Atlantic Hurricane Season of 2005

John L. Beven II, National Hurricane Center/Tropical Prediction Center, NOAA/NWS Miami, FL

Introduction

Individual Storms
Tropical Storm Arlene Tropical Storm Harvey Hurricane Ophelia Hurricane Wilma
Tropical Storm Bret Hurricane Irene Hurricane Philippe Tropical Storm Alpha
Hurricane Cindy Tropical Storm Jose Hurricane Rita Hurricane Beta
Hurricane Dennis Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Stan Tropical Storm Gamma
Hurricane Emily Tropical Storm Lee Unnamed Subtropical Storm Tropical Storm Delta
Tropical Storm Franklin Hurricane Maria Tropical Storm Tammy Hurricane Epsilon
Tropical Storm Gert Hurricane Nate Hurricane Vince Tropical Storm Zeta

Tropical and Subtropical Depressions

Acknowledgments

Introduction

The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active on record. Twenty-eight storms formed, including 27 named tropical storms and one unnamed subtropical storm. This broke the old record of 21 set in 1933. Fifteen storms became hurricanes, breaking the old record of 12 set in 1969. Seven of the hurricanes became major hurricanes, Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, including four (Emily, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma) which reached Category 5 intensity. This is the first time since records began in 1851 that four Category 5 storms have been known to occur in a season. In contrast, based on the last 40 years, in an average season there would have been 11 named storms, 6 hurricanes, and 2 major hurricanes. Wilma had a minimum central pressure of 882 hPa, the lowest ever observed in an Atlantic hurricane. The season also included three depressions—two tropical and one subtropical—that did not reach tropical storm strength.

Seven tropical cyclones made landfall in the United States, including Hurricanes Cindy, Dennis, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. The latter four were major hurricanes at landfall, and this was the first time that four major hurricanes hit the United States in one season. Katrina was the deadliest U. S. hurricane since the Palm Beach-Lake Okeechobee hurricane of September 1928. It devastated portions of the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico and is the most costly U. S. hurricane of record. Hurricane Ophelia also struck the United States, although the circulation center stayed just off the coast of North Carolina. Seven tropical cyclones hit Mexico, including major hurricanes Emily and Wilma. Dennis hit Cuba as a major hurricane, while Hurricane Beta hit the Colombian island of Providencia as well as Nicaragua. Vince made landfall in Spain as a tropical depression, making it the first tropical cyclone on record to hit that country.

Individual Storms

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The vital statistics of the named storms of 2005 are given in Table 1, while the tracks are shown in Figure 1. The tracks of the depressions are shown in Figure 2. In the cyclone summaries given, all dates are based on Universal Coordinated Time, although local time is implied with expressions such as "afternoon," "mid-day," etc.

Figure 1. Tracks of Atlantic storms. Click to enlarge

Figure 1. Tracks of Atlantic tropical storms, subtropical storms, and hurricanes of 2005.


Storm Name Class* Dates** Maximum Winds (kt) Minimum Central Pressure (mb) Deaths U. S. Damages ($million)
Arlene TS 8-13 June 60 989 1 Minor***
Bret TS 28-30 June 35 1002 1  
Cindy H 3-7 July 65 991 1 320
Dennis H 4-13 July 130 930 42 2,230
Emily H 11-21 July 140 929 6 Minor***
Franklin TS 21-29 July 60 997    
Gert TS 23-25 July 40 1005    
Harvey TS 2-8 August 55 994    
Irene H 4-18 August 90 970    
Jose TS 22-23 August 50 998 6  
Katrina H 22-30 August 150 902 1200 75,000
Lee TS 28 August-2 September 35 1006    
Maria H 1-10 September 100 962    
Nate H 5-10 September 80 979    
Ophelia H 6-17 September 75 976 1 70
Philippe H 17-24 September 70 985    
Rita H 18-26 September 155 895 7 10,000
Stan H 1-5 October 70 977 80  
Unnamed STS 4-5 October 45 997    
Tammy TS 5-6 October 45 1001   Minor***
Vince H 8-11 October 65 988    
Wilma H 15-25 October 160 882 22 16,800
Alpha TS 22-24 October 45 998 26  
Beta H 26-31 October 100 962    
Gamma TS 14-21 November 45 1002 37  
Delta TS 22-28 November 60 980    
Epsilon H 29 November-8 December 75 981    
Zeta TS 30 December-6 January 55 994    

* TS - tropical storm, maximum sustained winds 34-63 kt; STS - subtropical storm, maximum sustained winds 34-63 kt; H - hurricane, maximum sustained winds 64 kt or higher.
** Dates based on UTC time and include tropical depression stage.
*** Only minor damage was reported and the extent of the damage was not quantified.

Table 1. Atlantic tropical storms and hurricanes of 2005.

Figure 2. Tracks of Atlantic storms

Figure 2. Tracks of Atlantic tropical and subtropical depressions of 2005.

Tropical Storm Arlene

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Arlene formed as a tropical depression on 8 June near the northeastern coast of Honduras from the combination of a tropical wave and the Intertropical Convergence Zone (Figure 1). The depression became a tropical storm on 9 June about 150 nmi west-southwest of Grand Cayman Island. Arlene moved slowly northward with steady intensification and crossed western Cuba near Cabo Corrientes with 45 kts winds. The storm continued northward over the eastern Gulf of Mexico, where it reached its peak intensity of 60 kts. Thereafter, Arlene weakened, with its center making landfall near Pensacola, Florida on 11 June with 50 kts winds. The cyclone continued to weaken as it moved northward farther inland and was absorbed by a frontal system over southeastern Canada on 14 June.

Arlene’s winds affected much of the northwestern Caribbean Sea and the eastern Gulf of Mexico. The most significant marine observation was from the Carnival Glory (3FPS9), which reported 58 kts winds at 1800 UTC 10 June. The Carnival Victory (3FFL8) reported 40 kts winds at 0900 UTC 9 June, an observation that was instrumental in upgrading Arlene to a tropical storm. Other selected ship observations from Arlene are included in Table 2.

At the coast, Punta del Este, on the Isle of Youth, Cuba, reported sustained winds of 41 kts at 0725 UTC 10 June, while Navarre, Florida reported a gust of 52 kts at 1910 UTC 11 June. One student died in a rip current triggered by Arlene at Miami Beach, Florida. The storm caused minimal damage.


Date/Time (UTC) Ship name/call sign Latitude (°N) Longitude (°W) Wind dir/speed (kts) Pressure (hPa)
08 / 2100 Caribbean Princess 19.4 80.7 070 / 35 1004.2
09 / 0900 Carnival Victory 19.4 81.8 140 / 40 1005.0
09 / 1800 Carnival Victory 18.9 81.2 200 / 40 1008.0
10 / 0045 Explorer of the Seas 20.5 85.9 350 / 42 1002.1
10 / 0045 SHIP 20.5 85.9 350 / 42 1002.1
10 / 0700 Fascination (C6FM9) 25.3 79.8 090 / 35 1011.0
10 / 1400 Chevron Arizona 24.5 84.1 120 / 40 1001.3
10 / 1600 OOCL Faith 25.8 87.8 *** / 38 1007.0
10 / 1800 Caribbean Princess 23.1 83.7 220 / 47 1004.2
10 / 1800 Carnival Glory (3FPS9) 24.0 82.3 160 / 58 1004.0
10 / 1800 Chevron Arizona 25.1 83.8 150 / 40 1009.0
10 / 1800 OOCL Faith 25.6 87.1 *** / 35 1004.0
10 / 1900 Holiday (C6FM6) 26.1 87.3 040 / 37 1004.0
10 / 2100 Inspiration (C6FM5) 25.6 84.0 180 / 40 1000.5
10 / 2200 Holiday (C6FM6) 26.2 88.6 040 / 37 1004.0
10 / 2200 Deepwater Millenium 27.7 87.9 060 / 42 1008.0
10 / 2300 Fascination (C6FM9) 25.9 79.7 100 / 35 1011.0
11 / 0000 Inspiration (C6FM5) 26.3 83.5 140 / 51 1004.0
11 / 0000 Overseas New Orleans 27.5 88.7 060 / 38 1006.8
11 / 0100 Holiday (C6FM6) 26.1 89.2 040 / 37 1004.0
11 / 0200 Cajun Express (ELXL3) 28.0 88.1 070 / 40 1005.0
11 / 0400 Cajun Express (ELXL3) 28.0 88.1 060 / 36 1004.0

Table 2. Selected ship reports with winds of at least 34 kts for Tropical Storm Arlene, 8-13 June 2005.

Tropical Storm Bret

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Bret originated from a tropical wave accompanied by a weak area of surface low pressure that crossed Central America and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico from 24-27 June. On 28 June, the associated area of disturbed weather became better organized over the Bay of Campeche, and a tropical depression formed the low later that day about 50 nmi northeast of Veracruz, Mexico (Figure 1). The cyclone quickly strengthened into a tropical storm. Bret moved west-northwestward and made landfall on the coast of Mexico near Tuxpan early on 29 June with maximum winds of 35 kts in a very small area near the center. The system dissipated over the mountains of Mexico early on 30 June.

No known ships encountered Bret, and there were no reports of tropical-storm force winds from the affected coastal area. However, Bret produced flooding in the Mexican state of Veracruz, where there was one death in the town of Cerro Azul.

Hurricane Cindy

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A tropical wave that left the coast of Africa on 24 June was the origin of Cindy. The wave spawned a depression on 3 July in the Caribbean Sea just east of the Yucatan-Belize border (Figure 1). The cyclone moved northwestward across the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula before emerging over the south-central Gulf of Mexico on 4 July. Once over the warm Gulf waters, the depression strengthened into a tropical storm early on 5 July as it turned northward. Additional strengthening occurred, and Cindy became a hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 65 kts a few hours before making landfall near Grand Isle, Louisiana early on 6 July. Cindy then turned northeastward, its center passing just east of New Orleans, Louisiana before making landfall on the Mississippi coast as a tropical storm later that day. The cyclone continued northeastward across the southeastern United States and merged with a frontal system over northern Georgia on 7 July. The extratropical remnants of Cindy then moved northeastward along the Appalachian Mountains and across New England and southeastern Canada before dissipating over the Gulf of St. Lawrence on 11 July.

Several ships and buoys encountered Cindy (Table 3). The most significant observation was from the moveable semi-submersible oil rig Deepwater Horizon (V7HC9), which reported a southeast wind of 60 kts at 1700 UTC 5 July (likely at an elevation of 150-300 ft). Additionally, the fixed oil platform South Timbalier (ST-308) reported a gust to 87 kts near 1800 UTC 5 July, while a buoy operated by the University of Southern Mississippi reported sustained winds of 43 kts with a gust to 51 kts at 1030 UTC 6 July.

At the coast, an automated platform operated by Louisiana State University reported sustained winds of 67 kts with a gust to 75 kts (elevation 133 ft) at 0100 UTC 6 July. Lakefront Airport in New Orleans reported sustained winds of 47 kts with a gust to 61 kts at 0800 UTC 6 July, while Pascagoula, Mississippi reported sustained winds of 40 kts with a gust to 48 kts at 1025 UTC that day.

Cindy and its remnants caused heavy rains and localized floods across portions of the southeastern United States, with one death in Georgia due to the floods. The storm caused an estimated $320 million damage in the United States.


Date/Time (UTC) Ship name/call sign Latitude (°N) Longitude (°W) Wind dir/speed (kts) Pressure (hPa)
05 / 0900 Cajun Express (ELXL3) 28.6 90.0 120 / 35 1015.0
05 / 1000 Lykes Liberator 24.9 88.2 140 / 40 1012.0
05 / 1100 Discoverer Enterprise (V7HD3) 28.2 88.5 150 / 35 1008.0
05 / 1500 Nedlloyd Holland 26.8 89.5 170 / 37 1010.0
05 / 1700 Deepwater Horizon 27.6 89.8 130 / 60 1011.5
05 / 1800 Northern Fortune (V2AW5) 26.0 87.8 040 / 41 1017.0
05 / 1900 Deepwater Horizon 27.5 89.8 150 / 46 1007.7
06 / 0000 Deepwater Millenium 27.7 87.9 150 / 37 1016.0
06 / 0100 Philadelphia 28.5 89.1 140 / 50 1006.5

Table 3. Selected ship reports with winds of at least 34 kts for Hurricane Cindy, 3-7 July 2005.

Hurricane Dennis

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Dennis developed from a tropical wave that moved westward across the coast of Africa on 29 June. A tropical depression formed from the wave on 4 July near the southern Windward Islands (Figure 1). The cyclone moved west-northwestward across the eastern and central Caribbean sea, became a tropical storm on 5 July, and strengthened into a hurricane early on 6 July about 215 nmi east-southeast of Jamaica. Dennis intensified over the next two days, becoming a major hurricane on 7 July and a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 130 kts the next day just south of central Cuba. The core of Dennis passed over Cabo Cruz, Cuba early on 8 July with winds of 115 kts, and then made landfall along the south-central coast of Cuba that afternoon near Cienfuegos with winds of 125 kts (Figure 3). After landfall, Dennis passed near Havana and weakened to a Category 1 hurricane before emerging over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico early on 9 July. Although Dennis re-intensified into a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 125 kts early on 10 July over the eastern Gulf of Mexico, it weakened to Category 3 strength before making landfall over the western Florida Panhandle near Navarre Beach late that day. Dennis degenerated to a low pressure area over the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys, and it was eventually absorbed by an extratropical low over southeastern Canada on 18 July.

Ships avoided the intense, but small, core of Dennis. The highest marine wind reported was 56 kts at 2300 UTC 8 July from the Caribean Princess (ZCDG8). Seakeepers (KS049) reported 48 kts winds at 1500 UTC 10 July. Ships that reported winds at least 34 kts for Hurricane Dennis are shown in Table 4.

Dennis brought hurricane conditions to many portions of Cuba. Cabo Cruz reported 116 kts sustained winds with a gust to 129 kts at 0200 UTC 8 July, with a minimum pressure of 956 hPa at 0240 UTC just before the eye passed over the station. The anemometer was destroyed, and it is possible more extreme winds occurred there. Dennis also caused hurricane conditions in the western Florida Panhandle. An instrumented tower operated by the Florida Coastal Monitoring Program (FCMP) at Navarre measured 1-min average winds (5 m elevation) of 86 kts and a gust to 105 kts at 1921 UTC 10 July.

Dennis was responsible for 42 deaths—22 in Haiti, 16 in Cuba, 3 in the United States, and 1 in Jamaica. The hurricane caused considerable damage across central and eastern Cuba as well as the western Florida Panhandle, including widespread utility and communications outages. Considerable storm surge-related damage also occurred near St. Marks, Florida, approximately 150 nmi east of the landfall location. The damage associated with Dennis in the United States is estimated at $2.23 billion. Damage in Jamaica is estimated at 1.9 billion Jamaican dollars (approximately $31.7 million U. S. dollars).


Date/Time (UTC) Ship name/call sign Latitude (°N) Longitude (°W) Wind dir/speed (kts) Pressure (hPa)
07 / 1800 UBC Stavanger 15.3 76.8 260 / 43 N/A
07 / 1800 Lombok Strait 18.3 74.9 160 / 41 1007.0
08 / 2300 Caribbean Princess 24.9 79.8 110 / 56 1008.1
09 / 0000 Fascination (C6FM9) 26.0 79.6 100 / 35 1012.0
09 / 1800 Sealand Florida 23.6 82.6 190 / 37 1003.8
09 / 2000 Julius Hammer 23.6 82.4 160 / 37 1007.0
09 / 2100 Sealand Florida 23.8 81.6 140 / 40 1006.6
10 / 0530 Explorer of the Seas 26.3 79.2 120 / 44 1012.5
10 / 0600 Sea Horse 25.3 80.0 140 / 35 1019.0
10 / 0600 Seakeepers (KS049) 25.9 83.3 160 / 39 999.9
10 / 0600 Carnival Glory 26.5 78.9 140 / 40 1015.0
10 / 0657 Explorer of the Seas 26.0 79.6 100 / 41 1012.0
10 / 1500 Seakeepers (KS049) 27.6 83.2 190 / 48 1001.8
13 / 2200 Canadian Enterprise 42.0 81.5 130 / 40 N/A

Table 4. Selected ship reports with winds of at least 34 kts for Hurricane Dennis, 4-13 July 2005.


Figure 3. Hurricane Dennis

Figure 3. GOES-12 visible image of Hurricane Dennis near peak intensity at 1415 UTC 8 July 2005. Image courtesy of the Naval Research Laboratory, Monterey, CA.

Hurricane Emily

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Emily originated from a tropical wave that moved westward from the coast of Africa on 6 July. A tropical depression developed on 11 July about 1075 nmi east of the southern Windward Islands. Moving westward, the depression became a tropical storm the following day. Emily became a hurricane early on 14 July several hours before the center crossed Grenada. Later that day, Emily reached major hurricane strength over the eastern Caribbean Sea. Over the next few days, it moved west-northwestward across the Caribbean, reaching a peak intensity of 140 kts on 17 July (the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record) when it was south of Hispaniola (Figure 4). Emily passed south of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, and it struck the Yucatan Peninsula near Tulum on 18 July with maximum winds near 115 kts (Category 4). Emily weakened while crossing the Yucatan, but it became a major hurricane again in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico on 19 July. Emily made its final landfall the next day near San Fernando, Mexico, with maximum sustained winds near 110 kts (Category 3). The cyclone then weakened and dissipated on 21 July over northern Mexico.

NOAA buoy 42056 reported 1-min average winds of 63 kts with a gust to 74 kts at 2151 UTC 17 July. Additionally, three ships reported tropical storm-force winds from Emily, with highest winds of 50 kts coming from the Santa Clara (ELQJ3) at 0000 UTC 20 July. The Overseas New Orleans (WFKW) reported 39 kts winds at 1800 UTC 19 July, while the Mathilde Maersk (OUUU2) reported 37 kts winds at 2100 UTC 16 July.

Emily brought hurricane conditions and caused property damage in Grenada, the northeastern Yucatan, and portions of northeastern Mexico. The cyclone also produced tropical storm conditions in south Texas. Emily was responsible for six deaths—one in Grenada and five in Jamaica.

Figure 4. Hurricane Emily

Figure 4. GOES-12 visible image of Hurricane Emily near peak intensity at 2145 UTC 16 July 2005. Image courtesy of the Naval Research Laboratory, Monterey, CA.

Tropical Storm Franklin

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Franklin formed from a tropical wave that emerged from the coast of Africa on 10 July. It started as a tropical depression on 21 July about 60 nmi east of the island of Eleuthera in the northwestern Bahamas, and it became a tropical storm late that day. Franklin turned northward and then northeastward during the next two days while strengthening to its peak intensity of 60 kts on 23 July. During 23-26 July, Franklin moved erratically east-northeastward in the general direction of Bermuda, with winds weakening to 35 kts by 25 July due to northwesterly wind shear. The storm center passed about 175 nmi west of Bermuda on 26 July. Franklin then moved slowly northward on 27-28 July while it re-intensified to 50 kts. Later on 28 July, Franklin accelerated northeastward in response to a frontal system moving off the east coast of the United States. The cyclone weakened north of the Gulf Stream early on 29 July, became extratropical late that day, and merged with a frontal zone while passing south of Newfoundland on 30-31 July.

Two ships reported tropical storm-force winds from Franklin while it was a tropical cyclone. The Alkin Kalkavan (V7GY3) reported 50 kts winds at 2100 UTC 29 August as Franklin was becoming extratropical, while the Liberty Sun (WCOB) reported 37 kts winds at 0900 UTC 25 August. Tropical storm-force winds associated with Franklin stayed east of the Bahamas, and there were no reports of casualties or damages from the storm.

Tropical Storm Gert

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Gert formed from the same tropical wave that spawned Tropical Storm Franklin. The system developed into a tropical depression in the Bay of Campeche on 23 July, and it strengthened to a tropical storm later that day while moving slowly west-northwestward (Figure 1). Gert made landfall just north of Cabo Rojo, Mexico late on 24 July with 40 kts winds. The storm dissipated over central Mexico the next day. The cyclone brought locally heavy rain to areas that had been affected by Hurricane Emily less than a week earlier, but there were no reports of casualties or damages from Gert.

Tropical Storm Harvey

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Harvey formed from a tropical wave that exited the coast of Africa on 22 July. This wave showed signs of organization during its passage across the tropical Atlantic. The system reached the northeastern Caribbean Sea on 29 July, with an associated area of disturbed weather crossing Hispaniola on 30 July. The disturbance moved northward for a couple of days and became organized into a tropical depression on 2 August about 320 nmi southwest of Bermuda. Moving north-northeastward, the cyclone strengthened into Tropical Storm Harvey on 3 August. The next day, Harvey turned toward the east-northeast and reached its peak intensity of 55 kts. The storm drifted northward on 6 August and then turned northeastward the next day in response to an upper-level trough approaching from the west. Harvey became a large and powerful extratropical cyclone late on 8 August about 490 nmi southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland, which lingered over the North Atlantic until losing its identity on 14 August.

One ship reported tropical storm-force winds from Harvey—the Fortune Pioneer I (H3VT), which reported 35 kts winds while located about 125 nmi south-southeast of the circulation center at 1200 UTC 3 August. Bermuda reported sustained winds of 32 kts with a gust to 44 kts as Harvey passed about 40 nmi to the south on 4 August. There were no reports of casualties or damages due to Harvey.

Hurricane Irene

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Irene formed from a tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa on 1 August. It developed into a depression on 4 August about 600 nmi southwest of the Cape Verde Islands, but promptly turned northwestward across cooler waters (Figure 1). This halted further development until 7 August, when the depression strengthened to a tropical storm about 1080 nmi east of the northern Leeward Islands. Irene moved over the open waters of the central tropical Atlantic for the next few days, weakening to a tropical depression before re-strengthening to a tropical storm on 11 August. Irene turned northwestward and passed between Bermuda and Cape Hatteras, North Carolina on 14 August. The cyclone then turned north-northeastward and strengthened into a hurricane, reaching its peak intensity of 90 kts on 16 August. This was followed by an eastward turn and weakening. Irene then moved east-northeastward over much cooler waters and was absorbed by an extratropical low about 250 nmi east-southeast of Cape Race on 18 August. There were no reports of casualties or damages due to Irene.

Tropical Storm Jose

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The short-lived Jose originated from a tropical wave that moved westward from the coast of Africa on 8 August. A tropical depression formed from the wave on 22 August over the Bay of Campeche about 95 nmi east of Veracruz, with the depression becoming a tropical storm later that day (Figure 1). Maximum winds reached 50 kts as Jose made landfall early on 23 August about 30 nmi north of Veracruz. Shortly thereafter, the cyclone dissipated over the mountains of eastern Mexico. Jose produced locally heavy rains over portions of eastern Mexico, resulting in mud slides that caused six deaths.

Hurricane Katrina

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Katrina was one of the most devastating hurricanes in the history of the United States, and it was the deadliest hurricane to strike the United States since the Palm Beach-Lake Okeechobee hurricane of September 1928. It produced catastrophic damage—estimated at $75 billion in the New Orleans area and along the Mississippi coast—and is the costliest U. S. hurricane on record.

This horrific tropical cyclone formed from the combination of a tropical wave, an upper-level trough, and the mid-level remnants of Tropical Depression Ten. These systems produced disturbed weather over the southeastern Bahamas on 22 August, and a tropical depression formed the next day about 175 nmi southeast of Nassau in the Bahamas (Figure 1). Moving northwestward, it became a tropical storm on 24 August about 65 nmi east-southeast of Nassau. Katrina passed through the northwestern Bahamas on 24-25 August and then turned westward toward southern Florida. It became a hurricane just before the center made landfall near the Miami-Dade/Broward county line during the evening of 25 August.

Katrina moved southwestward across southern Florida into the eastern Gulf of Mexico on 26 August, then it turned west-northwestward on 27 August. It strengthened significantly, reaching Category 5 intensity on 28 August (Figure 5) while turning northward. Later that day, maximum sustained winds reached 150 kts with an aircraft-measured central pressure of 902 hPa while the eye was about 170 nmi southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. This center reached the Louisiana coast near Buras at 1110 UTC 29 August with maximum winds estimated at 110 kts (Category 3). Continuing northward, the hurricane made a second landfall near the Louisiana/Mississippi border at 1445 UTC with maximum winds estimated at 105 kts (Category 3). Katrina weakened while moving north-northeastward over land, but it was still a hurricane as far inland as Laurel, Mississippi. The cyclone weakened to a tropical depression over the Tennessee Valley on 30 August. Katrina became an extratropical low on August 31 and was absorbed by a frontal zone later that day over the eastern Great Lakes.

Figure 5. Hurricane Katrina

Figure 5. NOAA-16 multispectral image of Hurricane Katrina near peak intensity at 2011, UTC 28 August 2005. Image courtesy of the Space Science and Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI

Many ships encountered Katrina (Table 5), although none were in the intense inner core. The Malcom Baldrige (WTER) reported 55 kts winds at 1500 UTC 26 August, while the Cajun Express (ELXL3) reported 55 kts winds at 0000 UTC 29 August. Additionally, NOAA buoy 42003 reported 10-minute average winds of 57 kts with a gust to 78 kts at 0230 UTC 28 August. Several data buoys were casualties of Katrina, with buoy 42003 capsizing and NOAA buoy 42007 reportedly washing ashore.

Katrina brought hurricane conditions to southeastern Louisiana, southern Mississippi, and southwestern Alabama. The Coastal Marine Automated Network (C-MAN) station at Grand Isle, Louisiana reported sustained winds of 76 kts at 0820 UTC 29 August with a gust to 99 kts. Higher winds likely occurred there and elsewhere, as it and many other stations either were destroyed, lost power, or lost communications during the storm. Storm surge of 25 to 28 ft above normal tide level occurred along portions of the Mississippi coast, with storm surge of 10 to 20 ft above normal tide levels along the southeastern Louisiana coast. Hurricane conditions also occurred over southern Florida and the Dry Tortugas. The National Hurricane Center/Miami Weather Forecast Office reported sustained winds of 60 kts at 0115 UTC 26 August with a gust to 76 kts. Additionally, tropical storm conditions occurred along the northern Gulf coast as far east as the coast of the western Florida Panhandle, as well as in the Florida Keys.

Katrina is directly responsible for approximately 1200 deaths, including about 1000 in Louisiana and 200 in Mississippi. Seven additional deaths occurred in southern Florida. Katrina caused catastrophic damage in southeastern Louisiana and southern Mississippi. Storm surge along the Mississippi coast caused total destruction of many structures, with the surge damage extending several nautical miles inland. Similar damage occurred in portions of southeastern Louisiana southeast of New Orleans. The surge overtopped and breached some levees in the New Orleans metropolitan area, resulting in the inundation of much of the city and its eastern suburbs. Wind damage from Katrina extended well inland into northern Mississippi and Alabama. The hurricane also caused wind and water damage in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.


Date/Time (UTC) Ship name/call sign Latitude (°N) Longitude (°W) Wind dir/speed (kts) Pressure (hPa)
25 / 1800 Frances L (ZCAM5) 26.8 79.3 080 / 37 1005.5
26 / 0600 Jacksonville 24.5 80.3 190 / 45 1005.0
26 / 0600 Malcom Baldrige 24.6 81.8 260 / 40 999.3
26 / 0600 Philadelphia (KSYP) 24.8 80.4 180 / 36 1004.5
26 / 1200 Asphalt Commander 24.0 81.8 250 / 37 1003.0
26 / 1500 Malcom Baldrige 24.6 81.8 200 / 55 1000.8
26 / 2100 Fascination (C6FM9) 24.4 80.4 180 / 40 1007.0
27 / 0000 Sol De Brasil 24.1 82.0 180 / 37 1000.5
27 / 0600 Rickmers Tokyo 22.8 84.3 240 / 45 999.0
27 / 1200 Seakeepers (KS049) 22.7 84.5 240 / 36 994.1
27 / 1800 Carnival Valor (H3VR) 23.2 83.3 190 / 40 1001.0
27 / 1800 Seakeepers (KS049) 23.5 82.6 160 / 41 994.5
27 / 1800 Sol De Brasil 25.5 83.1 120 / 37 1003.5
27 / 2100 Delaware Trader (WDB325) 23.8 86.8 340 / 38 995.2
28 / 0000 Jo Sypress 21.1 84.4 200 / 35 1005.5
28 / 0600 Lykes Discoverer 23.0 84.5 170 / 44 1001.2
28 / 0600 Delaware Trader (WDB325) 23.7 84.7 190 / 54 999.5
28 / 0800 Discoverer Enterprise (V7HD3) 27.6 92.1 000 / 35 994.0
28 / 1200 Lykes Discoverer 23.0 85.9 190 / 44 999.5
28 / 1200 Jo Sypress 23.0 85.7 200 / 37 1001.9
28 / 1200 Joint Frost 27.6 83.0 130 / 35 1007.3
28 / 1400 Jag Prakash 24.0 88.3 250 / 37 1000.0
28 / 1500 Deepwater Millenium 27.1 91.6 010 / 40 1003.0
28 / 1800 Richard H. Matzke 23.8 87.0 200 / 36 1004.5
28 / 1800 British Excellence (MCLQ4) 26.0 84.9 180 / 42 1005.0
28 / 1800 Discoverer Spirit 27.5 90.6 020 / 40 998.0
28 / 2100 Lykes Discoverer 23.5 88.2 240 / 37 998.5
28 / 2100 Discoverer Deep Seas 26.2 91.4 350 / 35 993.0
29 / 0000 Bernardo Quintana A 24.9 89.4 240 / 38 994.5
29 / 0000 Discoverer Deep Seas 26.2 91.4 320 / 40 993.1
29 / 0000 Cajun Express (ELXL3) 26.6 90.9 310 / 55 990.0
29 / 0000 Ocean Confidence (V7EA2) 26.8 91.7 340 / 44 986.8
29 / 0000 Deepwater Millenium 27.0 92.7 350 / 40 1001.0
29 / 0200 Indotrans Flores (VRZN8) 26.5 92.7 350 / 54 997.0
29 / 0300 Bernardo Quintana A 25.2 89.7 220 / 38 995.7
29 / 0300 Cajun Express (ELXL3) 26.5 90.8 310 / 52 991.0
29 / 0300 Ocean Confidence (V7EA2) 26.8 91.7 320 / 44 988.2
29 / 0400 Discoverer Spirit 27.1 91.4 350 / 40 996.0
29 / 0500 Indotrans Flores (VRZN8) 26.4 92.2 330 / 54 996.0
29 / 0600 Bernardo Quintana A 25.5 90.0 220 / 38 997.0
29 / 0600 Deepwater Horizon 27.0 92.7 340 / 37 998.3
29 / 0800 Deepwater Horizon 27.0 92.7 320 / 38 998.6
29 / 0900 Indotrans Flores (VRZN8) 26.3 91.4 330 / 54 995.0
29 / 1100 Sensation (C6FM8 22.3 88.0 230 / 35 1009.0
29 / 1200 British Excellence (MCLQ4) 28.3 85.5 170 / 36 1004.3
29 / 1500 Indotrans Flores (VRZN8) 26.9 90.7 270 / 54 999.0

Table 5. Selected ship reports with winds of at least 34 kts for Hurricane Katrina, 23-30 August 2005.

Tropical Storm Lee

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Tropical Storm Lee formed from a tropical wave that moved westward from Africa on 24 August. It first became a depression on 28 August about midway between Africa and the Lesser Antilles (Figure 1). The depression dissipated the following day, but its remnants redeveloped into a depression on 31 August. The cyclone briefly became a tropical storm later that day. It then degenerated and became a remnant low pressure area on 2 September about 625 nmi east of Bermuda. The low was absorbed by a cold front late on 3 September. There were no reports of casualties or damages from Lee.

Hurricane Maria

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Maria developed from a vigorous tropical wave that crossed the west coast of Africa on 27 August and became a tropical depression on 1 September while centered about 910 nmi east of the northern Leeward Islands (Figure 1). Moving west-northwestward to northwestward, the cyclone strengthened into a tropical storm the next day. Maria turned north-northwestward and became a hurricane on 4 September. It reached an estimated peak intensity of 100 kts early on 6 September (Figure 1) when the cyclone was centered about 415 nmi east of Bermuda. Over the next few days, Maria moved northeastward while the intensity slowly decreased, with the cyclone weakening to a tropical storm early on 9 September. Maria became a powerful extratropical storm over the north Atlantic about 660 nmi east of Cape Race on 10 September. The storm moved past Iceland on 13 September and merged with another extratropical low the next day. This system caused a landslide and one death in Norway.

Three ships reported tropical storm-force winds from Maria. The Faust (WRYX) reported 37 kts winds at 0500 UTC 10 September, while the Marinus Green (PECS) reported 37 kts winds at 1200 UTC 7 September. Additionally, the CMA CGM Potomac (HPII) reported 36kts winds at 0000 UTC 9 September.

Figure 6. Hurricane Maria

Figure 6. GOES-12 infrared image of Hurricane Maria at 0215 UTC 6 September 2005. Image courtesy of the Naval Research Laboratory, Monterey, CA

Hurricane Nate

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Nate’s origin was the northern portion of a tropical wave that exited the coast of Africa on 30 August. The wave interacted with a weak upper-level trough near Bermuda, causing a tropical depression to develop late on 5 September about 305 nmi south-southwest of Bermuda. The depression strengthened into a tropical storm just six hours later (Figure 1). Nate drifted northeastward for the next two days and intensified into a hurricane on 7 September about 225 nmi south-southwest of Bermuda. Early on 8 September, the hurricane accelerated east-northeastward and its center passed about 110 nmi southeast of Bermuda. Vertical wind shear increased as a frontal system approached, and Nate weakened back to a tropical storm on 9 September. The cyclone became extratropical on 10 September about 700 nmi west of the Azores. The extratropical remnants of Nate continued quickly east-northeastward, eventually being absorbed by a larger extratropical system late on 12 September.

Two ships reported tropical storm-force winds from Nate. The Maersk New Orleans (ELZY3) reported an east-northeast wind of 41 kts at 1200 UTC 8 September, and the Strong Patriot (WCZ858) reported a south-southwest wind of 35 kts at 0600 UTC 10 September. That same day, Bermuda observed a 2-minute average easterly wind of 30 kts at 1130 UTC, followed by a gust to 42 kts at 1525 UTC. There were no reports of casualties or damages due to Nate.

Hurricane Ophelia

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Erratic Ophelia originated from an area of disturbed weather at the western end of an old frontal system. The cyclone began becoming organized on 4 September over the central and northwestern Bahamas, and a tropical depression formed on 6 September near Grand Bahama Island (Figure 1). The depression moved erratically north-northwestward and became a tropical storm on 7 September. Ophelia meandered off the central Florida coast for the next two days, briefly reaching hurricane strength on 8 September. Ophelia moved northeastward late on 9 September, and this motion continued until it again stalled on 11 September about 205 nmi south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. During that time, maximum sustained winds fluctuated between 55 and 75 kts. Ophelia made a slow loop on 12-13 September, moving southwestward and then northwestward before beginning a northward motion toward the North Carolina coast. Maximum sustained winds again reached 75 kts by the time the northern eyewall reached the North Carolina coast near Cape Fear on 14 September. Ophelia turned slowly east-northeastward, with the center passing south of Cape Lookout and Cape Hatteras the next day. It then weakened to a tropical storm early on 16 September about 40 nmi south-southeast of Cape Hatteras. Acceleration toward the northeast on 16 September brought the center east of Cape Cod the next day. Ophelia became an extratropical low near Nova Scotia early on 18 September, passed over Newfoundland on 19 September, and reached the eastern Atlantic on 21 September. The extratropical remnants of Ophelia dissipated over the North Sea on 23 September.

Many ships reported tropical-storm force winds from Ophelia (Table 6). The most noteworthy observations include a report of 64 kts winds from the MOL Americas (V2EX) at 0000 UTC 15 September, and a report of 62 kts winds from the Maersk New Orleans at 0600 UTC 14 September. NOAA buoy 41025 reported 10-minute average winds of 55 kts with a gust to 73 kts at 1707 UTC 15 September, while NOAA buoy 41013 reported a pressure of 980.8 hPa from the eye of Ophelia at 1000 UTC 14 September.

Ophelia brought hurricane conditions to portions of the North Carolina coast. The strongest reported winds were from the C-MAN station at Cape Lookout, which reported 2-min average winds of 65 kts at 2309 UTC 14 September with a gust to 80 kts. The National Ocean Service (NOS) station at Wrightsville Beach reported 6-min average winds of 59 kts at 1700 UTC 14 September with a gust of 69 kts. Ophelia also brought tropical storm conditions to portions of the east coast of Florida.

One death was attributed to Ophelia—a drowning along the southeastern coast of Florida. The storm caused an estimated $70 million of damage in the United States, along with significant beach erosion noted from the North Carolina coast southward to the east-central Florida coast.


Date/Time (UTC) Ship name/call sign Latitude (°N) Longitude (°W) Wind dir/speed (kts) Pressure (hPa)
07 / 0100 Lykes Liberator 32.6 79.3 060 / 36 1016.5
07 / 1000 CSX Discovery 29.6 79.8 040 / 37 1008.0
07 / 1100 CSX Discovery 29.3 79.4 060 / 37 1006.0
07 / 1200 P&O Nedlloyd Marseille 33.3 76.8 090 / 38 1018.4
07 / 1800 DSR Port Said 33.5 77.2 040 / 35 1018.5
08 / 0600 Leverkusen Express 28.9 77.4 130 / 35 1010.0
08 / 1200 Madison Maersk 31.0 78.8 050 / 39 1013.0
08 / 1600 Asphalt Commander 29.5 77.5 190 / 50 1006.0
09 / 0000 CSX Producer 28.6 79.0 170 / 60 995.5
09 / 1100 Lykes Navigator 30.9 78.7 040 / 43 1007.0
09 / 1200 Lykes Navigator 31.2 78.7 030 / 44 1018.5
09 / 1800 Paris Express 31.9 79.9 020 / 41 1011.0
09 / 2100 Tourcoing (9V6488) 30.0 80.6 010 / 35 1010.0
09 / 2300 Bonn Express 30.4 76.9 130 / 45 1001.8
10 / 1800 Star Istind 32.8 76.2 050 / 44 1009.0
10 / 1800 Singapore Bay 33.7 74.8 090 / 40 1010.6
10 / 2100 Green Dale 33.7 77.0 040 / 40 1013.0
10 / 2200 Singapore Bay 32.2 74.8 260 / 39 1003.4
11 / 1700 Fortune Pioneer I 34.3 71.3 080 / 44 1021.0
11 / 2100 Jens Maersk 29.6 75.1 230 / 40 1010.5
11 / 2100 OOCL Freedom 33.6 77.1 030 / 47 1013.0
12 / 0600 Shanghai Express 29.9 78.4 320 / 35 1011.8
12 / 0600 Frances L (ZCAM5) 31.5 74.6 130 / 37 1009.5
12 / 1800 Sealand Performance 33.6 77.2 080 / 43 1007.5
12 / 2100 Sealand Performance 34.1 76.6 090 / 42 999.8
13 / 0000 Overseas New Orleans 33.1 78.1 050 / 45 1005.2
13 / 0600 Sealand Liberator 31.5 77.4 200 / 50 994.0
13 / 1800 OOCL Freedom 33.7 77.0 120 / 35 1007.5
14 / 0000 Livorno Express (WABU) 31.1 77.2 230 / 37 1006.4
14 / 0600 Montebello 31.4 77.7 240 / 51 1003.0
14 / 0600 Maersk New Orleans 32.4 76.5 160 / 62 1003.0
15 / 0000 Sanmar 34.5 75.3 150 / 64 1004.5
15 / 0300 Sanmar 34.3 75.2 210 / 51 1004.0
15 / 1200 Jens Maersk 32.8 74.5 180 / 35 1011.1
15 / 1500 SHIP 33.5 75.5 210 / 51 1007.0
16 / 0000 CMA CGM Potomac (HPII) 33.4 73.3 190 / 40  
17 / 0000 Sandon (ZDGR8) 33.3 72.7 190 / 45 1015.6
17 / 0600 Tyco Decisive (V7DI7 36.2 69.6 210 / 36 1016.2
17 / 1800 Afhankelijk 40.9 65.7 190 / 45 1003.6
17 / 1900 German Senator 41.8 62.1 260 / 37  

Table 6. Selected ship reports with winds of at least 34 kts for Hurricane Ophelia 6-17 September

Hurricane Philippe

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The origin of Philippe was a tropical wave that moved westward from Africa on 9 September. A tropical depression formed from the wave on 17 September about 300 nmi east of Barbados, with the depression becoming a tropical storm later that day (Figure 1). Philippe moved north-northwestward to the east of the Lesser Antilles and strengthened, becoming a hurricane on 19 September when the center was about 315 nmi east of the northern Leeward Islands. Philippe reached its peak intensity of 70 kts early on 20 September, then weakened to a tropical storm the next day as vertical wind shear increased. The cyclone turned northward on 21 September while becoming embedded within a larger non-tropical area of low pressure. Rotating counter-clockwise within the larger low, Philippe turned westward and southward during the ensuing 48 hours as it weakened to a tropical depression. The circulation of Philippe was absorbed by the non-tropical low early on 24 September. There were no reports of casualties or damages due to Philippe, and there were no reliable reports of tropical-storm force winds.

Hurricane Rita

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Rita, the third Category 5 hurricane of the season, was a destructive and deadly hurricane that devastated portions of southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana and significantly impacted the Florida Keys.

A tropical wave and the remnants of an old front combined to produce an area of disturbed weather northeast of Puerto Rico on 16 September. This system became a depression just east of the Turks and Caicos Islands late on 17 September and moved westward, becoming a tropical storm the following afternoon. Maximum sustained winds increased to 60 kts as Rita moved through the central Bahamas on 19 September. While the storm did not strengthen during the following night, rapid intensification began on 20 September as Rita moved through the Straits of Florida. Rita became a hurricane that day and reached Category 2 intensity while the center passed about 45 nmi south of Key West, Florida.

After entering the Gulf of Mexico, Rita intensified from Category 2 to Category 5 in about 24 hours. Maximum sustained winds reached 145 kts late on 21 September (Figure 7), and the hurricane reached a peak intensity of 155 kts early on 22 September. Weakening began later that day and continued through landfall around 0740 UTC 24 September just east of the Texas/Louisiana border between Sabine Pass and Johnson’s Bayou. At that time, maximum sustained winds were near 100 kts (Category 3). Weakening continued after landfall, but Rita remained a tropical storm until reaching northwestern Louisiana late on 24 September. The cyclone then turned northeastward and merged with a frontal system two days later.

The eye of Rita scored a direct hit on NOAA buoy 42001, which reported 10-min average winds of 88 kts with a gust to 119 kts at 0030 UTC 23 September. The buoy also reported a minimum pressure of 925.7 hPa at 2300 UTC 22 September. The Carnival Glory (3FPS9) reported 54 kts winds at 0900 UTC 19 September. Other ship reports from Rita are included in Table 7.

Rita brought hurricane conditions to southwestern Louisiana and southeastern Texas. The FCMP instrumented tower at Port Arthur reported 1-min average winds of 82 kts at 0826 UTC 24 September along with a gust of 101 kts. The C-MAN station at Sea Rim State Park, Texas reported 2-minute average winds of 71 kts at 0700 UTC 24 September, along with a peak gust of 86 kts. The hurricane caused a storm-surge of 10 to 15 ft above normal tide levels along the southwestern coast of Louisiana, a notable surge on the inland Lake Livingston, Texas, and inundated portions of the New Orleans area previously flooded by Katrina. Tropical storm conditions occurred in the Florida Keys, where the C-MAN station at Sand Key reported 10-minute average winds of 63 kts at 2110 UTC 20 September with a gust to 80 kts; this station failed shortly thereafter. A storm surge of up to 5 ft above normal tide levels occurred in the Keys.

Devastating storm surge and wind damage occurred in southwestern Louisiana and extreme southeastern Texas, with some surge damage occurring in the Florida Keys. Rita was responsible for seven deaths and damage estimated at $10 billion in the United States.

Figure 7. Hurricane Rita

Figure 7. GOES-12 visible image of Hurricane Rita at 2215 UTC 21 September 2005. Image courtesy of the Naval Research Laboratory, Monterey, CA


Date/Time (UTC) Ship name/call sign Latitude (°N) Longitude (°W) Wind dir/speed (kts) Pressure (hPa)
18 / 1500 El Morro 22.1 70.5 120 / 35 1009.5
19 / 0600 3FPS9 24.7 73.9 080 / 35 1011.0
19 / 0700 El Yunque 24.0 72.9 090 / 40 1009.6
19 / 0900 3FPS9 24.2 73.2 060 / 54 1009.0
19 / 1800 CSX Producer 22.5 67.7 120 / 44 1013.0
19 / 2100 A8FS4 24.7 74.7 110 / 37 1008.5
21 / 0900 Jo Selje 26.0 83.4 070 / 41 1005.5
21 / 1500 Discover Spirit 27.5 90.4 020 / 40 1010.0
21 / 1700 C6FM5 23.5 83.8 160 / 38 1006.5
21 / 1800 Philadelphia 22.8 84.5 180 / 36 1003.1
21 / 1800 OOCL Fortune 23.0 84.3 180 / 38 1004.5
22 / 0900 M. V. Lykes Ranger 27.7 85.7 080 / 37 1005.0
22 / 0900 Deepwater Millenium 28.0 87.0 100 / 40 1008.0
22 / 0900 V7HD3 28.3 87.9 110 / 44 1002.0
22 / 1200 M. V. Lykes Ranger 27.1 85.2 080 / 37 1007.0
22 / 1200 Deepwater Horizon 28.3 87.7 030 / 47 1007.5
22 / 1500 Bernardo Quintana A 23.2 86.5 180 / 35 1003.7
22 / 1500 P&O Nedlloyd Jakarta 27.7 90.8 050 / 41 1005.0
22 / 1500 OOCL Inspiration 28.0 85.3 120 / 35 1010.0
22 / 1700 Deepwater Millenium 27.9 87.0 100 / 52 1009.5
22 / 1800 Liberty Star 27.3 85.4 100 / 45 1008.0
22 / 1800 Discoverer Deep Seas 28.0 89.7 060 / 39 1002.8
23 / 0600 Liberty Star 25.6 84.2 130 / 45 1009.0
23 / 1800 Discoverer Deep Seas 28.0 89.7 060 / 39 1002.8
24 / 1800 Bernardo Quintana A 29.0 87.5 140 / 37 1012.2

Table 7. Selected ship reports with winds of at least 34 kts for Hurricane Rita, 18-26 September 2005.

Hurricane Stan

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Stan developed from a tropical wave that moved westward from the coast of Africa on 17 September. The wave generated a persistent area of disturbed weather over the western Caribbean Sea in late September. A tropical depression eventually formed from the system on 1 October about 115 nmi southeast of Cozumel (Figure 1). The cyclone moved west-northwestward, attaining tropical storm status just before crossing the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula a little south of Tulum, Mexico on 2 October. Stan traversed the Yucatan and weakened to a depression, but regained tropical storm strength after moving into the Bay of Campeche on 3 October. The storm then turned westward and southwestward as it continued to strengthen, becoming a hurricane early on 4 October. A few hours later, Stan made landfall about 80 nmi east-southeast of Veracruz with maximum winds estimated at 70 kts. The cyclone weakened rapidly after moving inland and dissipated over the mountains of southern Mexico the next day.

Three ships reported sustained tropical-storm winds during Stan. The Veendam (C6NL6) reported 40 kts winds at 0600 UTC 5 October, while the Edyth L (ZCAM4) reported 37 kts winds at 1200 UTC 2 October. Additionally, the Albert (DGTX) reported 35 kts winds at 0000 UTC 5 October.

Stan, along with a larger area of disorganized disturbed weather, caused torrential rains with severe flash floods and mud slides over portions of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Costa Rica. The estimated death toll associated with this combined system ranges from 1000 to 2000. As best as can be determined, Stan itself was responsible for 80 of these deaths.

Unnamed Subtropical Storm

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Post-storm analysis shows that a low pressure area in the eastern Atlantic had enough tropical characteristics to be considered a subtropical storm. An upper-level low formed west of the Canary Islands on September 28, with an associated surface trough developing on September 30. This system moved west-northwestward, with a surface low forming late on 3 October about 400 nmi southwest of São Miguel Island in the Azores Islands. The low turned northeastward and became a subtropical depression early on 4 October and a subtropical storm shortly thereafter. Maximum sustained winds reached 45 kts as the center passed through the eastern Azores late that day. The storm turned north-northeastward early on 5 October as it merged with a cold front, and it was absorbed by a large non-tropical low (that would eventually became Hurricane Vince) later that day.

This system brought gale-force winds to the eastern portions of the Azores Islands. Santa Maria Island reported a 10-min average wind of 43 kts at 2100 UTC 4 October with a peak gust of 51 kts. Ponta Delgada on São Miguel reported 10-min average winds of 33 kts at 2230 UTC 4 October with a gust to 46 kts. There were no reports of casualties or damages.

Tropical Storm Tammy

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Tammy was a short-lived tropical cyclone that developed from an interaction between a tropical wave that left Africa on 24 September and an upper-level trough. Early on 5 October, this combination produced a tropical storm about 20 nmi east of Jupiter, Florida (Figure 1). The cyclone moved steadily north-northwestward parallel to the Florida east coast most of the day. Late that day, it turned northwestward and made landfall along the northeastern Florida coast near Atlantic Beach with maximum sustained winds of 45 kts. Tammy moved westward over southern Georgia and southeastern Alabama on 6 October before becoming absorbed by a larger extratropical low pressure system over the Florida Panhandle the next day.

Several ships encountered Tammy’s winds (Table 8). The strongest reported winds were from the Cordelia (A8GQ8)—45 kts at 0200 UTC 6 October. Additionally, an automated station operated by the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography off the Georgia coast reported sustained winds of 45 kts with a gust to 52 kts (elevation 164 ft) at 0234 UTC that day.

Tammy brought tropical storm conditions to portions of the southeastern coast of the United States. The NOS station at Fort Pulaski, Georgia reported 6-minute average winds of 38 kts at 0200 UTC 6 October with a peak gust of 45 kts. The C-MAN station at Folly Beach, South Carolina reported 10-minute average winds of 35 kts at 2030 UTC 5 October with a peak gust of 48 kts. There were no reports of casualties and damage was minor.


Date/Time (UTC) Ship name/call sign Latitude (°N) Longitude (°W) Wind dir/speed (kts) Pressure (hPa)
05 / 2300 Asphalt Commander 31.1 79.0 130 / 39 1013.0
06 / 0200 Cordelia 32.4 78.3 110 / 45 1016.0
06 / 0300 Unknown Ship (WDC692) 31.4 80.7 120 / 44 1003.5
06 / 0600 Jo Ask 31.7 80.3 110 / 35 1008.8

Table 8. Selected ship and buoy reports with winds of at least 34 kts for Tropical Storm Tammy, 5-6 October 2005.

Hurricane Vince

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Vince, the first known tropical cyclone to make landfall in Spain, had a non-tropical origin. The deep-layer frontal low that absorbed the unnamed subtropical storm moved southeastward across the Azores Islands on October 6. Over the next couple of days, the frontal structure gradually dissipated and banded convection became concentrated near the circulation center. It is estimated that the low became a subtropical storm early on 8 October when centered about 500 nmi southeast of Lajes in the Azores. The cyclone gradually acquired additional tropical characteristics and became a tropical storm and then a hurricane on 9 October while it moved slowly northeastward to the northwest of the Madeira Islands. Increasing vertical wind shear caused Vince to weaken to a tropical storm the next day as it accelerated east-northeastward. On 11 October, Vince weakened to a tropical depression shortly before making landfall near Huelva, Spain. The cyclone dissipated later that day over Spain.

Two ships reported tropical-storm force winds associated with Vince. The Canmar Fortune (ZCBD3) reported 35 kts winds at 1800 UTC 10 October, while the Monteverde (V2ON3) reported 41 kts winds three hours later. There were no reports of damage or casualties due to Vince.

Hurricane Wilma

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Massive and powerful Wilma formed from a broad area of disturbed weather that stretched across much of the Caribbean Sea during the second week of October. A surface low pressure system gradually became defined near Jamaica on 14 October, leading to the formation of a tropical depression on 15 October about 190 nmi east-southeast of Grand Cayman (Figure 1). The cyclone moved erratically westward and southward for two days while strengthening into a tropical storm. Wilma became a hurricane and began a west-northwestward motion on 18 October. Later that day, Wilma began to explosively deepen. The central pressure dropped to 882 hPa near 0800 UTC 19 October, with the eye of the hurricane contracting to 2 to 4 nmi wide near that time. Wilma’s maximum intensity is estimated to have been 160 kts a few hours after the 882 hPa pressure (Figure 8). On 20 October, Wilma weakened slightly and turned northwestward toward the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula. Late on 21 October, the slow-moving hurricane made landfall over Cozumel, followed by landfall early the next day over the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula—both at Category 4 intensity.

Wilma moved slowly and weakened over northeastern Yucatan, emerging over the Gulf of Mexico early on 23 October as a Category 2 hurricane. Later that day it accelerated northeastward toward southern Florida. The hurricane regained Category 3 intensity over the Gulf waters before its center made landfall near Cape Romano around 1030 UTC 24 October. The eye crossed the Florida Peninsula in less than five hours, with Wilma moving into the Atlantic just north of Palm Beach as a Category 2 hurricane. Wilma briefly re-intensified just east of Florida, then weakened thereafter. The hurricane moved rapidly northeastward over the western Atlantic and became extratropical about 200 nmi southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia late on 25 October. The remnants of Wilma were absorbed by another low late the next day.

Many ships encountered Wilma (Table 9), although none encountered the powerful inner core region. The highest reported winds were from the Undine (SHJC), which reported 58 kts winds at 1200 UTC 25 October. It should be noted that Wilma co-existed with a extratropical low near the northeastern coast of the United States on 25 October. Thus, some of the reports in Table 9 are likely due to winds from a combination of the two systems.

Wilma brought hurricane conditions to the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula and the adjacent islands, as well as to southern Florida. In Mexico, Cancun reported 10-minute average winds of 87 kts with a gust to 113 kts at 0000 UTC 22 October, while Cozumel reported a pressure of 928.0 hPa late on 21 October. In Florida, a South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) station in Lake Okeechobee reported 15-minute average winds of 80 kts with a gust to 97 kts at 1500 UTC 24 October, while a nearby SFWMD station in Belle Glade reported a gust to 102 kts.

Twenty-two deaths have been directly attributed to Wilma: 12 in Haiti, 1 in Jamaica, 4 in Mexico, and 5 in Florida. The hurricane caused severe damage in northeastern Yucatan, including Cancun and Cozumel, and widespread damage estimated at $16.8 billion in southern Florida. Wilma also produced major floods over in Cuba.

The 882 hPa pressure estimated in Wilma is the lowest central pressure on record in an Atlantic hurricane, breaking the old record of 888 hPa set by Hurricane Gilbert in September 1988. The central pressure fell 88 hPa in 12 hours, shattering the record of 48 hPa in 12 hours held by Hurricane Allen in August 1980.

Figure 8. Hurricane Wilma

Figure 8. NOAA-14 multispectral image of Hurricane Wilma at 1428 UTC 19 October 2005. Image courtesy of the National Climatic Data Center, Asheville, NC


Date/Time (UTC) Ship name/call sign Latitude (°N) Longitude (°W) Wind dir/speed (kts) Pressure (hPa)
20 / 1200 Unknown Ship (WCY845) 18.8 80.2 130 / 36 1007.0
20 / 2100 Merkur Sky 18.9 82.3 140 / 35 1004.0
23 / 2100 Pacific Viking (A8FN3) 20.3 84.2 240 / 43 1001.6
23 / 2100 UBC Saiki (P3GY9) 21.8 85.3 260 / 46 993.0
24 / 0000 Edyth L 23.4 88.1 340 / 37 1002.2
24 / 0000 Deepwater Millenium 28.3 88.0 010 / 37 1009.0
24 / 0600 Unknown Ship (WCY845) 20.0 82.6 230 / 35 1004.0
24 / 0600 Seakeepers (KS049) 26.4 85.2 010 / 39 993.8
24 / 0900 Seakeepers (KS049) 25.7 86.0 350 / 41 997.6
24 / 1200 Fortune Pioneer I 25.6 77.1 160 / 44 1002.0
24 / 1500 Sealand Motivator (WAAH) 26.2 76.2 170 / 39 999.5
24 / 1800 P&O Nedlloyd Marseille 24.1 74.8 190 / 49 1005.6
24 / 2100 Sealand Motivator (WAAH) 25.7 75.8 230 / 44 997.8
24 / 2200 Sumida 36.4 74.6 020 / 47 996.4
25 / 0000 Coral Princess 23.2 79.0 270 / 38 1007.9
25 / 0000 Spaarnegracht 28.6 67.2 210 / 35 1008.8
25 / 0000 Nedlloyd Holland 35.5 75.2 020 / 41 992.0
25 / 0300 Nedlloyd Holland 36.2 75.3 050 / 40 990.8
25 / 0500 Sumida 37.4 74.4 020 / 48 989.2
25 / 0600 ZIM Savannah (A8ER9) 34.9 75.2 350 / 37 989.0
25 / 0600 Gypsum Centennial (ZCDC2) 37.0 75.1 030 / 38 991.0
25 / 0600 Barcelona Bridge (A8CJ2) 37.4 74.2 050 / 37 987.0
25 / 0600 Atlantis 40.2 66.3 090 / 36 997.5
25 / 0900 OOCL Inpsiration 35.5 75.2 300 / 37 990.1
25 / 0900 Albatross IV 41.5 70.7 070 / 35 1001.0
25 / 1100 Sumida 38.0 74.2 010 / 37 986.6
25 / 1200 Canmar Trader (V2AW5) 27.3 69.0 190 / 37 1015.0
25 / 1200 Undine 40.1 70.1 070 / 58 990.4
25 / 1200 OOCL Faith 43.8 62.9 070 / 40 1013.0
25 / 1500 Atlantic Superior 43.5 70.0 040 / 43 1002.0

Table 9. Selected ship reports with winds of at least 34 kts for Hurricane Wilma, 15-25 October 2005.

Tropical Storm Alpha

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For the first time, the National Hurricane Center exhausted the annual standard list of names and had to use the Greek alphabet to name a tropical cyclone when Alpha formed. A vigorous tropical wave passed through the Windward Islands on 19 October. Shower activity became concentrated south of Puerto Rico, and a tropical depression formed early on 22 October about 180 nmi south-southwest of San Juan (Figure 1). The depression became Tropical Storm Alpha later that day. Alpha moved northwestward and made land fall near Barahona, Dominican Republic on 23 October with 45 kts winds. Alpha weakened to a tropical depression over the high terrain of Hispaniola, with the cyclone continuing northwestward and northward over the southeastern Bahamas and the Atlantic later that day. The system was absorbed by the much larger Hurricane Wilma late on 24 October.

Barahona reported sustained winds of 45 kts as the center of Alpha passed nearby. Alpha caused 17 deaths in Haiti and 9 in the Dominican Republic, primarily from flooding caused by heavy rains.

Hurricane Beta

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Beta originated from the same tropical wave that spawned Tropical Storm Alpha. The system began to become organized over the southwestern Caribbean Sea on 25 October, and a tropical depression formed the next day about 90 nmi north of the north-central coast of Panama. Moving slowly northward, the depression became a tropical storm on October 27. Beta reached hurricane strength on 29 October near the Colombian island of Providencia. It then turned westward and west-southwestward on 30 October while strengthening to an estimated peak intensity of 100 kts (Category 3) (Figure 9). Slight weakening occurred before Beta made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane near La Barra del Rio Grande on the east coast of Nicaragua. Beta moved westward and dissipated over west-central Nicaragua early on 31 October.

Two ships reported tropical storm-force winds from Beta. The Edyth L (ZCAM4) reported 50 kts winds at 0900 UTC 28 October, while the Dioli (PJRP) reported 39 kts winds at 0600 UTC 30 October. There were no reports of casualties from Beta. The storm caused widespread damage on Providencia Island and extensive damage to structures along the central Nicaraguan coast. Heavy rains associated with the fringe of Beta, along with significant floods, occurred in Honduras.

Figure 9. Hurricane Beta

Figure 9. GOES-12 infrared image of Hurricane Beta near peak intensity at 0545 UTC 30 October 2005. Image courtesy of the Navao Research Laboratory, Monterey, CA

Tropical Storm Gamma

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The vigorous tropical wave that spawned Gamma moved off the coast of Africa on 3 November. The wave passed through the southern Windward Islands on 13 November, producing wind gusts to near tropical storm-force along with heavy rainfall. Early on 14 November, the wave initiated a tropical depression over the Caribbean Sea about 85 nmi west of St. Vincent (Figure 1). The cyclone moved westward and was briefly a tropical storm the next day. Thereafter, strong westerly upper-level shear caused Gamma to degenerate back into a tropical wave. The wave accelerated westward across the central Caribbean Sea on 17 November before slowing down over the western Caribbean and eastern Honduras on 18 November. In the meantime, a large non-convective low pressure system developed over Panama, moved northwestward, and merged with the wave over central Honduras. This combination regenerated into a tropical storm near the northern coast of Honduras late on 18 November. Gamma drifted northward over the northwestern Caribbean Sea and strengthened to its peak intensity of 45 kts while just east of Roatan Island on 19 November. It then turned slowly southeastward during 20-21 November while weakening due to northwesterly vertical wind shear. Gamma weakened into a non-convective remnant low late on 21 November and dissipated the next day just east of the Nicaragua-Honduras border.

There were no ship observations from Gamma while it was a tropical cyclone, although an unidentified ship and NOAA buoy 42057 both reported 35 kts winds associated with the tropical wave. A private weather station on Roatan reported sustained winds of 43 kts at 0730 UTC 19 November. Heavy rain caused flash floods and mud slides in Honduras and Belize, resulting in 37 deaths—34 in Honduras and 3 in Belize. The rains and floods also caused damage to crops and bridges.

Tropical Storm Delta

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Delta originated from an extratropical low over the central Atlantic, which formed on 19 November about 1200 nmi southwest of the Azores. The low moved eastward and then northeastward, reaching a location about 710 nmi southwest of the Azores on 22 November. Turning south-southwestward, it developed into a subtropical storm later that day (Figure 1). Delta continued south-southwestward on 23 November as it became a tropical storm, and winds reached an estimated 60 kts the next day as the storm stalled about 1150 nmi west-southwest of the Canary Islands. Delta moved southwestward on 25 November, then turned east-northeastward on 26 November. Weakening occurred during this time, with estimated maximum winds decreasing to 35 kts on 26 November. Delta accelerated northeastward and re-intensified on 27 November, with maximum winds again reaching 60 kts. Turning eastward, the cyclone became a vigorous extratropical low on 28 November centered about 215 nmi west-northwest of the western Canary Islands. The low passed north of the Canary Islands later on 28 November before weakening and moving into Morocco on 29 November. It dissipated late that day over northwestern Algeria.

Several ships encountered Delta (Table 10), particularly during its early life when it had a large cyclonic envelope. The British Merchant (VQIB9) reported 60 kts winds and a 990.8 hPa pressure at 1800 UTC 27 November. The extratropical remnants of Delta brought storm-force winds and gusts to hurricane force to the Canary Islands on 28 November.

There were no reports of casualties or damages from Delta while it was a tropical or subtropical cyclone. However, the subsequent extratropical low caused seven deaths in or near the Canary Islands.


Date/Time (UTC) Ship name/call sign Latitude (°N) Longitude (°W) Wind dir/speed (kts) Pressure (hPa)
22 / 1200 Chiquita Schwiez 30.3 41.4 340 / 44 990.8
22 / 1800 Chiquita Belgie 30.7 44.3 360 / 45 999.2
23 / 0000 Chiquita Belgie 31.2 43.2 360 / 45 996.8
23 / 0000 Chiquita Schwiez 32.8 38.5 130 / 37 999.2
23 / 0300 Sealand Quality 29.9 43.5 360 / 44 993.8
23 / 0600 Sealand Quality 30.0 42.8 010 / 44 992.2
23 / 0600 Chiquita Belgie 31.9 42.0 050 / 45 1000.7
23 / 1200 Sealand Quality 30.4 41.5 050 / 44 998.2
23 / 1200 DINA11 31.5 35.5 070 / 47 1005.0
24 / 1200 DINA11 28.3 42.3 030 / 47 1008.0
27 / 1800 British Merchant 29.1 30.0 030 / 60 990.8
28 / 1800 Poseidon 28.3 15.3 180 / 35 1000.7

Table 10. Selected ship reports with winds of at least 34 kts for Tropical Storm Delta, 22-28 November 2005.

Hurricane Epsilon

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Epsilon, like its predecessor Delta, had a non-tropical origin. A gale center formed about 1000 nmi east of Bermuda on 27 November. The low developed central convection and transformed into a tropical storm on 29 November (Figure 1). Over the next few days, Epsilon tracked in a small cyclonic loop while it gradually intensified. The cyclone moved northeastward and became a hurricane on 2 December about 850 nmi east-northeast of Bermuda. An eastward motion began on 3 December and continued through 5 December. The hurricane reached an estimated peak intensity of 75 kts early on 5 December. Weakening began as Epsilon turned southwestward on 6 December. It became a tropical storm on 7 December, followed by decay to a tropical depression and a non-convective remnant low the next day. The low dissipated on 9 December about 990 n mi southwest of the Azores. There were no reports of casualties or damages due to Epsilon.

Tropical Storm Zeta

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Zeta, the second-latest tropical storm to form in the Atlantic basin, developed from an old frontal zone and an upper-level trough. This combination spawned a surface low pressure area on 29 December about 675 nmi northwest of the Cape Verde Islands. The low became first a tropical depression and then a tropical storm on 30 December. Zeta moved slowly from 30 December to 1 January—first northwestward, then westward, then southwestward. It reached an estimated peak intensity of 55 kts on 1 January 2006, then weakened due to vertical shear. A faster, generally west-southwestward, motion began on 2 January and continued the next day. Re-intensification occurred on 3 January, and Zeta again reached an estimated peak intensity of 55 kts. The storm turned westward on 4 January and west-northwestward the next day. Increasing shear again caused weakening, and Zeta became a depression on 6 January. The depression became a non-convective low late that day, and it dissipated about 575 nmi southeast of Bermuda on 7 January 2006.

The Liberty Star (WCBP) reported 34 kts winds about 40 nmi north of the circulation center at 0800 UTC 31 December. There were no reports of damage or casualties due to Zeta.

Tropical and Subtropical Depressions

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Two tropical depressions and one subtropical depression occurred during the 2005 season (Figure 2). The short-lived Tropical Depression Ten formed on 13 August about 925 nmi east of Barbados and dissipated the next day. Tropical Depression Nineteen formed on 30 September about 500 nmi west-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands.

It moved generally northwestward and dissipated on 2 October about 585 nmi west of the Cape Verde Islands. Subtropical Depression Twenty-Two formed on 8 October about 535 nmi southeast of Bermuda, and subsequently moved northwestward and westward. It weakened to a low pressure on 10 October about 150 nmi west-southwest of Bermuda. The low turned northward and became extratropical the next day. On 12-14 October it produced gale-force winds over portions of the northwestern Atlantic.

Acknowledgments:

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The cyclone summaries are based on reports prepared by the author and the other Hurricane Specialists at the National Hurricane Center (NHC): Lixion Avila, James Franklin, Rick Knabb, Richard Pasch, and Stacy Stewart. Additional material was contributed by Tropical Prediction Center/NHC colleagues Eric Blake, Dan Brown, Hugh Cobb, Colin McAdie, Jamie Rhome, and David Roberts. Ethan Gibney prepared the main track map.