Hurricane Abby (1960)
Encyclopedia
Hurricane Abby was the only tropical cyclone in the Caribbean Sea
during the 1960 Atlantic hurricane season
. The second tropical cyclone and first named storm season, Abby developed on July 10 from a tropical wave in the vicinity of the Lesser Antilles
. Abby rapidly intensified into a hurricane after being a tropical storm for less than six hours. It briefly peaked as a category 2 hurricane before weakening back. Abby rapidly weakened to a minimal tropical storm a few days thereafter. The storm re-strengthened into a hurricane as it began to parallel the coast of Honduras
. Hurricane Abby made landfall in British Honduras
(present-day Belize
) on July 15. Abby dissipated over Mexico
later the next day. The remnants of Abby ultimately became Hurricane Celeste in the Pacific Ocean
. Despite passing through or near several countries, Hurricane Abby had a relatively light impact on land, resulting in just $600,000 (1960 USD, $ USD) in damage and six fatalities.
s on July 9 reported the existence of a tropical cyclone. On July 9, it had operationally been classified as a tropical storm upon formation, though a later analysis revealed that it was only a tropical depression. The depression passed near Barbados
early on July 10 before rapidly intensifying into a hurricane. Hurricane Abby accelerated toward the west and made landfall in St. Lucia as a minimal category 1 hurricane. Abby emerged into the Caribbean Sea a few hours later. As it headed generally westward, it also gradually strengthened. By July 11, Hurricane Abby had attained peak intensity as a 100 mph (155 km/h) category 2 hurricane.
The intensity of Abby began to gradually level off, though it re-intensified slightly in the Caribbean, before eventually weakening further. Abby was downgraded to a tropical storm on the morning of July 13; it was center roughly 222 mi (357 km) south of Kingston, Jamaica
at the time. Just six hours thereafter, Abby had maximum sustained wind
s of only 45 mph (75 km/h). Abby re-intensified at a relatively quick pace, as it was near hurricane status again when it passed just to the north of Honduras on July 14.
Late on July 14, Abby had re-intensified into a hurricane. A few hours later, Abby passed over the island of Roatán
at about midnight (EDT
) on July 15. It made a third and final landfall on July 15 when it moved inland over British Honduras (presently known as Belize) as a minimal hurricane. Abby quickly weakened and was downgraded to a tropical storm only a few hours later over land. While Abby approached the border of Guatemala
and Mexico, it had weakened further to a tropical depression. Abby dissipated while situated over the Mexican state of Tabasco
on July 16. The remnants crossed over Mexico into the Pacific Ocean and regenerated into Hurricane Celeste on July 20. Hurricane Celeste lasted for two days in the Pacific before it dissipated on July 22.
to Guadeloupe
starting on July 10. Around 1600 UTC later that day, a hurricane watch was issued for the Virgin Islands
and Puerto Rico
. Several hours later, the watch was extended to include Dominican Republic
and Haiti
. All warnings were discontinued later, after the storm passed by.
Hurricane Abby bypassed Barbados a tropical depression, which resulted in minimal affects. Maximum sustained winds on Barbados were reported at 23 mph (57 km/h), while gusts were recorded up to 37 mph (60 km/h). There are no other affects are known on Barbados. St. Lucia had borne the brunt of the storm when Hurricane Abby made landfall as a category 1 hurricane. Rainfall on the island totaled at 6.80 in (172.7 mm). Tropical storm force winds were recorded on the island for the passage of Hurricane Abby on July 10, though there were no hurricane force winds reported. In addition, a roof collapsed in on a house, killing six of the residents living there. The passage of Hurricane Abby also resulted in $435,000 (1960 USD, $ USD) of damage on St. Lucia. Martinique
was near the path of Hurricane Abby, which resulted in some affects. The Martinique Aimé Césaire International Airport
in Fort-de-France
recorded rainfall at nearly three inches (76.2 mm), while rain in another village was measured at nearly four inches (101.2 mm). Winds on Martinique were also at least tropical storm force during the passage of Hurricane Abby. However, wind gusts on Martinique were around 75 mph (120 km/h), greater than that which was observed on St. Lucia. There were also damaged roads and bridges, mainly due to landslides. The island nation of Dominica
was also affected by Hurricane Abby. Hurricane Abby produced nearly six in (152.4 mm) of rain on the island. Winds were also similar to those that were measured on Barbados. Hurricane Abby left about $65,000 (1960 USD, $ USD) in damage to Dominica.
, Central America, and the Yucatan Peninsula
were also to remain on alert during the passage of Abby. The U.S. Weather Bureau later warned citizens in British Honduras and Honduras to "take all precautions for the protection of life and property against dangerous winds and abnormally high seas".
Hurricane Abby also produced 1.62 in (41.14 mm) of rain on Swan Island
. On the islands north of Honduras, reports were received until winds reached 52 mph (83.7 km/h), and then communications were lost. In Belize City, which was 75 mi (120.7 km) north of where Abby made landfall, wind gusts were reported to 35 mph (55 km/h). Although Abby nearly made landfall in Honduras and eventually entered Mexico, no effects were reported, but the U.S. Weather Bureau believed that flooding and seas of at least 5 ft (1.5 m) above normal.
Throughout its path, Abby caused only about $600,000 (1960 USD, $ USD) in damage and six fatalities.
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....
during the 1960 Atlantic hurricane season
1960 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1960 Atlantic hurricane season was the least active Atlantic hurricane season since 1952. The season officially began on June 15, 1960, and lasted until November 15, 1960. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin...
. The second tropical cyclone and first named storm season, Abby developed on July 10 from a tropical wave in the vicinity of the Lesser Antilles
Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles are a long, partly volcanic island arc in the Western Hemisphere. Most of its islands form the eastern boundary of the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, with the remainder located in the southern Caribbean just north of South America...
. Abby rapidly intensified into a hurricane after being a tropical storm for less than six hours. It briefly peaked as a category 2 hurricane before weakening back. Abby rapidly weakened to a minimal tropical storm a few days thereafter. The storm re-strengthened into a hurricane as it began to parallel the coast of Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
. Hurricane Abby made landfall in British Honduras
British Honduras
British Honduras was a British colony that is now the independent nation of Belize.First colonised by Spaniards in the 17th century, the territory on the east coast of Central America, south of Mexico, became a British crown colony from 1862 until 1964, when it became self-governing. Belize became...
(present-day Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
) on July 15. Abby dissipated over Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
later the next day. The remnants of Abby ultimately became Hurricane Celeste in the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. Despite passing through or near several countries, Hurricane Abby had a relatively light impact on land, resulting in just $600,000 (1960 USD, $ USD) in damage and six fatalities.
Meteorological history
The origins of Hurricane Abby were possibly from a tropical wave that moved in the vicinity of the Lesser Antilles in early July 1960. Ships and a few weather stationWeather station
A weather station is a facility, either on land or sea, with instruments and equipment for observing atmospheric conditions to provide information for weather forecasts and to study the weather and climate. The measurements taken include temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, wind speed, wind...
s on July 9 reported the existence of a tropical cyclone. On July 9, it had operationally been classified as a tropical storm upon formation, though a later analysis revealed that it was only a tropical depression. The depression passed near Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
early on July 10 before rapidly intensifying into a hurricane. Hurricane Abby accelerated toward the west and made landfall in St. Lucia as a minimal category 1 hurricane. Abby emerged into the Caribbean Sea a few hours later. As it headed generally westward, it also gradually strengthened. By July 11, Hurricane Abby had attained peak intensity as a 100 mph (155 km/h) category 2 hurricane.
The intensity of Abby began to gradually level off, though it re-intensified slightly in the Caribbean, before eventually weakening further. Abby was downgraded to a tropical storm on the morning of July 13; it was center roughly 222 mi (357 km) south of Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
at the time. Just six hours thereafter, Abby had maximum sustained wind
Maximum sustained wind
The maximum sustained winds associated with a tropical cyclone are a common indicator of the intensity of the storm. Within a mature tropical cyclone, they are found within the eyewall at a distance defined as the radius of maximum wind, or RMW. Unlike gusts, the value of these winds are...
s of only 45 mph (75 km/h). Abby re-intensified at a relatively quick pace, as it was near hurricane status again when it passed just to the north of Honduras on July 14.
Late on July 14, Abby had re-intensified into a hurricane. A few hours later, Abby passed over the island of Roatán
Roatán
Roatán, located between the islands of Útila and Guanaja, is the largest of Honduras' Bay Islands. The island was formerly known as Ruatan and Rattan...
at about midnight (EDT
Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
) on July 15. It made a third and final landfall on July 15 when it moved inland over British Honduras (presently known as Belize) as a minimal hurricane. Abby quickly weakened and was downgraded to a tropical storm only a few hours later over land. While Abby approached the border of Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
and Mexico, it had weakened further to a tropical depression. Abby dissipated while situated over the Mexican state of Tabasco
Tabasco
Tabasco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tabasco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 17 municipalities and its capital city is Villahermosa....
on July 16. The remnants crossed over Mexico into the Pacific Ocean and regenerated into Hurricane Celeste on July 20. Hurricane Celeste lasted for two days in the Pacific before it dissipated on July 22.
Lesser Antilles
There were many watches and warning issued during the passage of Hurricane Abby throughout the Caribbean. Some gale warnings were issued from the GrenadinesGrenadines
The Grenadines is a Caribbean island chain of over 600 islands in the Windward Islands.-Geographic boundaries:They are divided between the island nations of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada. They lie between the islands of Saint Vincent in the north and Grenada in the south. Neither...
to Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe is an archipelago located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres and a population of 400,000. It is the first overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe...
starting on July 10. Around 1600 UTC later that day, a hurricane watch was issued for the Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands are the western island group of the Leeward Islands, which are the northern part of the Lesser Antilles, which form the border between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean...
and Puerto Rico
Puerto 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...
. Several hours later, the watch was extended to include 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...
and Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
. All warnings were discontinued later, after the storm passed by.
Hurricane Abby bypassed Barbados a tropical depression, which resulted in minimal affects. Maximum sustained winds on Barbados were reported at 23 mph (57 km/h), while gusts were recorded up to 37 mph (60 km/h). There are no other affects are known on Barbados. St. Lucia had borne the brunt of the storm when Hurricane Abby made landfall as a category 1 hurricane. Rainfall on the island totaled at 6.80 in (172.7 mm). Tropical storm force winds were recorded on the island for the passage of Hurricane Abby on July 10, though there were no hurricane force winds reported. In addition, a roof collapsed in on a house, killing six of the residents living there. The passage of Hurricane Abby also resulted in $435,000 (1960 USD, $ USD) of damage on St. Lucia. Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
was near the path of Hurricane Abby, which resulted in some affects. The Martinique Aimé Césaire International Airport
Martinique Aimé Césaire International Airport
Martinique Aimé Césaire International Airport is the international airport of Martinique in the French West Indies. Located in Le Lamentin, a suburb of the capital Fort-de-France, it was opened in 1950 and renamed in 2007 after author and politician Aimé Césaire.- Passenger airlines :- Charter :-...
in Fort-de-France
Fort-de-France
Fort-de-France is the capital of France's Caribbean overseas department of Martinique. It is also one of the major cities in the Caribbean. Exports include sugar, rum, tinned fruit, and cacao.-Geography:...
recorded rainfall at nearly three inches (76.2 mm), while rain in another village was measured at nearly four inches (101.2 mm). Winds on Martinique were also at least tropical storm force during the passage of Hurricane Abby. However, wind gusts on Martinique were around 75 mph (120 km/h), greater than that which was observed on St. Lucia. There were also damaged roads and bridges, mainly due to landslides. The island nation of Dominica
Dominica
Dominica , officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles region of the Caribbean Sea, south-southeast of Guadeloupe and northwest of Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth...
was also affected by Hurricane Abby. Hurricane Abby produced nearly six in (152.4 mm) of rain on the island. Winds were also similar to those that were measured on Barbados. Hurricane Abby left about $65,000 (1960 USD, $ USD) in damage to Dominica.
Greater Antilles and Central America
It was initially believed that Abby would affect Jamaica with gale force winds and heavy rainfall, and the U.S. Weather Bureau noted that "interests" on the island should monitor the progress of the storm. However, Abby remained far south of the island, and the impact it had on the island, if any, is unknown. Citizens of the Cayman IslandsCayman Islands
The Cayman Islands is a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union located in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, located south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica...
, Central America, and the Yucatan Peninsula
Yucatán Peninsula
The Yucatán Peninsula, in southeastern Mexico, separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico, with the northern coastline on the Yucatán Channel...
were also to remain on alert during the passage of Abby. The U.S. Weather Bureau later warned citizens in British Honduras and Honduras to "take all precautions for the protection of life and property against dangerous winds and abnormally high seas".
Hurricane Abby also produced 1.62 in (41.14 mm) of rain on Swan Island
Swan Island
-Australia:* Little Swan Island, Tasmania, Australia* Swan Island , Australia* Swan Island , Australia-Falkland Islands:* Swan Islands, Falkland Islands* Weddell Island, formerly Swan Island, Falkland Islands-United Kingdom:...
. On the islands north of Honduras, reports were received until winds reached 52 mph (83.7 km/h), and then communications were lost. In Belize City, which was 75 mi (120.7 km) north of where Abby made landfall, wind gusts were reported to 35 mph (55 km/h). Although Abby nearly made landfall in Honduras and eventually entered Mexico, no effects were reported, but the U.S. Weather Bureau believed that flooding and seas of at least 5 ft (1.5 m) above normal.
Throughout its path, Abby caused only about $600,000 (1960 USD, $ USD) in damage and six fatalities.