hurricane lenny

Hurricane Lenny, also known as Wrong-Way Lenny was a freak storm in several aspects. It was an extremely late storm, beginning on November 13, 1999 as a tropical depression just south of the Cayman Islands. It also moved in the opposite direction of normal hurricane paths, going from west to east, occasionally southeast, for its course, a pattern never before seen in 113 years of hurricane observations in the Atlantic/Caribbean basin. Finally it was the fifth category 4 hurricane of the 1999 Atlantic hurricane season, breaking all records for the number of storms of that strength in one season. By November 15, Lenny had intensified to hurricane strength and was just south of Jamaica. It weakened until the 21st, then strengthened to its maximum of 135 knots, and 933 millibars central pressure just as it made landfall on the south coast of St. Croix November 17th. As a weakening storm, it then made landfall at St Maartin, Anguilla, Saint Barthlemy, and Antigua. On each of these islands and on Dominica, which it did not strike directly, it caused extensive storm surge damage on the west coasts, the side of the island that had never before borne the brunt of a landfalling hurricane. Thirty four inches of rain fell on St. Maartin, with lesser amounts on the other leeward islands. The hurricane did extensive damage to coastal properties, as well as piling numerous boats on land. In all 17 deaths were attributed to Lenny. It weakened to a tropical depression in the open Atlantic on November 19, and soon dissipated.

Hurricane Lenny

See also