pressure of 935 mb at 1200 GMT 11 September. The time sequence of 

 the central pressure from September 4 to September 13, Fig. 6, was 

 presented by Dunn et al. (1962). During the period 1200 GMT 9 

 September through 1800 GMT 12 September, the average radius of 

 maximum wind was approximately 40 km with a slight increase observed. 

 Upon entering the Gulf, Car la had winds of 60 km/h. As it drifted 

 northwest, then west northwest it increased in size with cyclonic 

 winds observed over the entire Gulf . Maximum wind speeds of 82 km/h 

 were observed inland as Car la approached the coast. Car la made 

 landfall near Pass Cavallo at 2100 GMT 11 September and by 12 

 September it was positioned north of Waco. Hurricane Car la has the 

 distinction of being the best documented storm in history. 



Hurricane Allen was a fast moving storm compared to Car la. Its 

 average forward speed in the Cayman Sea was 35 km/h. Its forward 

 speed decelerated to about 30 km/h as it moved west-northwest across 

 the Gulf . The center of the storm entered Yucatan Strait at 

 approximately 1800 GMT 7 August, 1980. The hurricane center crossed 

 the coastline near Brownsville at 0700 GMT 10 August. Figure 7 shows 

 the path of Allen from the Cayman Sea until landfall. 



The time sequence of Allen's central pressure, as shown in Fig. 

 8, was obtained from Lawrence and Pelissier (1981). There were three 

 cycles of a 50 mb fluctuation in the six-day period from 4-10 August. 

 The first minimum central pressure of 911 mb occurred early on 5 

 August when the storm was approximately 370 km south of Puerto Rico. 

 The next minimum of 899 mb was measured at 1742 GMT 7 August when the 

 eye just passed through the strait. Allen deepened for the third 



39 



