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From September 21-30, 1998, Hurricane Georges left a trail of destruction in the Caribbean region and across the southern U.S. Gulf coast. Estimates indicate more than 600 people were killed (or still missing) as the storm pushed its way across the islands of the Caribbean. The Caribbean islands where preliminary death totals are reported so far include Antigua, Barbuda, St. Kitts, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba, and the Bahamas. In the U.S. mainland, there were four Georges-related fatalities. An elderly woman died from heat stress while being evacuated from New Orleans. Two more people died in Florida and Louisiana in fires started by candles during power outages, and another person died as a result of an auto accident on a slick highway near Crestview, Florida. Puerto Rico reported 12 fatalities.
Damage estimates for the U.S. including Puerto Rico are now $5.9 billion. Extreme flooding was reported with rainfall amounts in excess of 20 to possibly 30 inches along portions of the southern U.S. Gulf coast. Mobile, Alabama received 13.0 inches of rain from the storm, which boosted the monthly total to 23.0 inches, breaking the September record of 16 inches set 100 years ago. The highest individual storm total reported thus far is Munson, Florida, which reported 25.0 inches of rain from Georges.
Following are reports from individual states and countries as provided by the Southeast Regional Climate Center and other sources:
Alabama: Gusts to 85 mph reported. 25-foot waves on immediate coast. 177,000 customers without power. No deaths or major injuries. Severe flooding in southern Alabama, with many homes and businesses flooded. Downtown Mobile flooded in many areas.
Florida: 18-30 inches of rain in portions of Panhandle, with NEXRAD estimates exceeding 35 inches for one small area near the AL state line. Mandatory evacuations total about 225,000. Severe flooding, high winds, and isolated tornadoes caused extensive damage. Nearly 700,000 without power at some point during storm. Approximately 200 residents in the Florida panhandle were rescued by the Coast Guard Sunday night. A portion of Interstate 10 near the Alabama border was destroyed or washed over. One death reported statewide.
On the Florida Keys, 90 mph winds were reported for >10 hours during storm passage; heavy structural damage from the storm, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management. More than 900 homes suffered minor damage, 500 major damage, and more than 150 homes were completely destroyed, including 75 houseboats on so-called "Houseboat Row." All Key West residents were without power, and residents are under a "boil water" order. Utility restoration expected to take 7-10 days. Big Pine Key and Kudjoe Key were hardest hit, including severe storm surge damage. Since the highest elevation in the Keys is 14 feet, high water quickly swept into homes and businesses.
Puerto Rico: A major disaster. Damages estimated to exceed $2 billion. Three direct deaths; nine others from medical complications (heart attacks, etc.). Power and water out to 80% of the 3.8 million people on island. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) estimates 33,113 homes destroyed in Puerto Rico, with nearly 50,000 more suffering major or minor damage. The storm destroyed 75 percent of the coffee crop, 95 percent of Puerto Rico's plantains, and 65 percent of its chickens.
US Virgin Islands: No deaths and little major damage was reported. Only about 20 homes were destroyed and another 50 damaged. Adherence to building codes likely prevented further damage. Most structures on the three islands had been rebuilt to FEMA standards after hits by Hugo (1989) and Marilyn (1995). Damage reported is almost solely restricted to agriculture (coconuts & mangoes) and livestock losses.
Antigua: Two dead; major structural damage island-wide; major coastal flooding; major marina, boat, and port damages.
St. Kitts & Nevis: Three dead, 3000 homeless; 85% of all homes damaged. Early damage estimate is $402 million. Infrastructure damaged (most hospitals, police stations, schools damaged); severe damage to airport terminal and control tower.
Cuba: Five dead; 2100 homes destroyed; 40,000 homes damaged. 20,000 homes flooded in Holguin Province. Major crop damage; 200,000 evacuated during and after the storm.
Haiti: 94 deaths at last tally. 60 missing. Flooding in Port-au-Prince, in Artibonite Valley, Cap-Haitien.
Dominican Republic: At least 210 dead, more than 500 missing. About 100,000 homeless. 70% of all bridges damaged or out; 90% of all plantation crops destroyed; damages estimated at more than $1 billion.
September 26-28 - Mobile (KMOB) NEXRAD - Derived 48-hour Storm Totals September 28 - Radar Image - at 1:07 pm (CDT) September 28 - Radar Image - at 4:57 am (CDT) September 28 - MPEG movie - 4.7mb September 28 - MPEG movie - 2.6mb September 28 - Colorized IR - Center Moving Inland Over Mississippi September 27 - Visible - Approaching Mississippi Coast September 25 - Colorized IR - Over the Florida Keys September 25 - Visible - Over the Florida Keys September 22 - Visible - With Tropical Storms Ivan and Jeanne September 22 - Visible - Striking Dominican Republic September 22 - Colorized IR - With Well Defined Eye September 21 - Visible - Near Virgin Islands September 18 - Visible NESDIS Operational Significant Event Imagery
Preliminary Precipitation Reports (Based on daily rainfall data from the Climate Prediction Center)
Rainfall in affected states for 6-day period ending at 12Z on Sep 30, 1998 - amounts listed for totals exceeding 10.00:
DAYS = Number of days of data for Sep 25-30, 1998 period --
Note that some stations did not report for all 6 days
ID = National Weather Service Station ID
STATION = Station name
COUNTY = County for the station
ST = State
ELEV = Elevation in feet
LAT/LON = Latitude and Longitude in degrees and hundredths
RAINFALL = Total reported rainfall (inches) for Sep 25-30 period, ending at
12Z on the 30th
DAYS ID STATION COUNTY ST ELEV LAT LON RAINFALL
6 CEW CRESTVIEW OKALOOSA FL 190 30.78N 86.52W 20.11
5 ALUA1 ANDALUSIA COVINGTON AL 250 31.30N 86.53W 19.57
4 NCVF1 NICEVILLE OKALOOSA FL 60 30.52N 86.50W 19.53
6 GVLA1 GREENVILLE BUTLER AL 470 31.85N 86.65W 19.30
5 VPS VALKARAISO OKALOOSA FL 30.50N 86.50W 19.19
3 GRGA1 GEORGIANNA BUTLER AL 300 31.67N 86.73W 19.15
4 HRT MARY ESTHER OKALOOSA FL 30.42N 86.68W 18.01
4 BWTA1 BREWTON ESCAMBIA AL 85 31.07N 87.05W 17.60
6 DEFF1 DE FUNIAK SPRINGS WALTON FL 230 30.73N 86.07W 17.55
3 OCSM6 OCEAN SPRINGS JACKSON MS 30.23N 88.67W 15.67
3 WHTA1 WHATLEY CLARKE AL 170 31.65N 87.72W 15.15
2 KGNA1 KINSTON COFFEE AL 270 31.23N 86.18W 14.27
5 GVAA1 GENEVA GENEVA AL 145 31.05N 85.88W 14.25
6 MOB MOBILE MOBILE AL 204 30.68N 88.24W 13.71
6 NPA PENSACOLA ESCAMBIA FL 30 30.33N 87.30W 13.51
5 DIBM6 D'IBERVILLE HARRISON MS 30.48N 88.90W 12.23
6 BIX BILOXI HARRISON MS 26 30.40N 88.92W 12.11
5 EVRA1 EVERGREEN CONECUH AL 290 31.45N 86.93W 12.02
6 CODA1 CODEN MOBILE AL 12 30.38N 88.23W 11.82
6 CLDA1 COFFEEVILLE CHOCTAW AL 46 31.77N 88.13W 11.78
6 BEAA1 BEATRICE MONROE AL 178 31.73N 87.20W 11.77
2 GNVA1 GENEVA GENEVA AL 106 31.03N 85.83W 11.57
6 CLBA1 CLAIBORNE MONROE AL 50 31.62N 87.55W 11.48
6 LEKM6 LEAKESVILLE GREENE MS 51 31.15N 88.56W 10.65
1 PINA1 PINE APPLE WILCOX AL 250 31.87N 86.98W 10.40
6 TOMA1 THOMASVILLE CLARKE AL 405 31.92N 87.73W 10.20
All rainfall reports for LA, MS, AL, GA, SC, and FL Rainfall in Puerto Rico for 2-day period ending at 12Z on Sep 23, 1998 - amounts listed for totals exceeding 10.00:
DAYS = Number of days of data for Sep 22-23, 1998 period --
Note that some stations reported only for 1 of the 2 days
ID = National Weather Service Station ID
STATION = Station name
ST = State or Territory
ELEV = Elevation in feet
LAT/LON = Latitude and Longitude in degrees and hundredths
RAINFALL = Total reported rainfall (inches) for Sep 22-23 period, ending at
12Z on the 23rd
DAYS ID STATION ST ELEV LAT LON RAINFALL
2 COMP4 COMERIO PR 604 18.22N 66.22W 25.68
1 JAYP4 JAYUYA PR 1560 18.22N 66.57W 18.13
2 CIEP4 CIDRA PR 1279 18.35N 66.13W 17.19
2 RORP4 OROCOVIS PR 500 18.22N 66.40W 16.76
1 CAIP4 CAGUAA PR 1475 18.13N 66.05W 15.74
2 BAUP4 OROCOVIS PR 773 18.23N 66.45W 14.38
1 SLJP4 SAN LORENZO PR 330 18.17N 65.98W 14.27
2 PCYP4 PONCE PR 253 18.07N 66.58W 14.25
1 NGIP4 NAGUABO PR 2020 18.28N 65.78W 13.78
2 SLKP4 SAN LORENZO PR 490 18.15N 65.95W 13.54
2 GUSP4 JUNCOS PR 1115 18.25N 65.83W 13.18
2 AIBP4 AIBONITO PR 850 18.15N 66.22W 12.32
2 GURP4 GURABO PR 137 18.25N 65.97W 12.01
2 VEDP4 RIO GRANDE PR 40 18.36N 65.81W 11.83
2 CAJP4 CAGUAS PR 426 18.25N 66.10W 11.04
2 BZAP4 CAGUAS PR 623 18.28N 66.08W 11.03
2 TRUP4 TRUJILLO ALTO PR 49 18.35N 66.00W 10.92
2 TOVP4 VILLALBA PR 525 18.13N 66.47W 10.92
2 ZLBP4 COAMO PR 18.12N 66.24W 10.90
2 NGHP4 NAGUABO PR 640 18.28N 65.79W 10.53
2 LARP4 LARES PR 951 18.30N 66.87W 10.27
All rainfall reports for Puerto Rico
List of modern day (post 1950) hurricanes that have struck Hispaniola and/or Puerto Rico. Click on name to see track. For more information on these hurricanes visit the Satellite's Eye Gallery discussion area.
1996 - Hortense 1989 - Hugo 1987 - Emily 1980 - Allen 1979 - David 1967 - Beulah 1966 - Inez 1964 - Cleo 1963 - Flora 1963 - Edith 1958 - Ella 1956 - Betsy 1955 - Katie 1954 - Hazel
National Hurricane Center Storm '98 Hurricane Central Climatic Extremes and Weather Events Hurricanes--Climatology and Reports
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