1980 Atlantic hurricane season

The 1980 Atlantic hurricane season featured nine hurricanes, the most since 1969. This hurricane season was fairly active, with sixteen tropical cyclones forming, eleven of which strengthened into named tropical storms. The season officially began on June 1, 1980, and lasted until November 30, 1980. It was the first time since the 1971 season that there were no active tropical cyclones in the Atlantic basin during the month of June. The season occurred during an ENSO-neutral phase, having neither an El Niño nor a La Niña.

The three most notable storms of the season were Hurricane Allen, Tropical Storm Hermine, and Hurricane Jeanne. Allen was the then-earliest Category 5 hurricane in the calendar year on record, reaching that intensity on August 5. The storm devastated portions of the Caribbean, Mexico, and the United States. Overall, Allen caused about $1.57 billion and at least 269 deaths. Hermine caused significant flooding in southern Mexico, which resulted in at least 38 fatalities. Jeanne was one of only a few tropical cyclones to enter the Gulf of Mexico at hurricane intensity and not make landfall.

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Seasonal summary

400px|thumb|right|Hurricanes Earl, Frances, and Georges on September 8, 1980; the remnants of Tropical Storm Danielle are also visible over Texas

The Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, though the first tropical depression did not develop until July 17. During the season, 16 tropical depressions formed. Eleven of the depressions attained tropical storm status, and nine of these attained hurricane status. Two of the hurricanes further strengthened to become major hurricanes. Only Allen made landfall at hurricane strength during the season, although Hurricane Charley Overall, the cyclones of the 1980 Atlantic hurricane season collectively caused 317 deaths and more than $1.596 billion (1980 USD) in damage. September also had five tropical cyclones, all of which became named storms. In a 48-hour period between September 4–6, four storms (Georges, Danielle, Earl, and Frances) were named. This tied the record set in 1893 for the fastest time four storms were named within the Atlantic basin; the record was broken in 2023. Tropical cyclogenesis abruptly halted in October, with only Hurricane Ivan and a tropical depression developing in that month. However, the month of November was considered to be very active, with three storms forming during that month. which is classified as "above normal". ACE is, broadly speaking, a measure of the power of the hurricane multiplied by the length of time it existed, so storms that last a long time, as well as particularly strong hurricanes, have high ACEs. Its only calculated for full advisories on tropical systems at or exceeding 39 mph (63 km/h), which is the threshold for tropical storm intensity.

Hurricane Allen

A tropical wave emerged off the west coast of Africa on July 30 and quickly developed into Tropical Depression Two about two days later. By August 2, the depression had strengthened and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Allen. The storm steadily intensified and became a hurricane on August 3. Thereafter, Allen rapidly deepened, and was a major hurricane only 24 hours later. As Allen passed through the Windward Islands, it strengthened into a Category 4. Upon entering the Caribbean Sea, Allen continued to strengthen and became a Category 5 hurricane on August 5, while about halfway between Puerto Rico and Venezuela. Allen briefly curved northwestward and approached the Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti. Shortly thereafter, Allen weakened significantly on August 6, but was still a Category 4 when it bypassed Jamaica. While paralleling the south coast of Cuba, Allen re-strengthened into a Category 5 hurricane. Later that day, the storm attained its peak intensity with winds of 190 mph (305 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of . Immediately following peak intensity, Allen entered the Gulf of Mexico and weakened back to a Category 4 hurricane on August 8. On the day next, Allen re-intensified into a Category 5 hurricane while approaching Texas. However, just offshore, Allen abruptly weakened to a low-end Category 3 hurricane prior to landfall near Brownsville, Texas, on August 10. The storm quickly weakened inland and dissipated about 36 hours after striking land.

Although 500 houses were either damaged or destroyed on Barbados, losses totaled to only $1.5 million. Having passed only south of St. Lucia, Damage was most significant in the United States, especially in the state of Texas. In Corpus Christi, gravel blew off the roofs, which broke windows throughout the city. Several tornadoes were spawned in Texas, one of which caused at least $50 million in damage in Austin. Rainfall in the state of Texas exceeded in some locations. A total of 24 fatalities occurred in the United States – seven in Texas and seventeen in Louisiana – most resulting from the crash of a helicopter evacuating workers from an offshore platform. Damage in United States totaled to $860 million. Overall, Hurricane Allen caused $1.57 billion in losses and caused 290 deaths. After forming on August 13, the depression crossed through the Cape Verde Islands. The depression tracked northwestward and strengthened minimally, with winds never exceeding 35 mph (55 km/h). Thereafter, the depression curved and approached the eastern portion of the Azores. Tropical Depression Four moved through the islands shortly later. By early on August 17, the depression dissipated near Santa Maria Island in the Azores.

Hurricane Bonnie

Starting on August 13, a tropical wave in the vicinity of Cape Verde began organizing into a tropical cyclone. Early on the following day, the system had developed into Tropical Depression Three while nearly halfway between the west coast of Africa and the Windward Islands. However, in post-analysis, it was revealed that the previous tropical depression had actually developed before Bonnie. Thus, those two depressions were operationally numbered incorrectly. Two reports of gale-force winds were received from ships later that day. As a result, the depression was re-classified as Tropical Storm Bonnie about twelve hours after developing. Bonnie turned in a general northward direction, possibly due to interaction with nearby Tropical Depression Four. The storm remained at that intensity for 72 hours as it accelerated northward across the open Atlantic. By 18:00 UTC on August 19, Bonnie transitioned into an extratropical cyclone while almost halfway between the southern tip of Greenland and the Azores.

Hurricane Charley

An extratropical low pressure system was centered over the Mid-Atlantic United States, though it tracked southeastward and emerged into the Atlantic on August 20. Later that day, satellite imagery indicated that a well-defined low-level circulation. As a result, it was determine that the system developed into a subtropical depression at 12:00 UTC, while located about east-northeast of Hatteras, North Carolina. Initially, the depression tracked east-southeastward, though it curved east-northeastward by August 21. Shortly thereafter, the depression strengthened into a subtropical storm. By early on August 23, the storm had intensified and acquired enough tropical characteristics to be re-classified as Hurricane Charley. While a tropical cyclone, Charley produced rip currents along the Outer Banks of North Carolina, which drowned seven people.

Tropical Depression Six

A tropical wave exited the west coast of Africa and emerged into the Atlantic Ocean on August 22. The system developed into Tropical Depression Six, while centered to the west of Cape Verde at 00:00 UTC on August 25. Sixteen hours later, the National Hurricane Center initiated advisories on the depression. The depression tracked westward in the trade winds during the following three days, without any intensification. After curving northwestward an Air Force reconnaissance flight found little evidence of a closed circulation, while satellite imagery also showed a disorganized and elongated cloud pattern on September 4. However, the National Hurricane Center did not discontinue advisories until 22:00 UTC.

On September 5, satellite imagery suggested a surface circulation had developed, possibly due to interaction with a cold low. As a result, the system regenerated into a subtropical depression at 12:00 UTC on that day, while centered about southwest of Bermuda. While the subtropical depression was curved northeastward, it strengthened and acquired tropical characteristics. At 00:00 UTC on September 7, the subtropical depression became Tropical Storm Georges. The storm continued to intensify while tracking northeastward and was upgraded to a hurricane about 24 hours after becoming a tropical storm. Simultaneously, Georges attained its peak intensity with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) and a minimum pressure of . However, later on September 8, Georges transitioned into an extratropical cyclone near Cape Race, Newfoundland.

Tropical Storm Danielle

A tropical wave emerged into the Atlantic Ocean from the west coast of Africa on August 22. The system developed into Tropical Depression Six on August 25. However, the depression did not strengthen further, and about four days later, it degenerated back into a tropical wave. Tracking westward, the system crossed Florida and entered into the Gulf of Mexico on September 2. Two days later, the system developed into Tropical Depression Eight while offshore of Louisiana. The depression gradually strengthened and became Tropical Storm Danielle late on September 5. After peaking with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h), further intensification was halted, as Danielle soon made landfall in eastern Texas. Danielle steadily weakened inland and dissipated two days later. Damage in that state was minimal. Overall, Danielle caused two fatalities and at least $25 million in damage in Texas. Elsewhere, the storm dropped light rainfall in Oklahoma and Mississippi.

Hurricane Earl

Between September 2 and September 3, a tropical wave exited the west coast of Africa and entered the Atlantic Ocean. Satellite imagery indicated that the system had rapidly organized and was classified as a tropical depression on September 4. The depression quickly strengthened and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Earl later that day. Because convection associated with the storm waxed and waned significantly, Earl was operationally considered a tropical depression until September 6. On the following day, Earl curved north-northwestward and accelerated due to an upper-level low pressure trough in the central Atlantic Ocean.

After evidence of an eye feature appeared, Earl was upgraded to a hurricane on September 8. Six hours later, the storm attained its peak intensity with winds of 75 mph (120 km/h) and a minimum pressure of . Under the influence of an upper cold low, Earl began re-curving and accelerated to the northeast. By 12:00 UTC on September 10, Earl weakened to a tropical storm. Six hours later, Earl transitioned into an extratropical cyclone, while centered about halfway between the Azores and Greenland. The National Hurricane Center did not issue advisories until 16:00 UTC on September 7, at which time the system was already a tropical storm. By early on September 8, Frances had reached hurricane status, After becoming a hurricane, Frances began to rapidly strengthen, and became a Category 2 hurricane later that day. Early on September 9, the storm further intensified to a Category 3 hurricane. Early on September 20, Frances weakened to a tropical storm, before merging with a frontal low while centered about halfway between Greenland and Iceland. Several ships reported tropical storm-force winds, but no impacts occurred on land except for minor squalls in Cape Verde.

Once again, the storm intensified to near hurricane strength, though Hermine made landfall in Mexico near Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, on September 24. After moving inland, the storm steadily weakened while tracking south-southwestward toward the Pacific Ocean. However, by early on September 26, Hermine dissipated near the southwestern coast of Mexico. As a result of torrential rainfall, at least 30 fatalities occurred, with dozens more missing, and leaving 25,000 homeless. Additionally, landslides triggered by Hermine in Guatemala killed at least eight people. However, the National Hurricane Center did not initiate advisories on Ivan until late on October 5. Ivan moved largely in tandem with the upper-level low above it, while its southwest movement was caused by a building ridge to its north. and Ivan was upgraded to a hurricane on the following day. On October 9, Ivan turned to the north in advance of an approaching cold front and extratropical storm, while slowly weakening as it accelerated over cooler waters of the far northern Atlantic Ocean. By October 12, the cold front absorbed Ivan, which was about 665 mi (1,070 km) west of Ireland.

Moving slowly and erratically, Jeanne weakened further and was downgraded to a tropical depression on November 15. The storm curved southward and completed a cyclonic loop, before being absorbed by a cold front on November 16. Fringe effects of Jeanne triggered a record-breaking 23.28 in (591 mm) of rain at Key West, Florida, within a 24-hour period. As a result of heavy precipitation, schools and numerous businesses closed, flights at Key West International Airport were grounded, and power outages and disruptions in telephone service occurred in Key West. Damage totaled about $1 million and one indirect death occurred due to a heart attack.

Late on November 17, the depression was absorbed by an intense "winter type storm" that was moving across the Southeastern United States. Shortly thereafter, the remnants of the depression crossed Central and North Florida. The depression impact from both while tropical and a remnant system. In Key West, sustained winds of 30 mph (45 km/h) and gusts to 40 mph (65 km/h) were reported. Across much of Florida, light rainfall was reported, peaking at in Brooksville. Following the development of circular convective mass close to the center of the low, it became a subtropical storm early on November 25 while centered about southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland. Shortly thereafter, the storm executed a tight counterclockwise loop as it rotated within a larger, extratropical cyclone. Around 18:00 UTC, the subtropical storm intensified and acquired enough tropical characteristics to be designated as Hurricane Karl. The NHC noted that at the time, Karl was the easternmost hurricane during the last 10 days of the month of November.

Storm names

The following list of names was used for named storms that formed in the North Atlantic in 1980. Most names were used for the first (and only in the case of Allen) time, except for Frances, which was previously used under the old naming convention.

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Allen
Bonnie
Charley
Danielle
Earl
Frances
Georges

Hermine
Ivan
Jeanne
Karl

Retirement

In the spring of 1981, the World Meteorological Organization retired the name Allen from its rotating name lists due to its destructive impacts, and it will not be used again for another Atlantic hurricane. It was replaced with Andrew for the 1986 season.

Season effects

This is a table of all of the storms that formed in the 1980 Atlantic hurricane season. It includes their name, duration, peak classification and intensities, areas affected, damage, and death totals. Deaths in parentheses are additional and indirect (an example of an indirect death would be a traffic accident), but were still related to that storm. Damage and deaths include totals while the storm was extratropical, a wave, or a low, and all of the damage figures are in 1980 USD.

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References

External links

Monthly Weather Review