Hurricane Isbell was the final hurricane to affect the United States during the 1964 season. The eleventh tropical storm and sixth hurricane of the season, Isbell developed from a dissipating cold front in the southwestern Caribbean on October 8. The depression initially remained disorganized as it track northwestward, but strengthened into Tropical Storm Isbell on October 13. Re-curving northeastward, Isbell quickly strengthened further and reached hurricane status by later that day. Late on October 13, Isbell made landfall in the Pinar del Río Province of Cuba. The storm continued strengthening and peaked as a Category 3 hurricane on the following day. Isbell moved northeastward and made landfall near Everglades City, Florida, late on October 14. After reaching the Atlantic on the following day, the storm began to weaken. Isbell turned northward and continued weakening, before transitioning to an extratropical cyclone while located just offshore eastern North Carolina on October 16.
The storm produced strong winds throughout western Cuba. Hundreds of homes were destroyed, as were several tobacco warehouses. There was at least $20 million in damage and four deaths in Cuba, three of them caused by collapsing houses in the Guane area. The storm also spawned at least nine tornadoes in Florida, several of which demolished trailers and unroofed homes and other buildings in several communities, causing significant damage. Throughout the state, one house was destroyed, 33 were severely damaged, and 631 suffered minor impact. Additionally, 66 trailers were destroyed and 88 were afflicted with major damage. Three deaths occurred in the state, one due to a heart attack and two from drowning in Florida Keys when their shrimp boat sank. Because the storm weakened considerably, impact in North Carolina was generally minor. Damage throughout the United States totaled $10 million.
Meteorological history
Hurricane Isbell was first identified as a weak tropical disturbance on October 7 over the western Caribbean. Situated to the south of a diffuse trough, the system remained weak and relatively disorganized as it moved generally northwest near Honduras and Nicaragua. Despite the presence of an upper-level anticyclone, which promotes favorable outflow for tropical cyclones and aids in tropical cyclogenesis, a lack of distinct low-level inflow inhibited intensification. Additionally, an area of warm mid-tropospheric air was present within the cyclone. Though a disheveled system, it is analyzed to have become a tropical depression by 06:00 UTC on October 9. The depression skirted the eastern coast of Honduras, producing gusts of in squalls. Operationally, it was not until October 10 that the Weather Bureau initiated advisories on the depression. On that date, a weather reconnaissance mission into the system found a weak low-level circulation with a barometric pressure of 1007.3 mb (hPa; 29.75 inHg) and winds of . Throughout October 11 and 12, the cyclone slowly executed a tight cyclonic loop over the northwestern Caribbean Sea, alternating between depression and storm status; it was initially named Isbell for 12 hours on October 11. Ship and aircraft data showed a larger-than-usual radius of outermost closed isobar (ROCI), with the strongest winds far from the center, though Isbell shrank its wind field after completing the loop and acquiring a north-northeast trajectory.
Starting on October 12, marked intensification of the cyclone occurred, as shown by ship reports next day. Vessels clocked winds up to —deemed too high by reanalysis—and pressures down to 983 mb (hPa; 29.03 inHg), showing that Isbell acquired hurricane status. Over a 24‑hour span, ending at 18:00 UTC, its central pressure fell from 996 mb (hPa; 29.68 inHg) to under 979 mb (hPa; 28.91 inHg), reflected in Isbell's winds doubling from 50 to 100 mph (85 to 155 km/h). An hour later, the storm made landfall in extreme western Cuba, near Guane, before emerging over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico; Isbell turned northeast as it did so. Aside from some loss of intensity, Isbell's brief stint over land did not hinder development, which continued unabated until 12:00 UTC on October 14, at which time it reached its maximum intensity. Situated southwest of Key West, Florida, Isbell attained winds of 115 mph (185 km/h), making it a Category 3 (major) hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson scale. Additionally, its central pressure bottomed out at 964 mb (hPa; 28.47 inHg). Around this time, a new low-pressure area formed to Isbell's northwest over the Gulf in response to a powerful cold-core low over the Mississippi Valley. The cyclonic flow of this second system brought cool, dry air from the north and circulated it into the hurricane. This in turn caused the storm to become asymmetric in structure with radar imagery indicating little to no reflectivity along the western periphery of the hurricane. In its date and place of origin, as well as its trek toward Florida, Isbell was described by the Monthly Weather Review as a "typical mid-October hurricane".
The degrading structure of Isbell resulted in some weakening as it accelerated toward Florida. At 21:00 UTC the hurricane made landfall near Everglades City as a Category 2 with sustained winds of 105 mph (165 km/h). Due to its quick motion, its eye lingered for only 20 minutes at any given point. Within five hours, the system cleared the peninsula and emerged over the western Atlantic Ocean north of West Palm Beach. The storm's passage over land resulted in notable weakening, though Isbell remained of hurricane strength. During the afternoon of October 15, the low that had formed the previous day induced a northward turn of the cyclone and directed it toward North Carolina, a result of what is known as the Fujiwhara effect. Thereafter, the two systems began to intertwine as Isbell began transitioning into an extratropical cyclone; rapid weakening accompanied this phase. Isbell completed this process by 18:00 UTC on October 16, five hours after moving ashore Morehead City, North Carolina, as a strong tropical storm. As it interfaced with the low, Isbell generated light winds, a temperature rise, and a pressure of 994 mb (hPa; 29.35 inHg) at a weather station in Cherry Point, denoting a central value of 992 mb (hPa; 29.29 inHg); sensor data from the site and nearby Morehead City evinced a compact ring of warm air temperatures around the center. On October 17 the two non-tropical systems merged into a single storm over the Outer Banks. Isbell's remnants emerged back over the Atlantic Ocean on October 18 near the Delmarva Peninsula before accelerating northeast. The system was last noted on October 19 as it moved over Atlantic Canada.
Preparations + Summary of warnings and watches associated with Hurricane Isbell for the United States Warning type Date Time issuedStateAreas/changes to previous Hurricane warningOctober 1322:00 UTCFloridaDry Tortugas Hurricane watchLower Florida Keys to Tampa Gale warningDry Tortugas to Marathon Hurricane watchOctober 1401:00 UTCFloridaExtended east to Key Largo Gale warningExtended east to Key Largo Hurricane warning04:00 UTCFloridaExtended east to Key West and Marathon; raised for areas between Flamingo and Fort Myers Hurricane watch10:00 UTCFloridaExtended northward to Cape Kennedy, including Lake Okeechobee Gale warning Hurricane warning16:00 UTCFloridaFort Lauderdale to Vero Beach, including Lake Okeechobee Hurricane warning22:00 UTCFloridaExtended northward to Cape Kennedy Hurricane watchExtended northward to Daytona Beach Gale warningAdvisories discontinuedOctober 1501:00 UTCFloridaTampa southward to the Dry TortugasAdvisories discontinued04:00 UTCFloridaThe west coast of Florida south of Fort Lauderdale and the east coast south of Cape KennedyAdvisories discontinued10:00 UTCFloridaAll advisories discontinued Gale warningNorth Carolina,VirginiaCape Hatteras, North Carolina, northward to the Virginia Capes Hurricane watch14:30 UTCSouth Carolina,North CarolinaCharleston, South Carolina, northward, encompassing the entire North Carolina coastline Gale warningSouth Carolina,North CarolinaCharleston, South Carolina, northward, encompassing the entire North Carolina coastline Hurricane warning16:00 UTCSouth Carolina,North CarolinaGeorgetown, South Carolina, northward to Morehead City, North Carolina
In Cuba, thousands were evacuated due to flooding lowlands. Advisories were broadcast and issued warning of the possibility of heavy rains and winds, isolated small hail, and possible isolated tornadoes in Florida from 21:00 UTC on October 14 to 02:00 UTC on October 15. The aviation severe weather forecast also warned residents in south and central Florida of up to of hail, gusts of up to , and the potential for tornadic activity. Flood warnings were also issued, with predictions of flooding above flood stage. Emergency preparations at Key West's weather office were made. In the morning hours of October 13, the office alerted city, county, and military officials. In the afternoon, it completed office preparations and scheduling. On October 14, the office requested radio stations to stay on the air and relayed hourly reports.
In North Carolina, some tidal flooding was also forecast. People were warned to tune to television and radio broadcasts. On October 15, as Isbell rapidly crossed Florida, forecasters at the Charleston Weather Bureau warned of high tides of up to , above flood stage, in the Carolinas. Owing to the continued northeastward movement of the storm, tides ultimately did not exceed in South Carolina. Across coastal areas of North Carolina, alerts for severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and high tides were raised; however, the storm greatly diminished before reaching shore and little damage materialized. Moderate rains along the lower Neuse River basin were expected to prolong flooding triggered by Hurricane Hilda and its remnants earlier in October. Small craft advisories were raised northward to Provincetown, Massachusetts, through October 18.
Impact
Cuba Skirting the extreme western coast of Cuba on October 13, the storm produced gusts estimated at in Pinar del Río Province. The highest measured sustained winds were in Guane and at Rancho-Boyeros Airport in the capital city of Havana. Additionally, pressures at the city fell to 979 mbar (hPa; ). Heavy rains caused rivers to over-top their banks, forcing thousands of people to evacuate. Three fatalities occurred in Guane due to collapsing homes. A fourth fatality took place elsewhere in Cuba. Numerous homes were damaged or destroyed by the storm, with exact numbers unknown. The region's tobacco crop also sustained considerable losses with fields and warehouses destroyed. The damage to agriculture compounded economic losses in Cuba that resulted from Hurricane Flora in September 1963, which devastated the nation, as well as impacts from Hurricanes Cleo and Hilda earlier in 1964. The combined effects of Cleo, Hilda, and Isbell resulted in economic losses of approximately $100 million in the country, of which at least $20 million was directly attributed to Isbell.
Florida