Hurricane Georges

BASIC FACTS

By Mimi Eisen, History, [email protected]

Event: Hurricane Georges (1998)

Date: September 15th – October 1st, 1998

Time: Tropical depression at 12:00 UTC, September 15th (evolved to tropical storm within 24 hours)

Location: Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico (impacting Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba, Florida Keys, Florida Panhandle, Southeastern Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi)

Type of Hazard: Hurricane

Casualties: 602 direct deaths, > 500,000 injured, ~ 200,000 left homeless

Economic loss: $5.9 billion ($8 billion in 2011 USD) ) in damages, mostly in St. Kitts and Nevis, Puerto Rico, and Hispaniola

Map: http://www.wxresearch.org/family/geo-mon.jpg

NARRATIVE

By Annelisse Santiago, Biological Science, [email protected]

Salient facts:

• Was a Cape Verde-type hurricane (an Atlantic hurricane that develops near the Cape Verde islands, off the west coast of Africa).
• Reached category 4 at its peak but weakened by wind shear.
• Originated in September 13,1998 as a tropical wave and headed west.
• On September 15, it was classified as “tropical depression seven” and the following day it became a tropical storm.
• On September 17 it was officially classified as a hurricane, though it continued to strengthen as days passed, peaking at Category 4 on September 19 and 20.
• By the 21it had weakened to Category 3 and hit An