Hurricane Luis was a very large, very intense and a long-lived
Cape Verde-type hurricane as well as being among the most notable storms of 1995, the strongest at landfall and alongside
Hurricane Felix, was the second most powerful storm during the unusually active
1995 Atlantic hurricane season. At one point during the season, the storm was one of four simultaneous Atlantic tropical systems, along with
Humberto,
Iris, and Karen. The
tropical cyclone lasted for 16 days during late August and middle September.
Luis caused very extensive damage in the northern
Lesser Antilles, especially in
Antigua,
Barbuda,
St. Barthelemy,
St Martin and
Anguilla with winds of 135 mph (215 km/h), killing 17 people, leaving more than 20,000 homeless and causing at least $2.5 billion (1995
USD) in damage through the affected areas. This hurricane was also responsible for an intense rogue wave which struck
RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 on Monday, September 11, though the ship survived with hardly any damage.
Luis was one of the three
storms which affected
Guadeloupe in a short period of time; the first was Hurricane Iris a week before and the other was
Hurricane Marilyn only ten days afterward.
Meteorological history
The origins of Hurricane Luis can be traced back to an area of disturbed weather associated with a
tropical wave on August 26, over the eastern
Atlantic Ocean. A low-level circulation center formed and moved westward until developing a weak
surface low on August 27; a tropical depression formed at 1200 UTC that day. The depression intensified into Tropical Storm Luis on August 29, though as a result of nearby
wind shear,
convective activity fluctuated for the next two days. The shear relented the next day, allowing an
eye to form, and Luis to attain hurricane status. While the storm was developing, three other tropical cyclones were active within the Atlantic –
Humberto,
Iris, and
Karen.
Hurricane Luis continued to strengthen as it tracked west-northwesward, and a
reconnaissance aircraft confirmed on September 3 that the storm had reached Category 4 status on the
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. At the time, it was located approximately to the east of the
Lesser Antilles. The cyclone turned more towards the west later that day, a rectilinear slow motion, allowing the storm to grow, from the 50°W and 60°W, caused by a
subtropical ridge and especially due to
Karen that been absorbed by a stronger
Iris.
On the evening of September 4 , Luis and his very large 350 miles wide tropical storm windfield affected
Antigua and
Guadeloupe before striking the
Leeward Islands. It passed directly over
Barbuda and close to
Antigua,
St. Barthelemy,
St. Martin and
Anguilla. Hurricane Luis caused very extensive damage to all the
Leeward Islands except
Dominica,
Guadeloupe,
Montserrat,
St. Eustatius and
St. Kitts and Nevis that had moderate damages. As it did so, sustained winds within the
eyewall were estimated to have reached and a 945 to 942
Millibar.
A large and powerful hurricane, Luis retained Category 4 intensity until September 7, when it was situated 150 miles to the north of
Puerto Rico. The storm gradually recurved over the northern Atlantic as a Category 2 after spending 7 consecutive days as a major hurricane; the center of the storm passed to the west of
Bermuda on September 9. The storm became an
extratropical cyclone on September 11, as it moved ashore on eastern
Newfoundland.
During the transition, the system generated high waves of over .
Preparations
Hurricane Luis became a Category 4 hurricane several days before striking the Leeward Islands, giving local officials ample time to prepare. In advance of the storm, extensive
tropical cyclone watches and warnings were declared in several areas throughout the Caribbean region. Advisories were also issued on Bermuda.
Impact
Leeward Islands
Overall, Luis caused extensive crop and property damage across the Leeward Islands from its high winds and heavy rainfall. Damage totals are unknown, due to lack of reports from every island, though it is estimated at $2.5 billion (1995 USD).
St. Martin
Hurricane Luis brought 6 inches of rain and strong winds as it passed by
Saint Martin. 60% of houses were damaged or destroyed, resulting in $1.8 billion in damage (1995 USD).
St. Barthelemy
The islands had very extensive damages from the 135 Mph (215 km/h) Hurricane Luis as it passed 15 miles (25 km) north of Saint Barthelemy.
The main weather station recorded a 125 Mph (200 km/h) sustained wind and a 155 Mph (250 km/h) sustained gust while the minimal pressure fell to 948 mb, and it stay under 1000 mb at least for 36 hours period.
St. Kitts and Nevis
The entire infrastructure of
Saint Kitts and Nevis were damaged, with troubles especially occurring to the water system. Luis caused moderate house and crop damage amounting to $197 million (1995 USD).
Guadeloupe
Antigua and Barbuda
As a result of a direct hit from a Category 4 hurricane, both
Antigua and
Barbuda experienced extensive house damage from 135-140 mph winds and of rain. 70% of houses were damaged or destroyed on Barbuda, and nearly half of the houses on Antigua were eradicated by Hurricane Luis.
Much of the islands experienced power outages and disrupted water systems. In all, 3 people were killed, with 165 injured and 1,700 people in shelter. In addition, their government estimated a damage total of $350 million (1995 USD).
International aid was sought after in the days following the storm, with building and food supplies being the most needed. Sanitation in general was lacking subsequent to the storm, contributing to an increased mosquito population. By 2 weeks after the hurricane, life was slowly returning to normalcy as money came to aid the 2 islands, including $200,000 from France to assist in their troubles.
Dominica
Dominica experienced between 60% to 80% damage to the banana crops. Luis claimed the life of a fisherman in the raging seas. While overall damages was fairly minor, property damage was estimated at $47 million, and contributed to the effects of
Hurricane Iris only a week before.
Eastern United States, Atlantic Canada, and offshore
right|thumb|Hurricane Luis making landfall in CanadaBermuda reported sustained winds of ; however, little or no damage occurred there. Offshore, the storm produced waves approaching in height.
On September 11, the
Queen Elizabeth 2 encountered a
rogue wave triggered by Luis.
Though the ship went undamaged, its arrival in New York was delayed. A Canadian buoy also recorded extremely high seas.
Rough seas from the storm affected the
U.S. East Coast, resulting in some
beach erosion and damage to two waterfront structures on
Fire Island. On September 7, rip currents produced by Luis caused the death of one person near
Corncake Inlet, North Carolina. High waves, in combination with high tide, caused significant beach erosion and coastal flooding. In
Brunswick County, eight homes were washed away by the waves and of beach was lost. In
Hyde,
Carteret, and
Onslow Counties, waves up to washed out of the Triple S Pier in Atlantic Beach was destroyed. Total losses in North Carolina amounted to $1.9 million (1995 USD). In New York, rough seas undermined one home, destroyed it and led to the death of one person who was swimming in the high waves.
Throughout eastern Newfoundland, the system dropped of rainfall. Northwesterly winds there gusted to .
One storm-related death was reported in Canada.
Flooding from Luis caused an estimated $500,000 in damages.
Aftermath
By September 29, the
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs provided both Antigua and Barbuda and the Netherlands Antilles with $50,000 in emergency funds. The
United Nations Development Programme provided $50,000 for both Barbados and the Netherlands Antilles. For the reconstruction of schools, the
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization provided $20,000 to Antigua and Barbuda, $15,000 to Dominica, and $5,000 to St. Kitts and Nevis. The
United Nations Children's Fund provided a cash grant of $20,000 to all the affected islands. The
European Community Humanitarian Aid Office provided relief goods, such as plastic sheeting, water containers, blankets, and basic medical supplies worth $1.2 million. The
Organization of American States provided an emergency cash grant of $250,000 for Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and St. Kitts and Nevis. The
Government of Australia provided Antigua and Barbuda with $37,593 in relief funds; the
Government of the Bahamas provided $50,000 to the affected areas in emergency funds; the
Government of Canada donated $149,253 to the
Pan American Health Organization and $44,760 to the affected areas; the
Government of France contributed $200,000 in emergency funds to Antigua and Barbuda; the
Government of Germany provided $52,817 in emergency funds to St. Kitts and Nevis; the
Government of Jamaica deployed military recovery teams to affected regions to assist with rehabilitation and cleanup efforts; the
Government of Japan contributed $150,000 in emergency funds to the affected region; the
Government of Norway provided $50,000 in cash assistance to Antigua and Barbuda and St. Kitts and Nevis; the
Government of the Netherlands provided $15.2 million in emergency funds and recovery funds to the Netherlands Antilles; the
Government of New Zealand provided a cash assist of $32,942 to Antigua and Barbuda; the
Government of Spain contributed $15,873 in emergency funds to the affected regions.
Records
When Tropical Depression Thirteen strengthened into Tropical Storm Luis on August 29, it marked the earliest date that a seasons' twelfth named storm formed, surpassing the previous record set on August 31, 1933 when
Tropical Storm Twelve formed near the Lesser Antilles. Shortly before becoming
extratropical, the forward motion of Hurricane Luis reached 65 mph (105 km/h), the third highest speed an Atlantic Hurricane has ever traveled.
On September 11, a wave struck an ocean liner. This wave is the largest wave ever recorded; however,
Hurricane Ivan in 2004 may have produced a wave up to high off the coast of Mexico.
Retirement
Due to the severe damage and loss of life caused by Luis in the Lesser Antilles, the name was
retired in the spring of 1996, and will never again be used for an
Atlantic hurricane. It was replaced with "Lorenzo" in the
2001 season. Luis was the first
L name to be retired since 1954, and was the first Atlantic hurricane name to be retired in three years since
Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Luis was also one of three retired hurricane name starting with
L, the others were
Lenny in
1999 and
Lili in
2002.
See also
