Hurricane Joan was a long lived and powerful
tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depen ...
that caused death and destruction in over a dozen countries in the Caribbean and Central America. Moving on a due west course for nearly two weeks in October 1988, Hurricane Joan caused widespread flooding and over 200 deaths after moving into Central America. Widespread suffering and economic crises were exacerbated by Joan, primarily across
Nicaragua
Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the countr ...
, as heavy rains and high winds impacted those near the hurricane's path.
After crossing Central America into the Pacific, the
cyclone was renamed Tropical Storm Miriam, with the system's dissipation occurring southwest of Mexico. Joan–Miriam was the final hurricane of the
1988 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1988 Atlantic hurricane season was a near average season that proved costly and deadly, with 15 tropical cyclones directly affecting land. The season officially began on June 1, 1988, and lasted until November 30, 1988, althou ...
and the final named storm of the
Pacific hurricane season
A Pacific hurricane is a mature tropical cyclone that develops within the northeastern and central Pacific Ocean to the east of 180°W, north of the equator. For tropical cyclone warning purposes, the northern Pacific is divided into three regio ...
.
Meteorological history
At the time, Joan was one of the latest tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depen ...
s to form in the central Atlantic in any season. It formed from an area of convection in the Intertropical Convergence Zone that moved off the coast of Africa early in October. It developed banding and was upgraded to Tropical Depression Seventeen on October 10 and later designated as Tropical Storm Joan while located at low latitude in the central Atlantic Ocean.
Joan gradually strengthened as it passed over the southern Windward Islands
french: Îles du Vent
, image_name =
, image_caption = ''Political'' Windward Islands. Clockwise: Dominica, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada.
, image_alt =
, locator_map =
, location = Caribbean Sea No ...
on October 15. It continued heading west in response to a strong ridge, and passed over the Guajira Peninsula
The Guajira Peninsula ( es, Península de La Guajira, links=no, also spelled ''Goajira'', mainly in colonial period texts, guc, Hikükariby) is a peninsula in northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela in the Caribbean. It is the norther ...
on October 17.[ After entering the extreme southwestern Caribbean Sea, Joan strengthened into a hurricane. It then slowly executed a small counterclockwise loop, possibly in response to the nearby Tropical Depression Eighteen.][Dr. Harold P. Gerrish]
NHC Joan report p. 2
accessed April 10, 2006
Archived
from the original on July 25, 2020. Upwelling caused by the quasi-stationary hurricane weakened the system. As the nearby depression dissipated, Joan resumed its westward track. A strong anticyclone
An anticyclone is a weather phenomenon defined as a large-scale circulation of winds around a central region of high atmospheric pressure, clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere as viewed from ...
over the southwestern Caribbean Sea created an extremely favorable environment, and Joan underwent rapid deepening
In meteorology, rapid intensification is a situation where a tropical cyclone intensifies dramatically in a short period of time. The United States National Hurricane Center defines rapid intensification as an increase in the maximum sustained ...
at a rate of 38 millibars in the space of a day.[ With a minimum pressure of 932 millibars, Joan was one of the strongest October hurricanes since 1961.][ At the time, it was located at 12°N, the southernmost Category 4 hurricane ever recorded at the time.][ That record has since been broken by ]Hurricane Ivan
Hurricane Ivan was a large, long-lived, Cape Verde hurricane that caused widespread damage in the Caribbean and United States. The cyclone was the ninth named storm, the sixth hurricane and the fourth major hurricane of the active 2004 Atlant ...
.
Joan made landfall just south of Bluefields
Bluefields is the capital of the South Caribbean Autonomous Region in Nicaragua. It was also the capital of the former Kingdom of Mosquitia, and later the Zelaya Department, which was divided into North and South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Regi ...
on October 22.[ It passed over the northern portion of ]Lake Nicaragua
Lake Nicaragua or Cocibolca or Granada ( es, Lago de Nicaragua, , or ) is a freshwater lake in Nicaragua. Of tectonic origin and with an area of , it is the largest lake in Central America, the 19th largest lake in the world (by area) and the t ...
, passed over Managua, and entered the Pacific Ocean near Leon
Leon, Léon (French) or León (Spanish) may refer to:
Places
Europe
* León, Spain, capital city of the Province of León
* Province of León, Spain
* Kingdom of León, an independent state in the Iberian Peninsula from 910 to 1230 and again f ...
on October 23.[ Joan remained a hurricane or tropical storm during its entire passage over Central America, and was a minimal tropical storm when it reached the Pacific.][ As per the policy at the time, Joan was renamed Miriam.][
Tropical Storm Miriam hugged the coast of Central America and reached its peak of 986 millibars on October 24.][Dr. Harold P. Gerrish]
NHC Miriam report p. 1
accessed April 10, 2006 Ordinarily, a pressure this low would indicate a Category 1 hurricane, but due to its disorganized convection, Miriam was not upgraded to a hurricane.[ Land interaction and ]wind shear
Wind shear (or windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical or horizont ...
weakened Miriam to a tropical depression on October 26. Low-level winds carried the system out to sea, and its convection dissipated on October 28.[
Miriam's remnants continued out to sea, and they regenerated on October 30. The tropical depression hung on for the next few days, until its second, and final, dissipation on November 2.][Dr. Harold P. Gerrish]
NHC Miriam report p. 2
accessed April 10, 2006
Unusual path
Hurricane Joan's path through the southern Caribbean in late October was highly unusual. Most October storms in the Atlantic gravitate towards the northern portion of the Caribbean, and often recurve quickly.[ National Hurricane Center]
NHC Tropical Cyclone Climatology
accessed April 10, 2006 Joan took the southernmost path of an Atlantic-basin tropical cyclone in the Northern Hemisphere since a June system in 1933, although Hurricane Irene
Hurricane Irene was a large and destructive tropical cyclone which affected much of the Caribbean and East Coast of the United States during late August 2011. The ninth named storm, first hurricane, and first major hurricane of the 2011 ...
in 1971 took a path that was just north of Joan's.[ Joan-Miriam was also unusual in that it survived passage from the Atlantic to Pacific Ocean. Only thirteen other storms have been known to survive the ]crossover
Crossover may refer to:
Entertainment
Albums and songs
* ''Cross Over'' (Dan Peek album)
* ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987
* ''Crossover'' (Intrigue album)
* ''Crossover'' (Hitomi Shimatani album)
* ''Crossover'' (Yoshino ...
between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.[Stephen Caparotta, D. Walston, Steven Young and Gary Padgett]
NHC Tropical Cyclone FAQ Subject E15
accessed April 10, 2006
Preparations
Tropical Storm watches and later warnings were issued for the Windward Islands as far north as Martinique
Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in ...
on October 13. They were dropped over the subsequent two days as Joan passed through. Along the coast of South America, additional warnings were raised and later dropped as Joan paralleled the coast.[Dr. Harold P. Gerrish]
NHC Joan report p. 8
accessed April 10, 2006
The first hurricane watches were issued for parts of Panama
Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Co ...
, and Providencia starting on October 18. The watch area was expanded to include Costa Rica and Nicaragua
Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the countr ...
on October 19 as the watches were upgraded to warnings. These warnings provided several hours' worth of lead time, allowing evacuations and preparations to be made.[Dr. Harold P. Gerrish]
NHC Joan report p. 9
accessed April 10, 2006 In addition, flash flood and mudslide warnings were issued for western Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Nicaragua starting on October 21.
In response to Miriam, the flood and mudslide warnings issued because of Joan were not lifted until October 23 and 25. Tropical Storm warnings were issued for the Pacific coast of Nicaragua, El Salvador, and the Gulf of Fonseca
The Gulf of Fonseca ( es, Golfo de Fonseca; ), a part of the Pacific Ocean, is a gulf in Central America, bordering El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
History
Fonseca Bay was discovered for Europeans in 1522 by Gil González de Ávil ...
on October 24. They were dropped the next day. Guatemala was placed under a warning on October 24. In addition, new flash flood and mudslide warnings were raised for Guatemala and the Mexican state of Chiapas on October 24 and 25, respectively. All warnings and watches were discontinued later on October 25 as Miriam turned away from the coast.[Dr. Harold P. Gerrish]
NHC Miriam report p. 4
accessed April 10, 2006
Despite the dangers from the intense hurricane, evacuations in Bluefields were met with resistance and disbelief from residents.[ In Managua, 70,000 people were evacuated to safe areas.][ In the remaining areas of Nicaragua, 300,000 people were evacuated.][Fox, Rober]
accessed April 10, 2006 In Costa Rica, a total of 55,000 people were evacuated.
Impact
Hurricane Joan killed at least 216 people, with 118 unaccounted for. The total cost of damage was around $2 billion (1988 USD).[ All of the deaths and most of the damage were due to the Joan portion of Hurricane Joan–Miriam.][
]
Lesser Antilles
No casualties were reported in the Windward Islands
french: Îles du Vent
, image_name =
, image_caption = ''Political'' Windward Islands. Clockwise: Dominica, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada.
, image_alt =
, locator_map =
, location = Caribbean Sea No ...
, including Grenada, where, on October 15, Joan made landfall.[ Passing just south, Joan brought rough seas and winds of with gusts to to the islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao on October 16, damaging coastal facilities and roofs. Structural damage from the storm was estimated at $1.5 million (1988 USD). Increased moisture in Joan's wake caused persistent rainfall on the islands for several days, leading to widespread flooding. In ]Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago (, ), officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous much smaller islands, it is situated south of ...
, Joan was described as a "minor inconvenience".[Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service]
Tropical Cyclones Affecting Trinidad and Tobago, 1725 to 2000
p 14. Accessed February 18, 2007 Sustained winds up to with gusts up to were recorded on Grenada. Heavy rains amounted to 6 in (152.4 mm) in St. George's. Significant flooding was reported throughout the island, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage.[David Longshore ''Encyclopedia of Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Cyclones'' pg. 203] A rare invasion of African desert locust
The desert locust (''Schistocerca gregaria'') is a species of locust, a periodically swarming, short-horned grasshopper in the family Acrididae. They are found primarily in the deserts and dry areas of northern and eastern Africa, Arabia, and sou ...
s in the Windward Islands
french: Îles du Vent
, image_name =
, image_caption = ''Political'' Windward Islands. Clockwise: Dominica, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada.
, image_alt =
, locator_map =
, location = Caribbean Sea No ...
were blamed on the storm.
South America
In Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
, 11 people were killed due to flash-flooding caused by heavy rains. Landslides and flooding killed 25 people in Colombia. The rains and flooding left 27,000 people homeless.[ Throughout Colombia, damages amounted to $1 billion.][ ]
Nicaragua
Most of the destruction was in Nicaragua
Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the countr ...
. Throughout the country, 148 people perished, 184 were badly hurt, and 100 were unaccounted for. Roughly 23,300 homes were destroyed, with 6,000 being damaged.[ Many settlements on the Atlantic coast of the country were completely destroyed.][ The national electric company had of downed power lines, at the cost of 2.5 million USD (1988 dollars).][Preston, Julia, ]Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large na ...
(1988
Response Tepid to Managua's Aid Plea
accessed April 10, 2006 A port being constructed with Bulgarian help at El Bluff
Bluff is a port city on the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua within the bay of Bluefields. Bluff handles limited cargo and has basic piers. It is also a base for the sea-going fishing vessels on Nicaragua's Caribbean coast.
The island that it sits on ...
was severely damaged. On a brighter note, public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...
measures managed to keep the death toll lower than it could have been.[
]Bluefields
Bluefields is the capital of the South Caribbean Autonomous Region in Nicaragua. It was also the capital of the former Kingdom of Mosquitia, and later the Zelaya Department, which was divided into North and South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Regi ...
was hit with extreme impact. Almost all of the 7,500 structures in the city were demolished or had their roofs blown off. The majority of the main buildings in the city were destroyed.[ The hurricane also wreaked havoc on agriculture in the country. Around 15,700 head of cattle, 20,000 pigs, and 456,000 chickens were killed.][ The hurricane caused severe disruption in most of Nicaragua's remaining ]rain forests
Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainforest, ...
in the areas it hit, and also stripped trees of leaves.[Vetiver Network International]
Vetiver as a Component of World Relief's Sustainable Agriculture Program in Nicaragua
accessed April 11, 2006 In the southeast rain forests, Joan toppled or snapped 80 percent of the trees and completely destroyed of canopy. Hurricane Joan caused transportation difficulties in the country. Floodwaters destroyed 30 bridges and seriously damaged 36 others. Roads totaling in length were washed away.[
In an unfortunate coincidence, Hurricane Joan hit shortly after an armed conflict in the region had started to cool off. The hurricane destroyed much of the infrastructure in Nicaragua, contributing to a ]recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction when there is a general decline in economic activity. Recessions generally occur when there is a widespread drop in spending (an adverse demand shock). This may be triggered by various ...
that was already underway. The losses to cash crops severely reduced exports to under 200 million dollars (1988 USD).[ These factors combined to aggravate a recession and deepen the economic crisis. Government spending to rebuild infrastructure negated recently introduced anti-]inflation
In economics, inflation is an increase in the general price level of goods and services in an economy. When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, inflation corresponds to a reduct ...
measures. Hurricane Joan was a partial cause of Nicaraguans being, on average, worse-off than they were in the 1970s.United States Library of Congress
The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library ...
Nicaragua Historical Background
accessed April 11, 2006 In all, the storm left at least 250,000 people homeless.[David Longshore ''Encyclopedia of Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Cyclones'' pg. 204] Total damages in the country amounted to $751.1 million. Joan was the first major hurricane to strike Nicaragua since Edith
Edith is a feminine given name derived from the Old English words ēad, meaning 'riches or blessed', and is in common usage in this form in English, German, many Scandinavian languages and Dutch. Its French form is Édith. Contractions and var ...
in 1971.
Rest of Central America
In Costa Rica, 28 people were killed, 75 were injured, and 18 were missing. Rainfall caused 20 rivers to burst their banks, flooding 75 settlements, including the city of Quepos, Costa Rica on the Pacific coast. At Ciudad Neily, Costa Rica, the Rio Corredores broke through a dike
Dyke (UK) or dike (US) may refer to:
General uses
* Dyke (slang), a slang word meaning "lesbian"
* Dike (geology), a subvertical sheet-like intrusion of magma or sediment
* Dike (mythology), ''Dikē'', the Greek goddess of moral justice
* Dikes ...
. In total, 7,500 Costa Ricans were rendered homeless.[ Damages in Costa Rica amounted to $65 million.
In the remaining portions of Central America, heavy rainfall, locally exceeding , was reported. These rains caused flooding and landslides, especially in mountainous regions.][ Those heavy rains caused seven deaths in ]Panama
Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Co ...
and left $60 million in damages.
Mexico
In Mexico, heavy rainfall associated with Tropical Storm Miriam caused the cancellation of flights from the airport at Tuxtla Gutiérrez
Tuxtla Gutiérrez (, ) is the capital and the largest city of the Mexican southeastern state of Chiapas. It is the seat of the municipality of the same name, the most developed and populated in the state. A busy government, commercial and servic ...
. The highest rainfall reported recorded was at Lázaro Cárdenas.Hydrometeorological Prediction Center
The Weather Prediction Center (WPC), located in College Park, Maryland, is one of nine service centers under the umbrella of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), a part of the National Weather Service (NWS), which in turn is ...
Hurricane Joan-Miriam.
Retrieved on 2007-01-31. In small settlements, rivers were flooded and mudslides were reported. Casualties from the flooding are not known.[
]
Aftermath
The response to requests for international aid
In international relations, aid (also known as international aid, overseas aid, foreign aid, economic aid or foreign assistance) is – from the perspective of governments – a voluntary transfer of resources from one country to another.
Ai ...
was moderate. American church groups, Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
, and Mexico collectively contributed around 2,500 tons of food and medicine. The Canadian, Swedish, West German, Spanish, and Dutch governments contributed aid amounting to 2 million dollars (1988) each. No aid was sent by the United States government. The Soviet Union contributed an unknown sum.[ The slow response to requests for aid was contributed to by the ]Sandinista
The Sandinista National Liberation Front ( es, Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional, FSLN) is a socialist political party in Nicaragua. Its members are called Sandinistas () in both English and Spanish. The party is named after Augusto C ...
Government's actions, which was viewed by a few anonymous diplomats from other countries who commented to the press, as undermining the peace process championed by Óscar Arias
Óscar Arias Sánchez (; born 13 September 1940 in Heredia, Costa Rica) is a Costa Rican activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. He was President of Costa Rica from 1986 to 1990 and from 2006 to 2010. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 198 ...
.[ Those actions were the July 10 arrests of opposition activists and the closing down of independent radio stations.][ In addition, the government also barred foreign humanitarian groups from receiving American aid, as well as turning back a relief shipment days before the storm.][
On October 28, 1988, the ]United Nations General Assembly
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA or GA; french: link=no, Assemblée générale, AG) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as the main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ of the UN. Curr ...
passed without a vote Resolution 17 of its 43rd session in response to the disaster. The resolution called on countries to contribute to the relief effort.[United Nations General Assembl]
Resolution 43/17: Emergency assistance to Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and other countries affected by hurricane (sic) Joan
accessed April 11, 2006
Retirement
The name Joan was retired in 1989 and replaced by Joyce on the list for the 1994 season.[Padgett, G, J. Beven, & J. F. Free (2004]
NHC Tropical Cyclone FAQ Subject B3: What names have been retired in the Atlantic and East Pacific basin?
accessed May 21, 2006 The name will never again be used for a North Atlantic hurricane
An Atlantic hurricane, also known as tropical storm or simply hurricane, is a tropical cyclone that forms in the Atlantic Ocean, primarily between the months of June and November. A hurricane differs from a cyclone or typhoon only on the basis of ...
. Because the impact of the Miriam portion of the tropical cyclone was minimal, the name Miriam was not retired in the Pacific and is still on the list of names for that basin.World Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting international cooperation on atmospheric science, climatology, hydrology and geophysics.
The WMO originated from the Intern ...
(2005
Fact Sheet Tropical Cyclone Names
accessed May 21, 2005
See also
* List of Atlantic–Pacific crossover hurricanes
An Atlantic–Pacific crossover hurricane is a tropical cyclone that develops in the Atlantic Ocean and moves into the Pacific Ocean, or vice versa. Since reliable records began in 1851, a total of twenty crossover tropical cyclones have been ...
* List of Category 4 Atlantic hurricanes
Category 4 hurricanes are tropical cyclones that reach Category 4 intensity on the Saffir–Simpson scale. Category 4 hurricanes that later attained Category 5 strength are not included in this list. The Atlantic basin inclu ...
* List of Eastern Pacific tropical storms
* Hurricane Irene–Olivia
Hurricane Irene–Olivia was the first actively tracked tropical cyclone to move into the eastern Pacific Ocean from the Atlantic basin. It originated as a tropical depression on September 11, 1971, in the tropical Atlantic. The cyclone tracked ...
(1971)
* Hurricane Fifi–Orlene
Hurricane Fifi, later known as Hurricane Orlene, was a catastrophic tropical cyclone that killed over 8,000 people in Honduras in September 1974, ranking it as the third deadliest Atlantic hurricane on record, only behind Hurricane Mitch in 1998, ...
(1974)
* Tropical Storm Bret (1993)
Tropical Storm Bret was the deadliest natural disaster in Venezuela since the 1967 Caracas earthquake. The third tropical cyclone of 1993 Atlantic hurricane season, Bret formed on August 4 from a westward-moving, African tropical wave. Bret ...
* Hurricane Otto
Hurricane Otto was a strong late-season tropical cyclone that impacted parts of Central America in November 2016. It was the first Atlantic hurricane since Cesar–Douglas in 1996 to survive the crossover from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific ...
(2016)
* Hurricane Iota
Hurricane Iota was a devastating late-season Category 4 hurricane, Category 4 Atlantic hurricane which caused severe damage to areas of Central America already devastated by Hurricane Eta just less than two weeks prior. The 31st and final trop ...
(2020)
References
External links
Joan path
Miriam path
Joan preliminary report
Miriam preliminary report
Miriam advisories
!--Joan is unavailable-->
{{DEFAULTSORT:Joan (1988)
Joan-Miriam
Joan-Miriam
Joan-Miriam
Joan-Miriam
Joan-Miriam
Retired Atlantic hurricanes
Hurricanes in Nicaragua
Hurricanes in Colombia
Hurricanes in Venezuela
Hurricanes in Barbados
Joan-Miriam
Hurricanes in Grenada
Hurricanes in El Salvador
Hurricanes in Guatemala
1988 in Venezuela
1988 in Colombia
1988 in Barbados
1988 in Grenada
1988 in Panama
1988 in Costa Rica
1988 in Nicaragua
1988 in El Salvador
1988 in Guatemala
Hurricanes in the ABC Islands
Joan-Miriam
Hurricanes in Costa Rica
Hurricanes in Panama