1983 Atlantic hurricane season

Seasonal forecasts

Forecasts of hurricane activity are issued before each hurricane season by noted hurricane experts such as Dr. William M. Gray and his associates at Colorado State University (CSU). A normal season, as defined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the period from 1981 to 2010, has approximately 12 named storms, with 6 of those reaching hurricane status. About 3 hurricane strengthen into major hurricanes, which are tropical cyclones that reach at least Category 3 intensity on the Saffir–Simpson scale.

The July 23, 1983, forecasters at CSU predicted that after the slow start to the season, a total of eight tropical storms would develop, and five of the storms would reach hurricane status. The forecast did not specify how many of the hurricanes would reach major hurricane status. CSU based this prediction on an ongoing El Niño event, sea-level pressures, and wind currents. However, the prediction issued by CSU proved to be too high, with only four named storms forming by the end of the season and three of those reaching hurricane status. The CSU attributed the overforecast to the El Niño event being stronger and more persistent than they expected.

Seasonal summary

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The season, which began on June 1 and ended on November 30, was very inactive because of strong upper-level wind shear. The wind shear was unusually strong throughout the Caribbean and open Atlantic, and disrupted convection in areas of disturbed weather so they could not develop. Over 60 African systems had formed and made it westward, but when they reached the Lesser Antilles, they were dissolved easily. The only area where the shear was minimal—a region encompassing the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic north of the Bahamas and east of Florida—was where the four named storms developed. Another contributing factor to the low number of storms may have been the decaying 1982–83 El Niño event. The season total of four named storms was the fewest in the satellite era, while the 1983 season was the least active since 1930, which had only three storms. This season and the previous became the first example of two consecutive years to have no storms form in the Caribbean since reliable record began. Additionally, the 1983 season was the first on record in which a system did not reach tropical storm intensity south of 25°N latitude.

The National Hurricane Center also issued numeric landfall probabilities for the first time in 1983. Probabilities had been calculated for prior storms for use in the issuing of hurricane watches and warnings, but this was the first time the raw numeric probabilities were released to the public. The probabilities issued were accurate during Alicia, indicating that Galveston and surrounding portions of the upper Texas coast were the most likely area to be struck.{{cite web | access-date=February 2, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020195934/http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1983-prelim/alicia/prelim03.gif | archive-date=October 20, 2012 | url-status=live

Tropical cyclogenesis began on July 23, when Tropical Depression One formed over the deep Atlantic. After crossing the Windward Islands, the depression dissipated over the eastern Caribbean on July 28. As the previous system moved across the Caribbean, another depression formed on July 27 to the southwest of the Cape Verde Islands. The depression traversed the Atlantic in a west-northwestward direction and also failed to reach tropical storm intensity before dissipating near the northern Leeward Islands on August 2. Later in August, hurricanes Alicia and Barry developed. The former also became the most intense tropical cyclone of the season, peaking as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph. Alicia caused 21 fatalities and approximately $3 billion in damage, mostly in Texas. Three tropical cyclones formed in September – Hurricane Chantal, Tropical Depression Six, and Tropical Storm Dean. The dissipation of Dean on September 30 marked the end of tropical cyclone activity.

The season's activity was reflected with a very low cumulative accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) rating of 17, one of the lowest on record, which is classified as "below normal". ACE is a metric used to express the energy used by a tropical cyclone during its lifetime. Therefore, storms that last a long time, as well as particularly strong hurricanes, have high ACEs. It is only calculated for full advisories on tropical systems at or exceeding 39 mph, which is the threshold for tropical storm intensity.

Systems

Tropical Depression One

| 1-min winds = 30 Tropical Depression One developed about halfway between French Guiana and the Cape Verde Islands on July 23. The National Hurricane Center indicated the possibility of the depression strengthening into a tropical storm in media reports, but upper-level wind shear inhibited any development. The depression dissipated over the eastern Caribbean late on July 28.

Tropical Depression Two

| 1-min winds = 30 An area of disturbed weather organized into a tropical depression southwest of the Cape Verde Islands on July 27.{{cite news | access-date=September 27, 2021 | archive-date=September 28, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210928014238/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86106404/the-miami-herald/ | url-status=live | access-date=September 27, 2021 | archive-date=September 28, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210928014239/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86106706/the-miami-herald/ | url-status=live

Hurricane Alicia

| 1-min winds = 100 Main article: Hurricane Alicia

The system that would become Hurricane Alicia originated from the western end of a frontal trough that stretched from New England to the Gulf of Mexico.{{cite web | access-date=February 2, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020195928/http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1983-prelim/alicia/prelim01.gif | archive-date=October 20, 2012 | url-status=live

Steering currents above Alicia remained weak during the storm's lifetime. However, a ridge was well formed to the north of the developing storms. With fluctuations in the pressures, Alicia began to drift to west on August 16. This was short-lived, as Alicia turned to the northwest towards Texas. During the period of August 16 to August 18, an anticyclone had formed over Alicia and along with slow movement over warm waters, caused Alicia to intensify rapidly. The pressure in Alicia decreased one millibar an hour in the 40 hours before landfall. Alicia peaked at 115 mph in winds and 962 mbar in pressure on August 18. Alicia made landfall near Galveston on August 18 as a Category 3 hurricane. Alicia weakened quickly over land and accelerated over the Midwest, before dissipating over Nebraska on August 21.

As Alicia moved northward, the remnants caused moderate to heavy rainfall in several states. Houston suffered heavy damage, including thousands of shattered glass panes from downtown skyscrapers. Overall, Alicia killed 21 people and caused $3 billion (1983 USD) in damage.

Hurricane Barry

| 1-min winds = 70 Main article: Hurricane Barry (1983)

Hurricane Barry originated from a tropical disturbance that left the Northwestern African coast on August 13. Most of the season, the northwestern tropical Atlantic Ocean had upper-level wind shear, which had inhibited development of systems. Due to these conditions, the disturbance was unable to strengthen until August 22 as it was approaching the Bahamas. A weak trough moved the disturbance into an area of low wind shear, and the disturbance intensified into Tropical Depression Four on the evening of August 23. The depression was just to the northeast of the northern Bahamian Islands where it strengthened into Tropical Storm Barry on the morning of August 24.

Tropical Storm Barry subsequently turned to the west into an area of increased wind shear and weakened rapidly. It was able to make landfall near Melbourne, Florida, on the morning of August 25 as a 45 mph tropical storm, before weakening to a tropical depression over Florida. After Tropical Depression Barry emerged from central Florida, it was still under pressure from high-level winds. The depression entered the central Gulf of Mexico, and after meandering west for a day or so, returned to tropical storm strength. Just off the coast of Mexico, Barry rapidly intensified into a hurricane on August 28, just before making landfall near Matamoros that afternoon. Before landfall, Barry peaked with 80 mph winds and a pressure of 986 millibars (29.11 inHg). The remnants quickly dissipated over the Sierra Madre Oriental on August 29.{{cite web | access-date=December 23, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019064329/http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1983-prelim/barry/prelim01.gif | archive-date=October 19, 2012 | url-status=live

Hurricane Chantal

| 1-min winds = 65 The precursor low to Chantal originated from a large envelope of low pressure on the morning of September 10. The disturbed weather, nested off the coast of Bermuda, was one of the remnants of an old frontal trough that had extended from Hispaniola to the central north Atlantic Ocean. This particular area of disturbed weather become part of the northeast portion of a low-pressure system. On September 10, a reconnaissance aircraft found sustained winds of 30 mph and a 1010 millibar (29.83 inHg) pressure reading, indicating development into a tropical depression.

The depression moved to within 100 mi of Bermuda and slowly intensified. Late that afternoon, Tropical Depression Five had intensified into a 40 mph storm and was named Chantal. Chantal intensified rapidly, intensifying to hurricane status late on September 11. It then turned to the east and gained a weak upper-level cirrus-cloud outflow. The structure of the system changed little over the next 24 hours, before Chantal lost organization and was downgraded to a tropical storm on the night of the 12th.

Overnight, all convection in Chantal dissipated, and its forward speed decreased as it headed north. A frontal system attracted and absorbed the remnants of Chantal by the night of September 14. Effects on Bermuda were minimal, with the island getting winds only up to 20 mph and a few thundershowers.{{cite web | access-date=February 2, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020195922/http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1983-prelim/chantal/prelim01.gif | archive-date=October 20, 2012 | url-status=live | access-date=September 27, 2021 | archive-date=September 28, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210928014240/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86106925/the-philadelphia-inquirer/ | url-status=live

Tropical Depression Six

| 1-min winds = 30 Tropical Depression Six formed on September 18 from a tropical wave. The depression caused heavy rainfall in the Lesser Antilles,{{cite news | access-date=September 27, 2021 | archive-date=September 28, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210928014241/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86107212/the-miami-herald/ | url-status=live | access-date=September 27, 2021 | archive-date=September 28, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210928014241/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86107285/the-miami-herald/ | url-status=live

Tropical Storm Dean

Main article: Tropical Storm Dean (1983)

| 1-min winds = 55 A frontal cloud band moved off the East Coast of the United States on September 22. During the next few days, the band became stationary from the Bahamas to beyond Bermuda. A high-pressure area then settled over the northeastern United States, resulting in a strong pressure gradient and winds near gale-force along the east coast. A low-level circulation formed from the frontal cloud band on September 26 about 460 mi east of central Florida. Dean was first identified late on September 26 as a subtropical storm, though an Air Force reconnaissance flight on the following day only reported winds of 35 mph at 23 mi from the center. A pressure of 999 mbar indicated that Dean was strengthening as it headed northward. Additionally, satellite pictures showed that the subtropical cyclone was emerging from the cloud. Consequently, the system became a tropical storm late on September 27. Dean's winds peaked at 65 mph on September 28 as it headed northward. Dean's circulation turned to the northwest on September 29 then struck the Delmarva Peninsula and dissipated over land on September 30.

Gale warnings were from North Carolina to Rhode Island in association with Dean.{{cite web | access-date=December 21, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002023848/http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1983-prelim/dean/prelim02.gif | archive-date=October 2, 2015 | url-status=live | access-date=February 2, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216155836/http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/dean1983.html | archive-date=February 16, 2015 | url-status=live | access-date=February 2, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002023847/http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1983-prelim/dean/prelim01.gif | archive-date=October 2, 2015 | url-status=live

Storm names

The following list of names was used for named storms that formed in the North Atlantic in 1983. Each name used this season was utilized for the first (and, in the case of Alicia, only) time.

Retirement

In the spring of 1984, the World Meteorological Organization retired the name Alicia from the rotating name lists due to the amount of damage and deaths it caused, and it will not be used again for another Atlantic hurricane. Alicia was replaced with Allison for the 1989 season.

Season effects

This is a table of all of the storms that formed in the 1983 Atlantic hurricane season. It includes their name, duration, peak classification and intensities, areas affected, damage, and death totals. Deaths in parentheses are additional and indirect (an example of an indirect death would be a traffic accident), but were still related to that storm. Damage and deaths include totals while the storm was extratropical, a wave, or a low, and all of the damage figures are in 1983 USD.

|- | One || || bgcolor=#| || || || || || || |- | Two || || bgcolor=#| || || || || || || |- | Alicia || || bgcolor=#|Category 3 hurricane || || || Eastern Texas, Central United States || || || |- | Barry || August 23–29 || bgcolor=#| || || || Florida, United States Gulf Coast, Mexico || || || |- | Chantal || September 10–15 || bgcolor=#| || || || Bermuda || || || |- | Six || || bgcolor=#| || || || None || || || |- | Dean || || bgcolor=#| || || || Mid-Atlantic, New England, North Carolina, Virginia || || || |-

References

References

1. (August 9, 2012). "Background Information: The North Atlantic Hurricane Season". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
2. "North Atlantic Ocean Historical Tropical Cyclone Statistics". Colorado State University.
3. William M. Gray. (May 24, 1984). "Forecast of Atlantic Seasonal Hurricane Activity for 1984". Colorado State University.
4. Albert Sehlstedt Jr.. (October 1, 1983). "Apathy in the face of a killer storm is a major concern". The Baltimore Sun.
5. (September 2021). "Atlantic basin Comparison of Original and Revised HURDAT". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
6. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (May 27, 2010). "Background information: the North Atlantic Hurricane Season". [[Climate Prediction Center]].
7. (July 29, 1983). "First Tropical Depression Weakens, Second Tropical Depression Forming". The Noblesville Ledger.
8. David Roth. (2007). "Tropical Cyclone Rainfall: Hurricane Alicia". Hydrometeorological Prediction Center.
9. (1983). "Hurricane Alicia: Prediction, Damage & Recovery Efforts". Subcommittee on Natural Resources, Agriculture Research and Environment.
10. (January 26, 2018). "Costliest U.S. tropical cyclones tables updated". National Hurricane Center.
11. (May 1983). "National Hurricane Operations Plan". [[NOAA]] Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research.
12. (August 21, 1983). "Alicia first: When will Barry come?". Asbury Park Press.
13. "Tropical Cyclone Naming History and Retired Names". National Hurricane Center.
14. (April 1989). "National Hurricane Operations Plan". [[NOAA]] Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research.
15. Robert A. Case. (May 1, 1984). "Atlantic Hurricane Season of 1983". American Meteorological Society.