1988 жылғы "Гилберт" дауылы: Кариб теңізі мен Мексика шығанағындағы апат

Category 5 Atlantic hurricane in 1988

Hurricane Gilbert was the second most intense tropical cyclone on record in the Atlantic basin in terms of barometric pressure, only behind Hurricane Wilma in 2005. An extremely powerful tropical cyclone that formed during the 1988 Atlantic hurricane season, Gilbert peaked as a Category 5 hurricane that brought widespread destruction to the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, and is tied with 1969's Hurricane Camille as the second most intense tropical cyclone to make landfall in the Atlantic Ocean. Gilbert was also one of the largest tropical cyclones ever observed in the Atlantic basin. At one point, its tropical storm force winds measured 575 mile (925 km) in diameter. In addition, Gilbert was the most intense tropical cyclone in recorded history to strike Mexico. The seventh named storm, third hurricane and first major hurricane of the 1988 Atlantic hurricane season, Gilbert developed from a tropical wave on September 8 while located 400 mile (644 km) east of Barbados. Following intensification into a tropical storm the next day, Gilbert steadily strengthened as it tracked west northwestward into the Caribbean Sea. On September 10, Gilbert attained hurricane intensity, and rapidly intensified into a Category 3 hurricane on September 11. After striking Jamaica the following day, rapid intensification occurred once again, and the storm became a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir Simpson scale with peak 1 minute sustained winds of , late on September 13. Gilbert then weakened slightly, and made landfall on the Yucatán Peninsula later that day while maintaining Category 5 intensity. After landfall, Gilbert weakened rapidly over the Yucatán Peninsula, and emerged into the Gulf of Mexico as a Category 2 storm on September 15. Gradual intensification occurred as Gilbert tracked across the Gulf of Mexico, and the storm made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in mainland Mexico on September 16. The hurricane gradually weakened after landfall, and eventually dissipated on September 19 over the Midwestern United States. On the island of Cozumel, a pressure of 900 millibars was recorded when Hurricane Gilbert made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane with winds of 165 mph. Gilbert wrought havoc in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico for nearly nine days. In total, it killed 318 people and caused about $2.98 billion (1988 USD) in damages along its path. As a result of the extensive damage caused by Gilbert, the World Meteorological Organization retired the name in the spring of 1989; it was replaced with Gordon for the 1994 hurricane season.

The origins of Hurricane Gilbert trace back to an easterly tropical wave—an elongated low pressure area moving from east to west—that crossed the northwestern coast of Africa on September 3, 1988. Over the subsequent days, the wave traversed the tropical Atlantic and developed a broad wind circulation extending just north of the equator. The system remained disorganized until September 8, when satellite images showed a defined circulation center approaching the Windward Islands. The following day, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) classified it as the twelfth tropical depression of the annual hurricane season using the Dvorak technique, when it was located about 400 mile (644 km) east of Barbados. The depression proceeded toward the west northwest, and while moving through the Lesser Antilles near Martinique, it gained enough strength to be designated as Tropical Storm Gilbert. After becoming a tropical storm, Gilbert underwent a period of significant strengthening. Passing to the south of Dominican Republic and Haiti, it became a hurricane late on September 10 and further strengthened to Category 3 intensity on the Saffir–Simpson scale the next day. At that time, Gilbert was classified as a major hurricane with sustained winds of and a minimum barometric pressure of On September 12, the hurricane made landfall on the eastern coast of Jamaica at this intensity; its 15 mile (24 km) wide eye moved from east to west across the entire length of the island. Gilbert strengthened rapidly after emerging from the coast of Jamaica. As the hurricane brushed the Cayman Islands, a reporting station on Grand Cayman recorded a wind gust of as the storm passed just to the southeast on September 13. Explosive intensification continued until Gilbert reached a minimum pressure of with maximum sustained flight level winds of , having intensified by 72 mbar in a space of 24 hours. The storm weakened quickly while crossing land before it emerged into the Gulf of Mexico as a Category 2 hurricane. Gilbert re strengthened rapidly, however, and made landfall for a final time as a Category 3 hurricane near La Pesca, Tamaulipas on September 16, with winds of about Cayman Airways evacuated residents from the Cayman Islands ahead of Gilbert. On September 12, a hurricane watch was issued for the Cayman Islands, and the hurricane watch for the southern coast of Cuba was extended to Cienfuegos, with the portion of the watch east of Camagüey upgraded to a hurricane warning. That evening, the Yucatán Peninsula was placed under a hurricane watch between Felipe Carrillo Puerto and Progreso. This area included the resort cities of Cancún and Cozumel. As Gilbert approached the Yucatán Peninsula on September 14, the hurricane warning in the region was extended to cover the entire coast between Chetumal and Champotón, while a hurricane watch was posted for the northern district of Belize. and speed limits.

As a tropical storm, Gilbert brought high winds and heavy rains to many of the eastern Caribbean islands. Banana crop losses from the storm in St. Lucia reached $740,000, with Guadeloupe, St. Vincent, and Dominica reporting similar damage. Damage from the storm was estimated at $3 million. In total, seven fatalities would occur in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela.

Heavy rains from the outer bands of Hurricane Gilbert triggered significant flooding in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. At least nine people perished in the Dominican Republic as many rivers, including the Yuna, overtopped their banks. In light of extensive damage, the government of Haiti declared a state of emergency for the entire southern peninsula. Losses throughout Haiti were estimated at $91.2 million. causing inland flash flooding. 49 people died. The storm left $700 million (1988 USD) in damage from destroyed crops, buildings, houses, roads, and small aircraft. Two people eventually had to be rescued because of mudslides triggered by Gilbert and were sent to the hospital. The two people were reported to be fine. No planes were going in and out of Kingston, and telephone lines were jammed from Jamaica to Florida. Reconnaissance flights over remote parts of Jamaica reported that eighty percent of the homes on the island had lost their roofs. The poultry industry was also wiped out; the damage from agricultural loss reached $500 million (1988 USD). Hurricane Gilbert was the most destructive storm in the history of Jamaica and the most severe storm since Hurricane Charlie in 1951.

Gilbert passed 30 mile (48 km) to the south of the Cayman Islands early on September 13, with one reported gust of However, the islands largely escaped the hurricane due to Gilbert's quick forward motion. Damage was mitigated because the depth of the water surrounding the islands limited the height of the storm surge to 5 feet (2 m) There was very severe damage to crops, trees, pastures, and a number of private homes. At least 50 people were left homeless and losses were expected to be in the millions. Sixteen people perished in Guatemala and another five died in Nicaragua, leaving a total of 21 people dead in Central America. 35,000 people were left homeless and 83 ships sank when Gilbert struck the Yucatán Peninsula. 60,000 homes were destroyed, and damage was estimated at between $1 and 2 billion (1989 US$). In the Cancún region, Gilbert produced waves high, washing away 60% of the city's beaches; the storm surge from the storm penetrated up to inland. A further loss of $87 million (1989 USD) due to a decline in tourism was estimated for the months of October, November and December in 1988. Rainfall in the Yucatán Peninsula peaked at in Progreso. As Gilbert lashed the third largest city of Mexico, Monterrey, it brought very high winds, torrential rains, and extensive flash floods. More than 60 people died from raging flood waters, and it was feared that more than 150 people died when five buses carrying evacuees were overturned in the raging floodwaters. Six policemen died when they were swept away while trying to rescue passengers on buses stranded by the Santa Catarina River. The residents of Monterrey had no power or drinking water, and most telephone lines were down. As the water receded, vehicles began appearing with their wheels up, jammed with mud and rocks. Quintana Roo Governor Miguel Borge reported that damages in Cancún were estimated at more than 1.3 billion Mexican pesos (1988 pesos; $500 million in USD). More than 5,000 American tourists were evacuated from Cancún. In Saltillo, five people died in road accidents caused by heavy rain, and almost 1,000 were left homeless. Gilbert dumped torrential rains and spawned some tornadoes. In Quintana Roo, Gilbert caused significant defoliation in the jungle. The debris eventually fueled a fire in 1989, which ultimately burned 460 square miles (1,191 km2). Damage to the vegetation of Cozumel Island combined with human habitat alteration is blamed for the rapid decline and possible extinction of the endemic Cozumel Thrasher.

Despite concerns that Texas might suffer a direct hit, there was only minor damage reported in southern Texas from Gilbert's landfall 60 mile (97 km) to the south. Winds gusted to hurricane force in a few places, but the main impact felt in the state was from beach erosion caused by a 3 5 foot storm surge, and tornadoes, which mainly affected the San Antonio area. 29 tornadoes were spawned by Gilbert in Texas, at least two of which were killer tornadoes. Estimates ranged from 30 to more than 60 hitting 25 Texas counties. Nine of them hit San Antonio, where a 59 year old woman was killed as she slept in her mobile home. 40 tornadoes were spawned in an area from Corpus Christi and Brownsville north to San Antonio and west to Del Rio. Gilbert also provided a good look at a particular unusual hurricane spawned tornado in Del Rio, two hundred and fifty miles from the ocean. It was the first of this type of tornado to be captured on film since a tornado spun from Hurricane Agnes in 1972. Despite the massive appearance of the tornado, it did not produce a wide range damage path. Few hurricane spawned tornadoes do. In the state, a major disaster was declared on October 5, 1988. Oklahoma recorded the highest rainfall in the United States at , in Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Isolated locations in Texas and Oklahoma reported over , while moderate rainfall of up to fell in central Michigan. Overall damage in the United States was estimated at $80 million (1988 USD). It was replaced by Gordon for the 1994 season.

In Jamaica, dance hall DJ Lovindeer released a single called Wild Gilbert a few days after the storm. It was the fastest selling reggae record in the history of Jamaican music. In 1989, the PBS series Nova released the episode "Hurricane!" that featured Gilbert (later modified in 1992 to reflect Hurricane Andrew and Hurricane Iniki).