The 2005 North Atlantic Hurricane Season started early, just eight days into June. Tropical Storm Arlene formed in the western Caribbean, crossed Cuba and made landfall near Pensacola. Arlene reached a maximum intensity of 70 mph, but weakened to 60 mph before landfall. Tropical Storm Bret was one of five storms in the Bay of Campeche during the year. Did I say there were thirteen hurricanes this year? Well, actually there may have been fourteen. Tropical Storm/Hurricane Cindy passed over the Yucatan and emerged into the southern Gulf on July 4th. It moved northward, but did not become a major hurricane despite warm waters. It made landfall near Grand Isle, Louisiana. Cindy brought heavy rains to Alabama.
Hurricane Dennis was the first major hurricane of the year. It formed in the Caribbean and became a Category Four hurricane before striking Cuba. It intensified again over the southeastern Gulf and struck the Northwest Florida coast near Navarre Beach on the 10th of July. Fortunately, it had weakened slightly to a Category Three storm before striking the coast. The small storm caused heavy damage across parts of Southwest Alabama. Hurricane Emily moved across the Caribbean, becoming a Category Four south of Hispaniola, before striking Cozumel on July 18. A review of the data indicates that Emilymay have actually been a Category Five hurricane. If this turns out to be true, then there will have been four Cat Five storms. There have never been more than two.
Tropical Storm Franklin formed in late July. It briefly threatened Bermuda. Tropical Storm Gert followed the same path as Hurricane Emily, making landfall in eastern Mexico. The storm brought heavy rains to those areas that had been affected by Emily. Tropical Storm Harvey formed on August2 and briefly threatened Bermuda. The island picked up a wind gust of 51 mph. Hurricane Irene was a long lived Cape Verde storm that never made landfall. Tropical Storm Jose was another storm that formed over the Bay of Campeche. The tropical storm made landfall just north of Verzcruz on August 22.
Then there was Katrina. What else can be written about this storm. It is the most devastating hurricane in the history of the United States, producing over $80 billion in damage and dorwning the City of New Orleans. Katrina formed in the southeastern Bahamas on August 23. It crossed the Florida Peninsula and passed into the Gulf. It became the sixth most powerful hurricane ever observed in the Atlantic with a pressure of 902 millibars on the morning of August 28th. It struck land early on the morning of the 29th. 1,200 people died.
Hurricane Dennis was the first major hurricane of the year. It formed in the Caribbean and became a Category Four hurricane before striking Cuba. It intensified again over the southeastern Gulf and struck the Northwest Florida coast near Navarre Beach on the 10th of July. Fortunately, it had weakened slightly to a Category Three storm before striking the coast. The small storm caused heavy damage across parts of Southwest Alabama. Hurricane Emily moved across the Caribbean, becoming a Category Four south of Hispaniola, before striking Cozumel on July 18. A review of the data indicates that Emilymay have actually been a Category Five hurricane. If this turns out to be true, then there will have been four Cat Five storms. There have never been more than two.
Tropical Storm Franklin formed in late July. It briefly threatened Bermuda. Tropical Storm Gert followed the same path as Hurricane Emily, making landfall in eastern Mexico. The storm brought heavy rains to those areas that had been affected by Emily. Tropical Storm Harvey formed on August2 and briefly threatened Bermuda. The island picked up a wind gust of 51 mph. Hurricane Irene was a long lived Cape Verde storm that never made landfall. Tropical Storm Jose was another storm that formed over the Bay of Campeche. The tropical storm made landfall just north of Verzcruz on August 22.
Then there was Katrina. What else can be written about this storm. It is the most devastating hurricane in the history of the United States, producing over $80 billion in damage and dorwning the City of New Orleans. Katrina formed in the southeastern Bahamas on August 23. It crossed the Florida Peninsula and passed into the Gulf. It became the sixth most powerful hurricane ever observed in the Atlantic with a pressure of 902 millibars on the morning of August 28th. It struck land early on the morning of the 29th. 1,200 people died.