AdriansWeather.com

                                           Hurricane Gustav 2008

At around 11AM on 8/25/08 an area of organized showers/thunderstorm activity within the central Caribbean, became the 7th named storm of the 2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season, and would be one that many around the United States want forget when they look back at the 08 Season. At 11AM on the 8/25 a tropical depression formed in the Central Caribbean and quickly became what was named Tropical Storm Gustav at the time. Gustav would continue on a (NW) track through the central Caribbean headed toward Haiti where it became a Hurricane with winds around 90 mph at 8:00AM on 8/26. As Gustav continued to move toward the (NW) at about 10 mph, it begun to spread rainbands, with imbedded thunderstorms across Haiti where it eventually made it's first landfall 67 miles (E) of Les Cayes, Haiti, where it would continue to dump heavy rainfall across the area, thus in return lead to major flooding due to the past tropical systems that had already effected the area as well. After moving over the western tip of Haiti, Gustav made a more (Southerly) turn and moved back into the Caribbean headed toward the island of Jamaica. Where Gustav made it's second landfall 40 miles (E) of Kingston, Jamaica, thus also dumping heavy rain across the island as well. As Gustav remaind a Hurricane, the LLC associated with it, re-developed just (S) of the Island which helped keep the strength of the system up as it was feeding off the warm SSTs in the Western Caribbean despite the fact, interaction with land was taking place. After moving across Jamaica leaving a great deal of damage to homes and property, Gustav reamurged into the Western Caribbean and was headed toward the (NW) taking aim on the Isle of Youth, where Gustav made landfall about 7 miles (E) of there Island with winds around 150 mph, where it would then quickly cross the island an was once again back over open waters, where Gustav reach it's highest strength with Maximum susatined winds of 150 mph and a Minimum Pressure of 941mb. Gustav then moved across Western Cuba and reamurged into the Gulf of Mexico on 8/30 at around 10-11PM. Given the interation with a UUL that was located off the East Coast of Florida, allowed for Gustav to weaken just a bit, as Upper Level Wind Shear was increasing helping to cause dry air to invade into the system, thus weakening it. Gustav continued on a (NW) track where it remaind a major hurricane, but weakend to a Category 2 Hurricane before making landfall about 78 miles (W) of Buras, Louisian. Gustav pounded Lousiana bring heavy rain and severe weather to the area, thus in return causing damage. According to (AP) and Government Officials, estimated damage from Gustav was around 20 billion dollars, and in all total 138 deaths where blamed on Gustav as a result of the severe weather and flooding that accompanied the system. As like every other system though, Gustav weakend after moving inland and dissipated on 9/2/08 about 61 miles (SE) of Shreveport, Lousiana.You can view Gustav's tropical cyclone report from the NHC here.