Hurricane Earl (1998)

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This article is about the Atlantic hurricane of 1998; for other storms of the same name, see Hurricane Earl
Hurricane Earl
Category 2 hurricane (SSHS)
Hurricane Earl at peak intensity

Hurricane Earl at peak intensity
Formed August 31, 1998
Dissipated September 8, 1998
Highest
winds
100 mph (155 km/h) (1-minute sustained)
Lowest pressure 988 mbar (hPa; 29.19 inHg)
Fatalities 2 direct, 1 indirect
Damage $79 million (1998 USD)
$104 million (2008 USD)
Areas
affected		 Florida, Georgia, Carolinas, Atlantic Canada
Part of the
1998 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Earl was a strong Category 2 hurricane that made landfall as a Category 1 by Panama City, Florida on September 3, 1998 near 0600 UTC, traveling northeast through Georgia up to Nova Scotia.[1] The storm killed 3 people and caused $79 million dollars in estimated total damage (including floods).[1] Hurricane Earl was one of three hurricanes to make landfall on the U.S. during 1998 (the others being Hurricane Georges and Hurricane Bonnie). Earl was also the third hurricane to make landfall in the Florida Panhandle in two years (others being Hurricane Opal and Hurricane Erin of 1995)[2]

Contents

[edit] Storm History

Storm path
Storm path

Earl formed in the Gulf of Mexico on August 31 south of Louisiana. The tropical depression had a dynamic structure which is that "multiple centers" were detected in the storm and thus the center of the developing storm was very difficult to track. By September 2, Hurricane Earl had reached hurricane strength based on aircraft and satellite data while centered 125 miles (201 km) southeast of New Orleans, Louisiana. Satellite imagery showed that Earl didn't have a classic hurricane look; instead, the storm looked more like a subtropical or an extratropical storm as it neared the U.S. Gulf Coast. Earl briefly reached category 2 status before making landfall near Panama City, Florida as a category 1 on September 3. Earl then weakened and became extratropical on the same day. Earl moved rapidly through Georgia and the Carolinas before hitting Atlantic Canada. The remnants of Earl then merged with the extratropical storm that was formerly Hurricane Danielle.

Hurricane Earl and Hurricane Danielle.
Hurricane Earl and Hurricane Danielle.

[edit] Preparations

The storm forced many Florida residences to evacuate, especially people living in the barrier islands that dot the Florida Gulf Coast. About 30 Air Force jets from Eglin Air Force Base were sent to Oklahoma[3]. Officials issued hurricane watches and warnings from the Florida Gulf Coast to the Tampa area, forcing local residents to evacuate, many of whom had left during Hurricanes Erin and Opal in 1995. [2]

[edit] Impact

Earl killed three people and left $79 million dollars (1998 USD ($92.5 million 2006 USD) in damage. Most of the damage was in the Florida Panhandle.

[edit] Mexico

The initial tropical disturbance passed through the Yucatán peninsula on August 29 and inflow bands to the south of Earl continued rainfall across southeast Mexico until early September 2. The highest rainfall total was reported from Belizario Dominguez/Moto, where 12.94 inches/329 mm of precipitation fell.[citation needed]

[edit] Florida

Rainfall totals from Earl.
Rainfall totals from Earl.

Hurricane Earl produced a storm surge about 2.5 meters high in the Big Bend area of Florida. Panama City received 41 cm (12 inches) of rain and there were reports of tornadoes, one of which damaged eleven homes and six businesses in Brevard County.[4] Offshore, two boats sank during the storm, drowning two people. In Port St. Joe, Florida, Earl destroyed portions of a seawall while seven miles (11 km) of Highway 98 were washed out by storm surge.[5] Fifteen boats docked at Shell Island Fish Camp were tossed around and wrecked. In Destin Harbor, strong underwater currents caused the sea floor to shift, endangering several vessels from future storms. Hurricane Earl also destroyed several turtle nests.[5] In Tampa Bay, 90% of the eggs were destroyed and in Gulf County, Florida about 150 sea turtle eggs were lost to the storm.[5] Beach erosion was heavy along the Florida Gulf Coast.

Counties in Florida declared disaster areas
Counties in Florida declared disaster areas

Hurricane Earl also detached a football field-sized island that floated 500 yards (460 m) down the coast of Deer Point Lake before it got lodged against the banks of Cedar Creek. Residences worried that the island might break loose again during another hurricane and will drift into Deer Point Lake Dam.[citation needed] The storm also washed military ammunition onto the beaches, much of it dating back to World War II.[citation needed]

[edit] Southeastern U.S.

Hurricane Earl produced a tornado outbreak across the states of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. One of the tornadoes killed one person in St. Helena, South Carolina, while others did minimal damage.[2] In Georgia, four people were injured when a tornado hit a house west of Savannah.[2]

[edit] Atlantic Canada

Earl battered Nova Scotia with heavy rains and gale force winds as an extratropical storm.

[edit] Lack of retirement

Because the damage was not extreme, the name Earl was not retired. Therefore, it was used again in 2004 and will be used in 2010.

[edit] See also

Tropical cyclones Portal

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b National Hurricane Center. NHC Earl Tropical Cyclone Report. Retrieved on 2007-02-08.
  2. ^ a b c d CNN. Unpredictable Earl takes aim at Florida Panhandle. Retrieved on 2007-02-08.
  3. ^ Mike Clary. Florida Braces For Cover As Hurricane Earl Lashes Away. Retrieved on 2007-02-08.
  4. ^ BBC News. Hurricane Earl pounds Florida coast. Retrieved on 2007-02-08.
  5. ^ a b c Hurricanecity.com. DAMAGE REPORTS from 1998. Retrieved on 2007-02-08.

[edit] External links

Tropical cyclones of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season
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