It had quickly strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson scale on September 20 when it struck the Lesser Antilles with 115 mph (185 km/h) winds.

Hurricane Georges began as a tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa during mid-September 1998.

Tracking westward, the wave spawned an area of low pressure two days later, which quickly strengthened into a tropical depression.

The storm reached its peak intensity on September 20 with winds of 155 mph (249 km/h), just below Category 5 status on the Saffir–Simpson scale.

[1] Over the following five days, the hurricane tracked through the Greater Antilles, causing over 600 fatalities, mainly in the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

Several hundred people on the island of Montserrat went into twelve hurricane shelters as Georges passed by with winds of 110 mph (180 km/h).

[4] The hurricane watch already in effect for St. Lucia and northward was extended to the US and British Virgin Islands on September 19.

[1] Georges began to affect the United States Virgin Islands on September 21 as a 150 mph (240 km/h) storm.

[1] On September 18, the National Disaster Preparedness Committee in Dominica began meetings to prepare for possible impacts from Georges.

For the following two days, the island was placed under a state of high-alert as direct impact from a Category 4 hurricane was anticipated.

The weakening hurricane spared the island as it passed 25–30 miles to the north, causing moderate damage (houses and roofs, uprooted trees, power lines and outages, beach erosion) especially in Grande-Terre.

The Met office in Desirade, east of Guadeloupe had a 75 mph wind and an 88 sustained gust.

[4] As Georges moved through the northern end of the Lesser Antilles, it produced significant rainfall and strong winds over the United States Virgin Islands.

Harbor hotels, ports and airports had extensive damage and half of the sugar crop was destroyed.

[17] The local airport sustained significant damage, particularly to the control tower and main terminal.

[19] Driving winds and rains caused moderate flooding and washed out roads around the island.

[20] Teams began on September 21 to clean up fallen debris from roads around the island.

Georges shifted ferry services to Antigua and caused the cancellation of a concert on the island.

[3] The SSS islands (Saba, Sint Maarten and St. Eustatius), suffered moderate damage from Hurricane Georges.

On Saba, the island's hospital lost its roof and patients had to be evacuated to a geriatric home.

[21] In Dominica, the storm produced intermittent rainfall and gusty winds but no major damage.

[13] On September 23, Antigua and Barbuda were declared disaster areas following the severe impacts from Hurricane Georges.

[14] On September 22, the Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis declared a national disaster for the island of St.

The Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation sent assessment teams to assist in recovery on Nevis.

[24] In St. Kitts and Nevis, six disaster relief teams were deployed from nearby Antigua and Barbuda.

Red Cross shelters were set up on the islands to provide residents with food and emergency needs.

[17] To meet immediate financial losses, the government requested EC$1.2 million (US$450,000) from other countries.

[13] St. Lucia received $3 million in funds by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development for 15 years of maturity.