Hurricane Francelia (1969)
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| Category 3 hurricane (SSHS) | ||
|---|---|---|
_NOAA.JPG) Hurricane Francelia shortly after formation on August 29. |
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| Formed | August 29, 1969 | |
| Dissipated | September 4, 1969 | |
| Highest winds |
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| Lowest pressure | 973 mbar (hPa; 28.74 inHg) | |
| Fatalities | 100 | |
| Damage | $4.7 million (1969 USD) $28 million (2008 USD) |
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| Areas affected |
Leeward Islands, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize | |
| Part of the 1969 Atlantic hurricane season |
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Hurricane Francelia was the second-deadliest hurricane of the 1969 Atlantic hurricane season behind Hurricane Camille, killing 100 people as it made landfall on Central America in Belize. The storm crossed into the eastern Pacific Ocean as a disturbance after making landfall and moving inland, eventually reforming and becoming Hurricane Glenda.
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[edit] Storm history
A tropical wave exited the coast of Africa on August 19. There were indications the wave possibly contained a tropical depression, but as it moved rapidly westward, it failed to organize significantly. A great increase of convection led to the formation of a tropical depression on August 29 over the southern Windward Islands in an area where tropical cyclone formation is rare. Its upper level environment became more favorable as it moved west-northwestward through the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea, and the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Francelia on August 30 while 250 miles south of Haiti.
Francelia's rapid movement continued, causing the surface circulation and its convection to separate, halting significant development. The storm slowed in the western Caribbean Sea, and turned more to the west and west-southwest due to building pressures to the north. Intensification continued, and Francelia attained hurricane status on September 1. The next day, it quickly strengthened to a 115 mph major hurricane as it passed the Swan Islands, but proximity to land in the western Caribbean Sea prevented further strengthening.
The hurricane slowed as it continued to the west-southwest, and weakened slightly while traversing the Gulf of Honduras. Gale force winds occurred from Belize southward, and late on September 3, Francelia finally made landfall on southern Belize. It rapidly weakened over land, and dissipated on the 4th. The remnants continued slowly westward, crossing Central America in 3 days before emerging into the eastern Pacific. That disturbance eventually became Hurricane Glenda, which would dissipate on September 12 after paralleling the Mexican coastline.
[edit] Impact
When Francelia nearly stalled off the coast of Central America, it brought prolonged rainfall and extensive flooding. Mountain flooding resulted in overflown rivers, with the Belize River rising to over 36 feet above normal. The storm affected thousands of people and caused extensive damage to crops, amounting to over $4.7 million in damage (1969 USD, $24.9 million 2005 USD).
The rainfall values for Francelia were moderate to severe, amounting to a peak of 6.7 inches in one location. Severe flooding was experienced in Belize.
An eye sounding was obtained as the hurricane passed Swan Island, only the 5th of its kind. A sounding balloon was released during Francelia's intensification stage, and revealed the moisture levels and pressures at various heights in the hurricane's eyewall. The sounding showed that Francelia had near saturation in the mid-levels, with a pressure of 992 at the time.
[edit] Lack of retirement
Despite its damage and death toll, the name Francelia was not retired. However, a new naming system began in 1970, and the name Francelia has not been used since.
