Hurricane Allen (1980) - Atlantic 2nd Strongest Hurricane

#1 Postby **HURAKAN** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 8:59 am

That title was preserved until 1988 when Hurricane Gilbert reached the top, Allen then became the 3rd strongest in record. Then Hurricane Rita came last year and sent Allen to the 4th step in the ladder. Then came Hurricane Wilma and said, "everyone, one step down because I'm on the top." Therefore, today Allen's impressive central pressure of 899 mb makes the hurricanes the fifth strongest in the history of the basin. Allen WAS also the earliest category 5 hurricane to form, but then came Hurricane Emily last year and took the record for herself. Allen, Iván, and Isabel, are the only Atlantic hurricanes to reach category 5 status in 3 ocassions.

More information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Allen

Image provided by: http://www.geography.hunter.cuny.edu/~t ... mage.2.jpg

#2 Postby **Hybridstorm_November2001** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 10:24 am

Thanks for the info, and the very nice pic. 8-)

ConvergenceZone · #3 Postby **ConvergenceZone** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 10:50 am

Man oh man that is one massive storm! I would LOVE to track a fish storm that ended up looking like that.

#4 Postby **Buck** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 10:51 am

What a huge and beautiful storm! Thanks for posting the picture... I don't think I had seen that one.

#5 Postby **MGC** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 12:22 pm

1980, what a summer. It was soooo hot. Lucky for most of the US that huge heat ridge over much of the central/eastern US steared Allen to our south. Interesting to note that in all probility more people died in that summer long heat wave than did in Allen........MGC

Swimdude · #6 Postby **Swimdude** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 12:33 pm

Very informative, ESPECIALLY for those of us who weren't alive at the time! Impressive satellite image too!

Jim Cantore · #7 Postby **Jim Cantore** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 12:41 pm

That pic has been inhanced I think, I've seen it but there was no visible eye. That is one beautiful storm. Now they need to enhance Camille.

kenl01 · #8 Postby **kenl01** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 12:56 pm

I was 15 years old at the time and tracked Allan all the way from Aug 2nd to Aug 9th !

I used to type up all the advisories back then from my NOAA weather radio on an old fashioned typewriter.

Back then I used to wish for hurricanes all the time and I even told me dad when it moved into the western Caribbean "maybe it'll hit us". He replied "it would have to make an unusual turn to do that."

I didn't want to argue, so I left it at that. I remember it making landfall in South Texas, where a 9 ft storm tide caused sea flooding in the area. It had maximum sustained winds of 185mph (cat 5) in the Western Caribbean, as I remember from typing up the advisories. I remember in those days they didn't even show the satellites on any of the channels !

Boy I wish I would've had the internet back then..........

Ken

f5 · #9 Postby f5 » Thu Aug 10, 2006 1:24 pm

look at FAT Allen he takes up the entire western gulf which is amazing

#10 Postby **HURAKAN** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 1:34 pm

kenl01 wrote:I was 15 years old at the time and tracked Allan all the way from Aug 2nd to Aug 9th !

I was 7 years to be born!!!

PTrackerLA · #11 Postby **PTrackerLA** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 1:55 pm

What a beautiful, perfect looking storm. Thanks for the pic.

#12 Postby **Lowpressure** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 2:15 pm

I remember tracking ALLEN with my little brown cube weather radio from radio shack and being shocked at reports nearing 200mph. I got my tracking chart from the supermarket (Winn Dixie) back then.

Jim Cantore · #13 Postby **Jim Cantore** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 2:22 pm

HURAKAN wrote:
kenl01 wrote:I was 15 years old at the time and tracked Allan all the way from Aug 2nd to Aug 9th !

I was 7 years to be born!!!

10 years before I was born here :lol:

Jim Cantore · #14 Postby **Jim Cantore** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 2:25 pm

Heres that same pic unenhanced

Eyewall · #15 Postby **Eyewall** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 2:27 pm

Hurricane Floyd wrote:
HURAKAN wrote:
kenl01 wrote:I was 15 years old at the time and tracked Allan all the way from Aug 2nd to Aug 9th !

I was 7 years to be born!!!

10 years before I was born here

I was -1

Patrick99 · #16 Postby **Patrick99** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 2:54 pm

Look at that big, well-defined Central US ridge Allen was moving under.

Website · #17 Postby **Brent** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 2:55 pm

Hurricane Floyd wrote:
HURAKAN wrote:
kenl01 wrote:I was 15 years old at the time and tracked Allan all the way from Aug 2nd to Aug 9th !

I was 7 years to be born!!!

10 years before I was born here

8 years before I was born here. I was born just before Gilbert happened.

Normandy · #18 Postby **Normandy** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 2:57 pm

What a wierd looking storm

recmod · #19 Postby **recmod** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 6:02 pm

Hurricane Floyd wrote:Heres that same pic unenhanced

That is NOT the same image. I belive your image is taken later than the one originally posted. Both tropical cyclones are not in the same location (this is especially evident with the EPAC system which is much closer to the Baja in the second image)

I am not saying the original image is not enhanced, but comparing satellite photos that were not taken at the same time is like comparing apples to oranges. Storm structure, including the appearance of an eye, can change drastically in just a few hours....

--Lou

wxmann_91 · #20 Postby **wxmann_91** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 6:15 pm

Actually Lou, it looks like the same image to me. The one in the first post looks like it has been sharpened and contrast's been decreased.

Hurricane Allen (1980) - Atlantic 2nd Strongest Hurricane

Hurricane Allen (1980) - Atlantic 2nd Strongest Hurricane

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