Hurricane Gordon

Category 1 Atlantic hurricane in 1994

Hurricane Gordon was an erratic, long lived, and catastrophic late season hurricane of the 1994 Atlantic hurricane season. The twelfth and final tropical cyclone of the season, Gordon formed as a tropical depression in the southwestern Caribbean on November 8. Without strengthening, the depression made landfall on Nicaragua. Later on November 10, the system began to strengthen as it tracked further from land, and it quickly strengthened into Tropical Storm Gordon, the seventh named storm that season. Gordon also made landfalls in Jamaica and Cuba while a minimal tropical storm. It entered the southwestern Atlantic while resembling a subtropical cyclone. By the time it entered the Gulf of Mexico, the storm was fully tropical again. Tropical Storm Gordon later crossed the Florida Keys, and turning to the northeast it made landfall in Fort Myers, Florida. Gordon strengthened after it re entered the Atlantic Ocean, becoming a hurricane on November 17. It briefly threatened North Carolina while turning to the northwest, although it turned to the south and weakened. Gordon deteriorated into a tropical depression and struck Florida again at that intensity on November 20. It turned to the north and dissipated the next day over South Carolina. Gordon first caused flooding in northern Costa Rica that destroyed 700 houses and caused $30 million in damage. There were six deaths in the country and an additional two deaths in neighboring Panama. Upon affecting Jamaica, the storm was responsible $11.8 million in damage and four deaths. Damage was heaviest in Haiti, after a prolonged southwesterly flow dropped of rainfall in a 24‑hour period. The rains resulted in extensive mudslides and flooding that disrupted transportation and damaged 10,800 houses, with another 3,500 destroyed. There were 1,122 deaths in the country, partially due to deforested hills, and damage was estimated at $50 million. In the neighboring Dominican Republic, there were five additional deaths, as well as flooding near its capital. In Cuba, Gordon caused $100 million in damage, and 5,906 houses were damaged or destroyed. Due to large scale evacuations, there were only two deaths in the country. In Florida, the storm caused $400 million in damage (1994 USD, equivalent to about $400.0 in 1994 is equivalent to about <calculated amount> in recent years million in ), much of it agricultural, and there were eleven deaths, eight of them direct. Gordon later affected North Carolina with high waves, causing beach erosion and destroying five houses. Overall damage was $594 million due to Gordon (1994 USD, equivalent to about $900 million in ). International governments and agencies through the United Nations sent relief supplies and monetary assistance to Haiti, following Gordon's devastating impact there. American soldiers were already stationed in the country to restore the ousted Jean Bertrand Aristide to the presidency. The troops helped in rescues and worked to restore a damaged road between Port au Prince and Jacmel. Despite the deaths and damage, the name was not retired following the season.

The origins of Gordon were from a tropical wave in the southwestern Caribbean Sea, which developed a circulation north of Panama early on November 6. It gradually organized, becoming Tropical Depression Twelve on November 8 offshore eastern Nicaragua. Proximity to land prevented strengthening, and early on November 10 it made landfall near Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua. Shortly thereafter, an upper level trough turned the depression to the northeast, and late on November 10 it intensified into Tropical Storm Gordon after reaching open waters. The circulation of the cyclone was initially very broad, covering much of the western Caribbean Sea, and wind shear prevented significant strengthening. Early on November 13, Gordon struck Jamaica near Kingston as a minimal tropical storm, and later that day made landfall near Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. The resultant storm north of Cuba became much larger, spreading rain across much of Florida. A ridge to the north turned Gordon to the west northwest, and by November 14 the cloud pattern resembled that of a subtropical cyclone, with little convection near and the strongest winds well removed from the center. The storm paralleled the northern coast of Cuba and gradually developed convection near the center. On November 15, the broad center crossed the Florida Keys near Key West. and after the Hurricane Hunters reported flight level winds in excess of , Gordon attained hurricane status late on November 17 about 245 mile (394 km) southeast of Cape Fear, North Carolina. Shortly thereafter, it reached peak winds of , and the trough that had turned the hurricane to the north was replaced by a ridge. Gordon turned abruptly northwestward, The hurricane turned to the south and south southeast, weakening into a tropical storm due to stronger shear and drier air. On November 19, the storm turned to the southwest and later to the west. Gordon weakened into a tropical depression, before striking Florida again near Cape Canaveral on November 20. It later turned to the north and dissipated over South Carolina on November 21. In the Florida Keys, state parks were closed, which forced some campers to leave, Space Shuttle Atlantis was forced to land at Edwards Air Force Base in California instead of Kennedy Space Center. The storm caused flights to be canceled or delayed at Miami International Airport, and nearly all flights were canceled to and from the Florida Keys.

The first location affected by Gordon was Central America, when it briefly moved over northeastern Nicaragua as a tropical depression. In Panama, the floods killed two people.

While passing south of Jamaica, Gordon dropped heavy rainfall, Gordon left $11.8 million in damage, mostly in Clarendon. About half of the overall damage was related to roads, and an additional quarter was due to crop damage. There were four deaths and two injuries in the country. Two of the deaths were drownings. In Jacmel, Gordon dropped in about 12 hours. The rains resulted in flooding and landslides across the country. About 10,800 houses were damaged to some degree, and an additional 3,500 homes were destroyed. Overall damage in the country was estimated at $50 million. In neighboring Dominican Republic, Gordon caused flooding and landslides that disrupted travel and communications to the interior portions of the country. Several slums around Santo Domingo flooded. In the Tampa Bay area, outer rainbands downed power lines and trees, one of which fell onto a car. The external tank used on Space Shuttle mission STS 71 was involved in an at sea rescue during the storm and a subsequent court case. The tank was being delivered by barge to the launch site when the tow vehicle encountered issues on November 15 due to the storm. Their mayday signal was picked up by an oil tanker, which responded and towed the tug and its cargo to safety. NASA offered $5 million to the crew of the tanker as a reward, but the United States Department of Justice reduced the offer to $1 million. In some locations, the crop damage was worse than during Hurricane Andrew in 1992, due to fewer crops being planted when Andrew struck the state. Inland flooding damaged buildings due to fast rising water and roof collapses. In Volusia County, floods entered 1,236 buildings, causing $26 million in damage. In the Everglades, flooding killed several deer.

After affecting Florida, Gordon produced rainfall along much of the eastern United States, extending as far north as New Jersey. In North Carolina, rainfall peaked at in New Holland, and in Virginia the highest rainfall total was near Norfolk. Sustained winds in the Hatteras, North Carolina area peaked at in Buxton. Heavy dune damage occurred on Ocracoke Island. North of Hatteras Village, the high waves washed out 225 feet (69 m) of dunes, and portions of the Outer Banks between Hatteras and Frisco were flooded up to 2.5 feet (1 m) deep. The hurricane destroyed five homes in Kitty Hawk, Effects further south in North Carolina were lesser, although serious beach erosion was reported. Offshore, a family of four required rescue from the Coast Guard after their boat began filling with water in the midst of 17 feet (5 m) surf. A 49 feet (15 m) sailboat was disabled about 115 mile (185 km) offshore Norfolk, Virginia, and the crew of three were also rescued by the Coast Guard. The interaction between Gordon and a ridge over New England produced coastal flooding in eastern Virginia. Tides reached 4 feet (1 m) above normal in Virginia Beach, which washed away 100 feet (30 m) of a fishing pier. The high tides caused road damage and minor housing damage. On November 16, the government of Haiti issued an appeal to the international community for assistance. In response, agencies through the United Nations donated $735,000, including 20,000 water units and 3,000 blankets. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs flew 30 tons of supplies, financed by Italy and Luxembourg. The European Union donated about $3.8 million to the country, and various countries sent about $1.8 million in cash or the equivalent thereof in relief items. The Canadian government donated $485,000, and the government of Japan sent $400,000 in aid. The government of France provided blankets, clothing, and tarpaulins, and the United States sent 5,000 blankets. The Haitian government provided $3.2 million to repair damage and assist those affected by the storm. The government sent about $112,000 to cities to provide for clearing roads, housing repairs, and for the funerals of storm victims. Workers from the United Nations set up relief work in Port au Prince. Assistance quickly reached the ravaged town of Jacmel, including 116 tons of food, 9 tons of medicine, and clothing. About 100 soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division assisted in relief operations in Jacmel, rescuing hundreds of people. Due to the crop damage in Florida, the price of vegetables across the United States rose. There were about 25,000 insurance claims following the storm's passage. Despite the devastation in Haiti and the extensive damage in Cuba and Florida, Gordon was not retired by the World Meteorological Organization in Spring of 1995. Out of all the names on the North Atlantic naming list that have not been retired, Gordon is still considered the strongest candidate for retirement. The World Meteorological Organization issued an official statement crediting Jamaica and Cuba's warning infrastructure for the low loss of life there from Gordon, and blaming Haiti's lack of such a system for the large number of deaths there. To this day, Gordon remains the deadliest hurricane to not have its name retired.