The
1986 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1986, and lasted until November 30, 1986. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most
tropical cycloneA tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones feed on heat released when moist air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor contained in the moist air...
s form in the
Atlantic basinAtlantic Basin may refer to:* Atlantic Ocean* Atlantic Basin in Brooklyn, site of:** Brooklyn Cruise Terminal** Atlantic Basin Iron Works...
. During the 1986 season, the first subtropical depression formed late in the first week of June, while the last tropical cyclone dissipated at the end of the third week of November. The 1986 season had lower than average activity because of an ongoing El Niño event, and was the least active season in the North Atlantic since the
1983 Atlantic hurricane seasonThe 1983 Atlantic hurricane season was the least active Atlantic hurricane season in 53 years, with only four tropical storms forming. The season officially began on June 1, 1983, and lasted until November 30, 1983. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most storms...
. This was also the first season since
1972The 1972 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1972, and lasted until November 30, 1972. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. A strong El Niño kept hurricane activity at a minimum, and in fact the season...
to have no major hurricanes. Earl was the strongest hurricane of the season, reaching
Category 2Category 2 can refer to:*Category 2 Tropical Cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale.*Category 2 Pandemic on the Pandemic Severity Index*Category 2 cable...
status. Few storms caused significant damage; Hurricane Bonnie caused heavy rains and flooding across southeast
TexasTexas is the second-largest U.S. state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous United States.The name had wide usage among native Americans, meaning "friends" or "allies"...
when it made landfall near
Sea Rim State ParkSea Rim State Park is a state park in southeast Texas.The park is located on the Gulf of Mexico in southern Jefferson County, south of Port Arthur and just west of Sabine Pass. The park is currently closed indefinitely due to hurricane damage.-Description:...
.
Hurricane CharleyHurricane Charley was the costliest tropical cyclone of the 1986 Atlantic hurricane season, and the first hurricane to threaten the east-central United States since Hurricane Gloria in the previous year. The third tropical storm and second hurricane of the season, Charley formed as a subtropical...
caused limited damage in
North CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties...
and
MassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. Most of its population of...
, but crossed the Atlantic as an
extratropical cycloneExtratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are a group of cyclones defined as synoptic scale low pressure weather systems that occur in the middle latitudes of the Earth having neither tropical nor polar characteristics, and are connected with fronts and...
and caused considerable damage in Ireland and Great Britain.
Seasonal forecast
Dr.
William M. GrayWilliam M. "Bill" Gray is a pioneer in the science of forecasting hurricanes.In 1952 he received a B.S. degree in geography from George Washington University, and in 1959 a M.S. in meteorology from the University of Chicago, where he went on to earn a Ph.D...
of
Colorado State UniversityColorado State University is a public institution of higher learning located in Fort Collins, Colorado in the United States. Colorado State University is the state's land grant university and the flagship campus university of the Colorado State University System. The enrollment is approximately...
issued forecasts on May 29 and July 28 indicating within both forecasts the anticipation of a below normal hurricane season. In May, a total of 8 named tropical storms were expected, with four hurricane expected, 15 days with hurricanes, and a total of 35 days with a tropical storm active in the northern Atlantic ocean. In July, the numbers were dropped to a total of 7 named storms, 4 hurricanes, 10 hurricane days, and 25 days with a named tropical storm, which almost perfectly verified.
Tropical Storm Andrew
The first named storm of the season, Andrew developed from a large, northward bound area of disturbed weather. Although it reached its peak intensity as a tropical storm, the initial depression was
subtropicalA subtropical cyclone is a weather system that has some characteristics of a tropical and an extratropical cyclone. As early as the 1950s, meteorologists were unclear whether they should be characterized as tropical or extratropical cyclones. They were officially recognized by the National...
on June 5. After being named on June 6, Andrew briefly threatened the Carolinas before recurving out to sea at a forward speed of , being absorbed by an area of low pressure over east Canada. Despite moving in close proximity to
Cape HatterasCape Hatteras is a cape on the coast of North Carolina. It is the point that protrudes the farthest to the southeast along the northeast-to-southwest line of the Atlantic coast of North America...
, no reports of storm conditions were received, largely due to the highest concentration of activity being on the east side of the storm. The storm was responsible for one death due to
undertowUndertow is a strong subsurface flow of water returning seaward from shore, often as result of wave action.Undertow may also refer to:* Undertow , a 2001 mystery novel by Warren Adler...
while active. However, the area of disturbed weather that ultimately developed into Andrew was responsible for landslides and flooding that claimed 49 lives in
JamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width, amounting to 11,100 km
2. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harboring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. With a total of 50 deaths, both direct and indirect, Andrew was the deadliest storm of the season. Despite the death toll in Jamaica, there is no known damage total from the storm.
Hurricane Bonnie
During late June, a
frontal troughA trough is an elongated region of relatively low atmospheric pressure, often associated with fronts.Unlike fronts, there is not a universal symbol for a trough on a weather chart. The weather charts in some countries or regions mark troughs by a line. In the United States, a trough may be marked...
drifted into the northeastern
Gulf of MexicoThe Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world. Considered a smaller part of the Atlantic Ocean, it is an ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United...
, and by June 22 a surface circulation formed. Tracking west-northwestward, it developed into Tropical Depression Two on June 23 while located about 330 miles (535 km) south of
Pensacola, FloridaPensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2007, the estimated population was 54,283....
. The next day, it attained tropical storm status, and with continued favorable conditions attained hurricane status on June 25 to the south of
LouisianaThe State of Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state divided into parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. Bonnie turned to the northwest and made
landfallLandfall is the event of a tropical cyclone or a waterspout coming onto land after being over water. When a waterspout makes landfall it is reclassified as a tornado, which can then cause damage inland...
near
Sea Rim State ParkSea Rim State Park is a state park in southeast Texas.The park is located on the Gulf of Mexico in southern Jefferson County, south of Port Arthur and just west of Sabine Pass. The park is currently closed indefinitely due to hurricane damage.-Description:...
in
TexasTexas is the second-largest U.S. state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous United States.The name had wide usage among native Americans, meaning "friends" or "allies"...
. The storm quickly weakened over land as it turned to the north and northeast, and on June 28 it was absorbed by an approaching frontal zone in southeastern
MissouriMissouri is a state in the Midwest region of the United States bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. Missouri is the 18th most populous state with a 2008 estimated population of 5,911,605. It comprises 114 counties and one independent city....
.
Prior to moving ashore, 22,000 people were evacuated. Upon making landfall, Hurricane Bonnie produced a
storm surgeStorm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically a tropical cyclone. Storm surge is caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean's surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea level...
peaking at 5.2 feet (1.5 m) at
Sabine PassSabine Pass is the natural outlet of Sabine Lake into the Gulf of Mexico. It borders Jefferson County, Texas, and Cameron Parish, Louisiana.Two major battles occurred here during the American Civil War, known as the First and Second Battles of Sabine Pass....
. Rainfall from the storm peaked at in Ace, Texas, which caused some street flooding and destroyed a small dam in
Liberty County, TexasLiberty County is a county located in Texas within the Houston Metropolitan Area. As of the 2000 United States Census, the population was 70,154. The 2007 Census estimate placed the county population at 75,434. Its county seat is Liberty, Texas.-Geography:...
. The hurricane also spawned eleven tornadoes, which, in combination with moderate winds, destroyed about 25 residencies in southwestern
LouisianaThe State of Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state divided into parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. Three storm deaths occurred in the
Port Arthur, TexasPort Arthur is a city in Jefferson County within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area of the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 57,755 at the 2000 census.-Geography and history:...
area; two deaths occurred from separate car accidents, and another occurred after a partially paralyzed woman died in a house fire. Hurricane Bonnie caused minor damage totaling $2 million (1986 USD, $3.5 million 2006 USD).
Tropical Depression Three
The third tropical depression of the season was detected early on July 27 in the open waters of the Atlantic, north of
BermudaBermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, it is situated around 1,770 kilometres northeast of Miami, Florida, and 1,350 kilometres south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada...
. While about north of the island, the storm was moving northward at while its maximum sustained winds were about . Later that afternoon, aircraft reconnaissance found no well-defined circulation and the storm's status was reduced from a depression. The depression never threatened any land areas.
Tropical Depression
A tropical disturbance was detected on August 4 in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico along the lower Texas coast. The low-pressure system moved slowly toward land, limiting the system's development. On August 5, the system became organized enough to be considered a tropical depression. The storm moved inland overnight, dumping several inches of rain over South Texas and causing street flooding in
BrownsvilleBrownsville is a city in and the county seat of Cameron County, Texas, United States. Brownsville is the 15th largest city in the state of Texas and the 129th largest in the United States. The population was 139,722 at the 2000 census...
and nearby
South Padre IslandSouth Padre Island is a barrier island in the U.S. state of Texas. It is located in Cameron County and is a popular vacation destination because the resort community South Padre Island is located on the island.-See also:*South Padre Island, Texas...
. The system rained up to in some areas but caused no major problems. This storm was not carried as a depression operationally, and thus has no assigned number.
Hurricane Charley
Hurricane Charley was the costliest
tropical cycloneA tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones feed on heat released when moist air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor contained in the moist air...
of the season, and the first hurricane to threaten the east-central United States since
Hurricane GloriaHurricane Gloria was a powerful Cape Verde-type hurricane that formed during the 1985 Atlantic hurricane season and prowled the Atlantic Ocean from September 16 to September 28. Gloria reached Category 4 status on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale near the Bahamas, but weakened significantly...
in the previous year. The third tropical storm and second hurricane of the season, Charley formed as a
subtropical lowA subtropical cyclone is a weather system that has some characteristics of a tropical and an extratropical cyclone. As early as the 1950s, meteorologists were unclear whether they should be characterized as tropical or extratropical cyclones. They were officially recognized by the National...
on August 13 along the Florida panhandle. A few days later intensified it into a tropical storm off the coast of South Carolina, and Charley attained hurricane status before moving across eastern North Carolina. It gradually weakened over the north Atlantic Ocean before transitioning into an
extratropical cycloneExtratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are a group of cyclones defined as synoptic scale low pressure weather systems that occur in the middle latitudes of the Earth having neither tropical nor polar characteristics, and are connected with fronts and...
, though its remnants remained identifiable for over a week until after crossing the British Isles and dissipating on August 30.
The storm brought light to moderate precipitation along its path through the southeastern United States. In Georgia and South Carolina, the rainfall alleviated drought conditions. In North Carolina, where the hurricane made landfall, tidal flooding and downed trees were the primary impact. The storm brought high winds to southeastern Virginia, where 110,000 people were left without power. Minor damage extended along the Atlantic coastline northward through Massachusetts. One traffic fatality was reported each in North Carolina and Virginia. Three people in Maryland died due to a plane crash related to the storm. Throughout the United States, Hurricane Charley caused an estimated $15 million in damage (1986
USDThe United States dollar is the unit of currency of the United States. The U.S. dollar is normally abbreviated as the dollar sign, $, or as USD or US$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies and from others that use the $ symbol. It is divided into 100 cents .The U.S...
, $29 million 2008 USD).
As an extratropical cyclone, Charley brought heavy rainfall and strong winds to Ireland and the United Kingdom, causing at least 11 deaths. In Ireland, the rainfall set records for 24 hour totals, including an accumulation of more than 7.8 in (200 mm) which set the record for the greatest daily rainfall total in the country. In the country, the rainfall caused widespread flooding, resulting in two rivers overflowing their banks. In the Dublin area, 451 buildings were flooded, some up to a depth of 8 ft (2.4 m). In the United Kingdom, the storm caused downed trees and power lines, as well as flooded rivers.
Tropical Depression Five
This tropical depression formed in the eastern tropical Atlantic ocean on August 31. The depression moved west-northwest, then northwest to the northeast of the Caribbean sea without further development before dissipating east-southeast of
BermudaBermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, it is situated around 1,770 kilometres northeast of Miami, Florida, and 1,350 kilometres south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada...
on September 4.
Tropical Depression Six
A tropical wave crossed the Caribbean sea, moving into a favorable upper environment in the western Caribbean sea on August 31. The system formed into a weak tropical depression before crossing the Yucatan peninsula, becoming better organized as it moved into the south-central and western Gulf of Mexico between September 1 and September 3. The system moved ashore east-central Mexico before quickly dissipating as a tropical cyclone on September 4. Satellite imagery revealed that its residual cloud pattern persisted over Mexico for an additional couple of days before degenerating. Heavy rainfall fell primarily north of its track, with the maximum across northeast Mexico falling at El Barranco/Altamira, where a total of was measured.
Tropical Storm Danielle
On September 1, a
tropical waveTropical waves, or easterly waves, also known as African easterly waves in the Atlantic region, are a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which move from east to west across the tropics causing areas of cloudiness and thunderstorms...
moved off the coast of Africa and headed westward. The disturbance was below the 10 degree latitude as it organized into a tropical depression on September 7 and then a tropical storm later that day. Danielle peaked as a storm on the 8th, while Reconnaissance Aircraft reported gusts of up to hurricane force. After passing through the
Lesser AntillesThe Lesser Antilles, also known as the Caribbees, are part of the Antilles, which together with the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and Greater Antilles form the West Indies...
, Danielle encountered vertical
wind shearWind shear, sometimes referred to as windshear or wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere...
, and on the 10th it dissipated in the central
Caribbean SeaThe Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean situated in the tropics of the Western hemisphere, bounded to the south and west by the American landmass, with the North Atlantic Ocean proper to the northeast and the Gulf of Mexico to the northwest...
. The remnants continued westward and ultimately regenerated into Tropical Storm Lester.
The islands of
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesSaint Vincent and the Grenadines is a nation in the Lesser Antilles chain, which lies at the eastern border of the Caribbean Sea where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. Its territory consists of the main island of Saint Vincent and the northern two-thirds of the Grenadines, which are a chain of...
experienced wind gusts up to hurricane force, causing severe power outages and causing roof damage. In the Grenadines, the storm drove a coast guard ship aground, while five people were injured and hundreds of homes were destroyed. Torrential rainfall produced several mudslides, which, in turn, damaged roads, bridges, electricity, and water services. Danielle also destroyed twelve homes on the island of
BarbadosBarbados , situated just east of the Caribbean Sea, is an independent West Indian Continental Island-nation in the western Atlantic Ocean. For over three centuries Barbados was a colony and protectorate of the United Kingdom; and still currently maintains Queen Elizabeth II as head of state...
. In
Trinidad and TobagoThe Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying northeast of the South American country of Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles. It shares maritime boundaries with other nations including Barbados to the northeast, Guyana to the...
, strong flooding of up to four feet caused 27 landslides, destroying four bridges. The storm caused $8 million dollars in damage in
TobagoTobago is the smaller of the two main islands that make up the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It is located in the southern Caribbean Sea, northeast of the island of Trinidad and southeast of Grenada...
. Total damage from the storm amounted to $9.2 million (1986 USD), mostly to crops, though no deaths were reported.
Hurricane Earl
The strongest storm of the season began as a tropical wave off Africa on September 4. After moving across the tropical Atlantic Ocean it strengthened as Tropical Depression Five on September 10 while about 1240 miles (2000 km) east of
Puerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is a self-governing unincorporated territory of the United States located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of the Virgin Islands...
. The depression quickly strengthened and reached hurricane strength the September 11, peaked as a Category 2 hurricane on September 12 as it made a half circle, weakened to a
Category 1The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale is a classification used for most Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms. The scale divides hurricanes into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
on September 16 and bounced back the way it came. Earl then turned north and became extratropical southeast of Newfoundland on September 19. At its peak, Earl had sustained winds of 105 mph (170 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 979 mbar.
Hurricane Frances
First spotted as a tropical disturbance near the
Lesser AntillesThe Lesser Antilles, also known as the Caribbees, are part of the Antilles, which together with the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and Greater Antilles form the West Indies...
on November 15, the system moved generally northward while slowly developing. The system organized into a tropical depression on November 18 and quickly strengthened into a tropical storm. The storm curved northeast and strengthened further, reaching hurricane strength on November 20. However, a surface high-pressure system to the north caused the storm to weaken as the vertical
wind shearWind shear, sometimes referred to as windshear or wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere...
increased over its center. Frances was later absorbed by an
extratropical cycloneExtratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are a group of cyclones defined as synoptic scale low pressure weather systems that occur in the middle latitudes of the Earth having neither tropical nor polar characteristics, and are connected with fronts and...
on November 21.
Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) Rating
| ACE (104kt²) – Storm: Source |
| 1 |
19.7 |
Earl |
4 |
2.94 |
Bonnie |
| 2 |
5.63 |
CharleyHurricane Charley was the costliest tropical cyclone of the 1986 Atlantic hurricane season, and the first hurricane to threaten the east-central United States since Hurricane Gloria in the previous year. The third tropical storm and second hurricane of the season, Charley formed as a subtropical...
|
5 |
2.19 |
Andrew |
| 3 |
3.80 |
Frances |
6 |
1.56 |
Danielle |
| Total= 35.7925 (36) |
The table on the right shows the
ACEAccumulated cyclone energy is a measure used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to express the activity of individual tropical cyclones and entire tropical cyclone seasons, particularly the North Atlantic hurricane season. It uses an approximation of the energy used by a...
for each storm in the season. The ACE is, broadly speaking, a measure of the power of the hurricane multiplied by the length of time it existed for, so hurricanes that lasted a long time have higher ACEs.
Storm names
The following names were used for named storms that formed in the north Atlantic in 1986. No names were retired, so it was used again in the
1992 seasonThe 1992 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1992, and lasted until November 30, 1992. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin...
. This is the same list used for the
1980 seasonThe 1980 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1980, and lasted until November 30, 1980. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The season was fairly active, with eleven storms forming, of which nine reached...
except for Andrew, which replaced
AllenHurricane 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...
. A storm was named Andrew for the first time in 1986. Names that were not assigned are marked in .
- Andrew
- Bonnie
- Charley
Hurricane Charley was the costliest tropical cyclone of the 1986 Atlantic hurricane season, and the first hurricane to threaten the east-central United States since Hurricane Gloria in the previous year. The third tropical storm and second hurricane of the season, Charley formed as a subtropical...
- Danielle
- Earl
- Frances
|
|
|
Retirement
The
World Meteorological OrganizationThe World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 188 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873...
retired no names used in the 1986 season.
See also
- List of Atlantic hurricanes
- List of Atlantic hurricane seasons
- 1986 Pacific hurricane season
The 1986 Pacific hurricane season officially started May 15, 1986 in the eastern Pacific, and June 1, 1986 in the central Pacific, and lasted until November 30, 1986. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northeastern Pacific...
- 1986 Pacific typhoon season
A total of 32 tropical depressions formed in 1986 in the Western Pacific over an eleven month time span. Of the 32, 30 became tropical storms, 19 storms reached typhoon intensity, and 3 reached super typhoon strength...
- 1986 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
- Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone seasons: 1985–86, 1986–87
External links