| Slides 1 & 2 Hurricane Bonnie |
Bonnie was the first hurricane of the season in the Atlantic Ocean. Bonnie gradually strengthened and reached hurricane status on August 22nd when it was located 200 n mi north of the eastern tip of Hispaniola. The storm headed west-northwest passing just east of Cape Fear, NC before making land fall near Wilmington, NC as a border line Category 2/3 hurricane. The storm then took a northeast to east track and became extratropical on August 30th. Three people died as a consequence of Bonnie and damage reports were estimated at $360 million. |
| August 19-30, 1998 |
| Maximum Wind Speed: 100 kt |
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| Slides 3 & 4 Hurricane Danielle |
Danielle had a long track across the Atlantic Ocean. Although it did not seriously impact land as a tropical cyclone, it battered portions of Great Britain as an extratropical system. Based on satellite data, this rapidly strengthening hurricane reached a peak intensity of near 90 knots around 0600 UTC on August 26th, while centered about 900 n mi east of the Leeward Islands. Sustained winds of 34 knots with gusts to 47 knots were observed at Bermuda on September 2nd. No reports of damage or casualties were made as a result of this storm. |
| August 24-Sept. 3, 1998 |
| Maximum Wind Speed: 90 kt |
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| Slides 5 & 6 Hurricane Earl |
A tropical depression became Tropical Storm Earl centered about 500 n mi south-southwest of New Orleans, Louisiana at 1800 UTC on August 30th. Earl reached hurricane status at 1200 UTC on September 2nd, briefly reaching category 2. Earl made landfall as a category 1 hurricane, resulting in significant storm surge flooding in the "Big Bend" area near Panama City, Florida Hurricane Earl was directly responsible for three deaths and $79 million in property damage. |
| August 31-Sept. 3, 1998 |
| Maximum Wind Speed: 87 kt |
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| Slides 7 & 8 Hurricane Georges |
Georges originated from a tropical wave, which crossed the west coast of Africa late on September 13th. Georges continued to gradually strengthen over the next several days, reaching hurricane intensity around 1800 UTC on September 17th when an eye feature became evident. Georges was the second deadliest and second strongest hurricane within the Atlantic basin during the 1998 season. Its 17 day journey resulted in seven landfalls, extending from northeastern Caribbean to the coast of Mississippi, resulting in 602 fatalities and $3 billion in property damage. |
| Sept. 15-October 1, 1998 |
| Maximum Wind Speed: 130 kt |
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| Slides 9 & 10 Hurricane Ivan |
A tropical depression became Hurricane Ivan which was the first in a trio of hurricanes to form and then remain over the eastern Atlantic Ocean during the latter part of September. Ivan's hurricane stage occurred rather far to the north at approximately 30N. Its peak wind intensity of about 80 kt was reached on the morning of the 26th, the hurricane was then about 300 n mi. west of the Azores Islands. There were no reports of damage or casualties. |
| September 19-27, 1998 |
| Maximum Wind Speed: 80 kt |
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| Slides 11 & 12 Hurricane Jeanne |
Jeanne formed from a tropical wave that was slow to emerge from western Africa. Jeanne continued moving toward the west-northwest, strengthening to its estimated peak intensity of 90 knots while located about 580 n mi west of the westernmost Cape Verde Islands. It remained over the eastern Atlantic. It brushed the Cape Verde Islands early in its development, and also caused some gusty winds over the Azores just before losing tropical characteristics. There were no known casualties or damages caused by Jeanne. |
| Sept. 21-October 1, 1998 |
| Maximum Wind Speed: 90 kt |
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| Slides 13 & 14 Hurricane Karl |
Hurricane Karl was one of four hurricanes in existence over the Atlantic basin at one time. According to records at the National Hurricane Center, the last time four hurricanes were in existence in the Atlantic at the same time was on August 22, 1893. It remained over water without any direct effects to land. |
| September 23-28, 1998 |
| Maximum Wind Speed: 90 kt |
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| Slides 15 & 16 Hurricane Lisa |
Lisa originated from a tropical wave which moved westward from Africa into the eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean on September 29th. Lisa briefly strengthened to a 65 knot hurricane on October 9th, before merging with an extratropical frontal system in the far North Atlantic. It stayed over the Atlantic Ocean and did not effect land. There were no reports of damage or casualties. |
| October 5-9, 1998 |
| Maximum Wind Speed: 65 kt |
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| Slides 17 & 18 Hurricane Mitch |
Mitch was responsible for over nine thousand deaths predominately from rain-induced flooding in portions of Central America, mainly inHonduras and Nicaragua. This makes Mitch one of the deadliest Atlantic tropical cyclones in history. The 905 mb minimum central pressure and estimated maximum sustained wind speed of 155 knots over the western Caribbean make Mitch the strongest October hurricane (records began in 1886). Mitch moved across the Yucatan Peninsula and southern Florida as a tropical storm. |
| October 22-Nov. 5, 1998 |
| Maximum Wind Speed: 168 kt |
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| Slides 19 & 20 Hurricane Nicole |
Late season Hurricane Nicole was a tenacious tropical cyclone that persisted for several days over the northeast Atlantic. Nicole was moving over a region of anomalously warm sea surface temperatures of the order of 2 or 3 degrees. This anomalous feature was probably partially responsible for the intensification of the system. There are no reports of casualty and damage from Nicole. |
| Nov. 24-Dec. 1, 1998 |
| Maximum Wind Speed: 75 kt |
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