Twenty years ago on this date.
On September 12, 1989, Tropical Storm Hugo, still far out at sea in the middle Atlantic, continued to grow more organized. Heavy thunderstorms thickened near the storm’s center and in four prominent spiral bands. Updrafts from the intense thunderstorms near the storm’s core began reaching the base of the stratosphere, creating high cirrus clouds that an upper-level anticyclone over the storm carried away. By nightfall, Hugo had intensified to a strong tropical storm with 65 mph winds. Now three days from the Lesser Antilles Islands, the storm continued to churn westward across the open Atlantic at 20 mph. ….read more - by Dr. Jeff Masters (read his blog here)
…and 21 years ago - Hurricane Gilbert
On September 3, 1988, a tropical wave emerged off the African Coast. Over the next several days, a low pressure area slowly developed from this wave, going on to develop an organized circulation center on September 8. Early on September 9 the storm was designated Tropical Depression Twelve, near the Windward Islands about 400 miles (640 km) east of Barbados. It quickly strengthened into Tropical Storm Gilbert that afternoon, becoming the seventh named storm of the season while crossing the Lesser Antilles.
Gilbert approaching Jamaica on September 12, 1988.
With no inhibiting to strengthening, Gilbert quickly became a hurricane late on September 10 and then a major (Category 3) hurricane on the 11 th. It moved consistently west-northwest influenced by a strong high pressure system to its north. This movement led to the hurricane’s first landfall in Jamaica. The eye passed completely over Jamaica on September 12 with 125 mph (205 km/h) winds and a central pressure of 960 mb (28.35 inHg), making it a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale.
