Hurricane Julia (2016)

Hurricane Julia was the deadliest tropical cyclone in history for the Cape Verde Islands. Julia was the tenth named storm, fifth hurricane, and third major hurricane of the hyperactive 2016 Atlantic hurricane season.

Meteorological History
A tropical wave began to move off the coast of Africa on September 30. This caused meteorologists to begin tracking the system for tropical cyclongenesis. The wave rapidly gained a closed circulation, prompting its designation as Tropical Depression Twelve early on October 1 while located about 400 miles southeast of the Cape Verde Islands. Julia became one of the easternmost-forming Atlantic tropical cyclones in history. Julia slowly moved northwestward, and started to improve in organization. The NHC found an eye feature in Julia early on October 3, supporting an upgrade to hurricane status. Julia the rapidly intensified thereafter, and was a strong category 2 hurricane in just 6 hours. Julia then passed over the Cape Verde Islands as a strong category 2 hurricane, and caused over 100 deaths. Julia was the second hurricane to strike Cape Verde in just 13 months, Hurricane Fred had struck the Islands the previous year and was the first hurricane to directly affect the island since the 1890s. Julia then briefly intensified into a Category 3 major hurricane on October 5 as it moved northwestward. Shortly afterward, increased wind shear and dry air caused Julia's circulation to fall apart, being downgraded to a tropical storm by October 6. On October 7, Julia dissipated as it was losing tropical characteristics and its spin had deteriorated.

Impact
Julia was the second-deadliest storm of the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season and the deadliest hurricane in Cape Verde history. The name Julia was retired in April 2017 by the WMO and was replaced with the name Jan for the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season.