Hurricane Gert Reports

Storm and hurricane force wind warnings remain in effect for portions of the maritime areas south and east of Newfoundland. See statements from the Canadian Hurricane Center for further information.

At 5 am ast...0900z...the poorly-defined center of tropical storm Gert was located near latitude 45.7 north...longitude 53.6 west or about 135 miles...220 km...south-southwest of St. Johns Newfoundland.

Gert is moving toward the north-northeast near 28 mph...44 km/hr... And this motion is expected to continue today. On this track Gert will pass just to the east of the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland during the next few hours.

Maximum sustained winds are near 70 mph...110 km/hr...with higher gusts. Gert is losing its tropical characteristics and will become extratropical later today.

Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 230 miles ...370 km...mainly east of the center.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 967 mb...28.56 inches.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
Hurricane Gert formed on September 11th as a tropical depression in the far eastern tropical Atlantic ocean. Moving to the west-northwest...it became a tropical storm on the 12th and a hurricane on the 13th. Gert strengthened to a 150-mph hurricane on the 16th while located about 575 miles east of the Leeward Islands. While beginning a gradual weakening process...Gert recurved northward over the next several days as it moved across the central north Atlantic.

The center passed about 130 miles east of Bermuda on the 21st...and Bermuda briefly reported 75-80 mph sustained wind speeds. Gert moved to near southeastern Newfoundland on the 23rd...where gale-force winds were experienced...and then became extratropical.

E-mail us your Hurricane reports

On the scene reports links to local information

Hurricane Bonnie Satellite images
Tropical Storm Earl Satellite images

Hurricane Bulletin Board: For the latest Advisories -- Emergency related news and notices
Volunteer opportunities through the Disaster Center
Disaster Center Bulletin Board Directory

The ER-2 Doppler radar provides a dramatic cross-section view of Hurricane Georges' eye over Hispaniola. The Dominican Republic received heavy rain during this pass, as seen in the radar image at top, and subsequent rain eventually caused significant loss of life. The rain was enhanced significantly by the mountains

Cross Section
in the interior of the island. The mountains are about 2.7 km high (9000 ft) and produced what appears to be a huge thunderstorm over the mountains as shown in the blue - upward rising - moisture in the lower image. Significant research will be done to understand this very complicated interaction between Hurricane Georges and the mountains. Credit: NASA.

The most destructive part of a hurricane is usually the storm surge. The surge effect is due to the winds of the hurricane pushing up a "dome" of water in front of the hurricane. As this surge of water hits the coastal area tides may be several tens of feet higher than normal. This wall of water works it's way up rivers to cause damage far inland. The rise in water level happens at the same time as the heavy rains associated with hurricanes. The fall of ten inches or more of rain during the hurricane is not unusual. The tidal surge and the rainfall combine to cause flooding. The damage caused by the flooding of property is the largest cost to property owners due to hurricanes. Wind damages bring about the second highest cost, due to the physical power of the hurricane. The costs due to the hurricane just start with the physical damage caused by the hurricane. The general disturbance of every day life activities in any area impacted by disaster bring about costs due to business operations being disrupted. The ability of people to work may be limited due to the shortages of the essential requirements for life, for the need to find replacement housing, for the care of family members injured or traumatized by the disaster, and for the shortage of materials essential for work. There is some delay between the disaster and the availability of funding to begin repairs. Many business within a disaster area do not reopen, because insurance may be lacking to pay for the needed repairs, and even if insurance or loans are available, they may not be enough to cover the required repairs. Damage to essential data stored in computer systems may make restarting an existing business difficult. And any disruption in a business will cause an existing business' clients to seek other suppliers, so that when the business reopens it may find itself with out it's previous patrons. Hurricanes are one disaster in which it is possible to have several days warning prior to the hurricanes arrival. As the arrival of the hurricane can be to some extent predicted, it is important to begin preparations for the hurricane as soon as we have information that it may land in a location near us. Because we can not know exactly where the hurricane will hit, it is important to listen to the local weather authorities. Local weather authorities will issue warnings and announce evacuations. Given a large scale disaster your family may be cut off from any assistance for three days. Every family should have on hand a supply of food, water, personal and medical supplies to last at least 3 days. In any disaster situation it is possible that utilities will not be functioning. For this reason, you should keep on hand a supply of cash and a full tank of fuel in any vehicle. If we live in an area that has a history hurricanes, we can and should begin our preparations for hurricanes long before we receive any notification. Consult local building authorities about any improvements that may be made to your house to lesson the likelihood of damage to the structure. The biggest factor in determining the likelihood of your properties ability to withstand damage due to winds is the date of its construction. In recent years building codes have been upgraded. As a general rule, the older the property the more likely it is to sustain damage in a disaster. Walk around the outside of your property. Inspect the trees and landscaping for objects likely to fall or to be blown away by the winds associated with a hurricane. Consider purchasing storm shutters or pre-purchasing the supplies needed to protect windows from storm damage. Since water damage is the biggest cause of property damage in a disaster you should examine the possibly of purchasing flood insurance. Just because you are outside of the recognized flood zones does not mean your home will not be flooded. The cost of reparing damage due to flooding is not normally covered by most home owners policies, but is the biggest single cause of property damage.

The States Pages include the most complete reference on the net today about State and local disaster information as well as links to State government information and Newspapers in the State

webmaster@disastercenter.com Back to the Disaster Center
About the Disaster Center
Advertising at the Disaster Center
Web Page Design
North Carolina's Hurricane History   Our Price: $15.16 - Barnes Jay, Jay Barnes; Paperback
1938 Hurricane : An Historical and Pictorial Summary Our Price: $22.50 - Minsinge; Paperback
The Dragon's Breath : Hurricane at Sea Robert A., Jr. Dawes / Hardcover / Published 1996 Our Price: $35.00
Florida Hurricanes and Tropical Storms John M. Williams, et al / Paperback / Published 1997 Our Price: $10.36
Hurricane (A Disaster! Book)   Christopher Lampton / Paperback / Published 1994 Our Price: $5.95
Hurricane (Event-Based Science Series)   Russell G. Wright / Paperback / Published 1995 Our Price: $12.58
Hurricane : A Fighter Legend   John Dibbs, et al / Paperback / Published 1995 Our Price: $15.95
Hurricane Andrew : Ethnicity, Gender and the Sociology of Disasters   Walter Gillis Peacock (Editor), et al / Hardcover / Published 1997 Our Price: $110.00
Hurricane Andrew, the Public Schools and the Rebuilding of Community (Suny Series, Education and Culture)   Eugene F., Jr. Provenzo, Sandra H. Fradd / Paperback / Published 1995 Our Price: $14.95
The Hurricane Handbook : A Practical Guide for Residents of the Hurricane Belt    Sharon Maddux Carpenter, Toni Garcia Carpenter / Paperback / Published 1993 Our Price: $9.95
Hurricane Hugo : Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and South Carolina : September 17-22, 1989 (Natural Disasters Studies, Vol 6)    Riley M. Chung (Editor), Committee On National Research Council / Paperback / Published 1994 Our Price: $39.00
Hurricanes (Nature Books)    Peter Murray / Library Binding / Published 1996 Our Price: $22.79
Hurricanes : How to Prepare and Recover The Miami Herald / Paperback / Published 1993 Our Price: $7.96
Lunatic Wind : Surviving the Storm of the Century    William Price Fox / Hardcover / Published 1992 Our Price: $18.95
Storm Chaser : Into the Eye of a Hurricane (Risky Business (Woodbridge, Conn.).)    Keith Elliot Greenberg, et al / Library Binding / Published 1997 Our Price: $15.45
After the Hurricane (Atlantic Large Print) Jean S. MacLeod / Paperback / Published 1989 Our Price: $14.95 (Special Order)
After the Hurricane : Linking Recovery to Sustainable Development in the Caribbean Timothy Beatley, Philip R. Berke / Hardcover / Published 1998 Our Price: $49.95 (Back Ordered)
Before and After Hurricane Andrew 1992 Noorina Mirza, Masud Quaraishy Photographer) / Paperback / Published 1992 Our Price: $25.00 (Special Order)
Building Performance - Hurricane Iniki in Hawaii : Observations, Recommendations and Technical Guidance Na / Paperback / Published 1993 Our Price: $50.00 (Special Order)
Building Performance, Hurricane Andrew in Florida : Observations, Recommendations, and Technical Guidance Na / Paperback / Published 1994 Our Price: $35.00 (Special Order)
Coastal Exposure & Community Protection : Hurricane Andrew's Legacy Insurance Institute for Property Loss Reduction Staff (Editor) / Paperback / Published 1995 Our Price: $10.00 + $0.85 special surcharge (Special Order)
Complete Hurricane Survival Guide    Lee Shaw / Hardcover / Published 1993 Our Price: $9.95 + $0.85 special surcharge (Special Order)
Dark Wind : A True Account of Hurricane Gloria's Assault on Fire Island (Stonewall Inn Edition)    John Jiler / Paperback / Published 1994 Our Price: $11.95<
Dealing With Disaster : Hurricane Response in Fiji John R. Campbell / Paperback / Published 1984 Our Price: $9.00 + $0.85 special surcharge (Special Order)
Disaster Recovery After Hurricane Hugo in South Carolina/Wp69 Popkin / Paperback / Published 1991 Our Price: $6.85 (Special Order)
Eye of a Hurricane : Stories    Ruthann Robson / Hardcover / Published 1989 Our Price: $18.95 (Back Ordered)
Eye of the Hurricane   Jane Atkins / Paperback / Published 1983 Our Price: $1.95 + $3.35 special surcharge (Special Order)
Fema's Disaster Management Program : A Performance Audit After Hurricane Andrew Paperback / Published 1993 Our Price: $45.00 (Special Order)
Florida's Hurricane History Jay Barnes, Neil Frank / Paperback / Published 1998 Our Price: $15.96 (Not Yet Published -- On Order)
Hurricane! : Surviving the Big One Michael Trinkley / Paperback / Published 1993 Our Price: $12.00 (Back Ordered)
Hurricane Opal:Live on Video VHS Tape / Published 1996 Our Price: $16.99
After the Hurricane National Geographic / VHS Tape / Published 1998 Our Price: $69.00 (Special Order)
Raging Planet:Hurricane Discovery Channel / VHS Tape / Published 1998 Our Price: $12.73
Hurricane Nova / VHS Tape / Published 1997 Our Price: $16.99
Hurricane   Mia Farrow / VHS Tape / Published 1987 Our Price: $12.71
Hurricane   Dorothy Lamour / VHS Tape / Published 1992 Our Price: $12.73
Hurricane Express John Wayne / VHS Tape / Published 1987 Our Price: $8.49

Atlantic Hurricane Names for 1999

Hurricane Arlene Hurricane Gert Hurricane Cindy Hurricane Dennis Hurricane Emily Hurricane Gert Hurricane Gert Hurricane Harvey Hurricane Irene Hurricane Jose Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Lenny Hurricane Maria Hurricane Nate Hurricane Ophelia Hurricane Philippe Hurricane Rita Hurricane Stan Hurricane Tammy Hurricane Vince Hurricane Wilma