WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION
___________________________________________
RA IV HURRICANE COMMITTEE
RA IV/HC-XXXI/Doc. 4.2(8)
(08.IV.2009)
________
THIRTY-FIRST SESSION
ITEM 4.2
NASSAU, BAHAMAS
20 TO 24 APRIL 2009
Original: SPANISH
REVIEW OF THE PAST HURRICANE SEASON
REPORTS OF HURRICANES, TROPICAL STORMS, TROPICAL
DISTURBANCES AND RELATED FLOODING DURING 2008
Report on 2008 Hurricane Season in Cuba
(Submitted by Cuba)
Main features of 2008 Hurricane Season in Cuba
The 2008 Hurricane Season was extraordinarily active for Cuba, with the direct crossing
through the country of three hurricanes (Gustav, Ike and Paloma), of which the first two were
major category 4 hurricanes, and the indirect effects of hurricane Hanna, which provoked
important coastal flooding on Eastern Cuba northern coast. Notwithstanding the fact that four
tropical cyclones or three hurricanes having crossed over the Cuban archipelago during a
hurricane season does not set a record in data from 1799 to our days, the frequency of three
tropical cyclones in only 20 days is really a record. The maximum gust of wind registered during
the hurricane Gustav at the meteorological station of Paso Real de San Diego (WMO 78317),
province of Pinar del Rio, constitutes a world record of maximum wind gust registered in a
hurricane, as it has been approved by a committee of international experts.
Hurricane Season 2008 was the most devastating one in Cuban history, in terms of
material losses, amounting to $ 9,422 million USD.
Nevertheless, there were only 7 casualties, mostly indirect deaths that were related to
hurricane Ike. Such a few loss of human lives was due to the fact that 4,811,000 people were
evacuated in all the season, of which 839,000 went to evacuation shelters, 3.8 million received
shelter at the homes of friends and relatives, while 21,000 tourists were transported to safe
places. Also, 4.8 million animals were protected in safe places, where 44,720 transport means
were used. There were hundreds of evacuation shelters into operation as well as facilities for
cooking meals for the evacuees.
RA IV/HC-XXXI/Doc. 4.2(8), p. 2
Tropical Storms and Hurricanes that affected Cuba in the 2008 season
FAY (16 – 19 August)
Tropical Storm Fay moved over sea south of the Cuban provinces of Guantanamo and
Santiago de Cuba in the afternoon and evening of August 16.
Gusts of 66 km/h were registered at Punta de Maisí during the afternoon (19:32 UTC) of
the 16th and coastal floods took place along the highway Guantanamo – Baracoa, because of
the effect of strong swells. Coastal flooding was also reported in other coastal zones due to the
increase of the swells, causing damages in the municipality of Guamá, at the localities of Palma
Mocha, La Magdalena, Cotobelo, while the river Sevilla went over flooded, which kept closed the
highways in the area.
August 17 at dawn, the tropical storm´s center crossed south and near Cabo Cruz,
Granma, around 6:00 AM (10:00 UTC). The meteorological station in Cabo Cruz registered the
minimal pressure of 1006.3 hPa at this time, as well as a maximum wind gust of 110 km/h from
the Southeast (85 km/h of maximum sustained wind).
Fay penetrated inland at the border between the provinces of Cienfuegos and Matanzas
during the night, around 3:00 AM (07:00 UTC), after a light increase in his intensity.
Fig. 1 Tropical Storm Fay over the province
of Matanzas. GOES 12 IR image August 18,
2008, at 09:15 UTC.
Significant wind gusts were not recorded along these provinces, being those of major
interest that of 99 km/h registered in Trinidad at 7:07 PM of the 17th (23:07 UTC) and that of 87
km/h measured by the meteorological station at Cienfuegos, in the early morning of the 18th
(1:50 AM, 05:50 UTC), that corresponds to a 64 km / h sustained wind. A reconnaissance plane
found tropical storm winds at sea, some 70 kilometers north of the province of Villa Clara, around
08:29 UTC of the 18th. The maximum wind at flight level was approximately 95 km/h,
corresponding to 75 km/h at the surface.
RA IV/HC-XXXI/Doc. 4.2(8), p. 3
The main effect of this tropical storm to Cuba was the strong and intense in the province
of Granma and the Cuban central provinces (Table 1). In the Fig. 1 convective rain bands can be
seen over the central provinces, when the tropical storm center was crossing over Matanzas
territory.
Fay's feeding bands kept on affecting with intense rains the central provinces of Cuba until
the morning of the 19th, (see Table 1). In the province of Sancti Spíritus, the most affected
community was Agabama, as well as Cumanayagua, in Cienfuegos. Roads were cut in all
localities located in the Guamuhaya mountain range.
There were no deaths in Cuba related to Tropical Storm Fay. The rains affected mainly
localities at the municipality of Cumanayagua in Cienfuegos, Placetas, in Camajuaní, and
Encrucijada, in Villa Clara.
HANNA (September 1st.)
Hurricane Hanna did not directly hit Cuba, however, its proximity to the Eastern Cuban
provinces produced strong rains in some localities on September 1st, and strong swells in areas
of the Eastern north coast, with coastal flooding in the province of Camagüey, in Gíbara, Holguín,
and in Baracoa, Guantanamo, on the following day. Coastal flooding came up to 250 meters
inland at Uverito, at Caletones Beach and at Güirito, in the Gibara area. Significant heights of the
waves ranged between 3.5 - 5.5 meters.
GUSTAV (August 28 – 30)
Hurricane Gustav moved close to the south coast of Jamaica during the second half of
August 28th and the dawn of 29th, entering into the Caribbean Sea waters as a weakening storm
in the morning. However, over warm waters it rapidity regained intensity, to be again a category 1
hurricane at the end of the evening. His crossing relatively next to the Eastern Cuban provinces
did not produced significant effects. The highest wind gust was 110 km/h at Cabo Cruz
meteorological station on the 29th.
Gustav´s track went to the Northwest during the night of the 29th, continuing its process of
rapid intensification, being classified as a Category 4 hurricane at midday on the 30th, when it was
already very close to the Island of Youth. The maximum sustained winds associated with the
system were of the order of 230 km/h, while the central minimal pressure was 943 hPa. The eye
of the hurricane went inland at Punta del Este approximately at 1:15 PM (17: 15 UTC), while the
eye wall with its convective cloud overcast, and the intense rains, already were covering the
Southeastern tip of the island, as can be seen in Fig. 2.
Gustav´s eye moved very close the Eastern coast of the Island the Youth in a course
between the Northwest and the North north-west at around 25 km/h. The eye wall had left the
island shortly after 3:50 PM (19: 50 UTC).
RA IV/HC-XXXI/Doc. 4.2(8), p. 4
(a)
(b)
Fig. 2 (a) GOES-12 Visible Images and (b) Casa Blanca, Havana, meteorological radar, at
17:15 UTC (1:15 PM), August 30th, 2008.
The hurricane´s eye was circular in shape, with a diameter of approximately 45
kilometers, according to a reconnaissance plane at 2:28 PM (18:28 UTC). Estimated 1-min
Maximum sustained winds, maximum wind gusts and time and duration of eye calm registered at
Cuban meteorological stations in hurricane Gustav, are shown in Table 2. At the isle of Youth the
maximum wind gust of 250 km/h was measured at the Cuba - France met station, calm was
registered at the meteorological stations of Punta del Este, station Cuba - France and Nueva
Gerona, as well as also relative calm at La Fe, where the average wind diminished up to 60 km /
h. Hurricane force winds influenced on the whole Isle of Youth, as is shown in the hurricane track
in Fig. 3.
Gustav continued to gain in intensity over the water. At landfall in the province of Pinar del
Rio, with similar eye features, Maximum sustained winds were 240 km/h and central minimum
pressure 941 hPa, according to a reconnaissance plane at 5:54 PM (21:54 UTC). In the Fig. 5
clouds and rain pattern associated with the hurricane at the moment when his center was
penetrating in the province of Pinar del Rio are shown.
The intense hurricane made landfall at a point of the coast placed approximately 10
kilometers to the east of Punta Carraguao, municipality of Los Palacios, about 6:30 PM (22:30
UTC). His center moved over the municipalities of Los Palacios, Consoción del Sur, La Palma
and Viñales. Hurricane-force winds spread up to approximately 35 kilometers to the west of the
track and up to 60 kilometers to the east, where there are also included the municipalities of Pinar
del Rio, Minas de Matahambre, San Cristobal, Candelaria and Bahia Honda, as well as to
Artemisa, in the province of Havana. Tropical Storm force winds influenced over the rest of Pinar
del Rio territory and came up to the Western part of the province of Matanzas (see Fig. 3).
In Table 2 it is possible to appreciate that the recorded maximum wind gust of 340 km/h
took place at the meteorological station of Paso Real de San Diego at 6:35 PM, 22:35 UTC, just
before the mast of the Dines anemometer fell down (see Fig. 4), and that indicates that the force
of the wind could overcome the registered figure. Later, at the eye calm took place from 7:00 8:10 PM (see also Table 2), according to the notification of the observers. It is necessary to
indicate, that this value constitutes a record of maximum wind gust registered by a Dines
anemometer in Cuba; the previous one was the gust of 262 km/h recorded at the Casa Blanca,
Havana, meteorological station during the hurricane of October, 1944. It is necessary to clarify
that in 1952, in Cayo Guano del Este, a gust of 280 km/h was measured in hurricane Fox, but it
was not made with this type of accurate instrument. The maximum wind gust of 340 km/h
RA IV/HC-XXXI/Doc. 4.2(8), p. 5
recorded at Paso real de San Diego (78317) is now the World Record for maximum wind gust in
a hurricane.
On having crossed the Guaniguanico mountain range, Gustav weakened and its eye
became elliptical, with the biggest axis the 55 kilometers in length facing almost East - West and
a minor axis of 37 kilometers. At the meteorological station of La Palma, the maximum gust was
228 km/h and it reported a relative calm, since the average wind diminished up to approximately
45 km / h At this station, the line of the barograph lowered to 953 hPa at 8:00 PM (00:00 UTC of
the 31st). Gustav inclined his track to the Northwest on having crossed Pinar del Rio at 23 km / h.
Gustav went out to sea about 9:30 PM (01:30 UTC of the 31st) near the town El Rosario,
belonging to the municipality of Viñales.
In Table 3 are the 24 hour accumulated rain more significant figures related to Gustav and
its feeding bands that influenced on Matanzas and the central Cuban provinces (see satellite and
radar images in Fig. 4).
Fig. 3 Gustav's Track over Western Cuba.
The area in red is for hurricane force winds
in yellow for Tropical Storm force winds.
30th August, 2008. This is the World Record
of maximum wind gust recorded in a
hurricane.
Fig. 4 Wind Graph of the meteorological
station of Paso real de San Diego, August
RA IV/HC-XXXI/Doc. 4.2(8), p. 6
(a)
(b)
Fig. 5 (a) Visible GOES-12 satellite Images, 21:55 UTC (5:55 PM) and (b) Casa Blanca, Havana,
meteorological radar at 22:00 UTC (6:00PM) of August 30th, 2008.
During the passage of hurricane Gustav south of the Cuban central provinces on August
30th, there were reports of coastal flooding in low lying areas of the coast.
In the Isle of the Youth, the coastal flooding spread up to 200 meters inland at Bibijagua
beach. In the town named Chacón, the flooding spread up to one kilometer and in the area of the
river Júcaro there were also important flooding and affectations. On the Western coast, facilities
of the hotel Colony and the touristic center Los Indios were affected, with a flooding inland up to
1.5 and 3.0 kilometers from the coast.
South of the province of Havana, coastal flooding made sea water to reach up to 3 km
inland in Majana Beach, up to 1 km at Cajio Beach and 500 m at Guanimar Beach.
The most affected municipalities in Pinar del Rio were Candelaria, los Palacios and San
Cristobal located in the southern coast, while La Palma and Mina de Matahambre in the northern
coast were less affected. In the southern coast of the prince of Pinar del Rio, coastal flooding
happened in up to four kilometers away from the coast, where town of Aguacate is located,
municipality of Candelaria, and up to five kilometers, up to the town El Mambi, municipality of San
Cristobal.
Cuba, in spite of the great intensity with which hurricane Gustav struck Cuba, had not to
be sorry about losses of human lives. Nevertheless, material damages were large: $ 2,097 million
dollars.
The most important effects of hurricane Gustav in Cuba happened at the special
municipality of the Isle of the Youth and in the province of Pinar del Rio, fundamentally in the
municipalities of San Cristobal, Los palacios, Consolacion del Sur, Viñales, La Palma, Minas de
Matahambre, Candelaria y Bahia Honda.
Gustav damaged 120,509 housings, 21,941 of them entirely destroyed. There were also
affected 314 health facilities; 2,943 electrical poles were knocked down, and were destroyed 1
302 kilometers of electrical cables as well as 140 power towers. Also, 208 telephone poles were
knocked down and 176 kilometers of cables of communication were lost. There were partial
damage to four radio and television broadcast towers. There were also strong damages to
RA IV/HC-XXXI/Doc. 4.2(8), p. 7
agriculture, principally bananas, being damaged a production equivalent to 130 470 tons of this
cultivation.
IKE (7 - 10 September)
Hurricane Ike crossed with Category 3 at about 75 kilometers north of Baracoa,
Guantanamo, with maximum winds of 195 km/h, producing to Baracoa the first strong effects.
Fig.6 Hurricane Ike. Visible Image GOES-12.
September 4th, 2008, at 11:45 UTC.
Ike's eye made landfall at Cabo Lucrecia, province of Holguín, approximately at 10:15 PM
of September 7 (02:15 UTC of the 8th), as may be seen in Fig. 6 and 7. In Fig. 6, it is possible to
observe that the inner eye wall had not still dissipated. Regrettably, the records from the
meteorological station located in this locality were lost because of the equipment wreckage. It is
necessary to emphasize that it was the first time that a major hurricane hit the Holguín province
from 1799. Ike, in his general advance from East to West, influenced on the almost totality of the
Cuban territory (see track in Fig. 8).
Fig. 7 Image from the meteorological radar in
Holguín, 10:15 PM, September 7th, 2008
(02:15 UTC of the 8th)
RA IV/HC-XXXI/Doc. 4.2(8), p. 8
Fig. 8 Ike's Track over the Cuban archipelago. Times are in Eastern Standard Time daylight
saving time currently used in September. The area in red indicates hurricane force winds and in
yellow the area of tropical storm winds.
Ike continued his general movement to the West and his eye began moving through the
province of Las Tunas in the first hours of 8th, with maximum sustained winds of the order of 185
km / h. The hurricane went on later over Puerto Padre, as a category 2 hurricane, with 175 km / h
maximum sustained winds. The entire province was almost under the influence of hurricane-force
winds. At the meteorological station of Puerto Padre, a recorded gust of 192 km/h knocked down
the Dines anemometer mast. In the wind prospect tower located at Medina, Jesus Menéndez, the
maximum wind gust recorded was 166 km/h at 10 meters high, when the mast was also knocked
down (see wind data in Table 4).
Ike weakened slightly more in movement over Las Tunas province. Just before sunrise it
entered into Camagüey province through the town of Galbis, municipality of Guáimaro. At the
meteorological station of Palo Seco it was registered the maximum wind gust in this province:
198 km/h at 3:59 AM (07:59 UTC). It is necessary to point out that although the hurricane eye
was close to this station, the calm was not felt, though at the town of Guaimaro, some 8 km away
to the southeast of Palo Seco there was calm in the wind, between 4:30 - 5:20 AM (8:30 - 9:20
UTC).
In Camagüey the area of hurricane-force winds included the municipalities of Nuevitas,
Guáimaro, Sibanicú, Jimaguayú, Najasa and Vertientes, in addition to parts of Minas, Florida,
Camagüey and Santa Cruz del Sur. The rest of the province stayed under the effects of tropical
storm-force winds.
RA IV/HC-XXXI/Doc. 4.2(8), p. 9
Ike kept on moving with a general course to the West very close to the south coast of
Cuba, affecting the central and western provinces with supported winds tropical storm-force
winds, hurricane-force wind gusts, intense rains and coastal flooding in coastal areas.
The hurricane made landfall again at the province of Pinar del Rio near Punta La
Capitana, municipality of San Cristobal, around 11:00 AM, September 9th (15:00 UTC), with
maximum sustained winds of 130 km/h. At the Paso Real de San Diego meteorological station a
maximum wind gust of 190 km/h was recorded at 12:58 PM (16:58 UTC). The eye calm was
reported at the localities of Los Palacios (about 1:00 PM, 17:00 UTC) and San Diego de los
Baños. Ike weakened still more over the Guaniguanico mountain range during the evening. At La
Palma meteorological station the maximum sustained wind did not reach hurricane force (see
Table 4). Ike went out to open sea near the town of Manuel Sanguily, approximately at 4:30 PM
(20:30 UTC). Fig. 9 shows images of the meteorological radar in Casa Blanca at the moments of
Ike´s landfall and also at exiting the province of Pinar del Rio. In this figure it is possible to
observe the small diameter of the eye of the hurricane at landfall.
Once over the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Ike gain intensity again and reached Category
2 in the evening. During the morning the maximum wind gusts were felt in the western part of
Pinar del Rio, being the most significant that of 123 km/h registered at station Cabo San Antonio.
The entire province of Pinal del Rio felt under tropical storm force winds. There were also intense
rains associated with the feeding bands when Ike was already moving away from Cuba in the
Gulf of Mexico.
Fig. 9 Image from the Casa Blanca,
radar, Havana, September 9th, 2008
at 11:00 AM (15:00 UTC).
In addition to the destroying force of winds felt over the Holguín, Las Tunas and
Camaguey provinces, there were severe damages in the entire country produced by the intense
rains associated to Ike. This was a hurricane whose main features were not only the extension of
hurricane and tropical storm force winds, but also the extension of heavy and intense rain areas
that accompanied Ike. In Table 5 appears the most significant figures of the accumulated rain in
24 hours, more information appears in <http://www.insmet.cu> in the section “Weather”, at the
monthly September summary.
The torrential and persistent rains caused floods in the municipalities of Bayamo, River
Cauto, Cauto Cristo, Jiguaní, Yara and Manzanillo, in addition to several landslides in the
mountainous Granma areas. The river Bayamo had a big rise. The rains also caused floods in the
city of Camagüey, where there took place the overflowing of the river Hatibonico, as well as in
Ciego de Avila.
RA IV/HC-XXXI/Doc. 4.2(8), p. 10
In Sancti Spíritus, the access to the municipality of Trinidad remained interrupted by the
violent rise of the river Agabama. In Villa Clara, at the municipality of Manicaragua where the La
Piedra meteorological station is located, accumulation of more than 400 millimeters was
recorded. In the Cienfuegos´ Escambray there were rain accumulations of more than 500
millimeters in 24 hours. The rise of the river Hanábana also produced severe floods at Aguada de
Pasajeros, which caused the interruption of the circulation on the National Freeway.
In Matanzas, the intense precipitations overflew rivers and they produced floods in
localities of Bermeja, Alacranes and Jaguey Grande. In Pinar del Rio the overflowing of the
Cuyaguateje River, caused interruptions along the highway between Isabel Rubio and Guane,
and other communities also remained isolated.
The most destructive effects of the sea took place on the 7th at the city of Baracoa, where
the waves reached heights between 5 - 7 meters and the coastal flooding extended 400 meters
inland. In Punta Lucrecia, El Güirito, Caletones Beach and Uverito, the coastal flooding reached
750 - 1500 meters from the coast. In Gibara, a great deal of the levee was devastated. In
Santiago de Cuba these coastal flooding happened in Baconao and Guamá. In Camagüey,
coastal flooding affected mainly to the municipalities of Santa Cruz del Sur and Santa Lucia, in
the municipality of Nuevitas, where sea water came up to 400 and 500 meters, respectively.
In Ciego de Avila strong swells took place in the two coasts, with light coastal flooding in
the southern coast. On the south coast of Sancti Spíritus the waves reached of 2 - 4 meters high
and in the north Yaguajay coast, there were coastal flooding to one kilometer inland at Playa
Victoria. In Cienfuegos light coastal flooding took place in lowest areas of the interior coast at the
bay, in the area of Punta Gorda, including the levee, the La Reina district and the area around the
oil refinery. In Villa Clara, the flooding in low areas of the north coast came up to 200 meters
inland, mainly at the municipality of Caibarién.
Coastal flooding reached up to 2 kilometers inland at Surgidero de Batabanó and the
Cajío Beach in the province of Havana, while in Guanímar they were up to one kilometer and in
Beach Majana up to 4 kilometers inland.
Seven 7 deaths were attributed to Ike in Cuba. Material damage was estimated in $ 7 325
million dollars. There were important affectations in almost the whole Country, with a total of 511
259 affected housings, of them 61 202 were totally destroyed, 1 408 health facilities, as well as
43 760 affectations in other industrial buildings. 6 281 electrical poles were knocked down, and
533 kilometers of electrical cables were destroyed, as well as 343 power towers, 5 010 telephone
poles and 738 kilometers of cables of communication, with partial damages in 13 131 power
towers and 7 towers for radio and TV broadcasts. There were also the loss of 1 638 kilometers of
highways and paved ways. Agriculture was severely affected. The population was protected
properly: 2.6 million persons, or 23 % of the population, were timely evacuated well before the
hurricane.
RA IV/HC-XXXI/Doc. 4.2(8), p. 11
PALOMA (November 8th)
Fig. 10 Hurricane Paloma. GOES-12 visible
image, November 8th, 2008, 13:45 UTC
Hurricane Paloma, which had reached Category 4 in the Western Caribbean Sea (see
Fig. 10), began a weakening process before coming to Cuba. Shortly before landfalling in Cuba,
a reconnaissance plane measured maximum winds of 92 knots at flight level close to the center
at 23:05 UTC, November 8th, which is equivalent at the surface to 155 km/h (85 knots),
corresponding to the Category 2. The eye wall was already much damaged. On its track to the
Northeast, the hurricane made landfall in Camagüey province, approximately at 8:15 PM,
September 8th, (01:15 UTC on the 9th), around Punta San Juan, municipality of Santa Cruz del
Sur. In Fig. 11 it is presented the segment of Paloma´s track over Cuba.
Paloma continued in the Northeast direction close to the boundaries between the
municipalities of Santa Cruz del Sur and Amancio Rodríguez, Las Tunas, as it shown in Fig. 11.
At the end of the night, it went to the North-northeast, losing quickly intensity in the municipality of
Najasa, Camagüey, where it happened to be a tropical storm in the first hours of the 9 th. The
interaction with ground and mainly a very strong vertical shear, in addition to the intrusion of dry
air, were the causes of the rapid weakening. The strong shear made a breakage of the vertical
structure of the system, with mean and high level clouds moving rapidly to the Northeast, while
the low level circulation moved to the West. By daybreak, there was only an area of low pressure
left over the south portion of the Camaguey province.
The area of hurricane force sustained winds covered the municipalities of Santa Cruz del
Sur and Najasa, in Camaguey, in addition to the municipality of Amancio Rodríguez in Las
Tunas. The maximum sustained winds of tropical storm force covered the municipalities of
Colombia and Jobabo in Las Tunas, the center-eastern portion of Camagüey province and in
Niquero, Granma. The maximum wind gust of 194 km/h was recorded at the meteorological
station of Santa Cruz of the South at 8:30 PM on the 8th (01:30 UTC, on the 9th), as well as the
minimal sea level pressure of 984.9 hPa at 7:10 PM (00:10 UTC). In the Table 6 there appears
the wind information recorded at the meteorological stations of Camagüey and Las Tunas
provinces
RA IV/HC-XXXI/Doc. 4.2(8), p. 12
Fig. 11 Hurricane Paloma track over Eastern
Cuba. The area of hurricane force winds
appears in red, while in yellow is the area of
tropical storm force winds.
Fig.12 Camagüey meteorological radar,
20:30 PM, November 8th, 2008 (01:30 UTC,
of the 9th).
Paloma caused intense rains in Camaguey and Las Tunas provinces (Fig. 12), with some
24 hour accumulated totals of more that 150 milimeters (see Table 7). The most significant rain
totals were Presa Najasa, 401 mm and Cuatro Caminos, 383 mm, both in Camaguey province.
The most devastating effects from the action of the sea ocurred in the towns of Santa
Cruz del Sur, Camaguey, and Cuayabal in Las Tunas. At Santa cruz del Sur, coastal flooding
went inland up to 1.5 kilometres, and at Guayabal, 700 meters.
There were no deaths in Cuba. The most important effects of this hurricane were felt in
the province of Camaguey, mainly in the mubicipalities of Santa cruz del Sur, Najasa and
Guaimaro, as well as in Amancio Rodriguez in Las Tunas.
Paloma brought about to Cuba material losses assessed in $300 million USD. 12 159
homes were affected, of them 1 453 were totally destroyed. 71 health facilities were affected, as
well as 162 schools, 15 sport and 6 cultural facilities. 179 electrical poles were knocked down, as
well as 80 telephone poles, including 7 km of communication cable. Two radio broadcast masts,
100 km of highway and 13 bridges were damaged. Agriculture was severely affected in those
municipalities.
RA IV/HC-XXXI/Doc. 4.2(8), p. 13
Performance of the Warning System.
The National Forecast Center at the Institute of Meteorology had a permanent
surveillance of all tropical cyclones that formed along the 2008 hurricane season. In all necessary
cases, Early Warning Notes were issued up to 5 days in advance, with a timely warning of any
potential hazard to the Country, while Watches and Warning began been issued well in advance.
This allowed the Government and the Cuban Civil Defense to take all preventive measures.
National television and radio stations increased the public information given by forecasters
directly from the national Forecast Center from 48 hours before each hurricane have hit Cuba.
There was more frequent information delivered since 24 hours before each storm, with updates
every 3 hours and even every hour when Cuba was being already affected by the tropical
cyclone. This demanded a high level of organization and a strategy for the use of the limited
human recourses of the National Forecast Center, because there were several hurricanes and
tropical storms threatening the country one after another, which demanded great efforts, such as
were the case with Fay, Gustav, Hanna and Ike.
Cuba had to regret only 7 deaths due to Ike, but none with the other tropical storms and
hurricanes that hit Cuba in this season, although Gustav was the most intense. It must be pointed
out that of these 7 deaths only 2 were direct casualties and due to negligence of the victims.
------------------------------------
RA IV/HC-XXXI/Doc. 4.2(8), ANNEX
Table 1. Highest 24-hour rainfall accumulations reported at 12:00 UTC on August 17, 18 and 19,
at the passage of Fay through the Cuban archipelago. More detailed information can be seen in
http://www.insmet.cu , section “Weather”, in the August monthly summary.
Date
Place and Province
>150 mm/24 hours
18
Agabama, Sancti Spíritus
462.8
18
Fomento, Sancti Spíritus
387.6
18
Condado, Sancti Spíritus
311.7
18
Caracusey, Sancti Spíritus
266.0
18
Trinidad, Sancti Spíritus
263.6
18
Iznaga, Sancti Spíritus
261.4
18
Casilda, Sancti Spíritus
224.2
18
Tunas de Zaza, Sancti Spíritus
197.5
18
Topes de Collantes, Sancti Spíritus
196.5
18
Trinidad, Sancti Spíritus
173.6
18
Banao, Sancti Spíritus
160.6
18
Báez, Villa Clara
249.5
18
Vueltas, Villa Clara
223.0
18
Falcón, Villa Clara
209.6
18
J. María Pérez, Villa Clara
209.5
18
Placetas, Villa Clara
206.0
18
Benito Juárez, Villa Clara
200.0
RA IV/HC-XXXI/Doc. 4.2(8), ANNEX, p. 2
Table 2. Maximum Sustained Winds in km/h (1-min mean), highest gusts and calm reported by
meteorological stations in the Isle of Youth and Pinar del Rio at the passage of Gustav, August
30th, 2008.
Place
Station No.
Maximum
sustained Wind
Highest Gust
recorded (km/h)
Calm
Time
(km/h)
(UTC)
78324
Punta del Este
78321
La Fe
-
-
17:15 - 17:45
180
247
Relative
18:40 - 19:20
78309
Cuba-Francia
185
250
19:34 - 19:45
78221
Nueva Gerona
-
-
19:15 - 19:50
78310
Cabo de San Antonio
75
104
No
78312
Santa Lucía
117
158
No
78313
Isabel Rubio
65
94
No
78314
San Juan y Martínez
75
107
No
78315
Pinar del Río
120
164
No
78316
La Palma
160
228
Relative
00:15 - 00:45
78317
Paso Real de San
Diego
240
340*
30 - 31
23:00 - 00:10
78318
Bahía Honda
140
197
* The mast of the anemometer went down at the time of the recording.
No
RA IV/HC-XXXI/Doc. 4.2(8), ANNEX, p. 3
Table 3. Highest 24-hour rainfall accumulations (31th at 12:00 UTC) at the passage of Gustav
through Cuba.
Place and province
mm/24 hours
Punta del Este, Isla de la Juventud
192.6
La Fe, Isla de la Juventud
191.3
Cuba-Francia, Isla de la Juventud
225.2
Santa Lucía, Pinar del Río
146.6
La Palma, Pinar del Río
101.2
Batabanó, La Habana
138.0
Playa Girón, Matanzas
260.1
Jovellanos, Matanzas
228.4
Indio Hatuey, Matanzas
192.7
Varadero, Matanzas
138.0
Jagüey Grande, Matanzas
288.5
Central René Fraga, Matanzas
297.2
Perico, Matanzas
297.0
Topes de Collantes, Sancti Spíritus
174.9
El Pedrero, Sancti Spíritus
130.1
Santa Lucía, Sancti Spíritus
130.0
Presa Higuanojo, Sancti Spíritus
121.5
Trinidad, Sancti Spíritus
113.8
Agabama, , Sancti Spíritus
111.5
Casilda, Sancti Spíritus
105.4
13 de Marzo, Sancti Spíritus
104.7
Banao, Sancti Spíritus
103.3
7 de Noviembre, Sancti Spíritus
101.7
Aguada de Pasajeros, Cienfuegos
127.7
RA IV/HC-XXXI/Doc. 4.2(8), ANNEX, p. 4
Table 4. Maximum Sustained Winds in km/h (1-min mean) and highest gusts reported by some
Cuban meteorological stations at the passage of Ike over the Cuban (September 7 - 10, 2008).
Place
Station No.
Maximum Sustained Highest Gust recorded (km/h)
Wind
(Day)
(km/h)
78369
Punta de Maisí
113
153 (7)
78362
La Jíquima
109
156 (7)
78370
Guaro
112
160 (7)
78372
Holguín
126
180* (7)
78378
Velasco
130
185 (7)
78360
Cabo Cruz
90
121 (8)
78361
Jucarito
88
125 (8)
78357
Las Tunas
121
173 (8)
78358
Puerto Padre
142
192** (8)
78350
Florida
90
128 (8)
78351
Santa Cruz del Sur
88
120 (8)
78353
Nuevitas
131
177 (8)
78354
Palo Seco
140
198 (8)
78355
Camagüey
98
140 (8)
78347
Falla
91
130 (8)
78346
Ciego de Ávila
88
125 (8)
78345
Júcaro
102
138 (8)
78339
Cayo Coco
95
128 (8)
78349
Sancti Spíritus
68
114 (8)
78337
Trinidad
79
132 (8)
78341
El Jíbaro
87
124 (8)
78338
Sagua la Grande
92
124 (8)
78343
Santa Clara
80
114 (8)
78348
Caibarién
90
121 (8)
RA IV/HC-XXXI/Doc. 4.2(8), ANNEX, p. 5
78326
Santo Domingo
77
110 (8)
78335
Aguada de Pasajeros
80
114 (8)
78344
Cienfuegos
83
118 (8)
78333
Playa Girón
89
120 (9)
78328
Varadero
88
119 (8)
78327
Unión de Reyes
77
110 (8)
78332
Colón
77
110 (8)
78330
Jovellanos
77
110 (8)
78323
Güines
100
143 (9)
78340
Bainoa
66
110 (9)
78376
Bauta
85
122 (9)
78375
Melena del Sur
76
108 (9)
78322
Batabanó
77
110 (9)
78325
Casa Blanca
90
129 (9)
78373
Santiago de las Vegas
72
103 (9)
78310
Cabo de San Antonio
91
123 (10)
78312
Santa Lucía
73
104 (10)
78314
San Juan y Martínez
76
108 (10)
78315
Pinar del Río
76
109 (10)
78316
La Palma
88
126 (9)
78317
Paso Real de San Diego
133
190 (9)
78318
Bahía Honda
80
108 (9)
*The M-47 anemometer only measured up to 50 m/s, so, the highest gust could have been higher.
** The mast of the Dines anemometer was downed.
RA IV/HC-XXXI/Doc. 4.2(8), ANNEX, p. 6
Table 5. Highest 24-hour rainfall accumulations recorded (September 8 – 10, 12:00 UTC) at the
passage of Ike by the Cuban archipelago.
Día
Lugar
Provincia
>250 mm/24 hours
8
P. de Yateras
Guantánamo
272.5
8
Gran Tierra
Guantánamo
410.1
8
Baracoa
Guantánamo
354.5
8
Felicidad de
Yateras
Guantánamo
324.0
8
La Gran Piedra
Santiago de Cuba
279.8
Yerba de Guinea
Santiago de Cuba
360.0
9
El Plátano de
Guisa
Granma
346.6
9
Charco Redondo
Granma
302.0
9
Florida
Camagüey
304.6
9
Zaza del Medio
Sancti Spíritus
349.5
9
La Sierpe
Sancti Spíritus
334.0
9
T. de Collantes
Sancti Spíritus
310.5
9
Santa Lucía
Sancti Spíritus
281.1
9
Taguasco
Sancti Spíritus
259.3
9
Sancti Spíritus
Sancti Spíritus
250.2
9
Júcaro
Ciego de Ávila
353.1
9
Chamoa
Ciego de Ávila
344.1
9
La Sierrita
Cienfuegos
502.0
9
Mayarí
Cienfuegos
507.0
9
El Naranjo
Cienfuegos
360.0
9
Cuatro Vientos
Cienfuegos
470.0
9
Paso Bonito
Cienfuegos
440.0
10
Las Terrazas
Pinar del Río
411.0
RA IV/HC-XXXI/Doc. 4.2(8), ANNEX, p. 7
10
Candelaria
Pinar del Río
386.0
10
Las Ovas
Pinar del Río
374.0
10
Viñales
Pinar del Río
350.0
10
P. R. S. Diego
Pinar del Río
305.3
10
Nueva Paz
La Habana
283.3
10
Arcos de Canasí
La Habana
269.1
10
La Palma
Pinar del Río
276.4
10
Ceiba Mocha
Matanzas
458.0
10
S. A. de Cabezas Matanzas
390.0
10
Manguito
Matanzas
340.0
10
Bermejas
Matanzas
321.0
10
Güira de
Macurijes
Matanzas
306.0
10
Unión de Reyes
Matanzas
262.6
10
J. G. Gómez
Matanzas
303.0
10
Covadonga
Cienfuegos
286.0
10
Real Campiña
Cienfuegos
257.0
10
Constancia
Cienfuegos
274.0
10
Guaos
Cienfuegos
211.0
10
La Sierrita
Cienfuegos
286.0
10
Galindo
Cienfuegos
511.0
10
Cuatro Vientos
Cienfuegos
407.0
10
El Naranjo
Cienfuegos
458.0
RA IV/HC-XXXI/Doc. 4.2(8), ANNEX, p. 8
Table 6. Maximum Sustained Winds in km/h (1-min mean) and highest gusts reported by the
meteorological stations in the province of Camaguey and Las Tunas at the passage of Paloma
(November 8 – 9 2008).
Place
Station No.
Maximum Sustained
Winds (km/h)
Highest Recorded Gust
(km/h)(Date)
78350
Florida
62
88 (8)
78351
Santa Cruz del Sur
144
194 (8)
78353
Nuevitas
72
97 (8)
78354
Palo Seco
63
90 (8)
78355
Camagüey
70
100 (8)
78357
Las Tunas
39
55 (9)
78358
Puerto Padre
55
74 (9)
RA IV/HC-XXXI/Doc. 4.2(8), ANNEX, p. 9
Table 7. Highest 24-hour rainfall accumulations recorded (November 8 – 9, 12:00 UTC) at the
passage of Paloma through Eastern Cuba.
Lugar
Provincia
>150 mm/24 horas (registradas a las 12:00
UTC)
Presa Najasa I
Camagüey
401.0
Cuatro Caminos
Camagüey
383.0
Martí
Camagüey
314.0
Guáimaro
Camagüey
282.0
Cascorro
Camagüey
281.0
Presa La Horqueta
Camagüey
251.0
Aeropuerto
Camagüey
250.0
Nuevitas
Camagüey
172.6
Palo Seco
Camagüey
269.7
Guayabal
Las Tunas
174.0
Charco Piedra
Las Tunas
150.4
Km/21
Las Tunas
206.0
El Sao
Las Tunas
171.5
Colombia
Las Tunas
158.0
Las Margaritas
Las Tunas
162.1
Bartle
Las Tunas
190.0
Damañueco
Las Tunas
141.2
Manatí
Las Tunas
162.0
Cerro Caisimú
Las Tunas
150.0
El Veintinuo
Las Tunas
206.0