Talk:Tropical Storm Gilda (1973)

Copyedits/cuts

"Tropical Storm Gilda was notable as being the first observed tropical cyclone to transition into a subtropical cyclone; several subtropical cyclones have undergone tropical cyclogenesis, but never the opposite. Since Gilda, a few other storms accomplished the feat.[3]" - this is not sourced directly in HURDAT, so I removed it. ♫ Hurricanehink (talk) 15:35, 16 August 2026 (UTC)

I found a stronger source to back it up. ~2026-44796-83 (talk) 15:38, 16 August 2026 (UTC)

That’s in the met history. Hurricanehink mobile (talk) 15:42, 16 August 2026 (UTC)

"In the Bahamas, officials closed schools, and many businesses closed early on the day the storm moved through the country." - this could be shorter. I rewrote it as - "In the Bahamas, schools and businesses closed as Gilda moved through the country." Same meaning, but shorter. ♫ Hurricanehink (talk) 15:37, 16 August 2026 (UTC)

"A tropical wave moved off the west coast of Africa on October 3. It tracked westward, reaching the Caribbean Sea on October 10." - I combined this into one sentence. ♫ Hurricanehink (talk) 17:11, 16 August 2026 (UTC)

"Tropical Storm Gilda first affected Jamaica, bringing heavy rainfall in a three-day period. The highest amount measured in a 24‑hour period within Jamaica was 411 millimetres (16.2 in), which triggered many landslides across eastern sections of the island, particularly in Saint Andrew Parish where six houses were destroyed. Elsewhere on the island, the mudslides caused further property damage and left some roads unpassable. Six people were killed throughout the country." - rewritten as three sentences instead:

"Tropical Storm Gilda brought heavy rainfall to Jamaica over a three day period, triggering floods and landslides that killed six people. The highest 24‑hour rainfall total was 411 millimetres (16.2 in). The landslides left some roads unpassable, while in Saint Andrew Parish, six houses were destroyed."

I wanted to put the deaths in the first sentence, since that was the most important part, and streamlined the remaining information. ♫ Hurricanehink (talk) 18:36, 16 August 2026 (UTC)

"In Cuba, a station in the mountains of what was then known as Oriente Province recorded winds of 60 mph (95 km/h). The city of Morón, located along the northern coast of Cuba, recorded 6.13 inches (155 mm) of rainfall in the 6 hour period prior to the storm passing the area. Damage was minor, limited to some crop damage in the eastern portion of the island, as well as power outages. The threat of the storm forced several thousand people to leave their homes." - rewritten/copyedited as:

"In northern Cuba, rains reached 155 mm (6.13 in) over six hours in Morón. A station in the mountains of eastern Cuba recorded sustained winds 58 mph (93 km/h) winds. The storm caused power outages and crop damage on the island. Thousands of people evacuated their homes."

I didn't think specifying Oriente Province was useful, not when the province was dissolved three years after Gilda. Other than that, it's the same content with fewer words. ♫ Hurricanehink (talk) 18:50, 16 August 2026 (UTC)

"In the Bahamas, officials closed schools, and many businesses closed early on the day the storm moved through the country. The storm's stationary motion caused several days of high tides and heavy rains. Tropical storm force wind gusts were reported on Andros Island, and gusts peaked at 75 mph (120 km/h) on Golden Cay. Gilda's passage left crop damage on several islands, although monetary losses in the country were minor." - rewritten/copyedited as:

"In the Bahamas, schools and businesses closed. The storm brought several days of heavy rains and high tides, causing crop damage on several islands. Wind gusts peaked at 75 mph (120 km/h) on Golden Cay."

That's half the word count. ♫ Hurricanehink (talk) 19:01, 16 August 2026 (UTC)

"One ship reported a wave height of 28 ft (8.5 m), though no significant marine losses were reported. " - I removed this. No context why it's important, no damage to the ship, and no need to say "no significant marine losses were reported." Articles don't generally say what doesn't happen. ♫ Hurricanehink (talk) 19:03, 16 August 2026 (UTC)

"When Gilda was forecast to move near southeastern Florida, gale warnings were issued from North Key Largo to Fort Lauderdale. Rough seas affected the Florida coastline for about 72 hours, causing moderate coastal property damage and beach erosion. After becoming a large subtropical cyclone, gale warnings were issued at various times from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina to the mouth of the Merrimack River in Massachusetts. High surf and minor beach erosion were reported along the coastline, and gale-force winds were observed from North Carolina to New Jersey." - rewritten as:

"The storm led to gale warnings for southeastern Florida from North Key Largo to Fort Lauderdale, and later from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina to the mouth of the Merrimack River in Massachusetts. Rough seas caused coastal property damage and beach erosion from Florida to Cape Hatteras. Gale-force winds were observed from North Carolina to New Jersey."

This cut 30 words out without removing any content. ♫ Hurricanehink (talk) 19:08, 16 August 2026 (UTC)

" The circulation of the storm became very large, at one point stretching from New England to the Bahamas, and eastward beyond Bermuda, or a diameter of more than 1300 mi (2100 km). On October 25, Gilda passed about halfway between Bermuda and Cape Hatteras, when it reached peak winds of 70 mph (110 km/h). Subsequently, it turned northeastward, and on October 27 attained a minimum pressure of 984 mbar, the lowest of its duration while tropical or subtropical. Later that day, Gilda became an extratropical cyclone southeast of the Canadian Maritimes as it moved over colder waters. After passing just southeast of Newfoundland, the storm continued northeastward, becoming nearly stationary off the coast of Greenland before dissipating on October 30." - this (121 words) was cut down to 88 words:

"Gilda's circulation became very large, extending from New England to the Bahamas, while its center passed about halfway between Bermuda and Cape Hatteras. On October 25, the storm reached peak winds of 70 mph (110 km/h) as it moved northeastward. Two days later, Gilda attained its minimum pressure of 984 mbar (29.1 inHg), as it moved over cooler waters. Soon after, it transitioned into an extratropical cyclone southeast of the Canadian Maritimes. The remnants of Gilda passed just southeast of Newfoundland before slowing off southeastern Greenland, dissipating on October 30."

The part about "a diameter of more than 1300 mi (2100 km)" was not in the source. ♫ Hurricanehink (talk) 02:28, 17 August 2026 (UTC)

"On October 3, a tropical wave exited Africa and proceeded westward across the Atlantic Ocean, reaching the Caribbean Sea a week later. By October 13, a large area of convection persisted from Hispaniola southwestward through Panama, and over the next few days the convection organized and concentrated in the northwestern Caribbean Sea. An anticyclone became established near Jamaica on October 15, which created a favorable upper-level environment for the system by reducing wind shear.[1] Around the same time, a low-level trough emerged from the Intertropical Convergence Zone, heading north off the coast of Nicaragua.[2] Early on October 16, the system developed into a broad tropical depression about halfway between Central America and Jamaica.[1][3] The initial motion of the depression was uncertain, as steering currents could have resulted in a motion either to the west or to the north-northeast. With the possibility of the western track, the storm was remarked as being the first serious hurricane threat for southern Florida since Hurricane Gladys in 1968. However, after formation the depression moved slowly north-northeastward.[1] The thunderstorm activity gradually became better organized while rainbands increased around the circulation.[2] By 0000 UTC on October 18, the depression attained tropical storm status about 100 mi (160 km) northwest of the Cayman Islands, after which it was named Gilda by the National Hurricane Center (NHC). The storm quickly strengthened as it moved toward southern Cuba, reaching peak winds of 70 mph (110 km/h) about 18 hours after reaching tropical storm status. Shortly thereafter, Gilda made landfall near the border of the present day Cuban provinces of Sancti Spíritus and Ciego de Ávila.[3] Tropical Storm Gilda weakened slightly over Cuba, crossing the island in less than twelve hours before emerging into the Atlantic Ocean early on October 19.[3] At the time, the anticyclone over Jamaica which previously assisted the cyclone instead remained over the Caribbean, which increased shear over the storm. This caused the convection to gradually separate from the low-level circulation."

This part (325 words) has been cut down to 134 words by removing unnecessary parts, such as the ITCZ and the Gladys comparison. ♫ Hurricanehink (talk) 03:46, 17 August 2026 (UTC)

"Early on October 20, Gilda passed just southeast of Andros Island in the Bahamas,[3] around the same time that the Hurricane Hunters recorded an atmospheric pressure of 994 mbar;[4] this was the lowest recorded pressure in association with Gilda while it was a tropical cyclone.[3] It gradually weakened due to the wind shear, resulting in the low-level steering currents becoming dominant.[1] After moving through the Exuma island chain, the storm passed near or over Eleuthera, and late on October 21 Gilda became nearly stationary about 60 mi (95 km/h) east of Harbour Island. Late on October 22, after moving only about 6 mi (10 km) in a 24‑hour period, Gilda weakened to a tropical depression. Now a tropical depression, Gilda remained nearly stationary for another 24 hours before accelerating northeastward,[3] under the influence of an upper-level trough exiting the east coast of the United States. Cold air from the trough interacted with Gilda, providing a baroclinic environment for intensifying, and on October 24 the storm transitioned into a subtropical storm about halfway between Hispaniola and North Carolina. This made Gilda the first tropical storm on record to transition into a subtropical cyclone. Operationally, tropical storm advisories were still issued on Gilda while it was subtropical, due to the need to maintain consistency and the possibility it could again become tropical. "

This part (220 words) was cut down to 88 words. I removed the part Gilda's lowest pressure as a tropical cyclone. That's a trivial statistic that was cited to HURDAT. ♫ Hurricanehink (talk) 03:59, 17 August 2026 (UTC)