the layer from 37,000 to 42,000 ft. show that there was a
brenkdown of the portion of the cinticyclonic cell to the
north of the storm during this period of weakening. At
the surf:Lce, a small parasitic circulation coristituting ti
vorticity masimum was located some 300 mi. east of
Beulah on August 22. This moved in a counterclockwise
path tit about 17 m.p.11. during the nest 24 hr. It is
difficult to track this feature subsequently but estrap-
olation would indicate that it also may have been a
factor in the intensity rnriations since i t would have
moved 5.er.y close to the more intense portion of the
hurricane circulation around the 23d. Both of these
sequences of events point up the difficulty in finding
unique cause-and-effect reliitionships in changes in
hurric:xne intensity but at the same time suggest some
avenues for further studies.
A series of two cloud-seeding experiiiien ts was performed
io liurricane Beulah on August 23 and 24, 1963, by
Project Stormfury. The results have been described
by Simpson, Malkus, nnd Enton [3].
Tropical Storm (Unitumed), September 10-1 5.-Elich
year several storms occur which are not entirely tropicti1
in character. Tropiciil cyclones derive their energy from
latent heat of condensation while extratropical cyclones
depend upon proper positioning of cold and warm air
mnsses; i.e., cold air sinks ttnd spreads under wtirni air
causing air motion. At times “hnlf-breed” cyclones de-
yelop over tropical oceans and tap both energy sources.
Jn these cases it is difficult to decide whether n tropical
cyclone name should be nssigned to the Low. The UII-
n:imed Storm in September was of this type, as was the
lixte May-early June storm. I t was not until a critical
ship log was received after the hurricane season that the
decision could be made to include the September storm
in the official list.
Ship reports indicated a weak circulation north of
Puerto Rico on September 8. The depression drifted
slowly northward passing over Bermuda during the tLFter-
noon of the 10th. The pressure on Bermuda dropped to
1007 inb., or 29.74 in., and winds increased to 25 m.p.11.
Tropicd storm intensity w w reached shortly b3fore sun-
rise on the 11th. Maximuin intensity occurred on the
12th when tlie Freibury experienced 78 ni.p.h. winds, 274t.
sens, atid ti pressure of 995 nib., or 29.39 in. The center
remained small and tightly knit as the storm accelerated
rapidly northeastwiird :iIiend of n cold front. Tropical
chnracteristics were lost on Septeiiiber 14.
Hurricane Cindy, September 16-19.-Cindy, the first
hurricnne in the Gulf of Mexico in two years, formed in
n trough of low pressure located about 200 mi. east-
northetist of Brownsville, ‘rex., 011 the morning of Sep-
tember 16. Weather conditions had been highly disturbed
in the southwestern Gulf on tlie 14th and 15th. Ship
reports receired around noon CST, indicated that the cir-
culation was of tropical storin strength and was intensi-
fying rapidly. By 2:OO p.m. the central eye was developed
sufficiently t o be located about 200 mi. east of Corpus
Christi by the WSR-57 radar nt Gnlveston. At the snine
hour, a report from the SS Subine near the storin center
indicated hurricane force winds, dtlthough there is some
question whether the wind velocity recorder was reiLd
cnrefully, Cindy moved northwnrd a t an average speed
of 8 m.p.11. during the afternoon and night of the 16th,
remaining relatively snitdl in aren and with no further
increase in intensity, although iiiost of the circuhtion
was still over the warm Gulf waters.
Winds and tides along tlie coast from the Gulveston
area eastward increased during the evening, with winds
reaching maximum values during the early morning hours
of the 17th. Over the Gulf, highest sustained winds were
132 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW Vof. 92, No. 3
estiinated a t 80 m.p.11. and highest gusts on the coast
were 80 m.p.h., measured near the eastern tip of Galveston
Islnnd. The Weather Bureau Office at Galveston recorded
a fastest mile a t the rate of 50 m.p.h., and a peak gust
of 74 m.p.11. on the 17th. In the Port Arthur area, the
highest gusts were from 40 to 50 m.p.h., while in Louisiana
gusts were estimated as high as 60 m.p.11. at Grand Chenier
and 45 1n.p.h. a t Cameron, but were generally in the 25
to 35 n1.p.h. range.
The central eye of Cindy, some 20 mi. in dinmeter,
moved 011 shore around High 1 sland, about midway
between Galveston and Port Arthur. The Corps of
Engineers there reported “light winds and near calm”
between 7:30 and 11:OO a.m., CST, on the 17th and a low
barometer reading 01 29.44 in. (997 mb.) a t 1O:OO a.m.
A slightly lower pressure, 29.41 in. (996 mb.), was recorded
inland a t Anahuac between 2:27 and 2:45 p.m.
The storiiz center became alniost stationary for about
18 hr. shortly after moving inland, then drifted very
slowly westward and southwestward with slowly decreas-
ing intensity through the Texas Coastal Plain on Septem-
ber 18 and 19. This unusually slow movement during
the decay of the stor111 resulted in an estended period of
heavy rninfall in its northeaste~~i sector over extreme
southenstern Texas and southwestern Louisiana. Storm
rainfall totals were 15 to 20 in. in portions of Jefferson,
Newton, and Orange Counties, Texas and Calcasieu and
Vermilion Parishes, Louisiana. The heaviest rain occurred
at Deweyville, in southern Newton County: a %day total
of 23.50 in., including 20.60 in. in 24 hr. between 7 a.m.
CST, observations on September 17 and 18.
Storm totals were geiiernlly 4 to 8 in. in Louisimti as
far cast as Terrebonne Parish where Hounia received 7.90
in. during the 15th-17th. Moist nir pushed northwnrd
by Cindy’s circulation brought significant rainfall, rmging
up to 5 in. or inose locally, to inucli of southwestern ancl
central Oklaboma on Septetiiber 16.
Since Cindy was a re1:itively sinal1 storm, barely of
hurricnne intensity, and developed near the coast, es-
tremely high tides were not produced. Tides ranged
generdly from 3 to 5 i t . (mciin sca level) along tlie upper
Texas ancl western Louisiana coasts.
Property damage from wind was minor, consisting of
roof daiiiage to beach homes. Only minor flooding and
some slight damage occurred 1‘roiii tides, but several roads
were impassable for short pcriods, and waves destroycd
sevcrd picrs and caused SOJI~C dmiage to boats.
Considerable damage was produced by the flooding of
streiiriis arid drainage canals and ponding of water in the
arens ol extremely heavy rainfall over the lower Sabine
Basin in both Texas and Louisirinii. The flood waters
mcre most severe in the Port Arthur-Port Acres area of
JefTerson County. Wiiter entered about 4000 homes in
Jefferson, Orange, and Newton Counties, remnining in
some areas for extended periods. Overall property
damage-mainly froni the Aooding-was estimated at
$11.7 million. Principal crop damage, estimated near
$500,000 in Testis and $360,000 in Louisiana, was to
unharvested rice. Fortunately most of the crop had
already been combined, and rainfall in most areas was
considered more beneficial than damaging to crops and
ranges.
One man was drowned when he fell from a crew boat
evacuating personnel froni the offshore oil rigs south of
Cameron, La., and two sniall twin sisters drowned :it
Port Acres on September 22 in the persistent flood watws
still covering that section.
Hurricane Debra, September 29-24.-Hurricane Debra
formed in tlie mid-tropical Atlantic and moved on a course
well removed from any land areas. The first evidence of
the circulation which later developed into Dcbra came
from n ship report and a TIROS picture early on Sep-
tember 19. A reconnaissance aircraft was dispatched to
investigate on the 20th and reached the southeast quadrant
of the storm before being forced to return because of fuel
limitation. The plane reported a radar ejTe and observed
30 ni.p.h. west winds a t the surface 20 mi. south of the
center.
The nest day, September 21, a second reconnaissance
aircraft found 75 11i.p.h. winds and a central pressure of
about 1000 nib., os 29.53 in. Debra WRS a t best barely n
minimal hurricane for no more than 24 hr.
The storiii continued northward slowly on the 22d with
little change in intensity, then weakened arid begiin accel-
erating on the 23d. It was finally absorbed by tin estra-
tropical Low on the 24th. There was no loss of life or
property damage associated with Debra.
Uun.zcane Edith, September 23-.29.-Hurricane Edith
formed in the Atlantic east of the Lesser Antilles on
September 24. Existence of a disturbance was &*st sus-
pected when the Dutch tanker Acteon reported a south
wind of 2s 11i.p.h. and surface pressure of 1010.1 inb.
(29.S3 in.) as it moved southward through the inter-
tropical Convergence Zone on Septenlber 2 2 . Photo-
graphs taken by TlROS V1T at 1156 GMT September 23,
showed a 1-ortes iind extensix-e circulation aren centered
near 11’ N., 52’ W. A reconnaissance aircraft renchcd
the area late that nfternoon and found winds of 29 m.p.11.
and a surface pressure of 1005 nib. (29.68 in.), but could
see no definite spird b~iicl pattern on radar. Early niorn-
irig reconnaiss:Lnce on the 24th found winds of 70 m.p.h.,
and a short time lntcr Edith was reported to be of hurri-
cane intensity with SO J11.p.h. winds. This location WRS
sonie 120 mi. east of Bnrbados.
Edith passed over the north portion of St. Lucia between
midnight and daybreak on the 25th and wiis a t her masi-
nium intensity a t about this time. Lowest pressure coin-
puted in Edith was 97s nib., or 2S.SS in., on September 24.
The hurricane then moved on a general west-northwest-
ward course to a point some 120 mi. south of Pucrto Rico,
and then turned to a more northwestward course passing
over the eastern portion of tlie Dominican Republic
before dissipating as it moved out north of Hispaniola.
March 1964 Gordon E. Dunn 1 3 3
Edith was weakened considerably by the mountains of
the Lesser Antilles and wiis barely of hurricane intensity
thereafter as it moved across the northeastern Caribbean
and the Dominican Republic.
Martinique was heavily damaged, to the extent of $40
million, with 10 persons killed and 50 injured. Storm tides
of S ft. above normal were noted. Fort cle France reported
a minimum pressure of 995 mb., or 29.33 in., with maxi-
mum winds of 127 m.p.h. Damage on Dominica was
$2,611,600 and winds reached SO 1n.p.11. in gusts. There
was no loss of life there. On St. Lucia, 40 to 50 percent of
the bananas were destroyed and the cocoa crop was a total
loss. Tides there were S to 10 ft. above normal and Port
Castries reported a dead calm beginning a t 2 a.m. (EST)
which lasted 75 min. Maximum winds were 90 m.p.h.
There was no loss of life, but damage totaled $3,465,000.
On Barbados, winds reached 60 to 65 m.p.h. in squalls
on the northern tip of the islnncl and damage was estimated
at $145,000. I n the Dominican Republic clamage was
minor, but 50 to 60 m.p.h. winds along the south and
southwestern coasts of Puerto Rico, together with heavy
rains, caused $400,000 dnmage there.
Edith is another interesting case of a hurricane dis-
sipating over tropical waters. About the time that Edith
passed through the Lesser Antilles, rz wave began to
develop on a stationary front oriented east-west in the
south Floricla area. This frontal wave moved off east-
northeastward with gradual deepening and by the time
Edith readied eastern Hispaniola, the frontal Low was
located some 600 n. mi. to its north with lowest pressure
about 1005 mb., or 29.65 in. At the same time, another
large surface Low mas developing over tlie southwestern
Gulf of Mexico. At 200 mb., a marked trough persisted
over the Hisprmiola area from the time that Edith was
east of Barbudos until tlie hurricttne eventually moved
nlmost directly underneath it on September 27. On the
28th as Edith was clissipating north of Hispaniola, the
upper trough had flattened out into general easterly flow
with no particularly well marked divergent or convergent
pattern.
The frontnl ware development moving across to the
north of Edith weakened the pressure gradient markedly
over and east of the Bahamas, thus lessening greatly the
easterly low-level flow north of Edith and probably was a
miljor factor in the storm's dissipation. As i t moved out
into an area of very flat pressure gradient and poor low-
level inflow underneath a non-dirergent pattern i n the
upper atmosphere, Edith was unable to recover from the
distortion elfects of the mountains of eastern Hispaniola.
Hurricane Flora, September 26-October 13.-At S:50
a.m., EST, on September 26, the National Hurricane
Center in Miami receirecl an advisory from the Weather
Bureau's National Weather Satellite Center stating that
TIROS VI1 a t 4:40 am., EST, had sighted a poorly
organized vortex at approximately 1 1 .5" hT., 3S.0" W.,
with a central overcast area about 4" in diameter with
some banding to the north and east. Actually tlie
TIROS satellite had sighted a complex cloud system
with two principii1 areas of cloud concentration. The
northern center mentioned in the advisory was probably
associated with an upper-level vortex, and Flora even-
tually developed from the second cloud mass located a t
about S.0" N., 32.5" W., which was associated with t i
very weak depression in the Intertropical Convergence
Zone (ITC).
On the nest day, September 27, TIROS VI1 photo-
graphed the same complex cloud system which retained
rather remarkable resemblance to that of the day before.
The center of tlie southern cloud inass had moved to
8.0" N., 40.0" W. The cloud mass had grown somewlitit
in size but there were still no indications of spiral bunds
and apparently it was still associated with an ordiiinry
depression in the ITC. TIROS was not in a position to
photograph the cloud system on September 28 and 29
and there were not sufficient ship reports to indicate the
existence of a circulation. However, on the 29th' the
Sun Juan Hurricme Center requested surface observn-
tions from d l ships in the area, and a Navy hurricane
reconnaissance flight was arrmged for daybreak on
September 30.
A series of ship reports began to arrive early in the
morning, September 30. A much delnyed weather ob-
servation from the Sinon arrived around 3:30 a.m. EST.
The report stated that the barometer at 5:30 p.m. the
afternoon before had dipped to 1000 nib. (29.54 in.) with
a wind shift from northwest to southwest, but notliing
was said about tlie strength of the winds. The SS Del
Alba forwarded a11 observation made at 1 :O O a.m., E m ,
which arrived around 4:30 i ~n i ., indicnting winds from
the northeast of 35 kt., and a barometer reading of
1006.8 nib. with a fall of 5 nib. in tlie pnst 3 hr. At
1O:OO a.m., EST, much too late for adequiite warning to
Tobago, the Del Alba sent in :L complete report as follows:
"PASSED THROUGH STORM AIEEA COMMENCLSG 4 PM OY TIIE
29TH-PASSED NORTH OF CIGYTER 2 AM OX TIIE 30TH-
ESTIMATED POSITLOX AT 6 AM 11.0 57.5--\\'1\TDS FROM T H E
h-ORTHIVEST AT 4 PM TO KOHTHEAST 28 MPH AT 10 PM TO
E8kST 40 MPH AT 2 Ail-PRESENT POSITIOS AT 10 AM 10.9N
56.3\\' IVISD E-ASTSOUTHEAST T O SOUTHEAST 16 MPH I3AlZOM-
ETER 29.94 ISCIIES RISIXG SOUTHEAST SlIhS ROUGH \\'ITH
MODElEATE HEAVY SWELL-HAVE PASSED STORM."
At 9:07 am., EST, the hurricane hunter plane reached
the center of the storm, found a circular eye well defined,
central pressure 994 mb., surfnce winds in excess of hurri-
time force, and the wall cloud around the eye S mi. wide.
This observation indicated thtit hurricane Flora was thc
most concentrated and best organized tropicnl cyclone of
the past two years. The San Juan Weiltller Bureau
office issued a bulletin a t 9 a.m., and the first formal
hurricane advisory on Flora at 11 a.m., EST.
The eye of hurricane Flora passed o\ cr Tobago at 1:40
p.ni., EST, with lowest pressure 28.77 in., 974 nib. (un-
corrected) and masiniuiii sustained winds 90 to 100
1n.p.h. Serenteen persons were killed and crop and
134 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW Vol. 92, No. 3
property damage was around $30 million. On Trinidad,
maximum winds were estimated a t about 55 m.p.h. in
extreme gusts from the southwest. There was only minor
damsge over most of Trinidad due to the protection
afforded by the mountain range along the north coast.
However, when the wind shifted to the southwest, many
small boats in the harbor, which is an open roadstead to
the west, were sunk. The large vessels had put out to
sea.
At Northwest Point on the northern slope of the moun-
tains, the marine reporting station estimated winds up
to 70 m.p.h. with torrential rains. An amateur radio
operator about 10 mi. east of Northwest Point and on the
slope about X mi. from the shore, estimated the winds a t
65 m.p.h. in gusts and zero visibility due to the heavy
driving rain.
On Grenada damage was minor but six persons lost
their lives by drowning.
After leaving the southern Windwards, hurricane Flora
moved on a fairly smooth and regular track toward the
southwestern Haitian peninsula gradually acquiring a
more northward component. Flora intensified slowly
until it began to deepen rapidly on October 3. At 11:2O
a.m. EST, the Navy reconnaissance plane reported a cen-
tral pressure of 936 mb., or 27.64 in. Flight level winds
of 167 m.p.h. were measured on the 2d and about the
same on the 3d. Probably some further intensification
continued on the 3d until the center reached the coastline
around 8 p.m., EST. At this time it was estimated sus-
tained winds on the surface were around 140 m.p.h. with
gusts 180-200 m.p.h. Thus at this time, Flora was com-
parable to hurricane Donna when it crossed the Florida
Keys in 1960 and Carla when it reached the Texas coast
in 1961.
The vortex entered the Haitian south coast at CGtes
de Fer and calms were noted a t Fond des Negri% and
Anse Veau. Winds of 102 m.p.h. were noted a t CGtes
de Fer at 7 p.m., EST October 3 and 120 m.p.h. at the
Army base near Durez. The total rainfall a t Miragolne
during the period when western Haiti was under the in-
fluence of Flora probably exceeded 75 in. On October
6-8 when Miragobne was under the principal rain band
feeding into Flora, the rain gage at the Reynolds Haitian
Mines, Inc., which holds 19 in., was observed overflowing
three times and was emptied. Thus a t least 57 in. fell
during this 3-day period. This does not include rainfall
during the passage of the center nearby on October 3 and
4, or some rain which fell on the 5th.
Destruction over the mountainous terrain of the Haitian
peninsula ranged from severe to complete. Flash floods
washed away sections of many towns and land slides
buried others. The height of the storm surge on the
south shore is unknown but could easily have been 12 ft.
or more. Crops were totally destroyed. About 3,500
bodies were counted and several thousand persons are
missing. Of the missing, normally about half are even-
tually found to be casualties and half turn up sooner or
later in some other locality. Therefore, an estimate of
5,000 deaths appears reasonable. Property and crop
damage is estimated at $125 million with some reliable
figures as high as $180 million.*
I n the Dominican Republic, preliminary information
indicates that damage, mostly from floods but to some
extent from wind, to agriculture, livestock, communication
lines, etc., is estimated at $60 million. There was also
considerable damage to bridges and roads. I n the western
section of the Republic 10,000 km.2 were inundated.
The known loss of life is 29 but is estimated in excess of
400. Floods were the most extensive of record, and
several months after the storm roads were still impassable
and communication channels in many western sections
unres tored,
As Flora entered Cuba about 30 mi. east of Guantanamo
Bay late on the forenoon of October 4, a warm High a t
sea level was located over Lake Huron. By the morning
of the 6th, the High had reached Virginia and by the 7th,
the southern Appalachian region. At about 20,000 ft.
above the surface, which is often considered a representa-
tive steering level for hurricanes, the United States east
coast trough which had been able to turn Arlene, Beulah,
and Debbie northward east of the United States mainland,
began to fill, and at the same time the westerlies began to
retreat northward.
Earlier, on October 2 and 3, hurricane Flora had begun
a gradual curve to a more northwestward course as i t
moved toward the southern coast of Hispaniola, and
approached the long-wave trough position. During this
same period, as an active short wave moved into the long-
wave trough from the Great Lakes a fairly deep trough
developed along the east coast of the United States and
extended southward to the northern Bahamas by
October 4.
Flora was still a t a rather low latitude and the higher-
latitude developments merely weakened the subtropical
ridge and slowed the northwestward movement of Flora.
By October 5, large height rises overspread all the eastern
United States with the east coast trough weakening
rapidly and moving eastward. The usual effect of rising
heights north of a hurricane is a slowing and a turning
toward a more westward course as the subtropical ridge
intensifies. At the same time the usual outflow of warm
air from a hurricane toward higher latitudes adds to the
already increasing heights. I n Flora, the 200-mb. pat-
tern at this time indicated the main outflow was toward
the east and east-northeast. This prevented any strong
buildup of the subtropical ridge so that Flora’s movement
toward the west was very slow during the period October
5-7.
A rather weak, warm, 500-mb. anticyclone had persisted
over the eastern Gulf of Mexico since the last of September.
I n conjunction with the buildup of heights over the eastern
United States, this anticyclone became well defined by
October 7 and halted further westward movement of Flora.
*Communication from Ralph Higgs, MIC, WBAS, Sen Juan, Puerto Rico.
March 1964 Gordon E. Dunn 135
r l lollago ................................................ Trinidad.-. ...........................................................
Grciia da .............................................. l l n i t i ..................................................
lloniinican Republic.-. Cuba .................................................
Jainaica.. Hallanlas .............................................. Florida ................................................
...............................
.............................................
Total ................................................
J A M A l C A
Q
24 $30,000, 000 100,000
F 25,000 5,000 125.000,000 400f GO, 000,000
1,750 300,000,000 11 900 000
1 ................
11
1 1: 525: 000
7,186 528,550, 000
FIGURE 2.-Trajectory of hurricane Flora across Haiti and Cuba, October 2-9, 1963.
The weak trough at 500 mb., extending from near
Beriiiudii t o the eastern Bah~ini~s, begim to influence the
llurricime tifter further westward movement was halted.
During October 7 and 8 Flora moved slowly eastward to
east-northeastward almost directly over tlie same portion
of eastern Cuba it had traversed two CL~J~S before. By
October S, another active short wave was moring into tlie
long-wibve trough position off the eiist coast and acceleritt-
ing the southwesterly flow in the area of the hurricane.
T h u s F~OI’IL began to follow a more iiormrtl northeastward
1 A R L E 2.-Ruinfall at sanae stations in eastern Cwba during hurricane
Flora, October 3-8, 1963
r ,
I I
Clirnatological station Rainfall (in.)
“ Frmcisco”. ..................................
I ‘ E lis"- ....................................... “Manati”.. ................................... “1’. d 1 ma”.-.
“Alto Cctlro” .................................
“ IJaguan os“. ..................................
“Boston”. .................................... “Tacajo” ......................................
“ Preston”. .................................... “Uiiion“ ...................................... Santiago rlo C U I )~ .............................
Santiago (le Cuba (Itefincria) ..................
“Snnta Ana” ..................................
...................................
41.89
52. 60 42.03 45. i l
45.35
66.22
is. 72
41.26 42.09 41.38 64.84
G4.21
47. oa
Geographical position
0 ’ N. 0 ‘W.
20 48 77 35
20 58 7 i 27 21 19 i F 57 20 15 i 5 59
20 34 75 57
20 46 76 02
20 54 75 44 20 51 i 5 59
20 46 75 40 20 13 T5 51 20 01 75 50
course a t a gradually incrensing forward speed into higher
lrbtitudes.
However, for portions of five days, completely boxed
in by the high pressure metis to the west, the north, and
the east, the hurricane meandered back and forth over
eastern Cuba with winds of hurricane or near hurricane
force and torrential rain. Members of the staft’ of the
National Observatory a t Hitvana jointly with personnel
of the National Academy of Sciences (Cuba) carefully
surveyed the hurricane area and on the basis of the survey
TA RLE 3.-Estimated caswalties and damage, hurricane Flora
Location I Killed I Ilaiuage
136 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW Vol. 92, No. 3
and hourly observations during the storm, determined
t2he track as shown in figure 2 .
Although Flora had not completely regained its former
intensity by the time it ent>ered Cuba, nevertheless winds
of 70 to 100 1n.p.h. lashed eastern Cuba for 100 hr. or
more. Cuba’s productive valleys and lowlands remained
flooded for many days and crop damage was tremendous.
Rainfall amounts were enormous. Radio broadcasts
from Cuba mentioned a total of 90 in. near Velasco. At
Guantanaino Bay, the rainfall from hurricane Flora
greatly exceeded the recorded amount for the entire year
of 1962.
Dr. Luis Larrngoiti Alonso, Director of the National
Observatory, has forwarded rainfall accuniulations in
Cuba during the storm period as shown in table 2.
. The last official announcement listed 1159 persons dead
with more than 1000 persons missing. Applying the stme
estimating procedure as in Haiti, gives a death toll of at
least 1750. No official estimate of crop and property
damage is available so far. Based on reports emanating
from Cuba, estimates of damage to the sugar crop rnnge
from 15 to 60 percent; to tobacco 15 to 50 percent; to
cofTee and cocoa 25 to 100 percent; and to rice 50 to 75
percent. There were heavy losses in cattle, poultry, rege-
tables, bananas, pineapples, and cotton, and extensive
damage to factories, roads, and bridges. Estimates of
total damage have ranged upward to $500 million, but
a t the present time i t is belie\-ed $300 inillion is reasonably
realistic.
Dr. Mario E. Rodriguez Ramirez [4], Chief of the
Meteorological Division of the Civil Aviation Department
of Cuba, lists three other prolonged Cuban hurricanes:
1851, August 19-21. Crossed the island from Oriente
to Pinar del Rio.
1886, August 16-18. Took three days to travel from
Oriente to Havana.
1910, October 13-17. Famous huracan de cinco
dim” which lashed the provinces of Pinar del Rio
and La Havana.
Dr. Jos& Carlos Millas* has recently discorered a pro-
longed hurricane which occurred during the last days of
September 1616 and resulted in a great disaster around
Bayaino siinilar to that caused by Flora.
While only peripheral effects were felt in Jamaica, there
was considerable damage including: waterworks $420,000;
bananias $5,600,000; other crops $1,400,000; roads and
bridges $4,200,000; houses, etc. $280,000, or a total of
$11,900,000. There were 11 fatalities mostly from flnsh
floods. Some rainfall amounts are as follows: Prtlisadoes
Airport 16.70 in.; Hope Gardens 14.11; Constant Spring
15.66; St. Georges College 18.38; Hermitage Dam 44.32;
Hope Filter Plant 21.99; Seaview 31.94; Caraliers 19.72;
Jack’s Hill 22.36. Gordon Town 35.00; Castleton
Gardens 47.00; Cedar Valley 51.7; and Spring Hill 60.00 in.
Hurricane Flora passed through the southeastern
Bahamas on the night of October 8. On Inagua, Flora
(I
*Forinerly Chief, Cuban Meteorological Service, now retired in Miami.
was described as the “worst hurricane ever experienced
there within living memory.” Winds were estimated a t
75 to 80 m.p.11. Two wharves were destroyed, the sea
wall was damaged, and there was extensive damtige to
crops, roofs, and roads. The eye passed over Mayaguana
shortly after midnight with maximum winds at 1:30
a.m. EST of 83 m.p.h. The sea wall was washed away and
crop destruction was total. There was extensive daniage
to roofs and coiinnunication lines. One person \vas
drowned.
Exuma, Long, Acklins, Crooked Islands, and Long Cay
reported some damage to roads and property and crop
daniage ranged from moderate to total.
Flora is an historic hurricane-the second most deadly
tropical cyclone ever to occur in the Atlantic area. The
curren tly es tima tecl to tal of 7,1 S6 deaths co I i siderably
esceeds the death toll of the Galveston hurricane in 1900.
Also, there are many small boats missing in the Caribbean
with two to seven or more crewmen and passengers aboard
each. These missing persons have not been included but
may total 100 or more.
In the great hurricane which devastated the Windward
and Leeward Islands from October 10-12, 1780, apparently
over 20,000 persons perished; 4,326 on Barbados; 9,000
on Martinique; 4,500 on St. Eustatius; several thousand
sailors in the Spanish, Dutch, British, and French Fleets;
mid a smaller number on other islands.
The estimate of some $528,550,000 damage to crops and
property from Flora is conservative. There are, of course,
indirect additional losses which will be incurred from loss
of work, and long-period efiects on crops which, in some
cases, will materially lessen crop production for the next
five to eight years. Since the time Columbus discovered
the New World, no hurricane has dealt such a devast,ating
blow to the countries of Haiti and Cuba.
Hurricane Ginny, October 16-3O.-The depression which
grew into hurricane Ginny developed in the southeastern
Bahamas during October 16. Although there was a weak
surface circulation a t this time, there was a marked trough,
surface and aloft, extending northeastward toward Ber-
muda, which represented a fracture from a polar trough.
Consequently the trough was cold and the air mass baro-
clinic. I n reality, the depression was not tropical and
neither was the storm which developed later on the 19th.
There was no warm core. Even though hurricane-force
winds were observed on the 20th, i t was not until the
morning of the 22d that aircraft reconnaissance found a
thermal structure that was more like a hurricane, rather
than the late-season , hybrid type of the previous days.
An eye of 20-mi. diameter had formed on the morning of
the 22d; however, definition was reported poor.
During the 23~1, some weakening of the hurricane occur-
red and there was probably a period of 10 hr. when the
tropical cyclone was only of storm intensity. Ginny
quickly returned to hurricane force and there were only
minor variations in intensity during the remainder of its
March 1964
TABLE 4.-Data on Zlwricane G i n n y
Maximum winds (m.p.h.1 Lowest Prccipitation State - prcssure (in.) (in.) Sustained Gusts
- ~___~________
Florida:
dacksonville.-.- ............................. 40 ........................ 0.33
Daytona Beach ............................. 28 37 29. i; 0. 41
Iirunswick. ............................................. 30 20.82 ...............
Savannah._. ........................................... 30 29. $2 .............
Outcr I3caches.. ........................... 45 ...................................
.................................................................. I. 30 Savannah Beach
__________~~___
Georgia:
South Carolina: 42 3.25 Charleston City. ........................... ............ 29.83 Ocean Dr. Beach. .......................... 47 ........................ 3. la Sullivan’s Island ........................................ 30 Z!). i 8 3. 75 Isle of Palms ............................................ 45 ..-._ __ - __ .. 5.02
Whiington-.- .............................. 35 a5 20. 75 3. 77
Hatteras. ................................... 35 45 29.61 5.36 Oak Island .................................. 70 100 29.62
-_ ~___~
North Carolina:
- ~_______~-
Virginia:
Connccticut:
Rhodo Island:
.................................... 35 40 29.88 0.47 Norfolk.
............................... 35 52 29.53 0. 13 Hridgeport--.
Providcmce. ................................ 33 45 29.39 1. GO I3lnck Island 5.5 29. 38 1.44
N c w York City ......................................... 30 20.54 0
~__~___
~~___
............................................ - - ~~____
New York:
Montauk Pt ............................................ 61 ............................ ___~___
hlassachusetts: Iioston.. .................................... 40 4G 29.40 1. 17 65 iG 29.12 2.95 Nantucket,.-. ............................... ~____~
Ncw I.[nmpshire.. .....................................................................................................
Maine:
________~
Portland. ................................... 45 68 21). 21 1.24 Eastport- ............................................... 75 ............................ Rockland- .............................................. 100 ........................
East Iloothbny ..................................................... 29.05 ................
Gordon E. Dunn
Tidc (It.) Ihmage (dollars)
50,000, Beach erosion.
’ Jlouses damagcd at
2500. Ucach erosion.
2-3 abow norinill. I+oc;t Raton.
- 3000. C.3 k1LW +2.7
3 4 above normal. 5000.
hl inor.
Minor.
11 inor.
+1.G
Minor. +l.0
100,000. 10.7 MLW +i.8
15,000.
200,000+.
137
life history although rery slow intensification took place
from this time until landfall was made on Nova Scotia on
the 29th.
The track of Ginny was most unusual although not
unique. Many hurricanes have looped and a few. others
have had rather long trajectories toward the southwest.
The reader is referred to the “Yankee Storm” of October
30-November 8, 1935 [5], and to liurricane Able of May
15-24, 1951 [6]. It would seem that these two storms
and Ginny certainly had an affinity for the warm Gulf
Stream. Operationally, aside from the erratic track,
Ginny JVRS a most difficult hurricane in that a large part of
its life history was uncomfortably close to land. For
eight consecutive days while Ginny was meandering off
the southeastern coast, the center was within 250 n. mi.
of the United States mainland arid during one day the
wnll cloud was less than 50 mi. from the Cape Canaveral-
Daytonn Beach, Fla. area. Indeed, considerable restraint
was exercised in posting warnings. Hurricane warnings
were in effect only from Charleston to Cape Fear and at
Cape Hatteras a t one time or another, and this repre-
sented about one-sixth of the coast that was threatened.
Highest wind at any land station was 70 ni.p.h., with gusts
to 100, reported at Cape Fear at the Oak Island, N.C.,
observation point when the center took a temporary odd
turn toward the North Carolina coast. Later the hurri-
cane threatened New England but gale warnings which
were in effect were ample. The fastest mile on the New
England coast was 65 m.p.h. reported at Nantucket.
The Coast Guard vessel Cowslip, off Portland, Maine,
reported seas 30 to 40 ft. high and the anemometer broke
at about 105 m.p.h. The lowest barometer reading was
28.98 in.
Ginny presented several major problems in analysis
arid forecasting. It is not clear just how the change from
a cold cyclone to a warm core hurricane in rz relatively
short period of time came about. Conclusions might be
made using sea surface temperatures or latent heat of
condensation. While no computations have been made,
it appears that the amount of heat transfer would fall
short of that actually realized and observed. Ginny was
a dry storm and latent heat would have been minimal.
Proof of this was clearly indicated by radar. Nearly all
echoes could be removed by only 18 decibeIs of nttenua-
tion, which shows that the precipitation was relntively
light. Secondly, standard operating charts never clearly
indicated a good outflow pattern at higher levels in the
atmosphere, either before deepening or after. Thirdly,
there mere occasions, probably more than the average,
when forecasting techniques failed. This was particularly
true when the hurricane was making a loop or hairpin turn
and the forecast niethods (cspecially those with a large
amount of persistence or cstrnpolation built in) carried
the center forward.
138 MONTHLY WEATHFR REVIEW Vol. 92, No. 3
Ginny was probably more beneficial than damaging, in
that much needed rain fell along the Carolina coasts and
in southeastern New England and Maine. In northern
and central Maine 6 to 18 in. of snow occurred in the cold
air which pushed southward on the west side of the hurri-
cane center. Two persons apparently perished in the snow
storm and there was one other fatality. Possibly four
others were lost on the Tug Otho. Damage resulted from
minor beach erosion and relatively small structural loss
to boats, houses, autos, etc., mainly in Maine and on Cape
Cod. Total damage in the United States probably did
not exceed $400,000. According to reports, damage in
the Canadian Maritime Provinces was confined to small
boats and from minor flooding with no known deaths.
Tropical Storm Helena, October 26-29.-Tropical Storm
Helena developed in an easterly wave a short distance east
of the Lesser Antilles on October 25. An extensive cloud
mass, apparently associated with the easterly wave, was
observed by the TIROS satellite near 15’ N., 55’ W. on
the previous day. Two ships in the disturbed area during
the early afternoon of October 25 reported southerly
winds of 32 and 40 kt. with continuous rain. A re-
connaissance aircraft later in the day found similar
conditions and a central pressure of 1005 mb., or 29.68 in.
The system was described as ill-defined with no wall
cloud but with squall bands in the eastern semicircle.
The storm intensified slightly as it moved west-north-
westward but later weakened to below storm force after
passing between Dominica and Guadeloupe. The 5000-ft.
mountains of the islands evidently disrupted the poorly
organized circulation.
During the night of the 26th, Helena became almost
stationary then turned northward and intensified slightly
the next day. Central pressure dropped to 1002 mb.
(29.59 in.) and reconnaissance aircraft reported winds
of 58 m.p.h. in squalls between Guadeloupe and Dominica.
Moit of the squalliness was confined to a small area in the
eastern quadrant of the storm as the center moved north-
eastward from the vicinity of Antigua on the night of the
27th. During the next 24 hours the storm assumed a
more northward course and gradually weakened. Re-
connaissance aircraft on the 29th found only an area of
squally weather with highest winds about 23 m.p.h.
.
Although Helena was never a well-defined storm, it
caused considerable damage to small craft and roads in
the Windward Islands. On Guadeloupe, five persons
were reported dead, 500 homeless, and 14 seriously
injured. A number of barges and fishing craft were
sunk or seriously damaged. Total damage is estimated
at no more than $500,000.
The failure of Helena to intensify further and the
erratic movement and northward recurvature can be
attributed in part to a weak surface low pressure trough
which persisted from the Windward Islands northeast-
ward during the storm’s history. This hampered the
development of a strong easterly flow north of the center
and the storm eventually moved northward in the trough.
Conditions in the middle and upper troposphere were
also not favorable for intensification as the storm remained
under the northeastern portion of a 200-mb. anticyclone
centered over the eastern Caribbean. Deepening is
observed more frequently under the southwestern quad-
rant of upper-level anticyclones. Hurricane Ginny, off
the southeastern coast of the United States at the time,
may have affected Helena indirectly. Pronounced west-
erly and northwesterly flow at the 500-mb. and higher
levels overspread the area from south of Ginny to the
Lesser Antilles on October 27, resulting in vertical shear
which was believed to be unfavorable to further develop-
ment of Helena.
REFERENCES
1. J. F. O’Connor, “The Weather and Circulation of July, August,
and September 1963,” Monthly Weather Review, vol. 91,
Nos. 10-12, 0ct.-Dee. 1963, pp. 737-748.
2. H. Riehl, Tropical Meteorology, McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc.,
New York, 1954.
3. R. H. Simpson, J. S. Malkus and M. A. Eaton, “A Modification
Experiment on Hurricane Beulah, 1963,” Paper delivered at
44th Annual Meeting of American Meteorological Society,
Los Angeles, Calif., January 29, 1964.
3. M. E. Rodriguez, R., Article in Diario El Mzando, Havana,
October 20, 1963.
5. I. R. Tannehill, Hurricanes, Princeton University Press, 1952.
6. P. L. Moore and W. R. Davis, “A Pre-Season Hurricane of
Subtropical Origin,” Monthly Weather Review, vol. 79, No. 10,
Oct. 1951, pp. 189-195.
Recent Articles in Other Weather Bureau Periodicals
Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin, National Summary, Mariners Weather Log, vol. 8:
No. 1, January 1964, vol. LI:
No. 4, January 27, 1964, “North Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, 1963,” by
“EQUALANT 11,” by Albert M. Bargeski, pp.
“Weather of the Year 1963,” by L. H. Seamon, George W. Cry, pp. 1-7.
7-9.
pp. 7-8.