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Introduction

The report is a joint effort by two NOAA agencies, the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) and the

National Hurricane Center (NHC). The narrative portion of the report was derived from the Preliminary

Hurricane Reports prepared by several research meteorologists at NHC, and the satellite imagery were

provided by the NCDC. This report is considered to be preliminary with the intention to provide a brief

synopsis of each named tropical system along with one or more satellite images of each storm taken by

either the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) or the Polar Orbital Environmental

Satellite (POES). Full resolution satellite data and complete preliminary hurricane reports for each

storm may be obtained from the National Climatic Data Center. The authors of and contributors to this

report are:

National Climatic Data Center: Axel Graumann

 Neal Lott

 Doug Ross

National Hurricane Center: Lixion A. Avila

 Miles B. Lawrence

 Max Mayfield

 Richard J. Pasch

 Edward N. Rappaport

About NOAA's Satellites

The two primary satellite systems which produced the images for the report are the Geostationary

Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) and the Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellite (POES).

Currently, there are two GOES satellites: GOES-8 at 75 West longitude and GOES-9 at 135 West

longitude. GOES-9 replaced GOES-7 early in 1996 marking the end of the first generation of GOES

satellites. The new series is now equipped with two separate, vastly improved, instruments, the imager

and sounder, which now point to the earth continuously. The imager is equipped with 5 channels

ranging from the visible (0.52um-0.72 um) to the longwave infrared (11.5um-12.5 um). The visible

channel has a resolution of 1km and the majority of the infrared channels has a resolution of 4km. The

sounder carries 18 thermal infrared channels, plus a low resolution visible channel. The new spectral

channels, at wavelengths never attained before in geosynchronous orbit, are sensitive to temperature,

moisture, and ozone. Each of the GOES satellites scans predetermined areas of the earth, which includes

the continental United States at least four times an hour. In times of severe weather the GOES satellites

are capable of one minute interval scanning.

The POES satellite system offers the advantage of daily global coverage, by making nearly polar orbits

roughly 14.1 times a day. Since the number of orbits per day is not an integer the sub orbital tracks do

not repeat on a daily basis, although the local solar time of the satellite's passage is essentially unchanged

for any latitude. In operation are NOAA-12 and NOAA-14. The satellite system includes the AVHRR

(Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) and the TOVS (Tiros Operational Vertical Sounder).

The AVHRR is equipped with five spectral channels in wavelengths similar to the GOES imager. The

TOVS carries three types of sensors, Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU), Stratospheric Sounding Unit

(SSU), and High Resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder/2 (HIRS/2). 
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The infrared and visible satellite images in the report were created from either the GOES imager or the

POES AVHRR instruments. The visible channel measures the reflectance of the objects scanned.

Clouds are more reflective than surface objects which appear dark. The infrared channel measures

emitted radiation from the earth and clouds at longer wavelengths than the visible channel, which gives

it the advantage of "seeing" clouds at night. Another important advantage is that temperatures of cloud

tops, land and oceans can be determined from the infrared channel. Colors can be assigned to

predetermined temperature values to enhance key features on the satellite image. In this case, cloud tops

are colored ranging from gray indicating the warmest cloud tops to maroon indicating the coldest cloud

tops. Land and ocean features are warmer than the clouds and are assigned a black color. The table

below shows the correlation between the color on the infrared images with the temperature. More

information about NOAA's satellite systems can be obtained from the National Climatic Data Center.

Color vs. Temperature Conversion for Enhanced Infrared Images 

Color Temperature

Gray/Black >=287.5 Kelvin (14.3C) 

White 262.5K (-10.7C)

Light Blue 250.0K (-23.2C)

Blue 245.0K (-28.2C)

Yellow 238.0K (-35.2C)

Orange 223.0K (-50.2C)

Red 213.0K (-59.2C)

Maroon <=203.0K (-70.2C)

Ordering and Accessing Data

The NCDC maintains and provides GOES and POES satellite data in various formats. Many of the

images contained within this report are available in higher resolution on NCDC's Home Page on the

Internet. The World Wide Web address is <http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov>. To order additional satellite

data or preliminary hurricane reports, contact the NCDC at 704-271-4850 or e-mail your inquiry to

satorder@ncdc.noaa.gov. The National Hurricane Center's Homepage on the WWW offers

miscellaneous information on historical hurricanes, including seasonal tracks from 1961 to 1995,

reconnaissance reports, current tropical cyclone activity, and much more. The WWW address is

<http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/index.html>.

Summary of the Tropical Cyclone Activity for 1995

The 1995 Atlantic Hurricane Season will go down in the record books as the second busiest hurricane

season since 1871. There were a total of 19 named storms, 11 of which reached hurricane strength.

Only in 1933, with 21 known storms, did the number of tropical cyclones surpass 1995's count. 
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Five of the eleven hurricanes reached category 3 or higher on the Saffir/Simpson Hurricane Scale with

sustained winds of 96kts or greater. Five tropical cyclones made landfall in the continental U.S., two

of which were hurricanes Erin and Opal. Hurricanes Luis and Marilyn struck the northeastern Caribbean

Islands and Hurricane Roxanne affected a large area of Mexico. Total damages are estimated to be over

$8 billion for the U.S., the Caribbean, and Mexico. Estimates for the U.S., including the U.S. Virgin

Islands, exceed $5 billion. These estimates are based on insured and uninsured property loses. Insured

property loses are reported to the American Insurance Services Group. The National Hurricane Center

estimates that uninsured losses usually match that of the insured losses. The overall death toll (direct

causes) was 122, with 29 of those in the U.S. 

Following is a synopsis of each storm.

Allison- Only three days into the official tropical storm season, Allison formed in the northwestern

Caribbean and immediately headed northward toward the Florida panhandle. At the time the image was

taken on June 4 (Fig 1), Allison was a marginal hurricane with top winds at 65kts. The visible image

shown on Figure 2 was taken approximately an hour before Allison made landfall over Alligator Point,

Florida. The center of circulation is shown with the heaviest of the squall bands (brighter clouds)

spiraling well north and east of the center.

Barry- Tropical Storm Barry formed from a frontal low first detected between South Carolina and

Bermuda. Figure 3 is a visible image of Barry with 60kt winds. Note that most of the convection with

this storm is north of a relatively cloud-free center. The mid-Atlantic coast is shown at the upper lefthand corner.

Chantal- On July 5 a tropical wave moved off the west African coast By July 12 its circulation was

organized enough to call it a tropical depression. Figure 4 shows Tropical Storm Chantal during the early

morning hours of July 18 when it had 50kt winds. The low sun angle shows the circulation rather nicely.

The storm at that time was heading north to northeastward missing Bermuda well to the west.

Dean- Dean briefly became a Tropical Storm on July 30 and moved inland just south of Galveston,

Texas, later that day. Figure 5 shows a GOES-8 visible image of Dean along the Texas coast. There

were no reports of injuries or deaths associated with Dean. However, heavy rainfall was a problem

causing $500,000 in damages. 

Erin- While Dean was dumping heavy rains along the Texas coast, Erin formed into a tropical storm

from a vigorous wave over the southeastern Bahamas. An upper-level low near Florida slowed Erin's

development somewhat, but by August 1 Erin became the second hurricane of the season. Figure 8

shows Hurricane Erin early in the day on August 1. Cyclonic circulation is evident in this image;

however, there is no "eye," suggesting that the storm is a minimal hurricane. Hurricane Erin made

landfall around 10 am EDT the next day near Vero Beach, Florida, as a category 1 hurricane on the

Saffir/Simpson Hurricane Scale, with estimated winds of 75kts. As Erin crossed the central Florida

peninsula it temporarily weakened to a tropical storm but soon regained its strength after emerging over

the warm Gulf of Mexico waters late on August 2. Satellite images showed Erin forming an eye which

indicates some strengthening. By early morning on August 3, Erin's sustained winds reached 85kts in

a small area near its center when it came ashore near Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Figure 7 shows the
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center of Erin moving through the Florida panhandle after making landfall. There were six fatalities and

an estimated $700 million damage.

Felix- The first major hurricane of the season, Felix reached hurricane strength at 0000 UTC on August

11, while centered about 500 nautical miles east-northeast of the Leeward Islands. Felix continued to

deepen and reached maximum strength at 1800 UTC on August 12 with sustained surface winds

estimated at 120kts. Although Felix maintained hurricane strength for well over a week, it never regained

its peak strength after the initial weakening. Despite that, Felix was a huge storm and affected much

of the U.S. Atlantic seaboard as it meandered for many days. Figure 9 was taken by GOES-8, which

shows a well formed minimal hurricane at about its closest approach to the U.S. coastline. Figure 10 is

an infrared photo of Felix about a day later. Large swells created rip tide currents near the shorelines

resulting in the drowning of eight swimmers, three off the North Carolina coast and five off the New

Jersey coast. Felix affected Bermuda twice as it lingered. 

Gabrielle- After moving across the Atlantic and Caribbean as a tropical wave, Gabrielle finally

strengthened into a tropical storm early in the day on August 10. The storm gradually intensified to 60

knots by late on the 11th, just prior to making landfall just south of La Pesca, Mexico. Figure 6 shows

Gabrielle with strong convection near the center.

Humberto- Hurricane Humberto remained in the eastern and central Atlantic from its inception and

became extratropical several hundred miles to the west-northwest of the Azores. Its evolution included

an interaction with Hurricane Iris when the latter was near the Lesser Antilles. Figure 11 shows

Hurricanes Iris and Humberto from left to right with two well formed tropical waves moving off the

western African coast. These two will later be named Karen and Luis.

Iris- Iris was the first of four consecutive tropical waves to form into a tropical storm. Iris' evolution

and movement were greatly influenced by Humberto and Karen. Tropical Storm Iris moved through the

islands of the northeastern Caribbean during late August and produced locally heavy rains and associated

flooding. Three deaths occurred, two on the island of Martinique and one on the island of Guadeloupe.

Figure 12 shows Hurricane Iris with 75kt winds. At this time Iris began a Fujiwhara effect with Tropical

Storm Karen to the southeast. A Fujiwhara effect is where two storms begin moving about a central

point between them, much like two ice skaters spinning around each other. The interaction swept the

weaker Karen on a spiral path around and then into Iris where it was absorbed by September 3.

Jerry- Tropical Storm Jerry formed just offshore of southeast Florida early in the day on August 23.

Jerry then made landfall near Jupiter, Florida, later that day and slowly moved northwestward then

northward into Georgia over the next few days. Jerry will be remembered for producing heavy rainfall

across the Carolinas with over 12 inches falling in the foothills of South Carolina. Six people died as

a result of flash flooding. Figure 13 shows Jerry as a loosely organized tropical storm along the southeast

Florida coast.

Karen- Not affecting land, Karen remained a minimal tropical storm. The center of circulation was

absorbed by the stronger Hurricane Iris on September 3. Figure 14 shows Karen as a near minimal

tropical storm. Hurricane Iris' circulation was affecting Karen at this time.
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Luis- After Felix Hurricane Luis became the second category 4 storm. In its wake Luis left an estimated

sixteen dead and two-and-a half billion dollars in damages on the northeastern most Leeward Islands.

The Atlantic Ocean was already crowded with three other tropical systems, Humberto, Iris, and Karen

when Luis became a tropical depression near Cape Verde on August 27. By the afternoon of August

30, Luis became the sixth hurricane of the season and continued to strengthen while moving westnorthwestward. Figure 16 shows a large storm with a well defined eye. The most intense convection,

shown in red, encircles the eye without any breaks, which is a sign of a very vigorous hurricane. The

maximum sustained winds were estimated at 120kts at the time this image was taken. Figure 15 is a

closeup visible image of Hurricane Luis taken early in the morning on September 6. The low sun angle

provides a unique look of the swirling cloud tops and distinct eyewall. Days later, there was one storm

related death in Newfoundland.

Marilyn- Marilyn became a tropical storm on September 13 and reached hurricane strength 24 hours

later when a reconnaissance flight first identified a closed eyewall. Over the next three days the track

turned more northwestward moving into the northeastern Caribbean Sea. Strengthening during this time

was gradual. It hit the U.S. Virgin Islands late on September 15, which by then was a strong category

2 storm with 100kt winds. The strongest, most damaging part of the storm, the eastern and northeastern

part of the eyewall, passed directly over St. Thomas Island. It caused 8 deaths and $1.5 billion in

damages. Figure 18 shows an infrared satellite image of Hurricane Marilyn as its center approached St.

Thomas Island. The storm appears well formed with a distinct, but relatively small eye. Figure 17 is a

visible image taken by NOAA-14, showing Marilyn moving away from the Leeward Islands on

September 16. The Dominican Republic is clearly shown to the west of the storm.

Noel- Noel was a marginal hurricane that remained at sea over the eastern Atlantic. Figure 19 shows

Tropical Storm Noel just before it became a hurricane. The infrared image shows some organization

with good convective activity. The center is ill defined.

Opal- The most destructive hurricane to hit the U.S. mainland since Hurricane Andrew, Opal will likely

rank in the top ten list of costliest twentieth-century U.S. hurricanes after adjustments to inflation.

Preliminary estimates of insured property damage for the U.S. is $2.1 billion with total damage estimates

possibly reaching $3 billion. Opal became a tropical storm after emerging from the Yucatan Peninsula

into the warm waters of the Bay of Campeche early in the day on September 30. Aircraft reports and

satellite imagery suggested that Opal became a hurricane on October 2. A banding type eye appeared

in satellite images later in the day while a large amplitude trough moving into the central United States

began turning Opal toward the north. By early morning of October 3 the National Hurricane Center

posted hurricane watches from Morgan City, Louisiana, to Suwannee River, Florida. Taking advantage

of the 84F Gulf of Mexico water temperatures and upper-level anticyclone, Opal continued to

strengthen. Opal was a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir/Simpson Hurricane Scale early on October

4 at which time reconnaissance aircraft reported a small 10 nautical mile diameter eye. The minimum

central pressure was an amazing 916mb with estimated sustained surface wind velocities at 130kts. At

this time Opal was 250 nautical miles south-southwest of Pensacola, Florida. Fortunately, Opal could

not maintain peak intensity as the inner eyewall collapsed within a few hours. Figure 21 is a visible

GOES image taken 6 hours before Opal made landfall. Note that the eye is no longer apparent. The first

outer convective band has moved over the Gulf Coast. The solid mass of clouds across Mississippi,

Alabama and Northern Georgia is associated with a frontal system. Figure 22 shows Opal making
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landfall at Pensacola Beach, Florida. The maximum sustained winds were 100kts near the center of the

storm. Although winds were diminishing at the time of landfall, extensive damage due to storm surge

and breaking waves occurred over most of the coastal areas of the Florida panhandle. The estimated

U.S. death toll from direct causes is 9. 

Pablo- Pablo was a Cape Verde-type tropical storm that did not effect land. Figure 20 shows Tropical

Storm Pablo with estimated winds of 50kts.

Roxanne- Roxanne was the first October hurricane that formed and reached category 3 on the

Saffir/Simpson Hurricane Scale in the western Caribbean Sea since Hurricane Hattie (category 4) in

October 1961. Roxanne formed from a complex combination of several large scale features: an upper

level trough, broad surface low pressure area and a tropical wave. Early on October 10, Roxanne

became the tenth hurricane of the season. Roxanne strengthened to a category 3 hurricane just as its

center passed near the southern tip of Cozumel Island. Figures 23 and 24 are GOES-8 visible and

infrared images, respectively, showing Roxanne approaching the Yucatan Peninsula. The eye is wellformed indicative of a vigorous hurricane. The estimated sustained winds were between 95 and 100kts.

The hurricane crossed the Yucatan Peninsula and entered the Bay of Campeche and weakened to a

tropical storm as it lingered near the west coast of the peninsula. It wandered over the southwestern

Gulf of Mexico for nine days. In that time Roxanne restrengthened into a hurricane and then finally

weakened to dissipation just offshore the coast of Mexico near Veracruz. Because Opal affected similar

areas just 2 weeks earlier, it is difficult to separate damages from both storms. According to insurance

company estimates, best estimate of the combined damage is $1.5 billion. Roxanne was responsible for

14 deaths. 

Sebastien-Tropical Storm Sebastien originated from a tropical wave that moved westward across the

Atlantic Ocean from October 13 through the 19. Sebastien became a tropical storm on October 21 and

reached peak intensity on the 22 based on a ship observation. The presence of a southwesterly vertical

wind shear precluded significant development. The colder cloud tops were displaced about 100 miles

to the east and northeast of the center exposing the low level circulation as shown on Figure 25. It

dissipated as it moved near the Virgin Islands.

Tanya- Hurricane Tanya formed in the central Atlantic Ocean from a tropical wave originating from the

west African coast. This wave followed the one that spawned Tropical Storm Sebastien. By October

27 surface observations indicated a definite closed surface circulation and became a marginal hurricane

early October 29. Influenced by a strong eastward moving trough and associated cold front near

Bermuda, Tanya began to turn northeastward. Figure 26 shows Tanya, as a small hurricane embedded

in a narrow wedge of warmer air between cooler air masses over the western and eastern Atlantic. Tanya

reached peak intensity of 75kts on October 31. Tanya brought gale force winds over the Azores before

merging with a large low pressure system over the north Atlantic by November 3.
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 1995 ATLANTIC BASIN TROPICAL

 STORMS AND HURRICANES

 Name Dates Minimum Max Cat Deaths U.S.

Pressure Wind ** *** Damages

(millibar) Speed*

 1 Allison 6/03- 6/06 987 65 kts 1 1 $1.7 million

 2 Barry 7/06- 7/10 989 60 " N/A 0 none reported

 3 Chantal 7/12- 7/20 991 60 " N/A 0 " "

 4 Dean 7/28- 8/02 999 40 " N/A 0 $.5 million

 5 Erin 7/31- 8/06 973 85 " 2 6 $700 million

 6 Felix 8/08- 8/22 929 120 " 4 8 none reported

 7 Gabrielle 8/09- 8/22 988 60 " N/A 0 " " 

 8 Humberto 8/22- 9/01 968 95 " 2 0 " "

 9 Iris 8/22- 9/04 965 95 " 2 3 " "

 10 Jerry 8/22- 8/28 1002 35 " N/A 6 $27 million

 11 Karen 8/26- 9/03 1000 45 " N/A 0 none reported

 12 Luis 8/27- 9/11 935 120 " 4 17 #

 13 Marilyn 9/12- 9/22 949 100 " 3 8 $1.5 billion

 14 Noel 9/26-10/07 987 65 " 1 0 none reported

 15 Opal 9/27-10/05 916 130 " 4 59 $3.0 billion

 16 Pablo 10/04-10/08 994 50 " N/A 0 none reported

 17 Roxanne 10/07-10/21 956 100 " 3 14 ##

 18 Sebastien 10/20-10/25 1001 55 " N/A 0 none reported

 19 Tanya 10/27-11/01 972 75 " 1 0 " "

* Estimated maximum 1-minute average wind speed

** Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale: cat 1=64-82 kts, cat 2=83-95 kts, cat 3=96-113 kts,

 cat 4=114-135 kts, cat 5=over 135 kts

***Estimated deaths from direct causes for the U.S., Caribbean, and Mexico.
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# $2.5 B non-U.S. damage; ## $1.5B combined damage in Mexico from Opal and Roxanne 

Table of Figures

Figure Storm Name Date/Time Satellite Channel

1 H. Allison 06/04/95 1313Z NOAA-12 IR

2 H. Allison 06/05/95 1251Z NOAA-12 Visible

3 T.S. Barry 07/07/95 1734Z NOAA-14 Visible

4 T.S. Chantal 07/18/95 1214Z NOAA-14 Visible

5 T.S. Dean 07/31/95 0015Z GOES-8 Visible

6 T.S. Gabrielle 08/11/95 1432Z GOES-8 IR

7 H. Erin 08/01/95 1210Z NOAA-12 Visible

8 H. Erin 08/03/95 1659Z GOES-8 IR

9 H. Felix 08/16/95 1815Z GOES-8 Visible

10 H. Felix 08/17/95 1345Z GOES-8 IR

11 H. Humberto 08/24/95 1445Z GOES-8 Visible

12 H. Iris 08/30/95 1515Z GOES-8 IR

13 T.S. Jerry 08/23/95 2015Z GOES-8 Visible

14 T.S. Karen 08/30/95 1515Z GOES-8 IR

15 H. Luis 09/06/95 1145Z GOES-8 Visible

16 H. Luis 09/05/95 2145Z GOES-8 IR

17 H. Marilyn 09/16/95 1811Z NOAA-14 Visible

18 H. Marilyn 09/16/95 0315Z GOES-8 IR

19 H. Noel 09/28/95 1145Z GOES-8 IR

20 T.S. Pablo 10/06/95 1345Z GOES-8 Visible

21 H. Opal 10/04/95 1602Z GOES-8 Visible

22 H. Opal 10/04/95 2159Z GOES-8 IR

23 H. Roxanne 10/10/95 1902Z GOES-8 Visible

24 H. Roxanne 10/10/95 2302Z GOES-8 IR

25 T.S. Sebastien 10/23/95 1315Z GOES-8 Visible

26 H. Tanya 10/30/95 1515Z GOES-8 Visible

27 Parade of Storms 08/24/95 1445Z GOES-8 Visible

28 Tracks of 1995 Atlantic Tropical Systems