Hurricane Klaus (1990)

Hurricane Klaus (1990) was a short-lived and relatively weak tropical cyclone that formed during the 1990 Atlantic hurricane season. It primarily affected the Lesser Antilles, specifically Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, with heavy rainfall and gusty winds.

Meteorological History:

Klaus originated from a tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa in early October 1990. The wave gradually organized as it tracked westward across the Atlantic. By October 3rd, a tropical depression had formed several hundred miles east of the Lesser Antilles. The depression strengthened and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Klaus later that day.

Klaus continued to strengthen as it moved westward, briefly reaching hurricane status on October 5th. However, due to increasing wind shear and interaction with land, Klaus quickly weakened back to a tropical storm. The storm passed near or over parts of the Lesser Antilles, including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, before weakening further to a tropical depression.

Klaus ultimately dissipated on October 8th over the central Caribbean Sea.

Impact:

Although Klaus was a relatively weak hurricane, it still caused significant rainfall across parts of the Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The heavy rain led to flooding and landslides in some areas. Wind gusts of up to 60 mph were reported. Overall, damage was generally minor and no deaths were directly attributed to Klaus.

Retirement:

The name Klaus was not retired and was used again in the 1996 Atlantic hurricane season. It was eventually retired after the 2008 season, due to the extensive damage caused by Hurricane Klaus in Europe that year (a separate extratropical cyclone system unrelated to the 1990 Atlantic hurricane).