1998 Atlantic hurricane season facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
1998 Atlantic hurricane season

Season summary map
First storm formed	July 31, 1998
Last storm dissipated	December 1, 1998
Strongest storm	Mitch – 905 mbar (hPa) (26.74 inHg), 205 mph (335 km/h)
Total storms	14
Hurricanes	10
Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+)	3
Total fatalities	12,000+
Total damage	$12 billion (1998 USD)
Atlantic hurricane seasons 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000

The 1998 Atlantic hurricane season was one of the deadliest Atlantic hurricane seasons ever. It officially started on June 1, 1998, and ended on November 30, 1998. However, one storm lasted even longer than the official season end date. This season had 14 named storms, 10 hurricanes, and 3 very strong major hurricanes. The storms during this season led to over 12,000 deaths. Most of these tragic deaths were caused by Hurricane Mitch.

Understanding the 1998 Hurricane Season

This section will tell you about the different storms that happened in 1998. Each storm is unique, but they all brought strong winds and heavy rain.

Tropical Storm Alex: The First Storm

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration	July28 – july 31
Intensity	95 km/h (60 mph) (1-min),  1012 hPa (mbar)

The first tropical depression of the season began on July 27. By July 29, it grew into Tropical Storm Alex. Alex moved towards land but weakened before it could cause any damage. Strong winds high in the atmosphere, called wind shear, caused Alex to die out by August 2.

Hurricane Bonnie: Hitting North Carolina

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration	August 15 – August 19
Intensity	90 km/h (55 mph) (1-min),  954 hPa (mbar)

Hurricane Bonnie started as a tropical depression on August 19. It quickly became a tropical storm the very next day. Bonnie grew into a hurricane after passing north of Puerto Rico. By August 27, it hit Wilmington, North Carolina, as a strong Category 3 hurricane. Hurricane Bonnie then moved back out into the Atlantic Ocean and faded away by August 30. Bonnie caused about 5 deaths and over $1 billion in damage.

Tropical Storm Charley: Impacting Texas

Category 1 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	August 21 – August 24
Intensity	85 mph (140 km/h) (1-min),  997 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Storm Charley began in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico on August 21. It became a strong tropical storm before it made landfall. Charley hit near Corpus Christi in Texas. The storm died out by August 24 over western Texas. It caused between 20 and 26 deaths and about $50 million in damage.

Hurricane Danielle: A Long Journey Across the Atlantic

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration	August 23 – august 29
Intensity	115 km/h (70 mph) (1-min),  91020 hPa (mbar)

Hurricane Danielle started on August 24 as a tropical depression. By August 25, it had already become a hurricane. It traveled across most of the Atlantic Ocean. Danielle changed between a Category 1 and 2 hurricane for much of its journey. It headed towards the United States but turned north and missed hitting land. The hurricane moved northeast and slowly weakened. On September 3, Danielle finally died out. Its leftover parts continued moving until they were near Iceland on September 8.

Hurricane Earl: Florida's Encounter

Category 2 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	August 31 – September 3
Intensity	105 mph (165 km/h) (1-min),  988 mbar (hPa)

Earl began in the southern Gulf of Mexico. It quickly became a tropical storm and then a hurricane about a day later. Hurricane Earl reached its strongest point as a Category 2 hurricane. However, it weakened back to a Category 1 when it made landfall in Panama City, Florida on September 3. It died out soon after crossing into Georgia. Earl caused 3 deaths and about $79 million in damage.

Tropical Storm Frances: Another Texas Landfall

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration	September 8 – September 13
Intensity	65 mph (100 km/h) (1-min),  990 mbar (hPa)

Frances formed in the Gulf of Mexico on September 8. It soon became a tropical storm before hitting land in Texas on September 11. Tropical Storm Frances lasted for two more days over land. The storm caused 2 deaths and $500 million in damage.

Hurricane Georges: A Devastating Category 4 Storm

Category 4 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	September 15 – October 1
Intensity	155 mph (250 km/h) (1-min),  937 mbar (hPa)

Hurricane Georges was a very powerful Category 4 hurricane. At one point, it almost became a Category 5 hurricane on September 20. This storm famously made landfall in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba. Georges then hit near Biloxi, Mississippi on September 28. Hurricane Georges died out on October 1, just before entering the Atlantic near the Florida and Georgia border. It left over 350,000 people without homes in Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. The hurricane caused almost $6 billion in damage and led to 604 deaths.

Tropical Storm Hermine: A Brief Gulf Storm

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration	September 17 – September 20
Intensity	45 mph (75 km/h) (1-min),  999 mbar (hPa)

Hermine was a weak tropical storm that started on September 17 in the Gulf of Mexico. On September 20, it made landfall in Louisiana. It died out that same day. Hermine caused 2 deaths and only about $85,000 in damage.

Hurricane Ivan: North Atlantic Journey

Category 1 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	September 19 – September 27
Intensity	90 mph (150 km/h) (1-min),  975 mbar (hPa)

Ivan started on September 19 near the Cape Verde Islands. It quickly grew into a tropical storm and moved north. On September 23, it became a hurricane. Ivan then slowly turned east. It passed just north of the Azores as a hurricane on September 26. Hurricane Ivan died out on September 27.

Hurricane Jeanne: From Africa to Portugal

Category 2 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	September 21 – October 1
Intensity	105 mph (170 km/h) (1-min),  969 mbar (hPa)

Jeanne started on September 21 near the coast of Africa. It became a tropical storm later that day and a hurricane soon after. Hurricane Jeanne began to turn east on September 25. On October 1, it passed through the Azores before dying out later that day. The remains of Jeanne reached Portugal on October 4.

Hurricane Karl: One of Four Active Hurricanes

Category 2 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	September 23 – September 28
Intensity	105 mph (170 km/h) (1-min),  970 mbar (hPa)

Hurricane Karl began as Tropical Depression Eleven on September 23. It later became Tropical Storm Karl and then Hurricane Karl. Hurricane Karl was one of four hurricanes active in the Atlantic Ocean on September 26. Karl died out on September 28 near Ireland.

Hurricane Lisa: A Fast-Moving Storm

Category 1 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	October 5 – October 9
Intensity	75 mph (120 km/h) (1-min),  995 mbar (hPa)

On October 5, Tropical Depression One formed, and soon after it became Tropical Storm Lisa. On October 9, Tropical Storm Lisa grew stronger and became Hurricane Lisa. Hurricane Lisa then changed into an extratropical storm and died out over the Atlantic Ocean that same day. At one point, Hurricane Lisa was moving faster than 58 miles per hour!

Hurricane Mitch: The Deadliest Storm

Category 5 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	October 22 – November 5
Intensity	180 mph (285 km/h) (1-min),  905 mbar (hPa)

Hurricane Mitch was an incredibly powerful storm. It reached Category 5 strength, but it made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane. Even so, Mitch caused huge damage in Central America. It led to at least 9,000 deaths and at least $5 billion in damage.

Hurricane Nicole: A Late-Season Surprise

Category 1 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	November 24 – December 1
Intensity	85 mph (140 km/h) (1-min),  979 mbar (hPa)

Nicole formed late in the season in the eastern Atlantic. It was named on November 24. The storm moved west-southwest for several days. Wind shear caused it to weaken to a tropical depression on November 26. However, it strengthened again and was called a tropical storm on November 27.

Nicole then headed northeast toward the Azores as a weak hurricane. The storm turned back north and weakened to an extratropical storm on December 1. Hurricane Nicole never affected land, and no damage was reported.

Storm Names Used in 1998

Below is a full list of names that were used for storms in 1998. Four storm names were used for the first time: Alex, Lisa, Mitch, and Nicole. Alex was used because it replaced the name Andrew. Names that were not used are marked with gray.

Retired Names: Georges and Mitch

After the 1998 season, two names were retired: Georges and Mitch. This means these names will never be used again for an Atlantic storm. They were retired because the storms caused so much damage and loss of life. In 2004, the names Gaston and Matthew were used instead of Georges and Mitch.

Images for kids

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  Four hurricanes were active at the same time on September 26 – Georges, Ivan, Karl, and Jeanne.

See also

In Spanish: Temporada de huracanes en el Atlántico de 1998 para niños