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Hurricane season comes to an end
Record-breaking season could be the model for the future, according to NOAA
By SUZETTE PORTER
Article published on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2005 |
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![[Image]](/content_images/113005_fpg-01-a.jpg) |
| A computer-generated map showing paths of the storms that formed during the 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season. |
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PINELLAS COUNTY - It's official, as of Wednesday, Nov. 30, the record-breaking 2005 Atlantic hurricane season is over.
The season was fast and furious, starting earlier than ever before and continuing with storms forming almost one right after the other. The latest named storm, Epsilon, formed Tuesday, and in an announcement, National Hurricane Center meteorologists said that the 26-storm season was "apparently never ending."
Katrina will be the season's most remembered hurricane. The storm was the most destructive hurricane to strike the United States in recorded history.
Four of the season's 13 hurricanes made landfall in Florida. One hurricane came ashore in the panhandle - Dennis on July 10. Three made landfall in the southern part of the state - Katrina on Aug. 25, Rita on Sept. 20 and Wilma on Oct. 24. Tropical Storm Arlene made landfall in the panhandle on June 11.
Pinellas County experienced only brief periods of wind and rain and minimal damage from two storms that came near.
The County Board of Commissioners declared a state of emergency on July 8 and recommended evacuations of residents living in mobile homes and low-lying areas began on July 9 due to expected impact from Hurricane Dennis.
A second state of emergency was declared on Oct. 21, as forecasters remained uncertain of Hurricane Wilma's track. No evacuation orders were issued.
Season scorecard
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![[Image]](/content_images/113005_fpg-01.jpg) |
| Graphic by TBN Online Staff |
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For those keeping score, as of Nov. 29, 26 named tropical storms have formed during the 2005 hurricane season, with the latest being Epsilon.
Thirteen of the named storms strengthened into hurricanes - Dennis, Emily, Irene, Katrina, Maria, Nate, Ophelia, Philippe, Rita, Stan, Vince, Wilma and Beta.
Seven hurricanes - Dennis, Emily, Katrina, Maria, Rita, Wilma and Beta - were classified as major, which are hurricanes of at least Category 3.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted in August that the 2005 season would include 18 to 21 named storms and nine to 11 hurricanes, including five to seven major hurricanes.
Dr. William M. Gray and his colleagues at the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University predicted in August that the season would produce 20 named storms of which 10 would become hurricanes. Gray also forecast that 6 of the 10 would be intense hurricanes.
According to Gray's report, the average based on historical data is 9.6 named storms a season, 5.9 hurricanes and 2.3 intense hurricanes. He defines an intense hurricane as being a Category 3, 4 or 5.
Record breaking season
"This hurricane season shattered records that have stood for decades - most named storms, most hurricanes, and most category five storms. Arguably, it was the most devastating hurricane season the country has experienced in modern times," said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. "I'd like to foretell that next year will be calmer, but I can't. Historical trends say the atmosphere patterns and water temperatures are likely to force another active season upon us."
The 2005 season will go down in history for setting a new record for the most named storms in a season - 26. The previous record for the most named tropical storms in one year was 21, set in 1933.
A new record for the most hurricanes in one year also was broken this year by one. Thirteen hurricanes formed in 2005. The previous record of 12 was set in 1969.
A new record also was set for the most major hurricanes hitting the United States - four - Dennis, Katrina, Rita and Wilma. The previous record of three was set in 2004.
The highest number of major hurricanes ever to form in one season was eight in 1950. As of Nov. 29, seven major hurricanes had formed in 2005.
The 2005 season started early with the first tropical depression forming on June 8 - almost two months earlier than the first storm of the 2004 season. The depression was upgraded to a named tropical storm - Arlene - on June 9. Tropical Storm Arlene made landfall in the Florida Panhandle on June 11.
The National Hurricane Center announced that Tropical Depression 2 had formed on June 28 and later that same date announced that the depression had been upgraded to a tropical storm, which was named Bret.
Individually, the two storms didn't set a record, but together they did make history by being the first time since 1986 that two tropical storms had formed in June. According to meteorological records, two tropical storms have formed in June only 13 times since 1851.
Tropical Depression 3 formed on July 3, and Cindy became the third named storm of the season on July 5. Tropical Depression 4 also formed on July 5 and was upgraded to a tropical storm named Dennis on that same date.
Dennis set a record of being the earliest fourth-named storm to form in the Atlantic Basin since record keeping began in 1860.
On July 6, Dennis was upgraded to a Category 1 Hurricane and quickly grew in strength and was upgraded to a Category 2 and 3 on July 7. On July 8, Dennis set two records for being the earliest Category 4 Hurricane ever to develop in the Caribbean and the strongest hurricane to form before August.
Tropical Depression 5 formed on July 11 and became the earliest fifth named storm on record on July 12. By July 14, Emily had strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane.
On July 15, Emily made the history books again for being the earliest strongest storm ever to form - breaking the record set by Dennis on July 8.
Tropical Storm Franklin added to the list of records for being earliest sixth tropical storm. The National Hurricane Center upgraded Tropical Depression 6 to Tropical Storm Franklin on July 21.
Tropical storm Gert was named on July 24 and set a record for being the earliest seventh named storm, breaking to the old record of Aug. 7. According to the NHC, the average date for the naming of a seventh storm during the season is Sept. 23.
Tropical Depression 8 formed on Aug. 2, about 350 miles west of Bermuda and strengthened into a tropical storm named Harvey on Aug. 3. Harvey also made it into the record books as the earliest eighth tropical storm. The current record, according to the NHC, is Aug. 15.
Tropical Depression 9 formed Aug. 4. On Aug. 7, it was upgraded to a tropical storm named Irene. Irene was the earliest ninth named storm, breaking the old record by 13 days. The NHC said that the average number of named storms formed by Aug. 7 is two.
Tropical Depression 10 formed on Aug. 13 and was gone by Aug. 14. Tropical Depression 11 formed on Monday, Aug. 22, and quickly became the 10th named storm. Jose formed very close to the Mexico and made landfall on the eastern coast around midnight Aug. 22.
Tropical Depression 12 formed on Aug. 23 and strengthened into Tropical Storm Katrina on Aug. 24. Katrina became the fourth hurricane of the season on Aug. 25. Katrina was upgraded to a Category 4 and 5 hurricane on Aug. 28 - making it the first Category 5 storm of the season.
Tropical depression 13 formed on Aug. 28 and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Lee on Aug. 31.
Tropical depression 14 formed on Sept. 1 and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Maria on Sept. 2. Maria became a hurricane on Sept. 4 and strengthened into a Category 2 storm by Sept. 5 and a Category 3 briefly on Sept. 6.
Tropical depression 15 formed on Sept. 5 and became Tropical Storm Nate on Sept. 6. On Sept. 7, Nate became the sixth hurricane of the season, but never strengthened past a Category 1.
Tropical depression 16 formed on Sept. 6 and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Ophelia on Sept. 7. Ophelia grew into a Category 1 hurricane on Sept. 8. Ophelia had a difficult time maintaining intensity as it traveled along the east coast. It was downgraded to a tropical storm four times. The storm was responsible for damage from wind and rain to the coast of North Carolina.
Tropical depression 17 formed on Sept. 17 and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Philippe on Sept. 18. Philippe became the eight hurricane of the season on Sept. 19.
Tropical depression 18 formed on Sept. 18 and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Rita on the same date. Rita was upgraded to a Category 5 hurricane on Sept. 21 and entered the record books as the third most intense hurricane on record in terms of pressure. Rita was the second Category 5 hurricane of the season.
Tropical depression 19 formed on Sept. 30, but never gathered enough strength to become a named storm.
Tropical depression 20, which formed on Oct. 1, became Tropical Storm Stan on Oct. 2. Stan was upgraded to Category 1 hurricane on Oct. 4 and downgraded back to a tropical storm on the same date.
Tropical storm Tammy formed on Oct. 5, and began and ended its short life as a tropical storm.
A short-lived subtropical depression 22 formed on Oct. 8. Tropical Storm Vince formed on Oct. 9 and was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane on the same date.
Wilma began its life as tropical depression 24 on Oct. 15. The storm was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane on Oct. 18 and strengthened into the season's third Category 5 hurricane on Oct. 19.
After Wilma, for the first time in history, the National Hurricane Center implemented the use of the Greek alphabet to name future storms of the season.
Tropical depression 25 formed on Oct. 22 and became Tropical Storm Alpha on the same date. Tropical depression 26 formed on Oct. 27 and become Tropical Storm Beta the same day. Beta was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane on Oct. 29 and a Category 3 on Oct. 30.
Tropical depression 27 formed on Nov. 14 and became Tropical Storm Gamma on Nov. 18.
Tropical Storm Delta formed on Nov. 23. Tropical storm Epsilon formed on Nov. 29.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.
Officials with NOAA said people should use the off season to prepare.
"The battle against the hurricane season is won during the off season. Winter and spring is the time to conduct hurricane preparations, such as stocking supplies, assembling a safety kit that includes a NOAA Weather Radio and preparing an evacuation plan," said Max Mayfield, director of NOAA's National Hurricane Center.
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Article published on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2005
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