Hurricane Lili (1996)
IBTrACS | |
Part of the 1996 Atlantic hurricane season |
Hurricane Lili was a relatively long-lived hurricane of the
Early in its duration, Lili caused flooding in Central America that left thousands homeless and killed 14 people. Damage was heaviest in Cuba, mostly due to the hurricane's heavy rainfall which totaled 29.41 in (747 mm). The hurricane affected 11 Cuban provinces, damaging 92,542 houses and destroying another 6,369. The rains heavily damaged the sugar cane and banana crops, and overall damage in the country was estimated at $362 million (1996 USD). After 269,995 people were evacuated in advance of Lili, there were no deaths in the country. In nearby Florida, one person died after being swept into a drain during the storm's heavy rains. Moisture from Lili also fueled a storm that struck the northeastern United States, which contributed indirectly to a death when a man in Maine tried driving across a flooded roadway. Damage in the Bahamas was not severe, limited to some damaged roofs and downed trees. When the remnants of Lili struck Ireland and the United Kingdom, it produced strong winds and high seas that damaged hundreds of houses, causing $300 million in damage (1996 USD) and six deaths.
Meteorological history
On October 4, a
Hurricane Lili grazed
Within six hours, Lili had weakened below its peak intensity on October 19. The center passed 150 mi (240 km) to the southeast of Bermuda, and subsequently the winds gradually decreased. A mid-level ridge caused Lili to slow to an east-southeast drift on October 22. After two days, the hurricane again accelerated to the northeast, briefly re-intensifying into a category 2 hurricane. Lili again started a weakening trend soon after, and by October 26, was downgraded to a tropical storm about 345 mi (555 km) northwest of the Azores. On October 27, it was estimated that Lili became extratropical, which maintained gale-force winds as it approached Europe. The remnants moved across Ireland and Great Britain on October 28 with winds of about 65 mph (105 km/h). The remnants of Lili were absorbed by a much larger extratropical system in the North Sea on October 29, which proceeded to cross over the European mainland.[1]
Preparations and impact
Lili killed 22 people throughout its lifetime. Fourteen deaths were reported in
Western Caribbean
In its formative stages, Lili produced heavy rainfall in portions of Central America, causing flooding that left thousands of people homeless.[1] In Costa Rica, there were four deaths, and five people drowned in Nicaragua, all due to river flooding.[2] In Honduras, there were five deaths,[1] one of which when a house was washed away.[2]
The storm briefly posed a threat to Mexico, and a
Cuba
While Lili was still a tropical depression, the government of Cuba issued a
Crossing through Cuba, Hurricane Lili produced strong winds,
While crossing Cuba, Lili primarily caused damage from its heavy rainfall and not from the winds.[16] Nationwide, Lili damaged 92,542 houses and destroyed another 6,369,[17] mostly in Cienfuegos and Sancti Spíritus,[14] which left thousands of people homeless.[1] Heavy rains caused homes to collapse along the path, many already in poor condition.[16] On Isla de la Juventud, the winds damaged 85 houses and destroyed another 103.[8] The winds also stripped 16 tons of grapefruit from their trees on the island.[6] Nationwide, hundreds of thousands of trees fell during the storm.[18] On Cayo Largo del Sur, the strong waves wrecked seaside cabanas.[6] In Villa Clara Province, about 45 mi (75 km) of roads were damaged,[8] and the winds destroyed the roofs of 28 sugar refineries.[6] In Havana, the storm wrecked a dozen buildings and downed several trees.[6] Nationwide, the hurricane downed hundreds of power lines, leaving many towns without power,[8] and power plants were damaged in Sancti Spíritus and Cienfuegos provinces.[10] The hurricane also damaged 21 hospitals and dozens of health clinics,[11] along with 32 schools.[14] Extensive crop damage occurred along the storm's path,[1] affecting thousands of hectares of arable land,[8] and damaging 105 agricultural facilities. Flooding affected the banana, fruit, coffee, sugar cane, and rice crops.[14] Nationwide, the storm damaged about 25,406 hectares of bananas and 686,893 hectares of sugar cane, along with 36,249 hectares of other crops.[17] In Sancti Espíritu, 28,000 tons of rice were wrecked, and in Matanzas, 7,500 tons of citrus crops were heavily damaged.[8] Total damages in the country were estimated at $362 million (1996 USD). There were no deaths in Cuba,[5] and seven injuries.[8]
United States
Tropical cyclone forecast models correctly anticipated that Lili would pass southeast of Florida, despite a potential landfall within 24 hours had the storm maintained its previous track. The National Hurricane Center issued a tropical storm warning for the Florida Keys but not for the Miami metropolitan area. Wind gusts in the Florida Keys reached 38 mph (61 km/h) at Sand Key Light.[1] For several days, a trough extended northward from the hurricane, producing heavy rainfall in the southeast portion of the state. The highest total was 12.08 in (307 mm) in Everglades National Park.[19] One person died in Palm Beach County when a farm worker was swept into a canal drainage pipe.[4]
High waves from the hurricane affected the northern coast of Puerto Rico, causing minor flooding.[3]
On October 18, a low pressure area developed near Norfolk, Virginia, which moved up the coastline and struck New England the next day. The system drew moisture from Lili, which dropped heavy rainfall over portions of the northeastern United States that reached 13.03 in (331 mm) in Newburyport, Massachusetts. In the state, the rains flooded hundreds of houses, leaving over $10 million in damage. High rainfall and a storm surge flooded coastal portions of Maine, and Portland lost freshwater access for 24 hours after a water main broke. There was one indirect death when a man tried driving across a flooded road in Cumberland County, and damage in the state totaled over $26 million. Heavy rainfall in New Hampshire also caused flooding, and river flooding occurred in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey due to the storm. Farther south in Delaware, the rains caused flash flooding in northern New Castle County, and roadway flooding occurred in eastern Maryland.[3]
Bahamas
A hurricane watch was issued for the northwestern Bahamas on October 17, which was upgraded to a warning and expanded to cover the central Bahamas on the next day. A tropical storm warning was later issued for the southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.[1] The airport in Nassau was closed before the storm struck, and 40 people in Georgetown on Exuma island evacuated.[20]
While moving through the Bahamas, Lili produced 92 mph (148 km/h) in 10–minute sustained winds on
United Kingdom
Precipitation | Storm | Location | Ref. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rank | mm | in | |||
1 | 150.0 | 5.91 | Bertha 2014 | Inverness, Highland | [22] |
2 | 135.0 | 5.31 | Charley 1986 | Abergwyngregyn, Gwynedd | [23] |
3 | 130.0 | 5.12 | Nadine 2012 | Ravensworth, North Yorkshire | [24] |
4 | 76.0 | 2.99 | Lili 1996 | Chale Bay, Isle of Wight | [25] |
5 | 61.7 | 2.43 | Zeta 2020 | Chipping, Lancashire | [26] |
6 | 48.8 | 1.92 | Grace 2009 | Capel Curig, Conwy | [27] |
7 | 42.2 | 1.66 | Gordon 2006 | Wainfleet All Saints, Lincolnshire | [28] |
8 | 38.0 | 1.50 | Gonzalo 2014 | Glenmoriston, Highland | [29] |
9 | 31.0 | 1.22 | Bill 2009 | Shap, Cumbria | [30] |
10 | 30.0 | 1.18 | Laura 2008 | Windermere, Cumbria | [31] |
On October 28, the extratropical remnants of Lili moved over Ireland and the United Kingdom,
Aftermath
On October 20, the government of Cuba issued an appeal to the international community for assistance.[14] The Red Cross provided $1.6 million to the country, and various departments of the United Nations provided $80,000.[10] The government of Japan sent about $104,000 worth of medical equipment,[17] and Italy sent about $526,000 worth of medical supplies. The Canadian Red Cross donated a water purification unit,[18] and the Spanish Red Cross sent blankets and cots. The German Red Cross also sent mattresses and blankets. The American Red Cross sent 9.5 tons of food.[9] Several other countries sent assistance, including the European Commission which sent $750,000 worth of supplies.[33] There were early difficulties in transporting the relief supplies due to fuel shortages. Due to storm damage, 66,881 people resided in shelters until their houses were rebuilt, or until they moved elsewhere. By March 1997, most people had returned to their homes, although some did so without a roof. There was a threat for water-borne diseases due to stagnant waters, although no such outbreaks occurred.[9] The storm decreased the supply of the banana crop in 1997, coupled with a drought.[34]
Following
See also
- List of wettest tropical cyclones in Cuba since 1963
- Tropical cyclone effects in Europe
- Hurricane Fox (1952)
- Hurricane Irene (1999) – October hurricane that struck Cuba
- Hurricane Michelle (2001)
- Hurricane Paloma (2008)
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Miles B. Lawrence (1996-11-18). Hurricane Lili Preliminary Report (Report). National Hurricane Center. Archived from the original on 2013-07-14. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
- ^ a b c d "Hurricane Lili Takes Aim at Havana". ReliefWeb. Reuters. 1996-10-18. Retrieved 2013-06-18.
- ^ a b c Severe Weather and Unusual Weather Phenomena for October 1996 (PDF) (Report). National Climatic Data Center. Retrieved 2013-06-18.
- ^ a b Pablo Alfonso; Peter Whoriskey; Cyril T. Zaneski (1996-10-19). "S. Florida dodges another one". The Miami Herald. Archived from the original on 2012-09-19. Retrieved 2013-06-20.
- ^ a b Roger Pielke; Jose Rubiera; Christopher Landsea; Mario Fernandez; Roberta Klein (August 2003). "Hurricane Vulnerability in Latin America and The Caribbean: Normalized Damage and Loss Potentials" (PDF). Natural Hazards Review. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-11-19. Retrieved 2013-06-18.
- ^ ISBN 9781438118796. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
- ^ a b c d "Hurricane Lili closes in on Cuba". ReliefWeb. Agence France-Presse. 1996-10-17. Retrieved 2013-06-18.
- ^ a b c d e f g h International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (1996-10-22). Hurricane Lili Preliminary Appeal (Report). ReliefWeb. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
- ^ a b c International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (1997-03-04). Hurricane Lili Situation Report No. 2 (Report). ReliefWeb. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
- ^ a b c United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs (1996-10-22). Hurricane Lili Situation Report No. 6 (Report). ReliefWeb. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
- ^ a b United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs (1996-10-24). Hurricane Lili Situation Report No. 7 (Report). ReliefWeb. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
- ^ "Hurricane Lili Strikes Cuban Mainland". Reuters. 1996-10-18. Archived from the original on 2012-09-19. Retrieved 2013-06-20.
- ^ Church World Service (1996-10-16). First Alert Tropical Storm Lili (Report). ReliefWeb. Retrieved 2013-06-21.
- ^ a b c d e United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs (1996-10-20). Hurricane Lili Information Report No. 5 (Report). Retrieved 2013-06-18.
- ^ Instituto Nacional de Recursos Hidráulicos (2003). "Lluvias intensas observadas y grandes inundaciones reportadas" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2007-03-12. Retrieved 2007-02-10.
- ^ a b Ulises Cabrera (1996-10-23). "Lili: The Cuban People Face a New Challenge". CubaNet. Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology. Archived from the original on 2012-09-19. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
- ^ a b c United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs (1996-10-28). Hurricane Lili Situation Report No. 8 (Report). ReliefWeb. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
- ^ a b United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs (1996-11-01). Situation Report No. 9 (Report). ReliefWeb. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
- Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. Retrieved 2013-06-18.
- ^ a b "Lili Hits Bahamas, Inflicts Scattered Damage; Cuban Crops Hammered". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. 1996-10-20. Retrieved 2013-06-21.
- ^ a b John Garver (2003-01-03). "Some effects of Hurricane Lili (Oct 1996)". Union College. Archived from the original on 2011-05-14. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
- ^ "Ex-hurricane Bertha" (PDF). Met Office. Met Office. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
- ^ "Hydrological Data UK 1986 Yearbook" (PDF). Natural Environment Research Council. British Geological Survey Institute of Hydrology. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
- ^ "Hydrological Summary for the United Kingdom - September 2012" (PDF). Natural Environment Research Council. British Geological Survey Institute of Hydrology. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
- ISBN 9781438118796. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
- ^ Finch, Fiona. "Warning over cost of record rainfall in Lancashire". Lancashire Post. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
- ^ "Review of UK weather on 06/10/09". BBC Weather. 7 October 2009. Archived from the original on 11 October 2009. Retrieved 7 October 2009.
- ^ "September 2006 UK Review". United Kingdom Met Office. 2006. Archived from the original on October 2, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2011.
- ^ "Top UK wind speeds as Gonzalo's remnants felt". Met Office Blog. Met Office. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
- ^ Laura Harding (August 27, 2009). "More rain expected in parts of UK". The Independent. Retrieved November 19, 2009.
- ^ "Tropical storm brings floods". Westmorland Gazette. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
- ISBN 978-1-4381-1879-6.
- ^ United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs (1997-03-19). Hurricane Lili Situation Report No. 10 (Report). ReliefWeb. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
- ^ "The Agricultural Sector and the Sugar Industry" (PDF). The Cuban Economy. Structural Reforms and Economic Performance in the 1990s (Report). United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. 2001-12-06. pp. 226, 250. Retrieved 2013-06-21.
- ^ "Relief Plane Ready for Flight to Cuba". ReliefWeb. Reuters. 1996-10-23. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
- ^ a b c Catholic Relief Services (1997-01-01). Report on Hurricane Lily Emergency Humanitarian Assistance Donations (Report). ReliefWeb. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
- ^ a b "Cuba rejects hurricane aid from America". ReliefWeb. Reuters. 1996-11-04. Retrieved 2013-06-19.