METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS OVER PUERTO RICO DURING HURRICANE BETSY, 1956

Abstract

The observations of wind, pressure, rainfall, and radar bands recorded over Puerto Rico during the passage of Hurricane Betsy are presented and discussed. The track of the hurricane across the Atlantic and eastern Caribbean Sea, which shows an apparent sinusoidal oscillation around the mean path, is also included. The radar observations are used to obtain the detailed path of the hurricane across Puerto Rico and to study the changes in the structure of the precipitation bands that resulted from the passage over the mountainous section. Photographs are presented to illustrate the variations in the radar structure. Some inferences are made in regard to the changes in the intensity of the wind and pressure fields. It is shown that some weakening of the wind field and filling of the central pressure occurred with motion over the land area, and that rapid deepening followed as soon as the hurricane moved over water on the north side of the island. The rainfall observations are compared with those recorded in the great “San Felipe” hurricane of September 13, 1928.