Are you a hurricane hobbyist? When you hear a name connected with a major Atlantic storm, do you like to research past storms with that name?
Did you know each year’s list originates and is recycled every six years by the World Meteorological Organization?
Those lists remain largely unchanged, unless a name is retired and replaced when a storm with that name causes extreme property damage and loss of life.
Chris is the third name on the list for 2024.
Impact of Past Hurricanes Names Chris
- • In 1994 and 2012, weather systems that grew into Hurricane Chris only reached Category 1.
- • In 2018, Hurricane Chris was a Category 2.
- • Four tropical storms were named Chris in 1982, 1988, 2000, and 2006.
- • Three tropical cyclones were named Chris in the Southern Hemisphere, and one formed in the Western Pacific.
Whether or not Chris would become a hurricane this year connected directly to its wind speed. All named storms are a form of tropical cyclone, a rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms that originates over tropical or subtropical waters and has a closed low-level circulation.
Early on, as a tropical depression, the system has sustained wind speeds of less than 39 mph. Tropical depressions are not given names but are tracked to determine if they are growing into tropical storms or hurricanes.
Chris’s classification as a tropical storm and the release of its name happened on Sunday, June 30, when its sustained wind speed reached 39 mph. Had that speed reached 74 mph, Chris would have become a hurricane. However, Chris formed, made landfall in Mexico, and then dissipated within about 12 hours. Chris’s maximum sustained winds of 40 mph upon landfall were more than 30 mph lower than a Category 1 hurricane.
Chris made landfall in Mexico and moved inland near Lechuguillas shortly after forming in the western Gulf of Mexico. Its strong winds and heavy rainfall brought 8 to 12 inches of precipitation to parts of eastern Mexico.
Chris’s rapid formation and weakening was in stark contrast to the record-making performance of Category 5 Hurricane Beryl, which was simultaneously making its way across the Caribbean with peak winds of 160 mph.
As you’ll see below, even if a tropical storm never achieves hurricane status, it can pose a threat to lives and property.
When Was Hurricane Chris?
The planned Atlantic storm names for 2024 — and the rotating lists for the other five years in the entire sequence — might prompt you to research other storms with similar names.
Perhaps you’ve asked yourself, “When did Hurricane Chris hit?” or “What year was Hurricane Chris?”
The Category 1 Hurricane Chris that formed in 1994 spent much of its life moving through the middle Atlantic, only coming near Bermuda with little effect. A Category 1 Hurricane Chris in 2012 had more of an impact on the island, causing heavy rain and some flooding.
In 2018 Category 2 Hurricane Chris brought high surf and rip currents to much of the U.S. East Coast.
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Where Did Hurricane Chris Hit?
Hurricane Chris in 1994 did not make landfall as a hurricane, but had deteriorated to a tropical storm when it barely connected with Bermuda. The story was similar in 2012 when high winds and rain from Chris hit the island before the hurricane fully formed.
In 2018, a stronger Category 2 Hurricane Chris began to form off the coast of North Carolina, reaching hurricane status off the northeast U.S. coast. While Chris generated widespread heavy swells that called for many swimmers to be rescued locally and caused one fatality, it never made landfall.
What Category Was Hurricane Chris?
Hurricane Chris in 2018 achieved Category 2 status, with its highest winds measured at 105 mph, near the upper range of the 96-110 mph speeds defining that level of storm.
Both 1994 and 2012 saw Hurricane Chris remain as a Category 1, with maximum wind speeds of 80 mph and 85 mph respectively.
Tropical Storm Chris reached a 50 mph maximum in 1988 but resulted in six fatalities, a reminder that any named storm should be taken seriously.
What Time Will Hurricane Chris Make Landfall?
If your curiosity about past storms has you asking, “What time did Hurricane Chris make landfall?” the answer would not help you prepare for a potential Hurricane Chris in 2024.
If you hear that a tropical storm or hurricane is predicted to reach your region, stay up to date on weather forecasts and be aware of that specific storm’s estimated landfall. With any severe storm, don’t make the mistake of waiting until the last minute to reach a safe area.
How Many People Died in Hurricane Chris?
Of the three hurricanes named Chris in 1994, 2012, and 2018, only the last storm resulted in a fatality.
What Was the Path of Hurricane Chris?
In 1994, the August 16-23 path of Hurricane Chris’ growth and dissipation looked like a large letter C across much of the Atlantic Ocean. The bottom corner off the northeast coast of South America curved up through the Caribbean and back out toward the region east of Canada.
Convoy of Hope & Hurricanes
When Hurricane Idalia, the only U.S. landfalling hurricane of 2023, struck Florida’s Big Bend as a Category 3 storm, Convoy of Hope was quick to respond.
Convoy began to respond to disasters in 1998 when flooding in Del Rio, Texas, followed that year’s Tropical Storm Charley. Hurricane response continues to be an annual priority for Convoy.
After a hurricane is named, Convoy’s Disaster Services team begins to prepare for a potential response.
Convoy of Hope Disaster Services responds to natural disasters around the world, offering help and hope to people facing some of the most challenging circumstances in their lives. Convoy of Hope is a nonprofit, faith-based organization with a driving passion to feed the world through children’s feeding initiatives, community outreach, and disaster response.
