VERY IMPORTANT: THIS WMHB ONLY USES MY OWN SCENARIO.
The 1993 WMHB Atlantic hurricane season was a below average Atlantic hurricane season that produced ten tropical cyclones, eight tropical storms, four hurricanes, and one major hurricane. It officially started on June 1 and ended on November 30, dates which conventionally delimit the period during which most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic Ocean. The first tropical cyclone, Tropical Storm Arlene, developed on May 31, while the final storm, Tropical Storm Jose, dissipated on October 1, well before the average dissipation date of a season's last tropical cyclone; this represented one of the earliest ends to the hurricane season in ten years. The most intense hurricane, Emily, was a high-end Category 4 on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale that made landfall over North Carolina coastline causing significant damage in the billions and a few deaths before moving out to sea.
The third-most significant named storm of the season was Hurricane Harvey, a tropical cyclone that devastated several countries in Central America and Mexico. Throughout the impact areas, damage totaled to $1.93 billion (1993 USD) and 131 fatalities were reported. Another significant system was Hurricane Cindy, which resulted in 284 deaths and $4.58 billion in losses as it tracked generally west-northwestward across the Lesser Antilles, Yucatan Peninsula, and Southern Mexico. Three other tropical cyclones brought minor to moderate effects on land; they were Tropical Storms Arlene and Bret and Hurricane Dennis. The storms of the season collectively caused 339 fatalities and $319 million in losses.
Timeline
he Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, those activity began a day early with the development of Tropical Depression One on May 31. It was a below average season in which 10 tropical depressions formed. Eight of the depressions attained tropical storm status, and four of these attained hurricane status. In addition, one tropical cyclone eventually attained major hurricane status, which is below the 1981–2010 average of 2.7 per season. The low amount of activity is attributed to abnormally strong wind shear across the Atlantic basin. Only one hurricanes and three tropical storm made landfall during the season; Tropical Depression One and Hurricane Emily also caused land impacts. However, the storm collectively caused 339 deaths and $302.7 million in damage. The last storm of the season, Tropical Storm Jose, became extratropical on October 1, less than two month before the official end of the season on November 30.
Tropical cyclogenesis in the 1993 Atlantic hurricane season began with the development of Tropical Depression One on May 31. However, in the following two months, minimal activity occurred, with only one named storm, Arlene, in June. August was the most active month, with four tropical cyclones developing, including Hurricanes Cindy, Dennis, and Emily, as well as Tropical Storm Emily. Although September is the climatological peak of hurricane season, only two system formed that month, which were Hurricane Giselle, Harvey, and Irene. The final tropical cyclone, Tropical Storm Jose, became extratropical on October 1, less than two months before the official end of the season on November 30.
Systems
Tropical Storm Arlene
Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
Duration | May 31 – June 3 |
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Peak intensity | 60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min) 993 mbar (hPa) |
What-Might-Have-Been Version of: TD One
On May 31 at 12:00 UTC, Tropical Depression One developed near Cuba and struck the island shortly afterward. Eighteen hours after formation, it became Tropical Storm Arlene and peaked on the same day. Wind shear caused it to weaken and early on June 3, became extratropical.
Overall, Arlene caused $40 million (1993 USD) in damages along with 23 deaths in Cuba.
Tropical Storm Bret
Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
Duration | June 18 – June 21 |
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Peak intensity | 50 mph (85 km/h) (1-min) 997 mbar (hPa) |
What-Might-Have-Been Version of: TS Arlene
On June 18 at 00:00 UTC, a tropical depression developed in the Gulf of Mexico and the following day, became Tropical Storm Bret. Late on June 20, Bret made landfall over Texas and weakened into a tropical depression, dissipating the following day.
Overall, Bret caused $70 million (1993 USD) in damages along with 29 deaths.
Hurricane Cindy
Category 4 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
Duration | August 4 – August 14 |
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Peak intensity | 140 mph (220 km/h) (1-min) 948 mbar (hPa) |
What-Might-Have-Been Version of: TS Bret
On August 4, a tropical depression developed from a tropical wave and became Tropical Storm Cindy the following day. Late on August 6, Cindy eventually became a Category 1 hurricane. As the hurricane emerged in the Gulf of Mexico, it began to strengthen at a normal pace and became a major hurricane, reaching its peak on August 11 at 00:00 UTC. After about 20 hours later, it made landfall over Quintana Roo and began to rapidly weaken while crossing the Yucatan Peninsula, emerging into the Bay of Campeche the following day as a tropical storm. Cindy briefly restrengthened into a hurricane late on August 13 just before making its final landfall over Campeche, rapidly weakening and dissipating the next day.
Overall, Cindy became the most destructive storm of the season, caused $4.58 billion (1993 USD) in damages along with 284 deaths. It was also the deadliest storm of the season with most of the deaths being in Quintana Roo from landslides.
Hurricane Dennis
Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
Duration | August 14 – August 19 |
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Peak intensity | 75 mph (120 km/h) (1-min) 998 mbar (hPa) |
What-Might-Have-Been Version of: TS Cindy
On August 14 at 12:00 UTC, Tropical Depression Four developed and became Tropical Storm Dennis a few hours later. Two days later, Dennis became a hurricane just before making landfall over Hispaniola. Wind shear began to rapidly increase after moving out at sea and early on August 19, it dissipated after turning northeast.
Despite only being a hurricane, Dennis brought over 17-18 inches of rainfall across Haiti. Damages from the affected areas were US$24 million (1993 USD) along with 6 deaths.
Hurricane Emily
Category 4 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
Duration | August 22 – September 8 |
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Peak intensity | 155 mph (250 km/h) (1-min) 929 mbar (hPa) |
What-Might-Have-Been Version of: C3 Major Hurricane Emily
Late on August 22, a tropical wave eventually became a tropical depression and the following day, strengthened into Tropical Storm "Emily," becoming the fifth named storm of the season. On August 25 at 00:00 UTC, Emily eventually became a hurricane. Gradual intensification occurred while turning southwest, then westwards and then northwest. After moving northwest, it became a major hurricane. By the end of the month, it became a Category 4 a few days just before making landfall over North Carolina. After making landfall, Emily began to rapidly weaken but by the time it moved back out at sea, it began to strengthen again and reached another peak as a Category 3. Emily then began to weaken and dissipated on September 8.
Overall, Emily caused $2.47 billion (1993 USD) in damages along with 18 deaths.
Tropical Storm Floyd
Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
Duration | August 23 – August 28 |
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Peak intensity | 65 mph (100 km/h) (1-min) 996 mbar (hPa) |
What-Might-Have-Been Version of: TS Dennis
On August 23, Tropical Depression Six developed in the MDR and became Tropical Storm Floyd the following day. Floyd strengthened and then reached its peak on August 25 at 12:00 UTC. Increasing vertical wind shear resulted in weakening and dissipated three days later.
No areas were affected and no deaths were reported offshore.
Hurricane Giselle
Category 2 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
Duration | September 7 – September 11 |
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Peak intensity | 110 mph (175 km/h) (1-min) 982 mbar (hPa) |
What-Might-Have-Been Version of: C1 Hurricane Floyd
On September 7 at 12:00 UTC, a tropical depression developed and became Tropical Storm Giselle after 6 hours. Early on September 9, the NHC reported that it became a hurricane. Despite being in a high latitude, Giselle continued to intensify until late on September 11, where it completed extratropical transition.
Western Europe was affected by Giselle's extratropical remnants with France being the hardest hit. Moderate damage was reported.
Hurricane Harvey
Category 3 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
Duration | September 14 – September 21 (Out of basin between September 16-18, Exited basin) |
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Peak intensity | 120 mph (195 km/h) (1-min) 959 mbar (hPa) |
What-Might-Have-Been Version of: C2 Hurricane Gert
Late on September 14, Tropical Depression Eight developed north of Panama and became Tropical Storm Harvey the next day. However, after making landfall over Nicaragua, it weakened into a tropical depression and left the basin early on September 16. It restrengthened into Tropical Storm Otis and recurved just before making landfall over Mexico. By the time it re-emerged into the Atlantic, it was a tropical depression. It regained the name "Harvey" by the NHC on September 19. After that point, Harvey began to rapidly strengthen and made landfall over Veracruz as a major hurricane the next day, It then began to rapidly weaken and left the basin again late on September 21.
Overall, Harvey caused $1.93 billion (1993 USD) in damages along with 131 deaths, mostly in Veracruz.
Hurricane Irene
Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
Duration | September 18 – September 22 |
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Peak intensity | 85 mph (140 km/h) (1-min) 986 mbar (hPa) |
What-Might-Have-Been Version of: C1 Hurricane Harvey
On September 18 at 18:00 UTC, Tropical Depression Nine developed and two days later, strengthened into a tropical storm and was named "Irene" by the NHC. On September 20, Irene eventually became a hurricane. It then began to weaken and undergo extratropical transition, completing it after two days.
No areas were affected and no deaths were reported offshore.
Tropical Storm Jose
Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
Duration | September 29 – October 1 |
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Peak intensity | 40 mph (65 km/h) (1-min) 1005 mbar (hPa) |
What-Might-Have-Been Version of: TD Ten
On September 29 at 18:00 UTC, a tropical depression developed and 24 hours later, became Tropical Storm Jose. On October 1, it began to weaken after peaking and dissipated.
No damage was reported in Newfoundland.
Storm names
Below is a list of names used for systems that reached at least tropical storm intensity in north Atlantic Ocean during the 1993 season. This was the same list used for the 1987 season. Following the season, the World Meteorological Organization did not retire any names, resulting in the entire list being re-used in the 1999 season. Names that were not assigned during the 1993 Atlantic hurricane season are marked in gray.
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Retirements
At their meeting in the spring of 1994 during the 16th session of the RA IV hurricane committee, the World Meteorological Organization retired the names Cindy, Emily, and Harvey from the list above. The names that replaced them on the naming list for the 1999 season were Callie, Elaine, and Harold.
Season effects
This is a table of the storms in the 1993 Atlantic hurricane season. It mentions all of the season's storms and their names, landfall(s), peak intensities, damages, and death totals. The damage and death totals in this list include impacts when the storm was a precursor wave or post-tropical low, and all of the damage figures are in 1993 USD.
Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale | ||||||
TD | TS | C1 | C2 | C3 | C4 | C5 |
Storm name |
Dates active | Storm category at peak intensity |
Max 1-min wind mph (km/h) |
Min. press. (mbar) |
Areas affected | Damage (USD) |
Deaths | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arlene | May 31 – June 3 | Tropical storm | 60 (95) | 993 | Greater Antilles (Cuba, Jamaica), Florida, The Bahamas | $40 million | 23 | |||
Bret | June 18 – June 21 | Tropical storm | 50 (85) | 997 | Southern Mexico, Texas | $70 million | 29 | |||
Cindy | August 4 – August 14 | Category 4 hurricane | 140 (220) | 948 | Lesser Antilles, Greater Antilles (Jamaica, Cayman Islands), Yucatan Peninsula, Southern Mexico | $4.58 billion | 284 | |||
Dennis | August 14 – August 19 | Category 1 hurricane | 75 (120) | 998 | Lesser Antilles (Martinique), Greater Antilles (Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic), The Bahamas | $24 million | 6 | |||
Emily | August 22 – September 8 | Category 4 hurricane | 155 (250) | 929 | Northeastern United States (North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware) | $2.47 billion | 18 | |||
Floyd | August 23 – August 28 | Tropical storm | 65 (100) | 996 | None | None | None | |||
Giselle | September 7 – September 11 | Category 2 hurricane | 110 (175) | 990 | Newfoundland, Western Europe | Moderate | None | |||
Harvey | September 14 – September 21 | Category 3 hurricane | 120 (195) | 959 | Central America (Nicaragua), Southern Mexico | $1.93 billion | 131 | |||
Irene | September 18 – September 22 | Category 1 hurricane | 85 (140) | 990 | None | None | None | |||
Jose | September 29 – October 1 | Tropical storm | 40 (65) | 1005 | Newfoundland | None | None | |||
Season aggregates | ||||||||||
10 systems | May 31 – October 1 | 155 (250) | 929 | $9.114 billion | 473 |