1999 Atlantic hurricane season facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
1999 Atlantic hurricane season

Season summary map
First storm formed	June 11, 1999
Last storm dissipated	November 23, 1999
Strongest storm	Floyd – 921 mbar (hPa) (27.21 inHg), 155 mph (250 km/h)
Total storms	12
Hurricanes	8
Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+)	5
Total fatalities	465
Total damage	$5.9 billion (1999 USD)
Atlantic hurricane seasons 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001

The 1999 Atlantic hurricane season was a time when tropical storms and hurricanes formed in the Atlantic Ocean. It officially started on June 1, 1999, and ended on November 30, 1999. Even though these are the official dates, storms can sometimes form outside this period.

This season had a normal amount of activity. There were 12 named storms, and 8 of them grew into hurricanes. Five of these hurricanes became very strong, known as major hurricanes. While it wasn't the deadliest season, it did cause a lot of damage.

Storms of 1999

Tropical Storm Arlene

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration	June 11 – June 18
Intensity	60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min),  1006 mbar (hPa)

The first storm of the season, Tropical Storm Arlene, began on June 11. It started as a tropical depression and then became a tropical storm. Arlene passed about 115 miles away from Bermuda. Strong winds in the atmosphere, called wind shear, caused Arlene to weaken and disappear by June 18.

Tropical Depression Two

Tropical depression (SSHS)
Duration	July 2 – July 3
Intensity	35 mph (55 km/h) (1-min),  1004 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Depression Two formed on July 2. It moved towards land and hit Tecolutla, Mexico, early the next morning. The depression faded away just a few hours after reaching land. There were no reports of damage in Mexico from this storm.

Hurricane Bret

Category 4 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	August 18 – August 25
Intensity	145 mph (230 km/h) (1-min),  944 mbar (hPa)

Hurricane Bret started as Tropical Depression Three on August 18. It moved north over the Gulf of Mexico. As it traveled, it became a tropical storm and then a hurricane. Bret then turned a little to the west. It made landfall on Padre Island and later on the mainland of Texas. The hurricane weakened and died over land on August 25. Hurricane Bret caused 7 deaths and about $15 million in damage. It didn't cause more damage because it hit an area with few people.

Hurricane Cindy

Category 4 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	August 19 – August 31
Intensity	140 mph (220 km/h) (1-min),  942 mbar (hPa)

Cindy began near Africa on August 19. It became a tropical storm the next day, August 20. The storm quickly grew into a hurricane. Then it weakened back to a tropical storm. A few days later, it became a hurricane again as conditions improved. At its strongest, Hurricane Cindy had winds of 140 miles per hour. This made it a Category 4 hurricane. It moved northeast and disappeared on August 31. Hurricane Cindy stayed far from land for its entire life.

Hurricane Dennis

Category 2 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	August 24 – September 9
Intensity	105 mph (165 km/h) (1-min),  962 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Depression Four formed on August 24. It soon became a tropical storm and was named "Dennis." Tropical Storm Dennis grew into a hurricane as it moved near The Bahamas. It then moved close to North Carolina and South Carolina. Dennis weakened and moved in an unusual way. It eventually made landfall in North Carolina on September 5. By then, it was a strong tropical storm. Dennis died on September 9 over New York.

Tropical Storm Emily

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration	August 24 – August 28
Intensity	50 mph (85 km/h) (1-min),  1004 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Storm Emily started on August 24. It traveled almost directly north for most of its time. Strong winds from Hurricane Cindy caused Emily to weaken and disappear on August 28.

Tropical Depression Seven

Tropical depression (SSHS)
Duration	September 5 – September 7
Intensity	35 mph (55 km/h) (1-min),  1006 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Depression Seven formed off the coast of Mexico on September 5. On September 6, it moved onto land in Mexico. The depression then died out the very next day.

Hurricane Floyd

Category 4 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	September 7 – September 17
Intensity	155 mph (250 km/h) (1-min),  921 mbar (hPa)

Hurricane Floyd was the strongest, most damaging, and deadliest hurricane of the 1999 season. At first, it looked like Floyd was heading for Florida as a powerful Category 4 hurricane. But instead of hitting Florida, Floyd struck North Carolina. It caused widespread flooding from North Carolina all the way up to some states in New England. Floyd left about $4.5 billion in damage from Florida to Maine. It also caused about 76 to 86 deaths in the United States. One person was also killed in The Bahamas.

Hurricane Gert

Category 4 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	September 11 – September 23
Intensity	150 mph (240 km/h) (1-min),  930 mbar (hPa)

A tropical depression began near Cape Verde on September 11. It quickly became a tropical storm and was named "Gert." By September 16, it had grown into a strong Category 4 hurricane. Hurricane Gert died out on September 23 near Newfoundland. Gert might have caused 2 deaths in Maine due to large waves.

Tropical Storm Harvey

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration	September 19 – September 22
Intensity	60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min),  994 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Storm Harvey started as a depression in the Gulf of Mexico on September 19. It made landfall in Everglades, Florida, shortly before it disappeared. Harvey did not cause any deaths, but it did lead to about $15 million in damage.

Tropical Depression Eleven

Tropical depression (SSHS)
Duration	October 4 – October 6
Intensity	35 mph (55 km/h) (1-min),  1002 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Depression Eleven was a weak storm that did not make landfall. However, it might have been the deadliest storm of 1999. The outer parts or what was left of the depression moved over Mexico. It is believed that this storm could have caused nearly 400 deaths.

Tropical Depression Twelve

Tropical depression (SSHS)
Duration	October 6 – October 8
Intensity	35 mph (55 km/h) (1-min),  1007 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Depression Twelve formed on October 6. It moved northwest for its entire life. The depression faded away on October 8, without ever coming close to land.

Hurricane Irene

Category 2 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	October 12 – October 19
Intensity	110 mph (175 km/h) (1-min),  958 mbar (hPa)

Irene formed just north of Honduras on October 12. It moved north and crossed Cuba as a tropical storm. The next day, as a hurricane, it traveled over the Florida Keys and most of South Florida. It then moved north, getting close to North and South Carolina. Hurricane Irene became stronger as it moved. The hurricane moved very quickly as it left the United States. It died out on October 19, south of Newfoundland. This hurricane caused 18 deaths: 4 in Cuba and 14 in the United States. It also caused $800 million in damage.

Hurricane Jose

Category 2 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	October 17 – October 25
Intensity	100 mph (155 km/h) (1-min),  979 mbar (hPa)

Jose started on October 17 as a tropical depression. It moved northwest and soon became a tropical storm. Not long after, it grew into a hurricane. Hurricane Jose passed over the northern Lesser Antilles as a weak hurricane. The hurricane disappeared by October 25. As it passed over the islands, it caused $5 million in damage and led to 2 deaths.

Tropical Storm Katrina

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration	October 27 – November 1
Intensity	40 mph (65 km/h) (1-min),  999 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Storm Katrina began on October 27 as a tropical depression. It became a tropical storm very shortly before hitting land in Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua. Tropical Storm Katrina soon weakened back to a depression. As a depression, it made landfall in the Yucatán Peninsula. It died on November 1, just before it was about to enter the Gulf of Mexico. No one died, and there was not much damage from this storm.

Hurricane Lenny

Category 4 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	November 13 – November 23
Intensity	155 mph (250 km/h) (1-min),  933 mbar (hPa)

Hurricane Lenny was a very powerful hurricane for November. In fact, it was the strongest November hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. This hurricane traveled east across the Caribbean Sea. Later, it moved northeast, towards the northeastern Caribbean islands. It became much stronger very quickly, almost reaching Category 5 strength. On November 17, it made landfall in Saint Croix. Lenny died out on November 23. Hurricane Lenny caused 17 deaths and about $330 million in damage.

Storm Names Used in 1999

Below is a list of the names used for storms in 1999. Names that were not used are marked with gray. This list is the same as the one used in 1993.

Retired Names

In the spring of 2000, two names from this season were "retired." This means they will never be used again for hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean. These names were Floyd and Lenny. The names Franklin and Lee replaced them in the 2005 season.

Images for kids

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  Hurricanes Floyd (left) and Gert (right) pictured on September 13

See also

In Spanish: Temporada de huracanes en el Atlántico de 1999 para niños