Hurricane Lorenzo (Hitman)

Hurricane Lorenzo was a deadly, destructive, costly, and catastrophic Category 5 hurricane that devastated The Caribbean, Cuba, the United States Gulf Coast, and the United States East Coast in mid to late September and early to mid-October 2019. In all, 4,984 people were killed and $265 billion (2019 USD) in damages occurred.

On September 9, the NHC began to monitor a system that developed north of Venezuela. After it was forecasted to push into the Pacific and become a hurricane, the system turned north and began to organize over the week after monitoring began. Recon showed depression-like winds and the system was classified as Tropical Depression Twelve. Organization was limited as mild conditions prevented organization.

Rapid intensification occurred, with the depression quickly strengthening into a Category 2 Hurricane Lorenzo, with 105 mph winds and a pressure reading of 962 mbar. Hurricane warning were issued for much of the Western Caribbean, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti. Lorenzo continued strengthening, becoming a Category 3 major hurricane when Lorenzo made landfall in Jamaica. After causing 24 deaths and $2 billion in damage in Jamaica, Lorenzo continued to strengthen, reaching Category 4 major hurricane status on it's southeast Cuba approach. Right before landfall, recon recorded 150 mph winds and a pressure reading of 918 mbar. While Lorenzo was believed to hit southeast central Cuba, Lorenzo made a sharp right turn, striking the very east corner of Cuba. 43 were killed in Cuba, and $18 billion in damage. Lorenzo reached Category 5 strength as Lorenzo struck the western coast of the West Indies.

Recon supported 160 mph winds and a pressure reading of 914 mbar. Lorenzo then made a Category 5 landfall in the Southern Bahamas, causing severe damage. 2 deaths and $1 billion in damage occurred in the West Indies, and 102 were killed in The Bahamas, along with $10 billion in damage. Lorenzo slightly strengthened, having a new pressure reading of 911 mbar. A slight and brief Category 5 landfall occurred in the Florida Keys, making Lorenzo the first Atlantic hurricane to make a Category 5 landfall in the Mainland United States since Sigma of 2018, even though Sigma made landfall in January of 2019. 3 were killed and $1 billion in damage occurred in the Florida Keys.

Lorenzo once again began intensification, reaching a new wind speed of 175 mph and a pressure reading of 904 mbar. Lorenzo then began to weaken due to an eyewall replacement cycle. After weakening to a high-end Category 4 hurricane with 155 mph winds and a pressure reading of 917 mbar, Lorenzo began to restrengthen, strengthening back to 175 mph and a lower pressure reading of 900 mbar. After reaching a new strength, Lorenzo continued to strengthen, becoming a 180 mph, 894 mbar Category 5 hurricane. A hurricane warning was issued for Northeastern Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle, along with a hurricane watch for the west coast of Florida.

Lorenzo then began to weaken, as yet another eyewall replacement cycle occurred nearly an hour before landfall in Louisiana. Like Katrina, but worse, Lorenzo made a major hurricane landfall near New Orleans at 175 mph, 898 mbar pressure reading. Due to high winds, storm surge, heavy rainfall, and flooding, many levees failed in and near New Orleans failed, causing tons of water to pour into the suburbs and Downtown New Orleans from Lake Pontchartrain. The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway was destroyed, killing hundreds who were on the Causeway. Flooding up to 35 feet occurred, with the Mercedes Benz Superdome and the Smoothie King Center both facing major flooding. Severe beach erosion occurred in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

At least 2,038 people were confirmed killed in Lorenzo's Gulf Coast landfall, causing an estimated $80 billion in damage. Lorenzo drastically weakened after landfall, weakening to a 110 Category 2 hurricane with a pressure reading of 940 mbar. Weakening continued to occur, with Lorenzo becoming a high-end Tropical Storm, northeast of New Orleans. A turn southeast then began to occur, with another sequence in the Gulf expected. Lorenzo caused rainfall and tropical storm-force winds in the Gulf Coast states, before emerging in the Gulf as a 40 mph tropical storm with a pressure reading of 999 mbar. Tracking south to east, Lorenzo began to strengthen quickly, becoming a 100 mph Category 2 hurricane with a pressure reading of 965 mbar. Perfect conditions for strengthening caused more rapid intensification, with recon confirming Lorenzo once again reached Category 5 strength, with 165 mph winds and a pressure reading of 934 mbar. Lorenzo entered one of the warmest areas of the Gulf of Mexico, where more strengthening occurred, where Lorenzo reached peak intensity, a Category 5 hurricane with 185 mph winds and a pressure reading of 884 mbar.

Lorenzo made a peak strength, Category 5 landfall near Everglades City. At least 14 people were killed in Everglades City, with thousands of alligators feared dead after much of the Everglades suffered major damage, mostly from heavy rain, storm surge, and strong winds. Miami saw effects similar to Isaac, which was similar in strength to Lorenzo in September 2018. At least 738 people were killed in Florida, along with another $60 billion in damages.The Northern Bahamas suffered severe wind damage and severe storm surge. Another 34 were killed in The Northern Bahamas, along with $8 billion in damage. Lorenzo sustained it's Category 5 strength as hurricane warnings were issued for the east coast of Florida, along with Georgia and the Carolinas, along with a hurricane watch for Virginia. Lorenzo reached 185 mph winds once again, reaching a pressure reading as low as 888 mbar.

Lorenzo made 3 separate Category 5 landfalls in Georgia and The Carolinas. Severe storm surge and beach erosion occurred as Lorenzo began to weaken. As many as 1,993 were killed, along with $80 billion in damage on the East Coast of Florida. On October 6, Lorenzo fell under Category 5 strength for the final time, where, after the first advisory without being a Category 5 since September 27. Winds sustained at 145 mph and a pressure reading of 921 mbar. Drastic weakening then ensued, with one-minute sustained winds at 85 mph and a pressure reading of 982 mbar, the equivalent of a mid-range Category 1 hurricane. More severe inland flooding occurred, with up to $4.8 billion in damage and 38 deaths occurring before Lorenzo weakened into a tropical depression on October 8. In Northeastern Canada, up to $200 million and 3 deaths occurred, mostly from severe rainfall. Lorenzo tracked northeast at up to 60 mph, one of the fastest ever. Depression-like winds were recorded in southern Greenland and Iceland.

Lorenzo's remnants fully dissipated about 200 miles southeast of Iceland and about 80 miles northwest of the Faroe Islands on October 12 after killing 4,984 and $265 billion (2019 USD) in damages. Lorenzo was retired and replaced with Luke for the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season after all of the damage and death Lorenzo caused. Lorenzo will not be used in another Atlantic hurricane again.