Hurricane Hugo (High Quality) - Luquillo, Puerto Rico - September 17-18, 1989

Between September 16th and 22nd, 1989 one of the most infamous and disasterous hurricanes in Atlantic history, Hugo, devastated portions of the Caribbean and South Carolina.

From the evening of the 17th through the morning of the 18th, the US Virgin Islands, and the northeastern tip of Puerto Rico bore the brunt of Hugo's exceptional violence. Alongside the thousands of residents who suffered through the terrifying experience, a small group of veteran storm chasers, including myself, had the rare opportunity to document the full force of an intense hurricane, during daylight hours, at a direct coastal location.

At the time of Hugo's landfall in Puerto Rico the storm was producing sustained winds near 130mph, with gusts over 160mph.

In commemoration of Hugo's 20th anniversary I'm presenting a new, digitally re-mastered, high-quality DVD edition of my chase footage, including many previously unreleased scenes, new special features and extra content. This seven minute introductory clip showcases some of the highlights from the main feature.

Without actually experiencing an event of this magnitude, first-hand, it's difficult to truly understand the incredible ferocity, unrelenting power, and somber aftermath a violent hurricane commands.

The new 20th anniversary commemorative edition DVD is dedicated to all those affected by Hurricane Hugo... to the meteorological, scientific, and storm chasing communities who strive to further our understanding of these amazing forces of nature... and to future generations who will carry the quest for knowledge forward.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Hurricane
• Hugo
• Tropical
• Cyclone
• Storm
• Category
• Four
• Three
• September
• 1989
• Puerto
• Rico
• Rican
• US
• Virgin
• Islands
• Island
• Northeast
• Caribbean
• South
• Carolina
• Charleston
• Strong
• Violent
• Extreme
• Wind
• 130
• 140
• 150
• 160
• mph
• Winds
• Heavy
• Rain
• Surge
• Wave
• Waves
• Spray
• Coastal
• Flood
• Flooding
• 20th
• Anniversary
• Historic
• History
• Record
• Disaster
• Catastrophe
• Damage
• Deadly
• Landfall
• Defoliated
• Uprooted
• Palm
• Palms
• Tree
• Howling
• Warning
• Chase
• Chasing
• Chaser
• Michael
• Laca
• High
• Quality
• DVD
• Video
• 1080i
• 1080p
• BD
• Blu
• Ray

[CycloneJosh]

Awesome footage-- especially that eyewall action. It's almost a total whiteout. Just a solid, intense 'cane-- the kind we're all always dreaming about.

[vmax135]

@CycloneJosh Thanks so much, Josh!!! Hugo was definitely an experience... I'm so happy I was able to get into this one. It would have been nice, back then, to have the type of cameras we have today... but, all in all, this was just an incredible chase. Glad you enjoyed the clip.

[boomerang2455]

What is that hammering noise at the very start of the video?

[vmax135]

@boomerang2455 That's a teletype machine in the San Juan Weather Service Office printing a bulletin just to left of where I was taking that shot.

[venichen1]

good remastering cant believe this was taken 20 years ago.

[vmax135]

@venichen1 Thanks so much!!! I can't believe two decades have gone by either!

[ChaseSevereWeather]

Great footage, Michael! Your video is still in great condition!

[Zima4184]

Wow

[417polkadot]

That was horrible my mom and dad was in that no one was expecting that here!!!

[alraga4249]

You just don't know what a hurricane is does and the aftermath.sleeping through a cat 3 or 4 hurricane with a family you are responsible is just so irresponsible and plain stupid.

[brendeska]

wow very good job!



[sandstorm0819]

my mom slept through that

[beeutewfull]

@MultiPepe1010 I loved ur post. I was only 1 when it hit, but i witnessed the rest of the Hurricans especially George, it was a Pretty bad Hurricane, but we were blessed.

[JiggaWhere]

the palm trees blowing look like hands playing the piano