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| Category 5 hurricane (SSHS) | ||
|---|---|---|
 Hurricane Allen in the Yucatán Channel near peak intensity on August 7, 1980 |
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| Formed | July 31, 1980 | |
| Dissipated | August 11, 1980 | |
| Highest winds |
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| Lowest pressure | 899 mbar (hPa; 26.56 inHg) | |
| Fatalities | 236 – 261 direct[1] | |
| Damage | $2.6 billion (1980 USD) $6.8 billion (2008 USD) |
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| Areas affected |
Windward Islands, Haiti, Jamaica, Yucatán Peninsula, northern Mexico, southern Texas | |
| Part of the 1980 Atlantic hurricane season |
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Hurricane Allen was the strongest hurricane of the 1980 Atlantic hurricane season. It was one of the strongest hurricanes in recorded history, one of the few hurricanes to reach Category 5 status on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale on three separate occasions, and spent more time as a Category 5 than any other Atlantic hurricane. Allen is one of only two recorded hurricanes in the Atlantic to achieve 190 mph (310 km/h) sustained winds, the other being Hurricane Camille.
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Storm history
Allen originated as a Cape Verde-type hurricane, a rarity for tropical systems in early August. The tropical disturbance which would become Allen moved off the coast of Africa on July 30, and was upgraded to a tropical depression on August 1. Early on August 2, as it moved towards the Caribbean it became the first named storm of the season-Tropical Storm Allen. Allen moved westward at an unusually high speed of 15 to 20 knots (28 to 37 km/h), rapidly intensifying into a Category 5 hurricane at 0000 (GMT) on August 5 while south of Puerto Rico and (very unusually) remaining so for over a day. During this time Allen attained a central pressure of 911 mbar (26.9 inHg), the lowest pressure on record in the Eastern Caribbean. The eye passed just south of Hispaniola and just north of Jamaica as a Category 4 hurricane.[1] After weakening from interactions with the mountains of Haiti and Jamaica, Allen reintensified to a Category 5 for a second time, again retaining this intensity for over a day. It moved between Cuba and the Yucatán Peninsula, reaching its minimum pressure of 899mb while crossing the Yucatán Channel. Interestingly, during Allen's trek through the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, its center of circulation never crossed over land despite its close passage to the islands of the Caribbean.[1]
| Rank | Hurricane | Season | Min. pressure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wilma | 2005 | 882 mbar (hPa) |
| 2 | Gilbert | 1988 | 888 mbar (hPa) |
| 3 | "Labor Day" | 1935 | 892 mbar (hPa) |
| 4 | Rita | 2005 | 895 mbar (hPa) |
| 5 | Allen | 1980 | 899 mbar (hPa) |
| 6 | Katrina | 2005 | 902 mbar (hPa) |
| 7 | Camille | 1969 | 905 mbar (hPa) |
| Mitch | 1998 | 905 mbar (hPa) | |
| Dean | 2007 | 905 mbar (hPa) | |
| 10 | Ivan | 2004 | 910 mbar (hPa) |
| Source: U.S. Department of Commerce | |||
Allen again weakened to a Category 4 storm through interactions with land, but it restrengthened into a Category 5 hurricane for a third time as it moved over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, again keeping this intensity for nearly a full day and with a pressure drop to 909 mbar (26.8 inHg), the lowest pressure ever recorded in the western Gulf of Mexico. Shortly before landfall, dry air aloft in the Gulf caused the massive storm to weaken substantially. Allen made landfall north of Brownsville, Texas as a Category 3 storm with sustained winds of 115 mph.[1]
Records
When Allen reached Category 5 intensity on August 5, it became the earliest Category 5 storm ever recorded. This record stood until Hurricane Emily shattered it on July 16, 2005.
Allen is one of three Atlantic hurricanes to reach Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale on three separate occasions, the others being Hurricane Ivan and Hurricane Isabel.
Allen also produced the fifth-lowest minimum pressure ever recorded in the Atlantic basin at 899 mbar (hPa) and was the strongest known hurricane in the basin, in terms of pressure, since 1935. Until then, it was the second strongest hurricane by pressure in the Atlantic Basin, but was since pushed down to 5th, and no hurricane has ever achieved 190 mph winds in this basin since then.[2] It remains the most intense storm ever in August.
Allen spent nearly 3 days as a Category 5 storm, by far the highest of any Atlantic hurricane, and the third longest lasting category 5 storm on record, behind two typhoons (Karen and Nancy) in the early 1960s.
Impact
| Region | Deaths[3] |
|---|---|
| Haiti | 220 |
| United States | 24 |
| St. Lucia | 18 |
| Jamaica | 8 |
| Cuba | 3 |
| Guadeloupe | 1 |
| Total (direct & indirect) | 274 |
Allen caused $2.6 billion (2005 USD) in damages and killed at least 274 people throughout its course (including indirect deaths).[1]
Lesser Antilles
Preliminary damages for Barbados were estimated to be $1.5 million (1980 USD). About 500 houses were either damaged or destroyed. No deaths were reported. St. Lucia sustained heavy damage from Allen. Eighteen people lost their lives as a result of the storm's passage. One death in Guadeloupe was attributed to Allen.
Haiti
Extensive damage occurred due to high winds and flash flooding. Total costs were estimated to be at more than $400 million (1980 USD). Roughly 50% of the nation's coffee crop was destroyed. In all, 220 people were killed and 835'000 were left homeless. In the capital Port-au-Prince, 41 deaths were caused by tin roofs flying off and around 1200 were made homeless by flooding [4].
Jamaica
In Jamaica, 8 deaths were attributed to Allen. Damage was very significant along the northeast coast, where the hurricane made its closest approach to the island.
Cuba
There were no reports of significant damage, though 3 deaths were attributed to Allen.
Cayman Islands
Cayman Brac was hit by winds in excess of 115 mph (185 km/h) which caused considerable property damage. No deaths were reported.
United States
In Texas, the storm surge was reported as high as 12 feet (3.7 m) at Port Mansfield, though it may have been higher because the highest surges occurred in unpopulated and unmonitored sections of the Texas coast. A peak wind gust of 129 mph (208 km/h) was also measured at Port Mansfield. The storm caused 7 deaths in Texas and 17 in Louisiana (most resulting from the crash of a helicopter evacuating workers from an offshore platform). Allen spawned several tornadoes in Texas. One tornado caused $100 million in damage when it hit Austin, Texas, making it the costliest tropical cyclone-spawned tornado ever. Overall, however, the storm caused limited damage in the United States due to its suddenly diminished power and because its highest tides and winds hit a sparsely-populated portion of the Texas coast.[1]
One bit of good news resulted from Allen's arrival -- it dumped 10 to 20 inches (510 mm) of rain in south Texas, ending a summer-long drought during the Heat Wave of 1980. Its storm total rainfall map is shown to the right.[5]
Retirement
- See also: List of retired Atlantic hurricane names
Because of the destruction, extreme death tolls and intensity, the name Allen was retired from the Atlantic tropic storms list in the spring of 1981, and will never be used again for a future Atlantic hurricane. It was replaced with Andrew in the 1986 season although that was retired after the 1992 storm because of its destruction in southeastern Florida and Louisiana and replaced by Alex for the 1998 Season.
References
- ^ a b c d e "Hurricane Allen Tropical Cyclone Report". Retrieved on 2006-05-19.
- ^ NOAA. Hurricane Katrina Service Assessment. Retrieved on 2007-04-13.
- ^ Preliminary Storm Report. Hurricane Allen. Retrieved on 2007-04-13.
- ^ Hurricanecity. Port au prince,Haiti's history with tropical systems. Retrieved on 2007-04-13.
- ^ ""NOAA HPC - Hurricane Allen"".
See also
External links
- National Weather Service - Hurricane Allen
- The Wake of Hurricane Allen in the Western Gulf of Mexico
- Effects of Hurricane Allen on Buildings and Coastal Construction
- Pertinent Meteorological Data for Hurricane Allen of 1980
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