2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season Worst on Record
The Busiest Year in Weather History with 26 Named Storms
Jan 29, 2009
Some hurricane seasons are worse than others if the surface water of the ocean is showing a higher than average temperature. Warm water combined with consistent wind speeds are catalysts for major tropical storms. In 2005, the conditions were ideal for more frequent and intense storms.
Records have shown that hurricane seasons go in cycles. In a report to CNN, Steve Kiser who is a tropical cyclone program manger at the National Weather Service, said “The climatologists have gone back into the history books to look at these cycles and typically they're anywhere from 20 to 30 years. This cycle began in 1995 and since then, nine of the 11 tropical cyclone seasons have been above normal”
Record-Breaking Events of the 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season
- There were 27 named storms which broke the record of 21 named storms in 1933.
- Four major hurricanes hit the U.S. (Dennis, Katrina, Rita and Wilma) which shattered the record of three hurricanes in 2004.
- Of the 26 storms, 13 were hurricanes and the highest number prior to 2005 was 12 hurricanes in 1969.
- Three hurricanes were Category 5 intensity (Katrina, Rita and Wilma) which broke the record of two hurricanes in 1960 and in 1961.
According to CNN, the average number of named storms per season is ten and usually six are hurricanes, two of them being major hurricanes.
Highlights of the 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season
Hurricane Dennis hit the Caribbean as a Category 4 hurricane and then made landfall on the Florida Panhandle. There were 89 deaths, with the highest number in Haiti. Total estimated damage in the U.S. and Cuba was $4 to $6 billion.
Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast of the U.S. and was one of the most destructive hurricanes in history. The worst hit areas were Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Approximately 80% of New Orleans was flooded when the levees broke. More than 1,840 died and damage was estimated at $81 billion.
Hurricane Rita hit the Gulf Coast and re-flooded New Orleans, though to a lesser degree. Full impact of the hurricane was felt in Louisiana and Texas. There were approximately 107 deaths and the majority of casualties occurred during the evacuation of Houston. Damage was approximately $10 billion.
Hurricane Wilma made a direct hit in Cozumel and Cancun Mexico. It then made a sharp turn and struck southern Florida. In the U.S. Cuba and Mexico, there were 23 deaths and damage was estimated at $29 billion.
The following is a list of the storms for the 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season:
- 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 World Meteorological Organization retired five hurricane names in 2006: Dennis, Katrina, Rita, Stan and Wilma. The same group of names is recycled every six years. In 2011, the new names on the roster will be Don, Katia, Rina, Sean and Whitney.
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