All seasons · Atlantic
1998 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1998 Atlantic season has 14 storms in the best-track record; 14 reached tropical-storm strength and 10 became hurricanes, 3 of them major. Its accumulated cyclone energy of 181.1 is the 11th-highest of the 175 seasons in the Atlantic record since 1851. For hurricanes it is tied for the tenth-busiest season. Mitch was the strongest, peaking at 180 mph as a Category 5 hurricane. Landfall records exist for 7 of its storms, in Antigua and Barbuda, Campeche, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Florida, Honduras, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Texas. The first record is dated July 27, the last December 1.
Storm by storm
More storms formed in September than in any other month of 1998: 6 of 14. Georges both lasted longest, 15.8 days as a tropical or subtropical system, and contributed the most energy, 22% of the season's ACE. Strongest landfall of each storm: Bonnie reached North Carolina as a Category 2 hurricane on August 27; Charley reached Texas as a tropical storm on August 22; Earl reached Florida as a Category 1 hurricane on September 3; Frances reached Texas as a tropical storm on September 11; Georges reached the Dominican Republic as a Category 3 hurricane on September 22; Hermine reached Louisiana as a tropical storm on September 20; Mitch reached Honduras as a Category 1 hurricane on October 29.
| Storm | Dates | Peak | Strength | Lowest | Landfalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex | Jul 27 – Aug 2 | 50 mph | Tropical storm | 1002 mb | – |
| Bonnie | Aug 19–30 | 115 mph | Category 3 | 954 mb | North Carolina |
| Charley | Aug 21–24 | 70 mph | Tropical storm | 1000 mb | Texas |
| Danielle | Aug 24 – Sep 3 | 105 mph | Category 2 | 960 mb | – |
| Earl | Aug 31 – Sep 3 | 100 mph | Category 2 | 985 mb | Florida |
| Frances | Sep 8–13 | 65 mph | Tropical storm | 990 mb | Texas |
| Georges | Sep 15 – Oct 1 | 155 mph | Category 4 | 937 mb | Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Florida, Mississippi |
| Hermine | Sep 17–20 | 45 mph | Tropical storm | 999 mb | Louisiana |
| Ivan | Sep 19–27 | 90 mph | Category 1 | 975 mb | – |
| Jeanne | Sep 21–30 | 105 mph | Category 2 | 969 mb | – |
| Karl | Sep 23–28 | 105 mph | Category 2 | 970 mb | – |
| Lisa | Oct 5–9 | 75 mph | Category 1 | 995 mb | – |
| Mitch | Oct 22 – Nov 5 | 180 mph | Category 5 | 905 mb | Honduras, Campeche, Florida |
| Nicole | Nov 24 – Dec 1 | 85 mph | Category 1 | 979 mb | – |
Against other Atlantic seasons
Accumulated cyclone energy of every season; the red bar is 1998.