 Cleo as a Category 4 hurricane over the Caribbean on August 23 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | August 21, 1964 |
| Dissipated | September 5, 1964 |
| Category 4 major hurricane | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
| Highest winds | 150 mph (240 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 938mbar (hPa); 27.70 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 156 total |
| Damage | $187 million (1964USD) |
| Areas affected | Lesser Antilles,Greater Antilles (particularlyHaiti),Southeast United States |
IBTrACS | |
Part of the1964 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Hurricane Cleo was the strongesttropical cyclone of the1964 Atlantic hurricane season. It was the third named storm, first hurricane, and first major hurricane of the season. Cleo was one of the longest-lived storms of the season. This compact yet powerful hurricane travelled through theCaribbean Sea and later hit Florida before moving offshoreGeorgia into the Carolinas, killing 156 people and causing roughly $187 million in damage. Major damage was seen as far north as east-central Florida, with the heaviest rains falling along the immediate coast of the Southeast United States into southeastVirginia.
Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depressionA tropical wave that exited the coast of Africa on August 15, 1964, moved westward, not organizing into a tropical depression until around 890 miles (1,430 km) east ofBarbados on August 20–as reported by a Navy reconnaissance plane. It continued west-northwestward, quickly strengthening to a hurricane the next day with a minimum central pressure of 993 mb.[1] Early in the afternoon of August 22, Cleo crossedGuadeloupe as a 125 mph (201 km/h) Category 3 hurricane.[2] The hurricane continued to strengthen as it moved through the Caribbean Sea and reached its peak intensity of 150 mph (240 km/h) on August 23 while south of theDominican Republic.[2] It maintained that intensity for 18 hours, bringing heavy rain and winds toHispaniola. As Cleo passed south ofHaiti on August 24, it veered northward momentarily, enough to move on to the Southwest Peninsula of Haiti. The circulation of the hurricane was greatly disrupted by the mountainous terrain of the island, quickly weakening the hurricane.[3]
Cleo weakened to a Category 1 hurricane before hitting southernCuba on August 26. It crossed the island quickly. Shortly after emerging from the north coast of Cuba, Cleo restrengthened to a hurricane, having weakened to a tropical storm while over Cuba. Cleo quickly intensified to a 110 mph (180 km/h) Category 2 hurricane before hitting theMiami, Florida area on August 27. It weakened to a tropical storm while over Florida later that day.[2] The center moved offshore betweenJacksonville andSt. Augustine, Florida, before moving back onshore nearSavannah, Georgia on August 29 without any increase in intensity. Its northward path along the Florida coast was unusual for the month of August.[4]
Cleo continued to weaken as it moved through the Carolinas, drifting through as a tropical depression. After bringing heavy rain through the area, Cleo exited into the Atlantic Ocean nearNorfolk, Virginia,[5] and quickly intensified to a tropical storm again on September 1. The following day, Cleo became a hurricane again, but it remained well offshore and did not cause any further damage. Cleo was last noted on September 5 northeast ofNewfoundland.
Early on August 21 hurricane warnings were in effect forBarbados and theWindward Islands.[6] On August 22 hurricane warnings were in effect for Puerto Rico and theVirgin Islands, with hurricane watches in effect for Haiti and the Dominican Republic.[7] By August 23, hurricane watches remained in effect for Haiti and the Dominican Republic.[8] Hurricane warnings were issued forJamaica on August 24.[9] By August 26 a hurricane watch had been raised fromKey Largo, Florida toWest Palm Beach, Florida.[10] In advance of Cleo, the second stage of the Titan II/Gemini 2 launch vehicle was taken down and stored in a hangar on August 26 to protect it from the storm.[11] Early on August 27, hurricane warnings extended northward toCape Kennedy, Florida with gale warnings northward toDaytona Beach, Florida.[12] Hurricane warnings were in effect northward toBrunswick, Georgia early on August 28 with a hurricane watch in effect between Brunswick, Georgia andCharleston, South Carolina.[13] The hurricane watch for portions of the Georgia and South Carolina coasts continued into August 29.[14]
| Area | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| French West Indies | 14 | 40 | $50 million |
| Dominican Republic | 7 | N/a | $2 million |
| Haiti | 132 | 250 | $5 million |
| Cuba | 1 | N/a | $2 million |
| United States | 2 | 17 | $128 million |
| Totals | 156 | ≥307 | $187 million |
Official reports fromGuadeloupe indicated 14 dead, 40 injured, 1,000 homes destroyed and extensive damage to the island's infrastructure. The hurricane devastated sugar and banana plantations.[16] One C-124 aircraft delivered seven tons of relief supplies to the island.[17]
Moderate to heavy rains fell acrossPuerto Rico, peaking at 4.95 inches (126 mm) at Matrullas Dam.[18] The outerbands of Cleo produced peak sustained winds of 52 mph (84 km/h) at Point Tuna, Puerto Rico.[1] Offshore Puerto Rico on its initial penetration of Cleo on August 23, a Lockheed WC-121NSuper Constellation used as a reconnaissance aircraft experienced its port wing tip fuel tank and portion of wing torn away by extreme updraft turbulence, which injured six of its crew. While trying to exit the storm, the starboard tip tank and larger portion of wing were torn away by extreme down draft turbulence. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.[19] Cleo led to the wettest known 24‑hour period recorded for any site within theDominican Republic for any month, with 19.99 inches (508 mm) falling at Polo.[20] Les Cayes,Haiti was leveled as the storm struck the town.[16] The aircraft carrier U.S.S. Boxer arrived off the coast ofHispaniola on August 29 to provide medical aid and evacuation services to those in the worst impacted areas of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Damage inCuba was minimal because the hurricane had weakened and moved through quickly.
The hurricane was the first to directly strike Miami sinceHurricane King in the1950 season.[1] Cleo intensified rapidly just prior to landfall, bringing sustained winds of 100–105 mph (161–169 km/h) with gusts to 135 mph (217 km/h) to the Miami area, due to moving over water temperatures of 30 to 32 degrees Celsius and its compact size. Lightning was observed within the eyewall at theNational Hurricane Center. The pressure fell to 967.6 mb (28.57 inches) in North Miami. Major damage was constrained to a 20–35 miles (32–56 km) wide strip from Miami toMelbourne,[21] in the form of broken glass, interior flooding, uprooted trees, overturned aircraft, power failures, and agriculture. Cleo cut power to 620,000 homes and businesses in southeast Florida.[22] In Miami Shores the electricity was out for five days. At least two dozen fires blazed across Miami.[16] About a quarter of the grapefruit crop was lost within the Indian River citrus producing region. The storm surge reached 4–6 feet (1.2–1.8 m) between Miami andPompano Beach. The highest rainfall total measured within Florida was 9.37 inches (238 mm) at Stuart.[23]
The Sebastian River Baptist Church had its roof torn off during the cyclone.[24]Minor damage occurred north of Melbourne.[5] Heavy rains fell along the east coast of the state, along and east of its track.[18] Three tornadoes were reported with the storm within the state borders.[25]
Cleo caused theFort Lauderdale News, one of South Florida's biggest newspapers, to miss publishing, the only time that happened in its history. Storyland, a popular children's theme park in Pompano Beach, was destroyed and never rebuilt.[22] A disaster declaration for Florida was made on September 8.[26]Florida Atlantic University's grand opening to students was delayed six days due to Cleo.[27]
Heavy rains spread up along the Georgia coast into the Carolinas and southern Virginia in association with the weakening tropical storm. Interaction with a frontal boundary to its north led to significant rains across extreme southeast Virginia to the left of its track exceeding 14 inches (360 mm) in theNorfolk metropolitan area.[18] This helped lead to double the average rainfall for the month of September for southeast Virginia.[28] Seven tornadoes were reported withinSouth Carolina, whileNorth Carolina witnessed three tornado touchdowns.[25]
The nameCleo was later retired by theWeather Bureau. It was replaced withCandy for the1968 season.[29][30]
After surviving Cleo's wrath in the Bahamas, a survivor came up with the idea of a floating hospital designed to help out areas after a catastrophe. A husband-wife pair who survived Cleo bought a retired luxury liner for such a purpose 14 years later, and it was put into service in 1982.[31]Virginia Beach, Virginia fought to build a drainage canal to help drain the Lynnhaven flood zone after Cleo's flooding rains struck the region. Over the objection of those in North Carolina, the canal was built. The result of the creation of this canal was an increase in salinity of nearly fivefold from pre-canal levels, which decimated aquatic vegetation inCurrituck Sound by 1998. As a result,black bass disappeared from Currituck Sound.[32]
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
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