1984 Atlantic hurricane season
Encyclopedia
The 1984 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1984, and lasted until November 30, 1984. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclone
s form in the Atlantic basin
. The 1984 season
was an active one in terms of named storms, but most of them were weak and stayed at sea. Most of the cyclone
s tracked through the northwest subtropical Atlantic west of the 50th meridian to near the Eastern coast of the United States
between mid-August and early October. The most damaging storm was Hurricane Diana
, which caused $65.5 million (1984 dollars) in damage in North Carolina
. Diana was the first hurricane to strike a nuclear power plant
without incident; it was also the first major hurricane to strike the U.S. East Coast in nearly 20 years. Also of note was Hurricane Lili
, which lasted well after the official end of the season. It was downgraded from a named storm on December 24. Damage overall from the tropical cyclones in 1984 totaled $66.4 million (1984 USD).
at some point in their track, those being Subtropical Storm One, Tropical Storm Cesar, Hurricane Hortense, Hurricane Josephine, Hurricane Klaus
, and Hurricane Lili
.
The season's activity was reflected with a cumulative accumulated cyclone energy
(ACE) rating of 84, which is classified as "near normal". ACE is, broadly speaking, a measure of the power of the hurricane multiplied by the length of time it existed, so storms that last a long time, as well as particularly strong hurricanes, have high ACEs. ACE is only calculated for full advisories on tropical systems at or exceeding 34 knots (39 mph, 63 km/h) or tropical storm strength. Subtropical cyclone
s are excluded from the total.
coast, which caused the formation of a tropical depression. Moving westward, the depression moved into St. Augustine, causing a total of 5.02 inches (127.5 mm) of rainfall at Jacksonville Beach, Florida
as its main thunderstorm activity was concentrated north of the center. It dissipated as a tropical cyclone on June 14 while moving through the Florida panhandle. The small remnant low continued moving westward inland of the Gulf coast, causing occasional redevelopment of thunderstorm activity as the system moved into Louisiana, before both the thunderstorm activity and low pressure area dissipated by June 17.
. On June 19, vertical wind shear from the west-southwest halted further development, and the tropical depression began a general weakening trend which continued past its landfall point in northeast Mexico. By early morning of June 20, the system completely dissipated.
on August 18. The depression headed northeast and strengthened to a subtropical storm. It is believed to have merged with a front on August 21. The history of Subtropical Storm One is not entirely certain, as satellite images were largely unavailable due to a failure of the VISSR unit on GOES EAST (then GOES
-5), and this system remained at the fringe of the GOES WEST and Meteosat
throughout its existence. Winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) was reported on the southwest coast of Newfoundland. In addition, a weather office on the island reported rainfall at 2.1 in (53.3 mm).
and tracked generally northwest. It was downgraded to a depression on September 1 after being negatively impacted by vertical wind shear
, and dissipated several days later. Arthur was a minimal tropical storm, and caused no significant weather on land.
on September 4. Bertha never approached land and caused no reported damage.
. Cesar traveled east-northeast and strengthened gradually until it became extratropical and merged with another system off the coast of Newfoundland on September 2.
By September 6, the disturbance had emerged into the southwest Gulf of Mexico and consolidated into a smaller system which had enough organization to be classified as a tropical depression, the seventh of the season. The depression moved north-northwest into northeast Mexico on the afternoon of September 7, dissipating completely on September 8.
organized into Tropical Storm Diana north of the Bahamas. Diana proved difficult for meteorologists to forecast, initially moving westward towards Cape Canaveral
, but then turned to the north and paralleled the coastline. On September 11, the storm reached hurricane strength, and continued to intensify to a Category 4 hurricane
. Diana moved north-northeast, and performed a small anti-cyclonic loop before striking near Cape Fear as a minimal Category 2 hurricane on September 13. A weakened Tropical Storm Diana curved back out to sea and headed northeast until it became extratropical near Newfoundland on September 16.
Damage estimates were set at $65.5 million dollars. Three indirect deaths were associated with Diana. Diana was the first hurricane to strike a nuclear power plant — the Carolina Power and Light Brunswick Nuclear Power Plant recorded sustained hurricane force winds, but there was no damage to the facility.
, which strengthened into a tropical storm on September 14. Edouard rapidly intensified, with wind speeds reaching 65 mph (100 km/h) in 18 hours. Following its strengthening, Edouard dissipated even more quickly, degenerating into an area of thunderstorms the next day. The remnants of Edouard moved over land near the port of Veracruz
.
. 31 people were killed in the country. Fran continued between the northwest and west-northwest on September 17–18 as it continued to organize. During this period satellite imagery indicated that Fran peaked with winds of 65 mph (104.6 km/h) and a minimum surface pressure of 994 mbar (29.4 inHg). As Fran passed the Cape Verde islands weather stations reported 35 miles per hour (56.3 km/h) winds, which is tropical depression force. During the period of September 19–20 Fran turned towards westward and began to encounter strong upper level wind shear
, which caused Fran to dissipate on September 20.
. The depression moved north, and its motion stalled over Bermuda
on September 17. A day later, the depression had strengthened to a tropical storm and was named Gustav. Tropical Storm Gustav headed northeast until it was absorbed by a front on September 19.
reported that the system transitioned into a tropical cyclone; as such, it was named Tropical Storm Hortense. The newly-tropical storm quickly intensified while turning to the northwest, and late on September 25 Hortense attained hurricane status, about 300 miles (475 km) southeast of Bermuda.
Twelve hours after reaching hurricane status, Hortense began a sharp weakening trend while passing east of Bermuda. By September 27 it was a minimal tropical storm, and subsequently it executed a clockwise loop to the southwest. The intensity of Hortense fluctuated slightly over the subsequent few days, although it never regained its former intensity. On September 30, after turning to the west and later to the north, the storm passed just 7 mi (11 km) west of Bermuda. As the storm was so weak, the island only reported winds of 18 mph (30 km/h). Hortense accelerated to the northeast, moving rapidly across the north Atlantic before being absorbed by a larger extratropical storm late on October 2, northwest of the Azores.
. Retaining tropical storm strength, Isidore curved to the northeast, emerging over water near Jacksonville, Florida
. Isidore continued northeast until it was absorbed by a front on October 1. Total damages were estimated at over $750,000 (1984 US dollars). One death from electrocution was reported.
. It briefly moved west then turned almost due north. While it stayed well away from the U.S. coast, Josephine was a large storm and sustained tropical storm winds were measured at the Diamond Shoals of Cape Hatteras
. When it passed 36°N latitude (roughly level with Norfolk, Virginia
, Josephine curved to the southeast, then back to the northeast. It continued on this path until it made a cyclonic loop beginning on October 17 while becoming extratropical. The storm lost its identity on October 21. The hurricane caused wave damage to coastal areas, but primarily posed a threat to the shipping lanes of the North Atlantic.
Offshore, a sailboat with six crewmen on it became disabled due to high waves, estimated to have exceeded 15 ft (4.6 m), produced by the hurricane. All of the people on the ship were quickly rescued after issuing a distress signal by a nearby tanker vessel. In Massachusetts
, one man drowned after falling off his boat on North River amidst large swells produced by the storm. In Long Island
, New York
and parts of New Jersey
, tides between 2 and 4 ft (0.6096 and 1.2 m) above normal resulted in minor coastal flooding.
spurred the development of a low east of the Bahamas on October 25. The system tracked westward with limited shower and thunderstorm activity, crossing Florida on October 26 before moving into the Gulf of Mexico. Once the system moved into the north-central Gulf, deep convection began to develop near its center, expanding in intensity and coverage near and after landfall in extreme southeast Mississippi. The small system accelerated rapidly to the north and northeast ahead of an approaching cold front, moving across the Tennessee Valley and central Appalachians before linking up with the front and becoming a weak extratropical cyclone
. The nontropical cyclone then moved through coastal New England.
, it passed to the north of the Leeward Islands
, resulting in strong southwesterly winds and rough seas. Klaus attained hurricane status and reached peak winds of 90 mph (145 km/h) before becoming extratropical over cooler waters on November 13. The storm dropped heavy rainfall in Puerto Rico, causing minor flooding and light damage. Klaus caused heavy marine damage in the Leeward Islands, including wrecking at least three ships. The Virgin Islands experienced heavy damage, as well. Damage from the storm totaled to $152 million (1984 USD), and the hurricane killed two on Dominica.
which originated from a frontal trough
to the south of Bermuda
on December 12. It tracked southeastward, then northward, slowly attaining tropical characteristics
and becoming a hurricane on December 20. Lili turned to the south and southwest, briefly threatening the northern Caribbean
islands before weakening and dissipating near the coast of the Dominican Republic
. Lili was the longest lasting tropical cyclone outside of the Atlantic hurricane season, as well as the strongest hurricane to form during the month of December. It briefly threatened to pass through the Leeward Islands
as a minimal hurricane, though upon passing through the area as a dissipating tropical depression Lili produced light rainfall and no reported damage.
. This is the first time these names were used since the post-1978 naming change, except for Bertha and Fran which were previously used in 1957 and 1973. Names that were not assigned are marked in .
did not retire any names used in the 1984 season.
Tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
s form in the Atlantic basin
Atlantic Basin
The Atlantic Basin is the Atlantic Ocean.Atlantic Basin may also refer to:* Atlantic Basin Iron Works, an ironworks that operated in Brooklyn, New York, in the early to mid-20th century...
. The 1984 season
Atlantic hurricane season
The Atlantic hurricane season is the period in a year when hurricanes usually form in the Atlantic Ocean. Tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic are called hurricanes, tropical storms, or tropical depressions. In addition, there have been several storms over the years that have not been fully...
was an active one in terms of named storms, but most of them were weak and stayed at sea. Most of the cyclone
Cyclone
In meteorology, a cyclone is an area of closed, circular fluid motion rotating in the same direction as the Earth. This is usually characterized by inward spiraling winds that rotate anticlockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere of the Earth. Most large-scale...
s tracked through the northwest subtropical Atlantic west of the 50th meridian to near the Eastern coast of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
between mid-August and early October. The most damaging storm was Hurricane Diana
Hurricane Diana (1984)
Hurricane Diana was the fourth tropical storm, the first hurricane, the first major hurricane, and the strongest storm of the 1984 Atlantic hurricane season. Diana was the first major hurricane to hit the U.S. East Coast in nearly 20 years. Watches and warnings were issued for the storm...
, which caused $65.5 million (1984 dollars) in damage in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Diana was the first hurricane to strike a nuclear power plant
Nuclear reactor
A nuclear reactor is a device to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Most commonly they are used for generating electricity and for the propulsion of ships. Usually heat from nuclear fission is passed to a working fluid , which runs through turbines that power either ship's...
without incident; it was also the first major hurricane to strike the U.S. East Coast in nearly 20 years. Also of note was Hurricane Lili
Hurricane Lili (1984)
Hurricane Lili was one of only five Atlantic tropical cyclones on record to reach hurricane status in the month of December. The final of thirteen tropical storms in the 1984 Atlantic hurricane season, Lili developed as a subtropical cyclone which originated from a frontal trough to the south of...
, which lasted well after the official end of the season. It was downgraded from a named storm on December 24. Damage overall from the tropical cyclones in 1984 totaled $66.4 million (1984 USD).
Season summary
Seven storms during the season had subtropical characteristicsSubtropical cyclone
A subtropical cyclone is a weather system that has some characteristics of a tropical and an extratropical cyclone. As early as the 1950s, meteorologists were unclear whether they should be characterized as tropical or extratropical cyclones. They were officially recognized by the National...
at some point in their track, those being Subtropical Storm One, Tropical Storm Cesar, Hurricane Hortense, Hurricane Josephine, Hurricane Klaus
Hurricane Klaus (1984)
Hurricane Klaus was an Atlantic hurricane that hit the Leeward Islands from the west in November of the 1984 Atlantic hurricane season. Forming from a broad area of low pressure on November 5, Klaus maintained a northeast movement throughout much of its path...
, and Hurricane Lili
Hurricane Lili (1984)
Hurricane Lili was one of only five Atlantic tropical cyclones on record to reach hurricane status in the month of December. The final of thirteen tropical storms in the 1984 Atlantic hurricane season, Lili developed as a subtropical cyclone which originated from a frontal trough to the south of...
.
The season's activity was reflected with a cumulative accumulated cyclone energy
Accumulated cyclone energy
Accumulated cyclone energy is a measure used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to express the activity of individual tropical cyclones and entire tropical cyclone seasons, particularly the North Atlantic hurricane season. It uses an approximation of the energy used by a...
(ACE) rating of 84, which is classified as "near normal". ACE is, broadly speaking, a measure of the power of the hurricane multiplied by the length of time it existed, so storms that last a long time, as well as particularly strong hurricanes, have high ACEs. ACE is only calculated for full advisories on tropical systems at or exceeding 34 knots (39 mph, 63 km/h) or tropical storm strength. Subtropical cyclone
Subtropical cyclone
A subtropical cyclone is a weather system that has some characteristics of a tropical and an extratropical cyclone. As early as the 1950s, meteorologists were unclear whether they should be characterized as tropical or extratropical cyclones. They were officially recognized by the National...
s are excluded from the total.
Tropical Depression One
By June 11, an upper level low caused thunderstorm development off the FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
coast, which caused the formation of a tropical depression. Moving westward, the depression moved into St. Augustine, causing a total of 5.02 inches (127.5 mm) of rainfall at Jacksonville Beach, Florida
Jacksonville Beach, Florida
Jacksonville Beach is a city on the Atlantic coast of Duval County, Florida, east of Jacksonville. It is part of the Jacksonville Beaches community, together with Mayport, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, and Ponte Vedra Beach...
as its main thunderstorm activity was concentrated north of the center. It dissipated as a tropical cyclone on June 14 while moving through the Florida panhandle. The small remnant low continued moving westward inland of the Gulf coast, causing occasional redevelopment of thunderstorm activity as the system moved into Louisiana, before both the thunderstorm activity and low pressure area dissipated by June 17.
Tropical Depression Two
An upper level low moving across the southern Gulf of Mexico spawned an area of thunderstorm activity over the Mexican isthmus on June 16. The thunderstorm area moved northwest, pulsing in intensity, until flaring up into a larger area of deeper convection early in the morning of June 18. A surface low formed, and the system was considered well-enough organized to be a tropical depression, the second of the season, while located southeast of Brownsville, TexasBrownsville, Texas
Brownsville is a city in the southernmost tip of the state of Texas, in the United States. It is located on the northern bank of the Rio Grande, directly north and across the border from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Brownsville is the 16th largest city in the state of Texas with a population of...
. On June 19, vertical wind shear from the west-southwest halted further development, and the tropical depression began a general weakening trend which continued past its landfall point in northeast Mexico. By early morning of June 20, the system completely dissipated.
Tropical Depression Three
A tropical depression formed on July 25 and moved westward, producing rainfall up to six inches in Barbados on July 26. The depression dissipated on July 28. Two commercial fisherman were reported missing near St. Lucia.Subtropical Storm One
A weak front generated a low pressure system that organized into a subtropical depression north of BermudaBermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
on August 18. The depression headed northeast and strengthened to a subtropical storm. It is believed to have merged with a front on August 21. The history of Subtropical Storm One is not entirely certain, as satellite images were largely unavailable due to a failure of the VISSR unit on GOES EAST (then GOES
Goes
Goes is a municipality and a city in the southwestern Netherlands in Zuid-Beveland, in the province Zeeland. The city of Goes has approximately 27,000 residents.-History of Goes:...
-5), and this system remained at the fringe of the GOES WEST and Meteosat
Meteosat
The Meteosat series of satellites are geostationary meteorological satellites operated by EUMETSAT under the Meteosat Transition Programme and the Meteosat Second Generation program....
throughout its existence. Winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) was reported on the southwest coast of Newfoundland. In addition, a weather office on the island reported rainfall at 2.1 in (53.3 mm).
Tropical Storm Arthur
The 1984 season's first named storm occurred later than usual, forming on August 28. Arthur formed east of the Windward IslandsWindward Islands
The Windward Islands are the southern islands of the Lesser Antilles, within the West Indies.-Name and geography:The Windward Islands are called such because they were more windward to sailing ships arriving in the New World than the Leeward Islands, given that the prevailing trade winds in the...
and tracked generally northwest. It was downgraded to a depression on September 1 after being negatively impacted by vertical wind shear
Wind shear
Wind shear, sometimes referred to as windshear or wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere...
, and dissipated several days later. Arthur was a minimal tropical storm, and caused no significant weather on land.
Tropical Storm Bertha
Bertha was a short-lived tropical storm that formed in the mid-Atlantic on August 31, in close proximity to the east of Arthur. The storm took a parabolic path to the north and northeast before merging with a cold frontCold front
A cold front is defined as the leading edge of a cooler mass of air, replacing a warmer mass of air.-Development of cold front:The cooler and denser air wedges under the less-dense warmer air, lifting it...
on September 4. Bertha never approached land and caused no reported damage.
Tropical Storm Cesar
A second storm formed on August 31 as a non-tropical low strengthened into Tropical Storm Cesar off the East Coast of the United StatesEast Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
. Cesar traveled east-northeast and strengthened gradually until it became extratropical and merged with another system off the coast of Newfoundland on September 2.
Tropical Depression Seven
A tropical wave moved across Central America into the far eastern north Pacific ocean by August 28. The system moved westward with no signs of development until September 1, when an upper level low to its north across the Gulf of Mexico caused an area of thunderstorms to form just south of the Mexican coastline. An upper trough developed across the southern Plains of the United States, which slowly lured the northern portion of this increasingly large disturbance northward through the Mexican Isthmus. The southern portion moved westward, developing into Hurricane Marie. For a short while, Marie acted as a source of vertical wind shear from the west for this system, halting further development.By September 6, the disturbance had emerged into the southwest Gulf of Mexico and consolidated into a smaller system which had enough organization to be classified as a tropical depression, the seventh of the season. The depression moved north-northwest into northeast Mexico on the afternoon of September 7, dissipating completely on September 8.
Hurricane Diana
On September 8, an extratropical cycloneExtratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are a group of cyclones defined as synoptic scale low pressure weather systems that occur in the middle latitudes of the Earth having neither tropical nor polar characteristics, and are connected with fronts and...
organized into Tropical Storm Diana north of the Bahamas. Diana proved difficult for meteorologists to forecast, initially moving westward towards Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral, from the Spanish Cabo Cañaveral, is a headland in Brevard County, Florida, United States, near the center of the state's Atlantic coast. Known as Cape Kennedy from 1963 to 1973, it lies east of Merritt Island, separated from it by the Banana River.It is part of a region known as the...
, but then turned to the north and paralleled the coastline. On September 11, the storm reached hurricane strength, and continued to intensify to a Category 4 hurricane
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
. Diana moved north-northeast, and performed a small anti-cyclonic loop before striking near Cape Fear as a minimal Category 2 hurricane on September 13. A weakened Tropical Storm Diana curved back out to sea and headed northeast until it became extratropical near Newfoundland on September 16.
Damage estimates were set at $65.5 million dollars. Three indirect deaths were associated with Diana. Diana was the first hurricane to strike a nuclear power plant — the Carolina Power and Light Brunswick Nuclear Power Plant recorded sustained hurricane force winds, but there was no damage to the facility.
Tropical Storm Edouard
The origins of Tropical Storm Edouard are unclear, but an area of persistent organized storms formed in the Bay of CampecheBay of Campeche
The Bay of Campeche is the southern bight of the Gulf of Mexico. It is surrounded on three sides by the Mexican states of Campeche, Tabasco and Veracruz. It was named by Francisco Hernández de Córdoba and Antonio de Alaminos during their expedition in 1517...
, which strengthened into a tropical storm on September 14. Edouard rapidly intensified, with wind speeds reaching 65 mph (100 km/h) in 18 hours. Following its strengthening, Edouard dissipated even more quickly, degenerating into an area of thunderstorms the next day. The remnants of Edouard moved over land near the port of Veracruz
Veracruz, Veracruz
Veracruz, officially known as Heroica Veracruz, is a major port city and municipality on the Gulf of Mexico in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The city is located in the central part of the state. It is located along Federal Highway 140 from the state capital Xalapa, and is the state's most...
.
Tropical Storm Fran
On September 14, a well-defined tropical wave exited the coast of Africa. The next day, it had rapidly organized into a tropical depression. On the afternoon of September 16 the depression attained tropical storm strength, and it was given the name Fran. It turned to the northwest, and passed very near the Cape VerdeCape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
. 31 people were killed in the country. Fran continued between the northwest and west-northwest on September 17–18 as it continued to organize. During this period satellite imagery indicated that Fran peaked with winds of 65 mph (104.6 km/h) and a minimum surface pressure of 994 mbar (29.4 inHg). As Fran passed the Cape Verde islands weather stations reported 35 miles per hour (56.3 km/h) winds, which is tropical depression force. During the period of September 19–20 Fran turned towards westward and began to encounter strong upper level wind shear
Wind shear
Wind shear, sometimes referred to as windshear or wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere...
, which caused Fran to dissipate on September 20.
Tropical Storm Gustav
Gustav spent most of its life as a well-organized tropical depression, which formed on September 16 in the open Atlantic south of BermudaBermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
. The depression moved north, and its motion stalled over Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
on September 17. A day later, the depression had strengthened to a tropical storm and was named Gustav. Tropical Storm Gustav headed northeast until it was absorbed by a front on September 19.
Hurricane Hortense
A large frontal system spawned a subtropical depression early on September 23, about 385 miles (620 km) east of Bermuda. Ship and satellite data confirmed its development, and indicated the system intensified into a subtropical storm later on September 23. Initially the cyclone moved toward the south-southwest, although on September 24 it turned to the west. That day, the Hurricane HuntersHurricane Hunters
The Hurricane Hunters are aircraft that fly into tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic Ocean and Northeastern Pacific Ocean for the specific purpose of directly measuring weather data in and around those storms. In the United States, the Air Force, Navy, and NOAA units have all participated in...
reported that the system transitioned into a tropical cyclone; as such, it was named Tropical Storm Hortense. The newly-tropical storm quickly intensified while turning to the northwest, and late on September 25 Hortense attained hurricane status, about 300 miles (475 km) southeast of Bermuda.
Twelve hours after reaching hurricane status, Hortense began a sharp weakening trend while passing east of Bermuda. By September 27 it was a minimal tropical storm, and subsequently it executed a clockwise loop to the southwest. The intensity of Hortense fluctuated slightly over the subsequent few days, although it never regained its former intensity. On September 30, after turning to the west and later to the north, the storm passed just 7 mi (11 km) west of Bermuda. As the storm was so weak, the island only reported winds of 18 mph (30 km/h). Hortense accelerated to the northeast, moving rapidly across the north Atlantic before being absorbed by a larger extratropical storm late on October 2, northwest of the Azores.
Tropical Storm Isidore
A tropical depression formed on September 25 off the southeastern Bahamas. The depression headed west, and was upgraded to a tropical storm in the central Bahamas on September 26. It struck the US coast near Jupiter, FloridaJupiter, Florida
Jupiter is a town located in Palm Beach County, Florida. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 39,328. The estimate population for 2009 is 50,606. As of 2006, the population had grown to 50,028, according to the University of Florida, Bureau of Economic and Business Research....
. Retaining tropical storm strength, Isidore curved to the northeast, emerging over water near Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
. Isidore continued northeast until it was absorbed by a front on October 1. Total damages were estimated at over $750,000 (1984 US dollars). One death from electrocution was reported.
Hurricane Josephine
Josephine became a named storm on October 8 while northeast of Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. It briefly moved west then turned almost due north. While it stayed well away from the U.S. coast, Josephine was a large storm and sustained tropical storm winds were measured at the Diamond Shoals of Cape Hatteras
Cape Hatteras
Cape Hatteras is a cape on the coast of North Carolina. It is the point that protrudes the farthest to the southeast along the northeast-to-southwest line of the Atlantic coast of North America...
. When it passed 36°N latitude (roughly level with Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, Josephine curved to the southeast, then back to the northeast. It continued on this path until it made a cyclonic loop beginning on October 17 while becoming extratropical. The storm lost its identity on October 21. The hurricane caused wave damage to coastal areas, but primarily posed a threat to the shipping lanes of the North Atlantic.
Offshore, a sailboat with six crewmen on it became disabled due to high waves, estimated to have exceeded 15 ft (4.6 m), produced by the hurricane. All of the people on the ship were quickly rescued after issuing a distress signal by a nearby tanker vessel. In Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, one man drowned after falling off his boat on North River amidst large swells produced by the storm. In Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and parts of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, tides between 2 and 4 ft (0.6096 and 1.2 m) above normal resulted in minor coastal flooding.
Tropical Depression
This system was recognized as the seventeenth tropical depression of the season by the National Hurricane Center after the season ended. A retrograding upper-level lowCold-core low
A cold-core low, also known as a cold low or cold-core cyclone, is a cyclone aloft which has an associated cold pool of air residing at high altitude within the Earth's troposphere. It is a low pressure system which strengthens with height in accordance with the thermal wind relationship. These...
spurred the development of a low east of the Bahamas on October 25. The system tracked westward with limited shower and thunderstorm activity, crossing Florida on October 26 before moving into the Gulf of Mexico. Once the system moved into the north-central Gulf, deep convection began to develop near its center, expanding in intensity and coverage near and after landfall in extreme southeast Mississippi. The small system accelerated rapidly to the north and northeast ahead of an approaching cold front, moving across the Tennessee Valley and central Appalachians before linking up with the front and becoming a weak extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are a group of cyclones defined as synoptic scale low pressure weather systems that occur in the middle latitudes of the Earth having neither tropical nor polar characteristics, and are connected with fronts and...
. The nontropical cyclone then moved through coastal New England.
Hurricane Klaus
Forming from a broad area of low pressure on November 5, Klaus maintained a northeast movement throughout much of its path. After making landfall on extreme eastern Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, it passed to the north of the Leeward Islands
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands in the West Indies. They are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. As a group they start east of Puerto Rico and reach southward to Dominica. They are situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
, resulting in strong southwesterly winds and rough seas. Klaus attained hurricane status and reached peak winds of 90 mph (145 km/h) before becoming extratropical over cooler waters on November 13. The storm dropped heavy rainfall in Puerto Rico, causing minor flooding and light damage. Klaus caused heavy marine damage in the Leeward Islands, including wrecking at least three ships. The Virgin Islands experienced heavy damage, as well. Damage from the storm totaled to $152 million (1984 USD), and the hurricane killed two on Dominica.
Hurricane Lili
Hurricane Lili was one of only four Atlantic tropical cyclones on record to reach hurricane status in the month of December. Lili developed as a subtropical cycloneSubtropical cyclone
A subtropical cyclone is a weather system that has some characteristics of a tropical and an extratropical cyclone. As early as the 1950s, meteorologists were unclear whether they should be characterized as tropical or extratropical cyclones. They were officially recognized by the National...
which originated from a frontal trough
Surface weather analysis
Surface weather analysis is a special type of weather map that provides a view of weather elements over a geographical area at a specified time based on information from ground-based weather stations...
to the south of Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
on December 12. It tracked southeastward, then northward, slowly attaining tropical characteristics
Tropical cyclogenesis
Tropical cyclogenesis is the term that describes the development and strengthening of a tropical cyclone in the atmosphere. The mechanisms through which tropical cyclogenesis occurs are distinctly different from those through which mid-latitude cyclogenesis occurs...
and becoming a hurricane on December 20. Lili turned to the south and southwest, briefly threatening the northern Caribbean
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
islands before weakening and dissipating near the coast of the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. Lili was the longest lasting tropical cyclone outside of the Atlantic hurricane season, as well as the strongest hurricane to form during the month of December. It briefly threatened to pass through the Leeward Islands
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands in the West Indies. They are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. As a group they start east of Puerto Rico and reach southward to Dominica. They are situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
as a minimal hurricane, though upon passing through the area as a dissipating tropical depression Lili produced light rainfall and no reported damage.
Storm names
The following names were used for named storms that formed in the north Atlantic in 1984. No names were retired, so the same list of names was used again in the 1990 season1990 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1990 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active Atlantic hurricane season since 1969. It officially began on June 1, 1990, and lasted until November 30, 1990. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin...
. This is the first time these names were used since the post-1978 naming change, except for Bertha and Fran which were previously used in 1957 and 1973. Names that were not assigned are marked in .
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Tropical Storm Isidore (1984) Tropical Storm Isidore was the 15th tropical cyclone and 9th named storm of the 1984 Atlantic hurricane season. Isidore formed as a tropical depression on September 25, while situated off the southeastern Bahamas. The depression headed west, and was upgraded to a tropical storm in the central... Hurricane Klaus (1984) Hurricane Klaus was an Atlantic hurricane that hit the Leeward Islands from the west in November of the 1984 Atlantic hurricane season. Forming from a broad area of low pressure on November 5, Klaus maintained a northeast movement throughout much of its path... Hurricane Lili (1984) Hurricane Lili was one of only five Atlantic tropical cyclones on record to reach hurricane status in the month of December. The final of thirteen tropical storms in the 1984 Atlantic hurricane season, Lili developed as a subtropical cyclone which originated from a frontal trough to the south of... |
Retirement
The World Meteorological OrganizationWorld Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 189 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873...
did not retire any names used in the 1984 season.
See also
- List of Atlantic hurricanes
- List of Atlantic hurricane seasons
- 1984 Pacific hurricane season1984 Pacific hurricane seasonThe 1984 Pacific hurricane season officially started May 15, 1984 in the eastern Pacific, and June 1, 1984 in the central Pacific, and lasted until November 30, 1984. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northeastern Pacific...
- 1984 Pacific typhoon season1984 Pacific typhoon seasonThe 1984 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between May and November. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean...
- 1984 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
- Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone seasons: 1983–84, 1984–85