1934 Central America Hurricane
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1934 Central America Hurricane
Category 1 hurricane
Formed
June 4, 1934
Dissipated
June 21, 1934
Highest
winds
80 mph sustained
Lowest
pressure
996 mbar (hPa)
Damages
$2.6 million (1934 USD)
$37.2 million (2005 USD)
Fatalities
1,000–3000 direct
Areas
affected
Belize, Mexico, Guatemala,
Honduras, Louisiana, Maryland,
New England
Part of the 1934 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1934 Central America Hurricane is among the deadliest hurricanes on record.
Although a weak hurricane, killed 1,000-3,000 people, mainly from landslides in
Central America, and spawned eight tornadoes when it made landfall in Louisiana.
[edit]
Storm history
Storm path
The storm formed in the Gulf of Honduras on June 4, a typical site of formation for
June Atlantic tropical cyclones. It moved to the west-southwest, and made landfall in
Belize (then known as British Honduras) on June 5. The storm maintained tropical
storm strength over land as it executed a counter-clockwise loop over Guatemala, El
Salvador, and Honduras. On the 8th, the storm again reached the Caribbean Sea, and
briefly reached minimal hurricane strength off the coast of Belize on June 8. It
paralleled the coastline before making landfall on the Yucatan Peninsula on the 9th.
Over the next two days the storm tracked to the west-northwest before executing a
second loop in the Gulf of Mexico on June 12. On the 15th it turned to the northeast,
causing hurricane warnings to be issued along the Louisiana coast. The small hurricane
made landfall on June 16 near Morgan City, Louisiana with winds of 75 mph, and
quickly weakened over land. The storm accellerated to the northeast through the Ohio
Valley before becoming extratropical near Virginia on June 19. The extratropical storm
continued through the Mid-Atlantic states and New England before dissipating over
northeastern Quebec.
[edit]
Impact
The worst-hit area from the storm was Honduras, though other parts of Central America
were affected as well. The town of Ocotepeque in Honduras was devastated by the
floods and landslides, with one report estimating rain totals up to 25 inches. The town's
church was the only building left standing after the floods; about 500 people were
killed. In all, Honduras received a catastropic blow from this storm, with death toll
estimates between 1,000 and 3,000 people.
The storm killed six people in Louisiana. Two children were killed when they were
swept off their makeshif raft in the heavy seas, a man died in an automobile accident
near Iberia, Lousisiana, another person drowned when he tried to swim in Bayou
Plauqemine, and one other died in the storm. Between 75 and 150 homes were
destroyed; 1,500 others remained uninhabitable. In all there was $2.605 million (1934
US dollars, $37.2 million in 2005 USD) in damage.
Hurricane Francelia
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Hurricane Francelia
Category 3 hurricane
Formed
August 29, 1969
Dissipated
September 4, 1969
Highest
winds
115 mph sustained
Lowest
pressure
973 mbar (hPa)
Damages
$4.7+ million (1969 USD)
$24.9+ million (2005 USD)
Fatalities
100
Areas
affected
Leeward Islands, Honduras,
Guatemala, Belize
Part of the 1969 Atlantic hurricane season
Hurricane Francelia was the second-deadliest hurricane of the 1969 Atlantic hurricane
season behind Hurricane Camille, killing 100 people as it made landfall on Central
America.
[edit]
Storm history
Storm path
A tropical wave exited the coast of Africa on August 19. There were indications the
wave possibly contained a tropical depression, but as it moved rapidly westward, it
failed to organize significantly. A great increase of convection led to the formation of a
tropical depression on August 29 over the southern Windward Islands in an area where
tropical cyclone formation is rare. Its upper level environment became more favorable
as it moved west-northwestward through the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea, and the
depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Francelia on August 30 while 250 miles
south of Haiti.
Francelia's rapid movement continued, causing the surface circulation and its
convection to separate, halting significant development. The storm slowed in the
western Caribbean Sea, and turned more to the west and west-southwest due to building
pressures to the north. Intensification continued, and Francelia attained hurricane status
on September 1. The next day, it quickly strengthened to a 115 mph major hurricane as
it passed Swan Island, but proximity to land in the western Caribbean Sea prevented
further strengthening.
The hurricane slowed as it continued to the west-southwest, and weakened slightly
while traversing the Gulf of Honduras. Gale force winds occurred from Belize
southward, and late on September 3, Francelia finally made landfall on southern Belize.
It rapidly weakened over land, and dissipated on the 4th. The remnants continued
slowly westward, crossing Central America in 3 days before emerging into the eastern
Pacific. That disturbance eventually became Hurricane Glenda, which would dissipate
on September 12 after paralleling the Mexican coastline.
[edit]
Impact
When Francelia nearly stalled off the coast of Central America, it brought prolonged
rainfall and extensive flooding. Mountain flooding resulted in overflown rivers, with the
Belize River rising to over 36 feet above normal. The storm affected thousands of
people and caused extensive damage to crops, amounting to over $4.7 million in
damage (1969 USD, $24.9 million 2005 USD).
The rainfall values for Francelia were moderate to severe, amounting to a peak of 6.7
inches in one location.
An eye sounding was obtained as the hurricane passed Swan Island, only the 5th of its
kind. A sounding balloon was released during Francelia's intensification stage, and
revealed the moisture levels and pressures at various heights in the hurricane's eyewall.
The sounding showed that Francelia had near saturation in the mid-levels, with a
pressure of 992 at the time.
[edit]
Lack of retirement
Despite its damage and death toll, the name Francelia was not retired. However, a new
naming system began in 1970, and the name Francelia was never used again.
Hurricane Greta-Olivia
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Hurricane Greta-Olivia
Category 4 hurricane
Hurricane Greta in the Gulf of Honduras
Formed
September 13, 1978 (crossed into
Eastern Pacific on September 20
Dissipated
September 23, 1978
Highest
winds
135 mph (260 km/h) sustained
sustained
Lowest
pressure
947 mbar (hPa) as Greta,
unknown for Olivia
Damages
$76.2+ million (2005 dollars)
Fatalities
5 direct
Areas
affected
Honduras, Belize, Guatemala,
Mexico
Part of the 1978 Atlantic hurricane season,
1978 Pacific hurricane season
Hurricane Greta-Olivia was a Category 4 hurricane that crossed over Central
America, changing names upon reaching the Eastern Pacific during the 1978 Atlantic
hurricane season and 1978 Pacific hurricane season. Greta threatened to reproduce the
devastating effects of Hurricane Fifi just four years prior, but the hurricane only caused
5 deaths.

[edit]
Storm history
[edit]
Hurricane Greta history
Storm path
A tropical wave exited the coast of Africa near Dakar, Senegal on September 7. It
moved westward, remaining disorganized until an increase of convection occurred on
the 10th. The wave continued to organize as it passed through the Lesser Antilles, and
based on ship and land reports, the wave was upgraded to a tropical depression on
September 13 while 75 miles west-northwest of Trinidad. Though located in a
climatologically unfavorable area, the depression intensified, and reached tropical storm
status on the 14th.
A strong trough ahead of Greta prevented significant strengthening as it moved
westward across the Caribbean Sea. However, warm water temperatures allowed it to
steadily intensify to reach hurricane status on September 16 while south of Jamaica. The
trough weakened considerably on the 17th, and enabled Greta to quickly intensify as it
approached the Honduras coastline. Similar to Hurricane Edith in 1971, the unique
topography of the coastline allowed for Greta to reach peak winds of 135 mph near
land.
Hurricane Greta made its Honduras landfall on September 18 at Category 4 status.
Rather than continuing westward, the center richocheted off the coast, and spared the
Honduran mainland from its eyewall. Moving west-northwestward through the Gulf of
Honduras, land interaction weakened the hurricane. On September 19, Hurricane Greta
made landfall on the Stann Creek District in southern Belize, and weakened rapidly to a
tropical depression over land. A high pressure system to its north forced it to the
southwest, where, upon reaching the Eastern Pacific, its circulation remained in tact.
[edit]
Hurricane Olivia history
The depression moved into the Eastern Pacific in the Chiapas province of southeast
Mexico. It moved to the southwest, and was renamed Tropical Storm Olivia on
September 20. It remained nearly stationary, and slowly looped back to the north. Olivia
reached hurricane status on the 22nd, but weakened just offshore of Mexico to a tropical
storm. The storm turned to the northeast, and hit Oaxaca late on the 22nd, and
dissipated the next day over land.
[edit]
Comparisons to other storms
Based on its strength and westward track through the western Caribbean Sea, Greta was
feared to repeat the devestating effects of Hurricane Fifi in 1974. However, Greta failed
to produce the devestating river floods. In addition, because Greta was a compact storm
that remained offshore, damage was reduced to a minimal.
Hurricane Greta was a rare Atlantic Ocean to Eastern Pacific cross-over storm. It was
one of only six known storms to move from the Atlantic to the Pacific, including
Hurricane Cesar-Douglas, Hurricane Joan-Miriam, Hurricane Fifi-Orlene, Hurricane
Irene-Olivia, and Hurricane Hattie-Simone.
[edit]
Impact
While passing through the Lesser Antilles and the islands of the southeast Caribbean,
they received some moderate rainfall, but much of the convection was located to the
north.
As said earlier, Greta did not produce the severe river flooding that Fifi caused. Minor
flooding was observed in Honduras, and what little damage that occurred there was in
the extreme northeast portion of the country. In Belize, tides were 6 feet above normal
in some locations, with damage estimated at $25 million (1978 USD) due to the direct
hit. Improved warnings by the governments of Honduras, Belize, and their neighbors
reduced the death toll to five, with one person death in Honduras and four casualites
(with three missing) in Belize.
Damage estimates for Mexico from Olivia do not exist, and is likely to be low due to its
weak nature.
The name Greta was not retired. However, the name has not been used since, due to a
change in the list of hurricane names that began in 1979.
Hurricane Hattie
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Hurricane Hattie-Simone
Category 5 hurricane
Formed
October 27, 1961
Dissipated
November 1, 1961
Highest
winds
160 mph (260 km/h) sustained
sustained
Lowest
pressure
920 mbar (hPa) as Hattie,
unknown for Simone, 992 mbar
(hPa) for Inga
Damages
$370 million (2005 dollars)
Fatalities
275 direct
Areas
affected
Belize, Yucatan Peninsula
Part of the 1961 Atlantic hurricane season
Hurricane Hattie was a powerful Category 5 hurricane that hit Central America on
Halloween during the 1961 Atlantic hurricane season. It caused millions of US dollars
in damages and killed around 275 people.
[edit]
Storm history
Storm path
Hattie swept across the Caribbean and came ashore in the town of Belize City, British
Honduras (now Belize), on October 31. It was a strong Category 4 hurricane at landfall,
having weakened from a Category 5 just offshore. After making landfall, its remnants
crossed over into the Pacific and attained tropical storm status again under the name
Simone. In a remarkable turn of events, after Simone itself made landfall, its remnants
crossed back over to the Gulf of Mexico, where the storm became Tropical Storm Inga
before dissipating. However, it is debatable whether Inga in fact formed from the
remnants of Simone at all.
Hattie held Category 5 intensity on the dates of October 30 and October 31, making it
the latest Category 5 storm on record in the Atlantic basin.
[edit]
Impact
Hattie destroyed parts of British Honduras, and killed an estimated 275 people [1]. In
the days after the storm, throngs of survivors numbering in the thousands roamed the
streets for days digging about in the crumbled ruins in search of any kind of food. Hattie
also caused about $60 million (1961 US dollars) in damage. Hattie damaged Belize City
badly enough to force the government to relocate to a new capital further inland: its
present location in Belmopan. Some permanent towns, such as Hattieville, were formed
from temporary shelters built for those made homeless by the hurricane.
Violence broke out in the aftermath of the storm, causing the British frigate, H.M.S.
Troubridge, to land 125 officers and men to aid colony police in halting widespread
looting and pillaging. Authorities hanged four looters in the center of town as an
example and warning.
The name Hattie was retired the following year and was replaced by Holly in 1965.
Hurricane Hattie
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Hurricane Hattie-Simone
Category 5 hurricane
Formed
October 27, 1961
Dissipated
November 1, 1961
Highest
winds
160 mph (260 km/h) sustained
sustained
Lowest
pressure
920 mbar (hPa) as Hattie,
unknown for Simone, 992 mbar
(hPa) for Inga
Damages
$370 million (2005 dollars)
Fatalities
275 direct
Areas
affected
Belize, Yucatan Peninsula
Part of the 1961 Atlantic hurricane season
Hurricane Hattie was a powerful Category 5 hurricane that hit Central America on
Halloween during the 1961 Atlantic hurricane season. It caused millions of US dollars
in damages and killed around 275 people.
[edit]
Storm history
Storm path
Hattie swept across the Caribbean and came ashore in the town of Belize City, British
Honduras (now Belize), on October 31. It was a strong Category 4 hurricane at landfall,
having weakened from a Category 5 just offshore. After making landfall, its remnants
crossed over into the Pacific and attained tropical storm status again under the name
Simone. In a remarkable turn of events, after Simone itself made landfall, its remnants
crossed back over to the Gulf of Mexico, where the storm became Tropical Storm Inga
before dissipating. However, it is debatable whether Inga in fact formed from the
remnants of Simone at all.
Hattie held Category 5 intensity on the dates of October 30 and October 31, making it
the latest Category 5 storm on record in the Atlantic basin.
[edit]
Impact
Hattie destroyed parts of British Honduras, and killed an estimated 275 people [1]. In
the days after the storm, throngs of survivors numbering in the thousands roamed the
streets for days digging about in the crumbled ruins in search of any kind of food. Hattie
also caused about $60 million (1961 US dollars) in damage. Hattie damaged Belize City
badly enough to force the government to relocate to a new capital further inland: its
present location in Belmopan. Some permanent towns, such as Hattieville, were formed
from temporary shelters built for those made homeless by the hurricane.
Violence broke out in the aftermath of the storm, causing the British frigate, H.M.S.
Troubridge, to land 125 officers and men to aid colony police in halting widespread
looting and pillaging. Authorities hanged four looters in the center of town as an
example and warning.
The name Hattie was retired the following year and was replaced by Holly in 1965.
Hurricane Janet
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Hurricane Janet
Category 5 hurricane
Formed
September 21, 1955
Dissipated
September 30, 1955
Highest winds
175 mph (280 km/h) sustained
Lowest
pressure
914 mbar (hPa)
Damages
$320 million (2005 dollars)
Fatalities
538-681 direct
Areas affected
Leeward Islands, Belize,
Mexico
Part of the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season
Hurricane Janet was the most powerful hurricane of the 1955 Atlantic hurricane
season and the 10th strongest Atlantic hurricane on record. It made landfall as a
Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, causing catastrophic
damage and up to 681 deaths in the Yucatán Peninsula.
[edit]
Storm history
Storm path
A weak tropical wave moved across the Tropical Atlantic in mid-September. It
organized into a tropical storm on September 21st east of the Lesser Antilles. A small
hurricane, it rapidly organized on the 22nd becoming a Category 3 hurricane just as it
hit Barbados with a 20 nautical miles (37 km) wide eye. It continued through the
islands, causing heavy damage in Grenada and the Grenadines.
Most intense Atlantic hurricanes
Intensity is measured solely by central pressure
Rank Hurricane Season Minimum pressure
1
Wilma
2005
882 mbar (hPa)
2
Gilbert
1988
888 mbar (hPa)
3
"Labor Day" 1935
892 mbar (hPa)
4
Rita
2005
897 mbar (hPa)
5
Allen
1980
899 mbar (hPa)
6
Katrina
2005
902 mbar (hPa)
As it moved through the eastern
Caribbean Sea, conditions became
unfavorable for continued
development, and Janet weakened
to a minimal hurricane on the 23rd.
Over the next few days, Janet
steadily intensified with better
conditions, reaching a peak of 175
mph (280 km/h) winds in the
western Caribbean Sea, making it
one of the most intense Atlantic
hurricanes on record.
Janet remained a Category 5
hurricane, and hit near the city of
Mitch
1998
905 mbar (hPa)
Chetumal, Mexico on the 28th. It
caused heavy flooding and wind
Ivan
2004
910
mbar
(hPa)
9
damage to the Yucatan Peninsula
1955
914 mbar (hPa)
10 Janet
and Belize (then known as British
Source: The Weather Channel
Honduras). As it crossed the
peninsula, the hurricane weakened to a 100 mph (160 km/h) hurricane. Over the Bay of
Campeche, it did not have much time to strengthen, and hit between Vera Cruz, Mexico
and Naulta, Mexico on the 29th as a 110 mph (175 km/h) hurricane. Janet dissipated the
next day over Mexico.
7
Camille
1969
905 mbar (hPa)
[edit]
Impact
Janet was the only Atlantic hurricane to cause the loss of a Hurricane Hunter aircraft, a
P2V Neptune under the command of Navy Lieutenant Commander Grover B.
Windham. The aircraft flew from the airfield at Guantanamo Bay, and disappeared after
signalling that it was entering the Category 5 hurricane. Janet also destroyed a U.S
Weather Post on Swan Island.
Janet added to the flooding caused by Gladys and Hilda, and caused $47,800,000 in
damage through its path of destruction. In addition, Janet caused 681 deaths (538
according to some sources) [1].
The name Janet was used on various lists in the 1960s. Once formal list for hurricane
naming were created, the name Janet was retired.
Hurricane Keith
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This article is about the 2000 Atlantic hurricane; there was also a Tropical
Storm Keith during the 1988 Atlantic hurricane season.
Hurricane Keith
Category 4 hurricane
Keith about to make landfall in Belize
Formed
September 28, 2000
Dissipated
October 6, 2000
Highest winds
140 mph (225 km/h) sustained
Lowest
pressure
941 mbar (hPa)
Damages
Not available
Fatalities
24 direct, 45-55 indirect
Areas affected Guatemala, Belize, southern
Mexico
Part of the 2000 Atlantic hurricane season
Hurricane Keith, the strongest hurricane of the 2000 Atlantic hurricane season, was a
Caribbean hurricane that caused great damage across Belize and southern Mexico.
Contents
[hide]



1 Storm history
2 Impact
3 See also

4 External links
[edit]
Storm history
Storm path
Hurricane Keith started as a tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa on
September 16. It moved westward across the Atlantic without much development due to
upper level shear. When it reached the western Caribbean Sea, upper level winds
became much more favorable, and it became Tropical Depression Fifteen on September
28, 60 miles northeast of Cape Gracias a Dios, Nicaragua. It drifted northwestward, and
became Tropical Storm Keith on the 29th.
Conditions became nearly ideal for Keith on September 30, with little to no shear, a
well developed anticyclone over it, and warm Caribbean water temperatures allowing
for the storm to strengthen. Keith became a hurricane on the 30th, which was followed
by rapid intensification to a 140 mph Category 4 hurricane only 18 hours later. As it
neared the Belize coast, high pressure blocked further westward progress, leading Keith
to execute a small loop just off the coast. Land interaction weakened the hurricane to a
strong tropical storm by the time it made its landfall on October 3.
Keith became disorganized oved the Yucatan, but reintensified when it reached the Gulf
of Mexico on October 4. The storm was able to intensify to a 90 mph hurricane before
its final landfall near Tampico, Mexico on the 5th. Keith dissipated over northeastern
Mexico the next day.
[edit]
Impact
Keith was a very difficult hurricane to forecast. Its strength extremes and its stalling
offshore Belize caused many problems to forecasters. This led to a deadly situation of
waiting for the storm to finally recede.
While Keith was offshore, it actually caused a negative surge, draining water out of
various waterways.
Keith caused massive flooding over Belize and Mexico, as well as road destruction and
landslides. The death toll for the storm was in excess of 70, and caused at least $225
million in damage in Belize. Damage is unknown in Mexico or Guatemala.
The name Keith was retired in the spring of 2001 and will be replaced with Kirk in the
2006 season.