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Hurricane Gustav (1990)
Encyclopedia
Hurricane Gustav was the only major hurricane to form during the 1990 Atlantic hurricane season
. Developing out of a tropical wave
on August 24, Gustav tracked westward across the Atlantic Ocean
, steadily intensifying. The storm reached hurricane-status on August 26 and reached its initial peak intensity as a strong Category 2 hurricane the following day. After turning towards the north and weakening due to increased wind shear
, the storm encountered more favorable conditions and re-intensified, attaining peak winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) around 0600 UTC on August 31. Gradual weakening took place in the following days. on September 2, the former hurricane underwent an extratropical transition
and dissipated shortly after completing it. At that time, the system was located roughly 230 miles (370 km) south of Iceland
.
Hurricane Gustav initially posed a significant threat to the Lesser Antilles which had already suffered severe damages from Hurricane Hugo
in 1989. Several watches and warnings
were issued for the islands between August 26 and 27; however, due to the northward turn, Gustav did not directly impact the region. Only light rain and large swells were reported. Offshore, a ship encountered the storm and sustained hull damage.
that moved off the western coast of Africa on August 18. Shortly after, the system became embedded within the Intertropical Convergence Zone
and tracked westward across the Atlantic Ocean
. By August 23, the system began to intensify while convective activity
become consolidated around the center of circulation
. By 0600 UTC on August 24, the National Hurricane Center
(NHC) estimated that the wave spawned Tropical Depression Eight roughly 965 miles (1,555 km) east of Barbados
. A weak ridge of high pressure
to the north of the depression led to a general westward movement of the system. Gradually strengthening, the depression was upgraded to a tropical storm early on August 25, at which time it was given the name Gustav.
A cold-core low
pressure system near Gustav was forecast to have an effect on the development of the system; however, the tropical storm continued to intensify, attaining hurricane status around 1200 UTC on August 26. Not long after attaining hurricane-status, the ridge steering Gustav to the west began to break down, causing the hurricane to slowly turn towards the north. By 0600 UTC on August 27, the storm attained Category 2 intensity, with winds of 100 mph (155 km/h). Later that day, the storm made its closest approach to the Lesser Antilles, passing 205 miles (330 km) to the east. By this time, hurricane and tropical storm-force winds extended 35 miles (55 km) and 175 miles (280 km) from the center respectively.
Tracking towards the north, Hurricane Gustav slightly weakened due to increasing wind shear
, with winds decreasing to 80 mph (130 km/h) early on August 29. A trough
located near Bermuda
and the ridge located to the east of the hurricane kept Gustav on a northward track. The following day, the hurricane re-intensified and again reached Category 2 status. Early on August 31, Gustav further developed into a major hurricane, a storm with winds of 111 mph (178 km/h) or higher. Around this time, Gustav began to interact with the nearby Tropical Storm Hortense, located roughly 460 miles (740 km) from Gustav. This initiated a Fujiwhara interaction
between the two storms, causing Hortense to track counterclockwise around the more intense Gustav. Around 0600 UTC on August 31, Hurricane Gustav reached its peak intensity with winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 956 mbar (hPa; 28.23 inHg), making it the strongest storm of the season. At this time, the storm was located about 450 miles (725 km) east of Bermuda.
Throughout September 1, the storm weakened and the following day, it began to track towards the north-northeast as the ridge located to the east of it strengthened. Additionally, nearby ship reports of sustained winds indicated that tropical storm-force winds extended 230 miles (370 km) northwest of the center of circulation. The trough located west of Gustav began accelerating late on September 2, causing the hurricane to track towards the northeast, away from Newfoundland. Around 1800 UTC, Gustav weakened to a tropical storm, as winds decreased to 70 mph (110 km/h). By this time, Gustav had entered the Canadian Hurricane Centre
s area of responsibility, leading to them initiating advisories on the weakening storm. Early the next day, the former hurricane underwent and completed an extratropical transition
. The last notice on the remnants of Gustav were while the system was located roughly 230 miles (370 km) south of Iceland
.
issued hurricane watches
for Dominica
, Martinique
, St. Martin, Anguilla
, Guadeloupe
, Antigua
, Barbuda
, Montserrat
, and St. Kitts and Nevis. Six hours later, the watch was upgraded to a hurricane warning for Guadeloupe, Antigua, Barbuda, Montserrat, and St. Kitts and Nevis. Local meteorological agencies on the islands also declared small craft advisories. The local government in Montserrat mobilized the 100 member police force and 50 off-duty volunteer army members. Supermarkets, hardware stores, banks, and pharmacies were specially opened for residents to purchase plywood, canned food, bottled water, and other hurricane kit items. Around 1300 UTC on August 27, the hurricane watch for Dominica and Martinique was discontinued as Gustav no longer posed a direct threat to the islands. Three hours later, all watches and warnings were discontinued except for Antigua and Barbuda where a tropical storm warning and St. Martin where a tropical storm watch were in place. By 1900 UTC, once Hurricane Gustav turned towards the north away from the Lesser Antilles, all watches and warnings were discontinued.
Gustav had only effects on the Lesser Antilles. Large swells, light rain, and gusty winds were reported along the outer fringes of the hurricane. On August 30, the Egyptian motorship Raseltin encountered rough seas in relation to Gustav, and the hull of the ship was damaged. The remnants of Gustav severely impacted a seismic research operation off the coast of the United Kingdom
which took place between August 25 and September 12. The purpose of the operation was to collect seismic reflection profiles of the Rockfall Plateau. On September 3, the members of the team had to quickly retrieve all buoys that were deployed to avoid damage to the sensors. However, some of the research tools were damaged before they were recovered. In all, the storm delayed the project by two days.
1990 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...
. Developing out of 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 24, Gustav tracked westward across the 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...
, steadily intensifying. The storm reached hurricane-status on August 26 and reached its initial peak intensity as a strong Category 2 hurricane the following day. After turning towards the north and weakening due to increased 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...
, the storm encountered more favorable conditions and re-intensified, attaining peak winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) around 0600 UTC on August 31. Gradual weakening took place in the following days. on September 2, the former hurricane underwent an extratropical transition
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...
and dissipated shortly after completing it. At that time, the system was located roughly 230 miles (370 km) south of Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
.
Hurricane Gustav initially posed a significant threat to the Lesser Antilles which had already suffered severe damages from Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo was a classical, destructive and rare Cape Verde-type hurricane which struck the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe, Montserrat, St. Croix, Puerto Rico and the USA mainland in South Carolina as a Category 4 hurricane during September of the 1989 Atlantic hurricane season...
in 1989. Several watches and warnings
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...
were issued for the islands between August 26 and 27; however, due to the northward turn, Gustav did not directly impact the region. Only light rain and large swells were reported. Offshore, a ship encountered the storm and sustained hull damage.
Meteorological history
Hurricane Gustav originated out of 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...
that moved off the western coast of Africa on August 18. Shortly after, the system became embedded within the Intertropical Convergence Zone
Intertropical Convergence Zone
The Intertropical Convergence Zone , known by sailors as The Doldrums, is the area encircling the earth near the equator where winds originating in the northern and southern hemispheres come together....
and tracked westward across the 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...
. By August 23, the system began to intensify while convective activity
Atmospheric convection
Atmospheric convection is the result of a parcel-environment instability, or temperature difference, layer in the atmosphere. Different lapse rates within dry and moist air lead to instability. Mixing of air during the day which expands the height of the planetary boundary layer leads to...
become consolidated around the center of circulation
Eye (cyclone)
The eye is a region of mostly calm weather found at the center of strong tropical cyclones. The eye of a storm is a roughly circular area and typically 30–65 km in diameter. It is surrounded by the eyewall, a ring of towering thunderstorms where the second most severe weather of a cyclone...
. By 0600 UTC on August 24, 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...
(NHC) estimated that the wave spawned Tropical Depression Eight roughly 965 miles (1,555 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 weak ridge of high pressure
High pressure area
A high-pressure area is a region where the atmospheric pressure at the surface of the planet is greater than its surrounding environment. Winds within high-pressure areas flow outward due to the higher density air near their center and friction with land...
to the north of the depression led to a general westward movement of the system. Gradually strengthening, the depression was upgraded to a tropical storm early on August 25, at which time it was given the name Gustav.
A cold-core low
Cold-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...
pressure system near Gustav was forecast to have an effect on the development of the system; however, the tropical storm continued to intensify, attaining hurricane status around 1200 UTC on August 26. Not long after attaining hurricane-status, the ridge steering Gustav to the west began to break down, causing the hurricane to slowly turn towards the north. By 0600 UTC on August 27, the storm attained Category 2 intensity, with winds of 100 mph (155 km/h). Later that day, the storm made its closest approach to the Lesser Antilles, passing 205 miles (330 km) to the east. By this time, hurricane and tropical storm-force winds extended 35 miles (55 km) and 175 miles (280 km) from the center respectively.
Tracking towards the north, Hurricane Gustav slightly weakened due to increasing 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...
, with winds decreasing to 80 mph (130 km/h) early on August 29. A trough
Trough (meteorology)
A trough is an elongated region of relatively low atmospheric pressure, often associated with fronts.Unlike fronts, there is not a universal symbol for a trough on a weather chart. The weather charts in some countries or regions mark troughs by a line. In the United States, a trough may be marked...
located near 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...
and the ridge located to the east of the hurricane kept Gustav on a northward track. The following day, the hurricane re-intensified and again reached Category 2 status. Early on August 31, Gustav further developed into a major hurricane, a storm with winds of 111 mph (178 km/h) or higher. Around this time, Gustav began to interact with the nearby Tropical Storm Hortense, located roughly 460 miles (740 km) from Gustav. This initiated a Fujiwhara interaction
Fujiwhara effect
The Fujiwhara effect or Fujiwara interaction, named after Sakuhei Fujiwhara, is a type of interaction between two nearby cyclonic vortices, causing them to appear to "orbit" each other.-Description:...
between the two storms, causing Hortense to track counterclockwise around the more intense Gustav. Around 0600 UTC on August 31, Hurricane Gustav reached its peak intensity with winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 956 mbar (hPa; 28.23 inHg), making it the strongest storm of the season. At this time, the storm was located about 450 miles (725 km) east of Bermuda.
Throughout September 1, the storm weakened and the following day, it began to track towards the north-northeast as the ridge located to the east of it strengthened. Additionally, nearby ship reports of sustained winds indicated that tropical storm-force winds extended 230 miles (370 km) northwest of the center of circulation. The trough located west of Gustav began accelerating late on September 2, causing the hurricane to track towards the northeast, away from Newfoundland. Around 1800 UTC, Gustav weakened to a tropical storm, as winds decreased to 70 mph (110 km/h). By this time, Gustav had entered the Canadian Hurricane Centre
Canadian Hurricane Centre
The Canadian Hurricane Centre is a division of the Meteorological Service of Canada, an agency of Canada's Department of the Environment, which exists to advise Canadians on the threat of tropical cyclones such as hurricanes and tropical storms...
s area of responsibility, leading to them initiating advisories on the weakening storm. Early the next day, the former hurricane underwent and completed an extratropical transition
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 last notice on the remnants of Gustav were while the system was located roughly 230 miles (370 km) south of Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
.
Preparations and impact
At around 1600 UTC on August 26, the National Hurricane CenterNational 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...
issued hurricane watches
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 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...
, 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...
, St. Martin, Anguilla
Anguilla
Anguilla is a British overseas territory and overseas territory of the European Union in the Caribbean. It is one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, lying east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and directly north of Saint Martin...
, 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...
, 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...
, 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:...
, Montserrat
Montserrat
Montserrat is a British overseas territory located in the Leeward Islands, part of the chain of islands called the Lesser Antilles in the West Indies. This island measures approximately long and wide, giving of coastline...
, and St. Kitts and Nevis. Six hours later, the watch was upgraded to a hurricane warning for Guadeloupe, Antigua, Barbuda, Montserrat, and St. Kitts and Nevis. Local meteorological agencies on the islands also declared small craft advisories. The local government in Montserrat mobilized the 100 member police force and 50 off-duty volunteer army members. Supermarkets, hardware stores, banks, and pharmacies were specially opened for residents to purchase plywood, canned food, bottled water, and other hurricane kit items. Around 1300 UTC on August 27, the hurricane watch for Dominica and Martinique was discontinued as Gustav no longer posed a direct threat to the islands. Three hours later, all watches and warnings were discontinued except for Antigua and Barbuda where a tropical storm warning and St. Martin where a tropical storm watch were in place. By 1900 UTC, once Hurricane Gustav turned towards the north away from the Lesser Antilles, all watches and warnings were discontinued.
Gustav had only effects on the Lesser Antilles. Large swells, light rain, and gusty winds were reported along the outer fringes of the hurricane. On August 30, the Egyptian motorship Raseltin encountered rough seas in relation to Gustav, and the hull of the ship was damaged. The remnants of Gustav severely impacted a seismic research operation off the coast of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
which took place between August 25 and September 12. The purpose of the operation was to collect seismic reflection profiles of the Rockfall Plateau. On September 3, the members of the team had to quickly retrieve all buoys that were deployed to avoid damage to the sensors. However, some of the research tools were damaged before they were recovered. In all, the storm delayed the project by two days.
See also
- Other storms named Gustav