hurricane charlie hurricane charlie deadliest tropical cyclone atlantic hurricane season named storm second hurricane second major hurricane season developed tropical wave east lesser antilles moved west northwest passing islands guadeloupe strengthened hurricane eastern caribbean_sea struck jamaica winds near category intensity strengthened peak intensity mph prior landfall yucatán_peninsula weakened land strengthened gulf_of_mexico final landfall near path charlie caused deaths hurricane produced jamaica deadliest natural disaster 20th century causing deaths damages hurricane described worst tropical cyclone caused fatalities surrounding areas bodies recovered flooding hurricane produced peak gusts mph airport strongest sustained winds mainland mexico suggesting category hurricane landfall meteorological history august tropical wave organized tropical depression miles east southeast island barbados operationally system detected august believed area low pressure moved eastern caribbean moved west northwest slowly organized minimal tropical storm august hurricane hunters reported winds hurricane force system discounted easterly wave august tropical storm charlie quickly intensified attaining maximum sustained winds mph passing lesser antilles small center circulation passed guadeloupe early morning hours august hurricane moved steadily west northwest miles south southwest san_juan puerto_rico hurricane charlie continued strengthen reached category status august moved quickly westward caribbean_sea cyclone intensified landfall south kingston jamaica mph sustained winds city reported peak winds mph center passed miles southwest charlie category hurricane jamaica august hurricane left island category hurricane quickly intensified water passed south mph sustained winds reported gusts mph later attained major hurricane status august hurricane peaked mph hitting near night weakened crossed yucatán_peninsula august reaching gulf_of_mexico charlie weakened mph hurricane august remained category hurricane crossing gulf_of_mexico hours landfall august charlie rapidly intensified strengthened second peak mph mainland mexican coast later charlie landfall near mph sustained winds strongest winds believed north eye storm quickly weakened land dissipated august mexican state preparations august weather_bureau office san_juan issued hurricane warnings eastern caribbean martinique antigua storm warnings released rest leeward_islands later hurricane warnings issued northern leeward_islands northeast storm warnings released puerto_rico advance hurricane flights scheduled departures barbados region delayed august weather_bureau noted hurricane affect jamaica expected strengthen significantly agency reported equal cyclone pass north south island later cyclone forecast pass south island jamaica urged prepare cyclone hurricane expected strengthen forward motion decreased august cyclone expected affect northern yucatán_peninsula extreme caution advised area hurricane expected strengthen prior second landfall mexico weather_bureau noted chance storm affect texas possibility agency expected rain bands rough seas affect southern texas small urged remain ports hurricane moved inland august cyclone expected ashore eventually landfall north near local officials expressed concerns residents vulnerable structures region southern texas measures taken red_cross divisions organized meeting local city hall city departments facilities ready disposal cyclone moved closer area cyclone rains expected impact cotton plants region advance storm plane dropped messages air vessels advising seek shelter oil industries erected barriers protect fields authorities planned evacuate residents surrounding low lying areas thousands residents stayed refugee centers elevated ground impact cyclone compact moved strongest winds land eastern caribbean islands exceed mph jamaica hurricane produced heavy rainfall peaking inches kingston caused numerous landslides eastern sections island peak gusts estimated near mph island hangar installations destroyed airport facility received extensive damage consequently memphis headquarters reported north southbound flights unable land kingston bypassing airport flights chicago ships sunk overturned storm communications power services disrupted information island interior hurricane cut communications island radio stations united_states percent island banana crops destroyed addition percent crops convicted escaped jail winds blew walls flooding expected island mountainous interior heavy precipitation heavy rains caused rock damaging roads railroads sources tourism kingston electricity initially restored essential services including hospitals plants pumping stations newspaper plants charlie caused million usd million usd crop property damage deaths injured left homeless yucatán_peninsula charlie destroyed crops loss life reported area unofficially person reportedly killed peninsula reported winds mph winds toppled homes wind gust mph measured airport near peak gusts city exceed mph storm reported worst winds uprooted trees destroyed telephone poles damages corn crops believed exceed residences damaged destroyed outside city charlie heavy rain led dams flooded rivers upward people died city people died property losses estimated near hurricane outer fringes produced swells texas coast swimmers advised cautious hazardous conditions area experiencing rough swells strong winds unrelated weather system produced peak gusts mph conditions marine operations area fishermen missing august experienced gusts mph hurricane struck coast south aftermath wake storm jamaica formed new governmental entity known organization merged
Hurricane Charlie (1951)