Hurricane Gert (2020)

Hurricane Dolly was, at the time, the strongest and most intense storm in Atlantic Hurricane history. The storm became the strongest hurricane in June and in July, and the storm system was the most destructive in US history.

Hurricane Dolly began as a minor tropical depression 100 miles (160 km) off the coast of the Cape Verde Islands, on June 20. The storm intensified into a major tropical storm over a period of 12 hours, and the storm then continued to intensify. On June 24, the storm intensified into a Category 1 hurricane, and in another 6 hours, the storm intensified into a high-end Category 2 storm, and stayed between 110 and 125 mph (180-200 km/h). As the storm continued to intensify, the storm also grew in size, to a width of 600 miles (960 km).

On June 27, the storm quickly intensified into a Category 4 hurricane over a period of 6 hours, and by the morning of June 28, it was a high-end Category 5 hurricane, with wind speeds of 195 mph, and a pressure of 880 millibars. It also shrunk to a diameter of 500 miles (800 km). The storm hit the Bahamas full force, killing over 500 people in Nassau and other cities, and didn't weaken at all. The storm then hit Miami, Florida at peak strength as well. The storm's 25-mile-wide eyewall, packing 195-mph winds, devastated much of the city. The storm's forward speed, which was estimated to have been 15 mph (24 km/h), left many towns and cities near Miami exposed to gusts exceeding 155 mph (250 km/h) for over three hours. Combined with a 26-foot (8-meter) storm surge, much of Southern Florida was devastated. Over 1,150 perished in Miami and the surrounding areas.

At 2:36 AM Eastern Standard Time, on June 28, the storm exited Florida, with winds of 135 mph and a pressure of 925 millibars, after killing over 100 more in Cape Coral and Fort Myers. The storm then stayed as a Category 4 hurricane, eventually reaching Category 5 force on June 29, with winds of 165 mph. The storm then continued to intensify, eventually reaching winds of 185 mph and a pressure of 895 millibars. The storm system was estimated to be 500 miles across, eventually hitting Corpus Christi at peak strength. The storm's size meant that areas as far north as Port Lavaca were exposed to winds exceeding hurricane force and a storm surge of 10 feet. In Corpus Christi, a 25-foot storm surge flooded into the city, and the high winds caused major damage to even the skyscrapers. The storm killed a total of 1,650 people in the city and surrounding regions. It then swung north, eventually hitting San Antonio as a high-end Category 2 hurricane, with a forward speed of 25 mph, killing over 100 there.

The storm then swung toward the northeast, skyrocketing at a speed of 30 mph and climbing, finally dissipating over Canada on July 5.

The storm system left a total of $300 billion in damage. Over 3,500 were dead in Texas, Florida, and the Bahamas. It is expected to take years for many of the affected regions to return to normal.