Meteorological History
On October 4, a tropical wave exited the west coast of Africa; this wave was accompanied with a large cyclonic rotation. Unfavorable upper level wind shear did not allow the wave to further develop. The wave tracked west for the next a week, having reached the Windward Islands on October 11. Continuing west, the wave reached the southwestern Caribbean Sea on October 13. When it reached the southwestern Caribbean, the wave developed a closed, well defined circulation. It was upgraded to the 12th tropical depression of the season on October 14 at 1200 UTC. The depression accelerated in a northwestward direction, brushing Central America in its path. On October 16 at 0600 UTC, the depression was upgraded to a tropical storm, thus given the name Lili. During this time, Tropical Storm Lili executed a small cyclonic loop, while a few hundred miles north of the Swan Islands. Early on October 17, Lili attained hurricane strength, reaching winds of 75 mph and 986mbar in pressure.
Hurricane Lili grazed the Isle of Youth on October 18, bringing heavy rains and strong winds to the island. Later that day, Lili made landfall in Matanzas Province, Cuba as a Category 2 hurricane, winds were close to 100 mph (160 km/h). Despite the mountainous terrain, the storm did not weaken, with the same pressure reading of 975 being observed at landfall and when Lili reemerged into the Atlantic Ocean. After reemerging over warm waters, Lili further strengthened as it approached the Bahamas. The eye of the storm passed over San Salvador Island and Great Exuma on the 19th before heading out into the North Atlantic. Late on October 19, a major trough in the westerlies allowed Lili to accelerate northeastward, reaching a forward speed of almost 29 mph (47 km/h). On October 20 at 0000 UTC, Hurricane Lili had attained its peak intensity for a brief time, reaching 115 mph winds and a 960mbar in pressure. Later that day, the storm weakened back to Category 2 status, and the center passed 130 mi (210 km) to the southeast of Bermuda.
Over the next few days, Lili's wind speeds gradually decreased. A mid-level short-wave high pressure ridge caused Lili to slow in forward speed on October 22. Lili began to accelerate quickly northeastwards again, briefly restrengthening into a Category 2 hurricane. Lili again started a weakening trend soon after, and by October 26, was downgraded to a tropical storm, where it was centered approximately 300 miles (480 km) northwest of the Azores. On October 27, the storm was declared extratropical, 350 miles north of the Azores. It remnants maintained tropical storm force winds as they crossed the British Isles on October 28, bringing heavy rain and winds to the Islands. The remnants of Lili were absorbed by a much larger extratropical system on the European mainland over October 29. That system continued to move along the Jet Stream, affecting many places with rain and strong winds.
Read more about this topic: Hurricane Lili (1996)
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