Hurricane Allen

Summary

Hurricane Allen, one of the most powerful hurricanes of the 1980 Atlantic hurricane season, originated from a tropical disturbance off the coast of Africa on July 30. By August 1, it had intensified into a tropical depression, and it rapidly strengthened into a hurricane as it approached the Lesser Antilles. Allen quickly became a Category 5 hurricane, notable for its extraordinary wind speeds that reached up to 190 mph, tying it with Hurricane Camille for the highest wind speeds recorded in an Atlantic tropical cyclone at the time.

Allen wreaked havoc as it passed through the Caribbean, severely impacting Barbados, St. Lucia, and later the Yucatán Peninsula before making its way to the Gulf of Mexico. On August 7, Allen reached its peak intensity with a central pressure of 899 millibars, a record at the time for a hurricane in the Caribbean Sea. Despite fluctuating in intensity, it maintained strong winds and a low pressure, striking the United States near Brownsville, Texas, on August 10 as a Category 3 hurricane.

The impact of Hurricane Allen was devastating. It caused extensive damage throughout the Caribbean, Mexico, and South Texas, leading to over 200 deaths and $1 billion in damages in 1980 USD. The storm also resulted in significant beach erosion and damage to oil platforms off the Louisiana coast, emphasizing its broad and destructive path.

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