2005 Atlantic hurricane season (Sass's version)

The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season is regarded as one of the most destructive, deadly, and historic tropical cyclone seasons in history. The season remains the most active on record in the Atlantic, with a total of 30 named storms forming throughout the course of the year. It marked the first occurrence that the main list of names was exhausted (after Wilma) and the NHC resorted to naming the renaming nine storms with the initial letters of the Greek alphabet. Aside from its striking activity and the torrid pace in which storms formed, numerous records for intensity, destruction, and the like were shattered. The season is notable for its extreme destruction, in which it usurped the title for costliest Atlantic hurricane season on record from the 2004 season, which held that title for only a year. The season was also the deadliest in modern history, and second deadliest overall, behind 1780. Most of the season's destruction can be attributed to Hurricane Katrina, the first category 5 hurricane to move ashore the United States Gulf Coast in nearly 40 years. The storm caused more than 22,000 fatalities along its path and brought a record-shattering 45-foot storm surge to the Mississippi coastline, wiping out nearly every city along the coast. In terms of intensity, the season produced an astounding ten major hurricanes, approximately half of which were category 5 hurricanes, the strongest categorization for tropical cyclones according to the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. Three of the storms made the list for the top 10 most intense Atlantic hurricanes ever, topped off by Hurricane Gamma, formerly the most intense hurricane in the Western Hemisphere and one of only three Atlantic hurricanes to have a maximum wind speed at or exceeding 200 miles per hour.

At least six hurricanes made landfall in the United States, four of which were at major hurricane intensity. The most destructive of the season's impacts were felt along the United States Gulf Coast, stretching from eastern Texas through the western portion of the Florida peninsula. Aside from the Hurricane Katrina's impacts, four other hurricanes made landfall along the Gulf Coast (Corrin, Dennis, Rita, and Gamma). Hurricane Corrin struck Louisiana and caused significant wind damage and blackouts along its path. Hurricane Dennis struck the region affected by Hurricane Ivan the year prior at a nearly identical intensity, compounding devastation in the region and destroying at least 3,000 newly-built homes for residents who lost everything in Ivan. Hurricane Rita threatened to be a twin of Katrina but veered into eastern Texas, where its large wind field and storm surge caused heavy damage to oil refineries and destroyed many buildings in Port Arthur. The final storm, Hurricane Gamma, made landfall in south Florida near Naples as a category 4 hurricane only a few miles south of where Hurricane Colin struck the previous year. The storm totally disrupted life across southern Florida and racked up a damage total in the United States that is second to Hurricane Katrina.

Many storms set records for early formation for their respective number of Saffir-Simpson category this year. Nearly every storm from Emily onwards set a record for early formation. Hurricane Dennis is the earliest recorded category 5 hurricane, and, alongside Hurricane Emily, are the only two category 5 hurricanes to form before August. Only eight days after Hurricane Dennis set a record for strongest pre-August storm, Emily broke it, hitting 175 mph sustained winds and a minimum pressure of 922 millibars at peak. The season is also the only on record to feature three storms make landfall at category 5 intensity. Most forecasting agencies predicted an active season, though even revised mid-season forecasts proved to be too low. The season's extreme notoriety, level of impact, and hyperactivity has yet to be superseded and will most likely remain unmatched for some time to come.

Overview and Summary
The season commenced with Hurricane Arlene, the first hurricane in the month since 1995’s Alicia. Arlene formed near the Cayman Islands and crossed western Cuba in its initial stages, growing to a large size and gradually attaining peak intensity near the Florida panhandle. Arlene later made landfall near Pensacola just under hurricane intensity and caused moderate damage. The subsequent storm, Tropical Storm Bret, formed in the Bay of Campeche on June 28. Bret peaked at a very modest 45 miles per hour and made landfall at that intensity near Tuxpan, Mexico. July kicked off with Hurricane Cindy, a storm that was upgraded to category 1 intensity in post-analysis. The storm made landfall at peak intensity near Grand Isle, Louisiana and triggered widespread tornado outbreaks and blackouts, affecting an area stretching from Texas to New England.

Seasonal activity continued at a torrid pace with the formation of Hurricane Dennis on July 3, previously the earliest-forming fourth named storm on record and one of only two category 5 hurricanes on record in the month. Dennis became one of only a handful of category 5 hurricanes to make landfall on Cuba before later re-intensifying over the Gulf of Mexico and striking the Florida panhandle at category 4 intensity. Damage was horrendous along its track; over 100 people were killed and $4 billion in damage was left in the storm’s wake. Hurricane Emily is the strongest hurricane ever recorded before August, beating Dennis’ record only eight days after it was set when the storm hit a minimum pressure of 922 millibars. The storm compounded damage from Hurricane Ivan in Grenada before later striking the Yucatán Peninsula with 140 mph winds. The storm made its final landfall just south of the Texas border at category 3 intensity, leaving behind at least $1.7 billion in damage.

Hurricane Floyd continued the sudden burst of activity, forming on July 20. The storm made landfall on Bermuda at hurricane status but left relatively insignificant damage. The genesis of Tropical Storm Gina three days after followed on the now evident activity trend, forming in the western Gulf of Mexico and making landfall in the region that was heavily damaged by Hurricane Emily only four days earlier. Hurricane Harold kicked off August, forming over the open Atlantic and causing minor damage on Bermuda at tropical storm strength. Hurricane Irene was a long-lived, moderately intense Cape Verde hurricane. The storm formed in the deep tropics but struggled to reach hurricane intensity and weakened on multiple occasions. Midway through its lifespan, it passed by the Outer Banks of North Carolina near hurricane intensity and reached category 3 status north of Bermuda. Irene became extratropical east of Newfoundland. Tropical Depression Ten was an insignificant tropical cyclone in the deep tropics that did not affect land, however, its remnants contributed to the formation of the legendary Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Julito was a brief tropical cyclone that formed just north of Tabasco. The storm rapidly intensified and continued to intensify after landfall in Veracruz.

Hurricane Katrina was an incredibly intense and formidable category 5 hurricane that initially formed over the Bahamas. Katrina reached minimal hurricane intensity and made landfall over Miami, Florida. The storm passed by the Florida Keys and began significant intensification in the Gulf of Mexico, just north of Havana, Cuba. The storm adopted a northerly track and grew to an enormous size as it bore down on the United States Gulf Coast. The highest levels of alert were raised in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. The hurricane peaked with 180 mph winds and a central pressure of 901 millibars on August 28, very near the Louisiana coastline. The following day, Katrina made landfall as a slightly weaker category 5 hurricane over Port Sulphur - the first category 5 hurricane to strike the United States since Colin only a year prior and the only category 5 hurricane on record to make landfall in Louisiana. New Orleans received low-end category 4 strength winds and was largely obliterated when massive waves toppled levees in Lake Pontchartrain, contributing to massive flooding throughout much of southern Louisiana. Much of the coastal topography in the region has remained underwater since Katrina. The hurricane made its final landfall in Port Ansley, Mississippi later that same day with winds of 165 miles per hour - the strongest in the state since Camille. The destruction from Katrina equates to $161 billion, making it the the costliest hurricane on record at the time. Over 22,000 fatalities were reported, and many more missing, making the hurricane the deadliest natural disaster in modern United States history. The exact damage and death tolls may never be known.

Tropical Storm Lee formed near the end of August in the deep tropics and initially dissipated as Tropical Depression Thirteen. The storm regenerated on September 1 and peaked as a strong tropical storm, later dissipating without affecting land. Hurricane Maria was a long-lived category 4 hurricane that brought significant impacts to Iceland in combination with the remnants of succeeding Hurricane Nate. While tropical, Maria remained over open water and had no impact on land - however, disrupted rescue and shipping efforts in combination with Hurricane Nate that were attempting to provide aid to Hurricane Katrina victims. Hurricane Nate formed south of Bermuda and rapidly intensified to category 2 intensity. The hurricane weakened somewhat due to its rapid forward motion but slammed Bermuda at minimal hurricane intensity, causing nearly $4 million in damage.

Hurricane Oprah was a highly erratic tropical cyclone that formed off the Atlantic coast of Florida. The storm aimlessly drifted off the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina, alternating between tropical storm and minimal hurricane intensity. As Oprah gained a northerly course, it briefly peaked as a major hurricane and came ashore Cape Hatteras, North Carolina just under that intensity. The hurricane journeyed up the East Coast and left behind massive damage, accruing $2.71 in losses. After genesis of no new tropical cyclones for roughly a week, Hurricane Philippe formed in the mid-Atlantic and attained peak intensity as a category 1 hurricane. The storm affected Bermuda as a remnant low.

The next major storm, Hurricane Rita, took a course that was very similar to Hurricane Katrina. The storm left minimal impact in the Bahamas and intensified in the Florida Straits, bringing hurricane-force winds to the Florida Keys. The storm became the record-breaking fourth category 5 hurricane of the season and the strongest ever recorded in the Gulf of Mexico, achieving 190 mph sustained winds and a minimum pressure of 892 millibars - equivalent to the 1935 Labor Day hurricane. As it aimed towards Louisiana, at least 5 million residents along the Texas-Louisiana border evacuated. The storm made landfall in Louisiana as a category 3 but caused massive damage in neighboring Texas, specifically Port Arthur. The death toll was 137, approximately 80% of which was due to the evacuation. Rita left behind an estimated $14 billion in damage and incapacitated 50% of the oil refinery capacity in the Gulf of Mexico.

Tropical Storm Stan was a relatively weak tropical cyclone that stayed at sea for the entirety of its life, northwest of the Cape Verde islands. Concurrently, Hurricane Tammy was a moderately strong but horrendously destructive minimal hurricane. Forming in the western Caribbean, the storm began rapidly intensifying and struck Quintana Roo as a strong tropical storm. The storm achieved hurricane intensity in the Bay of Campeche and took an unusual southerly dive, striking Punta Roca at peak strength. Tammy made landfall within a large swath of non-tropical rains on the day the Santa Ana volcano erupted in El Salvador, causing catastrophic, rain-induced flooding and landslides. Over 2,000 people lost their lives and an estimated $4.07 billion in damage was left in the storm’s wake, stretching from El Salvador to Honduras.

Subtropical Storm Vince was a short-lived cyclone that caused moderate damage in the Azores as it passed through them at peak intensity. The next storm, Tropical Storm Wilma, formed off the Atlantic coast of Florida and hugged it throughout its entire lifespan, coming ashore near Atlantic Beach. The storm left moderate damage in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina but combined with a larger system to cause significant flooding in New England, particularly New York. Subtropical Storm Alpha marked the first instance in Atlantic history that the main list of names became exhausted and the National Hurricane Center resorted to naming with the Greek alphabet. It formed in subtropics and struck Bermuda with gale-force winds. The remnants of the system later became absorbed within the same system that absorbed Wilma and contributed to heavy rains across much of New England.

Hurricane Beta was highly unusual, forming in what would be considered the farthest east for a tropical cyclone since 1995’s Hurricane Van. Beta also became the first tropical cyclone to strike the Iberian peninsula while fully tropical, doing so with 40 mph winds. The next storm, Hurricane Gamma, was the final category 5 hurricane of the season, the strongest Atlantic hurricane on record, formerly the strongest in the Western Hemisphere, and one of only three Atlantic tropical cyclones (among Allen in 1981 and Katia in 2017) to achieve a top wind speed of 200 miles per hour or greater. The storm formed in the central Caribbean and underwent explosive intensification that has yet to be unmatched by any other Atlantic hurricane - going from 982 millibars to 879 millibars in less than 24 hours. The storm maintained category 5 winds for a little over three days and surpassed the Labor Day hurricane for most intense landfall after striking Cozumel with a central pressure of 890 millibars. The storm ravaged the Yucatán Peninsula for nearly two days as a category 5 and entered the Gulf of Mexico as a category 3 hurricane. The storm achieved a secondary peak intensity of 155 miles per hour in the Gulf of Mexico and was predicted to re-attain category 5 status. However, due to its rapid motion, the storm weakened and struck Cape Romano, Florida with 135 mph winds. The storm re-entered the Atlantic near the Bahamas as a category 3 and began a track to the northeast. The storm peaked for a third time with 125 mph winds before later striking Clam Harbour, Nova Scotia as a minimal hurricane. In its wake, Gamma had killed 174 people in total and left nearly $40 billion in damage, with approximately ¾ of it in southern Florida.

Tropical Storm Delta was an insignificant tropical cyclone that struck Hispaniola and the Turks & Caicos at tropical storm intensity. The storm left at least $160 million in damage and was absorbed into Hurricane Gamma shortly after entering the Gulf Stream. Hurricane Epsilon formed in the southwest Caribbean, just to the north of Panama. The storm peaked at category 3 status and made landfall in Nicaragua as a slightly weaker major hurricane, however, due to its small size, damage was significantly less than feared.

The final major hurricane hurricane of the season, Hurricane Zeta, was a highly destructive and unusual storm known for being the latest-forming Cape Verde hurricane on record. The storm crossed Barbados and St. Vincent as a tropical depression and traversed the southern Caribbean without much change in strength. After passing the ABC islands, Zeta underwent extremely explosive intensification and went from a 45 mph tropical storm to a 140 mph category 4 hurricane in 18 hours. Zeta curved to the northwest and struck Iralaya, Honduras at peak intensity. Zeta took a hard turn north and executed a small loop south of Cuba prior to gaining a straight southern path towards the northeastern edge of Honduras. The storm then struck a city only a couple miles from its initial landfall, Iriona, as a high-end category 2 hurricane. The storm moved inwards into Nicaragua and later dissipated. Zeta was the third hurricane this year to cause at least 1,000 fatalities and had the highest death toll anywhere in Central America since Hurricane Mitch, with 4,721 fatalities attributed to it. However, because Greek names do not have the ability to be retired for destruction, the storm remains on the Greek list for future use, to much controversy.

Hurricane Eta was another unusual tropical cyclone that formed in the eastern subtropics, near the Canary Islands. The storm was highly erratic and peaked as a category 1 without affecting land. However, the extratropical remnants hit the Canary Islands with severe winds, causing at least $400 million in damage and destroying a local monument. Hurricane Theta was also a highly unusual hurricane, becoming the record-breaking 21st and final hurricane of the year. The storm persisted into December and maintained hurricane status for five days in highly unfavorable conditions, in addition to surpassing 1998’s Hurricane Nicole for the strongest storm in the month of December. Tropical Storm Iota tied Hurricane Alice of 1954 for the latest-forming Atlantic tropical cyclone on record, and is the only one on record alongside Alice to span two calendar years. Theta dissipated over open water in the central Atlantic on January 6, 2006.

Hurricane Arlene
Arlene was the first hurricane in the month of June since 1995's Alicia. The storm initially formed from a sprawling disturbance south of the Cayman Islands and only gradually intensified. It advanced on a linear track north, making landfall on the western tip of Cuba as a moderately strong tropical storm. Once it entered the Gulf of Mexico, Arlene organized more. A mid-level eye feature became present as more deep convection fired near the center, and Arlene became a strong tropical storm approximately 175 miles south of the Florida panhandle. Arlene's forward motion slowed a bit on June 13, and the storm gained minimal category 1 intensity around 05:00 UTC the same day. This peak was short-lived, as it was noted that shelving due to the storm's interaction with land would limit additional strengthening before landfall. Arlene later made landfall that same day near Pensacola Beach just under hurricane intensity. The storm's broad circulation brought tropical storm-force winds to portions of eastern Louisiana, impacting an area much larger than previously thought. As slow as it was to strengthen, Arlene was also slow to weaken over land and remained a tropical depression near the Indiana-Michigan border. The storm became post-tropical the following day and dissipated over Quebec.

Arlene's impacts in northern Florida are regarded as moderate. The storm surge peaked at six feet near Fort Walton Beach, and minor coastal flooding ensued. Most beaches were closed for less than a day. Rip currents claimed the life of one woman near Cedar Key, while three more died in Mexico Beach after losing control of their vehicle. Approximately 10,000 residences lost electricity at the height of the storm, and high winds downed over 100 utility poles in the Pensacola area alone. Gusts reportedly peaked at 78 miles per hour at a reporting station just offshore. Heavy inland flooding ensued in Kentucky, Indiana, and western Ohio as the storm's large circulation nearly stalled over the region, with accumulations reaching at least 14 inches in some locations. In total, Arlene left $79 million (2005 USD) in damage, the majority of it in the United States.

Tropical Storm Bret
In late June, a tropical wave that had been traversing the central Atlantic for more than a week entered the Bay of Campeche on June 27. It slowly consolidated overnight, and was designated as Tropical Depression Two the following morning. Around 00:00 UTC June 29, the system gained tropical storm-force winds per reconnaissance data. Due to its proximity to land and the marginally favorable conditions, Bret did not intensify much further and slowly advanced westward. The following afternoon, Bret made landfall near Tuxpan while maintaining peak winds. Only hours later, convection collapsed and the system dissipated over central Mexico.

Bret's damage in Mexico is regarded as minimal. The storm caused one fatality in Veracruz City as an individual was struck by lightning. Heavy rain fell along its path - at least 12.5 inches were recorded in El Raudal over a 24-hour period. Impact from winds was minimal, if at all present. Over mountainous regions inland, heavy rains triggered landslides and destroyed more than 70 dwellings. At least four different villages in the state of Veracruz were isolated as a result, and 5,500 customers lost electricity or filtered water. Throughout Mexico, Bret left more than $10 million (2005 USD) in damage.

Hurricane Corrin
The formation of Hurricane Corrin on July 4th signified an uptick in the pace of tropical cyclone formation this year, developing from a broad low-pressure area over the western Caribbean Sea. While chances for tropical cyclogenesis were only 50% through five days, reconnaissance aircraft indicated a closed surface circulation around 11:00 UTC later that same day, resulting the classification of Tropical Depression Three approximately 125 miles east of Cozumel. Moving slowly westward, Tropical Depression Three intensified to Tropical Storm Corrin only twelve hours later, passing just south of Cozumel. Around 22:00 UTC July 5, Tropical Storm Warnings were hoisted from Playa del Carmen to Tulum in advance of an impending landfall. Corrin was a disorganized tropical storm, and the center wobbled inconsistently westward towards the Yucatán Peninsula. Approximately 24 hours later, Corrin made landfall directly over Tulum as a marginal tropical storm and quickly unraveled soon after. Measured winds fell to gale-force, and the storm was downgraded to a tropical depression just south of Cobá. Initial forecasts predicted the storm would continue to the northwest and strike Texas. However, satellite imagery indicated a new center of circulation reformed overnight, further northeast of the original. Fueled by waters on the north side of the peninsula, convection coalesced around the new center and Corrin began moving sharply to the north, towards Louisiana.

After a day over the Yucatán, Corrin entered the Gulf of Mexico on the north side of the peninsula. The storm immediately began re-intensifying over water, and attained winds of 35 knots approximately six hours later. Convection increased near the center, and the probability of hurricane status was noted before landfall. Corrin stayed on its near-northerly track, with Hurricane Watches hoisted for much of southern Louisiana. Slight dry air entrainment halted additional intensification on July 7th, resuming only hours later. Hurricane Warnings were issued for Grand Isle and the surrounding wetlands as another reconnaissance flight revealed SFMR measurements of 50 knots. Corrin continued to intensify up until it made landfall, coming ashore directly over Grand Isle at peak intensity. However, hurricane intensity was not realized until post-season evaluation, when NHC forecaster Stacy Stewart noted Corrin was indeed a category 1. The storm only weakened slightly due the Louisiana topography alllowing much of the circulation to still have access to water, making its final landfall in Gulfport, Mississippi as a strong tropical storm. Shortly after, the circulation of the storm became elongated, and weakened to a tropical depression as it moved northeast into Alabama. It became post-tropical the following day, with its remnants moving through New England and over Atlantic Canada before officially dissipating on July 17.