Meteorological Analysis
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Floyd originated from a tropical wave which moved off the African coast on
September 2nd. The tropical wave raised little suspicion as it headed west
under the subtropical ridge, until September 5th when a low level circulation
formed in association with the wave. The wave continued to organize and
became a tropical depression on September 7th, about 1000 miles E of the
Lesser Antilles. The depression continued to move WNW under the subtropical
ridge and strengthened into tropical storm Floyd on the 8th due to favorable
environmental conditions. Floyd continued to strengthen but, strengthening was
gradual due to lack of an inner core. Nonetheless, Floyd reached hurricane
intensity on the 10th, about 200 nm ENE of the Leeward Islands. A trough
then approached Floyd and caused Floyd to move more northerly as it reached
an intensity of 110 mph on the 11th. Floyd then weakened due to some shear
and turned more westerly again as a ridge built back in. Once moving west,
Floyd underwent rapid intensification and reached a max intensity of 155 mph
with a pressure of 921 mb on the 13th. Floyd then moved into the Bahamas
with this ferocious intensity late on the 13th. Florida was also preparing for a
devastating hit from Floyd but, Floyd turned more northerly on the 14th as
a trough approached. Floyd made its closest approach to Florida on the 15th,
with the eye centered only 95 nm east of Cape Canaveral. Winds approached
hurricane force in gusts on parts of the Florida coast. Floyd then began to
weaken due to drier air and higher shear. Floyd made landfall in Cape Fear,
North Carolina on September 16th with winds of 105 mph. Floyd moved
rapidly up the east coast ahead of a trough, and weakened into a tropical
storm near New Jersey on the 16th. Floyd then reached Long Island by the 17th,
and became extratropical near Maine the same day. Floyd moved over the
Canadian Maritimes by the 17th, and merged with a larger extratropical low on the 19th.
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Casualty and Damage Overview
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57 deaths are attributed to Floyd, with 56 in the United States and 1 in the
Bahamas. Most of these deaths were from flooding caused by Floyd's extreme
rains. There was also extensive flooding damage from Floyd. Floyd's total
damage isn't known exactly but, it is somewhere between $3 billion and $6 billion.
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Floyd Hurricane Research Division Products
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Imagery
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Tracking Data
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Hurricane Floyd
Time Lat Lon Wind(mph) Pressure Storm type
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18 GMT 09/07/99 14.6N 45.6W 30 1008 Tropical Depression
0 GMT 09/08/99 15.0N 46.9W 35 1007 Tropical Depression
6 GMT 09/08/99 15.3N 48.2W 40 1005 Tropical Storm
12 GMT 09/08/99 15.8N 49.6W 45 1003 Tropical Storm
18 GMT 09/08/99 16.3N 51.1W 50 1000 Tropical Storm
0 GMT 09/09/99 16.7N 52.6W 50 1000 Tropical Storm
6 GMT 09/09/99 17.1N 53.9W 50 1003 Tropical Storm
12 GMT 09/09/99 17.3N 55.1W 60 1003 Tropical Storm
18 GMT 09/09/99 17.9N 56.3W 70 996 Tropical Storm
0 GMT 09/10/99 18.3N 57.2W 70 995 Tropical Storm
6 GMT 09/10/99 18.6N 58.2W 70 990 Tropical Storm
12 GMT 09/10/99 19.3N 58.8W 80 989 Category 1 Hurricane
18 GMT 09/10/99 20.2N 59.6W 80 975 Category 1 Hurricane
0 GMT 09/11/99 20.8N 60.4W 90 971 Category 1 Hurricane
6 GMT 09/11/99 21.4N 61.1W 110 963 Category 2 Hurricane
12 GMT 09/11/99 21.9N 62.0W 110 962 Category 2 Hurricane
18 GMT 09/11/99 22.5N 63.0W 105 966 Category 2 Hurricane
0 GMT 09/12/99 22.7N 64.1W 100 967 Category 2 Hurricane
6 GMT 09/12/99 22.8N 65.2W 110 960 Category 2 Hurricane
12 GMT 09/12/99 23.0N 66.2W 120 955 Category 3 Hurricane
18 GMT 09/12/99 23.2N 67.4W 135 940 Category 4 Hurricane
0 GMT 09/13/99 23.4N 68.7W 145 931 Category 4 Hurricane
6 GMT 09/13/99 23.6N 70.0W 155 922 Category 4 Hurricane
12 GMT 09/13/99 23.9N 71.4W 155 921 Category 4 Hurricane
18 GMT 09/13/99 24.1N 72.9W 145 923 Category 4 Hurricane
0 GMT 09/14/99 24.5N 74.0W 135 924 Category 4 Hurricane
6 GMT 09/14/99 24.9N 75.3W 120 927 Category 3 Hurricane
12 GMT 09/14/99 25.4N 76.3W 120 930 Category 3 Hurricane
18 GMT 09/14/99 26.1N 77.0W 125 930 Category 3 Hurricane
0 GMT 09/15/99 27.1N 77.7W 135 933 Category 4 Hurricane
6 GMT 09/15/99 28.2N 78.5W 125 935 Category 3 Hurricane
12 GMT 09/15/99 29.3N 78.9W 115 943 Category 3 Hurricane
18 GMT 09/15/99 30.6N 79.1W 110 947 Category 2 Hurricane
0 GMT 09/16/99 32.1N 78.7W 105 950 Category 2 Hurricane
6 GMT 09/16/99 33.7N 78.0W 105 956 Category 2 Hurricane
12 GMT 09/16/99 35.7N 76.8W 80 967 Category 1 Hurricane
18 GMT 09/16/99 38.0N 75.3W 70 974 Tropical Storm
0 GMT 09/17/99 40.6N 73.5W 60 980 Tropical Storm
6 GMT 09/17/99 42.1N 72.1W 60 983 Tropical Storm
12 GMT 09/17/99 43.3N 70.6W 50 984 Extratropical Storm
18 GMT 09/17/99 44.2N 68.9W 50 985 Extratropical Storm
0 GMT 09/18/99 44.8N 67.3W 45 987 Extratropical Storm
6 GMT 09/18/99 45.4N 65.5W 40 990 Extratropical Storm
12 GMT 09/18/99 46.6N 63.0W 40 992 Extratropical Storm
18 GMT 09/18/99 47.7N 59.3W 40 992 Extratropical Storm
0 GMT 09/19/99 48.0N 56.3W 40 992 Extratropical Storm
6 GMT 09/19/99 48.5N 52.5W 40 994 Extratropical Storm
12 GMT 09/19/99 49.5N 48.0W 45 992 Extratropical Storm
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Tracking maps courtesy of NHC
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Selected Hurricane Research Division Radar Image
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Selected Satellite Image
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