WEATHER
Meteorological
Service of the Netherlands Antilles &
Aruba |
Some insurance companies are excluding yachts
mooring in Curaçao from the possibility
of insuring them against damage caused by Tropical
Cylones. This exclusion being applied to any location
north of latitude 12º North.
There seems to be no scientific or meteorological
explanation for taking this latitude as a fixed
and stringent criterium, at least not with respect
to te Caribbean. On the contrary, conditions for
the development of Tropical Cyclones or the maintenance
of Tropical Cyclone intensity in the region between
the Venezuelan coast and 13º North, are known
to be generally unfavourable. This is due to certain
features that influence the climate in this so
called "Southern Caribbean Dry Zone",
which have been well documented.
Although Tropical Cyclones have been known to
pass close to the island of Curaçao, two
important features regarding these systems stand
out quite clearly:
1. their low frequency of occurrence
2. their low intensity: only one major hurricane
(Hazel 1954; Category 3) passed with its center
within 75 nautical miles of Curaçao, but
even then hurricane force winds did not reach
the island.
Mean return periods for hurricane passing within
75 nautical miles of Curaçao are thus respectively:
- 46 years for category 1 hurricanes (64-82 knots)
- 100 years for category 2 hurricanes (83-96 knots)
- 170 years for category 3 hurricanes ( 97-112
knots)
- 360 years for category 4 hurricanes (113-134
knots)
- >500 years for category 5 hurricanes (>
134 knots)
Note: Passing within ... nautical miles always
refer to the distance from the cyclone center
to the island.
The hurricane classification used is the Saffir-Simpson
Hurricane Scale, wich is the standard and official
classification used in the Atlantic Basin.
It should be taken into account, that Tropical
Cyclones wich manage to maintain their storm or
hurricane strength during their passage through
the "Southern Caribbean Dy Zone", are
relatively small systems with an associated raduis
of damaging winds of often less than 75 nautical
miles.
The table below shows known and recorded hurricanes
that passed with their center within 75 nautical
miles of Curaçao. For a more detailed history
a copy of "Hurricanes of the Nehterlands
Antilles" can be downloaded here.
| Year |
Date |
Closest
distance to Curaçao |
Class |
Name |
| 1877 |
sept.
23 |
25
NM south of Curaçao |
cat
2 |
- |
| 1886 |
aug.
17 |
25
NM nne of Curaçao |
cat
2 |
- |
| 1887 |
jul.
21 |
72
NM nne of Curaçao |
cat
2 |
- |
| 1892 |
oct.
7 |
35
NM ddw of Curaçao |
cat
2 |
- |
| 1932 |
nov.
2 |
48
NM north of Curaçao |
cat
2 |
- |
| 1954 |
oct.
7 |
62
NM north of Curaçao |
cat
3 |
Hazel |
Altough Curaçao is not completely immune
to tropical storms and hurricanes, two other factors
should also be considered:
1. it's deep, large and well-protected inlets have
troughout our history been havens of safety for
all types of shipping during storms and hurricanes
in the Caribbean.
2. the Meteorological Service of the Netherlands
Antilles & Aruba in coordination with the NHC
in Miami and together with te local disaster prevention
organizations, run a well organized cyclone warning
systen, which will advise the owners of small craft
sufficiently ahead of an approaching Tropical Cyclone,
to ensure that all boats and yachts can be brought
to safety and moored correctly.
Excluding boats and yachts moored in Curaçao
from insurance against damage caused by Tropical
Cyclones based solely on the fact the island is
located just North of latitude 12ºN does not
seem te be appropiate. Especially not if boat owners
and marina owners see to it that proper action is
taken based on watches and warnings issued by the
National Meteorological Service and the local disaster
prevention authorities.
Director Meteorological Service of the
Netherlands Antilles & Aruba,
A. J. Dania
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