Hurricane Carmen

Hurricane Carmen was the most intense tropical cyclone of the 1974 Atlantic hurricane season. A destructive storm with widespread impacts, Carmen developed from a tropical wave that emerged from Africa toward the end of August. The disturbance traveled westward, and organized as a tropical depression east of the Lesser Antilles on August 29. The storm moved through the Caribbean Sea, and in an environment conducive to intensification, it quickly strengthened to its initial peak intensity as a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale. Carmen moved ashore on the Yucatán Peninsula, where, despite striking a sparsely populated region, it caused significant crop damage and killed several people. Before the storm's arrival, officials had set up several evacuation centers, and many residents had moved to higher ground.

Upon entering the Gulf of Mexico, Carmen turned northward and re-intensified as it approached the United States. Initially threatening the major city of New Orleans, it veered westward and made landfall on the marshland of southern Louisiana, eventually dissipating over eastern Texas on September 10. Tropical cyclone watches and warnings had been issued for the storm, and approximately 100,000 residents left their homes and sought shelter. Damage was lighter than first feared, but the sugar industry suffered substantial losses. Throughout its course, the hurricane killed 8 people and caused $162 million in damage. Due to the severity of the storm, the name Carmen was retired from the list of Atlantic tropical cyclone names.

Meteorological history

Template:Storm path The origins of Hurricane Carmen can be traced to a weather disturbance over Africa during the middle of August 1974. The disturbance moved slowly westward with little convective activity initially, although upon entering the Atlantic Ocean, it spawned a tropical wave within the Intertropical Convergence Zone. The wave had intensified and broadened by August 25, and it eventually split into two components, the northernmost of which consolidated into an organized storm system.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Moving westward, the system developed into a tropical depression on August 29, more than Template:Convert east of Guadeloupe.Template:Atlantic hurricane best track Due to favorable outflow from an anticyclone nearby, the depression gradually strengthened as it moved through the Lesser Antilles.<ref name="MWR">Template:Cite journal</ref> It attained tropical storm status on August 30, south of Puerto Rico,<ref name="HURDAT"/> and was named Carmen by the National Hurricane Center.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At first, the storm's proximity to Hispaniola prevented further strengthening,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> but by August 31, it had managed to intensify into a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale.<ref name="HURDAT"/> As Carmen passed south of Jamaica, an eye feature briefly appeared.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On September 1, the hurricane began to rapidly deepen over warm waters of the Caribbean Sea; by 18:00 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), it had strengthened to Category 4 intensity.<ref name="HURDAT"/> Continuing westward, the storm passed north of Swan Island later that day.<ref name="MWR"/> Early on September 2, a double eyewall appeared on satellite imagery.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Carmen's forward movement gradually slowed as the storm took a west by north direction,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and it reached its initial peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (240 km/h), accompanied by a central barometric pressure of 928 mbar (hPa; 27.4 inHg).<ref name="HURDAT"/> Atmospheric steering currents became increasingly weaker, and Carmen slowed to a drift.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Later on September 2, the hurricane made landfall on the Yucatán Peninsula; its northern jog spared Belize City from a direct hit. The storm's center passed a few miles north of Chetumal, Quintana Roo.<ref name="HURDAT"/>

The cyclone drifted inland, deteriorating to a tropical storm on September 3.<ref name="HURDAT"/> About a day later, Carmen emerged into the Gulf of Mexico, where it nearly stalled. Turning northward, the storm regained hurricane strength on September 5.<ref name="HURDAT"/> Carmen continued to strengthen and accelerated northward towards the United States Gulf Coast,<ref name="MWR"/> reaching a forward speed of Template:Convert; at 00:00 UTC on September 7, it once again became a Category 3 major hurricane.<ref name="HURDAT"/> The storm then became a Category 4 hurricane again and reached its second peak intensity while located south of Louisiana; although the wind speeds were identical to that of its initial peak, the barometric pressure was slightly higher. Carmen weakened and veered westward before landfall, ultimately striking south-central Louisiana. After moving ashore, the hurricane quickly lost strength and late on September 9 degenerated into a tropical depression. The depression moved westward and soon dissipated over eastern Texas.<ref name="HURDAT"/>

Preparations

View of Hurricane Carmen approaching the United States

Hurricane Carmen in the Gulf of Mexico near landfall in Louisiana

Initial reactions to the approaching hurricane in the Yucatán Peninsula were regarded as calm by the United States media. Mexican officials declared an emergency alert by September 2, although they did not advise any evacuations. Meteorologists in the United States urged those living near the coast to move inland immediately.<ref name="TVA1">Template:Cite news</ref> Fearing significant loss of life and property, the Red Cross began preparations for the approaching hurricane in Belize.<ref name="TVA1"/> The following day, the Mexican Army rushed to set up emergency operation centers and shelters in five cities. Mobile communication units and relief teams were prepared for deployment following the storm's passage.<ref name="BCT1"/> Many of the nearly 35,000 residents in and around the city of Chetumal evacuated to higher ground.<ref name="SHT1">Template:Cite news</ref>

Although it initially threatened the United States city of New Orleans, the hurricane turned west prior to making landfall and spared the area from severe damage.<ref name="MWR"/> Contrary to its actual path, forecasters predicted the hurricane to execute an eastward swerve toward Florida. Had the cyclone instead continued northward and traveled over Lake Pontchartrain, low-lying areas could have suffered "catastrophic" flooding.<ref name="LA preps">Template:Cite news</ref> Over 100,000 residents of the Gulf Coast, mostly in Louisiana and Mississippi, evacuated in advance of the hurricane,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> causing heavy congestion on highways.<ref name="LA preps"/> About 60,000 people sought shelter in facilities across the New Orleans region, according to Red Cross officials.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Hurricane warnings were issued along the coast, while Coast Guard personnel went door-to-door on Grand Isle urging residents to leave the area. From there through the coast of southwestern Florida, small craft were advised to remain near shore due to rough seas.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Offshore, workers were removed from oil rigs.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Many Mississippi citizens, having experienced the destruction of Hurricane Camille just five years earlier, quickly left their coastal homes.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Impact

As a tropical depression and storm, Carmen produced moderate rainfall across Puerto Rico and the northern Lesser Antilles, peaking at Template:Convert in Jájome Alto, Cayey, Puerto Rico.<ref name="HPC">Template:Cite web</ref> The storm spawned a tornado on Puerto Rico and triggered flash flooding, which collectively left over $2 million in damage.<ref name="MWR"/> Winds approaching gale force affected several islands.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Heavy rain fell on Hispaniola as the storm progressed westward,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and on Jamaica, the storm caused three drownings.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> High winds and heavy rainfall were reported there and in Cuba.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The hurricane damaged local reefs on the north shore of Jamaica during its passage.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In Louisiana, Carmen caused about $150 million damage, much of it was in crop damage. Also, there were five storm-related deaths in Louisiana. Freshwater and tidal flooding occurred there, and, to a lesser degree, in the other Gulf Coast states.

On account of the hurricane's landfall intensities and the widespread damage it caused, the name Carmen was later retired from the rotating lists of Atlantic hurricane names. It will never again be used to name a tropical storm in the Atlantic basin.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Yucatán Peninsula

Radar image of Hurricane Carmen

Radar image of Hurricane Carmen near landfall on September 2

Although Carmen made landfall as a powerful Category 4 hurricane, it caused significantly less damage than anticipated because it struck a sparsely populated region. However, torrential rainfall from the storm inundated farmland across the region, ruining rice crops. The fishing industry also sustained major losses. Communication with the hardest hit regions was lost following Carmen's passage; however, early reports stated that at least five people were injured.<ref name="BCT1">Template:Cite news</ref> Several days later, officials in Mexico confirmed that three people had been killed by the storm. Sustained winds of 136 mph (217 km/h) were reported in the city of Chetumal,<ref name="MWR" /> which was described as a "disaster".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> More than 5,000 people in the city lost their homes and belongings as a result of the storm. Officials in the area estimated that damage in Chetumal alone reached $8 million (1974 USD).<ref name="TMG1">Template:Cite news</ref> Throughout the Yucatán Peninsula, Hurricane Carmen claimed four lives and wrought $10 million (1974 USD) in damage.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Following Carmen's passage, officials feared the worst for an area of 1,000 mi² (2,590 km²) where communication was lost in Belize. A reconnaissance task force was sent out from Belize City the day after Carmen made landfall to assist any residents stranded by the storm.<ref name="SHT2">Template:Cite news</ref> One person was killed off the coast of Belize after being washed off his boat by large swells produced by Carmen. Three other fishermen were listed as missing following similar incidents. Thousands of people moved from coastal areas inland to escape the storm. Crop damage in the country was reportedly severe.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

United States

Carmen dropped moderate rainfall along its path, though the heaviest rainfall occurred well to the east of the storm's center, in southern Alabama and the northern Florida Panhandle. Precipitation peaked at over Template:Convert in Atmore, Alabama.<ref name="HPC"/> Winds gusted up to Template:Convert, and along the coast, tides ran as high as Template:Convert above normal.<ref name="MWR"/> Over northwestern Louisiana, winds ranged from Template:Convert and brought down several trees.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In New Orleans, despite wind gusts to Template:Convert, minimal damage was reported.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The hurricane's effects in Baton Rouge were confined to strewn debris and a few downed trees.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Because Carmen moved ashore over uninhabited marshland, it caused far less damage than initially feared.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Nonetheless, tidal flooding from the Gulf of Mexico and coastal bodies of water was severe. Freshwater flooding was less extreme. In total, the storm inundated Template:Convert of land in Louisiana, including Template:Convert in Terrebonne Parish and Template:Convert in Plaquemines Parish.<ref name="phase">Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A large oak tree was overturned by high winds in the town of Jeanerette in Iberia Parish.

Map of the southeastern United States showing rainfall amounts from Hurricane Carmen

Rainfall map of the Gulf Coast

The storm's greatest impact was the loss of sugar cane crops in Louisiana. An estimated Template:Convert of sugar cane in 16 parishes was damaged, and about 20 percent was completely ruined.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After a tour of the affected area, then-Governor Edwin Edwards estimated crop damage alone at $400 million,<ref name="Beaver">Template:Cite news</ref> although a more recent estimate placed total agricultural damage from the hurricane at $74 million.<ref name="phase"/> The sugar cane crop was crucial to the country's sugar supplies, rendering the losses "doubly bad",<ref name="Beaver"/> and sugar futures rose drastically after the storm.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Other crops damaged by Carmen included soybeans, rice, and cotton.<ref name="phase"/>

Tidal action along the coast affected the balance of salinity in coastal marshes and water bodies. The sudden intrusion of saltwater stressed delicate plants. Fish, shrimp and oysters also suffered the ecological effects of Hurricane Carmen. Flooding on land caused some wildlife to drown. Several parks in Louisiana sustained damage, either from flooding or high winds; losses to Grand Island State Park in particular totaled $114,600. The oil and gas industry was also affected, and its estimated $24.7 million in losses resulted mainly from damage to equipment and offshore facilities. The storm diminished oil production by 1.4 million barrels when it shut down operations for 24 to 48 hours at various locations.<ref name="phase"/> Over 60,000 electric cooperative customers lost power.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The hurricane caused two fatalities in Louisiana: a utility repairman who was electrocuted while working on power lines damaged by strong winds,<ref name="Beaver"/> and a motorist who was involved in a storm-related traffic accident.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Total monetary losses in the state was estimated at $150 million.<ref name="MWR"/> Overall, the hurricane spawned four confirmed tornadoes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> One touched down near Brandon, Mississippi, destroying a barn and causing other damage.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Another struck Kaplan, Louisiana, injuring one person.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The storm's effects in Mississippi were described as minimal and were mainly confined to minor traffic accidents during bouts of heavy precipitation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Light to moderate rainfall from the storm extended as far east as Florida and Georgia and as far west as Oklahoma and Texas.<ref name="HPC"/>

In popular culture

Hurricane Carmen was depicted in the 1994 movie Forrest Gump, in which the hurricane plays a major part in the movie's plot.

See also

• Other storms of the same name
• List of Category 4 Atlantic hurricanes
• List of retired Atlantic hurricane names
• List of wettest tropical cyclones in Alabama
• Hurricane Audrey (1957) – caused severe impacts in Louisiana and Mississippi
• Hurricane Laura (2020) – devastated Southwestern Louisiana
• Hurricane Delta (2020) and Hurricane Zeta (2020) – both also made landfall on the Yucatán Peninsula and in Louisiana

External links

• 1974 Monthly Weather Review
• Carmen Rainfall Totals