Editing Hurricane Allen (section)

== Meteorological history ==
{{Storm path|Allen 1980 path.png|left|colors=new}}
Allen was an early-season [[Cape Verde-type hurricane]], originating from a [[tropical wave]] that left the [[Africa]]n coastline on July 30. The system [[tropical cyclogenesis|developed]] quickly as it moved westward, becoming a tropical depression the following day. However, the [[National Hurricane Center]] did not initiate advisories on Allen until almost 24 hours later, when it was centered {{convert|1300|mi|km|abbr=on}} east of the [[Windward Islands]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/cdmp/dvd0103-jpg/1980/atlantic/allen/public/pub08012200z.jpg|title=Tropical Depression Advisory Number 1|author=Gilbert Clark|date=August 1, 1980|publisher=[[National Hurricane Center]]|access-date=May 13, 2011}}</ref> Early on August 2, as the depression moved quickly westward towards the Caribbean, it intensified into the first named storm of the 1980 Atlantic hurricane season. Allen [[Rapid intensification|rapidly strengthened]] as it continued westward. By the time an aircraft reconnaissance plane entered the tropical cyclone's center late on August 3, it had already achieved major hurricane status, with maximum sustained winds of {{Cvt|125|mph|km/h|round=5|abbr=on}} and a minimum central pressure of {{Cvt|967|mbar|inHg}}, making Allen a Category 3 hurricane. The storm's central pressure dropped to {{Cvt|951|mbar|inHg|abbr=on}} that night as its eye passed north of [[Barbados]] on August 4.<ref name=report/><ref name=dotgov/>

{{Most intense hurricanes|align=right}}
Allen continued to move quickly westward and entered the Caribbean Sea shortly after passing south of [[St. Lucia]]. Allen's rapid intensification continued during this time, as it was steered by a mid- to upper-level ridge to its north. Shortly before 0000 UTC on August 5, the hurricane's minimum pressure decreased to {{convert|924|mbar|hPa inHg|abbr=on}}, which was noted as equivalent to [[Hurricane David]] in the [[1979 Atlantic hurricane season|previous season]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/cdmp/dvd0102-jpg/1980/atlantic/allen/tropdisc/tcd08042100z.jpg|title=Discussion for Hurricane Allen, 5 p.m. EDT, August 4, 1980|author=Miles Lawrence|date=August 4, 1980|publisher=[[National Hurricane Center]]|access-date=May 13, 2011}}</ref> Another reconnaissance aircraft shortly thereafter discovered Allen had become an extremely strong [[Category&nbsp;5 hurricane]], with sustained winds of {{Cvt|180|mph|km/h|round=5|abbr=on}} and a minimum pressure of {{Cvt|911|mbar|inHg|abbr=on}} the following day. This was the lowest central pressure ever recorded in the eastern Caribbean Sea.<ref name=dotgov>{{cite web|url=https://www.weather.gov/lch/1980Allen|title=Hurricane Allen July 31-August 11, 1980|author=Donovan Landreneau|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]|access-date=November 26, 2024}}</ref> Allen maintained its extreme intensity for most of the day. However, late on August 5, the storm began to weaken as it underwent an [[eyewall replacement cycle]] and interacted with the mountainous terrain of [[Hispaniola]], with the storm taking a northwestward jog south of the island, a common track deviation for most hurricanes that have passed through the area.<ref name=dotgov/><ref name=report>{{cite news|url=https://www.weather.gov/media/lch/events/1980Allen/1980Allen-NHC%20Report.pdf|title=1980 Allen-NHC Report|publisher=National Hurricane Center|access-date=November 26, 2024}}</ref>

Allen resumed a more westward course as it left behind Hispaniola and passed north of [[Jamaica]] and the [[Cayman Islands]] on August 6. The very warm waters of the northwestern Caribbean Sea allowed the storm to begin another phase of rapid intensification. Allen reached its second and greatest peak intensity on the afternoon of August 7, with maximum sustained winds of {{Cvt|190|mph|km/h|round=5|abbr=on}} and a minimum barometric pressure of {{Cvt|899|mbar|inHg|abbr=on}}.<ref name=report/> Allen had the highest maximum sustained winds ever recorded in an [[Atlantic hurricane]].<ref name="HURDAT"/>  Its minimum pressure of 899 millibars was the second-lowest pressure on record for the basin at the time. The major hurricane was also very large at this time, with hurricane-force winds extending {{Cvt|144|mi|km|abbr=off}} from its [[eye (cyclone)|center]] and [[gale|tropical-storm-force]] winds extending 345 miles.<ref name=dotgov/> Allen's circulation filled nearly the entire Gulf of Mexico, and was regarded at the time as the second-largest Atlantic hurricane on record, after 1961's [[Hurricane Carla]].<ref name=Morning/> Continuing westward, the southern portion of Allen's circulation passed over the [[Yucatán Peninsula]], causing the cyclone to weaken again. Allen bottomed out with winds of {{Cvt|130|mph|km/h|round=5|abbr=on}} on August 8.<ref name=dotgov/> Continued movement west over the warm waters of the [[Gulf of Mexico]] allowed Allen to restrengthen into a Category&nbsp;5 hurricane for a third time as it moved over the open waters of the Gulf. The hurricane's central pressure dropped back to a tertiary low of {{convert|909|mbar|hPa inHg|abbr=on}}. Pressure falls over the southern [[United States]] at this time indicated Allen would soon slow its forward motion as it approached [[Texas]].<ref name=report /> Allen's forward speed slowed considerably in the hours before it made landfall near [[Brownsville, Texas|Brownsville]] as a low-end Category 3 major hurricane on August 10.<ref name=dotgov /> The storm rapidly weakened as it moved inland, eventually dissipating over the mountainous terrain of northern Mexico the following day.<ref name=report/>