This list of records set by the unimaginable and unprecedented 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season, began to be compiled in early October of 2005. It was composed so that all could see how inconceivable this hurricane season truly was. If you only glance at Hurricane Wilma’s records, they alone will be enough to understand the impact of this astonishing season. Please note that even with the time and effort put into this, along with the help of some wonderful and generous people, there may still be a few errors amongst this very lengthy list. Although, do know that every possible piece of information that could be found was read thoroughly and used efficiently, from when a record was thought of in my head, to researching it, to re-researching it right down in the National Hurricane Center’s official archives. All records were checked multiple times through different sources as well. Furthermore, I found every “old record” for each record that was broken and/or if it needed an old record, so if a record seemed strange or ambiguous, one could see the previous holder of that record. Please also recognize that all records can only date back to approximately the 1860’s because of the lack of technology, and lack of truthful, factual statistics. For newcomers of the weather world, wikipedia.com is a great source for definitions of the more “common knowledge” terms used in this list, along with the National Hurricane Center. I hope that this report gives all, weather enthusiasts and non-weather enthusiasts alike, the opportunity to understand the full magnitude of last year, and what this could possibly mean for the future.

Musically and Snowily -

Cory Pesaturo

North Cumberland, Rhode Island

May 2006

Cory Pesaturo's

2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season Records List

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There Are Even MORE Records Than This But To Find The Old Records Can Sometimes Be Impossible, Due To The Lack Of Technology In Previous Seasons

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General Records

- Most Named Storms in a Season (28) (Old Record was 21 in 1933)

- Most Hurricanes in a Season (15) (Old Record was 12 in 1969)

- Highest Accumulated Cyclone Energy (248) (Old Record was 243 in 1950)

- Most Retired Names in a Season (5 – Hurricane Dennis, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita, Hurricane Stan and Hurricane Wilma) (Old Record was 4 in 1955, 1995, and 2004)

- 3 out of the Top 6 Most Intense Storms are from the 2005 Season (mb – millibars)

(1^st Wilma (882 mb), 4^th Rita (895 mb), 6^th Katrina (902 mb))

- Most NTC Units (284) (Old Record was 242.5 NTC units in 1950) (NTC - Net Tropical Cyclone)

- Most Category 5 Hurricanes in a Season (4- Hurricane Emily, Hurricane Katrina,

Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Wilma) (Old Record was 2 in 1960 and 1961)

- Costliest Atlantic Hurricane Season (Approximately $100+ Billion Dollars)

(Old Record was 1992 with $45 Billion Dollars)

- Even with Inflation Adjusted - This Year was 2 Times More Costly than the Previous Record of 2004 and 1992

which Cost $42 Billion and $45 Billion respectively)

- Most Tropical Cyclones (a cyclone that is classified as a Tropical Depression or greater in strength)

to Affect the United States in a Season (9) (Old Record was 8 in 1933)

- Most Tropical Depressions in a Season (31) (Old Record was most likely 1933 with approximately 23-25, although because of the lack of technology and information, no one can be 100% sure)

- Earliest season to meet the Criteria for an “Above-Average Season” (September 5th)

(The values on that date were ACE=103, with the statistics being Tropical Cyclones=13, Hurricanes=6,

Major Hurricanes=3) (Old Record was September 14^th, 1995) (ACE – Accumulated Cyclone Energy)

- Most Hurricanes with 150mph+ winds in a Season (5 - Hurricane Dennis, Hurricane Emily, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Wilma) (Old Record was 2 in 1960, 1961, 1998, 1999, 2004)

- Tied with 1999 for the Most Category 4 or Category 5 Hurricanes in a Season (5)

- First Season to have More than 21 Named Storms (and use the Greek alphabet)

- Most Tropical Cyclones to have the Record of being "The Earliest # Tropical Cyclone to Form" (22)

(Tropical Cyclones 4-11, 13-17, 19-28) (This is explained in detail later)

- First Time that the Atlantic Basin had more Tropical Cyclones than any other basin of the world (28 Tropical Cyclones) (Atlantic Basin Storms typically make up 11% of the Global total, in 2005 they made up 29%)

- Tied with 1933 and 2003 for the Only Season where a Tropical Storm formed in Each of the -7- Months of the Season (June to December) (Old Record was 2003 – April to December missing May and November / 1933 – May to November)

- First time a Tropical Storm existed in Each of the -8- Mouths of the Season

(June to November, plus December and January)

- Most Annular Hurricanes in a Season (2) (Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Epsilon)
- Even with Inflation adjusted – 2005 was the First Season in which 5 Hurricanes Caused Over $1 Billion Dollars in Damage (Hurricane Dennis, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita, Hurricane Stan and Hurricane Wilma)

Landfall Records

Note – the difference between say a Hurricane Landfall and a Landfalling Hurricane, is one hurricane can have many “Hurricane Landfalls” but is still only One “Landfalling Hurricane” if it does landfall.

- Most Category 2+ Landfalls (10 – Hurricane Dennis-3, Hurricane Emily-2, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita, Hurricane Wilma-2 and Hurricane Beta) (Old Record was 9 in 1886)

- Most Landfalling Major Hurricanes (5) (Old Record was 4 in 2004)

- Most Major Hurricane Landfalls (11 - Hurricane Dennis-3, Hurricane Emily-3, Hurricane Katrina,

Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Wilma-3) (Old Record was 7 in 2004, and 6 in 1909)

- Most Major Hurricane Landfalls on the United States (4 - Hurricane Dennis, Hurricane Katrina,

Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Wilma) (Old Record was 3 in 1893, 1909, 1933, 1954 and 2004)

- Tied with 1999 and 2004 for the Most Landfalling Category 4 Hurricanes (3)

- Most Category 4 Landfalls (6 - Hurricane Dennis-2, Hurricane Emily-2 (Cozumel and Yucatan Peninsula), and Hurricane Wilma-2 (Cozumel and Yucatan Peninsula)) (Old Record was 4 in 2004)

- Tied with 1932 for the Most Landfalling Category 4 Hurricanes (3)

- Tied with 1951 and 1988 for the Most Category 4 Landfalls on the Yucatan Peninsula / Mexico (2)

- Most Landfalling Category 4 Hurricanes on the Yucatan Peninsula / Mexico (2)

(Old Record was 1 in 1951, 1955, 1961, 1974, 1988 and 2001)

- Tied with 1933 for the Most Hurricane Landfalls on North and Central America (Excluding Islands) (11)

- Tied with 1953 for the Most Tropical Storm Landfalls on Florida (5)

(Hurricane Faith struck the Faroe Islands at Category 2 Strength)

- Tied with 1966 for the Only Season with a “Pure” Tropical Cyclone to Landfall East of the Atlantic (Hurricane Vince struck Spain as a Tropical Depression and Hurricane Faith struck the Faroe Islands at Category 2 Strength)

- Highest Combined Maximum Wind Speeds for All United States

Landfalling Tropical Cyclones in a Season (865 mph) (Old Record was 755 mph in 1886 and 750 mph in 2004)
- Most Tropical Cyclones at or under 950 mb to Landfall on the United States (4) (Old Record was 2 set numerous times)
- Most Tropical Cyclones at or under 940 mb to Landfall on the United States

(2 - Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita) (Old Record was 1 set numerous times)

- Only Season where 2 Tropical Cyclones made Landfall East of the Atlantic

(Hurricane Vince and Tropical Storm Delta)

Pre-August Records

Hurricane Dennis and Hurricane Emily

- Hurricane Emily - Earliest Category 5 Hurricane (July 17^th)

(Old Record was Hurricane Allen in 1980, which reached Category 5 strength on August 5^th)

- Hurricane Emily – Most / Only Category 5 Hurricane in July

- Hurricane Emily – Most / Only Category 5 Hurricane before August

- Hurricane Dennis - Most Intense Hurricane Before August / in July (930 mb)

(Until Hurricane Emily) (Old Record was Hurricane Audrey in 1957 with <946 mb)

- Hurricane Emily - Most Intense Hurricane Before August / in July (929 mb)

- Hurricane Dennis – Highest Winds by a Hurricane Before August / in July (150 mph) (Until Hurricane Emily)

(Old Record was 145 mph winds by Hurricane Audrey in 1957)

- Hurricane Emily – Highest Winds by a Hurricane in Before August / in July (160 mph)

- Hurricane Dennis – Tied with Tropical Storm Allison (2001), Hurricane Agnes (1972), Hurricane Audrey (1957) and Hurricane Cesar (1996) for the only Tropical Cyclone to have its name retired Before August / in July

- Tied with 1916 for the Most Major Hurricanes in July (2)

- Tied with 1916 for the Most Major Hurricanes Before August (2)

- Most Category 4 Hurricanes in July (2) (Old Record was 1 in 1926)

- Most Category 4 Hurricanes Before August (2) (Old Record was 1 in 1926 and 1957)

- Most Major Hurricane Landfalls in July (7) (Old Record was 1 in 1926)

- Most Major Hurricane Landfalls before August (7) (Old Record was 1 in 1926 and 1957)

- Most Category 4 Landfalls in July (5) (Old Record was 1 in 1926)
- Most Category 4 Landfalls Before August (5) (Old Record was 1 in 1926, 1957)

- Most Hurricane Landfalls Before August / in July (7) (Old Record was 4 in 1886)

- Most Named Storm Days in July (25.25) (Old Record was 23.5 Days in 1916, then 22.5 Days in 1933)

- Most Intense Hurricane Days occurred Before August / in July (5.75) (Old Record was 5 in 1916)

- Costliest July ever (approximately $6 Billion)

- Costliest Season Before August (approximately $6 Billion) (Old Record was $1 Billion in 1957)

- Highest ACE in July (60.47) (Old Record was 48.5 in 1916)

- Highest ACE Before August (63.4) (Old Record was 49 in 1916)

More of These in the "Additional Month Records”

Hurricane Katrina

- Most Costly Hurricane ($81.2 Billion) (Old Record was Hurricane Andrew in 1992 which caused $44.9 Billion in 2005 dollars) (Although if the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926 made landfall then where it made landfall in 1928, the damage is estimated to have cost $102 Billion dollars)

- Widest swath of destruction at landfall - 90,000 square miles from SE/LA to AL/FL Border, and Northward

- First time a Major United States City was rendered "Uninhabitable" by a Tropical System (New Orleans)

- Greatest Storm Surge (27+ feet) (Old Record was 24.6 feet by Hurricane Camille in 1969)

- Most Destructive Flooding in New Orleans, LA history

- Strongest Storm in the Gulf of Mexico (902mb) (Old Record was 909mb by Hurricane Allen in 1992 during it’s 3^rd intensification to Category 5 strength) (Until Hurricane Katrina)

Hurricane Rita

- Largest Peacetime Evacuation in United States History for a Tropical System

(More than 3 Million People Evacuated)

- Lowest Pressure on record for a wind speed of 115 mph (935 mb)

- Strongest Storm in the Gulf of Mexico (895mb) (Old Record was 902mb by Hurricane Katrina weeks earlier)

- Tied with Hurricane Andrew in 1992 for the Fastest Intensification from a Tropical Storm

to a Category 5 Hurricane (36 Hours) (Until Hurricane Wilma)

Hurricane Vince

- Farthest Northeast (North and East) a Hurricane has ever formed (15.2) (latitude + longitude)

(Old Record was 2.9 by Hurricane Lisa in 1998)

- Farthest East a Hurricane has ever formed (18.9*W) (Old Record was 25.2*W by Hurricane Jeanne in 1998)

- First “Pure” Tropical Depression (not extra or sub-tropical) to Landfall in the Iberian Peninsula, Spain

- First “Pure” Tropical Depression to Landfall in Mainland Europe

- Tied with Hurricane Faith which made landfall in the Faroe Islands on September 5, 1966, for the Only “Pure” Tropical Cyclone to Landfall in land East of the Atlantic (Hurricane Faith struck the Faroe Islands at Category 2 Strength)

These are also a possibility

- (2^nd to Epsilon - 2005) Lowest Sea Surface Temperature for a

Tropical Storm to Form (23-24*C)

- (2^nd to Epsilon - 2005) Lowest Sea Surface Temperature for a

Hurricane to Form (23-24*C)

- Hurricane Vince was also One of the Smallest Hurricanes Ever

“Vince gets a Medal for Being "The Tropical Cyclone that baffled Meteorologists More than Any Tropical Cyclone in Recorded History. And if not Vince, then Wilma and Epsilon and Zeta, also of the Atlantic Hurricane Season of 2005….”

- Anonymous

SUPER

Hurricane Wilma

Records in …. Could be World Record Holders, but because of the lack of information on specifically Super Typhoon Forest, no one can be 100% sure

- Most Intense Storm in the Atlantic Basin (882 mb) (17^th Worldwide)

(Old Record was 888 mb by Hurricane Gilbert in 1988) (If Wilma had been part of the Southern Hemisphere Cyclone Season, its pressure would have been somewhere in the range of 840 mb – 850 mb, By Far surpassing Typhoon Tip’s

World Record of 970 mb- http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/CI-chart.html)

- Fastest Intensification from a Tropical Storm to a Category 5 Hurricane (20 Hours)

(Old record was 36 Hours by Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and Hurricane Rita in 2005)

- Smallest Eye Diameter for a Cat. 2 Hurricane (7-8nm)

- Smallest Eye Diameter for a Cat. 3 Hurricane (5nm)

- Smallest Eye Diameter for a Cat. 4 Hurricane (2nm)

- Smallest Eye Diameter for a Cat. 5 Hurricane (1.5 - 2nm)

- Smallest Eye Diameter of Any Hurricane (1.5 - 2nm)

(Although Typhoon Tip's eye was approximately this small as well)

- Most Rapid Intensification in a 24 hour period (97 mb)

(979 mb to 882 mb – From 1200 UTC 18 October to 1200 UTC 19 October) (Old World Record was 92 mb+ by

Super Typhoon Forrest in 1983, though some souces say it was a 100 mb drop)

- Greatest Average Intensification Per Hour over a 24 hour period (4 mb an hour)

(Old Record was Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 which dropped at 3 millibars an hour for 24 hours)

- Most Rapid Intensification in an 18 hour period (93 mb) (975mb to 882mb)

- Greatest Average Intensification Per Hour over an 18 hour period (5.2 mb an hour)

(Old Record was Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 which dropped at 3.6 millibars an hour for 18 hours)

- Most Rapid Intensification in a 12 hour period (83 mb) (975 mb to 892 mb)

- Greatest Average Intensification Per Hour over a 12 hour period (6.9 mb an hour)

(Old Record was Hurricane Allen’s in 1980 which dropped at 4 millibars an hour for 12 hours)

- Most Rapid Intensification in a 6 hour period (54 mb) (946 mb to 892 mb)

- Greatest Average Intensification Per Hour over a 6 hour period (9mb an hour)

(Old Record was Hurricane Beulah in 1967 which dropped at 6.3 millibars an hour for 6 hours)

- Fastest Average Intensification Recorded - In Less than a 5.5 hour period, Hurricane Wilma Intensified

at an Average Rate of 9.9 mb an hour (954 mb to 901 mb)

- Most Intense Category 4 storm in the Atlantic Basin (892 mb)

- First Category 4 storm in the Atlantic Basin to record a minimum central pressure below 900 mb

- Most Intense Hurricane in October (882 mb) (Old Record was 905 mb by Hurricane Mitch in 1998)

- Natural Gas climbed 10% in 1 Day Because of the effects of the Hurricane Wilma / Wilma Nor'easter Storm

- Tied with Hurricane Hattie in 1961 and Hurricane Mitch in 1998 for the Only Category 5 Hurricane in October

- Greatest 24 Hour Rainfall Total in Mexico (62.05in. Isla Mujeres)

- Costliest Atlantic Hurricane in Mexico ($7.5 Billion)

- Most Records set by an October Hurricane (26)

- Most Records set by One Single Tropical Cyclone (26)

(Hurricane Wilma was also 3rd Costliest United Stated Hurricane ($20.6 Billion) (inflation adjusted), along with the 2^nd Costliest Mexican Hurricane (inflation adjusted))

“Hurricane Wilma continues to confound forecasters, and has intensified for the 3^rd time to a Category 3 Hurricane with 125 mph winds, despite wind shear levels that would normally Not Even support a Category 1 Hurricane (55Kts). In fact, Wilma is close to Category 4 status - the 5 pm Oct. 24 Hurricane Hunter flight found winds at 10,000 feet of 157 mph, which normally translates to a surface wind of 140 mph - Category 4 winds. It is Moving at 55 mph. Wilma did Extreme Damage in the Yucatan Penninsula, Then Hit Florida as a Major Hurricane, Then was the Main contributor of ‘The Superstorm of 2005’….and That’s the more non-meteorogical standpoint of its astonishing story....”

- Anonymous

Tropical Storm Delta

- Farthest East a Tropical Storm has formed in November (41.2*W)

(Old Record was 44.5*W by Tropical Storm #10 in 1954)

- Farthest East a Tropical Storm has formed after October 31^st (41.2*W)

(Old Record was 44.5*W by Tropical Storm #10 in 1954)

- Only Tropical Cyclone to Landfall in Africa

- Only Tropical Cyclone to Landfall in Morocco

- Only Tropical Cyclone to Landfall on the Canary Islands

Hurricane Epsilon

- Longest-Lasting "Pure" Tropical Storm in December (9.25 Days) (Old Record was 4.5 Days by Hurricane #18 of 1887) (Hurricane Lili which lasted 11.75 Days, spent 8 of those days being Sub-Tropical)

- Longest-Lasting Hurricane in December (5 Days)

(Old Record was 2.75 Days by Hurricane Lili of 1984)

- Furthest East a Hurricane ever existed in December (34.2*W)

(Old Record was 41.7*W by Hurricane #18 of 1887)

- Furthest East a Tropical Storm ever existed in December (38.1*W)

(Old Record was 41.7*W by Hurricane #18 of 1887)

- Weakest Annular Hurricane (85mph) (usually these types of Hurricanes are at least Category 3 or higher)

- Latest Annular Hurricane (December 7th)

These are also a possibility

- Coldest Sea Surface Temperature for a Tropical Storm to Form (21*C)

- Coldest Sea Surface Temperature for a Hurricane to Form (22*C)

(First Tropical Cyclone to have an Official NHC Forcast continuously include Non-Formal Sentences) (Actual Account in “The Story of Hurricane Epsilon”)

“The Story Of Hurricane Epsilon” – Further Down

Tropical Storm Zeta

- Tied with Hurricane Alice of 1954-1955 for the Only Storm to exist in January

- Farthest North a Tropical Storm has ever formed in January (24.2*N)

(Old Record was 22*N by Hurricane Alice of 1954-1955)

- Farthest North a Tropical Storm has ever existed in January (25.7*N)

(Old Record was 22*N by Hurricane Alice of 1954-1955)

- Farthest East a Tropical Storm has ever formed / existed in January (36.1*W)

(Old Record was 51.6*W by Hurricane Alice of 1954-1955)

- Farthest Northeast (North and East) a Tropical Storm has ever formed in January (-11.9*) (latitude + longitude)

(Old Record was -29.6* by Hurricane Alice in 1954-1955)

- Farthest Northeast (North and East) a Tropical Storm has ever existed in January (-10.4*) (latitude + longitude)

(Old Record was -29.6* by Hurricane Alice in 1954-1955)

- Longest Lasting Tropical Storm in January (6.75 Days)

(Old Record was Hurricane Alice of 1954-1955 with 6 Days (7.25 Days Completely with Tropical Depression level))

"Like its Greek cousins Delta and Epsilon of November, Zeta formed in conditions one would not normally expect a tropical storm to form--sea surface temperatures are only 24 C (2 1/2 degrees below the 26.5 C minimum usually needed), and under wind shear of 20-25 knots (usually, wind shear of 15 knots or less is required.)"

- Dr. Jeff Masters

Earliest Storm Formations

- Earliest formation of a season's 4^th Storm

- Earliest formation of a season's 5^th Storm

- Earliest formation of a season's 6^th Storm

- Earliest formation of a season's 7^th Storm

- Earliest formation of a season's 8^th Storm

- Earliest formation of a season's 9^th Storm

- Earliest formation of a season's 10^th Storm

- Earliest formation of a season's 11^th Storm

(Earliest formation of a season’s 12^th storm was August 29^th,