Hurricane Lili (1996)

Infobox Hurricane| Name=Hurricane Lili
Year=1996
Basin=Atl
Category=cat3
Type=hurricane
Image location=Hurricane Lili (1996).jpg


Formed=October 14, 1996
Dissipated=October 29, 1996
1-min winds=100
Pressure=960
Damagespre=≥
Da

Inflated=-1
Fatalities=10
Areas=Central America, Cuba, Bahamas, Ireland, Great Britain
Hurricane season=1996 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Lili, a Category 3 hurricane during the 1996 Atlantic hurricane season, caused considerable damage across Central America, Cuba, and the Bahamas, and left $300 million (1996 US dollars) in damage in Great Britain.

Meteorological history

A tropical depression formed off the coast of Nicaragua on October 14, and moved slowly to the northwest. On October 16, it reached tropical storm strength and was named Lili. The storm reached hurricane strength on the 17th. Lili grazed the Isle of Youth on October 18 and then hit Matanzas Province, Cuba as a Category 2 hurricane. Despite the mountainous terrain, the storm barely weakened and Lili emerged over water twelve hours later on Cuba's northern coast. Lili further strengthened as it approached the Bahamas. The eye passed over San Salvador Island and Great Exuma on the 19th before heading out into the North Atlantic. Over open water, Lili briefly reached Category 3 strength before being declared extratropical. The remnants of Lili maintained tropical storm force winds as it crossed Ireland and Great Britain on October 28.

Impact

Lili killed ten people: eight in Central America and two in Great Britain. Damage figures for Central America and the Bahamas are unavailable but there was $662 million (1996 US dollars) in damages in Cuba and Great Britain.

United States

Storm surge caused $150,000 (1996 USD) along the coast of New Hampshire. Florida received up to a foot of rain in the days preceding Lili's passage as a frontal zone on its northern periphery led to moderate to heavy rainfall mainly along the Gold coast. [David Roth. [http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/lili1996.html Hurricane Lili Rainfall Page.] Retrieved on 2007-04-23.] Some areas of New England received up to convert|13|in|mm of rain in Rockingham County when a frontal zone drew moisture northward from the well-offshore hurricane.NOAA Satellite and Information Service. [http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~271087 Event Record Details.] Retrieved on 2007-04-23.]

Cuba

Lili's strong winds and heavy rains forced the closing of José Martí International Airport in Havana; 247,000 people evacuated. Up to 747 mm/29.41 inches of rain fell across the island.cite web|author=Instituto Nacional de Recursos Hidráulicos|year=2003|title=Lluvias intensas observadas y grandes inundaciones reportadas|language=Spanish|accessdate=2007-02-10|url=http://www.hidro.cu/hidrologia1.htm] In Isla de la Juventud, the winds plucked some 16,000 tons of grapefruit and oranges from trees while convert|20|ft|m|sing=on waves swept beach-side cottages out to sea. In Villa Clara, all 28 sugar refineries were severely damaged. In Old Havana, dozens of old, poorly built buildings simply collapsed in the storm's fury. The storm destroyed 2,300 buildings while damaging another 47,000. Much of the sugar, banana, coffee, and citrus harvests were ruined. Total damages were estimated at $362 million (1996 USD) [Roger A. Pielke, Jr., Jose Rubiera, Christopher Landsea, Mario L. Fernandez, and Roberta Klein. [http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/Landsea/NHR-Cuba.pdf Hurricane Vulnerability in Latin America and the Caribbean: Normalized Damage and Loss Potentials.] Retrieved on 2007-04-23.] . There were no deaths.

Bahamas

Damage estimates were unavailable but reports state that damage was considerable.Fact|date=April 2007

Great Britain

On the October 28 and October 29, 1996, Great Britain was hammered by what "The Times" called "arrival from America of Hurricane Lili." Lili produced a 92 mph (148 km/h) gust at Swansea, South Wales, while bringing a four foot (1.20 m) storm surge that inundated the River Thames. In Somerset, 500 holiday cottages were severely damaged. A United States oil drilling platform, under tow in the North Sea, broke loose during the storm and nearly ran aground at Peterhead. On the Isle of Wight, a sailing boat was beached at Chale Bay; luckily all five occupants were rescued. The most damaging storm to have struck Great Britain since the Great Storm of 1987, Lili killed two people and left £150 million (1996 pounds) ($300 million in 1996 US dollars) in damage. The storm also broke a four-month drought over southwest England.

Aftermath

Political fallout

Criticism followed after Hurricane Lili, mainly the disaster relief in Cuba. Many Cuban exiles debated on whether to get involved with the disaster relief. On issues involving Cuba and the exile community, offering disaster relief is an emotional decision fraught with political implications.MANNY GARCIA. [http://www.fiu.edu/~fcf/deb.dis.relief.html Lively debate on disaster relief for Cuba.] Retrieved on 2007-04-23.]

Things became more complicated when two rescue planes were allegedly shot down and anti-Castro radio stations urging listeners to withhold relief money. Tomas Garcia-Fuste, WCMQ programming director said it violates the Helms-Burton Act, which penalizes companies that do business with Cuba. Fuste also said Castro purposely exaggerated the damage done by the hurricane -- to get exiles to send much-needed food and medicine that they normally would not send. He and other advocates feared that Castro's government will steal the supplies.

Foreign aid

President Bill Clinton approved humanitarian aid to the Cuban victims through the Catholic church.Ulises Cabrera. [http://www.fiu.edu/~fcf/new.challenge.html LILI: THE CUBAN PEOPLE FACE A NEW CHALLENGE.] Retrieved on 2007-04-23.]

Comparisons

The fallout from Hurricane Lili was similar to the fallout from Hurricane Flora of 1963, Hurricane Charley of 2004, as well as Hurricanes Dennis and Katrina of 2005. Political and historic tension and between the communist government and the exiles and U.S. had hampered relief efforts and aid to the victims. "Don't let politics blind you from helping us", said one victim.

Lack of retirement

Despite the damage, the name Lili was not retired so it was used again in the 2002 season. Hurricane Lili however "was" retired after the 2002 season and it was replaced by Laura for the 2008 season.

See also

* List of Atlantic hurricanes
* List of wettest tropical cyclones in Cuba since 1963

ources

World Wide Web

Printed Media

* David Longshore. "Cuba: 1996, Hurricane Lili." Encyclopedia of Hurricanes, Typhoons and Cyclones. David Longshore. New York: Facts on File, 1998, Pg; 81.
* David Longshore. "Europe: Hurricane Lili." Encyclopedia of Hurricanes, Typhoons and Cyclones. David Longshore. New York: Facts on File, 1998, Pg; 116.

External links

* [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/1996lili.html Hurricane Lili '96 report (NHC/NOAA)]
* [http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/atlantic/1996/LILI/track.gifHurricane Lili 1996 track (Unisys)]
* [http://stormcarib.com/hurr96.htm#lili Hurricane Lili 1996]
* [http://iys.cidi.org/disaster/96b/6j11.html Cuba:Hurricane Lili 1996]
* [http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/lili1996.html Hurricane Lili - October 12-19, 1996]
* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/weather/hurricane/poststories/lili.htm Hurricane Hits Central America]
* [http://www.fiu.edu/~fcf/lili.strikes.html Hurricane Lili Strikes Cuban Mainland ]
* [http://www.fiu.edu/~fcf/lili.cuba.html S. Florida dodges another one]
* [http://www.fiu.edu/~fcf/deb.dis.relief.html Lively debate on disaster relief for Cuba]
* [http://www.fiu.edu/~fcf/new.challenge.html LILI: THE CUBAN PEOPLE FACE A NEW CHALLENGE]
* [http://www.fiu.edu/~fcf/thous.wait.help.lil.html Thousands of Cubans await help]
* [http://www.theweatheroutlook.com/commviewarticle.asp?id=189 The British Gale Season]
* [http://idol.union.edu/~garverj/Geo35/hurricane/Damage.htm SOME EFFECTS OF HURRICANE LILI (Oct 1996) ON SAN SALVADOR ISLAND, BAHAMAS]