Aruba and the History of Hurricanes

During the past few years, many of us have heard about hurricanes hitting the Caribbean. Some of us know that Hurricane Ivan hit the island of Curacao, while others have heard about Hurricane Felix, which hit the island of Bonaire. Regardless of what you have heard, it’s important to know the history of these hurricanes in order to know what to expect.

Ivan

During the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season, Hurricane Ivan was the fourth major hurricane and the ninth named storm. Ivan caused severe damage in Grenada, Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, and the Western tip of Cuba. Its remnants spawned deadly tornadoes as far north as Maryland. It also brought heavy rain to Southeastern United States.

Unlike Hurricane Frances, Hurricane Ivan did not cause much damage in Florida. However, it did cause flooding to portions of Virginia and North Carolina. It was the fourth costliest hurricane of all time, with $13 billion in damages.

Ivan formed in early September. The hurricane tracked eastward across the Gulf of Mexico and into Texas. It regenerated into a tropical cyclone on 22 September. Its remnants spawned over 100 tornadoes in the southeastern United States.

Ivan was a large hurricane, bigger than Hurricane Charley. It was a Category Three Hurricane at landfall. Its core remained minimal in intensity, while its outflow expanded in all quadrants. It reached a minimum central pressure of 910 mbar. During its track westward, Ivan had winds of 115 mph. It was a strong Category Three hurricane.

Ivan weakened during its final landfall, but its remnants spawned deadly tornadoes across the Southeastern United States. The remnants of Ivan caused heavy rains in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. They also caused flooding to parts of Georgia and Ohio. The storm produced waves that changed the shape of Baby Beach. Some areas received eight inches of rain.

Ivan also weakened as it moved northwest, but it maintained its core strength as it made landfall. In the final analysis, Ivan was the second most powerful hurricane of all time, only behind the San Ciriaco Hurricane of 1899. It was the fourth costliest hurricane in United States history.

Ivan’s winds reached a peak intensity of 135 mph early on September 6 when it was about 825 miles east of Tobago in the southern Lesser Antilles. Ivan’s storm surge reached 4.3 meters (14) during its landfall near Gulf Shores, Alabama. It was the third highest storm surge on record.

Felix

During the month of September 2007, two Hurricanes struck the Caribbean: Hurricane Felix and Hurricane Dean. Both storms had heavy rains that caused mudslides and other flooding. They caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damages in Central America, and were responsible for 133 deaths.

Hurricane Felix made landfall near the Nicaragua-Honduran border on Sept. 4. It then turned west-northwest and quickly weakened. It caused inland flooding in Tegucigalpa and northwestern Honduras. It also caused coastal flooding in Izabal in Guatemala. Thousands of Hondurans fled to safer areas. There were reports of 130 deaths in Nicaragua.

Felix weakened to a Category 4 storm. It then degenerated into a low pressure system over the mountains of Central America. It then moved back inland near Guatemala. The remnant low dissipated over eastern Mexico.

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite captured series of images of Felix. The first image was taken at 2:10 am EDT on the 28th of August 2007. The second image was taken two days later.

Felix began as a tropical wave off the west coast of Africa. The disturbance moved westward for several days, generating persistent showers and cloudiness. The disturbance developed into Tropical Depression Six at 1200 UTC on August 31. It moved westward along the south side of a vigorous ridge to the north, and became a hurricane at 0000 UTC on September 1. The hurricane’s central pressure dropped to 929 mb at around 0700 UTC on September 3. Felix strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane at daybreak on September 2. It had sustained winds of 165 mph. It was predicted to reach Category 3 by the time it reached the Windward Islands. The hurricane was predicted to reach Belize by mid-week, and could reach the Texas coast when it crossed the Yucatan Peninsula.

During the course of the hurricane, Felix generated heavy rains in the Windward Islands. It also swept away boats, utility poles, a fallen tree, and a woman who was giving birth. It caused landslides and other flooding in Belize, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

Bonaire

During the 140-year history of Aruba, there have been six hurricanes that have passed within 62 miles of the island. The last hurricane to hit Aruba was Hurricane Felix in 2007. It caused minor damage.

Bonaire, a smaller Caribbean island, is located about 100 miles off the coast of Venezuela. It is known for its unplugged, relaxed atmosphere. It is considered one of the best diving destinations in the world. The island is also known for its boutique accommodations. The weather is dry and sunny, making it ideal for travelers.

In addition to its pristine beaches and natural parks, Bonaire also boasts one of the Caribbean’s most accessible coral reef systems. The reefs are home to 350 species of fish, as well as four types of sea turtles. There are over 85 dive sites in Bonaire.

The island is also home to the Washington-Slagbaai National Park, which features mangrove forests, salt ponds, and volcanic rock formations. The park is located on 20% of the island’s landmass. There are guided tours that lead visitors through dry and wet caves.

Hurricanes have caused little damage on Bonaire. The only major damage occurred in 2008, when Hurricane Omar hit the island. It caused damage to shallow coral reefs. The damage to the reefs is still being investigated.

The islands of Curacao and Bonaire are both outside of the hurricane belt, meaning that hurricanes and tropical cyclones rarely pass close to them. The last major storm to pass close to the ABC islands was Hurricane Cesar in 1996. In fact, fifteen tropical cyclones have passed within 120 nautical miles of the islands in the past 1851-2009.

Aruba is on the southern fringes of the hurricane belt. This means that it is the least likely to be affected by hurricanes. However, upper air winds are typically unfavorable for hurricane development near Aruba.

While Aruba and Curacao are both outside of the hurricane belt, they are still exposed to the fringe effects of hurricanes. The fringe effects can include high surf, outer rain bands, and high wind gusts.

Curacao

Located in the Southern Caribbean Sea, Curacao is one of the largest islands in the Caribbean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles group of islands. The island is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and its head of state is a Dutch monarch.

Curacao has the largest population of any of the Caribbean islands. The island is also one of the cheapest. Curacao has an economy that is heavily based on petroleum refining.

The island has been in Dutch control since 1816. Curacao is one of the largest ports in the world, and is a major shipping and trade hub. Curacao is located at the intersection of the trade routes through the Panama Canal.

Curacao has a variety of beaches, and is one of the Caribbean’s most popular tourist destinations. The island is a haven for travelers looking for pristine beaches, excellent snorkeling, and diving opportunities. There are more than 70 dive sites, many of which are protected from strong currents. Most of the best diving and snorkeling locations are on the west coast of the island.

The island’s cuisine is an amalgam of Caribbean, Latin American, and Dutch influences. There are many traditional Dutch delicacies, as well as Venezuelan and Indonesian influences. Papiamentu is the island’s native language.

The island’s capital is Willemstad, and the city is known for its vibrant architecture. Willemstad is also the center of the island’s financial sector. The city has historic buildings dating from the Dutch colonial era. The city’s historic area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city has markets, shops, and restaurants.

Willemstad is also home to the Maritime Museum, which features maritime equipment, archival photographs, and maps. The museum is located in the oldest house in Scharloo.

Curacao is also home to the oldest continuously inhabited Jewish community in the Western Hemisphere. The island also features one of the oldest synagogues in the Americas, the Mikve Israel-Emanuel synagogue.

The island has a diverse terrain, with lush forests and tropical beaches. Its climate is mild, and the island enjoys year-round ideal weather.