Hurricane Jeanne (1980)

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Saffir–Simpson scale
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown
Storm type
Disc Plain black.svg Tropical cyclone
Solid black.svg Subtropical cyclone
ArrowUp.svg Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

The precursor of Jeanne, a tropical wave, formed over West Africa on October 26, [1] reaching the Caribbean in early November. Unsettled weather began over the northwestern Caribbean on November 4. [3] At 18:00  UTC on November 7, a low-level trough formed about 60 miles (95 km) east-southeast of Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua. [4] Over three days it headed north-northwest, becoming a tropical depression on November 8. Large-scale atmospheric features, such as extensive ridging over the Gulf of Mexico, were unusually conducive to hurricane formation so late in the year. [nb 1] A deep low-pressure area off Newfoundland stabilized these parameters, allowing the system to strengthen; [1] at 12:00 UTC on November 9 the latter acquired winds of 45 mph (75 km/h)—equal to tropical-storm status—and the name Jeanne. Within a day it crossed the Yucatán Channel at about the same intensity, [4] during which reconnaissance aircraft sampled a pressure of 999 mb (29.5 inHg). [1] Slowly bending west under ridging, Jeanne entered the southern Gulf of Mexico. On November 11 it rapidly intensified, its winds rising from 65 mph (100 km/h) to 100 mph (155 km/h)—Category 2—in a day; the latter was its peak. [4] The USS Taney logged 109 mph (175 km/h), a speed atypical of the storm's pressure, [nb 2] while other data sources implied lower winds. [1] Jeanne's peak was brief, lasting six hours. [4]

Losing intensity, the storm slowed further as ridging weakened. [1] Early on November 12 it reverted to Category 1 and by 00:00 UTC the next day lost hurricane winds altogether; however, it retained winds of 65–70 mph (100–110 km/h) for another 24 hours. [4] Arcing northwest, Jeanne neared a col over the western Gulf of Mexico. The pressure gradient slackened, enabling a drifting motion, and Jeanne came to a near-standstill 135 miles (215 km) east of the Mexico–United States border. As it did so the storm entrained stable air, shedding its convection. [1] For a time Jeanne was wedged between a trough and remnant ridging, but began backtracking east-northeast, ahead of a cold front. Early on November 15 it degenerated into a depression and began a clockwise loop, [8] dying at sea a day later. [4] Its remnants merged with the cold front. [1]

Preparations

Forecasters at first expected landfall on the Gulf Coast of the United States. On November 12 the National Hurricane Center issued a gale warning for the area between the Mississippi River Delta and a point near Port O'Connor, Texas. [1] Fearing high tides, the National Weather Service advised 16 Louisiana parishes to ready themselves. [9] Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes shut schools, wary of the storm's track. [10] Shell, Gulf Oil, and Texaco withdrew inessential elements from offshore rigs. [9] 3,000 oil workers left the platforms, [10] and Grand Isle, Louisiana, directed residents to leave. [11] Some residents on Dauphin Island, Alabama, voluntarily evacuated, recalling 1979's Hurricane Frederic and fleeing Jeanne's northward motion. [12] The National Hurricane Center urged that small watercraft remain in ports from Brownsville, Texas, to Tarpon Springs, Florida. Forecasters awaited tides of 2 to 4 ft (0.61 to 1.22 m) above normal in Louisiana and coastal Texas. [13] Meteorologists foresaw impact in Southwest Louisiana, although Jeanne eventually stayed offshore; thousands of residents moved inland, while Civil Defense officials remained alert. Forecasters anticipated locally heavy rainfall, although they hinted it would remain below 8  in (200  mm ). [14]

Impact

Rainfall summary for Hurricane Jeanne Jeanne 1980 rainfall.gif
Rainfall summary for Hurricane Jeanne

The combination of a large high pressure system and Jeanne produced rough seas over the northern Gulf of Mexico; [15] wave heights reached 15 feet (4.6 m). [12] On November 11, a ship reported sustained winds of 110 mph (180 km/h), although this reading was discarded and attributed to intense squalls. [1] In Key West, the storm's outer fringes produced a record-breaking 24-hour rainfall total of 23.28 inches (591 mm); 13.58 inches (345 mm) fell within six hours. [16] It remains the record 24-hour November rainfall total for the city as of 2018. [17] The previous record was set in 1954. [18] The heavy precipitation was attributed to a mesoscale feature; [1] an inflow band intersected with an adjacent stationary front, which also contributed to the deluge. [16] Schools and most businesses were closed, while flights were grounded at Key West International Airport; authorities urged residents to stay home. Telephone and power services were cut to some areas of the city. [18]

Elsewhere, several ships were caught off guard by the late arrival of Jeanne. The cyclone entered the Gulf of Mexico, and two barges broke loose from towing vessels via strong winds and high waves. One barge was an oil rig tender that contained 16 people; it was carried several hundred miles across the central Gulf of Mexico. [1] All crew members survived, and there were no maritime deaths related to the hurricane. [1] Jeanne produced a prolonged period of rough surf and heavy swells along the Texas coast. Tides reached 2 to 4 feet (0.61 to 1.22 m) above normal. [1] The hurricane caused coastal flooding; the worst flooding occurred near Galveston. [2]

Jeanne was one of only four tropical cyclones in the 20th century to attain hurricane status in the Gulf of Mexico without making landfall; the others were Laurie of 1969, [4] Henri of 1979, [19] and Alberto of 1982. [4]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Its location and date made the cyclone climatologically typical, however. [5]
  2. ↑ The storm's lowest pressure was 986 mb (29.1 inHg), [1] equal to Category 1, and suggested winds of at most 95 mph (155 km/h). Until the late 1980s the Saffir–Simpson scale ranked storms by central pressure. [6] [7]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Hurricane Jeanne — November 7–16, 1980 (Preliminary report). National Hurricane Center. p. 1. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  2. 1 2 United States Geological Service. "Summary of Significant Floods: 1970 through 1989". Archived from the original on September 25, 2006. Retrieved November 16, 2007.
  3. ↑ Lawrence & Pelissier 1981, p. 1579.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Atlantic hurricane best track (HURDAT version 2)" (Database). United States National Hurricane Center. April 5, 2023. Retrieved December 19, 2024.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  5. ↑ Lawrence & Pelissier 1981, p. 1580.
  6. ↑ Jarrell, Herbert & Mayfield 1992, pp. 2, 4.
  7. ↑ Landsea et al. 2007, p. 2139.
  8. ↑ Lawrence & Pelissier 1981, p. 1581.
  9. 1 2 Written at Miami. "Hurricane Jeanne forces evacuations". The Indianapolis Star . Vol. 78, no. 160. Indianapolis. Associated Press. November 12, 1980. p. 1. Lock-green.svg
  10. 1 2 "The Nation's Weather". Indiana Gazette . Vol. 81, no. 117. Indiana, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. November 15, 1980. p. 6. Lock-green.svg
  11. ↑ Written at New Orleans. "Jeanne chases thousands of Louisiana residents inland". Ventura County Star . Vol. 10, no. 106. Ventura, California. United Press International. November 14, 1980. p. 4. Lock-green.svg
  12. 1 2 Written at New Orleans. "Freak hurricane Jeanne boggles minds of forecasters". Daily Chronicle . Vol. 101, no. 209. De Kalb, Illinois. United Press International. November 12, 1980. p. 21. Lock-green.svg
  13. ↑ Written at Miami. "Jeanne Loses Hurricane Status". Indiana Gazette. Vol. 81, no. 115. Indiana, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. September 13, 1980. p. 7. Lock-green.svg
  14. ↑ Written at New Orleans. "Jeanne Chases People Inland". Huntingdon Daily News. Vol. 59, no. 247. Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. United Press International. p. 7. Lock-green.svg
  15. ↑ The Associated Press (1980). "Hurricane Jeanne Heads West". Marysville Journal-Tribune. Retrieved November 14, 2007.[ dead link ]
  16. 1 2 David Roth. "Hurricane Jeanne" . Retrieved November 14, 2007.
  17. ↑ National Weather Service. "Key West, Florida November Climatology". Archived from the original on November 8, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2007.
  18. 1 2 "23" of rain for Key West". Syracuse Herald Journal. Retrieved November 14, 2007.[ dead link ]
  19. ↑ NOAA (1979). "Hurricane Henri: 14–24 September" . Retrieved November 15, 2007.

Sources

Hurricane Jeanne
Jeanne 1980-11-11 2030Z.png
Hurricane Jeanne at peak intensity in the Gulf of Mexico on November 11
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