Mariners Weather Log

Mariners Weather Log Vol. 43, No. 1 April 1999 Hurricane Mitch, one of the deadliest Atlantic hurricanes in history, as sea level pressure dropped to 905 Hp 35 nm southeast of Swan Island. This was the lowest sea level pressure ever observed in an October hurricane in the Atlantic basin and the fourth lowest pressure ever observed in an Atlantic hurricane (tied with Camille in 1969). See page 4. Mariners Weather Log Mariners Weather Log From the Editorial Supervisor Due to increased printing costs, the annual subscription price of the Mariners Weather Log is now $12.00 (domes- tic) and $15.00 (foreign). Please see the inside back cover for the ordering form and more information. U.S. Department of Commerce We thank those free subscribers who filled out and William M. Daley, Secretary returned the questionnaires to us. However, some questionnaires have not yet been returned. If your vessel has National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration changed crews, or has been in the yard for service, the Dr. D. James Baker, Administrator questionnaire may be aboard without your knowledege (it’s a white card, folded size 5.5 x 8.5 inches). Please make National Weather Service every effort to complete and return these to us. You must John J. Kelly, Jr., do so to remain a free subscriber. Assistant Administrator for Weather Services This issue features an article on the endangered right National Environmental Satellite, whales in the North Atlantic. Effective July 1, 1999, Data, and Information Service vessels of 300 gross tons or greater are required to report Robert S. Winokur, Assistant Administrator data such as position, course, and speed when entering two right whale aggregation areas: one off Massachusettes and United States Navy one off Georgia and Florida, as part of an International Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command Maritime Organization approved effort to save this RADM Kenneth E. Barbor USN, Commander endangered species. Please see the article for details. Editorial Supervisor For Voluntary Observing Ships, development of SEAS Martin S. Baron 2000 has begun. This is a new Windows-based program to facilitate reporting of meteorological observations. The Editor Mary Ann Burke projected release date is early 2000. I reviewed a pre- production version and was very impressed. Three NOAA line offices are collaborating in this effort. It’s being lead The Secretary of Commerce has determined that the publication of this by the Office of Atmospheric Research, Global Ocean periodical is necessary in the transaction of the public business required by law Observing System (GOOS) Operations Center, with the of this department. Use of funds for printing this periodical has been approved by the director of the Office of Management and Budget through December office of NOAA Corps Operations writing the software, in 1999. cooperation with the National Weather Service. Prior to release of this new software, we recommend use of SEAS The Mariners Weather Log (ISSN: 0025-3367) is published by the National Weather Service, Office of Meteorology, Integrated Hydrometeorological version 4.52, which is alsoY2K compliant, available from Services Core, Silver Spring, Maryland, (301) 713-1677, Ext. 134. Funding is PMOs, SEAS Field Representavives, or the SEAS provided by the National Weather Service, National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service, and the United States Navy. Data is provided by webpage at: http://seas.nos.noaa.gov/seas/. the National Climatic Data Center. Martin S. Baronh Articles, photographs, and letters should be sent to: Some Important Webpage Addresses Mr. Martin S. Baron, Editorial Supervisor Mariners Weather Log NOAA http://www.noaa.gov National Weather Service, NOAA National Weather Service http://www.nws.noaa.gov 1325 East-West Highway, Room 14108 VOS Program http://www.vos.noaa.gov SEAS Program http://seas.nos.noaa.gov/seas/ Silver Spring, MD 20910 Mariners Weather Log http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/ mwl/mwl.htm Phone: (301) 713-1677 Ext. 134 Marine Dissemination http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/ Fax: (301) 713-1598 marine/home.htm E-mail: [email protected] See these webpages for further links. 2 Mariners Weather Log Mariners Weather Log Table of Contents Hurricane Mitch—One of the Deadliest Atlantic Hurricanes in History ....................................... 4 Civil War Naval Scenes of Xanthus Smith..................................................................................... 7 The Saffir/Simpson Hurricane Scale: An Interview with Dr. Robert Simpson ........................... 10 AMVER Safety Network.............................................................................................................. 13 Departments: Physical Oceanography ..................................................................................................................................... 17 National Data Buoy Center................................................................................................................................ 23 National Marine Fisheries Service ..................................................................................................................... 26 Marine Weather Review North Atlantic, August–November 1998............................................................................................. 33 North Pacific, August–November 1998 .............................................................................................. 38 Tropical Atlantic and Tropical East Pacific, September–December 1998 .......................................... 44 Climate Prediction Center, September–December 1998 ..................................................................... 57 Fam Float ........................................................................................................................................................... 59 Coastal Forecast Office News ............................................................................................................................ 60 VOS Program .................................................................................................................................................... 61 VOS Cooperative Ship Reports ......................................................................................................................... 81 Buoy Climatological Data Summary ................................................................................................................. 95 Meteorological Services Observations .......................................................................................................................................102 Forecasts ............................................................................................................................................. 105 April 1999 3 Hurricane Mitch Hurricane Mitch One of the Deadliest Atlantic Hurricanes in History John L. Guiney and Richard J. Pasch Tropical Prediction Center National Hurricane Center Miami, Florida urricane Mitch, the centered about 350 miles east- 1969). This is also the lowest strongest October hurri- southeast of Cabo Gracias a Dios, pressure ever observed in an Hcane ever recorded, Nicaragua. Later that day, as it October hurricane in the Atlantic formed in the southwest Carib- turned toward the west, Mitch basin. At its peak on the 26th, bean Sea from a tropical wave began to intensify rapidly. In about Mitch’s maximum winds were about 440 miles south of 24 hours its central pressure estimated to be 155 knots, making Kingston, Jamaica late on October dropped 52 mb, to 924 mb, by the it a category five hurricane on the 21, 1998. The system initially afternoon of October 25. Further Saffir/Simpson Hurricane Scale. moved slowly westward and strengthening took place and the intensified into a tropical storm on central pressure reached a mini- After passing over Swan Island, October 22, while located about mum of 905 mb on the afternoon Mitch began to gradually weaken 260 miles east-southeast of San of October 26, while the hurricane on October 27 while moving Andres Island. Mitch then moved was centered about 35 nm south- slowly west. It then turned south- slowly northward, and then north- east of Swan Island (see cover westward and southward toward northwestward on the 23rd and photograph). This pressure is the the Bay Islands off the coast of 24th while gradually gaining fourth lowest pressure ever Honduras. The center passed very strength. Early on October 24, measured in an Atlantic hurricane near the Island of Guanaja as a Mitch became a hurricane and was (tied with Hurricane Camille in category four hurricane, wreaking Continued on Page 5 4 Mariners Weather Log Hurricane Mitch Hurricane Mitch America and eastern Mexico for 70,000 houses were damaged and Continued from Page 4 the next couple of days. On more than 92 bridges were dam- November 3, a low-level circula- aged or destroyed. There was havoc there. Mitch slowly weak- tion became evident in the eastern severe damage to the infrastruc- ened as its circulation interacted Bay of Campeche and the system ture of Honduras and entire with the land mass of Honduras. regenerated into a tropical storm communities were isolated from From mid-day on the 27th to early while located about 150 miles outside assistance. To a lesser on the 29th, the central pressure southwest of Merida, Mexico. extent, damage was similar in rose 59 mb. The center of the Mitch moved northeastward and Nicaragua, where a large mudslide hurricane meandered

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