Hurricane Gordon (1994)

Hurricane Gordon (1994)

Hurricane Gordon was a long-lived and catastrophic late-season hurricane of the 1994 Atlantic hurricane season. The twelfth and final tropical cyclone of the season, Gordon formed in the southwestern Caribbean on November 8 after two tropical waves enhanced convection around in area of disturbed weather. Without strengthening, the storm made landfall Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua. Later on November 10, the storm began to strengthen as it tracked further from land, it almost immediately strengthened into Tropical Storm Gordon, the seventh named named storm that season. and the third hurricane of the 1994 Atlantic hurricane season. Gordon also made landfalls in Jamaica and Cuba while a minimal tropical storm.

Following a winding path, it crossed Cuba, entering into the southwestern Atlantic, although it resembled a subtropical cyclone. By the time it entered the Gulf of Mexico it was a fully tropical cyclone again. Tropical Storm Gordon then headed north-northwestward and paralleled the coast of Cuba. Gordon later cross the Florida Keys and also made landfall in Fort Myers, Florida while still a weak tropical storm. Gordon began to strengthen further as it crossed Florida and entered the Atlantic Ocean. It had reached hurricane status for several hours on November 17 and 18 before weakening back and again heading for Florida. The storm quickly weakened and was only a tropical depression when it made a third landfall in Florida on November 20. Tropical Depression Gordon accelerated generally northward and dissipated by the next day over South Carolina.

Gordon was a catastrophic storm in Haiti, killing an estimated 1,122 people. In addition, Gordon also left 514 million (1994 USD, $806 million 2012 USD) when it passed through Cuba, Jamaica, Florida, and offshore of North Carolina. Despite the high death toll and the damage, the name Gordon was not retired following the season.