2001’s Hurricane Michelle

On this date in 2001; Hurricane Michelle became only the 5^th November major hurricane in the Atlantic.  The storm formed as the 15^th  tropical depression of the 2001season over the Nicaraguan coast on the 29^th.  It caused heavy flooding rains over Nicaragua, Honduras and Jamaica, leading to 12 deaths.  The storm began moving north on the 31^st and started strengthening, being named Michelle that night.  Michelle was upgraded to a hurricane on the 2^nd.  Hurricane watches were issued for Cuba. 

The Tropical Prediction Center forecast that the storm would hit Cuba, skirt the southeast Florida coast and hit the Bahamas, but one of its most reliable models kept showing a landfall in southwest Florida.  This forecast problem was handled well by the forecasters, who eventually issued a hurricane warning for the Florida Keys because of the proximity of Michelle.   

 The hurricane began deepening rapidly during the night of the 2^nd over the warm waters of the Northwest Caribbean. .  The central pressure dropped 28 mb in 24 hours, bottoming out at 933 during the night of the 3^rd. At its peak intensity, the Category 4 hurricane had top winds of 135 mph.   Hurricane warnings were flying for Cuba on the 3^rd as the island nation braced for its worst hurricane since 1944.  The hurricane weakened slightly on Saturday night as it encountered unfavorable shear conditions, but still made landfall as a strong Category 3 hurricane about 70 miles southeast of Havana around 4pm on the 4^th.

Cuba suffered significant damage to crops and infrastructure, especially the important sugar cane crop that was ready for harvest.  Fortunately, the hurricane missed major cities and crossed less inhabited agricultural areas. An 18 foot storm surge pounded Cayo Largo, Cuba.   Five people died in Cuba.  The storm weakened after its encounter with Cuba’s mountainous terrain and had top winds of 85 mph when it reached the Bahamas the next day.  No major damage was reported in the Bahama Islands. 

Florida escaped without any major problems, even though the Florida Keys were evacuated as Michelle approached Cuba.  Heavy surf caused flooding in Hollywood and beach erosion was severe as strong easterly winds from the hurricane pounded the Florida East Coast. Winds gusted to 50 mph in Miami Beach.        

Category: Pre-November 2010 Posts