the Atlantic hurricane season officially begins June 1, last year's activity began quite slowly with the first depression identified on 27 July.

However, after mid-August, storms came thick and fast with activity even continued past the officialend of the season, as Nicole maintained her Hurricane status into early December.

Many felt that Bonnie and Georges were to be the greatest excitement for the season, but Mitch proved to be The deadliest Atlantic storm since 1780.

This season produced fourteen named storms, ten of which were hurricanes, including two major hurricanes (one category 4 and one category 5).

To follow is a review of all the named storms and what effect, if any, they had on Bermuda: NOTE: Pressures are in millibars and winds are in knots.

One knot is equal to 1.15 mph.

Note: Extra-tropicalmeans the system has lost its tropical characteristics.

1998 Hurricane season names: ALEX, BONNIE, CHARLEY, DANIELLE, EARL, FRANCES, GEORGES, HERMINE IVAN, JEANNE, KARL, LISA, MITCH, NICOLE, (with OTTO, PAULA, RICHARD, SHARY, TOMAS, VIRGINIE, WALTER unused).

HURRICANE DETAILS : Tropical storm Alex (27 July -03 August) Tropical storm Alex had maximum winds of 45 knots and a minimum pressure of 1000 Mb. Alex came 290 miles (470 km) east-northeast of the Leeward Islands and dissipated north of the Lesser Antilles (21.20 N 60.40W).

Hurricane Bonnie (19 - 30 August) Hurricane Bonnie reached category 3 standing on 23 August, with maximum winds of 100 knots and a minimum central pressure of 954 Mb. Bonnie was identified just east of the Lesser Antilles. Following a track north of the Caribbean islands it re-curved after making a temporary landfall on 26 August in North Carolina and headed northeast into the Atlantic Ocean.

There were reports of severe damage and power outages from North Carolina and Virginia. Losses of life due to drowning and fallen trees were reported.

Bonnie became extra-tropical 10:00 ADT 31 August.

Bonnie came within 450 miles north-northwest of Bermuda on 29 August, with no significant associated weather affecting the island.

Tropical storm Charley (21 -22 August) Tropical storm Charley was short lived; had maximum winds of 50 knots and central pressure of 1003 Mb. Charley made landfall as a tropical depression close to Corpus Christi, Texas on 22 August.

Hurricane Danielle (24 August - 03 September) Hurricane Danielle reached category 2 standing on 26 August and then degenerated to category 1, until it picked up strength on 31 August for 36 hours and again became category 2. Danielle's closest point to Bermuda was approximately 175 miles to the northwest on the night of September 2 and 3.

Danielle became extra-tropical 16:00 ADT 03 September.

Bermuda experienced overcast conditions from Danielle with rain and thundershowers overnight. Sustained winds of 20, gusts 39 knots on September 2, increasing to 35 knots with gusts to 40 knots early on September 3.

Conditions improved and became only light showers and 20-knot winds by 03 September afternoon. Haze was reported for just over 24 hours after.

Hurricane Earl (31 August -03 September) Hurricane Earl reached category 2 standing on September 2 for 6 hours and had maximum winds of 85 knots and minimum central pressure of 986 Mb. Earl formed in the Gulf of Mexico and tracked northeast to make landfall as a tropical storm near the coastal boundary of Florida and Alabama. Earl degenerated inland.

Tropical storm Frances (08 -12 September) Tropical storm Frances had maximum winds of 55 knots and a minimum pressure of 990 Mb. Frances formed in the Gulf of Mexico, tracked north-northwest to make landfall near Corpus Christi, Texas on 11 September, and degenerated inland.

Widespread coastal/flash flooding and beach erosion occurred. Loss of life due to drowning was reported.

Hurricane Georges (15 - 29 September) Hurricane Georges attained category 4 standing with winds peaking as strong as 130 knots. Georges had an unusual track which blazed over most islands in the Caribbean, including direct hits on the islands of the northern Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico and Cuba.

Finally, Georges degenerated inland a few days after making landfall near New Orleans. Tornadoes and funnel clouds were reported, as well as severe flooding. There was an evacuation of over 822,500 people in Florida, with thousands more in shelters. Two indirect losses of life reported by the National Hurricane Center.

Devastating damage occurred to islands of the Caribbean; decades worth of progress destroyed in the matter of days. Georges did not just fade away, its remnants produced very heavy rains and tornadic activity in Alabama and Georgia causing extreme flooding and more evacuations.

Tropical storm Hermine (17 -20 September) Tropical storm Hermine produced maximum winds of 40 knots and a minimum pressure of 999 Mb. Hermine formed in the Gulf of Mexico and moved north-northeast to hit the Louisiana coast.

Hurricane Ivan (20 - 27 September) Hurricane Ivan formed off the West Coast of Africa and tracked a curved path, coming within 185 miles northwest of Lajes, Azores Islands. Ivan reached category 1 strength, with maximum winds of 80 knots and a central pressure of 975 Mb.

Hurricane Jeanne (21 September - 01 October) Hurricane Jeanne formed the day after Ivan and they both danced a track towards the Azores. Jeanne however came very near to Lajes in the Azores Islands, almost a direct hit. Jeanne was a category 2 storm on 25 September.

On 01 October, it reached the Azores as a tropical depression with maximum winds of 30 knots gusts to 40 knots.

Continued on page 18.

1998 Hurricane Information Continued from page 17 Hurricane Karl (23 - 28 September) Hurricane Karl was an interesting case, especially for the Bermuda Weather Service. Karl developed from a low that formed almost directly over the island.

The Bermuda Weather Service was the key to identifying this system, for we supplied crucial observations to assist in the analysis of the system's organisation. One theory, regarding the formation of Karl, suggests the remnants of Hermine, which hung over Eastern United States, became caught in the westerly flow and became enhanced as it moved over the Gulf Stream. This lead to the development of the system over Bermuda.

Karl's track officially began a couple hundred miles to the east-northeast of Bermuda, took a dip to the south and intensifying as it re-curved to travel northeast before becoming extra-tropical.

Karl recorded a maximum wind of 90 knots and a minimum central pressure of 970 Mb, classifying as a category 2 storm on 27 September.

Bermuda's observations show that on 21 September the cloud cover increased to overcast as the pressure began to fall steadily. The wind rose from 10 knots to peak at 25 knots gusting as high as 38 knots with heavy rain showers in less than 8 hours. Thundershowers were reported early the next morning and overcast to cloudy conditions prevailed until the afternoon on 23 September.

Hurricane Lisa (05 - 09 October) Hurricane Lisa has a very distinct track. Identified approximately 775 miles east of the Leeward Islands, it tracked northeast before curving to move northwards. Lisa reached maximum winds of 65 knots and a minimum central pressure of 987, storm category 1 conditions, 6 hours before it went extra-tropical.

Hurricane Mitch (22 October - 05 November) Mitch has been classified as The Deadliest Atlantic Hurricane since 1780. It is difficult to describe the devastation and tragedy that resulted from Mitch.

Quite simply Mitch was mighty and awesome. Imagery captured was very impressive, classic textbook case... perfect eye enclosed in the dense cloud wall, symmetrical and very powerful.

Mitch was identified in the Caribbean Sea and quickly became a category 4 storm in just 3 days. In under 24 hours after it reached storm 4 conditions it exploded, producing maximum winds of 135 knots... a category 5 storm was born! Mitch created maximum winds of 155 knots and a minimum central pressure of 906 Mb and slammed into Central America.

As Mitch lingered and weakened over Honduras it was here that the monstrous system created the most damage. Mitch emerged into the Gulf of Mexico and moved northeast, cutting over the southern tip of Florida as a tropical storm.

Mitch proceeded to move into the Atlantic Ocean, over Bahamas and due northeast to pass Bermuda as an extra-tropical system.

The death toll for Mitch is recorded as plus 11,000 people, with thousands missing. More than three million people were homeless or severely affected.

The estimated damage of the storm, now over $5 billion, is continually rising.

The Bermuda Weather Station had issued gale warning in preparation for the effects of Mitch on the island. Observations report overcast conditions beginning 22:00 on November 4 with pressure dropping steadily and winds gradually increasing and peaking in the early hours of November 7 and maximum sustained winds over 25 knots for 8 hours.

Maximum sustained wind was reported at 42 knots with maximum gust at 60 knots.

The only weather associated with Mitch that Bermuda experienced was rain and blowing spray. No substantial damage was reported.

Hurricane Nicole (24 November - 01 December) Hurricane Nicole produced maximum winds of 75 knots and a minimum central pressure of 985 Mb. Nicole 's track remained in the central Atlantic Ocean and its closest point to land was 375 miles west-southwest of the Azores.

Nicole was an unusual case for two reasons. It developed late in the season and produced an interesting track. Nicole was forecast to degenerate at a tropical storm stage, because of upper level shearing, but remarkably survived.

Nicole continued it's mainly northerly track and intensified to hurricane strength on 30 November, to end the 1998 hurricane season as the tenth hurricane.

Trainees: Bermuda Weather Station's meteorologists in training, Kimberley Stevenson on the left and Mark Guishard on the right. They are Bermuda's first fully trained meteorologists.

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