Impact
Keith dropped around 3 inches (75 mm) of rainfall along the northern coast of Honduras, and totals of around 10 inches (250 mm) were reported on offshore islands. As the storm was making landfall on Mexico, a ship just west of Cozumel reported wind gusts of 90 mph (149 km/h), while a second ship in Puerto Morelos recorded sustained winds of 70 mph (110 km/h). Reports from Cozumel indicated torrential rainfall and a large number of lightning strikes during the period of highest winds. Rainfall peaked at 7.69 inches (195 mm) just south of Cancún. Still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Gilbert two months prior, the Yucatán Peninsula received only minor damage as a result of Keith. The storm triggered flooding in western Cuba that severely damaged tobacco and vegetable crops. Officials forced 2,500 residents to evacuate their homes due to the flooding. The storm also dropped nearly 4 inches (100 mm) of precipitation in Kingston, Jamaica.
Off the coast of Florida, a freighter and its crew of ten were stranded after the storm flooded its engine room. The cyclone produced a moderately strong storm surge in isolated locations along the southwest coast of Florida, peaking at 5.94 feet (1.81 m) at Bradenton and Fort Myers Beach. The combination of storm surge and waves severely eroded beaches along Charlotte Harbor and Estero Bay. In Naples, strong waves destroyed the western end of the Naples Pier where several boats were washed ashore. Heavy precipitation fell to the north of the center, peaking at 10.27 inches (260 mm) in Saint Leo. Sustained winds peaked at 63 mph (101 km/h) at the MacDill Air Force Base, with stronger gusts. Inland from the immediate coastline, damage was mostly limited to isolated fresh-water flooding, downed trees, and power outages; overall damage was widespread but fairly light, and six structures were destroyed across the state. Before moving ashore, Keith spawned two tornadoes, one of which damaged approximately 30 mobile homes in Clermont. In Lakeland, a washed out track derailed a 34-car train, which broke a natural gas line and forced 450 people to evacuate. In Lee County, damage totaled $1.5 million (1988 USD; $2.91 million 2013 USD), and in Pinellas County the storm caused about $5.8 million in damage (1988 USD; $11.3 million 2013 USD).
A light storm surge of 1 to 2 feet (0.3 to 0.6 m) was reported along the northeast Florida coast into southeastern Georgia. The storm's outer rainbands dropped light rainfall of around 1 inch (25 mm) across coastal Florida, northward to North Carolina. A station on Bermuda reported sustained winds of 47 mph (76 km/h), with gusts to 78 mph (126 km/h). Only light damage occurred on the island.
Read more about this topic: Tropical Storm Keith (1988)
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