Tropical Weather Summary - 2005 Web Final


THE FOLLOWING IS A SPECIAL WEB-ONLY VERSION OF THE MONTHLY 
TROPICAL WEATHER SUMMARY REGARDING THE 2005 HURRICANE SEASON. 
THIS FINAL VERSION WAS RELEASED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER 
ON JANUARY 23, 2007. 

THE 2005 ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON WAS THE MOST ACTIVE ON RECORD.
TWENTY-EIGHT TROPICAL STORMS FORMED...INCLUDING ONE SUBTROPICAL 
STORM...BREAKING THE OLD RECORD OF 21 SET IN 1933. FIFTEEN STORMS 
BECAME HURRICANES...BREAKING THE OLD RECORD OF 12 SET BACK IN 
1969.  SEVEN OF THE HURRICANES BECAME MAJOR HURRICANES...CATEGORY 
THREE OR HIGHER ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE...INCLUDING 
FOUR...  EMILY...KATRINA...RITA...AND WILMA...THAT REACHED 
CATEGORY FIVE INTENSITY. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN THE AVAILABLE 
RECORDS DATING BACK TO 1851 THAT FOUR CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANES 
HAVE OCCURRED IN A SEASON.  IN CONTRAST...IN AN AVERAGE SEASON 
THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN 11 NAMED STORMS...6 HURRICANES... AND 2 
MAJOR HURRICANES. THE SEASON ALSO INCLUDED THREE DEPRESSIONS THAT 
DID NOT REACH TROPICAL STORM STRENGTH. 

ARLENE FORMED ON 8 JUNE NEAR THE NORTHEASTERN COAST OF HONDURAS 
AND BECAME A TROPICAL STORM ON 9 JUNE ABOUT 175 MILES WEST-
SOUTHWEST OF GRAND CAYMAN ISLAND. ARLENE MOVED SLOWLY NORTHWARD 
WHILE INTENSIFYING STEADILY AND CROSSED WESTERN CUBA NEAR CABO 
CORRIENTES WITH WINDS OF 50 MPH. THE STORM CONTINUED NORTHWARD 
OVER THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO WHERE IT REACHED ITS PEAK 
INTENSITY OF 70 MPH. ARLENE THEN WEAKENED AND MADE LANDFALL NEAR 
PENSACOLA FLORIDA WITH 60 MPH WINDS. THE CYCLONE CONTINUED TO 
WEAKEN AS IT MOVED NORTHWARD FARTHER INLAND AND WAS ABSORBED BY A 
FRONTAL SYSTEM ON 14 JUNE OVER SOUTHEASTERN CANADA.  ONE STUDENT 
AT MIAMI BEACH FLORIDA DIED IN A RIP CURRENT TRIGGERED BY ARLENE. 
DAMAGE CAUSED BY ARLENE WAS MINIMAL.

BRET ORIGINATED FROM A TROPICAL WAVE AND A WEAK AREA OF SURFACE 
LOW PRESSURE THAT CROSSED CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE YUCATAN 
PENINSULA OF MEXICO FROM 24-27 JUNE. ON 28 JUNE...THE ASSOCIATED 
AREA OF DISTURBED WEATHER BECAME BETTER ORGANIZED OVER THE BAY OF 
CAMPECHE...AND A TROPICAL DEPRESSION FORMED LATER THAT DAY ABOUT 
65 MILES NORTHEAST OF VERACRUZ MEXICO. THE CYCLONE QUICKLY 
STRENGTHENED INTO A TROPICAL STORM. BRET MOVED WEST-NORTHWESTWARD 
AND MADE LANDFALL ON THE COAST OF MEXICO NEAR TUXPAN EARLY ON 29 
JUNE WITH MAXIMUM WINDS OF 40 MPH. THE SYSTEM DISSIPATED OVER THE 
MOUNTAINS OF MEXICO LATER THAT DAY. BRET PRODUCED FLOODING IN THE 
STATE OF VERACRUZ...WHERE THERE WAS 1 DEATH.

CINDY FORMED ON 3 JULY IN THE EXTREME WESTERN CARIBBEAN SEA JUST 
EAST OF THE YUCATAN-BELIZE BORDER. THE CYCLONE MOVED 
NORTHWESTWARD ACROSS THE YUCATAN PENINSULA BEFORE EMERGING OVER 
THE SOUTH-CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO ON 4 JULY. ONCE OVER THE GULF OF 
MEXICO...THE DEPRESSION STRENGTHENED INTO A TROPICAL STORM EARLY 
ON 5 JULY AS THE CYCLONE TURNED NORTHWARD. CINDY CONTINUED TO 
STRENGTH OVER THE VERY WARM GULF WATERS...AND MADE LANDFALL AS A 
CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE EARLY ON 6 JULY OVER SOUTHEASTERN 
LOUISIANA JUST TO THE SOUTHWEST OF GRAND ISLE. CINDY TURNED 
NORTHEASTWARD AND PASSED OVER THE NEW ORLEANS AREA AND MERGED 
WITH A FRONTAL SYSTEM OVER NORTHERN GEORGIA LATER THAT DAY. AS AN 
EXTRATROPICAL CYCLONE...CINDY MOVED NORTHEASTWARD ALONG THE 
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS AND ACROSS NEW ENGLAND AND SOUTHEASTERN 
CANADA BEFORE DISSIPATING OVER THE GULF OF ST. LAWRENCE ON 11 
JULY. THE MAIN EFFECT OF CINDY WAS HEAVY RAINFALL THAT CAUSED 
FLOODING ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA...SOUTHERN 
MISSISSIPPI...MUCH OF ALABAMA...THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE...AND 
GEORGIA. AS AN EXTRATROPICAL LOW...CINDY ALSO PRODUCED LOCALLY 
HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS MUCH OF THE EASTERN U.S. ALONG AND EAST OF 
THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS. CINDY CAUSED ONE DEATH IN GEORGIA DUE 
TO FLOODING AND $320 MILLION IN DAMAGE IN THE UNITED STATES.

DENNIS DEVELOPED ON 4 JULY FROM A TROPICAL WAVE NEAR THE SOUTHERN 
WINDWARD ISLANDS. THE DEPRESSION MOVED WEST-NORTHWESTWARD ACROSS 
THE EASTERN AND CENTRAL CARIBBEAN SEA...BECAME A TROPICAL STORM 
ON 5 JULY...AND STRENGTHENED INTO A HURRICANE EARLY ON 6 JULY 
ABOUT 315 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF JAMAICA. DENNIS INTENSIFIED 
OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS AND BECAME A MAJOR HURRICANE ON 7 
JULY...AND A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE WITH WINDS OF 150 MPH ON 8 
JULY JUST SOUTH OF CENTRAL CUBA.  DENNIS PASSED OVER CABO CRUZ 
CUBA EARLY ON 8 JULY WITH WINDS OF 140 MPH...AND THEN MADE 
LANDFALL ALONG THE SOUTH-CENTRAL COAST OF CUBA THAT AFTERNOON 
NEAR CIENFUEGOS WITH WINDS OF 140 MPH. AFTER MAKING 
LANDFALL...THE CENTER OF DENNIS PASSED VERY NEAR HAVANA AND THE 
HURRICANE WEAKENED TO CATEGORY ONE STATUS BEFORE EMERGING OVER 
THE SOUTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO EARLY ON 9 JULY. ALTHOUGH DENNIS 
RE -INTENSIFIED INTO A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE EARLY ON 10 JULY 
OVER THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO...IT WEAKENED TO CATEGORY 3 
STRENGTH BEFORE MAKING LANDFALL OVER THE WESTERN FLORIDA 
PANHANDLE NEAR NAVARRE BEACH LATE ON 10 JULY. DENNIS LOST 
TROPICAL CHARACTERISTICS OVER THE OHIO VALLEY AND EVENTUALLY 
DISSIPATED OVER SOUTHEASTERN CANADA ON 18 JULY. 

FORTY-TWO DEATHS WERE REPORTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH DENNIS...22 IN 
HAITI...16 IN CUBA...3 IN THE UNITED STATES AND 1 IN JAMAICA. 
CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE OCCURRED ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN 
CUBA...INCLUDING WIDESPREAD UTILITY AND COMMUNICATIONS OUTAGES. 
NOTABLE STORM SURGE RELATED DAMAGE OCCURRED NEAR ST. MARKS 
FLORIDA...WELL EAST OF THE LANDFALL LOCATION. HEAVY RAINFALL AND 
FLOODING OCCURRED ACROSS MUCH OF FLORIDA AND EXTENDED WELL INLAND 
OVER PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES. THE DAMAGE 
ASSOCIATED WITH DENNIS IS ESTIMATED AT $2.23 BILLION.

EMILY FORMED FROM A TROPICAL WAVE ON 11 JULY ABOUT 1235 MILES 
EAST OF THE SOUTHERN WINDWARD ISLANDS. MOVING WESTWARD...THE 
DEPRESSION BECAME A TROPICAL STORM THE FOLLOWING DAY. ON 14 
JULY...AS EMILY WAS PASSING THROUGH THE SOUTHERN WINDWARD 
ISLANDS...IT ABRUPTLY STRENGTHENED AND BECAME A HURRICANE NEAR 
GRENADA...AND LATER THAT DAY BECAME A MAJOR HURRICANE IN THE 
EASTERN CARIBBEAN SEA. OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS IT MOVED WEST-
NORTHWESTWARD ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN...REACHING A PEAK INTENSITY OF 
160 MPH...CATEGORY FIVE...WHEN IT WAS SOUTH OF HISPANIOLA. EMILY 
PASSED TO THE SOUTH OF JAMAICA AND THE CAYMAN ISLANDS...AND THEN 
STRUCK COZUMEL AND THE YUCATAN PENINSULA OF MEXICO ON 18 JULY 
WITH MAXIMUM WINDS NEAR 135 MPH. EMILY CROSSED THE YUCATAN AND 
WEAKENED...BUT BECAME A MAJOR HURRICANE AGAIN IN THE SOUTHWESTERN 
GULF OF MEXICO. EMILY MADE ITS FINAL LANDFALL ON 20 JULY IN 
NORTHEASTERN MEXICO ABOUT 85 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF BROWNSVILLE 
TEXAS...WITH MAXIMUM WINDS NEAR 125 MPH. EMILY THEN WEAKENED AND 
DISSIPATED THE FOLLOWING DAY OVER NORTHERN MEXICO. 

SIX DEATHS HAVE BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO EMILY... 1 IN GRENADA AND 5 IN 
JAMAICA. THE STORM CAUSED DAMAGE TO PROPERTY IN 
GRENADA...PORTIONS OF THE NORTHEASTERN YUCATAN PENINSULA...AND 
PORTIONS OF THE NORTHEASTERN MEXICAN COAST.

FRANKLIN DEVELOPED FROM A TROPICAL WAVE...BECOMING A TROPICAL 
DEPRESSION ON 21 JULY NEAR THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS. IT BECAME A 
TROPICAL STORM THAT EVENING...BUT MOST OF THE TROPICAL STORM-
FORCE WINDS REMAINED EAST OF THE BAHAMAS. FRANKLIN TURNED TOWARD 
THE NORTH AND THEN NORTHEAST OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS WHILE 
STRENGTHENING TO ITS PEAK INTENSITY OF 70 MPH ON 23 JULY. DURING 
23-26 JULY...FRANKLIN MOVED ERRATICALLY TOWARD THE EAST-NORTHEAST 
IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF BERMUDA...AND ITS WINDS WEAKENED TO 
40 MPH BY 25 JULY DUE TO NORTHWESTERLY WIND SHEAR. THE CLOSEST 
APPROACH TO BERMUDA BY FRANKLIN WAS ABOUT 185 MILES TO THE WEST 
ON 26 JULY...AND NO WINDS OF TROPICAL STORM-FORCE OCCURRED ON 
BERMUDA. FRANKLIN THEN MOVED SLOWLY IN A GENERAL NORTHWARD 
DIRECTION ON 27-28 JULY WHILE ITS WINDS RESTRENGTHENED TO NEAR 60 
MPH. ON 28 JULY...A FRONTAL SYSTEM MOVED OFF THE EAST COAST OF 
THE UNITED STATES AND ACCELERATED FRANKLIN TOWARD THE NORTHEAST. 
FRANKLIN BEGAN TO WEAKEN AFTER PASSING NORTH OF THE GULF STREAM 
EARLY ON 29 JULY...BECAME EXTRATROPICAL LATE ON 29 JULY...AND 
MERGED WITH A FRONTAL ZONE WHILE PASSING SOUTH OF NEWFOUNDLAND ON 
30-31 JULY. NO REPORTS OF DAMAGE OR CASUALTIES DUE TO FRANKLIN 
WERE RECEIVED.

GERT FORMED IN THE BAY OF CAMPECHE ON 23 JULY AND MOVED SLOWLY 
TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST...BECOMING A TROPICAL STORM EARLY THE 
NEXT DAY. THE STORM MADE LANDFALL NEAR CABO ROJO ON THE EASTERN 
COAST OF MEXICO LATE ON 24 JULY WITH 45 MPH WINDS...BRINGING 
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL TO THOSE AREAS THAT HAD BEEN AFFECTED BY 
HURRICANE EMILY LESS THAN A WEEK EARLIER. GERT DISSIPATED WELL 
INLAND OVER CENTRAL MEXICO ON 26 JULY. NO REPORTS OF CASUALTIES 
OR DAMAGE WERE RECEIVED.

HARVEY FORMED FROM A TROPICAL WAVE THAT EXITED THE COAST OF 
AFRICA ON 23 JULY. THE WAVE SHOWED SIGNS OF LOW-LEVEL 
ORGANIZATION AS IT MOVED WESTWARD ACROSS THE TROPICAL ATLANTIC 
FOR SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE REACHING THE NORTHEASTERN CARIBBEAN SEA 
ON 29 JULY. AN AREA OF DISTURBED WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH THE WAVE 
CROSSED HISPANIOLA ON 30 JULY AND MOVED NORTHWARD FOR A COUPLE OF 
DAYS. THE SYSTEM DEVELOPED INTO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION ON 2 AUGUST 
ABOUT 370 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BERMUDA. MOVING NORTH-
NORTHEASTWARD...THE CYCLONE STRENGTHENED INTO A TROPICAL STORM ON 
3 AUGUST. THE NEXT DAY...HARVEY TURNED TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AND 
EAST-NORTHEAST...PASSED ABOUT 45 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF 
BERMUDA...AND STRENGTHENED TO ITS PEAK INTENSITY OF 65 MPH. THE 
STORM TURNED NORTHEASTWARD ON 6 AUGUST AND STAYED ON THAT GENERAL 
HEADING FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. IT LOST TROPICAL CHARACTERISTICS 
LATE ON 8 AUGUST ABOUT 535 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CAPE RACE 
NEWFOUNDLAND. THE REMNANTS OF HARVEY BECAME A LARGE AND POWERFUL 
EXTRATROPICAL CYCLONE THAT LINGERED OVER THE NORTH ATLANTIC FOR 
SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE DISSIPATING ON 14 AUGUST. NO REPORTS OF 
DAMAGE OR CASUALTIES DUE TO HARVEY WERE RECEIVED.

IRENE FORMED FROM A TROPICAL WAVE THAT MOVED OFF THE COAST OF 
AFRICA ON 1 AUGUST. IT DEVELOPED INTO A DEPRESSION ON 4 AUGUST 
ABOUT 690 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE CAPE VERDE ISLANDS...BUT THEN 
TURNED NORTHWESTWARD ACROSS COOLER WATERS. NO FURTHER DEVELOPMENT 
OCCURRED UNTIL 7 AUGUST WHEN THE DEPRESSION STRENGTHENED TO A 
TROPICAL STORM ABOUT 1240 MILES EAST OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD 
ISLANDS. IRENE MOVED OVER THE WATERS OF THE CENTRAL TROPICAL 
ATLANTIC FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS...WEAKENING TO A TROPICAL 
DEPRESSION BEFORE RESTRENGTHENING TO STORM STRENGTH ON 10 AUGUST. 
IRENE TURNED NORTHWESTWARD AND MOVED BETWEEN BERMUDA AND CAPE 
HATTERAS ON 14 AUGUST. IRENE TURNED NORTH-NORTHEASTWARD AND 
STRENGTHENED INTO A HURRICANE...REACHING ITS PEAK INTENSITY OF 
105 MPH ON THE 15 AUGUST. THE HURRICANE THEN TURNED TO THE EAST 
AND WEAKENED.  IRENE THEN MOVED EAST-NORTHEASTWARD OVER MUCH 
COOLER WATERS AND BECAME EXTRATROPICAL ABOUT 290 MILES EAST-
SOUTHEAST OF CAPE RACE NEWFOUNDLAND ON 18 AUGUST. NO REPORTS OF 
DAMAGE OR CASUALTIES DUE TO IRENE WERE RECEIVED.

TROPICAL DEPRESSION TEN DEVELOPED FROM A TROPICAL WAVE ON 13 
AUGUST ABOUT 1065 MILES EAST OF BARBADOS. STRONG VERTICAL WIND 
SHEAR CAUSED THE WESTWARD-MOVING CYCLONE TO DISSIPATE ON THE NEXT 
DAY. THE REMNANTS OF THE DEPRESSION MOVED WEST-NORTHWESTWARD 
UNTIL 18 AUGUST...  AND THE REMNANT MIDDLE-LEVEL PART OF THE 
SYSTEM LIKELY CONTRIBUTED TO THE INITIAL DEVELOPMENT OF HURRICANE 
KATRINA. NO REPORTS OF DAMAGE OR CASUALTIES DUE TO TROPICAL 
DEPRESSION TEN WERE RECEIVED.

JOSE WAS A SHORT-LIVED TROPICAL STORM THAT FORMED FROM A TROPICAL 
WAVE ON 22 AUGUST OVER THE BAY OF CAMPECHE ABOUT 110 MILES EAST 
OF VERACRUZ.  IT BECAME A TROPICAL STORM LATER THAT DAY...AND ITS 
CENTER MADE LANDFALL LATER THAT EVENING ABOUT 35 MILES NORTH OF 
VERACRUZ. MAXIMUM WINDS WERE THEN NEAR 60 MPH. AFTER 
LANDFALL...JOSE QUICKLY DISSIPATED OVER THE MOUNTAINS OF EASTERN 
MEXICO. JOSE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR 6 DEATHS IN MEXICO.

KATRINA WAS ONE OF THE MOST DEVASTATING NATURAL DISASTERS IN 
UNITED STATES HISTORY...PRODUCING CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE AND MANY 
CASUALTIES IN THE NEW ORLEANS AREA AND ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI GULF 
COAST...AND ADDITIONAL CASUALTIES IN FLORIDA...GEORGIA AND 
ALABAMA. KATRINA WAS DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR AN ESTIMATED 1500 
DEATHS IN THE UNITED STATES...MAKING IT THE DEADLIEST U.S. 
HURRICANE SINCE THE PALM BEACH-LAKE OKEECHOBEE HURRICANE OF 
SEPTEMBER 1928. KATRINA ALSO CAUSED AN ESTIMATED $81 BILLION 
DOLLARS IN DAMAGE...MAKING IT THE COSTLIEST U.S.  HURRICANE ON 
RECORD.

THIS DISASTROUS TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMED FROM A TROPICAL WAVE...
BECOMING A DEPRESSION ABOUT 200 MILES SOUTHEAST OF NASSAU IN THE 
BAHAMAS ON 23 AUGUST. IT BECAME A TROPICAL STORM THE FOLLOWING 
DAY.  KATRINA MOVED NORTHWESTWARD THROUGH THE BAHAMAS...AND THEN 
TURNED WESTWARD TOWARD SOUTH FLORIDA AND GRADUALLY STRENGTHENED. 
KATRINA BECAME A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE AND MADE LANDFALL NEAR 
THE MIAMI-DADE/BROWARD COUNTY LINE DURING THE EVENING OF 25 
AUGUST. KATRINA MOVED SOUTHWESTWARD ACROSS SOUTH 
FLORIDA...DUMPING OVER A FOOT OF RAIN...  TOPPLING TREES AND 
POWER LINES...AND DAMAGING SOME HOMES AND BUSINESSES. KATRINA 
ALSO BROUGHT HEAVY RAINS AND SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM-FORCE WINDS 
TO PORTIONS OF THE FLORIDA KEYS. AFTER ENTERING THE GULF OF 
MEXICO...KATRINA STRENGTHENED SIGNIFICANTLY...REACHING CATEGORY 
FIVE INTENSITY ON 28 AUGUST ABOUT 250 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF 
THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. LATER THAT DAY...KATRINA.S 
WINDS REACHED A PEAK INTENSITY OF 175 MPH AND THE PRESSURE FELL 
TO 902 MB...THE SIXTH LOWEST PRESSURE ON RECORD FOR AN ATLANTIC 
HURRICANE.  KATRINA TURNED TO THE NORTHWEST AND THEN 
NORTH...MAKING LANDFALL IN PLAQUEMINES PARISH LOUISIANA JUST 
SOUTH OF BURAS WITH ESTIMATED 125 MPH MAXIMUM WINDS...CATEGORY 
THREE...AT 610 AM CDT ON 29 AUGUST. CONTINUING 
NORTHWARD...KATRINA MADE A SECOND LANDFALL NEAR THE 
LOUISIANA/MISSISSIPPI BORDER AT 945 AM CDT...WITH MAXIMUM WINDS 
ESTIMATED AT 120 MPH...ALSO CATEGORY THREE. KATRINA PRODUCED A 
STORM SURGE OF 24-28 FT ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI COAST ACROSS A 
SWATH ABOUT 20 MILES WIDE...WITH SIGNIFICANT SURGE ELSEWHERE 
ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI COAST....ALABAMA COAST...AND ACROSS 
SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA.  LEVEES AND FLOODWALLS SURROUNDING THE 
NEW ORLEANS AREA WERE BREACHED AND/OR OVERTOPPED...AND ABOUT 80 
PERCENT OF THE CITY FLOODED.  KATRINA WEAKENED AS IT MOVED INLAND 
TO THE NORTH-NORTHEAST BUT WAS STILL A HURRICANE ABOUT 100 MILES 
INLAND NEAR LAUREL MISSISSIPPI. KATRINA CONTINUED TO WEAKEN AND 
BECAME A TROPICAL DEPRESSION NEAR CLARKSVILLE TENNESSEE ON 30 
AUGUST. IT BECAME EXTRATROPICAL ON 31 AUGUST OVER THE OHIO VALLEY 
AND WAS ABSORBED BY A FRONTAL SYSTEM LATER THAT DAY.

LEE DEVELOPED FROM A TROPICAL WAVE OVER THE CENTRAL TROPICAL 
ATLANTIC...FIRST BECOMING A DEPRESSION ON 28 AUGUST ABOUT 1050 
MILES EAST OF THE LESSER ANTILLES. THE DEPRESSION DISSIPATED THE 
FOLLOWING DAY...BUT ITS REMNANTS REDEVELOPED INTO A DEPRESSION 
AND STRENGTHENED TO A STORM ON 31 AUGUST. THE SYSTEM THEN QUICKLY 
WEAKENED AND DISSIPATED THE NEXT DAY SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES 
NORTHEAST OF BERMUDA. NO REPORTS OF DAMAGE OR CASUALTIES DUE TO 
LEE WERE RECEIVED.

MARIA DEVELOPED FROM A VIGOROUS TROPICAL WAVE THAT CROSSED THE 
WEST COAST OF AFRICA ON 27 AUGUST. THE SYSTEM BECAME A TROPICAL 
DEPRESSION ON 1 SEPTEMBER WHILE CENTERED ABOUT 1050 MILES EAST OF 
THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS. MOVING WEST-NORTHWESTWARD TO 
NORTHWESTWARD...THE CYCLONE STRENGTHENED INTO A TROPICAL STORM ON 
2 SEPTEMBER. MARIA TURNED NORTH-NORTHWESTWARD AND BECAME A 
HURRICANE ON 4 SEPTEMBER. THE ESTIMATED PEAK INTENSITY...115 
MPH...WAS REACHED EARLY ON 6 SEPTEMBER WHEN THE CYCLONE WAS 
CENTERED ABOUT 475 MILES EAST OF BERMUDA. MARIA RECURVED 
NORTHEASTWARD AND WEAKENED TO A TROPICAL STORM BEFORE REGAINING 
HURRICANE INTENSITY ON 7 SEPTEMBER. OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS THE 
INTENSITY SLOWLY DECREASED...AND MARIA WEAKENED TO A TROPICAL 
STORM EARLY ON 9 SEPTEMBER. HOWEVER....MARIA THEN BECAME A 
POWERFUL EXTRATROPICAL STORM OVER THE NORTH ATLANTIC ABOUT 750 
MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF CAPE RACE NEWFOUNDLAND ON 10 SEPTEMBER. 
THE EXTRATROPICAL REMNANTS OF MARIA MERGED WITH ANOTHER 
EXTRATROPICAL LOW OVER THE NORTH SEA ON 14 SEPETMBER...AND THE 
MERGED SYSTEM CAUSED A LANDSLIDE AND 1 DEATH IN NORWAY.

NATE FORMED FROM A TROPICAL WAVE THAT EXITED THE COAST OF AFRICA 
ON 30 AUGUST. THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE WAVE BROKE AWAY AND 
MOVED NORTHWESTWARD WHILE IT INTERACTED WITH A WEAK UPPER-LEVEL 
TROUGH NEAR BERMUDA. A TROPICAL DEPRESSION FORMED LATE ON 5 
SEPTEMBER FROM THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE SYSTEM ABOUT 300 MILES 
SOUTHWEST OF BERMUDA...AND THE SYSTEM QUICKLY STRENGTHENED INTO A 
TROPICAL STORM JUST 6 HOURS LATER. NATE DRIFTED NORTHEASTWARD FOR 
THE NEXT 2 DAYS AND INTENSIFIED INTO A HURRICANE ON 7 SEPTEMBER. 
EARLY ON 8 SEPTEMBER...  NATE ACCELERATED EAST-NORTHEASTWARD AND 
BRIEFLY THREATENED BERMUDA.  HOWEVER...THE HURRICANE PASSED WELL 
TO THE SOUTHEAST OF THE ISLAND AND WEAKENED BACK TO A TROPICAL 
STORM ON 9 SEPTEMBER. WEAKENING CONTINUED AS UPPER-LEVEL SHEAR 
INCREASED AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING FRONTAL SYSTEM...AND NATE 
TRANSFORMED INTO A STRONG EXTRATROPICAL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM ON 10 
SEPTEMBER ABOUT MIDWAY BETWEEN BERMUDA AND THE AZORES ISLANDS. 
THE EXTRATROPICAL REMNANTS OF NATE CONTINUED TO MOVE QUICKLY TO 
THE EAST-NORTHEAST...AND MERGED WITH A FRONTAL SYSTEM LATER THAT 
DAY ABOUT 900 MILES WEST-SOUTHWEST OF THE AZORES. NO REPORTS OF 
DAMAGE OR CASUALTIES DUE TO NATE WERE RECEIVED.

ERRATIC OPHELIA FORMED FROM AN AREA OF DISTURBED WEATHER ALONG 
THE WESTERN END OF AN OLD FRONTAL SYSTEM. THE CYCLONE STARTED TO 
BECOME ORGANIZED ON 4 SEPTEMBER OVER THE CENTRAL AND NORTHWESTERN 
BAHAMAS...  AND A TROPICAL DEPRESSION FORMED ON 6 SEPTEMBER NEAR 
GRAND BAHAMA ISLAND. THE DEPRESSION MOVED GENERALLY NORTH-
NORTHWESTWARD AND BECAME A TROPICAL STORM ON 7 SEPTEMBER ABOUT 
110 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF CAPE CANAVERAL FLORIDA. OPHELIA 
MEANDERED OFF THE CENTRAL FLORIDA COAST FOR THE NEXT TWO 
DAYS...BRIEFLY MAINTAINING HURRICANE STRENGTH ON 8 SEPTEMBER. 
OPHELIA BEGAN A NORTHEASTWARD MOTION LATE ON 9 SEPTEMBER THAT 
CONTINUED UNTIL IT AGAIN STALLED ON 11 SEPTEMBER ABOUT 245 MILES 
SOUTH OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA. DURING THAT TIME...IT 
TWICE REACHED HURRICANE STRENGTH BEFORE WEAKENING BACK TO A 
TROPICAL STORM.  OPHELIA MADE A SLOW LOOP ON 11-12 
SEPTEMBER...MOVING SOUTHWESTWARD AND NORTHWESTWARD BEFORE 
BEGINNING A NORTHWARD MOTION TOWARD THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST. THE 
CYCLONE BECAME A HURRICANE YET AGAIN LATE ON 13 SEPTEMBER...AND 
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REACHED 85 MPH BY THE TIME THE NORTHERN 
EYEWALL REACHED THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST NEAR CAPE FEAR ON 14 
SEPTEMBER. OPHELIA TURNED SLOWLY EAST-NORTHEASTWARD WITH THE 
CENTER REMAINING JUST SOUTH OF CAPE LOOKOUT AND CAPE HATTERAS ON 
15 SEPTEMBER.  IT THEN WEAKENED TO A TROPICAL STORM EARLY ON 16 
SEPTEMBER ABOUT 50 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF CAPE HATTERAS. 
OPHELIA ACCELERATED TO THE NORTHEAST LATER ON 16 SEPTEMBER AND 
PASSED EAST OF CAPE COD THE NEXT DAY. THE STORM TRANSFORMED INTO 
AN EXTRATROPICAL LOW NEAR NOVA SCOTIA EARLY ON 18 
SEPTEMBER...PASSED OVER NEWFOUNDLAND LATER THAT DAY...AND REACHED 
THE EASTERN ATLANTIC ON 21 SEPTEMBER. THE EXTRATROPICAL REMNANTS 
OF OPHELIA DISSIPATED OVER THE NORTH SEA ON 23 SEPTEMBER.

ONE DEATH WAS ATTRIBUTED TO OPHELIA...A DROWNING ALONG THE 
SOUTHEASTERN COAST OF FLORIDA. THE STORM CAUSED AN ESTIMATED $70 
MILLION IN DAMAGE IN THE UNITED STATES...WITH SIGNIFICANT BEACH 
EROSION NOTED FROM NORTH CAROLINA SOUTHWARD TO THE CENTRAL 
FLORIDA COAST. 

PHILIPPE FORMED FROM A TROPICAL WAVE...BECOMING A DEPRESSION ON 
17 SEPTEMBER ABOUT 330 MILES EAST OF BARBADOS. THE DEPRESSION 
BECAME A TROPICAL STORM LATER THAT DAY. PHILIPPE MOVED NORTH-
NORTHEASTWARD TO THE EAST OF THE LESSER ANTILLES AND 
STRENGTHENED...BECOMING A HURRICANE ON 19 SEPTEMBER ABOUT 360 
MILES EAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS. PHILIPPE REACHED ITS PEAK 
INTENSITY OF 80 MPH EARLY THE FOLLOWING DAY.  CONTINUING TO THE 
NORTH-NORTHWEST OVER OPEN WATERS...PHILIPPE WEAKENED TO A 
TROPICAL STORM LATE ON 20 SEPTEMBER. THE CYCLONE TURNED NORTHWARD 
AND ITS CIRCULATION BECAME EMBEDDED WITHIN A LARGER NON-TROPICAL 
AREA OF LOW PRESSURE ON 22 SEPTEMBER. ROTATING COUNTER-CLOCKWISE 
WITHIN THE LARGER LOW...PHILIPPE TURNED TO THE WEST AND 
SOUTH...AND WEAKENED TO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION THE NEXT DAY. THE 
CIRCULATION OF PHILIPPE WAS ABSORBED BY THE NON-TROPICAL LOW 
EARLY ON 24 SEPTEMBER. NO REPORTS OF DAMAGE OR CASUALTIES DUE TO 
PHILIPPE WERE RECEIVED.

RITA WAS AN INTENSE...DESTRUCTIVE...AND DEADLY HURRICANE THAT 
SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED THE FLORIDA KEYS AND DEVASTATED PORTIONS 
OF SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS AND SOUTHERN LOUISIANA. RITA BECAME A 
DEPRESSION JUST EAST OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS LATE ON 17 
SEPTEMBER. IT MOVED WESTWARD AND BECAME A TROPICAL STORM THE 
FOLLOWING AFTERNOON.  CONTINUING ON THROUGH THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS 
ON 19 SEPTEMBER...RITA.S WINDS APPROACHED HURRICANE STRENGTH WITH 
70 MPH WINDS. WHILE RITA DID NOT STRENGTHEN DURING THE FOLLOWING 
NIGHT...IT INTENSIFIED ON 20 SEPTEMBER WHILE MOVING THROUGH THE 
FLORIDA STRAITS. IT REACHED CATEGORY TWO INTENSITY AS THE CENTER 
PASSED ABOUT 50 MILES SOUTH OF KEY WEST. 

AFTER ENTERING THE GULF OF MEXICO...RITA INTENSIFIED AT A RAPID 
RATE...FROM CATEGORY TWO TO CATEGORY FIVE IN ABOUT 24 
HOURS...WITH WINDS REACHING 165 MPH ON THE AFTERNOON OF 21 
SEPTEMBER. THE HURRICANE STRENGTHENED FURTHER AND REACHED A PEAK 
INTENSITY OF 180 MPH EARLY ON 22 SEPTEMBER...ABOUT 310 MILES 
SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. THE 
CENTRAL PRESSURE FELL TO 895 MB...THE FOURTH LOWEST ON RECORD IN 
THE ATLANTIC BASIN. RITA BEGAN TO WEAKEN LATER THAT DAY...BUT AS 
IT PASSED THROUGH THE GULF OF MEXICO...IT PRODUCED STORM SURGE 
FLOODING IN PORTIONS OF THE NEW ORLEANS AREA THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY 
BEEN INUNDATED BY KATRINA. RITA TURNED NORTHWESTWARD AND WEAKENED 
TO CATEGORY THREE ON 23 SEPTEMBER. IT THEN MADE LANDFALL AROUND 
240 AM CDT 24 SEPTEMBER JUST EAST OF THE TEXAS/LOUISIANA BORDER 
BETWEEN SABINE PASS AND JOHNSON.S BAYOU...STILL AT CATEGORY THREE 
INTENSITY WITH 115 MPH WINDS. RITA CAUSED DEVASTATING STORM SURGE 
FLOODING AND WIND DAMAGE IN SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA AND EXTREME 
SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS. RITA WEAKENED AFTER MOVING INLAND BUT 
REMAINED A TROPICAL STORM UNTIL REACHING NORTHWESTERN LOUISIANA 
LATE ON 24 SEPTEMBER. IT THEN TURNED NORTHEASTWARD AND MERGED 
WITH A FRONTAL SYSTEM TWO DAYS LATER. RITA CAUSED SEVEN DEATHS 
AND DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT $11.3 BILLION IN THE UNITED STATES.

TROPICAL DEPRESSION NINETEEN FORMED ON 30 SEPTEMBER ABOUT 665 
MILES WEST-SOUTHWEST OF THE CAPE VERDE ISLANDS.  THE SYSTEM MOVED 
SLOWLY NORTHWESTWARD AND DISSIPATED ON 2 OCTOBER ABOUT 670 MILES 
WEST OF THE CAPE VERDE ISLANDS. NO REPORTS OF DAMAGE OR 
CASUALTIES DUE TO THE DEPRESSION WERE RECEIVED.

STAN DEVELOPED FROM A TROPICAL WAVE THAT MOVED INTO THE WESTERN 
CARIBBEAN SEA IN LATE SEPTEMBER. A TROPICAL DEPRESSION EVENTUALLY 
FORMED ON 1 OCTOBER ABOUT 135 MILES SOUTHEAST OF COZUMEL MEXICO. 
THE CYCLONE MOVED WEST-NORTHWESTWARD...ATTAINING TROPICAL STORM 
STATUS JUST BEFORE CROSSING THE EAST COAST OF THE YUCATAN 
PENINSULA ABOUT 40 MILES SOUTH OF TULUM MEXICO ON 2 OCTOBER. STAN 
TRAVERSED YUCATAN AND WEAKENED TO A DEPRESSION...BUT IT SOON 
REGAINED TROPICAL STORM STRENGTH AFTER IT MOVED INTO THE BAY OF 
CAMPECHE ON 3 OCTOBER. THE STORM TURNED FROM A WESTWARD TO A 
SOUTHWESTWARD HEADING AND CONTINUED TO STRENGTHEN. STAN BECAME A 
HURRICANE AS IT NEARED THE COAST OF MEXICO ON 4 OCTOBER AND MADE 
LANDFALL LATER THAT DAY ABOUT 90 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF VERACRUZ 
WITH MAXIMUM WINDS ESTIMATED AT 80 MPH. THE CYCLONE WEAKENED 
RAPIDLY AFTER MOVING INLAND AND DISSIPATED OVER THE MOUNTAINS OF 
SOUTHERN MEXICO ON 5 OCTOBER.

STAN WAS PART OF A LARGER WEATHER SYSTEM THAT CAUSED TORRENTIAL 
RAINS AND SEVERE FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES OVER PORTIONS OF 
MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA...INCLUDING GUATEMALA...EL 
SALVADOR...NICARAGUA...  HONDURAS...AND COSTA RICA. THE ESTIMATED 
DEATH TOLL ASSOCIATED WITH THIS WEATHER SYSTEM RANGES FROM 1000-
2000. AS BEST AS CAN BE DETERMINED...STAN ITSELF WAS DIRECTLY 
RESPONSIBLE FOR 80 DEATHS.

A POST-SEASON REVIEW CONCLUDED THAT AN UNNAMED SUBTROPICAL STORM 
OCCURRED NEAR THE AZORES ISLANDS IN EARLY OCTOBER.  THE STORM 
ORIGINATED FROM AN AREA OF DISTUBED WEATHER CAUSED BY AN UPPER 
LOW IN THE EASTERN ATLANTIC OCEAN.  A SURFACE LOW PRESSURE AREA 
FORMED FROM THE AREA OF DISTURBED WEATHER ABOUT 460 MILES 
SOUTHWEST OF THE AZORES ON 3 OCTOBER.  THE SURFACE LOW MOVED 
NORTHEASTWARD AND BECAME A SUBTROPICAL STORM ON 4 OCTOBER...WITH 
THE CENTER OF THE STORM PASSING THROUGH THE EASTERN AZORES LATER 
THAT DAY WITH WINDS ESTIMATED NEAR 50 MPH.  THE STORM BECAME 
EXTRATROPICAL EARLY ON 5 OCTOBER...AND LATER THAT DAY WAS 
ABSORBED BY THE NON-TROPICAL LOW THAT EVENTUALLY EVOLVED INTO 
HURRICANE VINCE.  THERE WERE NO REPORTS OF DAMAGE OR CASUALTIES 
DUE TO VINCE.

TAMMY WAS A SHORT-LIVED TROPICAL STORM THAT DEVELOPED JUST EAST 
OF THE CENTRAL FLORIDA COAST AS A RESULT OF A COMPLEX INTERACTION 
BETWEEN AN UPPER-LEVEL LOW AND A TROPICAL WAVE. THIS INTERACTION 
RESULTED IN THE FORMATION OF A TROPICAL STORM EARLY ON 5 OCTOBER 
ABOUT 25 MILES EAST OF CAPE CANAVERAL FLORIDA. THE CYCLONE MOVED 
NORTH-NORTHWESTWARD PARALLEL TO THE FLORIDA EAST COAST FOR MOST 
OF THE DAY... BEFORE IT TURNED NORTHWESTWARD AND MADE LANDFALL 
ALONG THE NORTHEASTERN FLORIDA COAST NEAR MAYPORT VERY LATE THAT 
DAY WITH MAXIMUM WINDS OF 50 MPH.  TAMMY MOVED WESTWARD OVER 
SOUTHERN GEORGIA AND SOUTHEASTERN ALABAMA ON 6 OCTOBER BEFORE 
BECOMING ABSORBED BY A LARGER EXTRATROPICAL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM 
CENTERED OVER THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL OF 3-
5 INCHES PRODUCED SOME MINOR FLOODING ACROSS NORTHEASTERN FLORIDA 
AND SOUTHERN GEORGIA.

SHORT-LIVED SUBTROPICAL DEPRESSION TWENTY-TWO FORMED ON 8 OCTOBER 
ABOUT 615 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BERMUDA FROM A NON-TROPICAL LOW 
PRESSURE SYSTEM. THE CYCLONE MOVED NORTHWESTWARD TO WESTWARD AND 
DEGENERATED INTO A NON-CONVECTIVE LOW PRESSURE AREA ABOUT 175 
MILES WEST-SOUTHWEST OF BERMUDA ON 10 OCTOBER. THE REMNANTS OF 
THE DEPRESSION MERGED WITH A COLD FRONT ON 11 OCTOBER AND BECAME 
AN EXTRATROPICAL GALE CENTER OFF THE U. S. MID-ATLANTIC STATES ON 
12 OCTOBER. THIS LOW WAS ABSORBED BY A LARGER NON-TROPICAL LOW ON 
14 OCTOBER. NO REPORTS OF DAMAGE OR CASUALTIES DUE TO THE 
DEPRESSION WERE RECEIVED.

VINCE...THE FIRST KNOWN TROPICAL CYCLONE TO MAKE LANDFALL IN 
SPAIN...  DEVELOPED FROM A NON-TROPICAL AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IN 
THE EASTERN ATLANTIC. THE LOW GRADUALLY ACQUIRED TROPICAL 
CHARACTERISTICS...  BECOMING A SUBTROPICAL STORM ON 8 OCTOBER AND 
A TROPICAL STORM THE NEXT DAY ABOUT 575 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE 
AZORES.  IT CONTINUED TO DEVELOP...BECOMING A HURRICANE LATE ON 9 
OCTOBER AS IT MOVED SLOWLY NORTHEASTWARD TO THE NORTHWEST OF THE 
MADEIRA ISLANDS. IT WEAKENED TO A TROPICAL STORM THE NEXT DAY AS 
IT ACCELERATED EAST-NORTHEASTWARD. ON 11 OCTOBER...VINCE WEAKENED 
TO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION SHORTLY BEFORE MAKING LANDFALL NEAR 
HUELVA SPAIN.  THE CIRCULATION OF VINCE DISSIPATED SHORTLY AFTER 
THE CYCLONE MADE LANDFALL.  NO REPORTS OF DAMAGE OR CASUALTIES 
WERE RECEIVED.

WILMA FORMED FROM A LARGE AREA OF DISTURBED WEATHER THAT 
STRETCHED ACROSS MUCH OF THE CARIBBEAN SEA DURING THE SECOND WEEK 
OF OCTOBER.  A SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM GRADUALLY BECAME 
DEFINED NEAR JAMAICA AND A TROPICAL DEPRESSION DEVELOPED ABOUT 
220 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GRAND CAYMAN ON 15 OCTOBER. THE TROPICAL 
CYCLONE MOVED ERRATICALLY WESTWARD AND SOUTHWARD FOR TWO DAYS 
WHILE SLOWLY STRENGTHENING TO A TROPICAL STORM. WILMA BECAME A 
HURRICANE AND BEGAN A WEST-NORTHWESTWARD MOTION ON 18 OCTOBER. 
LATER THAT DAY...WILMA BEGAN TO EXPLOSIVELY DEEPEN. ON 19 OCTOBER 
IT BECAME A CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE...AND ITS MINIMUM CENTRAL 
PRESSURE DROPPED TO AN ESTIMATED 882 MB WHILE ITS VERY SMALL EYE 
WAS CENTERED ABOUT 365 MILES SOUTHEAST OF COZUMEL. THIS IS THE 
LOWEST PRESSURE ON RECORD FOR A HURRICANE IN THE ATLANTIC BASIN.  
WILMA.S MAXIMUM INTENSITY IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE BEEN 185 MPH. ON 
20 OCTOBER WILMA WEAKENED SLIGHTLY AND TURNED NORTHWESTWARD 
TOWARD THE NORTHEASTERN YUCATAN PENINSULA. ON 21 OCTOBER...THE 
HURRICANE MADE LANDFALL OVER COZUMEL...AND EARLY THE NEXT DAY IT 
MADE LANDFALL OVER THE NORTHEASTERN YUCATAN PENINSULA...BOTH 
LANDFALLS AT CATEGORY 4 INTENSITY. WILMA MOVED SLOWLY AND 
WEAKENED OVER NORTHEASTERN YUCATAN AND EMERGED OVER THE GULF OF 
MEXICO EARLY ON 23 OCTOBER AS A CATEGORY 2 HURRICANE. LATER THAT 
DAY IT TURNED NORTHEASTWARD AND ACCELERATED TOWARD THE SOUTHERN 
FLORIDA PENINSULA. THE HURRICANE STRENGTHENED AS IT APPROACHED 
THE SOUTHWESTERN FLORIDA COAST... AND MADE LANDFALL NEAR CAPE 
ROMANO ON 24 OCTOBER WITH MAXIMUM WINDS NEAR 120 MPH...CATEGORY 3 
INTENSITY. THE SYSTEM CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE 
NORTHEASTWARD...CROSSING FLORIDA IN LESS THAN 5 HOURS. WILMA 
MOVED INTO THE ATLANTIC JUST TO THE NORTH OF PALM BEACH AS A 
CATEGORY 2 HURRICANE.  IT REGAINED CATEGORY 3 STATUS JUST OFF THE 
EAST-CENTRAL COAST OF FLORIDA...BUT GRADUALLY WEAKENED 
THEREAFTER. THE HURRICANE MOVED RAPIDLY NORTHEASTWARD OVER THE 
WESTERN ATLANTIC AND LOST TROPICAL CHARACTERISTICS ABOUT 205 
MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF HALIFAX NOVA SCOTIA ON 25 OCTOBER.

TWENTY-THREE DEATHS HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTED TO WILMA.  
WILMA CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE IN NORTHEASTERN YUCATAN...INCLUDING 
CANCUN AND COZUMEL...AND SOUTHERN FLORIDA. THE HURRICANE ALSO 
PRODUCED MAJOR FLOODING OVER WESTERN CUBA. THERE WAS ALSO 
SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE IN THE SOUTHWESTERN COASTAL AREA OF GRAND 
BAHAMA ISLAND.  DAMAGE IN THE UNITED STATES IS ESTIMATED AT $20.6 
BILLION.

DUE TO THE EXTREMELY ACTIVE 2005 HURRICANE SEASON... THE NATIONAL 
HURRICANE CENTER HAD TO EMPLOY THE GREEK ALPHABET FOR THE FIRST 
TIME ...WHEN TROPICAL STORM ALPHA FORMED FROM A VIGOROUS TROPICAL 
WAVE NEAR THE WINDWARD ISLANDS ON 21 OCTOBER. SHOWER ACTIVITY 
BECAME CONCENTRATED SOUTH OF PUERTO RICO...AND A TROPICAL 
DEPRESSION FORMED EARLY ON 22 OCTOBER...BECOMING A TROPICAL STORM 
LATER THAT DAY. ALPHA MOVED NORTHWESTWARD AND THE CYCLONE MADE 
LANDFALL NEAR BARAHONA IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC WITH 50 MPH 
WINDS. ALPHA WEAKENED TO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION OVER THE HIGH 
TERRAIN OF HISPANIOLA...AND IT CONTINUED NORTHWESTWARD AND 
NORTHWARD OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS AND THE ATLANTIC ON 23 
OCTOBER. THE CYCLONE DISSIPATED AS IT APPROACHED THE MUCH LARGER 
CIRCULATION OF HURRICANE WILMA ON 24 OCTOBER. ALPHA CAUSED 20 
DEATHS IN HISPANIOLA...PRIMARILY FROM FRESH WATER FLOODS.

BETA DEVELOPED OVER THE EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN CARIBBEAN SEA FROM A 
TROPICAL WAVE. A SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM FORMED ALONG THE 
WAVE AXIS NEAR THE COAST OF COLOMBIA ON 25 OCTOBER. THE SYSTEM 
BECAME A TROPICAL DEPRESSION THE NEXT DAY ABOUT 105 MILES NORTH 
OF THE NORTH-CENTRAL COAST OF PANAMA. THE DEPRESSION MOVED SLOWLY 
NORTHWARD FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS...BECOMING A TROPICAL STORM ON 27 
OCTOBER. BETA STRENGTHENED INTO A HURRICANE ON 29 OCTOBER NEAR 
PROVIDENCIA ISLAND. IT THEN TURNED WESTWARD AND WEST-
SOUTHWESTWARD AND STRENGTHENED INTO A CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE ON 30 
OCTOBER. BETA WEAKENED SLIGHTLY LATER THAT DAY AND MADE LANDFALL 
AS A CATEGORY 2 HURRICANE ON THE CENTRAL EAST COAST OF NICARAGUA 
NEAR LA BARRA. THE CYCLONE MOVED WESTWARD OVER LAND AND 
DISSIPATED OVER WESTERN NICARAGUA EARLY ON 31 OCTOBER. BETA 
CAUSED WIDESPREAD DAMAGE ON PROVIDENCIA ISLAND.  EXTENSIVE DAMAGE 
TO STRUCTURES WAS REPORTED ALONG THE CENTRAL NICARAGUAN COAST.  
SIGNIFICANT FLOODING ALSO OCCURRED IN HONDURAS.

THE VIGOROUS TROPICAL WAVE THAT SPAWNED GAMMA PASSED THROUGH THE 
SOUTHERN WINDWARD ISLANDS ON 13 NOVEMBER WHERE IT PRODUCED WIND 
GUSTS TO NEAR TROPICAL STORM-FORCE ALONG WITH HEAVY RAINFALL. 
EARLY ON 14 NOVEMBER...A TROPICAL DEPRESSION FORMED OVER THE 
SOUTHEASTERN CARIBBEAN SEA ABOUT 100 MILES WEST OF ST. VINCENT 
ISLAND. THE CYCLONE CONTINUED ON A WESTWARD TRACK AND BRIEFLY 
MAINTAINED TROPICAL STORM STRENGTH ON 15 NOVEMBER BEFORE STRONG 
WESTERLY SHEAR DISPLACED THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY TO THE EAST 
AND CAUSED THE CYCLONE TO DEGENERATE BACK INTO A TROPICAL WAVE. 
THE SYSTEM.S REMNANTS ACCELERATED WESTWARD ACROSS THE CENTRAL 
CARIBBEAN SEA ON 17 NOVEMBER BEFORE SLOWING DOWN AND REACHING THE 
WESTERN CARIBBEAN SEA AND EASTERN HONDURAS ON 18 NOVEMBER.  
MEANWHILE...A LARGE NON-CONVECTIVE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER 
PANAMA MOVED NORTHWESTWARD AND MERGED WITH THE REMNANTS OF THE 
TROPICAL CYCLONE OVER CENTRAL HONDURAS.  THIS MERGER RESULTED IN 
THE REFORMATION OF THE TROPICAL STORM LATE ON 18 NOVEMBER. GAMMA 
DRIFTED NORTHWARD OVER THE NORTHWESTERN CARIBBEAN SEA AND ITS 
MAXIMUM WINDS REACHED 50 MPH EAST OF ROATAN ISLAND ON 19 
NOVEMBER.  THE SYSTEM THEN TURNED SLOWLY SOUTHEASTWARD ON 20-21 
NOVEMBER. UPPER-LEVEL NORTHWESTERLY SHEAR WEAKENED THE CYCLONE 
AND GAMMA DEGENERATED INTO A NON-CONVECTIVE REMNANT LOW LATE ON 
21 NOVEMBER. IT LATER DISSIPATED ON 22 NOVEMBER JUST EAST OF THE 
NICARAGUA-HONDURAS BORDER. HEAVY RAINFALL CAUSED FLASH FLOODS AND 
MUD SLIDES IN HONDURAS AND BELIZE. THE FLOODS ASSOCIATED WITH 
GAMMA RESULTED IN A TOTAL OF 37 DEATHS... 34 IN HONDURAS AND 3 IN 
BELIZE. TEN BRIDGES WERE DESTROYED AND 7 MORE WERE DAMAGED IN 
HONDURAS. 

DELTA ORIGINATED FROM AN EXTRATROPICAL LOW THAT ON 19 NOVEMBER 
WAS LOCATED ABOUT 1380 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF THE AZORES. THE 
LOW MOVED EASTWARD AND THEN NORTHEASTWARD...REACHING A POSITION 
ABOUT 740 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF THE AZORES ON 22 NOVEMBER. THE 
LOW TURNED SOUTHWARD LATER THAT DAY AND DEVELOPED INTO A 
SUBTROPICAL STORM.  DELTA BECAME A TROPICAL STORM ON 23 
NOVEMBER...AND WINDS REACHED 70 MPH THE NEXT DAY WHILE THE STORM 
MOVED SOUTHEASTWARD. THE CYCLONE MOVED ERRATICALLY SOUTHWARD 
THROUGH 26 NOVEMBER WHILE WEAKENING...THEN IT TURNED 
NORTHEASTWARD AND AND STRENGTHENED ON 27 NOVEMBER...WITH ITS 
MAXIMUM WINDS AGAIN REACHING 70 MPH. DELTA TURNED EASTWARD AND 
TRANSFORMED INTO A VIGOROUS EXTRATROPICAL LOW ON 28 NOVEMBER 
ABOUT 245 MILES WEST-NORTHWEST OF THE CANARY ISLANDS. THE 
EXTRATROPICAL LOW BROUGHT WIND GUSTS OF HURRICANE FORCE TO THE 
CANARY ISLANDS ON 28 NOVEMBER. SEVEN DEATHS IN THE CANARY ISLANDS 
WERE ATTRIBUTED TO THE EXTRATROPICAL STAGE OF DELTA.

EPSILON...LIKE ITS IMMEDIATE PREDECESSOR...DEVELOPED FROM AN 
EXTRATROPICAL LOW. THIS LOW BECAME A TROPICAL STORM ON 29 
NOVEMBER OVER THE CENTRAL ATLANTIC ABOUT 900 MILES EAST OF 
BERMUDA. THE STORM MOVED WEST-SOUTHWESTWARD ON 29-30 
NOVEMBER...THEN MADE A CYCLONIC LOOP ON 1 DECEMBER. EPSILON 
TURNED EAST-NORTHEASTWARD ON 2 DECEMBER AND BECAME A HURRICANE 
ABOUT 975 MILES EAST OF BERMUDA. THE HURRICANE MOVED SLOWLY 
EASTWARD FROM 3-5 DECEMBER...REACHING A PEAK INTENSITY OF 85 MPH 
ON 5 DECEMBER. THE CYCLONE TURNED SOUTHWESTWARD ON 6 DECEMBER. 
EPSILON WEAKENED TO A TROPICAL STORM ON 7 DECEMBER...THEN 
DEGENERATED TO A REMNANT LOW PRESSURE AREA THE NEXT DAY ABOUT 
1175 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE AZORES.  THE LOW DISSIPATED THE 
FOLLOWING DAY.

ZETA WAS THE SECOND LATEST TROPICAL STORM TO FORM IN THE ATLANTIC 
BASIN...AND IT WAS ALSO OF NON-TROPICAL ORIGIN.  A LOW-LEVEL 
TROUGH WAS OBSERVED IN THE EASTERN ATLANTIC OCEAN ON 28 
DECEMBER...SPAWNING A NON-TROPICAL LOW ON 29 DECEMBER...ABOUT 775 
MILES NORTHWEST OF THE CAPE VERDE ISLANDS. THE LOW BECAME A 
TROPICAL DEPRESSION AND THEN A TROPICAL STORM ON 30 DECEMBER. 
ZETA MOVED GENERALLY NORTHWESTWARD ON 30-31 DECEMBER...THEN MOVED 
GENERALLY SOUTHWESTWARD ON 1-4 JANUARY. IT REACHED A PEAK 
INTENSITY OF 65 MPH ON BOTH 1 JANUARY AND 3 JANUARY.  ZETA TURNED 
WESTWARD LATE ON 4 JANUARY AND WEST-NORTHWESTWARD ON 5 JANUARY.  
IT WEAKENED TO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION ON 6 JANUARY AND DEGENERATED 
TO A REMNANT LOW LATER THAN DAY ABOUT 1080 MILES SOUTHEAST OF 
BERMUDA.  THE LOW DISSIPATED ON 7 JANUARY AND NO REPORTS OF 
CASUALTIES OR DAMAGE WERE RECEIVED.


SUMMARY TABLE

NAME              DATES       MAX WIND   DEATHS   U.S. DAMAGE
			         MPH	             $MILLION
---------------------------------------------------------------
TS  ARLENE      8-13 JUN         70         1         MINOR
TS  BRET       28-29 JUN         40         1             0
H   CINDY       3-7  JUL         75         1           320
H   DENNIS      4-13 JUL        150        42          2230
H   EMILY      11-21 JUL        160         6         MINOR
TS  FRANKLIN   21-29 JUL         70         0             0
TS  GERT       23-25 JUL         45         0             0
TS  HARVEY      2-8  AUG         65         0             0
H   IRENE       4-18 AUG        105         0             0
TD  TEN        13-14 AUG         35         0             0
TS  JOSE       22-23 AUG         60         6             0
H   KATRINA    23-30 AUG        175      1500         81000
TS  LEE        28 AUG - 2 SEP    40         0             0
H   MARIA       1-10 SEP        115         0             0
H   NATE        5-10 SEP         90         0             0
H   OPHELIA     6-17 SEP         85         1            70
H   PHILIPPE   17-23 SEP         80         0             0
H   RITA       18-26 SEP        180         7         11300
TD  NINETEEN   30 SEP - 2 OCT    30         0             0
H   STAN        1-5  OCT         80        80             0
SS  UNNAMED     4-5  OCT         50         0             0
TS  TAMMY       5-6  OCT         50         0         MINOR
SD  TWENTY-TWO  8-10 OCT         35         0             0
H   VINCE       8-11 OCT         75         0             0
H   WILMA      15-25 OCT        185        23         20600
TS  ALPHA      22-24 OCT         50        26             0
H   BETA       26-31 OCT        115         0             0
TS  GAMMA      14-21 NOV         50        37             0
TS  DELTA      22-28 NOV         70         0             0
H   EPSILON    29 NOV - 8 DEC    85         0             0
TS  ZETA       30 DEC - 6 JAN    65         0             0
--------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE...DATES BASED ON COORDINATED UNIVERSAL TIME (UTC)

FORECASTER STEWART/BEVEN/AVILA/FRANKLIN/KNABB/PASCH/BLAKE