Hurricane Klaus
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This article is about the 1990 Atlantic hurricane; there was also a Hurricane Klaus during the 1984 Atlantic hurricane season.
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHS) | ||
|---|---|---|
 Hurricane Klaus near peak intensity on October 7 |
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| Formed | October 3, 1990 (Klaus) October 10, 1990 (Marco) |
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| Dissipated | October 9, 1990 (Klaus) October 12, 1990 (Marco) |
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| Highest winds |
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| Lowest pressure | 985 mbar (hPa) (Klaus) 989 mbar (hPa) (Marco) |
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| Damage | $150 million (1990 USD) $231 million (2005 USD) (all from Marco) |
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| Fatalities | 18 direct (6 from Klaus, 12 from Marco) | |
| Areas affected |
Martinique, Leeward Islands, Bahamas, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina | |
| Part of the 1990 Atlantic hurricane season |
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Hurricane Klaus was a Category 1 hurricane that formed in October of the 1990 Atlantic hurricane season. As a tropical cyclone, it developed from a tropical wave and moved through the Lesser Antilles. After causing torrential flooding in Martinique, it weakened before dissipating over the Bahamas. In Martinique, the storm killed 6 people and left 1,500 homeless. Damage estimates or totals are unavailable.
A portion of Klaus's circulation developed Tropical Storm Marco. Marco, when combined with the remnants of Klaus and a stationary cold front, produced torrential rainfall over the southeastern United States. The system dropped up to 12 inches of rain in some locations, resulting in 12 deaths and $150 million (1990 USD, $231 million 2005 USD) in damage.
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[edit] Storm history
A tropical wave that exited the coast of Africa on September 27 moved across the tropical Atlantic without developing. While upper level shear was unfavorable, the wave was able to develop gradually, and became Tropical Depression Thirteen on October 3 while not far east of the Lesser Antilles. It drifted north-northwestward and became a tropical storm later that day.[1]
Though upper level winds were unfavorable and most of the convection was to the northeast, Klaus was able to continue to intensify, reaching hurricane strength on October 5, only 12 miles (19 km) east of Barbuda. The lopsided system moved north of the islands without causing any wind damage or high amounts of rain. Shortly after, Klaus attained its peak intensity of 80 mph (130 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 985 mbar (hPa).[1]
The tropical cyclone finally gave into the upper level shear and weakened, first to a tropical storm on the 6th, then a tropical depression on the 8th. Conditions became slightly more favorable for development over the Bahamas, and Klaus briefly regained tropical storm strength on the 9th, but a developing low pressure system over Cuba that ultimately became Marco caused Klaus to dissipate late on the 9th. The remnants continued to the northwest, and combined with Marco and a cold front over the southeastern United States.[1]
[edit] Tropical Storm Marco
A mid-level low pressure system developed along Klaus's large windfield, and organized into Tropical Depression Fifteen on October 9 over central Cuba. It moved northwestward into the favorable western Gulf of Mexico, and strengthened into a tropical storm on the 10th.[2]
Marco passed through the Florida Keys, and while paralleling the west coast of Florida it reached a peak of 65 mph.[2]
It weakened to a tropical depression just before making landfall near Cedar Key on the 12th, though because much of its circulation was over land it was counted as a direct hit. Marco weakened as it turned to the northeast, and after becoming extratropical later on the 12th, and merged with a cold front over the southeastern United Sates on the 13th.[2]
[edit] Impact
Hurricane Klaus produced severe flooding in Martinique, killing 6. The remnants of Hurricane Klaus combined with Tropical Storm Marco produced extensive flooding across the southeastern United States, causing over $150 million in damage (1990 USD) and 12 more deaths.[3]
[edit] Martinique, Leeward Islands, and Bahamas
Klaus struck Martinique as a tropical storm, causing extensive flooding. In all, 6 people died and 1,500 people were displaced as a result of the flooding.[4][5] Because upper-level shear forced much of the hurricane's convection to its northeast, most of the other Leeward Islands reported little damage from Klaus. Rainfall totals were light, amounting to a maximum of 1.7 inches (43 mm) on St. Thomas. In addition, though Klaus was producing winds of up to 80 mph (130 km/h), the highest recorded wind gust was only 33 mph (53 km/h) on St. Croix, contributing to the low damage total and a death toll of zero.[6]
Klaus dropped 4 inches (100 mm) of rain in Grand Turk in the Bahamas, though no damage was reported from the storm.[1]
[edit] Florida
While paralleling the west coast of Florida, Tropical Storm Marco brought up to 6 inches (150 mm) of rain to the state. In addition, four tornadoes were reported. Throughout the state, only minor wind damage was reported.[7]
On the east coast, Hurricane Klaus produced 15 foot (4.5 m) waves and tides being 3 feet (1 m) above normal. Beach erosion was reported along the east coast as well, due to persistent westerly winds.[8]
[edit] Rest of Southeast United States
When Klaus and Marco combined with a stationary cold front, they produced torrential rainfall across Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. The maximum total from the system was 19.89 inches (50.53 mm) in Louisville, Georgia, with 14 other locations reporting amounts surpassing 10 inches (25 mm).[2] 11 out of 15 of South Carolina's major river basins exceeded flood stage, and some areas surpassed the 50-100 year expected rainfall amounts. The system produced tornadic activity, one of which destroyed 25 homes in Savannah.[9]
Unlike Hurricane Hugo a year before, Klaus and Marco's prolonged heavy rainfall caused 17 dams to fail across South Carolina, with an additional 31 dams overtopped with water. One such dam burst in Georgia, killing 4 people who were trapped in a car during the flooding.[10] A toddler drowned from the flooding in Spartanburg County.[11]
In South Carolina, 80 bridges were destroyed in the flooding, with another 40 damaged or closed. Numerous secondary roads were washed out, and one flooded railroad track in Calhoun County, South Carolina caused a train to derail.[3]
While rain was extreme, it was desperately needed, as much of the southeastern United States was under a heavy drought. [12]
[edit] Retirement
- See also: List of retired Atlantic hurricanes
Primarily because of the damage in Martinique, the name Klaus was retired in the spring of 1991 and will never be used for an Atlantic hurricane again. It was replaced with Kyle in the 1996 Atlantic hurricane season, which wasn't retired and was used again in the 2002 Atlantic hurricane season and is on the list of names in the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season.
[edit] See also
- Tropical cyclone
- List of notable tropical cyclones
- List of notable Atlantic hurricanes
- List of Florida hurricanes
[edit] External links
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c d Klaus Report
- ^ a b c d Marco Report
- ^ a b Damage Total
- ^ NY Times "Tropical Storm Klaus Kills 6"
- ^ 1990 Flood Archive
- ^ http://www.dnr.sc.gov/climate/sercc/projects/SERCCreport1.pdf
- ^ Florida Effects
- ^ Eastern Florida Effects
- ^ Savannah Georgia
- ^ http://sc.water.usgs.gov/publications/pdfs/SC_Science_Plan.pdf
- ^ 5 deaths
- ^ Drought of 1990
