Nearing in on the end of July, we are closely watching a disturbance in the Caribbean, just of Puerto Rico & The Virgin Islands. According to the National Hurricane Center, there is a 60% chance of the system developing into a Tropical Depression. The heavy rains are expected to affect The Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, The Dominican Republic, Haiti, Eastern Cuba, Turks & Caicos Islands and the Southeastern Bahamas. We are watching closely to see if the conditions, which are favorable enough to cause a Tropical Depression to form, might be equally favorable for a hurricane to form.
Experts are continuing to expect a busy hurricane season. “Conditions are favorable” are a term you might hear often. Why are conditions so favorable for hurricane development? First, ocean waters are warm. Hurricanes need waters to be at 79 degrees or above; coastal temperatures are consistently above that right now at temperatures of 84 and above just in the Gulf of Mexico. Temperatures in the Caribbean and Tropical Atlantic are also in the 80′s and many are above-average. As well, experts are expecting low winds in the upcoming months, creating atmospheric conditions extremely favorable for hurricane development.
As for the limited storms so far, let us remember that the 3 strongest hurricane’s to hit the USA during the 20th Century did not occur until mid season.
The first of the 3 was the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935. The second tropical cyclone of the season, it quickly became the second hurricane and the 20th century’s first most powerful Category 5 hurricane. It formed on August 29 and dissipated on September 10, 1935. Marked as the most destructive Atlantic hurricane of the 20th Century, The Labor Day Hurricane killed between 400-600 people and caused extreme damage to the upper Florida Keys. Damages from the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 were tallied at over $95 Billion (2010 USD).
The second most powerful hurricane of the 20th century was Hurricane Camille in 1969. Forming on August 14, 1969 and dissipating on August 22, Camille devastated a great part of the Southwest. Although less costly than both the Labor Day Hurricane and Andrew, Camille was responsible for the deaths of 259 people.
Finally, Hurricane Andrew. Even in a seemingly inactive season during 1992, Hurricane Andrew, the third most powerful Category 5, formed August 16, 1992, and dissipated August 28. Andrew caused most damage to SW Florida, at a grand total of $26.5 billion in damage ($41.1 billion 2010 USD)!!! Some sources even speculate the damage was closer to $34 billion.
Even when we look back to 2005, the 21st Century’s busiest hurricane season to date, Hurricane Katrina, which was one of the most deadliest and also the costliest hurricanes, occurred in August.
Let us beware and remember the past as we are prepared for the future. To your hurricane safety!
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