The 1986 Atlantic hurricane season was a very inactive season that produced 10 depressions, 6 named storms, 4 hurricanes, and no major hurricanes. The season officially began on June 1, 1986, and lasted until November 30, 1986. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. During the 1986 season, the first subtropical depression formed in the first week of June, while the last tropical cyclone dissipated at the end of the third week of November. The 1986 season had lower than average activity because of an ongoing El Niño, and was the least active season in the North Atlantic since the 1983 Atlantic hurricane season. This was also the first season since 1972 to have no major hurricanes.
The season started on June 5 when Subtropical Depression One formed near the Bahamas, which would later gain tropical characteristics and become the first tropical storm of the season; Tropical Storm Andrew. On June 9, Andrew would later be absorbed by a larger low pressure system. On June 23, the season's first hurricane formed; Bonnie, although it attained hurricane status on June 25, just two days after Bonnie's formation. Two more tropical depressions followed suit later in the season. On August 13, the season's fifth tropical depression formed and would later become Hurricane Charley four days later. After Charley dissipated, two more tropical depressions formed on August 31 and September 1. Both dissipated on September 4. On September 7, Tropical Storm Danielle formed and would dissipate on September 10. Just after Danielle dissipated, Hurricane Earl formed and would later become the strongest system of the 1986 Atlantic hurricane season, peaking as a 105 mph Category 2 hurricane and 979 mbars in lowest pressure. No tropical cyclones formed during the months of October and the first half of November. That is, until Hurricane Frances became the latest sixth named storm on record since tropical cyclones were first named in 1950. The season came to a close on November 21, which was when Frances dissipated.
Forecasts of hurricane activity are issued before each hurricane season by noted hurricane experts such as Dr. William M. Gray and his associates at Colorado State University (CSU). A normal season, as defined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the period from 1981 to 2010, has approximately twelve named storms, with six of those reaching hurricane status. About three hurricanes strengthen into major hurricanes, which are tropical cyclones that reach at least Category 3 intensity on the SaffirâÂÂSimpson scale. In early 1986, the Weather Research Center (WRC) predicted eleven tropical storms and five hurricanes.
CSU issued forecasts on May 29 and July 28 indicating within both forecasts the anticipation of a below normal hurricane season, the former citing the absence of an El Niño event and eastward winds associated with the quasi-biennial oscillation. In May, a total of 8 named storms were expected, with four hurricanes expected, 15 days with hurricanes, and a total of 35 days with a tropical storm active in the northern Atlantic Ocean. In July, the numbers were dropped to a total of 7 named storms, 4 hurricanes, 10 hurricane days, and 25 days with a named tropical storm, which almost perfectly verified. CSU lowered their numbers from the previous prediction after data indicated high sea-level pressure anomalies over the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico and westward-oriented zonal wind anomalies, both of which favored less tropical cyclone activity.
The season's activity was reflected with a cumulative accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) rating of 36, which is classified as "below normal". ACE is, broadly speaking, a measure of the power of the hurricane multiplied by the length of time it existed, so storms that last a long time, as well as particularly strong hurricanes, have high ACEs. ACE is only calculated for full advisories on tropical systems at or exceeding or tropical storm strength. Subtropical cyclones are excluded from the total.
In early June, a large area of disturbed weather persisted over the Greater Antilles, bringing heavy rains to the islands. The area moved northward, developing a circulation over the Bahamas. Strong upper-level winds caused the structure to resemble a subtropical cyclone, and as a result, the system was classified as a subtropical depression on June 5. The depression moved to the northwest and transitioned into a tropical storm on June 6; it was named Andrew about southeast of Charleston, South Carolina. The storm approached the South Carolina coast within before recurving to the northeast on June 7. The storm passed within of Cape Hatteras while near its peak intensity with winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) and a minimum pressure of . Andrew accelerated northeastward and briefly crossed into the forecasting territory of Environment Canada. before being absorbed by a low pressure system over Canada on June 8.
While active, Andrew posed a threat to the Carolinas. Gale warnings were posted from Cape Lookout, North Carolina, to south of Virginia Beach, Virginia, on June 7. Waves reached heights of off the coast of the Carolinas, which killed a person on Ocracoke Island. Three companions were also swept out, all of whom made it back to shore. At Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach, at least 40 swimmers were caught in the currents, four of whom were hospitalized. The precursor to the storm produced heavy rainfall across Jamaica that caused a deadly flood event.
During late June, a frontal trough drifted into the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, and by June 22, a surface circulation formed. Tracking west-northwestward, it developed into Tropical Depression Two on June 23 while located about south of Pensacola, Florida. The next day, it attained tropical storm status, and with continued favorable conditions attained hurricane status on June 25 to the south of Louisiana. Peaking with winds of 85 mph (140 km/h) early on June 26, Bonnie turned to the northwest and made landfall near Sea Rim State Park in Texas, with a barometric pressure of . The storm quickly weakened over land as it turned to the north and northeast, and on June 28, Bonnie was absorbed by an approaching frontal zone in southeastern Missouri.
Prior to moving ashore, 22,000 people were evacuated. Upon making landfall, Bonnie produced a storm surge peaking at at Sabine Pass. Rainfall from the storm peaked at in Ace, Texas, which caused some street flooding and destroyed a small dam in Liberty County. The hurricane also spawned eleven tornadoes, which, in combination with moderate winds, destroyed about 25 residences in southwestern Louisiana. Farther north, flooding damaged 507 homes and 20 businesses in Bossier, Caddo, and northern DeSoto parishes combined. Three deaths occurred in the Port Arthur, Texas, area; two from separate car accidents and another after a partially paralyzed woman died in a house fire. Bonnie caused damage totaling approximately $42 million.
The third tropical depression of the season was detected early on July 23 in the open waters of the Atlantic, southeast of Bermuda. While about north of the island on July 27, the storm was moving northward at while winds were about 30 mph (50 km/h), after maintaining sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) on the previous two days. Later that afternoon, aircraft reconnaissance found no well-defined circulation and the storm's status was reduced from a depression. The depression never threatened any land areas.
A tropical disturbance was detected on August 4 in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico along the lower Texas coast. The low-pressure system moved slowly toward land, limiting the system's development. On August 5, the system became organized enough to be considered a tropical depression. The storm moved inland overnight, dumping several inches of rain over South Texas and causing street flooding in Brownsville and nearby South Padre Island. The system caused rainfall up to in some areas but had no major problems attributed to it. This storm was not carried as a depression operationally, and thus has no assigned number.
A trough of low pressure persisted over Florida on August 11. After organizing and merging with a decaying frontal trough, a subtropical depression formed on August 13 near the mouth of the Aucilla River. The weak storm initially moved northeastward and then eastward, emerging into the Atlantic near Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, on August 15. That day, the system transitioned into a tropical cyclone and intensified into a tropical storm off the coast of South Carolina. Charley attained hurricane status on August 17, just before making landfall in North Carolina near Cape Lookout. After reemerging into the Atlantic near the North CarolinaâÂÂVirginia state line early on August 18, Charley peaked with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) and a minimum pressure of . It then gradually weakened over the north Atlantic before transitioning into an extratropical cyclone about southeast of Sable Island, Nova Scotia, though its remnants remained identifiable for over a week until after crossing the British Isles and dissipating on August 30.
The storm brought light to moderate rains along its path through the southeastern United States, alleviating drought conditions in Georgia and South Carolina. In North Carolina, tidal flooding and downed trees were the primary impact. The storm brought high winds to southeastern Virginia, where 110,000 people lost power. Minor damage extended along the Atlantic coastline northward through Massachusetts. Charley caused about $15 million in damage in the United States and five deaths, all due to indirect causes. One person drowned in Newfoundland. The extratropical remnants of Charley brought heavy rainfall and strong winds to the British Isles, causing at least 11 deaths. In Ireland, the rainfall set records for 24âÂÂhour totals, including an accumulation of more than , which remains the highest daily precipitation total in the country. Consequently, widespread flooding occurred, with two rivers overflowing their banks. In the Dublin area, 451 buildings were flooded, some up to a depth of . In the United Kingdom, the storm downed trees and power lines, as well as flooded rivers.
This tropical depression formed in the eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean on August 31. The depression moved west-northwest, then northwest away from the Caribbean Sea without further development before dissipating east-southeast of Bermuda on September 4.
A tropical wave crossed the Caribbean sea, moving into a favorable upper environment in the western Caribbean sea on August 31. The system formed into a weak tropical depression before crossing the Yucatán peninsula, becoming better organized as it moved into the south-central and western Gulf of Mexico between September 1 and 3. The system moved ashore east-central Mexico before quickly dissipating as a tropical cyclone on September 4. Satellite imagery revealed that its residual cloud pattern persisted over Mexico for an additional couple of days before degenerating. Heavy rainfall fell primarily north of its track, with the maximum across northeast Mexico falling at El Barranco/Altamira, where a total of was measured.
On September 1, a tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa and headed westward. The disturbance organized into a tropical depression about north-northeast of the Suriname-French Guiana border on September 7 and then a tropical storm later that day. Danielle peaked with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of on September 8, while reconnaissance aircraft reported gusts of up to hurricane-force. After passing through the Lesser Antilles at Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Danielle encountered vertical wind shear, and on September 9, the storm weakened to a tropical depression. Reconnaissance could not locate a circulation on the following day while Danielle was centered over the west-central Caribbean.
The islands of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines experienced wind gusts up to hurricane-force, causing severe power outages and causing roof damage. In the Grenadines, the storm drove a coast guard ship aground, while five people were injured and hundreds of homes were destroyed. Torrential rainfall produced several mudslides, which, in turn, damaged roads, bridges, electricity, and water services. Danielle also destroyed twelve homes on the island of Barbados. In Trinidad and Tobago, strong flooding of up to four feet caused 27 landslides, destroying four bridges. The storm caused $8 million in damage in Tobago. Total damage from the storm amounted to $9.2 million, mostly to crops.
The strongest storm of the season began as a tropical wave that moved off the west coast of Africa on September 4. After moving across the Atlantic, the wave developed into Tropical Depression Eight at 18:00 UTC on September 10 while about east of Puerto Rico. The depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Earl six hours later as it moved northwestward in response to an approaching frontal trough. By late on September 10, Earl intensified into a hurricane and then reached Category 2 intensity on September 12. Earl turned north on September 13, east on the following day, and southeast on September 15, each recurvature likely the result of low to mid-level pressure patterns. The hurricane peaked with winds of 105 mph (165 km/h) and a minimum pressure of at 12:00 UTC on September 14. Earl weakened to a Category 1 hurricane on September 16 and turned northwestward due to a combination of a deepening upper trough and its associated surface low-pressure center and a cold front moving offshore the Northeastern United States. The upper trough and a high-pressure system caused Earl to accelerate north-northeastward beginning on September 17. Late on the following day, Earl became extratropical about southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland, while the remnants persisted until September 19.
Satellite imagery indicated the presence of an area of showers and thunderstorms near the Lesser Antilles on November 15. A cloud circulation formed two days later and headed north-northwestward, developing into a tropical depression at 18:00 UTC on November 18 approximately north of the Lesser Antilles. Early on the following day, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Frances, based on a ship reporting winds of 40 mph (65 km/h). Frances turned northeastward on November 19 and strengthened into a hurricane on the following day, shortly before peaking with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 km/h) and a minimum pressure of . The hurricane turned northward on November 21 and weakened to a tropical storm. Later that day, Frances merged with an extratropical low while located about east-southeast of Bermuda.
The following list of names was used for named storms that formed in the North Atlantic in 1986. This is the same list used for the 1980 season except for Andrew, which replaced Allen, and was used for the first time in 1986. No names were retired from this list following the season, and it was used again for the 1992 season.
This is a table of all of the tropical cyclones that formed in the 1986 Atlantic hurricane season. It includes their name, duration, peak classification and intensities, areas affected, damage, and death totals. Deaths in parentheses are additional and indirect (an example of an indirect death would be a traffic accident), but were still related to that storm. Damage and deaths include totals while the storm was extratropical, a wave, or a low, and all of the damage figures are in 1986 USD.
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