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Hurricane Emmy (1976)
Encyclopedia
Hurricane Emmy was the longest-lived hurricane
of the 1976 Atlantic hurricane season
. The fifth tropical cyclone and the third hurricane of the season, Emmy developed from a tropical wave
on August 20 to the east of the Lesser Antilles
. After changing its direction three times over several days, during which it reached a peak intensity of 105 mph (170 km/h), it turned to the east and slowly weakened. Emmy passed through the Azores
on September 3, and a day later it was absorbed by approaching Hurricane Frances.
Emmy passed within 135 miles (215 km) of the Lesser Antilles, though only minor effects were experienced. No damage was reported in the Azores
, though strong winds from the hurricane caused a Venezuela
n air force flight to crash near Lajes Field
, killing all 68 aboard.
moved off the coast of Africa
between August 15 to August 16. The wave moved westward at 15 to 20 mph (24 to 32 km/h), and developed convection along the wave axis. It slowly organized, developing a low-level circulation, and formed into a tropical depression on August 20 while located about 775 miles (1,250 km) east of Barbados
. A reconnaissance aircraft
flight into the system on August 21 confirmed the existence of a depression, which reported winds of only 23 mph (37 km/h) with a pressure of 1,012 mbar
. The depression slowly strengthened and organized, and after turning to the west-northwest it intensified into Tropical Storm Emmy on August 22 while located 370 miles (600 km) east-northeast of Guadeloupe
. The tropical wave from which Emmy developed from continued westward through the Caribbean Sea
and ultimately developed into Tropical Storm Joanna in the eastern Pacific Ocean
.
Tropical Storm Emmy turned more to the northwest, and passed about 135 miles (220 km) northeast of Barbuda
on August 23. The rapid development of an unseasonable frontal
low pressure system
to the northeast of the storm turned Emmy sharply east-northeastward on August 25. Its eastward movement at such a low latitude for the time of year was unprecedented. The storm steadily intensified and Emmy attained hurricane status later on the 25th while located 270 miles (430 km) north of Barbuda. After moving eastward for about 24 hours, the Westerlies
retreated northward, and Emmy turned gradually to the northwest.
A strong ridge
over the north Atlantic Ocean
turned Emmy sharply eastward on August 29. The hurricane continued to strengthen, and Emmy attained a peak intensity of 105 mph (170 km/h) shortly after turning to the east while located 500 miles (800 km) northeast of Bermuda
. The hurricane maintained its peak intensity for 42 hours while moving eastward at 17 mph (27 km/h), and slowly weakened after peaking in strength. On September 1, Emmy turned to the east-southeast, and a day later it turned to the northeast as its forward motion decreased. Emmy passed through the Azores
on September 3, and the following day it became extratropical to the north of the islands. The extratropical remnant persisted another six hours before being absorbed by approaching Hurricane Frances.
Initially, the path of Emmy was uncertain whether it would affect the Lesser Antilles
. As a result, officials issued a hurricane watch
for the northeastern Leeward Islands
. The warning was cancelled when the storm turned more to the north, with the outer fringes of the hurricane slightly impacting Antigua
. Several ships experienced rough seas and strong winds from Emmy, though none reported any damage. After Emmy turned to the west for the final time, forecasters at the National Hurricane Center
considered the hurricane not a real threat to land, though they indicated it had a remote chance to affect land masses. The hurricane also posed a threat to the island of Bermuda
initially, though it remained away from the island. Two days before Emmy passed through the Azores
, the National Hurricane Center advised citizens there to closely monitor the progress of the storm. No damage reports exist from the Azores, though it was likely not severe.
On September 3, a C-130 Hercules
air force flight left Caracas
, Venezuela
for Spain
, with a flight crew of 10 and 58 members of the Central University of Venezuela
choir. That night, heavy rainfall from the hurricane forced the plane to land on the Azores
island of Terceira Island
. After attempting twice to land in hurricane force winds, the plane crashed in a hill one mile from the runway of Lajes Field
, killing all 68 aboard.
Atlantic hurricane
North Atlantic tropical cyclones usually form in the northern hemisphere summer or fall. Tropical cyclones can be categorized by intensity. Tropical storms have one-minute maximum sustained winds of at least 39 mph , while hurricanes have one-minute maximum sustained exceeding 74 mph...
of the 1976 Atlantic hurricane season
1976 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1976 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1976, and lasted until November 30, 1976. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin...
. The fifth tropical cyclone and the third hurricane of the season, Emmy developed from a tropical wave
Tropical wave
Tropical waves, easterly waves, or tropical easterly waves, also known as African easterly waves in the Atlantic region, are a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which move from east to west across the tropics causing areas of...
on August 20 to the east 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...
. After changing its direction three times over several days, during which it reached a peak intensity of 105 mph (170 km/h), it turned to the east and slowly weakened. Emmy passed through the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
on September 3, and a day later it was absorbed by approaching Hurricane Frances.
Emmy passed within 135 miles (215 km) of the Lesser Antilles, though only minor effects were experienced. No damage was reported in the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
, though strong winds from the hurricane caused a Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n air force flight to crash near Lajes Field
Lajes Field
Lajes Field or Lajes Air Base , officially designated Air Base No. 4 , is a multi-use air field, home to the Portuguese Air Force Base Aérea Nº4 and Azores Air Zone Command , a United States Air Force detachment , and a regional air passenger terminal located near Lajes...
, killing all 68 aboard.
Meteorological history
A tropical waveTropical wave
Tropical waves, easterly waves, or tropical easterly waves, also known as African easterly waves in the Atlantic region, are a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which move from east to west across the tropics causing areas of...
moved off the coast of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
between August 15 to August 16. The wave moved westward at 15 to 20 mph (24 to 32 km/h), and developed convection along the wave axis. It slowly organized, developing a low-level circulation, and formed into a tropical depression on August 20 while located about 775 miles (1,250 km) east of 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...
. A reconnaissance aircraft
Hurricane 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...
flight into the system on August 21 confirmed the existence of a depression, which reported winds of only 23 mph (37 km/h) with a pressure of 1,012 mbar
Bar (unit)
The bar is a unit of pressure equal to 100 kilopascals, and roughly equal to the atmospheric pressure on Earth at sea level. Other units derived from the bar are the megabar , kilobar , decibar , centibar , and millibar...
. The depression slowly strengthened and organized, and after turning to the west-northwest it intensified into Tropical Storm Emmy on August 22 while located 370 miles (600 km) east-northeast of 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...
. The tropical wave from which Emmy developed from continued westward through the Caribbean Sea
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....
and ultimately developed into Tropical Storm Joanna in the eastern 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...
.
Tropical Storm Emmy turned more to the northwest, and passed about 135 miles (220 km) northeast of Barbuda
Barbuda
Barbuda is an island in the Eastern Caribbean, and forms part of the state of Antigua and Barbuda. It has a population of about 1,500, most of whom live in the town of Codrington.-Location:...
on August 23. The rapid development of an unseasonable frontal
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...
low pressure system
Low pressure area
A low-pressure area, or "low", is a region where the atmospheric pressure at sea level is below that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure systems form under areas of wind divergence which occur in upper levels of the troposphere. The formation process of a low-pressure area is known as...
to the northeast of the storm turned Emmy sharply east-northeastward on August 25. Its eastward movement at such a low latitude for the time of year was unprecedented. The storm steadily intensified and Emmy attained hurricane status later on the 25th while located 270 miles (430 km) north of Barbuda. After moving eastward for about 24 hours, the Westerlies
Westerlies
The Westerlies, anti-trades, or Prevailing Westerlies, are the prevailing winds in the middle latitudes between 30 and 60 degrees latitude, blowing from the high pressure area in the horse latitudes towards the poles. These prevailing winds blow from the west to the east, and steer extratropical...
retreated northward, and Emmy turned gradually to the northwest.
A strong ridge
Ridge (meteorology)
A ridge is an elongated region of relatively high atmospheric pressure, the opposite of a trough....
over the north Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
turned Emmy sharply eastward on August 29. The hurricane continued to strengthen, and Emmy attained a peak intensity of 105 mph (170 km/h) shortly after turning to the east while located 500 miles (800 km) northeast 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...
. The hurricane maintained its peak intensity for 42 hours while moving eastward at 17 mph (27 km/h), and slowly weakened after peaking in strength. On September 1, Emmy turned to the east-southeast, and a day later it turned to the northeast as its forward motion decreased. Emmy passed through the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
on September 3, and the following day it became extratropical to the north of the islands. The extratropical remnant persisted another six hours before being absorbed by approaching Hurricane Frances.
Impact and preparations
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...
. As a result, officials issued a hurricane watch
Tropical cyclone warnings and watches
Warnings and watches are two levels of alert issued by national weather forecasting bodies to coastal areas threatened by the imminent approach of a tropical cyclone of tropical storm or hurricane intensity. They are notices to the local population and civil authorities to make appropriate...
for the northeastern 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...
. The warning was cancelled when the storm turned more to the north, with the outer fringes of the hurricane slightly impacting Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
. Several ships experienced rough seas and strong winds from Emmy, though none reported any damage. After Emmy turned to the west for the final time, forecasters at the National Hurricane Center
National Hurricane Center
The National Hurricane Center , located at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, is the division of the National Weather Service responsible for tracking and predicting weather systems within the tropics between the Prime Meridian and the 140th meridian west poleward to the 30th...
considered the hurricane not a real threat to land, though they indicated it had a remote chance to affect land masses. The hurricane also posed a threat to the island 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...
initially, though it remained away from the island. Two days before Emmy passed through the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
, the National Hurricane Center advised citizens there to closely monitor the progress of the storm. No damage reports exist from the Azores, though it was likely not severe.
On September 3, a C-130 Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
air force flight left Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
for Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, with a flight crew of 10 and 58 members of the Central University of Venezuela
Central University of Venezuela
The Central University of Venezuela is a premier public University of Venezuela located in Caracas...
choir. That night, heavy rainfall from the hurricane forced the plane to land on the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
island of Terceira Island
Terceira Island
Referred to as the “Ilha Lilás” , Terceira is an island in the Azores archipelago, in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the larger islands of the archipelago, with a population of 56,000 inhabitants in an area of approximately 396.75 km²...
. After attempting twice to land in hurricane force winds, the plane crashed in a hill one mile from the runway of Lajes Field
Lajes Field
Lajes Field or Lajes Air Base , officially designated Air Base No. 4 , is a multi-use air field, home to the Portuguese Air Force Base Aérea Nº4 and Azores Air Zone Command , a United States Air Force detachment , and a regional air passenger terminal located near Lajes...
, killing all 68 aboard.