Hurricane Bertha (1996)
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| Category 3 hurricane (SSHS) | ||
|---|---|---|
 Hurricane Bertha at peak intensity |
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| Formed | July 5, 1996 | |
| Dissipated | July 14, 1996 | |
| Highest winds |
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| Lowest pressure | 960 mbar (hPa; 28.36 inHg) | |
| Fatalities | 12 total | |
| Damage | $270 million (1996 USD) $371 million (2008 USD) |
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| Areas affected |
Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, North Carolina, Mid-Atlantic States, New England | |
| Part of the 1996 Atlantic hurricane season |
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Hurricane Bertha was a tropical cyclone that formed in July of the 1996 Atlantic hurricane season. This Cape Verde-type hurricane caused some damage in the U.S. Virgin Islands before making landfall near Wilmington, North Carolina as a Category 2 storm, where it is best remembered as a forerunner of the much more destructive Hurricane Fran which struck just two months later.
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[edit] Storm history
On July 1, a tropical wave emerged off of the coast of Africa. On July 3, a weak low-level circulation developed while located 500 miles south of Cape Verde. The depression moved westward, and on July 5, it strengthened into a tropical depression in the central Atlantic. The depression tracked westward across the open waters of the Atlantic along the western periphery of a sub-tropical ridge. Later that day, the depression was upgraded into a tropical storm. Over the next three days, Bertha tracked west-northwest while gradual intensification was occurring. On July 8, tropical storm Bertha was upgraded into a hurricane with sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h).[1]
The center of Bertha passed over the Virgin Islands just after it attained hurricane status. Later that day, the center of circulation passed over Antigua as Bertha traversed the extreme northeastern portion of the Caribbean Sea. The storm gradually turned to the northwest on July 9 as maximum sustained winds reached 100 knots while located 120 miles northwest of Puerto Rico. Because the highest winds were located on the northeastern portion of the circulation, Puerto Rico received only tropical storm force winds. Forward speed slowed to 15 mph (20 km/h) as Bertha passed within 60 miles (100 km) of the Turks and Caicos, just before reaching its peak intensity.[1]
Continuing its gradual turn, the track soon became north-northwest as the forward speed slowed further to 10 mph (16 km/h) on July 10 and July 11. On July 12, Bertha made landfall between Wrightsville Beach and Topsail Beach. Bertha lost hurricane intensity just after landfall. It then accelerated to the northeast along the East Coast of the United States, producing winds of up to 60 mph (100 km/h). It moved north, and lost all of its tropical characteristics by July 18.[1]
[edit] Impact
[edit] Puerto Rico
The maximum rainfall reported in association with Bertha was 8.17 inches along the Rio Icacos in Naguabo. Wind reports from the Roosevelt Roads Naval Base on July 8 indicated a maximum sustained wind of 44 mph. Although heavy rain did occur, there was no widespread or significant inland flooding was reported. There were, however, several reports of swollen rivers which caused some minor flooding of low lying and urban areas;[2] coastal flooding was reported from Carolina to Loiza along road 187.[3] In addition, recorded rainfall at the LMM Airport was 1.56 inches.[3]
One death is attributed to Hurricane Bertha; a tourist drowned while surfing in high seas at the Playa Azul beach area in Luquillo.[4] Two other deaths occurred indirectly as a result of Bertha, when two people were killed in a traffic accident whiletropical storm force winds were occurring. The hardest hit area was the municipality of Culebra, where most of the damage was to agriculture and commerce. However, because damages were minimum, none of the municipalities were declared disaster areas.[4] The Housing Department estimated damages to homes at $410,000 (1996 USD). The agricultural damages were estimated at $6 million (1996 USD) in the San Juan, Caguas, and Ponce Regions, mostly wind damage to coffee, plantain, and banana crops.[4] In all, it is estimated that $7.5 million (1996 USD) in damage in Puerto Rico were attributed to Bertha.[4]
Damage throughout Bertha's path was minimized because the hurricane moved quickly through.
The U.S. Virgin Islands, which had been devastated by Hurricane Marilyn only 10 months earlier, suffered significant damage and was declared a federal disaster area. In Saint Thomas and Saint Martin, an estimated 2,500 homes were destroyed. Damage in the U.S. Virgin Islands totaled about $7.5 million (1996 USD).[1] In Puerto Rico, damage totaled about $6.4 million (1996 USD).[2]
The Bahamas and the north coast of the Dominican Republic likely suffered light damage, though no damage figures are available for either.
750,000 people evacuated from the coastal areas of North and South Carolina in preparation for Bertha. In North Carolina, Bertha caused light damage, mostly along the beaches. Nearly 6,000 homes were damaged, with 900 of them being rendered uninhabitable. $135 million in insured damages were reported, with an estimated $270 million (1996 US dollars) in total damages in the United States.
Bertha also killed 12 people.
The name Bertha was not retired and was re-used in the 2002 season. It will next be used during the 2008 season.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Miles B. Lawrence (1996). Hurricane Bertha Tropical Cyclone Report. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2008-02-13.
- ^ National Climatic Data Center (1996). Puerto Rico Event Report for Hurricane Bertha. Retrieved on 2008-02-13.
- ^ a b National Climatic Data Center (1996). Peurto Rico Event Report for Hurricane Bertha. Retrieved on 2008-02-13.
- ^ a b c d National Climatic Data Center (1996). Puerto Rico Event report for Hurricane Bertha. Retrieved on 2008-02-13.
[edit] External links
- NHC Hurricane Bertha Preliminary Report
- NWS Service Assessment
- NOAA North Carolina hurricanes: Bertha
