Extreme weather may come in different forms, and you may be affected by these various types of extreme weather, depending upon where you live or visit.  We discuss hurricanes below, after news updates.

HURRICANE NEWS

NOAA Predicts Near Normal or Above Normal Atlantic Hurricane Season

As With Any Season, Preparation is Essential - May 22, 2008

Graphics Credit: NOAA

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center today announced that projected climate conditions point to a near normal or above normal hurricane season in the Atlantic Basin this year. The prediction was issued at a news conference called to urge residents in vulnerable areas to be fully prepared for the onset of hurricane season, which begins June 1.

“Living in a coastal state means having a plan for each and every hurricane season. Review or complete emergency plans now - before a storm threatens,” said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “Planning and preparation is the key to storm survival and recovery.”

The Climate Prediction Center outlook calls for considerable activity with a 65 percent probability of an above normal season and a 25 percent probability of a near normal season. This means there is a 90 percent chance of a near or above normal season.

The climate patterns expected during this year’s hurricane season have in past seasons produced a wide range of activity and have been associated with both near-normal and above-normal seasons. For 2008, the outlook indicates a 60 to 70 percent chance of 12 to 16 named storms, including 6 to 9 hurricanes and 2 to 5 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale).

An average season has 11 named storms, including six hurricanes for which two reach major status.

“The outlook is a general guide to the overall seasonal hurricane activity,” Lautenbacher said. “It does not predict whether, where or when any of these storms may hit land. That is the job of the National Hurricane Center after a storm forms.” 

Bill Read, director of NOAA’s National Hurricane Center, said, “Our forecasters are ready to track any tropical cyclone, from a depression to a hurricane, which forms in the Atlantic Basin. We urge coastal residents to have a hurricane plan in place before the season begins and NHC will continue to provide the best possible forecast to the public.”

When a storm forms in the tropics – and even before that stage – NOAA forecasters at the Miami-based National Hurricane Center are in continuous monitoring mode – employing a dense network of satellites, land- and ocean-based sensors and aircraft reconnaissance missions operated by NOAA and its partners. This array of data supplies the information for complex computer modeling and human expertise that serves the basis for the hurricane center’s track and intensity forecasts that extend out five days in advance.

The science behind the outlook is rooted in the analysis and prediction of current and future global climate patterns as compared to previous seasons with similar conditions.

 

Graphics Credit: NOAA

“The main factors influencing this year’s seasonal outlook are the continuing multi-decadal signal (the combination of ocean and atmospheric conditions that have spawned increased hurricane activity since 1995), and the anticipated lingering effects of La Niña,” said Gerry Bell, Ph.D., lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. “One of the expected oceanic conditions is a continuation since 1995 of warmer-than-normal temperatures in the eastern tropical Atlantic.”

“Americans in hurricane-prone states must get serious and be prepared.  Government – even with the federal, tribal, state and local governments working perfectly in sync – is not the entire answer. Everyone is part of the emergency management process," said FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison. "We must continue to develop a culture of preparedness in America in which every American takes personal responsibility for his or her own emergency preparedness.”

NOAA’s Atlantic hurricane season outlook will be updated on August 7, just prior to what is historically the peak period for hurricane activity.

Tropical systems acquire a name – the first of which for 2008 will be Arthur – upon reaching tropical storm strength with sustained winds of at least 39 mph. Tropical storms become hurricanes when winds reach 74 mph, and become major hurricanes when winds reach 111 mph.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of our nation's coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners, more than 70 countries and the European Commission to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects.

HURRICANE INFORMATION

Hurricanes are strong storms that typically hit the U.S. coastline between Texas and Maine approximately five times every three years.  They may also hit any land mass within the warm waters they are formed in or near, such as Cuba, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, and Mexico.  It is interesting to note that while hurricanes remain in our memories for years and decades after they strike, that much smaller storms can wreak greater damage, depending upon the conditions of the storm and where it strikes.  Rarely, hurricanes may form in the northeast Pacific Ocean or in the south Pacific Ocean, and threaten Hawaii, Guam, or the Pacific coast of mainland U.S.

Most tropical storms that may develop into hurricanes originate near east Africa, where "easterly waves" are fueled by the hot air over the Sahara Desert that combines at opportune times with an unstable eastern jet stream there, and the cooler temperature along the Gulf of Guinea Coast.  These easterly waves move westward and may later become the spawning ground of tropical cyclones.  It is thought that 85% of all documented major hurricanes were born in the waters near east Africa, from these easterly waves.

Hurricanes are born in warm water and usually begin life as a huge rogue wave way out at sea.  When conditions are right, that wave may develop into a tropical storm, and then a hurricane.  These storms are called cyclones.  They can begin as early as April, far from the U.S., and mostly occur here between June and October each year. They are usually found in the warm waters of the Atlantic Basin, in the warmer waters of the Caribbean Sea and in the Gulf of Mexico.

The first storm at sea that may become a hurricane is called a "tropical depression."  A tropical depression is made up of thunderstorms and clouds that are swirling.  This storm has sustained winds of 38 miles per hour or less.

The second storm at sea that may develop into a hurricane is called a "tropical storm."  A tropical storm is larger and stronger than a tropical depression, and it's sustained winds are between 39 and 73 miles per hour.

A "hurricane" is identified by sustained winds over 73 miles per hour.  Wind gusts can be much faster.

There are different levels of hurricanes, depending on their winds.  Category 1 hurricanes are smaller in intensity than Category 5 hurricanes.  However, a tropical storm can be very destructive also, producing severe flooding.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, more than 75% of the U.S. population lives within 50 miles of oceans, Great Lakes, and large estuaries. Densely populated areas near water are vulnerable in hurricane season each year. 

When a cyclone reaches sustained wind speeds of 39 miles per hour, having become a tropical storm, it is given a name.  The names may be male or female, and are rotated every six years.  There are some famous storm names that will not be used again (such as Hurricane Audrey, Hurricane Camille, and Hurricane Katrina) due to their deadly legacy.  Storms are named so that we don't confuse storms we are tracking in a season. There may be many storms to track in one summer.  Each storm season, the names assigned are selected in alphabetical order.  The names are selected years in advance, as you can see in this naming chart from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration.  As you watch the news reports on television and on the internet, you will see these names being used in this order, and being assigned to all tropical storms with sustained winds over 39 miles per hour.  You may see some that have been used before.  Other types of storms in other parts of the world also have their names charted ahead of time.  They, too, can be found at www.noaa.gov.

 

Tropical Depressions, Storms, and Hurricanes by name in the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Arthur Ana Alex Arlene Alberto Bertha Bill Bonnie Bret Beryl Cristobal Claudette Colin Cindy Chris Dolly Danny Danielle Don Debby Edouard Erika Earl Emily Ernesto Fay Fred Fiona Franklin Florence Gustav Grace Gaston Gert Gordon Hanna Henri Hermine Harvey Helene Ike Ida Igor Irene Isaac Josephine Joaquin Julia Jose Joyce Kyle Kate Karl Katia Kirk Laura Larry Lisa Lee Leslie Marco Mindy Matthew Maria Michael Nana Nicholas Nicole Nate Nadine Omar Odette Otto Ophelia Oscar Paloma Peter Paula Philippe Patty Rene Rose Richard Rina Rafael Sally Sam Shary Sean Sandy Teddy Teresa Tomas Tammy Tony Vicky Victor Virginie Vince Valerie Wilfred Wanda Walter Whitney William Source: NOAA

A hurricane is a large swirling storm.  The winds of a hurricane spin in a counter-clockwise direction.  For that reason, when a hurricane is approaching the Gulf states, such as Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, you can anticipate more damage resulting from the eastern side of the storm.  In a counter-clockwise direction, the winds are pulling up moisture from the Gulf from the bottom and onto the right, or eastern, side of the storm, and it is that side that will be rougher.  If a hurricane is bearing down on New Orleans, there will be more severe direct wind damage on the east side of the storm, such as in the Mississippi coastal towns, rather than in New Orleans.  However, the resulting water damage may be great anywhere the storm hits.

In the middle of a hurricane is a very quiet place, called the eye.  Planes flying down near the eye of a hurricane gather information on instruments that tell us what the barometric pressure is inside of the hurricane.  The lower the pressure, the more dangerous the hurricane. The winds swirl around the eye, but the eye is calm.  When a hurricane passes directly over a town, and there are people there, they will notice the terrible winds coming from one direction first.  These winds are blowing east to west and they are at the top of the round storm.  Then the eye passes over, and everything gets very still and quiet, with no winds blowing.  People can see stars at night or blue skies in the daytime, when the eye of a hurricane passes over.  The sides of the calm eye in the center of the storm are called the eye walls. As the eye continues to move over the town, the winds will begin again, this time seeming to blow from the opposite direction, and these winds will be more powerful because they are blowing west to east. 

The aspects of hurricanes that are dangerous are:

> high winds

> severe thunderstorms with a lot of rain

> flooding

> tornadoes

> storm surge

Hurricanes may have very high and dangerous winds.  Many residents of coastal towns in the path of a hurricane may board up windows to protect them against strong winds.  120 mile-per-hour winds are a strong force of nature, and many times cause serious damage to property.  People have actually had their clothes ripped off of them when they have been caught outside during a hurricane.

Much of the destruction from hurricanes is secondary to the actual windy storm.  Hurricanes carry with them many severe thunderstorms, and also can contain hundreds of tornadoes that spin off from the storm at random.  A hurricane may be such a huge weather system of its own, that it may contain many smaller weather systems inside of it.  These thunderstorms dump huge amounts of rains on areas that then become flooded.  These tornadoes can flatten a town in no time, twirling debris out over a mile wide. 

Another thing that can cause a lot of damage in a hurricane is the tide that is pushed into the coastal communities.  This wall of water is pushed up from under the sea or the gulf, by the force of the hurricane.  Sometimes this water can be seen as a huge wave.  Some people will refer to this as a tidal wave, but it is different to a traditional tidal wave.  A tidal wave happens no matter what the weather is; a surge happens only when the weather is very bad.  This wave from a hurricane is caused by the power of the storm above it.  It creates a push of water that surges toward the coast.  It is called storm surge.  Storm surge is deadly.  The waves of surge can be up to 25 feet high, and they will cross the beach and take everything there with them, including houses, boats, cars, and people.  People who are caught by surge on a beach may be carried several miles inland, or may drown. 

This storm surge can be devastating to a coastal ecosystem, as evidenced by the conditions of the Louisiana coastal marshes after Hurricane Rita smashed into that coast in 2005.  Marshes are natural filters that provide a transition between the salty water of the sea and the fresh water of inland rivers and streams.  Marshes also provide protected breeding and nursery areas for shrimp and other fish, that grow there and later return to the sea to live.  When surge pushes in salt water to these filtered areas, it goes beyond the marshes and contaminates fresh water also.  Many marsh areas in Southwest Louisiana were destroyed with salt water during Rita.  Storm surge can also push smaller bodies of water, such as lakes, rivers, streams, and ponds.  Much of Hurricane Katrina's devastation in New Orleans in 2005 was due to surge that pushed the water of Lake Ponchartrain so hard that it tore open the levies (walls of dirt) that had previously held it back.  So we see that storm surge is another very deadly part of a hurricane.

When a hurricane is approaching, a "hurricane watch" is sent out.  This means that it is believed that the storm may reach you within 3 days.  A "hurricane warning" is issued to alert residents that the storm may be there within 1 day.  The only way to assure your safety in the event of an incoming hurricane to your community is to leave your home, or "evacuate." 

Sometimes residents do not evacuate their homes, preferring to "ride it out" since they have been through bad storms in the past, and have no fear of them.  Sadly, that can be a tragic mistake.  A hurricane is not to be taken lightly.  Besides the obvious things that could happen with high winds, flooding, and tornadoes, there are the added worries of electrical power being disrupted, and isolation for days at a time waiting for waters to recede with no way to get medical assistance or fresh water and food.  With power off, banks and ATMs and credit card swipes will not work, and sometimes there is no way to get gas for your car.

Things happen during hurricanes that people would not expect, such as storm surge pushing through bayous and forcing snakes and alligators into residential areas.  There have been instances of small sharks being pushed over a coastal area and winding up being in flood waters far from the ocean.  Houses lose their roofs, trees crash onto cars and trucks, large objects are picked up and thrown around, lives are in danger - including people and animals. 

Photo by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service After Hurricane Katrina 2005

Venetian Isle, New Orleans - Public Domain Photo

Many people go to shelters before the storm hits, only to find the shelter will not take their pets, and so the people go home again.  Some people leave their pets and livestock behind when fleeing the storm, because they feel they have no choice.  Some people choose to stay because they fear looting and theft while their house and property lies unattended.  Some people stay because they have no money and nowhere to go.

The following are tips from FEMA and other internet sources for preparing for a hurricane:

BEFORE A HURRICANE protect your property by boarding up windows with storm shutters or 5/8" marine plywood; install straps or additional clips to your roof; trim shrubs and trees near your house; clear gutters; secure vehicles and boats. Before a hurricane hits, protect yourself by stocking plastic containers with non-perishable foods and drinking water (check expiration dates often), first-aid supplies, extra clothing in large plastic bags, extra medicines, soap, copies of important papers in small zipper bags, workboots and workgloves; flashlights and batteries.

DURING A HURRICANE take more precautions by listening to a TV or batter-operated radio; fill your bathtub with water for drinking, brushing teeth, and flushing toilets; turn off propane tanks; turn refrigerator to coldest temperature and keep closed in order to preserve food; turn off utilities if instructed to do so; stay in an interior secure room.

AFTER A HURRICANE watch out for broken glass and sharp debris; slippery floors; contaminated buildings and water; flooding; damaged electrical wiring; gas leaks; chemical spills; dead animals; live animals.

CLEAN WATER is very important to have access to after a hurricane has struck your area.  Keep in mind that an average person in good health under normal conditions drinks 1/2 gallon of water per day.  Hotter temperatures, stressful situations, manual labor all make us drink more than that.  People who are hurt or ill may need more water.  Stock a minimum of a 3-day supply of drinking water per person, and try to allow 1 gallon per person per day. Keep commercially bottled water in its original unopened container.  If you want to store water in your pre-used containers before the storm hits, do not use milk or juice containers, or cardboard or glass containers.  See www.fema.gov for instructions for sanitizing only plastic containers.  In an emergency, fill up your bathtub with water.  You can also drink the water in your hot-water tank - turn off the power and let it cool off - open the spout at the bottom to collect drinking water.

EVACUATE if you are asked to, or if you feel you should.  Do this early, with a full tank of gas, to avoid problems later.  The decision to leave must be made before the storm hits, or it is impossible to leave safely.  Have plans ahead of time, for an evacuation route, what you will take with you, and where you will go.  Before you leave, secure your property.  Don't forget about keeping your animals safe -  if they can't go with you, find them shelter in a safe place.

RETURNING HOME may be very difficult after a hurricane - difficult to get there, and difficult to see when you arrive.  Watch out for poisonous snakes and other animals you would not normally see near your house.  Watch out for debris, rusty nails, broken glass, contaminated water, and structural damage to buildings and houses.  Chances are, you will not be able to access the area at all, if damage was extensive, and it may be best to wait.  Do not enter your home if flood waters are still present, if you smell gas, or if you feel it is not structurally sound.  Take photographs or video of damage for insurance purposes.

The following is a list of the hurricanes that NOAA terms as "notable" and which CoveBear also finds interesting.  These are not the only hurricanes to hit the U.S.   

Only three Category 5 hurricanes have actually hit the United States:  the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, the New England Hurricane of 1938, and Hurricane Camille in 1969.  The numbers to the left of the states' names indicate the category, or intensity, of the storm. 

1900 Category 4 TEXAS: The Galveston Hurricane of 1900 was a Category 4 Hurricane, is responsible for an estimated 6,000 to 12,000 human deaths, and is named the deadliest hurricane in U.S. recorded history.  The storm came ashore on September 8. Most of the people died on land. The storm surge was 15 feet and covered the island.  Property damage was valued at $30 million.  We don't know where this storm was born, but it did hit Cuba.  This storm continued as a sub-tropical up to the Great Lakes, New England, and southeast Canada.

1919 Category 4 TEXAS: The Atlantic-Gulf Hurricane of 1919 was a Category 4 Hurricane as it swept south of Key West, Florida on September 9, and a Category 3 as it hit south of Corpus Christi, Texas on September 18.  The storm surge was 12 feet.  Barometric pressure feel to 27.37 inches.  This storm killed an estimated 600 to 900 people, nearly 500 of which were on boats.  Property damage was valued at $22 million.  This storm was recorded near the lesser Antilles.

1926 Category 4 FLORIDA: The Great Miami Hurricane of 1926 was a Category 4 Hurricane with a barometric pressure dropping to 27.61 inches.  This hurricane was born 1,000 east of the Lesser Antilles on September 11. Storm surge was at 15 feet in Coconut Grove, Florida on September 18, and there was deep water in Moore Haven.  Winds were 150 mph.  Later, Pensacola Bay lost all boats and piers. This storm finished as a tropical storm over south Mississippi and south central Louisiana.  Property damage was in the millions.  Prior to this storm Florida had been in an economic boom; after this storm it was not.  An estimated 350 people died in this storm, although is was noted that over 800 people just disappeared.

1928 Category 4 FLORIDA: The San Felipe - Okeechobee Hurricane of 1928 was a Category 4 Hurricane, with a barometric pressure of 27.50 inches reported in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 144 mph winds.  It made landfall at Palm Beach September 16.  It hit hard at Lake Okeechobee, Florida, where a lake surge of 9 feet was reported, causing over 1,800 human deaths.  Over 300 people died from this storm in Puerto Rico, and 18 in the Bahamas.  Property damage was estimated at $50 million in Puerto Rico, and $25 million in Florida.

1935 Category 5 FLORIDA: The Florida Keys - Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 was a Category 5 Hurricane, with a barometric pressure at 26.35 inches. No wind measurements were recorded, but it was the strongest storm recorded until that time.  The next storm to rival that low barometric pressure would not come until 1988.  This storm hit the middle Florida keys on September 2 and crawled north up the gulf side of that state.  This one resulted in over 400 human deaths, and damage in the U.S. was estimated at over $6 million.

1938 Category 5 NEW YORK: The New England Hurricane of 1938 was a Category 5 Hurricane, with sustained winds of 121 mph, wind gusts to 183 mph, and its barometric pressure registered 27.94 inches. It came ashore at Long Island, New York and Connecticut September 21, and was nicknamed "the Long Island Express." It died over southeastern Canada. Storm surge was up to 12 feet in some areas, with flooding in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.  Over 600 people died in this storm, and damage was estimated at $308 million in the U.S. alone.

1944 Category 3 NORTH CAROLINA: The Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944 was a Category 3 Hurricane when it hit Cape Hatteras, North Carolina (coming ashore on September 14), then Long Island, New York, and Point Judith, Rhode Island, diminishing to a Category 2 over Maine.  It had sustained winds of 134 mph with gusts up to 150 mph. Civilian deaths from this storm on land were estimated at 46 with over $100 million in damages.  Military deaths at sea from this storm were estimated at 344 due to five our World War II ships being sunk by the storm.

1954 Category 3 NEW YORK: Hurricanes Carol and Edna of 1954 were both Category 3 Hurricanes.  Carol made landfall over Long Island, New York August 31, and affected other New England states as well.  Winds were clocked at 100 mph with gusts up to 130 mph. She killed 60 people and resulted in $461 million in damage.  Edna was another hurricane that formed close to where Carol had formed, and whose path nearly paralleled the previous storm.  This storm made landfall at Cape Cod, Massachusetts on September 11 of the same year.  U.S. deaths number 20 in this storm and damage was estimated at $40 million. Edna's winds were at 100 mph with gusts at 120 mph.

1954 Category 4 SOUTH CAROLINA / NORTH CAROLINA: Hurricane Hazel in 1954 was a Category 4 Hurricane when she made landfall at the North Carolina - South Carolina borders on October 15.  Responsible for 95 deaths and $281 million in damages, Hazel sent wind gusts up to 106 mph at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and winds up to 150 at Cape Fear, North Carolina.  The destructive North Carolina storm surge was at 18 feet.

1954 Category 3 NORTH CAROLINA: Hurricanes Connie and Diane in 1954 (Categories 3 and 1 Hurricanes) were hurricanes that struck the North Carolina coast within 2 weeks of each other.  The storm surge was at 8 feet on August 12, from Connie.  No deaths were reported from this storm, and damage was estimated at $40 million.  Over 12 inches of rain fell, with more to come from Diane, who made landfall August 17 dumping another 20 inches of rain from North Carolina up to Massachusetts.  Deaths totaled 184, and there was $832 million in damage from this storm.

1957 Category 4 LOUISIANA: Hurricane Audrey in 1957 was a Category 4 Hurricane when she hit southwest Louisiana on June 27. She initially came in near Sabine Pass on the Texas/Louisiana border, but the eastern and more deadly part of the storm ravaged the Louisiana side. Storm surge was at 12 feet, sending gulf waters pushing into Cajun country 25 miles inland. The official death count has been reported between 390 and 600, but it is estimated that deaths may have been much higher due to unreported missing people and deaths in the bayou and rural areas. Many people were simply washed away. Total damage was estimated at $150 million (which would be $1 billion today), of which $120 million was in Louisiana. 

There were no measurements taken of this storm initially at landfall. Few people evacuated before this storm, due to the early date of the storm, and of the intensity of the storm - Audrey was not a huge threat until she very quickly gained in intensity, becoming a Category 4 right before she hit the coast.  Audrey sat in the Gulf of Mexico and over a period of just one day, gathered an astronomical amount of power, and suddenly roared north onto the beaches and marshes.  The intensity of this storm was not anticipated.

Damage from Audrey was catastrophic to southwest Louisiana. Storm surge pushed its way from the Gulf of Mexico at Texas northeast to Cameron, Hackberry, Lake Charles, Sulphur, and other towns. This was the vicious side of the hurricane. 80% of homes and businesses from Cameron to Grand Chenier were totally destroyed, and many homes were lost in Lake Charles.  Altogether, 40,000 families in Louisiana were made homeless from this hurricane. The eye of Audrey passed over Bridge City, Texas in 1957, at the exact spot where Hurricane Rita's eye passed in 2005.  Audrey and her rains, winds, and tornadoes, also pummeled Mississippi, Alabama, and she turned northward to the Ohio Valley and Pennsylvania, New York, and Canada. Audrey was a very early hurricane, and was not anticipated in June. 

Adding to the confusion about this storm, radio communications were sporadic due to storm conditions, and few people had televisions at that time in the rural areas. Many people who did have communications thought they had another day to evacuate, since the storm the day before was still offshore and not that strong; they had been through hurricanes before, and had had no problems. The storm hit in the dark of the early morning hours, as people slept. Hurricane Audrey is the only recorded Category 4 storm to hit the U.S. in the month of June, and no future storm would cause this many fatalities, until Katrina in 2005.

Hurricane Audrey was called "The Storm of the Century." The storm name Audrey was retired and will never again be used for a storm out of the Atlantic Basin.  See http://www.booksbynolaross.com/hurricane.htm to access a book about this storm, entitled: "Hurricane Audrey" by Nola Mae Wittler Ross and Susan McFillan Goodson, which gives first-hand accounts from people who survived this deadly storm.

1960 Category 4 FLORIDA, MID-ATLANTIC STATES, NEW ENGLAND: Hurricane Donna in 1960 was a Category 4 Hurricane, roaring across the Florida Keys on September 9 and proceeded to travel up the east coast.  This storm is the only hurricane in recorded history to cross all three of these areas with sustained hurricane-force winds: Florida, Mid-Atlantic States, and New England.  Landfall pressure was at 27.46 inches.  It produced 10-foot surges in New England.

1969 Category 5 MISSISSIPPI AND VIRGINIA: Hurricane Camille in 1969 was a Category 5 Hurricane, and was a very powerful and destructive hurricane. It made landfall at Pass Christian, Mississippi, on August 17, producing storm surge at 24.6 feet.  Hurricane Camille holds the record for highest sustained winds at landfall at 190 miles per hour, with gusts over 200 miles per hour. Pressure was recorded at 26.84 inches at Bay St. Louis. NOAA reports that this storm is the second most intense hurricane to ever hit the United States.  This storm dumped 10 inches of rain on the Gulf Coast, but a strange turn of events resulted in this storm also dumping an astronomical 31 inches of rain down a mountain within 3-5 hours in the middle of the night in Virginia later, causing terrible destruction as the soil and trees of the mountain slid down on a valley community.  256 people lost their lives in this storm; 143 on the Gulf Coast, and 113 in Virginia.  Damage was estimated at $1.42 billion. Read the book "Roar of the Heavens" by Stefan Bechter to learn more about Hurricane Camille.  More to come about this terrible storm soon.

1972 Category 1 FLORIDA AND NEW YORK: Hurricane Agnes in 1972 was a Category 1 Hurricane.  This hurricane has a low-level storm when it hit Florida on June 19; however, she caused a huge amount of flooding in New England.  After bouncing out to sea and regaining near-hurricane strength this hurricane made landfall near New York City.  There was widespread flooding from Virginia northward to New York.  122 people in the U.S. died in this storm, and estimated damage was at $2.1 billion.

1983 Category 3 TEXAS: Hurricane Alicia in 1983 was a Category 3 Hurricane, that made landfall at Galveston on August 18, with winds of 95 - 120 mph. It dissipated over Nebraska after traveling over Oklahoma.

1989 Category 4 SOUTH CAROLINA: Hurricane Hugo in 1989 was a Category 4 Hurricane, that made landfall just north of Charleston on September 22.  This storm created tides of over 20 feet on the South Carolina Coast from Charleston to Myrtle Beach.  It was responsible for 21 deaths in the U.S. with damage estimated at $7 billion in the U.S.  Sustained winds were at 104 mph and gusts up to 120 mph.

1992 Category 4 FLORIDA AND LOUISIANA: Hurricane Andrew in 1992 was a Category 4 Hurricane that devastated Homestead, Florida when it made landfall on August 24. 

Central pressure there was recorded at 27.23 inches.  Gusts were up to 177 mph. This was the third most intense hurricane to hit the U.S. Storm surge was at 17 feet in Florida. Homestead was devastated, most damage being caused by the hurricanes tornadic activity. As the storm made its way through the Gulf it did not gather all the strength it had lost going over land, and it hit the central coast of Louisiana as a Category 3 storm, carrying with it 8-foot surge that inundated the coast and marshes. 

A large killer tornado was released from this storm in southeastern Louisiana in LaPlace.  Crops including soybeans, corn, and sugar cane in south Louisiana were flattened. 180,000 people were left homeless from this hurricane. In the Atchafalaya River Basin, over 182 million freshwater fish were killed in this storm, due to the huge amounts of storm litter which displaced the oxygen in the water.  Other freshwater areas were destroyed due to the salty Gulf waters that poured in with the storm surge. In addition, an estimated 9.4 million coastal saltwater fish along the Louisiana coast were also killed in this storm.

23 human deaths occurred from this storm in the U.S.  Damage was estimated at $1 billion in Louisiana, and $25.5 billion in Florida.  A slow response of federal aid was sharply felt by the homeless in Florida.  70,000 acres of trees were felled in the Everglades Swamp, and in Louisiana, the Atchafalaya Swamp suffered a huge loss of its trees as well. Andrew was the most devastating hurricane in 25 years.

  Satellite photo of Hurricane Andrew as it nears Morgan City, Louisiana.

  Source: NOAA Public Domain Photo

1995 Category 3 FLORIDA: Hurricane Opal in 1995 was a Category 3 Hurricane when it came ashore at Pensacola Beach on October 3.  Peak gusts of wind were recorded there at 144 mph with gusts up to 70 mph recorded in northwest Georgia.  The main damage from Opal was from the 20-foot storm surge along the panhandle Gulf Coast of Florida. Damage was estimated at $3 billion, and there were 9 deaths in the U.S. from this storm.

1999 Category 2 NORTH CAROLINA: Hurricane Floyd in 1999 was a Category 2 Hurricane that hit Cape Fear on September 16, and continued up into New England.  Surge was up to 10 feet on the North Carolina coast, and this storm dumped large amounts of rain.  These rains were fueled by Tropical Storm Dennis 2 weeks later, causing flooding and massive damage, estimated at up to $6 billion, with deaths numbering 56 in the U.S.

2003 Category 4 NORTH CAROLINA AND VIRGINIA: Hurricane Isabel in 2003 was a Category 4 Hurricane, having diminished from a Category 5, reaching the Outer Banks first on September 18, then progressing into the Chesapeake Bay region, and as far north as the state of New York.  It's 8-foot storm surge resulted in rivers flooding in Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C., and Delaware. Seventeen people died in this storm, and damage was estimated at $3 billion. 

2004 Category 4 FLORIDA AND SOUTH CAROLINA: Hurricane Charley in 2004 was a Category 4 Hurricane, that made landfall August 13, on the coast just north of Captiva Island and progressed over Punta Gorda, and near Orlando and Kissimmee.  This storm moved out over the Atlantic Ocean after passing near Daytona Beach, and came ashore again at Cape Romain, South Carolina, as a Category 1 Hurricane.  she bounced back out to sea, and made landfall again at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  Rainfall was not that bad, however punishing winds did a lot of damage at Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte in Florida.  Damage was estimated at $15 billion, and is the second costliest hurricane in our history.  Hurricane Charley spun off over 16 reported tornadoes that did massive damage in Florida, the Carolinas, and Virginia.  There were 10 U.S. deaths from this storm.

2004 Category 2 FLORIDA: Hurricane Frances in 2004 was a Category 2 Hurricane when it made landfall near Stuart on September 5, having been downgraded from a Category 4 storm.  This storm was associated with over 100 tornadoes that spun off in Florida, and other southeaster states.  There were 7 U.S. deaths related to this storm, with damage estimated at $8.9 billion.  Most damage occurred in Florida, although there was flooding in other states.  Hurricane Jeanne would come ashore near Stuart only 3 weeks later.

2004 Category 4 ALABAMA: Hurricane Ivan in 2004 was a Category 4 Hurricane, with sustained winds over 120 mph.  this storm made landfall west of Gulf Shores on September 16.  It moved northeast, spinning off over 100 tornadoes.  This storm then went out over the Atlantic Ocean, turned in a circle, crossed Florida, re-entered the Gulf of Mexico, and made landfall as a Tropical Storm along the coast of Southwest Louisiana.  17 people in the U.S. died as a result of this storm, and damage was estimated at $14.2 billion.

2004 Category 4 FLORIDA: Hurricane Jeanne in 2004 was a Category 4 Hurricane, with sustained winds over 120 mph.  It moved across central Florida on September 26, making landfall at Stuart just 3 weeks after Hurricane Frances hit there.  It proceeded west to Tampa, and turned northeast as a lesser storm, dumping a lot of rain on Georgia, North and South Carolina, and Virginia.  U.S. damages was estimated at $6.9 billion. 

2005 Category 4 LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, ALABAMA, FLORIDA: Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was a Category 4 Hurricane when she made landfall at Buras, Louisiana, on August 29, with sustained winds over 140 miles per hour recorded at Grand Isle.  The National Climatic Data Center states that there were only 3 other hurricanes with this level of strong sustained winds: The Labor Day Hurricane - 1935 - Florida Keys; Hurricane Camille - 1969 - Mississippi; and Hurricane Andrew - 1992 - SW Florida. Katrina was a massive storm.  She had been a Category 5 Hurricane offshore, diminishing only slightly as she made landfall. However, prior to that, Katrina had entered the U.S. at Miami and traveled southwest across Florida, before entering the Gulf of Mexico. 

The U.S. government declared a state of emergency in the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, a full two days before Katrina made landfall; yet, after the storm hit, many felt that federal aid was slow to respond to the devastation and crisis.  This storm would test the local and state preparedness operations as well, and many would fall short of minimum response.  Millions of people left the Gulf Coast ahead of the storm.  However, one of the first things to shut down along the Gulf Coast had been forms of public transportation, such as buses, trains, ambulance services, and taxi services, all of which could have taken the remaining people out of harm's way.  Since ambulance services were shut down, many hospital patients and elderly residents of nursing homes were stranded and could not get out.  People without automobiles and poorer residents who relied on public transportation were left behind.  There was concern days before the storm hit, by both federal and local agencies that if storm surge pushed into Lake Pontchartrain or up the Mississippi River, that the levees would breach.  The concern was valid because that is what happened.

Flooded New Orleans, Photo By Kyle Niemi, U.S. Coast Guard - Public Domain Photo

After the storm, fingers were pointed at local authorities, at state and federal authorities, for a lack of organization and planning, and for a lack of execution of emergency procedures that could have saved lives.  Even agencies and people who went there to bring food and water and medical supplies were not allowed entry to the area due to health concerns.  It is said that we can learn from this for the future, if changes are made in the way we respond to emergencies. 

In the international community, over seventy countries responded with financial assistance, totaling nearly $7 million.

Source: NASA August 28, 2005 Public Domain Photo

Hurricane Katrina is so large, she nearly fills up the Gulf of Mexico.

NOAA cites this description of Katrina on their website:  "After the storm continued plowing inland into Mississippi during the afternoon of the 29^th, Katrina left a wake of pure devastation that will never be forgotten. The loss of life and property damage was heightened by breaks in the levees that separate New Orleans from Lake Pontchartrain. At least 80% of New Orleans was under flood waters on August 31^st (source NCDC). Americans watched in awe as thousands were stranded on roof tops and US Coast Guard helicopter rescues were performed . . . Hurricane Katrina was one of the strongest storms to impact the US Coast during the last 100 years and most likely will stand as our nation’s costliest natural disaster to date. With sustained winds of 140 mph (a strong category 4 hurricane) during landfall and possessing a minimum central pressure of 920 mb (third lowest on record) at landfall, Katrina caused hundreds of deaths, prolonged human suffering, and widespread devastation along portions of the US Gulf Coast." 

Photos of the City of Venice, Louisiana, by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - Public Domain Photo

Thousand of pets were left behind to die or be rescued by others; many have been reunited with their families, many died of starvation and lack of fresh water, and some have not been found at all. 

Damage from Katrina was catastrophic in southeastern Louisiana and the coast of Mississippi. Here is a photo of nearby city Metairie after Katrina, and this was not the worst flooding in the area. Shown here is Interstate 10, I-610 Bypass, and West End Blvd.

Photo of Metairie, Louisiana, by Kyle Niemi, U.S. Coast Guard

Public Domain Photo

A waterway that linked to the Mississippi River breached its levees at St. Bernard Parish in Louisiana, causing major flooding there with loss of life and property.  Much of the flooding in New Orleans was caused by the deadly storm surge that pushed water up Lake Pontchartrain, where the levies broke. 

The gruesome situation in New Orleans and nearby St. Bernard Parish unfolded on national television, when people in other unaffected states watched in horror as people were shown stranded and dying, homeless and desperate.  60,000 people in New Orleans were stranded.  Rescues were difficult, flood waters were contaminated with chemicals and bacteria, and people and animals died as days passed with no food or water.  Bodies were recovered for weeks afterward.  Over 1,800 people died as a result of Hurricane Katrina during the day she made landfall and the days of flooding that followed.

Environmental Impact

BEFORE AND AFTER KATRINA

Northern Chandeleur Islands, 60 miles east of New Orleans. The first image, taken in July 2001, shows narrow sandy beaches and adjacent overwashed sandflats, low vegetated dunes, and backbarrier marshes broken by ponds and channels. The second image shows the same site on August 31, 2005, two days after Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the Louisiana and Mississippi coastline. Storm surge and large waves from Hurricane Katrina submerged the islands, stripped sand from the beaches, and eroded large sections of the marsh. Today, few recognizable landforms are left on the Chandeleur Island chain.

U.S. Geological Survey www.usgs.gov  Public Domain Photo

This storm not only destroyed homes and towns, it also destroyed millions of acres of wildlands, including 16 National Wildlife Refuges and valuable wetlands, marshes, and swamps.  Saltwater that pushed in with storm surge destroyed plant life and animal life in marshes.  Years later, conditions remain the same.  Vegetation and animal life has not returned.  Since marshes provide natural filters of salt water leading into fresh water areas, and breeding grounds for many Gulf fish and shrimp, pelicans and ducks, those have been adversely affected also.

Many "oiled animals" perished in this storm due to oil spills in the water, but many were saved, such as this alligator at Bass Enterprises South Facility in Cox Bay, Louisiana, where 3.8 million gallons of oil were released into nearby waters.

Photo of Oiled Alligator at Cox Bay, Louisiana, By Mike Lutz, U.S. Coast Guard

Public Domain Photo

The most severe surge and wind damage occurred in Pass Christian, Bay St. Louis, Waveland, Biloxi, Gulfport, and other nearly towns in Mississippi.  The surge of water there that pushed in from the Gulf hit the hardest at Waveland, Bay St. Louis, and Pass Christian, and was 30 feet high. More than 100,000 people were left homeless on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Katrina diminished as she traveled into the northeast U.S. Damage is estimated at $81.2 billion.

AFTER KATRINA

Pass Christian - Long Beach - Gulfport Devastation, Mississippi Coast  

Source: www.photosfromkatrina.com  Public Domain Photos 

2005 Category 3 LOUISIANA AND TEXAS: Hurricane Rita was a Category 3 Hurricane when she made landfall at just east of Sabine Pass and Johnson Bayou in southwest Louisiana on September 22, in the same year as Katrina, 2005.  Storm surge was at 15 feet and caused a lot of destruction at Cameron, Holly Beach, Johnson Bayou, Grand Chenier, Creole, and Pecan Island.  There was 100% destruction in Holly Beach and Peveto Beach. These Gulf-facing communities were nearly blown off the map, and years later, they still have not rebuilt.  Salt water still stands in the marshes and wetlands. Many plants and bushes and trees were killed and have not returned.  Many birds such as egrets and spoonbills are not found there any longer because there are no small fish or animals for them to eat there.  No ducks or geese will land in that water as they once did, during their winter migrations.  There was devastating damage in southwestern Louisiana and extreme eastern Texas from this cyclone.  365,000 Louisiana households requested emergency assistance from FEMA after this storm. Seven people died in this storm and damage was estimated at $10 billion.

Environmental Impact

BEFORE AND AFTER RITA

Hackberry Beach, Louisiana: The response to Hurricane Rita at this undeveloped location mirrors that seen in Holly Beach and Peveto Beach. Sand has been carried from the beach at least as far as the backing marsh where standing water precludes observation of deposition. Note the extensive flooding in the marshes landward of the canal.

U.S. Geological Survey www.usgs.gov  Public Domain Photo

BEFORE AND AFTER RITA

Holly Beach, Louisiana: In the lower photograph, note the sand deposit emerging from the flood waters in a mid-island location half way between the arrows, as well as landward of the main highway along the far-left side. There are no structures left standing.

U.S. Geological Survey www.usgs.gov  Public Domain Photo

http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/hurricanes/rita/photo-comparisons/cameron.html

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