1999 was another above average season in the Atlantic Basin. One reason was due to a continuing La Nina. This is the same La Nina that developed in Spring of 1998 and lasted till March 2001. 1999 also continued a trend of destructive hurricanes. Hurricane Floyd was the first of 2 destructive hurricanes in 1999.
On September 3rd a tropical wave emerged off the coast of Africa. This wave had a lot of convection but lacked a closed circulation. Computer models started to show this wave becoming a significant hurricane later on. On September 5th the wave started to develop a broad circulation but it was not closed off at the surface just yet. Finally, on September 7th the wave developed a closed circulation and it was declared a tropical depression.
On September the 8th the depression's winds increased to 45 mph and it was named Floyd. Floyd was disorganized but was starting to get its act together. on September the 10th Floyd became a hurricane and continued to strengthen. On September 11th Floyd now north of the Antilles became a category 2 hurricane when its winds reached 100 mph. On September 12th Floyd became a major hurricane reaching category 3 strength.
On the 12th-14th Floyd continued strengthening due to tapping in very warm waters and going over the Gulf Stream. Floyd became a category 4 hurricane on the 13th and reached its peak with winds 155 mph and a very low pressure of 921 millibars. Floyd also made landfall in the Bahamas. Floyd would remain a category 4 hurricane weaken to a category 3 hurricane on the 14th but on the 15th Floyd was back at category 4 strength. The hurricane was over 500 miles wide making Floyd a powerful and very large hurricane.
Also on the 15th it was clear that Floyd would make landfall in North Carolina. Floyd sped up as it moved toward North Carolina. ON the 16th dry air from an approaching cold front entered into Floyd and caused Floyd to weaken. On the 16th Floyd winds decreased to 110 mph making Floyd a high end category 2 hurricane.
Later on the 16th Hurricane Floyd made landfall in North Carolina as a high end category 2 hurricane. Floyd produced a dangerous storm surge over 10 feet on the North Carolina coast were it came ashore and winds over 100 mph. As Floyd moved inland hurricane force winds extended inward. On the 17th Floyd weakened to a tropical storm as it moved into Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and the Mountains of Pennsylvania. On September 18th Floyd became extra-tropical.
In the Bahamas Floyd killed 1 person and caused $500 million in damages. In North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania Floyd produced historic flooding not seen in decades. In fact, over half of the deaths from Floyd were caused by flooding inland. In the United States Floyd killed 84 people and caused $6 Billion dollars worth of damage. Most of the deaths came in North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
In some locations Floyd produced up to 24 inches of rainfall in some spots. In addition, Floyd caused a tornado outbreak in North Carolina and Virginia as 18 tornadoes touched down. There was also significant wind damage. To make matters worse Floyd hit the same area that Hurricane Fran did severe damage too in 1996 a lot of places were just starting to fully recover from Hurricane Fran.
While Floyd has been passed by other destructive hurricanes especially in the state of North Carolina. Floyd was historic due to its large size, severe inland flooding, and severe damage. Due to the high death toll and damage in the United States the name Floyd was retired the following year and replaced with the name Franklin on the naming lists.
1999 was another above average season in the Atlantic Basin. One reason was due to a continuing La Nina. This is the same La Nina that developed in Spring of 1998 and lasted till March 2001. 1999 also continued a trend of destructive hurricanes. Hurricane Floyd was the first of 2 destructive hurricanes in 1999.
On September 3rd a tropical wave emerged off the coast of Africa. This wave had a lot of convection but lacked a closed circulation. Computer models started to show this wave becoming a significant hurricane later on. On September 5th the wave started to develop a broad circulation but it was not closed off at the surface just yet. Finally, on September 7th the wave developed a closed circulation and it was declared a tropical depression.
On September the 8th the depression's winds increased to 45 mph and it was named Floyd. Floyd was disorganized but was starting to get its act together. on September the 10th Floyd became a hurricane and continued to strengthen. On September 11th Floyd now north of the Antilles became a category 2 hurricane when its winds reached 100 mph. On September 12th Floyd became a major hurricane reaching category 3 strength.
On the 12th-14th Floyd continued strengthening due to tapping in very warm waters and going over the Gulf Stream. Floyd became a category 4 hurricane on the 13th and reached its peak with winds 155 mph and a very low pressure of 921 millibars. Floyd also made landfall in the Bahamas. Floyd would remain a category 4 hurricane weaken to a category 3 hurricane on the 14th but on the 15th Floyd was back at category 4 strength. The hurricane was over 500 miles wide making Floyd a powerful and very large hurricane.
Also on the 15th it was clear that Floyd would make landfall in North Carolina. Floyd sped up as it moved toward North Carolina. ON the 16th dry air from an approaching cold front entered into Floyd and caused Floyd to weaken. On the 16th Floyd winds decreased to 110 mph making Floyd a high end category 2 hurricane.
Later on the 16th Hurricane Floyd made landfall in North Carolina as a high end category 2 hurricane. Floyd produced a dangerous storm surge over 10 feet on the North Carolina coast were it came ashore and winds over 100 mph. As Floyd moved inland hurricane force winds extended inward. On the 17th Floyd weakened to a tropical storm as it moved into Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and the Mountains of Pennsylvania. On September 18th Floyd became extra-tropical.
In the Bahamas Floyd killed 1 person and caused $500 million in damages. In North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania Floyd produced historic flooding not seen in decades. In fact, over half of the deaths from Floyd were caused by flooding inland. In the United States Floyd killed 84 people and caused $6 Billion dollars worth of damage. Most of the deaths came in North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
In some locations Floyd produced up to 24 inches of rainfall in some spots. In addition, Floyd caused a tornado outbreak in North Carolina and Virginia as 18 tornadoes touched down. There was also significant wind damage. To make matters worse Floyd hit the same area that Hurricane Fran did severe damage too in 1996 a lot of places were just starting to fully recover from Hurricane Fran.
While Floyd has been passed by other destructive hurricanes especially in the state of North Carolina. Floyd was historic due to its large size, severe inland flooding, and severe damage. Due to the high death toll and damage in the United States the name Floyd was retired the following year and replaced with the name Franklin on the naming lists.
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