M a r c h 1965 Gordon E. Dunn and Staff 175
THEHURRICANESEASON OF 1964
GORDON E. DUNN AND STAFF*
U.S. Weather Bureau Office, Miami, Fla.
1. GENERALSUMMARY
Twelve tropical cyclones, six of hurricane intensity,
developed over tropical Atlantic waters during 1964.
This is the largest number since 1955 and compares with
an average of 10 during the past three decades. The
centers of four hurricanes penetrated the mainland of the
United States, the largest number to do so since the five
in 1933. There have been only four other years with four
or more since 1900; four in 1906, 1909, and 1926, and six
in 1916. While none of the four renching the mainland
in 1964 wits :L major hurricane at the time of landfall,
three-Cleo, Dora, and EIi1da"were severe.
Florida was struck by three hurricanes in addition t o
dying hurricane Hilda and one tropical cyclone of less
than hurricane intensity; thus ended an unequalled rela-
tively hurricane-free period of 13 years from 1951 through
1963. During this period Florida experienced three
hurricanes compared with a norlml expectancy of 11.7,
and only one nmjor hurricme (Donna) compared to n
normal of 3+.
The tropicd Atlantic atmosphere was unstable through-
out the sunlnler and fall with numerous disturbances and
depressions. One reached tropical storm intensity early
in June and another in late Julg, but no storm of hurricane
intensity was noted until August 21. There was a tropical
cyclone on the chart on all but two days from August 20
through October 4. With the exception of Florence all
nloved or recurved west of longitude 60' 17. (fig. 1). The
number of huwicane days \vas 46, which in t,he past 11
gears was exceeded by 49 in 1961 and 56 in 1955 (table 1).
August 1964 was considered an active month from a
tropical standpoint. According to Posey [I] the 700-~nb.
mid-latitude winds in the Northern Hemisphere were
quite zonal. A negative height arlomaly band a h o s t
encircled the globe to the south of a large positive anonlaly
over the Atlantic and was associated with a slight south-
ward displacement of the westerlies. Major long-wuve
troughs were located very close to the west and east coasts
of the United States near their usual positions; however,
the east coast trough was weak south of latitude 35' N.
and during the period August 25-29, when Cleo wt~s ap-
proaching and moving northward over Florida, thc long
wave had retrograded int,o the Great Plains. The mean
700-mb. height anomalies for August 1964 do not corre-
and Arnold L. Sugg.
*Paul L. Moore, Gilbert A. Clark, Neil L. Frank, Elbert C . IIi11, Raymond II. Kraft,
spond very well with the composite chart for atverage
departures from nornml for seasons of maxinlum tropical
cyclone incidence in the southeastern United States as
developed by Ballenzweig [a ].
September was an even more active month and cor-
respondence between Ballenzweig's composite c h r t and
the observed values was better, particularly south of
latitude 40' W. According to Green [3] the subtropical
High was abnornlally strong and displaced slightly
northward from normal (favorable for tropical cyclone
formation) while the 700-mb. jet was slightly south of
normal (unfavorable). The long-wave position fluctuated
back and forth from the Rockies and Great Plains east-
ward and the tropical cyclones experienced considerable
difficulty in penetrating the westerlies. During the major
hurricane months in 1964 the long-wave trough failed
to remain along the enst coast of the United States for
any sustained period, nncl when there its amplitucle was
very weak, in strong contrast to the hurricnne seasons of
1962 and 1963.
I n October a t 700 mb. the low-latitude trough \vas
located in the Gulf of Mexico near longitude 90' W.
from the 1st to the 5th, and Hilda recurved just east of
its axis [4]. By the middle of October a long-wave
position along the east coast of the United States had
become established which crtusecl the recurvnture of
Isbell over southern Florida.
Statistics on casualties and clamage for the 1964
hurricane season are shomn in table 2 . It is interesting
to note that as much as $500 million hurricane clamage
can occur in the United States in :L single season without
any major hurricane.
TABLE l.-Hztrricane days
Yca1
1954 -.-. .. - ._. 1955 ..". - ..-.
1956." ...____
1957 ..__._. .-.
1958.". -. - - -. 1959.". __....
1960 .._.......
1961 1962 1953 1964 Total "". ".
- -
- v
5
-
31
56
22 15
35 24
19
49 11 41 4G
449
-
-
'If two hurricanes are in existcnce on one day, this is counted as two hurricane clays.
1 76 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW Vol. 9 3 , No. 3
Morch 1965 MONTHLYWEATHER REVIEW
TABLE 2,"Danaage and cas~~alties, hvrricane season 1964
~~
177
Date
I
Storm
United States
June 2-11 ................. .......
July 28-Aug. 3 ........... Unnamed (T). .......
Aug. 5-8 ................. Abby (T) .............
Aug. 7-10 ................ Brenda (T) ...........
hug. 20-Sept. 5 .......... Cleo (H) ..............
Aug. 28-Sept. l G ......... Dora(l1) ..............
..
Sept. 4-16 ................ Ethel (1-1) .............
Sept. 6 1 0 ................ Florence (T) .......... Scut. 13-25 ............... Gladvs (11) ...........
Sei~t. 28-Oct. 5 ........... Ililda (1.1) .............
Oct. 8-16 ................. Isbell (I{) .............
~,
Nov. 5-9 ................. Unnamed (T). .......
0
0 0
0 3 5
0 0
38 0
3
0
Total .............. G(T) G(I.1) ...........
I 49
Damage
$1, 000,000
750,000 0
128,500,000 0
253,000,000 0 0
0 125,000,000 10,000,000 0
6515,250,000
Other areas
Deaths Damage
_"
0
0 0
0
0
$275,000 0 70,000, 000 214
0
0 0 0 Very minor
0 0
0 1,000,000
0 0
3 10,000,000 0 5,000,000 __-
217 1 $8Ii,275,000
T =T r o p i c a l s t o r m . H=Hurricano.
2. INDIVIDUALTROPICALCYCLONES
Unnamed Tropical Storm, June ,%ll.-During June 2
and 3, a weak tropical depression slowly developed over
the extreme northwestern Caribbean just to the east of
British Honduras and the Yucatan Peninsula. The
original disturbance apparently moved out of the Inter-
tropical Convergence Zone (ITC). On t h e 4 t h , t h e
depression began drifting slowly northward and reached
the extreme southeastern Gulf of Mexico by the 5th.
During this period, maximum winds were generally 25 to
30 m.p.h. in scattered squalls.
Moving north-northeastward to northeastward at 15
m.p.h., the depression crossed extreme northern Florida
the afternoon of June 6 with no significant intensification,
but later developed tropia1 storm intensity on the morning
of the 7th off the Georgia and South Carolina coasts. It
then moved on an east-northeastward course at 15 to
20 m.p.h., and continued to intensify slowly.
Reaching n position some 200 mi, north of Bermuda by
June 9, the storm changed to an easterly course around
10 m.p.h. under the influence of an intensifying high
pressure system to the northeast. h4aximum intensity
was reached a t this time with winds of about 60 m.p.h.
reported by ships.
On June 11 the storm turned northward and was soon
absorbed by a large extratropical Low over the Canadian
Maritimes.
There was local flooding in western Cuba and in a few
areas in the Southeastern States. Strong winds and hail
associated with thunderstorm activity caused considerable
damage in northeastern Florida. Damage in the Jackson-
ville area was estimated in excess of $300,000, and there
was a local windstorm near Cross City.
Unnamed Tropical Storm, July &-August 3.-During
the night of July 27-28, ship reports indicated a perturba-
tion in the central Atlantic near 20" N., 45" W., which
was quite likely related to a cloud vortex viewed by
TIROS near 14" N., 24" W. on July 25, and a weak
surface circulation observed simultaneously in the Cape
Verdes. A reconnaissance plane dispatched to the area
of suspicion on the 28th reported no westerly winds
although maximum surface easterly winds of 50 1n.p.h.
mere observed near 21 " N., 50" W. The lowest sea level
pressure was 1011 mb.
The next morning reconnaissance found that the pres-
sure had dropped to 1006 mb. with a small wind and
pressure eye near 22.15" N., 56.4OOW.; maximum surface
winds of 50 m.p.h. were observed in the northwest and
northeast quadrants. That afternoon a second recon-
naissance flight found tha,t no intensification had occurred.
The central pressure was 2 mb. higher than in the morning
and the wind field remained about the same.
On July 30 the system persisted as it turned toward the
north-northwest. A squall area oriented north-northwest
to south-southeast was located 60 to SO mi. east of a weak
wind circulation centered a t 29.0" N., 61.3" W., at 1400
EST. The lowest pressure was 1012 mb. and the wind near
the center was less than 10 kt. However, winds up t.o
55 to 65 m.p.h. were reported in the squall band. Rapid
movement of the center (20 m.p.h. or more) contributed
to the maximum winds observed, but the strong basic
current also tended to mask and perhaps to inhibit the
development of a well-defined vortical wind field.
On the morning of the 31st, the center was located
some 300 mi. east of Bermuda moving toward the north-
east. There wa,s little organization and central pressure
remained a t 1012 mb., with winds of 55 to 65 1n.p.h. east
of the center. During the day as the pressure dropped to
1008 mb., a well-defined radar band appeared northeast
of the center and winds in the western portion of the circu-
lation increased to 25 to 30 m.p.11. It is believed that
the cyclone met the specifications of a tropical storm
beginning about midday on the 31st. Some further inten-
sification and better organization was noted on August 1
with ships reporting winds of 45 n1.p.h. or higher; and one,
apparently in a squall, reported 80 m.p.h. A cold front
was beginning to enter the inner portion of the circulation
but the center was still warm. Data were insufficient
to describe the storm's subsequent history completely,
but it seems likely that it did not become extratropical
until late on August 2 near 47" N. Strong gales persisted
around the center as it moved southeast of Greenland
on the 3cl.
178 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW Vol. 93, No. 3
Tropical S t o r m A b b y , August 5-8.-Tropical storm
Abby developed rapidly about 30 mi. southeast of Free-
port, Tex., a little before noon on August 7. Formation
occurred in a weak trough which hac1 moved from northern
Florida into the nortllenstern Gulf of Mexico on the 5th.
It then drifted slowly westwmd across the northern G-ulf,
with no indica.tion of development or in te~sification until
it approached the central Texas coast.
The storm developed under the surveilhnce of coast,al
radars at Galveston, Victoria, Lake Charles, t1nd Browns-
ville, all of which indicated a sudden development of
spiral bands and an eye during the late forenoon of
August 7. A reconnaissnnce plane was in the area and
reported a center fis a t 11 15 CST. Abby wns an extremely
small storm; its complete circulation at the surface was
considerably less tlmn 100 mi. in clia,meter. It moved
westward, averaging about 10 m.p.h., ancl crossed tlle
Texas coast just northetrst of Matagorda about 1600 CST.
Over land, Abby gradunlly dissipated ns i t moved west-
ward and lost its identity during the mornit~g of the 8th
southwest of San Antonio.
Reconnaissance aircraft estimated the highest winds
about 85 m.p.11. (probably an overestimate), in squalls,
m c l reported a centrnl pressure of 1000 mb. (29.53 in.).
The highest sustained wind reported along the coast was
45 tn.p.h., with gusts to 65 m.p.h., and the lowest pres-
sure wtts 1004 mb. (29.66 in.). These were observed by
the Corps of Engineers a t MatagordtL. Highest tides
were 2 to 4 ft,. m.s.1. from Matagorda to Freeport.
Heavy rains occurred in a. narrow belt along the storm
track. Some of the heavy a,mounts reported were:
Victoria 6.14, Palacios 3.81, Pettus 5.00, Falls City 5.09,
and Pearsall 5.00 in. The rainfall \VIIS very beneficial
and only minor flooding occurred.
The predomjl1antly agricultural coastd area between
h4atagor.h and Freeport felt the main effects of Abby.
Damage was light, nnd no deaths or injuries were reported.
Tropical Storm Brenda, August 7-10.-0bser~atio~~~
fronl Bermuda first indicated the existence of tropical
storm Brenda.. During the morning of August 8, the
pressure began t80 fall, dropping from 1018 mb. a.t 0100
EST to 1008 mb. at 0800 EST. Winds increased briefly
to 45 m.p.h., with gusts to 65 1n.p.h. as the center passed
over the island. No casualties were reported. A small
tornado or waterspout sptwned by the storm clamaged a
commercial airliner and several privately-o\vned aircraft
and was app:trently responsible for winds of 92 m.p.11.
merbsured atop a 100-ft. NASA tower. Spiral bands
were observed on the US. Air Force raclar at Bermuda
after passage of the center.
After passing over Bermuda, the storm drifted slowly
east-southeast,war~l before recurving and accelerating
northeastwarcl ahead of a cold front on the 9th. The
circulation could not be tracked north of 35' N. where
reconnaissance aircraft reported it had dissipated on
August 10. Brenda mas of minimal tropical storm
intensity. Highest winds mere those associated wit,h
small-scale circulations near the center as i t passed over
Berrnucla. Lowest central pressure was 1006 mb: on tshe
9th.
Post analysis of tlle storm indicates t111~t it probably
began its development i n a minor trough of low pressure
some 400 mi. west of Bernlucla on August 7. An airline
cremmember recalled observing a lorn-level circular cloud
formation in the vicinity of 3 2 O N., 69' w . a t 1300 EST
on Augnst 7 , though the pattern did not then appear
significantly different from many cloud formations
frequently observed.
Prior t o the storm's passage over Bennucln, there was
no evidence from avtdnble sparse ship reports or other
data of the development of the storm. Not until August 8
wts sufficient information avdable to substantiate that
a tropical storm and not a frontal wave or local disturbance
was responsible for the conditions observed at Bermuda.
FIurricane Cleo, August 20-September 5.-The distmb-
ance in which Cleo h t e r formed appears to have moved
off the African coast south of Dakar as a 1010-mb. Low
accompanied by continuous rain and thunclershowers, on
August 15. Later, a TIROS VI11 photograph at 1044
EST August 18 showed a cloud mass covering tlle region
from 7 O to 12' N., 32' to 37' W ., centered at 10' N.,
34' W . At 1300 EST on the same date, the German ship
Lichtenstein reported a light east mind, continuous rain,
and pressure of 1008.9 mb. (29.79 in.) a t 12' N., 33.5' W.
From this area the clistur*bance moved west-nortkwestward
about 16 m.p.11. until located by reconnaissance aircraft
on the 20th.
At 0100 EST on t2he 20tl1, a ship report' (name unknown)
indicated the existence of a circuhtion. A Navy recon-
naissance plane that afternoon found a tropical cyclone
a t 13.2' N., 44.5' W., in a very early stage of development,
with minimum pressure of lOOG mb. (29.71 in.) and a few
squalls up to 35 m.p.11.
The next day the central pressure hac1 cleepenecl to 993
nib. (29.32 in.) and winds lmd reachecl hurricane force.
The hurricane steadily intensified during the next several
clays as it moved ~~~est-nortll\\~est~~~ard a t 20 to 25 m.p.h.,
an unusually rapid motion for low latitudes.
Hurricane Cleo reached Gutbdeloupe early in the after-
noon of August 22. The center crossed the island of
Marie Galnnte at 1137 Es'r and the southern tip of
Bnsseterre a t 1240 EST. At Rnizet Airport, about 15 mi.
north of the eye, minimum pressure was 1003 mb. (29.62
in.), and the highest wind 44 m.p.h., with gusts to S1.
In the French West Indies, Cleo caused 14 deaths and
40 injuries; destruction of the banana crop and 1,000
homes; and extensive damage to roofs, roads, and com-
munication lines.
The hurricane center passed about 90 mi. south of St.
Croix, V.I. at midnight, August 23, and S3 mi. south of
Cab0 Rojo on the southwestern tip of Puerto Rico at
1300 Esr the same day. Highest observed winds were
50 m .p.h. a t Ham Bluff, St. Crois, and 52 n1.p.h. at Point
Tuna, Puerto Rico, although Cleo had intensified with
March 1965 Gordon E. Dunn and Staff 179
central pressure of 950 mb. (2S.05 in.), and winds had
increased to 140 m.p.h. The hurricane remained small
a.nd concentrated rind destructive winds were confined to
a small &,rea near the eye. At flight level the Weather
Bureau research aircraft measured 132 kt. (152 m.p.h.)
winds. A Navy hurricane hunter plane was badly dam-
aged on this date and seven crewmen injured. It was
estimated that as the plane left the eye and entered the
wall cloud, the recorded wind increased by 90 1n.p.h.
within a distance of 1 mi. No penetration was made of
this dangerous hurricane on the 24th and its maximum
intensity on this date is unknown.
Cleo passed south of the Dominican Republic ettrly on
the 24th with its closest approach about 30 mi. south of
Isla Beata, just off the Barahona Peninsula at 0600 EST.
Seven lives were reported lost in the Dominican Republic.
As hurricane Cleo passed south of Haiti on August 24 it
veered northward momentarily, enough to move onto the
southwestern peninsula. The hurricane entered land just
east of the city of Les Cayes, still a very small intense
hurricane. It came and went within 90 to 115 min.
Aerial surveys indicated that severe damage extended
only 3.7 mi. west of the center and 13.7 mi. east of the
center. At Les Cayes, several miles west of the center,
there was no calm and the lowest pressure was 964 mb.
From 1500 to 1535 LST the pressure fell 34 mb. and by
1600 LST had risen 37 mb. The lowest barometer reading
at Camp Perrin, which is about 12.5 mi. inland along the
center track, was 950 mb.
Within a short time the hurricane reached the slopes of
the Massif de la Hotte. During the next few hours the
movement of Cleo was obscure. Mr. Michel A. Frhre,
WMO representative in Haiti, believes it cont>inued north-
westward and reached the north coast of the peninsula.
near Roseaux. Evidence from reconnaissance aircraft
would indicate the greatly diffused center turned westward
along the southern slopes of the mountain range and even-
tually passed out into the Caribbean over the western tip
of the peninsula. Damage in Haiti was considerable and
192 persons were killed.
The reason for the sharp turn of Cleo toward the
southwestern peninsula of Haiti cannot be explained on
the basis of available data. A short-wave trough had
already passed eastward to the north of the hurricane and
it was under rising heights. It ma,y be that previous
reconnaissance fixes were in error and that the correct
track during the previous 12 to 18 hr. was farther north
than reported. However, the south shore of Hispaniola
should have been on the radar scope of the plane and the
reason for the error, if any, is not obvious.
Cleo never regained its former intensity. However, as
a minimal hurricane, it passed over a narrow peninsula of
Cuba, east of Cab0 Cruz, and thence moved into the Golfo
de Guacanayabo. The center remained a short distance
off the southern coast of Cuba until it again re-entered
the coast near longitude 79" W. Cleo probably was of
slightly less than hurricane intensity during the journey
across Cuba until emerging from the northern coast east of
Caibarien around 0700 EST on the 26th. Winds in
J6caro, Majagua, Tamarindo, and Florencia were es-
timated about 60 to 70 m.p.h., and in Jatibonico 70 to
75 m.p.11. Damage in Cuba was not serious with
apparently only one casualty.
Shortly after emerging from the northern coast of Cuba,
Cleo regrrined hurricane intensity and then moved on a
mildly zigzag course north-northwestward to northward
toward the lower east const of Florida. Beginning a t
1030 EST, August 26, hurricane Cleo was under constant
radar surveillance by the Miami and Key West radars
and later by the Tampa m d Daytona Beach radars.
By midday, the hurricane had intensified with maximum
winds of 85 m.p.h. and minimum pressure around 984 mb.
(29.06 in.). Throughout the afternoon and evening,
instrumented Research Flight Facility aircraft repeatedly
crisscrossed through the storm, including the center, and
a t flight level found no winds of hurricane force in the
western semicircle, and the central pressure stable at
around 984 mb.
At 0200 EST August 27, the edge of the eye moved onto
Key Biscayne. Cleo was the first hurricane to strike the
greater Miami area with full force since October 17, 1950;
and, indeed, the tracks from Cuba to the greater Miami
area of the two hurricanes were very similar. The lowest
barometer reading in Florida was 967.5 mb. (28.57 in.)
in North hhami. It is estimated that maximum sustained
winds were in the 100 to 110 m.p.h. range, with gusts to
135 m.p.h. It is certain that Cleo intensified very rapidly
in the 3 hr. between the time when the aircraft left the
storm and when the eye reached Key Biscayne and several
hours later passed through North Miami. I n t h e western
semicircle, winds increased from less than hurricane force
to 100 m.p.h. or more and the central pressure fell about
16 mb. (0.5 in.). This may be explained by (a) the fact
that the temperature of the shallow water between the
western edge of the Gulf Stream and the coast is even
higher than that of the warm Gulf Stream, 86" to 90" F.
vs. 83" F., and (b) as the portion of the hurricane circula-
tion over land increased, the inflow toward the center also
became greater with resultant increased lift and latent
heat from condensation.
As the hurricane moved along the lower east coast of
Florida, the eye continually expanded and contracted
from a minimum diameter of 8 mi. to a maximum of 16 mi.
The eye consistently moved north-northwestward for a
number of hours and then northward for a number of
hours. The longest central calm at any reporting point
was 1 hr. 25 min.
The major damage from the hurricane was felt in a
relatively narrow strip 20 to 35 mi. wide along the eastern
Florida coast from Miami to about Melbourne. Although
the geometric center of the eye apparently passed over
Virginia Key and reached tjhe west side of Biscayne Bay
at about the 36th Street Causeway, danmge was minor
at nearby Perrine and Homestead and west of Bird Road
1 80 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW Vol. 93, No. 3
TABLE 3.--Tornadoes in Connection with Hurricane Cleo TABLE 4 ,"H ~r r i c a n e Cleo casu,ulty and damage statistics
AUK. 37 .... ? .............. Bromard County, Fla..-
Aug. 2 i .... 1900 ........... Titusville, Fla
Aug. 2 i .... 2010 ........... New Stnyrua Beach, .........
I 1
Fln.
Aug. ?9....
Aug.?9.-..
Aug. 29._..
Aug. 29 hug. X...
Aug. 29....
Aug. B.."
Aug. B.."
Aug. 30 ....
....
0106 ...........
0125 ...........
0440. IF00 ...........
late nftert!oon.
2130 ...........
0030
13 midnight ".
........... 144n
..........
...........
James Island, S.C Lawtoll Bluff, S.C """
Laurinburr, N.C ........ i d
- ".
................
Bctherea, S.C ....................
Lake Murray I4 mi. NM' .........
Cassat, S.C
Timmousville. S.C Darlington, S.C 2
Sansbury Crossroads, .........
of Columbia, S.C. .......................
.........
................
c r
Aug. 30 .... 0400 (approx.). Lauriuburg, N.C
Aug. 31 .... 1600 (approa.). Bethel, Stokes, Bear-
I 1
~~~~s , N.C.
1)anlage
Considerable tree and citrus damage.
$5,000.
$250,000 Miuor.
$25,000.
$3,000.
$5,000.
P90,oon.
and 90th Avenue. Storm intensity north of Melbourne
was such tht1.t only minor damnge resulted. There were
only isolated reports of local flooding anywhere in the
State. The tide did n'ot reach 4 ft. above normal in the
Miami area, but was 5 ft. above normal in Fort Ihuder-
dale, and 5 to 6 ft. above normal at Pompano Beach.
There was no serious tidal damage reported anywhere
in the State. Even in Dade and Broward Counties,
lit.tle structural damage to buildings resulted. In these
counties the principal damage was glass breakage in
unprot,ect)ed store fronts, beach hotels and motels, and
other unprotected glass. h4any beach hot,els and motels
suffered water damage after the windows gave way.
I'rincipal dimages in Florida, in addition were uprooted
trees, disrupted communications and power fdures in
the southern sections, sand blasted buildings and auto-
mobiles; overturned parked Irircraft, and trgriculturd
losses. Ewrly estimates indicate about 10 percent of t'he
oranges aud 20 tlo 30 percent of the grapefruit were lost
in Lhe Indian River citrus producing area, with the
greatest loss in the southern sections. Total citrus
damage is estimated at $9 million. Total dsm:Lge from
hurricane Cleo in Florida to property is estimated a t
$112.5 million. Apparently these figures do not include
other direct or indirect losses suc.11 as cleanup of debris,
which would amount to several million dollars. It is
believed that direct and indirect costs would total about
$125 million. There was no loss of life or serious injury
in Florida and damage to small craft was minimal.
Mter leaving Florida between St. Augustine and
Jacksonville, the center remained a t s e a a short time
and then re-entered the coastline near Sa.vannah without,
much increase in intensity. Cleo continued as n weaken-
ing tropical cyclone through the interior of the Carolinas,
passing out to sea aga.in near Norfolk, T7a., where it gave
record-breakillg precipitation. Very heavy rainfall de-
veloped from the' Hampton Roads area southward over
extreme southeastern Virginia during the night of August
31-September 1 as Cleo moved offshore and a cold front
approached the region. Rainfall amounts a t several
points exceeded previous all-time 24-hr. records. The
largest 'reportecl storm 'total was 14.09.in. at' Back Bay
Locatioll Injuries I)eaths
__~______ -___
F r e ~c h West Iudies ...................................
Dominican Republic '4
Georgia South Caroliua
? 0 Florida ...............................................
1 Cuba ................................................. 35: 192 Haiti
40
1
North Carolina..."- ................................. 0 17 Virginia .............................................. 3 (9
Total ........................................... 217 (+)
................................. .......... I
.................................................
...................................................................
.................................................
-___-__
I):ln~age
$50, 000, 000
3,000,000 15,000,000
125, OCO, 000 3,000,000
100, 000
50.000
345.000
3, 000. 000
198,495,000
'SOIIIC but number unknown.
Wildlife Refuge. At Norfolk WBAS, 10.40 in. of rain
fell .between li00 EST August 31 and 1100 EST September
1, shattering the previous 24-hr. record of 6.78 in. on
June 2-3, 1963. Considerable flooding occurred in the
Hanlpton Roads area with many streets blocked and
roads washed out. Hundreds of homes were flooded
and several aretas were evacuated.
The storm again a,ttained hurricane intensity nt sea,
but ns i t passed east of Newfoundlrtnd on September 4
it lost its tropical features [I].
Nine or more tornadoes and several probable tornadoes
were reported in connection with Cleo in Florida and the
Cnroliuas (table 3). There was evidence of a tornado in
the Davie area of Browrtrd County, Fla., with a path
% mi. wide and X mi. long. In one 100-acre grove, 2,400
of 6,000 trees were uprooted. In this small area tree loss
mnged from 5 to 40 percent., grapefruit 85 percent, navel
ornnges 65 percent, and Valencia and other oranges 35
percent. There were other reports of twisters in Florida
but none could be substnntiated. Ctxsunlties and estimn-
ted damages resulting from Cleo are given in table 4. Me-
teorological data are summarized in table 5.
It has now become well established that lightning is
rather common in the hurricane eye wall cloud whenever
this is present. During duylight hours lightning is usuklly
not noticed by observers because flashes are cloud-to-cloud
rather than cloud-to-ground and thunder is not audible
over the hiph noise level of the wind. Tn -Cleo lightning
was noted in the wdl cloud by numerous observers.
There were some reports of "greenish" .and "pink"
lightning. Whether these were actual lightning or dis-
charges from high tension lines or transformers is not
known. During the lull at the Nationd Hurricane Center,
when the edge of the wall cloud was less than 1 mi. away,
and perhaps direct137 overhead several thousand feet aloft,
flashes were observed directly above but no thunder was
heard, although it was almost normally quiet.
Some observations were made on the morning of August
27 by an experienced meteorologist in the extreme north-
ern part of Dade County (Miami) as follows:
"01 16 Esl-Occasional dim lightning apparently from
edge northern portion wall cloud beginning at this time.
"0147 EST-Phenomenal rain. &lostof time rain ap-
peared as great billows of dense black smoke, reducing
visibility to 25 ft. or less, using as reference a street light
March 1965 Gordon E. Dunn and Staff
TABLE 5,"Htcrricane Cleo, meleorological data, A u g . 20-Sepl. 5, 1964
181
Station -_
LOW
F L O R I D A
Key west. ........................................................ 27 29. 72
Plantation Key ..........................................................................
K e y l ~i s c a y n e ..................................................... 27 28.73
Key Largo
Miami N II C - ..................................................... 27 28.74
Miami W BAS ..................................................... 37 28.71
North hliami. .................................................... 27 28.57
Fort Laudcrdalo. ................................................. 27 ...........
l'onlpano I3each.. ................................................ 27 ............
Iiillshoro Inlet Light .............................................. 27 28.96
J u p i t e r 27 West I W n l I~each 27 29.14
................................................ '29.43 F o r t M y e r s .. ..................................................... 27 29.73 Sanibel Island .............................................................................
Clewiston ................................................................................
East side Lake Okeechobee.. ............................................................
Tampa WRAS. ................................................... 28 Lakeland WI50 ................................................... 28 29.66 29.73
Orlando ........................................................... 28 29.43 Vero Heaclr.. ..................................................... 27
I'once de L e o n I n l e t ............................................... 28 29.46
29.37
Jacksonville W BAS.. ............................................. 28 Daytona Heach WHAS. .......................................... 28 29.43 29.58
St, Simons Island ................................................. 38 ...........
Savannah ......................................................... 29 29.61 \'ernonVie w .............................................................................
...............................................................................
.................................................
GEORGIA
SOUTH CAROLINA Charleston WRAS ................................................
Charleston WRO
29.78
Colotnl)ia ......................................................... 29.78
.................................................. ...........
VIR 0 INIA sept.
Norfolk. ..........................................................
Norfolk Navy ............................................................................
29.66 1
LangleyAF8.- ........................................................................
........... 1 NAS Oceana ......................................................
(EST)
Time
0258
..........
"""""
0215 0300 0308
..........
..........
..........
0500 0842
0430 1030
..........
..........
..........
0255 0100
0130
. . -. - -. . - 0430
1730 0430
...........
0356
...........
0449
1705 . - -. - - -. - -.
0340
...........
"" ~ """
...........
'Estinrated. **Or 1 Minntc
close by my house. During this period wind had a
consttmt 'freight-train-like' roar amplification as extreme
gusts approached. These extreme gusts occasionally
sounded like the mid-range of a pipe organ. These con-
ditions continued until about 0330.
"0250 EsT-st. Elmo's fire was apparently observed
and thunder heard. Some evidence of ball lightning seen.
Looking south-southeastward from my house the sequence
of events would be: St. Elmo's fire, then ball of light, then
discllarge, then thunder. This was observed about four
times. In addition, frequent lightning was observed.
Occtwionnl thunder WRS hetbrd-at least 10 peals.
"0332 EST-Entering north edge of eye. Between
0332 and 0334 air temperature increased 3O to 4' F., and
wet-bulb temperature increased 1 .5 O F. (76.0' to 77.5').
"0354 mT-Flat calm to light airs. Frequent lightning
in wdl cloud north-northwest through southeast. Four
peds of thunder were heard from lightning associated with
one cell in wall to east-northeast of my house.
"0445 EsT-Wind southwest fresh to stror~g-from
radnr picture, the location of my house (plus or minus a,
couple of blocks) was in geometric center of eye. (The
wind nt the time would indicate the wind center was
slightly northeast of radar center.)
0550 EST-Large m d small trees were observed t.o
estend out nearly parallel to the ground in estimated 140
11
m.p.11. gusts."
Fastest mile'*
N E 22
..........
..........
..........
N 110'
..........
..........
..........
..........
N E 68
ESE 86
WNW 23 sw 74
..........
..........
..........
N N E 28
N 32
NE26
N N E 62
ESE 97
N E 4 3 E 40
..........
N E 3 4
..........
SE 42
E 57 N N E 21
._" ~..~~.
..........
..........
..........
Wind (miles per hour)
1236 (26)
........... 0235 0840 0850 1446
...........
...........
i+$=-(jfy-.
0055
1342 (27)
1515
2035 (27)
0359 0805
............
2120 (28)
............
0109 1635
0700
-1 -
"
OllStS
N E 28 40
50'
N 135-
100
..........
..........
..........
..........
ESE 104
WNW 32
52
80
50
NW 33 N E 40
NNE 46
..........
..........
..........
ENE 44 E 60
N E 39 N E 44
.........
..........
NNE 28
E 40
...........
ESE 42
(EST)
I-""
1236 (26) ............ 0. 15
....................................
....................................
........... ............
0230* '3.6
'3.6 ............
0311 ............ 6.80
....................................
............ *5.0 ............
............ '5.5 ............
0840 Unk. 3.99
1415 ............ T
0830 ........................
....................................
....................................
....................................
.05
1930 (27) ............
.. ....................................
....................................
0818 3 -4 2 .7 1
"""""" 1 .0 3 .8 2
1400 ............ 5. 26
2047 (''8) ............ 6.26
............ 2.3 8. fl3
........................ 5. 84
............ 2.6
0700 4. 46
............ 4. 51
0035 1 11.40
0003 13. 32
............ 13.70
........................ 6.59
........................
HjtLrricane Dora, August 28-September lB.--Hurricane
Dora was the first hurricane of record to move inland from
the east over extreme northeastern Florida. The eye
pnssed over St. Augustine, and Jacksonville recorded
sustained winds of hurricane force (S2 m.p.11.) for the
first time in nearly SO years of record.
A large envelope of low pressure moved through the
Cape Verde area on August 28. On the 31st a TIROS
picture located a cloud mass 1lea.r 11" N., 41" W. The
following day reconnaissance aircraft located a tropicd
storm with a central pressure of 998 mb. The storm was
enclosed in an envelope of low pressure rlpprosimfitely
the same size as that which had moved through tlleVerdes.
The 100s-mb. isobar was about 300 mi. in diameter in
both locations.
Dora moved west-northwestward and renched hurricane
force on the 2d. It continued to intensify while gradually
expanding. When over 300 mi. south of Bermuda, it
turned on a course only slightly north of due west. It
had nlissxl the trough associated with the redeveloped hurri-
cme Cl.eo. At this time Dora was large severe hurricane
with a central pressure of 942 mb. (27.S2 in.). During
this intensification there was low-level inflow. Following
its turn, the inflow stopped and a gradud decrease in in-
tensity occurred for about 24 hr., centrtL1 pressure rising
about 22 mb.
Hurricane Dora slowed considerably before reaching
182 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW
TABLE 6,"Hurricane Dora, meteorological data, Aug. 28-Sept. 16, 1964
VOl. 93, No. 3
Wind (miles per hour) Pressurc (in.)
Station Sept.
Date
mean sea levcl
(in.) (I t .)
Storm Tidc above
rainfall Low (EST) Time Fastest mile ** Timc
(EST)
Gusts
FLORIDA
Apalachicola ..............................................
Daytona Beach ...........................................
Fernandina Beach ........................................
Jacksonville Beach Gainesville
Jacksonville WRAS .......................................
Jacksonville, Navy- ......................................
.Jacksonville, Cecil Field ..................................
Lakeland. ................................................
Marineland ...............................................
Mayport ..................................................
Orlando.. ................................................
Anastasia Island. St.Augustine
Tallahassee. ..............................................
Tampa. ..................................................
................................................
........................................
.............................................
.........................................
11
9
10 9
10
10 IO
10
10
10
9
10
10
11
lo
IO
10 12 13
10
9
13
9
13
12-13 13
13
13
13
13
13
13
13
14
29.44 29.04 29.28
29.08
29.05 28.87 28.91 29.56 28.80
29.03 29.41 28.52
29.29 29.5i
..........
...........
29.40 29.47
0140
0145
0700
2015 1416 (IO) 1424
2200(9)
2 MLW 0
7. n 4.95
10.0 9.32
................ 10.74
""""""
...............
\v 71
...............
...............
84 =
N 81
N E 85'
NNW 71
IV 42*
N N E 101
...............
............
1715
...........
...........
...........
...........
...........
...........
........... ............
. . - - . - .
...........
............
. - - - - - - . - . - .
2030 (I O )
............
. -. - - - - - - . - .
............
............ 2000-0000
Oi48 li20
2345 (9)
............
............
2100 (12)
1445
0012-14
1356
...........
...........
1545
1617
1420
..........
N 82 N 53
w 27 NE44
NW 60' N N E 74 WSW 40
STV 125'
N 35
msm 44
-~ """"
...........
1832 (9)
1948 (9)
0555 1039
1700 (9) .___""".
1955
0130
2120 (12) 1335 (10)
...........
"".
"".
............................
7. o* 8. 67 ............................
...........................
...............
5.85 ...............
1.50
............... 5.99
............... 7. 10 12d
2.39 ...............
6. 11 ...............
............
...........................
...............
5. a1 ............... a. IO ............... ............ 13-14 MLTV 0
6.23
2.4 (9) 3. a1
...........................
...........................
...............
2.6 (9) 2.53 1.35
............... 2.65
............... 3.00
2. 5
3.0
2.52 2. 75
3.41
...............
3. 5
4.80 """"""".
2.63 ...........................
I . 3 2.53
............... N 44
W S W 52 (12)
N E 90*
SSW 50*
E 50* N E 53
s 59
NNE 64
...............
"""
0230
0358
0030
1iOO
GEORGIA Brunswick ................................................
Rrunswick ................................................
I-Iomerville.. .............................................
..........
..........
...........
29.6G
29.60
29.51
29.51
29.52
29.54
...........
29.50 29.75
29.54
- - - - - - - - - - .
29.74
29.62
."" """
0014 0335
I600
..........
E 37
._.""""
0327 ...........
...........
2018(12) li04 (12)
1430
. - -. . - - -
0018 (14) 0858 1653
1231
Jesup- ....................................................
Savannah Airport ........................................
Savannah Airport .........................................
Savannah Beach ..........................................
SOUTH CAROLINA
Charleston WBAS ........................................
Charleston WBO .........................................
Georpetoun ...............................................
McClellansville ...........................................
NORTII CAROLINA
Hatteras ..................................................
Raleigh ...................................................
Wilmington ...............................................
VIRGINIA
Norfolk, Navy
Cape Henry..
Norfolk WBAS. ..........................................
Nantucket ................................................
............................................
............................................
MASSACHUSETTS
..........
0542 S E 46
SSrn 45 S 4 i
"""""
NNE 35 WNW 25
N 28
NE 66
"""""
"""""
N E 4 2
.""
"""
oaoo
OiOO 55
sw 55
NNE 41
N 35
..............
..............
NE 61
N E 69
N50
"".
."" """
1510
*Estimated. **Or one minute. Anemometer failed.
b 115 m.p.h. beach.
0 Mean low water.
d Datum plane unknown.
land, and consequently the winds and tides increased
slowly. This was fortunate, for many residents who had
felt that this section of the coast was immune to hurri-
canes and might have remained if the hurricane had
moved a t an average forward speed, were persuaded to
evacuate the area.
Winds exceeded hurricane force along the coast from
extreme southeastern Georgia southward to Flagler
County, Fla. Highest sustained winds, estimated a t
125 m.p.h. from the southwest, occurred a t S t . Augustine,
immediately following the passage of the center. The
lowest pressure on land also occurred a t S t . Augustine,
966 mb. (28.52 in.), at 0100 EST on the 10th. The station
was in the eye from 0015 to 0130. Sustained winds near
100 m.p.h. were reported along the coastline north of
St. Augustine.
The strong, long-duration, onshore winds produced
unusually high tides, from 5 to 8 ft. or more above normal,
along the entire coast from the Daytona Beach area
northward into Georgia. Tides estimated a t 12 ft.2 (4 ft.
higher than any previously known) swept across Anastasia
Island off St. Augustine, and the water level reached 10 ft.
above normal at Mayport. The storm surge caused
extensive beach erosion, inundated many coastal com-
munities, washed out beach roads, and swept several
residences into the sea. Along the Gulf Coast between St.
Marks and Tampa, tides ran from 2 to locally 6 ft. above
normal (at Yankeetown) as gale force southwesterly
winds were sustained from the 10th through most of the
12th. Flooding was increased by runoff from heavy rains
on September 11 and 12.
Winds gradually diminished as Dora moved inland on its
unusual westward course, but very heavy rainfall spread
over interior sections of northern Florida and southeastern
Georgia. This rainfall continued in ma.ny areas during
both the westward and eastward passages of the storm
center. Storm totals in excess of 10 in. fell over an
estimated lO,OOO-sq.-mi. area, and totals more than 6 in.
were general from near Brunswick and Waycross, Ga.
to near Tallahassee and Orhndo, Fla. The most intense
rains fell in Lafayette and Suwannee Counties, Fla. on
the 12th. Mayo recorded 23.73 in. (lOth-l3th), with
14.62in. during the 24-hr. period ending a t 1800 on the
12th; Live Oak had 18.62 in. during the 4-day storm
period. (See table 6.)
Wind damage was extensive in coastal areas north of
Daytona Beach wit,h the greatest destruction from St.
Augustine to the Georgia border. High winds in Duval 2 Datum plane unknown.
March 1965 Gordon E. D u n n a n d Staff 183
County, including Jacksonville metropolitan area, caused
massive utility failures. Structural damage to buildings
was limited to the coastd meas and to older frame
buildings a short distance inland. Numerous trees were
uprooted throughout the coastal counties, adding to
damage as they fell on buildings or across utility lines.
Extensive wind-induced river flooding occurred in Jackson-
ville along the banks of the St. Johns River.
I n addition to flooding along lakes and streams, many
poorly-drained areas were completely inundated in
northern Florida. Damage to roads and bridges was
extensive and severd communities were isolated for
several days by high waters.
Considerable agricultural damage was sustained by
flooding of unharvested corn, cotton, and peanuts in both
Florida and Georgia. Damage was severe in many low-
lying fields. Final storm darnage estimates me $200 mil-
lion to $230 million for Florida; $9 million has been
reported for Georgia.
Only one direct storm fatality-a drowning at Live
Oak, F1tt.-has been reported. Two Navy personnel
died near Sanford, Fla., on September 9 when an aircraft
being evacuated crashed on takeoff. Two men succumbed
while securing boats-one near Brunswick, Ga., and
another near Norfolk, Vn.
Damage resulting from Dora in South Carolina was
minor but rains in the eastern part of the State ranged
from 3 to over 8 in. Several waterspouts were reported
between 1300 and 1400 EST September 12 near Ga.rden
City Beach.
The only significant structural damage in North Caro-
lina was caused by local stonns-a waterspout at Carolina
Beach, south of Wilmington, a t 0725 EST September 10,
and R tornado at Howell's Point, southwest of Wilmington,
about 2100 EST September 12. Heavy rainfall and tides
of 2 to 3 ft. above normal were reported along the coasta.1
sections.
DO~R'S effects in Virginia were confined to heavy rainfall
over the southeastern section, tides up to about 3.5 ft.
above normal, and downed tree limbs and awnings.
In i\/laryland, Delaware, and New Jersey tides reached
only 1.5 to locally 4 ft. above normal and rainfall totaled
1.00 to 2.50 in. No reports of injury or damage have
been received. Only the fringes of Dora were experienced
in southeastern Nhsachusetts. The principal effect was
timely, badly-needed rainfall. Amounts were near 1.00
in. on Cape Cod and 2.50 in. at Nantucket. No signifi-
cant darnage was reported.
Hturricane Ethel, September 4-16.-The first evidence of
the incipient stage of Ethel was a cloud mass observed
by TTROS near 18' N., 37' W. on September 4. A
reconnaissance aircraft dispatched to the suspicious area
on the 5th found evidence of storm development but was
unable to completely reconnoiter the area because of the
extreme range from the operating base. A poorly-defined
eye was located near 20 N., 45' W., with a central
pressure of 1005 mb. A4mimum observed winds were 25
1n.p.h. south of the center but sea return and other radar
echoes indicated much higher winds to the north.
Ethel moved on course toward the west-northwest
with little development during the next two days. Sparse
data in the area indicate that the storm was passing be-
neath a cold upper-tropospheric trough during this period,
a situation unfavorable for intensification.
During this period hurricane Dora was located ap-
proximately 575 mi. to the west and Ethel was moving
ftlster than Dora; therefore forecasters considered i t
possible that Ethel might be absorbed in the circulation
of the much larger snd more intense Dortx, and lose its
identity. However, on September 7, a period of intensi-
fication began, establishing Ethel as a hurricane and
eliminating the probability of absorption by Dora.
The deepening persistecl through the 10th when a central
pressure of 977 mb. and maximum observed winds of
100 m.p.h. were reported by reconnaissance aircraft.
The hurricane moved very slowly westward on the loth,
then turned northward, and began to accelentte, with the
center passing 100 mi. west of Bermucla on the afternoon
of September 12. Gusts of about 70 m.p.h. mere reported
in the islands during the afternoon and evening and gales
continued during the night.
Ethel moved rapidly northeastward after passing
Bermuda and maintained hurricane force during the
conversion to an extratropical cyclone near 45' N.,
40' W., on September 15.
Tropical Storm Florence, September 6-IO.-Weather
conditions reported in the Cape Verdes a n c l by nearby
ships indicated that a strong perturbation on t h e I T C
was moving westward oft' French West Africa on the 4th
and 5th of September. On the morning of the 6th there
was a low pressure area, estimated a t 1002 mb. (29.59 in.),
just north of the Cape Verdes. Although data were
sparse, there was some evidence of cold air aloft over the
surface Low. It appeared to be a very wet system but
with highest winds probably no more than 25 m.p.11.
at this time. The Low was moving northwestward at
about 10 m.p.11.
Some intensification occurred later dthough indica-
tions are that highest winds were never greater than
about 50 m.p.h. Florence headed in a northerly direc-
tion toward the Azores but weakened on the night of
September 9-10. An Air Force tanker found only an
area of squalls south of the islands during the early
morning hours of September 10.
Hurricane Gladys, September l ~?4 .-A weak low pres-
sure system that was first observed ofl the west coast
of Africa on September 9 may have been the first indica-
tion of the distnrba.nce that later developed into hnrri-
cane Gladys.
On the morning of September 13, a report of 63 n1.p.h.
winds and heavy rain was received from the SS Gerwi,
confirming the existence of a tropical storm near 15.5O
N., 46' W. A reconnaissance aircraft reached the area
during the afternoon but was unable to measure maxi-
1 84 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW Vol. 93, No. 3
mum winds because o f darkness. Early on September 14
reconnttissmce aircraft found Gladys had intensified
to hurricane force and was moving on a west-north-
westward course a t a b o u t 18 m.p.h. Gladys continued
to intensify and follow the same course, reaching maxi-
mum intensity of 945 mb., with 140 m.p.11. winds, on
September 17.
On September 19 Gladys turned northward in response
to a weak t,rough in the westerlies. A slow northward
drift continued for dmost 48 hr., until rising pressures
to the north turned the hurricane's track back to tbe
northwest. This course continued until the 23dwhen
Gladys reached its closest point to the United States,
some 140 mi. east of Cape Hatteras. Slow filling per-
sisted through this period and the highest winds decreased
to 85 m.p.h.
As a low pressure system deepened in the Gretit Lakes
area Gladys turned northeastward during September 23.
The storm moved rapidly on this course gradually assum-
ing extratropical characteristics. During the afternoon
of September 24, remnants of the storm passed through
Newfoundland with no unusually strong winds.
Damage from Gladys was mainly confined to the outer
ba.nks of North Carolina where high tides and wave
action produced considerable erosion.
Hurricane Hilda, September 28-October 5."Hilda de-
veloped in an easterly wave which was moving slowly
westward through the western Caribbean Sea. On the
morning of September 28, a weak cyclonic circulation
formed just off the southern coast of central Cuba. The
circulation became orgmized ancl grndually intensified as
i t moved slowly westward. It reached storm intensity
as it crossed the western tip of Cuba near Cape Sun
An ton io.
Hilda moved west-nortllwestw~~.rd a t a11 average speed
of 9 m.p.11. for 48 hr., and intensified steadily while in the
southern Gulf of Mexico. The storm reachecl hurricane
force early on September 30 and reached maximum intensity
about 350 mi. south of New Orletlns on October 1. The
minimum computed sea. level pressure from reconnaissance
aircraft tit that time was 941 rnb. (27.79 in.), nnd winds
were estimated at 150 1n.p.h. A severe hurricwe by this
time, Hilda turned gradually llorthward on October 1.
I t moved northward a t an average speed of 6 111.p.h. for
the nest two days ancl crossed the central Louisiana. const
about dark on October 3. Some decrease in intensity had
occurred on October 2 but Hilda was still a severe hurri-
cane when it reached the coast.
As pre-hurricane squall lines moved into southeastern
Louisiana during the morning of the 3d, several tornadoes
occurred. .In one a t Lnrose, La., 22 persons were killed
and 200 injured. Three tornadoes in the New Orleans
metropolitan area caused much damage but no deaths.
After the eye moved inland the storm gradually weak-
ened and moved rlorth-northeastwwd toward Baton
Rouge. When the center appromhed the Baton Rouge
mea, the storm was forced eastward as cold air and associ-
ated strong pressure rises moved into the circulation from
the northwest. Soon after the emtward turn, the winds
decreased to less than hurricane force. Hildn continued
to weaken as cold air moved rapidly illto its circulation,
and the storm became extratropical over extreme southern
Mississippi. The Low continued eastward and moved into
the Atlnntic Ocean near Jacksonville, Fla. The rapid
TABLE 7,"Hz~rrican.e Hilda, ?neteorological data, Sept. 2Z-Oct. 5, 1964
Station Datc
LOUISIAX'A
Baton Rouge ........................
Bogalosa .............................
Buras ................................
Clinton ..............................
Franklin .............................
Jeanercttc ...........................
Jcnnings .............................
Lafayctte FAA ......................
Melville.. ...........................
X e w Orleans \ITBAS .................
X e w Orleans \VHO ..................
Oaknolia .............................
Plaquemine ..........................
Reserve ..............................
Thibodaux ...........................
TEXAS
Port Arthur C. of E .. ...............
Port Arthur \\'BAS.. ...............
Sabine, C.G .........................
AT,ABAMA Ihlohile.. ............................
FLORIDA
.4palac!1icola \\'Bo ..................
Pensacola \\'BAS..-.- ...............
Tallahassce \\'BAS- .................
OCt.
4 4 3 4 3 3 3 3 4 4
4 4 4 4 3
3 3 3
4
5
4 5
28. 97
29.25 29. 60 29.18 28.40
29.34 29.10 28.98 29.29 29.34
28.96 29.12
29.18
.........
.........
29.57 29.64
29.54
29.41
29.54 29.50
29.56
__
(CSV
Time
__
O"0 1030 Oi45 0425 1810
2135 1958
0330 1530
0400
0215 0330
........
........
........
1500 1525
1500
I630
0345
2050 0500
~
Faste: mile'
NE 48 X\V GO*
S i 5 62+ NNE 13
N E 67
N 75+'
N G9
xl? 95*
S 40 \V 5?
x 60'
i540*
NE 100
E 58
x ?9 N 37
N 35
S 30
NE 36
x \I' 44 SS\V 27
__
it
"
5*
(CS'I')
'I'ime
\\'inti (miles per hour) Tide above
MSL (It.)
I Gusts I Time (CST)
2358 (3) 1330 1040
I800
2130
1900
1858
01% I600
0900 1400
0300 0200 2200
. -. - - - -. . -.
1400
1203
0809
0720 8
2146 0858 0 (4)
69 0624 ..........
80 1040 ..........
.............................
.............................
.............................
.............................
.............................
92 183s ..........
.............................
:; I p:, 1
..........
..........
so* 0900 ..........
......... ... i o .............................
...................
1 1
2 .2
N E 50 ;;I* ..........
54 3. 1
......... 1 ..........1..........
Time rainfall Storm
(i n .)
......... 8.88
.........
2.11
3. G i
......... 10.65
.........
..................
"" ~~.~. 1 7 .7 1
......... 2.78
......... 8.04
......... 7.82
......... 3.26
......... 3.58
......... 8.98
......... 4.42
......... 7.50
..................
0600 .........
......... T 0900 .". ." - -
1500 I . 65
......... 7.90
!20o".-l
3.87 5.03
Anemometer blo\vu down.
Tides ahove normal.
*Estimated. **Or one minutc
Eastern Standard Time.
March 1965 Gordon E. D
advance of cold air into the storm was mmifested by
abrupt wind shifts to the north and increased speeds.
This shnrp increase in northerly winds across Lake
Pontchartrain caused large waves to break and spill over
the seitwall dong the New Orleans lake front. Flooding
occurred between the seawttll and the back levee. The
high waves on the lake caused considernble damrtge to
fishing camps and some business establishments which
were built out over the water and on the lake shore. TO
the eitst of New Orleans, the strongest winds in most areas
occurred after the cold front httd passed rather thittl in the
southerly flow ahead of the .Idow.
Data :we scarce from the hwd-hit areas of south-central
Louisiana. The highest wind reported was an estinlnted
135 m.p.11. at Franklin, Ln. The lowest pressure a t
Franltlin was 962 mb. (28.40 in.) as the eye of the storm
passed over. About 100 mi. south of Morgan City, winds
of 120 n1.p.h. were recorded on the Oil Driller a t 2300
CST October 2. This was the peak that the instrument
could record. During the night substantially higher
winds were apparent. The eye of the hurricane passed
during the morning of October 3, when the winds dropped
to 30 m.p.h., but after the eye moved toward shore the
winds again exceeded 120 n1.p.h. Huge waves, 50 ft. or
higher, litstled the rig for hours. The highest tide reported
WBS an unofficial estimate of 10 ft.3 near Point-au-Fer.
Tides were 2 to G ft. above m.s.1. from the mouth of the
Mississippi River eastwitrd to Apalachicola, Fla., and 2 to
5 ft. rbbove m.s.1. on the extreme western Louisittns and
upper Texits coasts.
Rainfall was excessive over most of southeastern
Louisittna and southern Mississippi. Amounts in excess
of 10 in. occurred over much of that area and considerable
flooding resulted. The greatest rainfall accumulation in
Louisima was 17.71 in. nt Jeanerette Experiment Farm,
with 16.01 in. in the 25% hr. ending at 0900 CST October 4.
:In Mississippi the largest storm total reported was 12.57
in. iLt hilcCornb FAA. On the 4th, 10.98 in. fell there, an
dl-time AiIississippi October 24-hr. rainfall. (See table 7.)
In IAuisiana 37 lives were lost, primarily in tornadoes.
Excluding the tornadoes, the hurricane death toll was less
t h n 10 persons. Most of the non-tornado deaths
occurred a t E r a t h , La., when I I large water tower fell on
the City Hall where Civil Defense activities were being
directed. Almost conlplete evttcuation of the entire
Louisimn coastal area accounts for this low de:tth toll.
Civil Defense records indicrLte that lnore th;m 150,000
persons evncuated the low-lying coastal areas and moved
to higher ground.
Damages to property, crops, and industries were ex-
tremely heavy. A preliminary estimate of damage is
about $100 million, with the greater part of the monetary
loss borne by the oil companies and sugar cane producers.
Hilda httd little direct effect on North Carolina. How-
ever, the extremely heavy r i n s and severe local storms
which occurred in A 24- to 36-hr. period centered nround
lunn and Staff 185
October 4 nttty be attributed, at least in part, to Hilcln,
which moved into the mainstreant of upper-level winds
which had been flowing from the Gulf of Mexico up over
the Atlantic Seaboard States for several days. The
situation was brought to a climax when a cold front
approaching the Appalachians from the northwest was
drawn into the circulation of the dying tropical cyclone.
Rains of 5 to 15 in. fell in the southern 111oul~t:iil~s of
North Carolina in 24 to 30 hr., very nearly duplichng
rains that had fallen there 5 days before. Flooding on
rivers and streams of the area was nmong the most severe
in history and damage wits heavy. Rainfall wrts dso
heavy in eastern North CttrolintL, where an estimated 4,000
persons had to leave their homes because of floodwaters.
There was one death in the State from the storm.
Tornado activity occurred in two msas in eastern North
Carolina between 1600 and 2000 EST October 4. One
path ran from near Williamston, Martin County, Itbout
1600 EST, to Cherry, and ended new Sandy Point, rlyrrell
County. The second began near Fair Bluff, Columbus
County at 1815 EST, continued to near Clsrkton, rmd
ended near Penderlea, Pender County. The trncks were
not continuqus, damage indicating it skipping torniLdo
or tornadoes.
Hurricane Isbell, Octobels &16.-Evidence of n new
tropical disturbance appeared over the western Cuibbean
just south of an old diffuse frontal trough on October 7.
However, it remained quite wetilt itnd poorly o1.g;tnized
for several days and the first bulletin wits not issued until
October 10. I t was named tropical storm Jsbell a t
2300 EST October 12.
From its inception on the 7tt1, the disturbance was
underneath a basically divergent pattern a t 200 lnb., 2%
situation which continued until after i t crossed Florida.
During the storms early stages over the Caribbeitn, the
upper ttnticyclone was alnlost directly above the surfilce
disturbance; but, when it beci~rne a hurricane, and d t e r -
wards, i t moved underneath tt southwesterly 200-1nb. flow
pattern with the upper anticyclone continuing to the south.
However, i t was still under an area of ma,rl<ed speed di-
vergence aloft.
In the middle troposphere, there was evidence of reltt-
tively wtmn air in the Swan .Island, Cttymans, San Andres
area as early as the evening of October 7. There wits n
closed 5 C. isotherm over the western Caribbenn at
500 mb. from this time until h t e on the 12th when Tsbell
reached tropical storm intensity.
The genernlly favorable development conditions during
the entire formative period o f Isbell were lligl1-level
divergence, relntively warm middle-tropospheric temperit-
tures, adequately high sea-surfnce temperatures, i t l l d the
presence o f t t surface disturbance.
Why was Tsbells development so slow? It renulined a
weak tropicnl depression over the western Caribbeitn for
four to five days before a n y r e l i t t i d y significant intensi-
fication began. October disturbnnces in the western
Caribbenn nre typically slow in development. In addition
186 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW Vol. 93, No. 3
TABLE 5,"Hurricane Isbell, meteorological data, Oct. 8-16, 1964
Station
1
Date
FLORIDA Dry Tortugas .....................................................
Key West .........................................................
Everglades ........................................................
Nallles ............................................................
Miami \VBAS .....................................................
Miami WBO ......................................................
Fort Lauderdale Airport ..........................................
Fort Myers ........................................................
I3elle Glade .......................................................
Everglades Experiment Station 0 b ................................
Port Mayaca ......................................................
Indiantown South Bay
Pompano Beach. .................................................
Lantana Heights- .................................................
Juno Beach West Palm Beach
Eleven tornadoes along and near coast Iron1 Coral Gables to Eau
........................................................
.......................................................
.................................................
.......................................................
Gallie 1530 to 2200.
SOUTH CAROLINA
................................................
Charleston \\'BO
Charleston WBAS
Columbia .........................................................
.................................................
Florence.. ........................................................
NORTI-I CAROLINA
Wilmington-. .....................................................
I-latteras
I'anlliw Sound
Raleigh Elizabeth City
....................................................
..........................................................
....................................................
...........................................................
VIRGINIA
Norfolk. ..........................................................
AIARYLANI)
Baltimore .........................................................
CUBA
Havana Airport ...................................................
I
oct. 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14
14 14
o c t .
15 15
15 15
16 16 16
16
16
16
li
13 14
Pressure (in.)
LOW
28.6i 29.49 28.75 29.35 29.54 29.54 29.45 29.54 29.07 28.98 29.35 ...........
...........
29.41 29.26 29.05 28. 87
29.48
29.49 29.44
...........
29.42
29.43 29.44 29.30
...........
29.45
29.59
28.91 ..........
(E St')
Timc
___
0955 1145 1820 1830
1918 1805
1930 1935
...........
""".""
........... ...........
1955
2051 2128
...........
1238
...........
1400 1349
1430
1200
...........
Fastest
mile**
E 60
s 73 90
3i 46 52
N E 24 N 65 Gi N E 55
90 48 47 SSE i4
..........
..........
..........
N E 32
N E 23
N E 15
NNE 23
SM' 24
E 36 NE 45 N E 23
..........
NE 50
N E 17
85 i0
1011 1139
...........
..........
li13
2001
1930 1925
""""..
"""""
..........
..........
2020
095i 0815 1240 1558
1307
0558 1000 1115
""".."
1119
0650
li30
"""""
..................................
S \V it3 11524 to 5
NNE 50 1620 ...........
59 ...........
63 lill
81 2001 ...........
36 liOl ...........
80* 1930 ...........
i0 .......................
..................................
.......................
...................................
...................................
...................................
80 .......................
72 .......................
ai .......................
..................................
S W 29 I 1256 I 0. i6
1. 52
0. 60
E I 1130 I
0. 62
........................ c5.4
I / ............
............ 1:I:I::::::::I:::::::::::
Storm rainfall (in.)
. - - - - - - - - -. - 1.43
0.40 1. 69 2.28
4.25 T
5.09
4.93 1.55
1. 55
2.38
. - - -. . -. -. . -
""""""
............
............
2.06 1.63
6. 11
2.98
3.0 2.5
no info. 1.0
............
2.5
............
'Estimated.
*'Or one minute.
a 2% miles ESE of Bcllc Ciladc.
to climatology, a partial answer 111ay lie in the surface
and low-level wind and pressure pattern. Eiwtward from
the old frontal trough previously mentioned, wiuds were
light and there was little evidence of any significant inflow
into the depression areti during the first tllree to four days
of its existence. On several days it few north to northwest
winds were reported to the south and southeast of the
depression. It was not until the 10th or the 11 t h t h a t
a gradual pattern of low-level inflow became apparent and
slow intensification began. It would appear Isbell was
a case in which the development process was a,pparently
delayed and slowed by the absence of significmt low-level
inflow in spite of other favorable parameters.
Isbell reached hurricnne intensity as i t n e a r e d t h e
extreme western portion of Cuba on October 13. The
area around Guane was most affected, resulting in heavy
danmge and three fatalities. The hurricane then moved
on a generally northenstward course across southern
Florida to near 31' N. before recurving northward a,nd
moving inland over coastal Nort#h Carolina and weakening.
In Cuba wind gusts of 70 m.p.h. occurred as far east as
Boyeros Airport near Havana with pressure of 979 mb.
(2S.91 in.) reported in the hurricane :ireti farther west.
The center of hurricane Isbell entered Florida near Ever-
glrLdes City around 1600 EST October 14 where a calm
c Mean low water (Ocean City).
b 5min. average.
was esperienced from 1615 to 1640 EST. It crossed the
peninsula and exited in the Jupiter-Juno Beach area
around 2130 EST. This represented a northeitstward
movement of around 20 n1.p.h. The center passed some
47 mi. to the northwest of Miami where peak gusts were
63 m.p.h. and the lowest pressure was 1000 mb. (29.54 in.).
Highest winds around the eye were 90 m.p.11. along both
Florida coasts.
Isbell, no longer of hurricane intensity when it entered
the North Carolina coast near Morehead City, rapidly
became extratropical as it continued northward toward
Norfolk. Highest wind reported in this area wns a gust
of 75 n1.p.h. at Elizabeth City, N.C., while the peak gust
in the Norfolk area was 72 n1.p.h.
Lowest pressure reported during the history of Isbell was
964 nib. (28.47 in.) when the center was southwest O S Key
West.
Radar indicated marked asymmetry in the precipitation
pattern around Isbell as it approached the southwestern
Florida coast. This proved to be the case; no rain of
consequence occurred a t Everglades City after the center
passed. Winds were considerably less in the rear portion
thnn in the forward portion of the storm which in turn
accounted for the smsll storm surge. A surface low-
pressure wea appeared in the Gulf of Mexico some 300
March 1965 Gordon E. Dunn and Staff 187
mi. to the northwest of hurricane Isbell as i t approached
Florida. This Low apparently resulted from an intense
cold 500-mb. Low that was moving slowly eastward over
the lower Mississippi Valley. This, in turn, apparently
brought cooler and drier air into the outer circulation of
Isbell and resulted in the asymmetry of the cloud and
precipitation pattern. This asymmetry is not uncommon
in late-senson hurricanes.
The northerly turn by Isbell toward the North Carolina
coast at about latitude 30 N. was caused by circulation
around the cold upper Low which continued to move
eastward. At least eleven tornadoes occurred in eastern
Florida coastal counties from Cord Gables to Eau Grillie,
with reports of as many as 50 persons injured, apparently
none seriously. Still another tornado may have struck
between Carnestown and Ochopee in Collier County.
Fatalities related to Isbell total three. Two persons died
when a 42-ft. shrimp boat was destroyed off the lower
Florida Keys, and one person in the Palm Beach area died
of a heart attack while putting up storm shutters.
Rainfall in southern Florida WRS variable, up to 5 in.
or more, with heavy rains reported over much of South
Carolintt and eastern North Carolina. (See table S.)
Damage associated with Jsbell w q in general, light.
In Cuba there was considerable damage to tobacco crops
and communications lines. Jn the lower Florida Keys
property damages totaled about $175,000, most of wllich
was to telephone company equipment. In Palm Beach
County, Fla. damage estimates (exclusive of agricultural
damage) totaled about $700,000 about half of which
resulted from tornado activity. Vegetable crops in the
Everglades and Pompano meus of Florida suffered heavy
damage with agricultural damage in the State exceeding
$5 million. In the Carolinas and tidewater Virginia,
only minor property damage was reported, caused rntkinly
by flooding of very low areas. Considerable flooding of
inland streams occurred mainly in South Carolina and
eastern North Carolina. There was considerable agri-
cultural loss in this area with reports received of extensive
damage to unharvested peanuts, particularly in north-
eastern North Carolina.
Climatologically, Isbell was in its origin and path a
typical mid-October hurricane. It formed quite slowly
near an old frontal trough in the western Caribbean md
then crossed Florida on a general nort,heasterly course
before becoming extratropical near latitude 35 N.
Unnamed Tropical Cyclone, November 5-9.-There WAS
evidence of a perturbation on the ITC in northern
Colombia and Venezuela as early as November 1, and
heavy rains continued intermittently in the Caribbean
north of Panama for the nest four to five days as the
disturbance drifted west-northwestward. A weak cy-
clonic circulation was evident on the 4th east of San
Andres Island, with pressure about 2 mb. below normal.
By 1900 EST November 5 the depression had moved to a
position northeast of San Andres where the pressure was
now 1004 mb. A plane was sent to investigate the area
on the 6th and found a minimum pressure of 1001 mb.
but maximum winds of only 35 m.p.11. It is believed
that there must have been smttered stronger squalls.
That night several ships reported winds in the 40 to 45
m.p.h. range.
The tropical storm moved inland over extreme north-
eastern Nicaragua and extreme northern Honduras during
the night of the 6th. A reconnaissance plane found a
central pressure of 997 mb. over lmd the next day.
The storm decreased somewhat in intensity over land,
and, while it moved out to sea briefly over the Gulf of
Honduras, it wws not over water long enough to re-
intensify significantly.
The meteorologictd service of Honduras reported on
the storm as follows:
According to reports from the people of Caukira,
water flooded the entire town and five small houses were
destroyed. Tides were as high as 18 feet. In the town
of Rus-Rus tt bridge was destroyed.
The entire zone around Caratasca Lagoon was evacu-
ated in order to nvoid casualties.
According to several seamen from Brus Laguna,
the winds were up to 90 1n.p.h. in their area.
In Puerto Castilla the rainfall was so great that the
river flooded and destroyed the bridge. I n t h e B a y
Islands and neighboring cays there was also considerable
damage due to strong winds and heavy rainfall.
Press reports indicate heavy damage from wind, rain,
and subsequent flooding in northeastern Nicaragua.
Crops, particularly bananas, were destroyed.
It is not believed that sustained winds of hurricane
force occurred in this storm. Maximum speeds were
probably around 60 m.p.h. in squalls. At 200 mb., there
was excellent outflow from the storm area; and, it was,
no doubt, beginning to intensify fnirly rapidly in the
few hours before lmdfall on the Nicaraguan coast.
REFERENCES
1. J. W. Posey, The Weather and Circulation of August 1964-
An Unusually Cool Month, Molzthly Weather Review, v01.
92, NO. 11, NOV. 1984, pp. 535-542.
2. E. M. Ballcnzwcig, Seasonal Variation in the Frequency of
North Atlantic Tropical Cyclones Related to the General
Circulation, National Hwricane Research Report No. 9,
Washington, D.C., July 1957.
3. R. A. Green, The Wcathcr and Circulation of September
1984-Abnor~nal Tropical Storminess, Monthly Weather
Reuiew, vol. 92, No. 12, Dec. 1964, pp. 601-606.
4. J. F. OConnor, The Weather and Circulation of October 1964-
An Unusually Dry Month, Monthly Weather Review, vol. 93,
No. 1, Jan. 1965, pp. 59-68.