The 1990 Atlantic hurricane season featured the most named storms of any hurricane season at the time.[1] During the season, 14tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean became named storms. The season officially started on June 1, 1990, and ended on November 30.[2] These dates, adopted by the convention, historically delimit the period each year when most Atlantic tropical systems form. However, storm formation is possible at any time of the year, as was the case this season, when Tropical Depression One formed on May24; Hurricane Nana, the season's final storm, dissipated on October21.[3]
Quick Facts Timeline of the 1990 Atlantic hurricane season, Season boundaries ...
The season produced 16tropical depressions, of which 14 intensified into tropical storms, 8became hurricanes, and 1became a major hurricane.[nb 1] Although the season had the highest number of named storms at the time, it featured only two notable storms, primarily because many of the tropical cyclones remained either weak or at sea. The two most significant storms of the season, in terms of damage and loss of life, were Hurricane Diana and Tropical Storm Marco. However, the strongest tropical cyclone of the season was Hurricane Gustav.[3]
This timeline includes information that was not operationally released, meaning that data from post-storm reviews by the National Hurricane Center, such as a storm that was not operationally warned upon, has been included. This timeline documents tropical cyclone formations, strengthening, weakening, landfalls, extratropical transitions, and dissipations during the season.
0000UTC (8:00p.m. EDT May24) – Tropical Depression One attains its peak intensity with winds of 30mph (45km/h)[nb 2] and a minimum barometric pressure of 1007mbar (hPa; 29.74inHg).[5]
Between 1200 and 1800UTC (8:00a.m. and 2:00p.m. EDT) – Tropical Depression One makes landfall near Guasimal, Matanzas, Cuba with winds of 30mph (45km/h).[5]
May26
1200UTC (8:00a.m. EDT) – Tropical Depression One is absorbed by an approaching cold front while located about 45miles (70km) west of Key West, Florida.[5]
0600UTC (2:00a.m. EDT) – Tropical Depression Two develops about 1,345miles (2,165km) east of Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.[8]
July24
1200UTC (8:00a.m. EDT) – Tropical Depression Two intensifies into Tropical Storm Arthur.[8]
1200UTC (8:00a.m. EDT) – A subtropical depression develops just offshore of North Carolina.[9]
July25
1800UTC (2:00p.m. EDT) – Tropical Storm Arthur attains its peak intensity with winds of 70mph (110km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 995mbar (hPa; 29.38inHg).[8]
July27
0600UTC (2:00a.m. EDT) – Tropical Storm Arthur weakens to a tropical depression.[8]
0600UTC (2:00a.m. EDT) – The subtropical depression acquires tropical characteristics and is reclassified as Tropical Depression Three.[9]
1800UTC (2:00p.m. EDT) – Tropical Depression Arthur dissipates south of Jamaica.[8]
July28
0000UTC (8:00p.m. EDT July27) – Tropical Depression Three intensifies into Tropical Storm Bertha.[9]
July29
0000UTC (8:00p.m. EDT July28) – Tropical Storm Bertha intensifies into a Category1 hurricane.[9]
1200UTC (8:00a.m. EDT) – Tropical Storm Bertha re-intensifies into a Category 1hurricane.[9]
July31
0000UTC (8:00p.m. EDT July31) – Tropical Depression Four develops south of Cape Verde.[10]
August
August2
0000UTC (8:00p.m. EDT August2) – Hurricane Bertha attains its peak intensity with winds of 80mph (130km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 973mbar (hPa; 28.73inHg).[9]
0000UTC (8:00p.m. EDT August2) – Tropical Depression Four intensifies into Tropical Storm Cesar.[10]
0600UTC (2:00a.m. EDT) – Hurricane Bertha weakens to a tropical storm while making landfall near Sydney, Nova Scotia, with winds of 70mph (115km/h). Simultaneously, Tropical Storm Bertha transitions into an extratropical storm.[9]
1200UTC (8:00a.m. EDT) – Tropical Storm Cesar attains its peak intensity with winds of 50mph (85km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 1000mbar (hPa; 29.53inHg).[10]
1800UTC (2:00p.m. EDT) – A second subtropical depression develops in the vicinity of the Azores.[11]
August3
1200UTC (8:00a.m. EDT) – The second subtropical depression intensifies into a subtropical storm.[11]
August4
0000UTC (8:00p.m. EDT August3) – Tropical Depression Five develops in the southwestern Caribbean Sea.[12]
1800UTC (2:00p.m. EDT) – The subtropical storm weakens to a subtropical depression.[11]
August5
0000UTC (8:00p.m. EDT August4) – Tropical Depression Five intensifies into Tropical Storm Diana.[12]
1200UTC (8:00a.m. EDT) – Tropical Storm Cesar weakens to a tropical depression.[10]
1800UTC (2:00p.m. EDT) – The subtropical depression acquires tropical characteristics and is reclassified as Tropical Depression Six.[11]
August7
0600UTC (2:00a.m. EDT) – Tropical Storm Diana intensifies into a Category1 hurricane after emerging into the Bay of Campeche.[12]
1800UTC (2:00p.m. EDT) – Tropical Depression Cesar dissipates roughly 1,150miles (1,850km) east of Bermuda.[10]
1800UTC (1:00p.m. CDT) –Hurricane Diana intensifies into a Category2 hurricane. Simultaneously, the storm attains its peak intensity with winds of 100mph (165km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 980mbar (hPa; 28.94inHg).[12]
1900UTC (2:00p.m. CDT) – Hurricane Diana makes landfall near Tuxpan, Veracruz, Mexico, with winds of 100mph (165km/h).[12]
August8
0000UTC (7:00p.m. CDT August7) – Hurricane Diana rapidly weakens to a tropical storm.[12]
1200UTC (7:00a.m. CDT) – Tropical Storm Diana weakens to a tropical depression.[12]
0600UTC (2:00a.m. EDT) – Tropical Storm Edouard attains its peak intensity with winds of 45mph (75km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 1003mbar (hPa; 29.62inHg).[11]
1800UTC (12:00p.m. MDT) – Tropical Depression Diana dissipates after emerging into the Gulf of California.[12]
August10
1200UTC (8:00a.m. EDT) – Tropical Storm Edouard weakens to a tropical depression.[11]
August11
1200UTC (8:00a.m. EDT) – Tropical Depression Edouard transitions into an extratropical storm while located east-northeast of the Azores.[11]
1200UTC (8:00a.m. EDT) – Tropical Storm Fran attains its peak intensity with winds of 40mph (65km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1007mbar (hPa; 29.74inHg).[13]
1800UTC (2:00p.m. EDT) – Due to heavy land interaction with Venezuela, Tropical Storm Fran dissipates in the extreme southeast Caribbean.[13]
August24
0600UTC (2:00a.m. EDT) – Tropical Depression Eight develops 965miles (1,555km) east of Barbados.[14]
1200UTC (8:00a.m. EDT) – Tropical Storm Gustav intensifies into a Category1 hurricane.[14]
August27
0600UTC (2:00a.m. EDT) –Hurricane Gustav intensifies into a Category2 hurricane while passing 205miles (330km) to the east of the Lesser Antilles.[14]
Hurricane Gustav near peak intensity
August 28
1200UTC (8:00a.m. EDT) – Tropical Storm Hortense attains its peak intensity with winds of 65mph (100km/h) and a minimum pressure of 993mbar (hPa; 29.32inHg).[15]
1800UTC (2:00p.m. EDT) – Hurricane Gustav weakens to a Category1 hurricane.[14]
August30
0600UTC (2:00a.m. EDT) – Hurricane Gustav re-intensifies into a Category2 hurricane.[14]
August 31
0000UTC (8:00p.m. EDT August30) – Hurricane Gustav intensifies into a Category3 hurricane.[14]
0000UTC (8:00p.m. EDT August30) – Tropical Storm Hortense weakens to a tropical depression.[15]
0600UTC (2:00a.m. EDT) – Hurricane Gustav attains its peak intensity with winds of 120mph (195km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 956mbar (hPa; 28.23inHg).[14]
1200UTC (8:00a.m. EDT) – Tropical Depression Hortense dissipates about 805miles (1,295km) east-southeast of Bermuda.[15]
September
September1
0000UTC (8:00p.m. EDT August31) – Hurricane Gustav weakens to a Category2 hurricane.[14]
1800UTC (2:00p.m. EDT) – Hurricane Gustav weakens to a Category1 hurricane.[14]
September2
1800UTC (2:00p.m. EDT) – Hurricane Gustav weakens to a tropical storm.[14]
September3
0600UTC (2:00a.m. EDT) – Tropical Storm Gustav transitions into an extratropical storm while located east of Newfoundland.[14]
September4
0000UTC (8:00p.m. EDT September3) – Tropical Depression Ten develops southwest of Cape Verde.[16]
September5
1200UTC (8:00a.m. EDT) – Tropical Depression Ten intensifies into Tropical Storm Isidore.[16]
Hurricane Isidore at peak intensity
September7
0000UTC (8:00p.m. EDT September6) – Tropical Storm Isidore intensifies into a Category1 hurricane.[16]
1200UTC (8:00a.m. EDT) –Hurricane Isidore intensifies into a Category2 hurricane. Simultaneously, the storm attains its peak intensity with winds of 100mph (165km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 978mbar (hPa; 28.88inHg).[16]
1800UTC (2:00p.m. EDT) – Hurricane Isidore weakens to a Category1 hurricane.[16]
September8
1800UTC (2:00p.m. EDT) – Hurricane Isidore weakens to a tropical storm.[17]
September9
1800UTC (2:00p.m. EDT) – Tropical Storm Isidore re-intensifies into a Category1 hurricane.[17]
September16
0600UTC (2:00a.m. EDT) – Hurricane Isidore weakens to a tropical storm.[17]
September17
1200UTC (8:00a.m. EDT) – Tropical Storm Isidore transitions into an extratropical cyclone while located a few hundred miles east of Cape Race.[17]
September18
0600UTC (2:00a.m. EDT) – Tropical Depression Eleven develops about midway between the Lesser Antilles and Africa.[5]
The path of the slow-moving Tropical Depression Eleven; Note: movement was slow enough that one dot represents 24hours, rather than 6hours
September20
1800UTC (2:00p.m. EDT) – Tropical Depression Eleven attains its peak intensity with winds of 35mph (55km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 1003mbar (hPa; 29.62inHg).[5]
September21
0600UTC (2:00a.m. EDT) – Tropical Depression Twelve develops west of Cape Verde.[18]
Hurricane Klaus at peak intensity, located roughly 12miles (20km) east of Barbuda
October5
0000UTC (8:00p.m. EDT October4) – Tropical Storm Josephine intensifies into a Category1 hurricane.[19]
1200UTC (8:00a.m. EDT) – Tropical Storm Klaus intensifies into a Category1 hurricane, while about 12miles (20km) east of Barbuda.[20] Simultaneously, the storm attains its peak intensity with winds of 80mph (130km/h) and a minimum pressure of 985mbar (hPa; 29.09inHg).[20]
1800UTC (2:00p.m. EDT) – Hurricane Josephine attains its peak intensity with winds of 85mph (140km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 980mbar (hPa; 28.94inHg).[19]
0000UTC (8:00p.m. EDT October10) – The subtropical storm acquires tropical characteristics and strengthens into Hurricane Lili. Simultaneously, the storm attains its peak intensity with winds of 75mph (120km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 987mbar (hPa; 29.15inHg).[21]
0600UTC (2:00a.m. EDT) – Tropical Storm Marco attains its peak intensity with winds of 65mph (100km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 989mbar (hPa; 29.21inHg).[22]
Rainfall from Tropical Storm Marco and the remnants of Hurricane Klaus
October12
0000UTC (8:00p.m. EDT October11) – Tropical Storm Marco weakens to a tropical depression while making landfall near Cedar Key, Florida.[22]
1200UTC (2:00p.m. EDT) – Tropical Depression Marco transitions into an extratropical cyclone near the Florida/Georgia border.[22]
October13
1200UTC (8:00a.m. EDT) – Hurricane Lili weakens to a tropical storm.[21]
October15
0000UTC (8:00p.m. EDT October14) – Tropical Storm Lili transitions into an extratropical cyclone while just offshore of Nova Scotia.[21]
October16
0000UTC (8:00p.m. EDT October15) – Tropical Depression Fifteen develops northeast of the Lesser Antilles.[23]
1800UTC (2:00p.m. EDT) – Tropical Storm Nana intensifies into a Category1 hurricane.[23]
October19
1200UTC (8:00a.m. EDT) –Hurricane Nana attains its peak intensity with winds of 85mph (140km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 989mbar (hPa; 29.21inHg).[23]
October20
0000UTC (8:00p.m. EDT October19) – Hurricane Nana weakens to a tropical storm.[23]
October21
0000UTC (8:00p.m. EDT October20) – Tropical Storm Nana weakens to a tropical depression.[23]
1800UTC (2:00p.m. EDT) – Tropical Depression Nana dissipates south of Bermuda.[23]
November
November30
The 1990Atlantic hurricane season officially ends.[7]
Dorst, Neal (January 21, 2010). "FAQ: When is hurricane season?". Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. Archived from the original on July 18, 2006. Retrieved February 1, 2012.