Tropical Storm Keith (1988)
| tropical storm (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Tropical Storm Keith near Florida landfall
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| Formed | November 17, 1988 |
|---|---|
| Dissipated | November 26, 1988 |
| (Extratropical after November 24) | |
| Highest winds |
1-minute sustained: 70 mph (110 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 985 mbar (hPa); 29.09 inHg (945 mbar (27.92 inHg) as extratropical) |
| Fatalities | None reported |
| Damage | $7.3 million (1988 USD) |
| Areas affected | Honduras, Belize, Yucatán Peninsula, Jamaica, Cuba, Florida, coastal areas of Southeast United States, Bermuda |
| Part of the 1988 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Tropical Storm Keith was the eleventh Atlantic tropical cyclone of the 1988 Atlantic hurricane season. It struck the Continental United States later in the calendar year than any since the 1925 Atlantic hurricane season. Keith developed out of a tropical wave in the Caribbean Sea on November 17. It tracked northwestward, and under generally favorable conditions, it reached a peak intensity of 70 mph (110 km/h) shortly before striking the northeastern tip of the Yucatán Peninsula. It turned northeastward in the Gulf of Mexico, and made landfall near Sarasota, Florida, on November 23. Keith accelerated its forward motion under the influence of a cold front, and became extratropical near Bermuda on November 24. The extratropical remnant persisted for two more days.
Early in its duration, Keith produced moderate to heavy rainfall in Honduras, Jamaica, and Cuba. Minimal damage was reported in Mexico, which was still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Gilbert two months prior. Keith, the last of four named tropical cyclones to hit the United States during the season, produced moderate rainfall, rough storm surge, and gusty winds across central Florida. Overall damage was fairly minor but widespread, totaling $7.3 million (1988 USD; $14.8 million 2017 USD). Near the coast of Florida, damage occurred mainly from storm surge and beach erosion. Further inland there were floods, downed trees and power lines. No fatalities were reported.
A tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa on November 5. It tracked steadily west across the tropical Atlantic Ocean. Its forward motion slowed after it passed the Lesser Antilles on November 12. A large well-defined anticyclone persisted across much of the Caribbean Sea, providing a favorable environment for the system. A low-level circulation gradually became evident on satellite imagery within the disturbance. Based on ship observations, the National Hurricane Center estimated that the system organized into a tropical depression on November 17, about 280 miles (450 km) south of the western tip of Haiti.
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