Surface Wind Fields of 1995 Hurricanes Erin, Opal, Luis, Marilyn, and Roxanne at Landfall

Abstract

Hurricanes Erin, Opal, Luis, Marilyn, and Roxanne were the most destructive hurricanes of 1995. At landfall, Luis and Marilyn contained maximum sustained winds (marine exposure) estimated at near 60 and 46 m s21, respectively. The strongest landfalling storm of the 1995 season, Luis, decreased in intensity from a category 4 to 3 on the Saffir‐Simpson scale shortly before the eyewall crossed the Islands of Antigua, Barbuda, St. KittsNevis, St. Barthelemy, St. Martin, and Anguilla. Hurricane Marilyn strengthened as it approached the U.S. Virgin Islands, with St. Thomas bearing the brunt of the north and south eyewall winds of 46 m s21 (marine exposure) and St. Croix being affected by the relatively weak western eyewall peak winds of 35‐40 m s21 (marine exposure). For Luis and Marilyn only surface winds with marine exposures were analyzed because of unknown small-scale interactions associated with complex island terrain with 500‐1000-m elevations. Wind engineering studies suggest that wind acceleration over blunt ridges can increase or ‘‘speed up’’ winds by 20%‐80%. Topographic effects were evident in damage debris analyses and suggest that an operational method of assessing terrain-induced wind gusts (such as a scaled down mesoscale model) is needed. After landfall as a marginal hurricane over central Florida, Hurricane Erin regained strength over the Gulf of Mexico with a well-defined radar reflectivity structure. Erin struck the Florida panhandle near Navarre Beach with maximum sustained surface winds of 35‐ 40 m s21 affecting the Destin‐Ft. Walton area. Hurricane Opal made landfall in nearly the identical area as Erin, with maximum sustained surface winds of 40‐45 m s21, having weakened from an intensity of nearly 60 m s21 only 10 h earlier. Opal was characterized by an asymmetric structure that was likely related to cold front interaction and an associated midlevel southwesterly jet. Roxanne struck Cozumel, Mexico, with sustained surface winds (marine exposure) of 46 s21, crossed the Yucatan, and meandered in the southwest Gulf of Mexico for several days. While in the Bay of Campeche, Roxanne’s large area of hurricane-force winds disabled a vessel, which lead to the drowning deaths of five oil industry workers. High-resolution wind records are critical to preserving an accurate extreme wind climatology required for assessment of realistic building code risks. Unfortunately, power interruptions to Automated Surface Observing Stations on the U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Croix, St. Thomas) and Destin, Florida, prevented complete wind records of the eyewall passages of Marilyn and Opal, respectively.