The 1988 Atlantic hurricane season was an event in the annual Atlantic hurricane season in the north Atlantic Ocean. It was an active season during which twelve tropical cyclones formed. The season officially began on June 1, 1988 and ended November 30, 1988. These dates, adopted by convention, historically describe the period in each year when most systems form.[1]
Of this season's 12 named storms, 5 attained hurricane status, of which 3 became a major hurricane – a storm that ranks as a Category 3 or higher on the Saffir–Simpson scale. The most notable storm in 1988 was Hurricane Gilbert, which was at the time the most intense hurricane in the Atlantic on record. Hurricane Gilbert caused about $5 billion in damage and 300 fatalities. The other notable storm was Hurricane Joan, which struck Nicaragua as a category 4 hurricane, and caused about $2 billion in damage and about 200 fatalities. Joan crossed into the Pacific and was renamed Miriam. As a result of their intensity, the names Gilbert and Joan were subsequently retired from reuse in the North Atlantic by the World Meteorological Organization.[2]
This timeline documents tropical cyclone formations, strengthening, weakening, landfalls, extratropical transitions, and dissipations during the season. It includes information that was not released throughout the season, meaning that data from post-storm reviews by the National Hurricane Center, such as a storm that was not initially warned upon, has been included.
By convention, meteorologists one time zone when issuing forecasts and making observations: Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), and also use the 24-hour clock (where 00:00 = midnight UTC).[3] In this time line, all information is listed by UTC first with the respective local time included in parentheses.
0000 UTC – Tropical Depression Thirteen formed in the extreme eastern Atlantic.
0600 UTC – Tropical Depression Eleven formed in the central Gulf of Mexico.
1200 UTC – Tropical Depression Thirteen became a tropical storm but went unnamed.
1800 UTC – Tropical Depression Eleven is upgraded to Tropical Storm Florence.
September 8
1800 UTC – Tropical Depression Twelve formed to the east of the Lesser Antilles.
September 9
0000 UTC – The "Unnamed Tropical Storm" attained peak intensity, sustain winds were at 60 mph (95 km/h) and the minimum central pressure was at 994.
1800 UTC – The "Unnamed Tropical Storm" weakened to a tropical depression.
1800 UTC – Tropical Depression Twelve is upgraded to Tropical Storm Gilbert.
1800 UTC – Tropical Storm Florence is upgraded to a hurricane.
September 10
0000 UTC – The Unnamed Tropical Storm" dissipated.
0000 UTC – Hurricane Florence makes landfall on the Mississippi River Delta with winds 80 mph (130 km/h).
0600 UTC – Hurricane Florence weakened to a tropical storm.
1200 UTC – Tropical Storm Florence weakened to a tropical depression.
September 11
0000 UTC – Tropical Storm Gilbert became strengthened into a hurricane.
1200 UTC – Hurricane Gilbert became a category 2 hurricane.
1200 UTC – Tropical Depression Florence dissipated over northeastern Texas.
1800 UTC – Hurricane Gilbert became a category 3 hurricane.
September 12
1700 UTC – Hurricane Gilbert made landfall in Jamaica with sustained winds at 125 mph (200 km/h).
September 13
1200 UTC – Hurricane Gilbert became a category 4 hurricane.
1800 UTC – Hurricane Gilbert became a category 5 hurricane.
September 14
0000 UTC – Hurricane Gilbert attained its peak intensity as a category 5 with sustained winds at 185 mph (300 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 888, the second lowest pressure recorded in the Atlantic.
1500 UTC – Hurricane Gilbert makes landfall in the Yucatán Peninsula, winds were at 165 mph (265 km/h).
1800 UTC – Hurricane Gilbert weakened to a category 4 hurricane.
September 15
0000 UTC – Hurricane Gilbert weakened to a category 3 hurricane.
0600 UTC – Hurricane Gilbert weakened to a category 2 hurricane.
September 16
0000 UTC – Hurricane Gilbert strengthened into a category 3 hurricane.
2200 UTC – Hurricane Gilbert made landfall in La Pesca, Tamaulipas with winds at 130 mph (210 km/h).
September 17
0000 UTC – Hurricane Gilbert rapidly weakened into a category 1 hurricane.
0600 UTC – Hurricane Gilbert weakened to a tropical storm.
1800 UTC – Tropical Storm Gilbert weakened to a tropical depression.
September 19
1200 UTC – Tropical Depression Gilbert dissipated over Texas.
1800 UTC – Tropical Depression Fourteen formed.[10]
September 20
0600 UTC – Tropical Depression Fourteen is upgraded to Tropical Storm Helene.[10]
0000 UTC (8 p.m. EDT October 20) – Hurricane Joan weakens into a category 1 hurricane.[12]
0600 UTC (2 a.m. EDT) – Hurricane Joan strengthens back to a category 2 hurricane.[12]
October 22
0000 UTC (8 p.m. EDT October 21) – Hurricane Joan strengthens to a category 4 hurricane.[12]
1100 UTC (7 a.m. EDT) – Hurricane Joan makes landfall south of Bluefields, Nicaragua with winds at 145 mph.[12]
1800 UTC (2 p.m. EDT) – Hurricane Joan rapidly weakened to a category 1 hurricane.[12]
October 23
0600 UTC (2 a.m. EDT) – Hurricane Joan weakens to a tropical storm and exits into the Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Joan is renamed Tropical Storm Miriam.[12]
