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2005 Atlantic hurricane season

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Storms

                                   CAPTION: 2005 Atlantic hurricane season

                              Season summary map
                                                         Season summary map
        First storm formed:                                     June 8, 2005
     Last storm dissipated:                         January 6, 2006 (record)
           Strongest storm: Wilma - 882 mbar (26.05  inHg) - record, 185 mph
                                                                  (295 km/h)
              Total storms:                                      28 (record)
   Major storms ( Cat. 3+):                                                7
              Total damage:                ≥$120 billion (2005 USD - record)
          Total fatalities:                                           ≥2,280
                          Atlantic hurricane seasons
                         2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007

   The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active Atlantic
   hurricane season in recorded history, shattering previous records on
   repeated occasions. The impact of the season was widespread and ruinous
   with at least 2,280 deaths and record damages of over $100 billion USD.
   Of the storms that made landfall, five of the seven major
   hurricanes—Dennis, Emily, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma—were responsible for
   most of the destruction. The Mexican states of Quintana Roo and Yucatán
   and the U.S. states of Florida and Louisiana were each struck twice by
   major hurricanes; Cuba, the Bahamas, Haiti, Mississippi, Texas, and
   Tamaulipas were each struck once and in each case brushed by at least
   one more. The most catastrophic effects of the season were felt on the
   United States' Gulf Coast, where a 30-foot (10 meter) storm surge from
   Hurricane Katrina caused devastating flooding that inundated New
   Orleans, Louisiana and destroyed most structures on the Mississippi
   coastline, and in Guatemala, where Hurricane Stan combined with an
   extratropical system to cause deadly mudslides.

   The season officially began on June 1, 2005, and lasted until November
   30, although it effectively persisted into January 2006 due to
   continued storm activity. A record twenty-eight tropical and
   subtropical storms formed, of which a record fifteen became hurricanes.
   Of these, seven strengthened into major hurricanes, a record-tying five
   became Category 4 hurricanes and a record four reached Category 5
   strength, the highest categorization for hurricanes on the
   Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. Among these Category 5 storms were
   Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma, the former the costliest and the latter
   the most intense Atlantic hurricane on record.

Seasonal forecasts

   CAPTION: Predictions of tropical activity in the 2005 season

   Source        Date         Tropical
                              storms  Hurricanes   Major
                                                 hurricanes
   CSU    Average (1950–2000) 9.6     5.9        2.3
   NOAA   Average             11      6          2
   CSU    3 December 2004     11      6          3
   CSU    1 April 2005        13      7          3
   NOAA   16 May 2005         12–15   7–9        3–5
   CSU    31 May 2005         15      8          4
   NOAA   2 August 2005       18–21   9–11       5–7
   CSU    5 August 2005       20      10         6
        Actual activity       28      15         7

   Forecasts of hurricane activity are issued before each hurricane season
   by noted hurricane expert Dr. William M. Gray and his associates at
   Colorado State University (CSU), and separately by forecasters with the
   U.S. Government's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
   (NOAA). Prior to and during the 2005 season, Dr. Gray issued four
   forecasts, each time increasing the predicted level of activity. The
   NOAA issued two forecasts, one shortly before the season and one two
   months into the season, drastically increasing the predicted level of
   activity in the second release. Nonetheless, all forecasts fell far
   short of the actual activity of the season.

Preseason forecasts

   On December 3, 2004, Dr. Gray's team issued its first extended-range
   forecast for the 2005 season, predicting a slightly above-average
   season. Additionally, the team predicted a greatly increased chance of
   a major hurricane striking the East Coast of the United States and the
   Florida peninsula. Though the forecast predicted above-average
   activity, the level predicted was significantly less than the 2004
   season. On April 1, 2005, after confirming that El Niño conditions
   would not develop, Dr. Gray and his team revised the December forecast
   upward, expecting thirteen tropical storms instead of eleven and seven
   hurricanes instead of six. In addition, the chance of a storm impacting
   the United States was raised slightly.

   On May 16, 2005, 15 days before the season began, NOAA issued its
   outlook for the 2005 season, forecasting a 70% chance of above-normal
   activity. The accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) value for the season was
   predicted to be 120–190% of the median. Shortly thereafter, on May 31,
   the day before the season officially began, Dr. Gray's team revised its
   April forecast upwards to 15 named storms, 8 hurricanes, and 4 major
   hurricanes.

Midseason outlook

   On August 2, after an extraordinarily active early season, the NOAA
   released an updated outlook on the remainder of the season,
   significantly raising the expected level of activity to numbers about
   double those of a normal season. The ACE value was now forecast to be
   180 to 270% of the median. The NOAA also noted a higher than normal
   confidence in the forecast of above-normal activity. On August 5, 2005,
   Dr. Gray and his associates followed suit and issued their updated
   forecast; it was consistent with NOAA's update. Although neither the
   NOAA nor Dr. Gray had ever forecast such high levels of activity, even
   the midseason outlooks fell far short of the actual level of activity.

Storms

June and July

   Hurricane Dennis making landfall in Florida
   Enlarge
   Hurricane Dennis making landfall in Florida

   On June 9, nearly two months earlier than when the 2004 season started,
   Tropical Storm Arlene formed in the western Caribbean, crossing Cuba
   before making landfall on the Florida Panhandle on the 11th. Arlene
   caused only moderate damage, although one swimmer was caught in a
   riptide and drowned in Miami Beach, Florida.

   Tropical Storm Bret formed in the Bay of Campeche on June 28 and made
   landfall in Veracruz the next morning. The storm damaged hundreds of
   homes and caused flooding which killed two people.

   Hurricane Cindy formed in the Gulf of Mexico on July 4. Originally
   thought to be a tropical storm, Cindy made landfall in Louisiana on the
   5th as a minimal hurricane, dropping up to 5 inches (130 mm) of rain,
   spawning several tornadoes, and killing three people. Cindy was
   upgraded to a hurricane in the post-storm analysis.
   Satellite photo of Hurricane Emily near peak intensity
   Enlarge
   Satellite photo of Hurricane Emily near peak intensity

   On July 5, Hurricane Dennis formed in the eastern Caribbean; it crossed
   Grenada before intensifying into a Category 4 hurricane, the strongest
   ever recorded in July with a pressure of 930 mbar ( hPa). Dennis struck
   Cuba at full force, then made a final landfall on the Florida
   Panhandle. The hurricane killed 89 people (mostly in Haiti) and caused
   $4–$6 billion in damages in Cuba and the United States.

   Soon thereafter, Hurricane Emily formed in the Atlantic on July 11. It
   entered the Caribbean Sea and quickly intensified to a Category 4
   storm, breaking Dennis's record for July intensity when its pressure
   reached 929 mbar (hPa). Emily then briefly reached Category 5
   intensity—the earliest such storm ever recorded in the Atlantic. Emily
   crossed the Yucatán Peninsula at Category 4 strength before hitting
   Tamaulipas at Category 3 strength. Emily killed at least 14 people over
   the course of its path. An estimated $400 million in damages have been
   reported.

   Tropical Storm Franklin formed off the Bahamas on July 18. The storm
   moved northeast and became extratropical off the coast of Atlantic
   Canada without ever having threatened land.

   Tropical Storm Gert followed soon after on July 24. Gert struck
   Veracruz near where Emily had hit a few days before; roughly 1,000
   people were evacuated for fear of flooding, but no damages or deaths
   were reported.

August

   Like July, August also got off to a fast start: Tropical Storm Harvey
   formed southwest of Bermuda on August 3. Harvey dropped some rain on
   Bermuda as it moved to the northeast; it became extratropical on August
   8 in the open Atlantic Ocean.

   The tropical depression that would become Hurricane Irene formed west
   of the Cape Verde Islands on August 4. The system moved west and north
   and did not reach hurricane strength until August 14, at which point it
   became the second Cape Verde-type hurricane of the season. Irene turned
   northeast and briefly reached Category 2 status before weakening and
   becoming extratropical on August 18. It never posed a threat to land.
   Eye of Hurricane Katrina as seen from a Hurricane Hunter aircraft
   Enlarge
   Eye of Hurricane Katrina as seen from a Hurricane Hunter aircraft

   Tropical Depression Ten formed east of the Lesser Antilles on August
   13. The system dissipated the next day. Its remnants soon merged with
   another system and eventually contributed to the formation of Hurricane
   Katrina.

   Tropical Storm Jose followed, forming in the Bay of Campeche on August
   22. It strengthened rapidly but quickly reached the coast and made
   landfall in the Mexican state of Veracruz on August 23, preventing
   further strengthening. Jose forced 25,000 people to evacuate their
   homes in Veracruz and killed six people in the state of Oaxaca; two
   more were reported missing. In all, damage in Mexico amounted to $45
   million (2005 USD).

   Hurricane Katrina formed in mid-August over the Bahamas. It became a
   tropical storm on August 24 and reached hurricane intensity before
   making landfall in south Florida as a minimal hurricane. A few hours
   later, the storm entered the Gulf of Mexico and intensified rapidly
   into a Category 5 hurricane while crossing the Loop Current on August
   28. Katrina made landfall on August 29 near the mouth of the
   Mississippi River as an extremely large Category 3 hurricane. Storm
   surge caused catastrophic damage along the coastlines of Louisiana,
   Mississippi, and Alabama. Levees separating Lake Pontchartrain from New
   Orleans, Louisiana were breached by the surge, ultimately flooding
   about 80% of the city. Wind damage was reported well inland, impeding
   relief efforts. Katrina is estimated to be responsible for at least
   $81.2 billion in damages, making it the costliest natural disaster in
   U.S. history. It was the deadliest U.S. hurricane since the 1928
   Okeechobee Hurricane, killing at least 1,836 people.

   Tropical Storm Lee formed out in the Atlantic on August 31 but
   dissipated several days later without having threatened land.

September

   Hurricane Ophelia off the coast of North Carolina
   Enlarge
   Hurricane Ophelia off the coast of North Carolina

   Hurricane Maria led off the month of September, forming as a tropical
   storm well east of the Leeward Islands on September 2. Maria reached
   its peak as a Category 3 hurricane on September 5, turning northeast
   and weakening before becoming extratropical on the 10th. Unusually,
   this extratropical storm strengthened as it moved toward Iceland; its
   remnants struck Norway where one person was killed in a landslide.

   Hurricane Nate formed southwest of Bermuda on September 5 and moved
   northeast as it strengthened into a strong Category 1 hurricane. Nate
   became extratropical on the 10th; the storm never approached land,
   although it did interfere with Canadian naval vessels en route to the
   Gulf Coast to help in Katrina relief efforts.

   Hurricane Ophelia formed as a tropical depression in the Bahamas on
   September 6 and almost immediately made landfall on Grand Bahama. It
   became a tropical storm off the coast of Florida before strengthening
   into a large Category 1 storm and raking a long stretch of the southern
   North Carolina coast with heavy winds and storm surge on the 12th and
   13th. The hurricane's eye never made landfall and moved back out to sea
   before becoming extratropical on the 17th and striking Atlantic Canada.
   Damages were around $70 million.

   Hurricane Philippe formed east of the Leeward Islands on September 17.
   It moved northwards, reaching Category 1 intensity before weakening and
   finally dissipating on the 23rd. No landmasses were affected.

   Hurricane Rita formed as a tropical storm over the Turks and Caicos
   Islands on September 18. The storm reached Category 2 intensity as it
   moved south of the Florida Keys on September 20. Rapid intensification
   ensued as Rita moved into the Gulf of Mexico, and Rita became a
   Category 5 hurricane on the 21st, becoming the third (now fourth) most
   intense hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic Basin. Rita made
   landfall near the Texas- Louisiana border on September 24. Major
   flooding was reported in Port Arthur and Beaumont, Texas, while Cameron
   and Calcasieu Parishes in Louisiana were devastated. Offshore oil
   platforms throughout Rita's path also suffered significant damage. Six
   people are confirmed dead from Rita's direct effects, and total damage
   from the storm is estimated at about $10 billion. One hundred and
   thirteen indirect deaths have been reported, mostly from the mass
   exodus from Houston, Texas and surrounding counties.

   Tropical Depression Nineteen formed west of the Cape Verde Islands on
   September 30 but dissipated on October 2 without having threatened
   land.

October

   Hurricane Stan shortly before landfall in Veracruz
   Enlarge
   Hurricane Stan shortly before landfall in Veracruz

   Hurricane Stan was the first October storm, reaching tropical storm
   status on October 2 just before crossing the Yucatán Peninsula. In the
   Bay of Campeche, Stan briefly reached hurricane strength before making
   landfall south of Veracruz, Veracruz, on October 4. Stan was a part of
   a large system of rainstorms, which dropped torrential rainfall that
   caused catastrophic flooding and mudslides over southern Mexico and
   Central America. Well over 1,000 total deaths were caused by the
   flooding, of which 80–100 are directly attributed to Stan.

   An initially unnoticed Unnamed Subtropical Storm was discovered by the
   NHC during the postseason analysis. This short-lived subtropical storm
   formed on October 4 south of the Azores and was absorbed by an
   extratropical low the next day, after passing over those islands.

   Tropical Storm Tammy led a brief existence before making landfall in
   northeastern Florida on October 5. Tammy dropped heavy rains over
   portions of the southeast United States before merging with a frontal
   system that would eventually cause the Northeast U.S. flooding of
   October 2005.

   Subtropical Depression Twenty-two formed southeast of Bermuda on
   October 8. It dissipated the next day, although its remnants approached
   New England and contributed to the Northeast U.S. flooding of October
   2005.

   Hurricane Vince formed over unfavorably cold water in the east Atlantic
   near the Madeira Islands on October 8 as a subtropical storm. It was
   first recorded by the NHC on October 9 when it became tropical, and
   shortly thereafter, it briefly strengthened into a hurricane. The storm
   made an even more unusual landfall in Spain on October 11, making it
   the first tropical cyclone on record to impact Spain.

   Hurricane Wilma formed on October 17 in the western Caribbean southwest
   of Jamaica and rapidly strengthened. On October 19 it became the
   strongest tropical cyclone on record in the Atlantic basin, with
   185 mph (295 km/h) winds and a central pressure of 882  mbar ( hPa).
   The hurricane moved slowly and struck Quintana Roo on October 22 as a
   Category 4 hurricane, causing very heavy damage to Cancún and Cozumel.
   After emerging into the Gulf of Mexico, Wilma passed north of Cuba
   before striking southern Florida on the 24th as a Category 3 storm,
   then moving into the Atlantic Ocean and becoming extratropical. Wilma
   is directly credited with 22 deaths; total damages are estimated at
   around $29 billion, mostly in the United States, Mexico, and Cuba.

   Tropical Storm Alpha formed in the eastern Caribbean on October 22 and
   crossed Hispaniola, causing major flooding before merging with Wilma. A
   total of 42 people are reported dead from the storm in Haiti and the
   Dominican Republic.

   Hurricane Beta formed in the southern Caribbean on October 26 and
   strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane before making landfall in the
   Colombian islands of San Andrés & Providencia and in Nicaragua on the
   30th. Damage and fatality reports have not yet been released to the
   public.

November, December, and January

   Hurricane Epsilon viewed from the International Space Station
   Enlarge
   Hurricane Epsilon viewed from the International Space Station

   Tropical activity declined only very slowly as the season wound down.
   Tropical Storm Gamma initially formed on November 15 in the central
   Caribbean, and degenerated into a tropical wave before reforming.
   Although the storm dissipated on November 20 without having made
   landfall, rainfall from Gamma caused 41 deaths in Honduras and Belize.

   Tropical Storm Delta formed in the eastern Atlantic on November 23; it
   approached but never attained hurricane strength. Delta became
   extratropical on the 28th shortly before striking the Canary Islands at
   full force, causing seven deaths and toppling El Dedo de Dios, a famous
   land formation on Gran Canaria.

   Hurricane Epsilon formed as a tropical storm on November 29 in a
   hostile environment in the middle of the Atlantic. It reached hurricane
   strength on December 2 and defied forecasting by persisting for over a
   week before dissipating.

   Tropical Storm Zeta became the final storm of the season when it formed
   on December 30, six hours short of tying the record of Hurricane Alice
   of 1954 as the latest-forming named storm in a season. Zeta dissipated
   on January 6, 2006, having become the longest-lived January tropical
   cyclone in Atlantic basin history.

Deaths and damage

   Damage in Navarre Beach, Florida from Hurricane Dennis
   Enlarge
   Damage in Navarre Beach, Florida from Hurricane Dennis

   The storms of the season were extraordinarily damaging and were
   responsible for significant loss of life. Total damages are estimated
   to be over $100 billion (2005 USD), and at least 2,280 people have been
   confirmed dead.

   The hardest-hit area was the United States Gulf Coast from eastern
   Texas to the Florida Panhandle. First to strike the area was Hurricane
   Dennis, which caused $2.23 billion in damages along the Florida
   Panhandle. Hurricane Katrina caused catastrophic damage to the Gulf
   Coast, devastating a long stretch of coast along Louisiana,
   Mississippi, and Alabama with a 30-foot (9 m) storm surge. Wind damage
   was reported well inland, slowing down recovery efforts. Storm surge
   also breached levees in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, flooding
   about 80% of the city. Total damages have been estimated at $81.2
   billion, and at least 1,836 people were killed by the storm; Katrina is
   the costliest hurricane in U.S. history, surpassing 1992's Hurricane
   Andrew, and the deadliest hurricane in the U.S. since 1928. Hurricane
   Rita struck near the same area, re-flooded New Orleans, (though to a
   far less degree than Katrina) and caused extensive damage along the
   coastlines of Louisiana and Texas; total damages are estimated at about
   $10 billion. Tropical Storm Arlene and Hurricane Cindy also struck the
   Gulf Coast but caused much lighter damage.
   Flooding in New Orleans from Hurricane Katrina
   Enlarge
   Flooding in New Orleans from Hurricane Katrina

   The Mexican state of Quintana Roo was also heavily hit, suffering
   billions of dollars in damages when Hurricanes Emily and Wilma both
   made landfall between Cozumel and Cancún. Wilma was particularly
   devastating, lashing the area with major hurricane-force winds for over
   a full day, and was possibly the most damaging hurricane in Mexican
   history.

   Wilma caused widespread heavy damage in south Florida, causing $20.6
   billion in damages total in the United States. Hurricanes Katrina and
   Rita had struck the same area earlier, causing lesser (but still
   significant) damage, and Tropical Storm Arlene killed one person caught
   in a rip current. Hurricane Dennis also brushed the area on its track
   northward.

   In October the remnants of Tropical Storm Tammy and Subtropical
   Depression Twenty-two met over the Northeastern United States, causing
   intense flooding.

   Southeastern North Carolina suffered some damage from the slow-moving
   Hurricane Ophelia; damages from that storm were originally estimated at
   $1.6 billion, but finalized at only $70 million. The remainder of the
   Atlantic coast escaped the major storms, although some regions were
   affected by the remnants of several storms (including Katrina, Ophelia,
   Tammy, Subtropical Depression 22, and Wilma).

   Northeastern Mexico, including Veracruz and Tamaulipas, was struck
   repeatedly. Hurricane Emily struck Tamaulipas directly, causing severe
   damage. Tropical Storms Bret, Gert, and Jose also made landfall in the
   area but caused minimal damage, although they did cause 12 deaths.

   Southern Mexico, along with portions of Central America, suffered heavy
   flooding and mudslides from Hurricane Stan and nearby nontropical
   rains. Over 2,000 people have been confirmed dead in total, with some
   towns completely wiped out, though most of these deaths were not
   related to the hurricane. Central America also suffered flooding from
   Tropical Storm Gamma and Hurricane Wilma, and Nicaragua was struck
   directly by Hurricane Beta. No damage figures are available for any of
   these storms.
   Flooding in Carolina Beach, North Carolina after Hurricane Ophelia in
   September 2005
   Enlarge
   Flooding in Carolina Beach, North Carolina after Hurricane Ophelia in
   September 2005

   The island of Hispaniola escaped the worst storms; however, at least 89
   people were killed in Haiti from the effects of Hurricanes Dennis and
   Wilma and Tropical Storm Alpha.

   Cuba was struck by Hurricane Dennis at peak strength, causing $1.4
   billion in damages; it was the worst hurricane to hit Cuba in over 40
   years. Some areas of Cuba also suffered heavy damage from Hurricanes
   Rita and Wilma.

   Unusual impacts were felt in Europe and nearby islands from four
   storms. Hurricane Maria intensified and affected northern Europe as a
   vicious extratropical storm, while Hurricane Vince maintained tropical
   characteristics onto the Iberian Peninsula as a weak tropical
   depression. Tropical Storm Delta struck the Canary Islands just after
   becoming extratropical, causing extensive damages before reaching
   Morocco as a weak extratropical system. In addition, the Azores were
   affected by the unnamed subtropical storm at its peak strength. Eight
   people were killed by those storms, and significant damage was reported
   as a result of Maria and Delta, although no figures are available.

   No major land effects were felt as a result of Franklin, Harvey, Irene,
   Tropical Depression 10, Lee, Nate, Philippe, Tropical Depression 19,
   Epsilon, or Zeta.

Economic impact

   Hurricane Rita at landfall, along with the location of several
   refineries
   Enlarge
   Hurricane Rita at landfall, along with the location of several
   refineries

   The level of activity of the season had far-reaching economic
   consequences. Because of the vulnerability of both oil extracting and
   refining capacity in the Gulf of Mexico, storms led to speculative
   spikes in the price of crude oil. The damage to refinery capacity in
   the United States caused gasoline to soar to record prices (even
   adjusted for inflation). Governments in Europe and the United States
   tapped strategic reserves of gasoline and petroleum, and shortages were
   reported in the days after Katrina in areas heavily dependent on the
   Gulf of Mexico for refined gasoline. Even weeks after the storm, prices
   remained elevated as the shortage in production remained over one
   million barrels per day.

   Rita damaged wells in the western Gulf of Mexico which were primarily
   exploratory, leading to concerns that future production would be damped
   for some time to come. Additionally, as the storm churned in the Gulf,
   forecasters predicted that it would strike Houston, Texas, the location
   of many major oil refineries that survived Katrina, leading to
   additional spikes in oil prices before the predictions changed. In
   Georgia, Governor Sonny Perdue declared " snow days" on September 26
   and September 27, 2005, at all Georgia public schools to conserve fuel
   for school buses in anticipation of Rita's impact. However, as the
   storm veered away from Houston shortly before landfall, damage to
   refining capacity was not as great as feared.

   Agriculture in multiple countries was hard hit by extremely heavy rains
   from severe storms during the season. Early in the season, Hurricane
   Dennis caused significant damages to various citrus and vegetable crops
   in Cuba, though the damages were not crippling. In Central America,
   Hurricane Stan and associated nontropical storms dropped upwards of 20
   inches (500 mm) of rain, causing, in addition to severe flash floods
   and mud slides, heavy damage to crops, especially to the banana and
   coffee crops, which were nearly ready to be harvested. This caused
   significant economic disruption in Guatemala and surrounding nations,
   as the rural economies are highly dependent on the coffee and banana
   crops. When Hurricane Beta struck Nicaragua later in the season, it
   also caused heavy damages to the banana crop, but the harvests had
   already ended, mitigating economic disruption.

   Katrina also had significant political consequences, as President
   George W. Bush, Louisiana governor Kathleen Blanco, and New Orleans
   mayor Ray Nagin all came under heavy criticism for what were considered
   sluggish or inappropriate responses to Hurricane Katrina. On December
   14, 2005, congressional hearings began to investigate whether these
   claims had any merit. In addition, Michael Brown, head of the United
   States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), was forced to resign
   from his post after the organization came under fire for what was
   perceived as an insufficient response to Katrina.

Forecasting uncertainty

   Hurricane Vince formed in cold waters in the northeast Atlantic.
   Enlarge
   Hurricane Vince formed in cold waters in the northeast Atlantic.

   A number of storms that formed in 2005 exhibited unusual behaviour and
   challenged forecasters' ability to make correct predictions. Hurricane
   Vince formed farther northeast in the Atlantic than any other tropical
   cyclone on record, and then unexpectedly reached hurricane strength
   over waters considered too cold to support a hurricane. Hurricane Wilma
   became one of the fastest-intensifying hurricanes on record, and later
   strengthened unexpectedly in the face of strong wind shear. Tropical
   Storm Delta, Hurricane Epsilon and Tropical Storm Zeta all formed over
   the cold waters of the late-season eastern Atlantic, much like
   Hurricane Vince (though at lower latitudes). All three persisted in the
   face of heavy wind shear, and Epsilon managed to reach hurricane
   strength over waters well below the temperatures previously thought
   necessary for hurricane formation. Epsilon became the longest-lasting
   December hurricane while Zeta became the longest-lasting storm in
   January.

Records and notable events

   The 2005 season broke numerous records for tropical cyclone activity,
   although records before 1944 are incomplete.

Number of storms

   CAPTION: Storm formation during the 2005 season

   Systems                Average

                                                                    Old
                                                                  Record

                                           2005
   Storms                 10      21       28
   Hurricanes             6       12       15
   Category 3+ Hurricanes 2       8        7
   Category 5 Hurricanes  0.3     2 ( tie) 4

   During the season 28 storms formed (27 named and one unnamed),
   surpassing almost all records for storm formation in the Atlantic. More
   tropical storms, hurricanes, and Category 5 hurricanes formed during
   the season than in any previously recorded Atlantic season; the only
   major record for number of storms the season did not capture was most
   major hurricanes, still held by the 1950 season.

   The season was the first season to use "V" and "W" names, and when the
   season ran out of official alphabetical names after the use of Wilma,
   forecasters resorted to using letters from the Greek alphabet for the
   first time (although Alpha and Delta had been used for subtropical
   storms in the 1970s).

   Almost every storm in 2005 has set a record for early formation. Of the
   twenty-eight storms which formed, twenty-two of them qualified as the
   earliest-forming storm of that number; starting with Hurricane Dennis,
   almost every storm was such.

Intense storms

   Hurricane Wilma near peak intensity of 882 mbar
   Enlarge
   Hurricane Wilma near peak intensity of 882 mbar

   Three of the six most intense hurricanes on record formed in 2005,
   topped off by Hurricane Wilma's 882 mbar minimum pressure, shattering
   the 17-year-old record set by Hurricane Gilbert. Hurricanes Emily,
   Katrina and Rita also attained Category 5 intensity, and Hurricanes
   Rita and Katrina became the fourth and sixth most intense recorded
   Atlantic storms, respectively. Hurricane Emily was not originally
   recorded as a Category 5 storm, but it was upgraded in the post-storm
   analysis by the National Hurricane Centre. The 2005 season is the only
   season on record with four Category 5 storms on the Saffir-Simpson
   Hurricane Scale; the previous record was only two. In addition,
   Hurricane Dennis reached Category 4 status, tying the record set by the
   1999 season with five Category 4 storms.

Early strength and activity

   In July, Hurricane Dennis became the strongest storm to form prior to
   August and the earliest Category 4 storm to form in the Caribbean. When
   Hurricane Emily reached Category 5 intensity later in the month, the
   2005 season became the only season to have two hurricanes reach
   Category 4 intensity before the end of July; Emily also broke Dennis's
   nine-day-old record for the strongest storm on record before August.
   Emily was also the first Category 5 hurricane ever recorded in July and
   the earliest by nearly three weeks (beating Hurricane Allen). The high
   level of activity and strength was reflected in the accumulated cyclone
   energy value at the end of July; at 63 it was the highest ever.

   Additionally, seven storms formed before the end of July, breaking the
   record of five set in the 1887, 1933, 1936, 1959, 1966, and 1995
   seasons. Five of those storms formed during July, also a new record.

Late activity

   After forming on November 29, Hurricane Epsilon became the
   longest-lasting December hurricane on record when it maintained
   hurricane strength from December 2 to December 7. Epsilon is the
   third-strongest hurricane ever recorded in the month of December; only
   Hurricane Nicole of 1998 and an unnamed storm in the 1925 season were
   stronger.

   When Tropical Storm Zeta formed on December 30, it came second only to
   Hurricane Alice (also December 30, 1954, but later in the day) as the
   latest ever that the last storm of the season formed. Zeta also became
   only the second storm, after Alice, to persist through the end of year
   and still be active at the start of the next. In addition, Zeta was the
   longest-lived tropical cyclone to form in December and cross over into
   the next year, and it was also the longest-lived January tropical
   cyclone.

Storm names

   CAPTION: 2005 storm names

     * Arlene
     * Bret
     * Cindy
     * Dennis
     * Emily
     * Franklin
     * Gert

                 * Harvey
                 * Irene
                 * Jose
                 * Katrina
                 * Lee
                 * Maria
                 * Nate

                            * Ophelia
                            * Philippe
                            * Rita
                            * Stan
                            * Tammy
                            * Vince
                            * Wilma

                                        * Alpha
                                        * Beta
                                        * Gamma
                                        * Delta
                                        * Epsilon
                                        * Zeta

   The names to the right were used for tropical storms and hurricanes
   that formed in the North Atlantic in 2005. This was the same list used
   for the 1999 season, with the exceptions of Franklin and Lee, which
   replaced Floyd and Lenny. The names not retired from this list will be
   used again in the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season. Storms were named
   Franklin, Lee, Maria, Nate, Ophelia, Philippe, Rita, Stan, Tammy,
   Vince, Wilma, Beta, Gamma, Epsilon, and Zeta for the first time in 2005
   (the names Alpha and Delta had been previously used in 1972 for two
   subtropical storms, but this is the first time they have been used in
   this way). This season used fifteen previously unused names, the most
   ever in an Atlantic season. Additionally, a subtropical storm that
   formed in early October was not recognized as such at the time and so
   did not receive a name.

   Vince and Wilma were the first named " V" and " W" storms ever in the
   Atlantic basin. The naming of Wilma exhausted the 2005 list, the first
   time in Atlantic naming history that all names in the list have been
   used. Beginning with Alpha, the 2005 season was the first time in
   Atlantic hurricane history that Greek letters were used due to the
   exhaustion of the primary list.

Retirement

   In the spring of 2006, the World Meteorological Organization retired
   five hurricane names: Dennis, Katrina, Rita, Stan, and Wilma. Their
   replacements in the 2011 season will be Don, Katia, Rina, Sean, and
   Whitney, respectively. This surpassed the previous record for the
   number of hurricane names retired after a single season, four (held by
   the 1955, 1995, and 2004 seasons).

   Retrieved from "
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Atlantic_hurricane_season"
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   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
