4-10 September 1989. Hurricane Gabrielle (Figure 34) 



73. Storm waves, initially caused by strong (over 13 m/sec) northeast 

 winds following the passage of a cold front on 3 September, attained an H mo 

 (at Gage 625) of 2.54 m (T = 9.48 sec) late on 4 September. Moderate winds 

 through 5 September kept the H^ above 2 m. Early on 6 September, with the 

 H^ hovering just above 2 m, the period took a dramatic jump to over 15 sec. 

 This swell was generated by Hurricane Gabrielle, which remained well out to 

 sea as it skirted the Bahamas on a northerly track that paralleled the US 

 coast. These long period waves continued to buffet the Outer Banks through 

 the morning of 10 September. The highest measured ti mo (Gage 625) of 2.54 m 

 (Tp = 13.47 sec) was recorded at 1108 EST on 9 September. Because the 

 hurricane remained far offshore, neither the atmospheric pressure nor the 

 winds at the FRF were influenced by the storm. 



Atmospheric Pressure, mb Gaae 616 



Figure 34. Data for 4-10 September 1989 storm 



68 



