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159-458: As a developing tropical cyclone, Betsy tracked over the northern Leeward Islands , producing moderate gusts and slight rainfall, though only minimal damage was reported. After tracking over open waters for several days, Betsy had significantly strengthened upon moving through the Bahamas. There, considerable damage occurred, particularly to crops on the archipelago's islands. For the island chain, Betsy

318-485: A chemical weapon in World War I , is a powerful irritant that can inflict damage to the eyes, nose, throat and lungs, and (at high concentrations and prolonged exposure) cause death by asphyxiation. It was estimated that the amount of chlorine loaded on the barge was enough to kill 40,000 people. The barge had sunk near Baton Rouge , where an estimated 300,000 people lived. The residents in the harbor area were evacuated until

477-781: A hurricane in 1926 . Betsy's strong storm surge inundated large portions of the Florida Keys , flooding streets and causing widespread damage. The only route out of the Keys onto the mainland was cut off by the storm. In the state alone, Betsy caused $ 139 million in damage and five deaths. Betsy's most severe impacts were felt in Louisiana, where it made landfall as a powerful Category 4 hurricane. The cyclone propelled damaging storm surge into Lake Pontchartrain , breaching levees in New Orleans and inundating several neighborhoods, most notably

636-589: A 24-hour period. The resulting damage, if any, was minimal, though minor damage occurred to cotton and soy crops in the Cairo area. Hail and strong winds in Kentucky 's Bluegrass region damaged tobacco fields and caused damage to 35 mobile homes and a number of other roofs. Though no deaths were directly associated with Betsy's effects, a car lost control during a rainstorm in Gallatin County and subsequently crashed;

795-600: A 50 ft (15 m) sailboat was blown out of the water onto an adjacent neighborhood. Elsewhere in Key Largo, homes were unroofed by the strong winds, with other buildings damaged by flying debris. Water forced into the Miami River caused it to overflow its banks and spread inland for several city blocks in Miami. In the Miami area, Betsy caused the most severe seawater inundation since a major hurricane struck in 1926 ; this record

954-599: A group of islands situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean. Starting with the Virgin Islands east of Puerto Rico , they extend southeast to Guadeloupe and its dependencies. In English, the term Leeward Islands refers to the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. The more southerly part of this chain, starting with Dominica , is called the Windward Islands . Dominica

1113-614: A highway west of Sugarloaf Key indicated that such estimations in North Key Largo were valid. The strong storm surge caused severe beach erosion , mostly to areas south of Clearwater on the state's western coast while Betsy was traversing the Gulf of Mexico. In Fort Pierce, the waves washed away up to 10 ft (3.0 m) of beach. Coastal flooding in the Upper Keys was severe, with areas being inundated under several feet of seawater. Along

1272-587: A large, slow-moving, intense hurricane made landfall near New Orleans on August 29, 2005. Due to the storm's extent and severity of impacts, the name Betsy was retired following the season by the National Hurricane Center , and it will not be used again to name a tropical cyclone in the Atlantic basin. Consequently, the name was replaced with Blanche for the 1969 season . Leeward Island The Leeward Islands ( / ˈ l iː w ər d / ) are

1431-412: A livable condition. Those who did not have family or friends with dry homes had to sleep in the shelters at night and forage for supplies during the day, while waiting for the federal government to provide emergency relief in the form of trailers. In all, 164,000 homes were flooded at the second landfall. Evidence suggests that cheap construction and poor maintenance of the structures led to the failure of

1590-426: A million dollars. In the southern Berry Islands, which experienced hurricane-force winds for over 25 hours and the eye for 3 hours, all the islands suffered damage of some degree. Frazers Hog Cay had several houses badly damaged, one totally destroyed and the entire power distribution destroyed. Only Bird Cay, which had underground utilities, was able to restore electricity and water the next day. The harbor at Chub Cay

1749-571: A peak wind gust of 178 mph (286 km/h). The entirety of Hope Town was covered with sand to a depth of 2 ft (0.61 m), and the local harbor club was extensively damaged. Other docks were either damaged or completely destroyed. Though there was relatively little rainfall, coastal flooding damaged many houses to a point beyond repair. In Marsh Harbour , a majority of homes were unroofed. Heavy crop and fruit tree losses were reported in Little and Northern Abaco, with damage enumerated at well over

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1908-675: A portion of the Rickenbacker Causeway , rendering it impassable and isolating Key Biscayne from the mainland. Along the waterfront, the waves blew into hotels and shoreline residences. Offshore, the strong waves caused a freighter to run aground near Palm Beach, and nine people became stranded in houseboats near a mangrove island in Biscayne Bay. Another cargo ship, the Panamanian , ran aground within Lake Worth Inlet . At Key Largo,

2067-634: A relatively shallow sea compared to other bodies of water. The pressure of the South American Plate to the east of the Caribbean causes the region of the Lesser Antilles to have high volcanic activity. A very serious eruption of Mount Pelée in 1902 caused many casualties. The Caribbean sea floor is also home to two oceanic trenches : the Cayman Trench and the Puerto Rico Trench , which put

2226-520: A result of Betsy executing a loop and beginning to tracking southwestward, these watches were never issued, however, the Weather Bureau advised extreme caution in several Bahamian islands, though once again no warnings were specified. However, general emergency hurricane warning was issued early on September 16 for islands in the northern Bahamas, as well as adjacent waters. Hurricane watches and gale warnings were also issued for surrounding islands at

2385-423: A third time over portions of the central Bahamas, the major hurricane resumed its prior westward track towards South Florida . Early on September 8, Betsy made landfall on Key Largo in extreme southeastern Florida with winds of 125 mph (205 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 953  mbar ( hPa ; 28.15  inHg ). Without much change in strength, the intense hurricane quickly traversed

2544-430: A tight, clockwise loop and track in an unusual southwesterly path, redirecting it towards Florida and The Bahamas . At roughly the same time, the hurricane weakened to Category 2 intensity, though it later restrengthened to Category 3 intensity on September 6. Betsy's atypical southwesterly path brought it directly over several islands in the northern Bahamas, including Great Abaco Island . After stalling for

2703-505: A tornado developed and track near Marathon , while another occurred near Big Pine Key; both tornadoes caused no reported damage. However, a waterspout formed near Fort Walton Beach off the Florida Panhandle the following day and later destroyed a marina with twelve boats. The relatively low number of tornadoes that formed as a result of Betsy was due to the anomalously rapid forward motion that Betsy traveled at during its traverse of

2862-482: A tropical depression by 0600 UTC the following day. Afterwards, it began to track northeastward along the Ohio River before it transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on September 12. The remnant extratropical circulation of Betsy persisted into southern Ohio before dissipating entirely by 0000 UTC on September 13. At Cape Kennedy , NASA delayed the erection of an Atlas-Centaur rocket which

3021-605: A year visit the area, including (in 1991–1992) about 8 million cruise ship tourists. Tourism based upon scuba diving and snorkeling on coral reefs of many Caribbean islands makes a major contribution to their economies. These three form the SSS islands that with the ABC islands comprise the Dutch Caribbean , of which the BES islands are not direct Kingdom constituents but subsumed with

3180-828: Is a sea of the North Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere , located south of the Gulf of Mexico and southwest of the Sargasso Sea . It is bounded by the Greater Antilles to the north from Cuba to Puerto Rico , the Lesser Antilles to the east from the Virgin Islands to Trinidad and Tobago , South America to the south from the Venezuelan coastline to the Colombian coastline , and Central America and

3339-478: Is called coral bleaching , and can lead to the devastation of large areas of reef. Over 42% of corals are completely bleached, and 95% are experiencing some type of whitening. Historically the Caribbean is thought to contain 14% of the world's coral reefs. The habitats supported by the reefs are critical to such tourist activities as fishing and diving , and provide an annual economic value to Caribbean nations of US$ 3.1–4.6 billion. Continued destruction of

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3498-707: Is concentrated around coral reefs where there is little variation in water temperature, purity and salinity. Leeward side of lagoons provide areas of growth for sea grasses . Turtle grass ( Thalassia testudinum ) is common in the Caribbean as is manatee grass ( Syringodium filiforme ) which can grow together as well as in fields of single species at depths up to 20 m (66 ft). Another type shoal grass ( Halodule wrightii ) grows on sand and mud surfaces at depths of up to 5 m (16 ft). In brackish water of harbours and estuaries at depths less than 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) widgeongrass ( Ruppia maritima ) grows. Representatives of three species belonging to

3657-411: Is endangered. The Antilles along with Central America lie in the flight path of migrating birds from North America so the size of populations is subject to seasonal fluctuations. Parrots and bananaquits are found in forests. Over the open sea can be seen frigatebirds and tropicbirds . The Caribbean region has seen a significant increase in human activity since the colonization period. The sea

3816-476: Is endangered. The rhinoceros iguana from the island of Hispaniola which is shared between Haiti and the Dominican Republic is also endangered. The region has several types of sea turtle ( loggerhead , green turtle , hawksbill , leatherback turtle , Atlantic ridley and olive ridley ). Some species are threatened with extinction. Their populations have been greatly reduced since the 17th century –

3975-445: Is one of the largest oil production areas in the world, producing approximately 170 million tons per year. The area also generates a large fishing industry for the surrounding countries, accounting for 500,000 tonnes (490,000 long tons; 550,000 short tons) of fish a year. Human activity in the area also accounts for a significant amount of pollution . The Pan American Health Organization estimated in 1993 that only about 10% of

4134-635: Is the Cayman Trough , between the Cayman Islands and Jamaica , at 7,686 m (25,217 ft) below sea level . The Caribbean coastline has many gulfs and bays : the Gulf of Gonâve , the Gulf of Venezuela , the Gulf of Darién , Golfo de los Mosquitos , the Gulf of Paria and the Gulf of Honduras . The Caribbean Sea has the world's second-largest barrier reef , the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef . It runs 1,000 km (620 mi) along

4293-681: Is the national flower of Jamaica and the Bayahibe rose ( Pereskia quisqueyana ) which is the national flower of the Dominican Republic and the ceiba which is the national tree of both Puerto Rico and Guatemala . The mahogany is the national tree of the Dominican Republic and Belize . The caimito ( Chrysophyllum cainito ) grows throughout the Caribbean. In coastal zones there are coconut palms and in lagoons and estuaries are found thick areas of black mangrove and red mangrove ( Rhizophora mangle ). In shallow water flora and fauna

4452-531: Is the opposite direction (downwind). In the West Indies , the prevailing winds, known as the trade winds , blow predominantly out of the northeast. Therefore, a sailing vessel departing from the British Gold Coast and the Gulf of Guinea , driven by the trade winds, would usually first encounter Dominica and Martinique, islands most to windward, in their west-northwesterly heading to the final destinations in

4611-456: Is the second most polluted sea. Pollution (in the form of up to 300,000 tonnes of solid garbage dumped into the Caribbean Sea each year) is progressively endangering marine ecosystems, wiping out species, and harming the livelihoods of the local people, which is primarily reliant on tourism and fishing. KfW took part in a €25.7 million funding agreement to eliminate marine trash and boost

4770-785: The Caribbean is named, are believed to have migrated from the Orinoco River area in Venezuela in South America to settle in the Caribbean islands about 1200 AD, according to carbon dating . Over the century leading up to Columbus ' arrival in the Caribbean archipelago in 1492, the Caribs mostly displaced the Maipurean -speaking Taínos , who settled the island chains earlier in history, by warfare, extermination, and assimilation. The islands were among

4929-526: The Caribbean , Central America , and Northern America . This location, Dominica and Martinique, becomes the rough dividing line between the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands. The early Spanish explorers called Puerto Rico and the islands to the west Sotavento , meaning "leeward". The islands south and east of Puerto Rico were called Islas de Barlovento , meaning "windward islands". When

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5088-422: The Caribbean ; only one extant species is not endangered. There are 500 species of reptiles (94% of which are endemic ). Islands are inhabited by some endemic species such as rock iguanas and American crocodile . The blue iguana , endemic to the island of Grand Cayman , is endangered. The green iguana is invasive to Grand Cayman . The Mona ground iguana which inhabits the island of Mona, Puerto Rico ,

5247-497: The Dutch Republic , France , Courland and Denmark ). Following the colonization of the Caribbean islands, the Caribbean Sea became a busy area for European-based marine trading and transports. This commerce eventually attracted pirates such as Samuel Bellamy and Blackbeard . As of 2015 the area is home to 22 island territories and borders 12 continental countries . The International Hydrographic Organization defines

5406-577: The Leeward Antilles , are known in languages other than English as an equivalent of the Leeward Islands. The islands were created mostly by volcanoes in the Lesser Antilles subduction zone . Some are still active. Notable eruptions occurred in Montserrat in the 1990s and in 2009 to 2010. At 1,467 metres or 4,813 feet, the highest point is La Grande Soufrière in Guadeloupe . The Caribs , after whom

5565-486: The Miami Beach waterfront, a storm tide measuring 6.1 ft (1.9 m) caused extensive damage to shoreline property along Biscayne Bay . Eight people on the beach were injured, primarily due to flying glass shards. Roads were inundated, with water exceeding the first floor heights of some buildings. As a result of the waves and wind, three barges were torn out of their moorings, and later drifted downwind before severing

5724-569: The Sea of the Antilles became a common alternative name for the "Caribbean Sea" in various European languages. Spanish dominance in the region remained undisputed during the first century of European colonization. From the 16th century, Europeans visiting the Caribbean region distinguished the "South Sea" (the Pacific Ocean south of the isthmus of Panama) from the "North Sea" (the Caribbean Sea north of

5883-583: The United States Air Force and Weather Bureau indicated that the tropical storm had reached hurricane intensity by 0000 UTC on August 30, centered roughly 200 mi (320 km) north-northeast of Puerto Rico . By coincidence, forecast responsibilities were transferred to the Weather Bureau Office in Miami, Florida at the same time; however, the hurricane was still under the purview of

6042-488: The Upper Keys and Florida Bay before emerging midday on September 8 into the Gulf of Mexico . Situated in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico on September 8, Betsy began to strengthen and accelerate towards the west and then northwest, under the influence of the same ridge of high pressure that had forced it southwestward three days prior. At roughly the same time, hurricane forecast operations were handed over

6201-697: The Virgin Islands to north of Trinidad and Tobago , which is in the Atlantic. This arc was formed by the collision of the South American Plate with the Caribbean Plate . It included active and extinct volcanoes such as Mount Pelee , the Quill on Sint Eustatius in the Caribbean Netherlands , La Soufrière in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Morne Trois Pitons on Dominica . The larger islands in

6360-732: The Windward Islands . However, even in modern usage in languages other than English, notably Dutch, French, and Spanish, all of the Lesser Antilles from the Virgin Islands to Trinidad and Tobago are known as the Windward Islands ( Bovenwindse Eilanden in Dutch, Îles du Vent in French, and Islas de Barlovento in Spanish). The ABC islands and the other islands along the Venezuelan coast, known in English as

6519-584: The Yucatán Peninsula to the west from Panama to Mexico . The geopolitical region centered around the Caribbean Sea, including the numerous islands of the West Indies and adjacent coastal areas in the mainland of the Americas , is known as the Caribbean . The Caribbean Sea is one of the largest seas on Earth and has an area of about 2,754,000 km (1,063,000 sq mi). The sea's deepest point

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6678-490: The circular economy in the Caribbean's Small Island Developing States . The project "Sustainable finance methods for marine preservation in the Caribbean" will assist remove solid waste and keep it out of the marine and coastal environment by establishing a new facility under the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF). Non-governmental organizations, universities, public institutions, civil society organizations, and

6837-503: The lower Ninth Ward . Strong winds caused widespread power and telecommunications outages across the region. Further inland, effects wrought by Betsy were considerably weaker, though precipitation caused by the storm extended as far northeast as Pennsylvania . Rainfall was primarily beneficial in Arkansas , though localized flooding impacted rice and cotton crops. In Kentucky and Illinois , strong winds caused moderate property damage. By

6996-671: The southeastern states of North Carolina , Georgia , and South Carolina , where state precipitation totals peaked at 3.64 in (92 mm) in Randleman , 3.48 in (88 mm) in Ailey , and 2.21 in (56 mm) in Laurens , respectively. Waves cresting as high as 7 ft (2.1 m) off of South Carolina caused minor beach damage during Betsy's initial approach of the South Atlantic States on September 7. In West Virginia ,

7155-496: The Alabama coast; these would be the strongest winds or gusts reported statewide. Similarly, gusts of 75 mph (121 km/h) were estimated at Alabama Port . In the former, minor damage was reported to residences and other buildings, and numerous homes sustained minor roof and carport damage. Mobile County reported similar damage. Extensive damage to utility lines in those same regions also occurred. The strong winds also resulted in

7314-490: The Atlantic Ocean well east of Jacksonville, Florida, away from the storm's projected path. In Martinique, the precursor tropical depression caused marginal rainfall and light gusts, and no damage was reported. In Sint Maarten , winds and their associated gusts peaked at 35 mph (56 km/h) for several hours on August 28. Throughout the rest of the Windward Islands, gusts peaked at 40 mph (65 km/h), though

7473-583: The Bahamas, primarily to crops. Insurance claims were estimated at $ 4 million. The low death toll from the hurricane was accredited by the United States Weather Bureau to the relatively low storm tide, which, although rough, was negligible in areas including in Nassau, and the heeding of posted hurricane warnings by the affected populations. Beginning on September 7, intermittent squalls associated with Betsy's outer rainbands began affecting

7632-533: The Bahamas. The final, enumerated damage figure of $ 1.42 billion in damage costs made Betsy the first tropical cyclone in the United States to accrue more than $ 1 billion in damage, unadjusted for inflation . For this reason, the tropical cyclone was nicknamed "Billion Dollar Betsy." During Betsy's initial approach of the Bahamian archipelago on September 2, strong surf and high swells were reported in

7791-470: The British Stamp Act , though it was decidedly less severe in comparison to that of the mainland North American colonies. In 1660, there were about 8,000 white settlers and approximately 2,000 enslaved Africans in the Leeward Islands. However, that ratio narrowed over succeeding years. In 1678, there were 10,408 white settlers and 8,449 enslaved Black people. By 1708, there was a huge disparity between

7950-534: The British gained control of many of the Lesser Antilles , they designated Antigua , Montserrat , and the islands to the north as the Leeward Islands. Guadeloupe and the islands to the south were designated as the Windward Islands. Later on, all islands north of Martinique became known as the Leeward Islands. Dominica was transferred to the British Windward Islands in 1940 and is now considered part of

8109-581: The Caribbean Islands and the Central American coast. Among them stands out the Belize Barrier Reef , with an area of 963 km (372 sq mi), which was declared a World Heritage Site in 1996. It forms part of the Great Mayan Reef (also known as the MBRS ) and, being over 1,000 km (600 mi) in length, is the world's second longest. It runs along the Caribbean coasts of Mexico , Belize , Guatemala and Honduras . Since 2005 unusually warm Caribbean waters have been increasingly threatening Caribbean coral reefs . Coral reefs support some of

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8268-509: The Caribbean became separated from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean by the land of Cuba and Haiti . The Caribbean remained like this for most of the Cenozoic until the Holocene when rising water levels of the oceans restored communication with the Atlantic Ocean. The Caribbean's floor is composed of sub-oceanic sediments of deep red clay in the deep basins and troughs. On continental slopes and ridges calcareous silts are found. Clay minerals have likely been deposited by

8427-453: The Caribbean itself. The Caribbean hurricane season as a whole lasts from June through November, with the majority of hurricanes occurring during August and September. On average around nine tropical storms form each year, with five reaching hurricane strength. According to the National Hurricane Center 385 hurricanes occurred in the Caribbean between 1494 and 1900. The region has a high level of biodiversity and many species are endemic to

8586-707: The Caribbean marine life, such as Caribbean Conservation Corporation which seeks to study and protect sea turtles while educating others about them. In connection with the foregoing, the Institute of Marine Sciences and Limnology of the National Autonomous University of Mexico , conducted a regional study, funded by the Department of Technical Cooperation of the International Atomic Energy Agency , in which specialists from 11 Latin American countries (Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Dominican Republic, Venezuela) plus Jamaica participated. The findings indicate that heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic, and lead, have been identified in

8745-412: The Caribbean there is industrial catching of lobster and sardines (off the coast of Yucatán Peninsula ). There are 90 species of mammals in the Caribbean including sperm whales , humpback whales and dolphins . The island of Jamaica is home to seals and manatees . The Caribbean monk seal which lived in the Caribbean is considered extinct. Solenodons and hutias are mammals found only in

8904-411: The Caribbean through the Anegada Passage between the Lesser Antilles and the Virgin Islands and the Windward Passage between Cuba and Haiti . The Yucatán Channel between Mexico and Cuba links the Gulf of Mexico with the Caribbean. The deepest points of the sea lie in Cayman Trough with depths reaching approximately 7,686 m (25,220 ft). Despite this, the Caribbean Sea is considered

9063-504: The Caribbean, 600 species of birds have been recorded, of which 163 are endemic such as todies , Fernandina's flicker and palmchat . The American yellow warbler is found in many areas, as is the green heron . Of the endemic species 48 are threatened with extinction including the Puerto Rican amazon , and the Zapata wren . According to Birdlife International in 2006 in Cuba 29 species of bird are in danger of extinction and two species officially extinct. The black-fronted piping guan

9222-417: The Caribbean. The vegetation of the region is mostly tropical but differences in topography , soil and climatic conditions increase species diversity . Where there are porous limestone terraced islands these are generally poor in nutrients. It is estimated that 13,000 species of plants grow in the Caribbean of which 6,500 are endemic . For example, guaiac wood ( Guaiacum officinale ), the flower of which

9381-478: The Florida peninsula and the Gulf of Mexico. Overall, five people were killed in the state, and damage totaled $ 139 million, primarily due to the strong storm surge generated by Betsy. Eight offshore oil platforms were destroyed during Betsy, with others experiencing damage. A Shell oil platform off the Mouth of the Mississippi River was not seen again. The oil rig Maverick, owned by future president George H. W. Bush 's Zapata corporation also disappeared during

9540-411: The Mexico, Belize , Guatemala , and Honduras coasts. The name Caribbean derives from the Caribs , one of the region's dominant native people at the time of European contact during the late 15th century . After Christopher Columbus landed in The Bahamas in 1492 and later discovered some of the islands in The Caribbean, the Spanish term Antillas applied to the lands; stemming from this,

9699-407: The Miami city line remembers the waters of Biscayne Bay came within mm of entering his family's home on NE 88th Street perhaps 300 meters from the bay. Though storm surge was estimated to have peaked along the coast of North Key Largo at 9 ft (2.7 m), a measurement of 7.7 ft (2.3 m) in Tavernier was the highest measured total. However, a high water mark of 9 ft (2.7 m) on

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9858-401: The Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, a deep-water shipping channel to the east and south. Levees for the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet along Florida Avenue in the Lower Ninth Ward and on both sides of the Industrial Canal failed. The flood water reached the eaves of houses in some places and over some one story roofs in the Lower Ninth Ward. Some residents drowned in their attics trying to escape

10017-408: The New Orleans area from about 8 pm until 4 am the next morning. In Thibodaux winds of 130 mph (210 km/h) to 140 mph (230 km/h) were reported. The Baton Rouge weather bureau operated under auxiliary power, without telephone communication. Around 1 am, the worst of the wind and rain was over. Betsy also drove a storm surge into Lake Pontchartrain , just north of New Orleans, and

10176-403: The Southeastern islands, though no damage was reported. Much of the damage inflicted to the Bahamas by Betsy occurred between September 6–8, when the tropical cyclone moved across the northern Bahamas as a Category 3 hurricane. The preceding track was similar to that of another major hurricane in 1929 , which had also drastically curved southwestward before causing significant damage to

10335-451: The Weather Bureau Office in New Orleans, Louisiana . During its trek through the gulf, Betsy accelerated to a maximum forward speed of 22 mph (35 km/h), a speed anomalously high for a tropical cyclone traversing the Gulf of Mexico. At 0600 UTC on September 9, the hurricane was estimated to have regained Category 4 intensity, and continued to strengthen as it neared the Central United States Gulf Coast . At 0000 UTC

10494-466: The Weather Bureau office in New Orleans issued a hurricane watch for coastal areas from Matagorda Bay to the Mississippi River Delta . Early the following day, hurricane emergency warnings were issued for areas stretching from Galveston, Texas to the Mississippi River Delta and gale warnings elsewhere from Mobile Bay to Matagorda Bay . Upon completing its northwestward recurvature, hurricane emergency warnings were shifted eastward to include areas from

10653-403: The Weather Bureau per se. Due to increasing atmospheric pressure heights to the north, Betsy drastically slowed in forward speed and intensification, and remained stationary for a period of time on August 31 before it began to drift westward. On September 2, Betsy began to quickly intensify, and after strengthening to a Category 3 hurricane-equivalent – a major hurricane on

10812-468: The area at a high risk of earthquakes . Underwater earthquakes pose a threat of generating tsunamis which could have a devastating effect on the Caribbean islands. Scientific data reveals that over the last 500 years, the area has seen a dozen earthquakes above 7.5 magnitude. Most recently, a 7.1 earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, 2010. The hydrology of the sea has a high level of homogeneity. Annual variations in monthly average water temperatures at

10971-420: The area is tropical , varying from tropical rainforest in some areas to tropical savanna in others. There are also some locations that are arid climates with considerable drought in some years. Rainfall varies with elevation, size, and water currents (cool upwelling keep the ABC islands arid). Warm, moist trade winds blow consistently from the east, creating both rainforest and semi-arid climates across

11130-419: The barge was recovered. President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered the Navy and Army Engineers to find and raise the barge. While it took months to locate and make the appropriate plans for raising the barge, the actual process of raising it took around two hours. The barge was reportedly recovered, without any problems, on November 12, 1965. The storm produced rainfall, high tides, and strong winds in Mississippi. Near

11289-423: The base were serviced for potential evacuation to bases in Michigan and Indiana . Upon Betsy's recurvature southwestward toward the peninsula on September 7, the Weather Bureau strongly advised evacuation procedures between Fort Lauderdale and Key Largo. Evacuation was strongly advised in the Florida Keys, where rising water as a result of the storm could potentially flood over portions of U.S. Route 1  –

11448-453: The border with Alabama, tides of 7 feet (2.1 m) were reported, while ranging as high as 15 feet (4.6 m) near the state line with Louisiana. Wind speeds also varied greatly throughout the state. In Pascagoula , winds between 40 and 65 mph (64 and 105 km/h) were recorded. By contrast, winds were in excess of 100 mph (160 km/h) in Bay St. Louis . Despite the winds, much of

11607-424: The central telephone exchange operating on emergency backup power. Some transformers that were blown down sparked localized fires. One person was killed after being electrocuted by a fallen power line. The blackouts cut electric service to 80 percent of customers in the Miami and Fort Lauderdale areas. House trailers were smashed by flying debris in the same areas. Several roads were blocked by debris thrown by

11766-575: The cities of New Bern and Wilmington in North Carolina and Charleston, South Carolina . The United States Department of Agriculture prepared food supplies in the event of an emergency for the two states. After Betsy stalled and assumed a southwesterly course towards southern Florida, precautionary measures ceased in the Carolinas but were initiated in Florida and The Bahamas. Mackey Airlines assisted in

11925-483: The coast, 500 American tourists remained stranded in waterfront hotels. Despite the severe effects, only one person died in the Nassau area after his ship was destroyed and capsized in Nassau Harbor; this would be the only fatality associated with Betsy in the Bahamas. On West End on Grand Bahama , a weather station reported maximum sustained winds of 89 mph (143 km/h), with other locations elsewhere on

12084-539: The coast, producing gusts in excess of 60 mph (97 km/h). One of these squalls toppled trees and damaged awnings in Stuart . Early the following day, Betsy made landfall on the southeastern Florida coast near Key Largo with a strength equivalent to that of a Category 3 hurricane. Intense winds were felt across the region, with the highest officially wind speed clocked at 125 mph (201 km/h) in Big Pine Key ;

12243-512: The coastal zone of the Caribbean Sea. Analysis of toxic metals and hydrocarbons is based on the investigation of coastal sediments that have accumulated less than 50 meters deep during the last hundred and fifty years. The project results were presented in Vienna in the forum "Water Matters", and the 2011 General Conference of said multilateral organization. After the Mediterranean, the Caribbean Sea

12402-506: The coasts of Georgia and The Carolinas on September 4, the Weather Bureau announced the possibility of a hurricane watch for those coastal areas, but decided to delay the issuance of such watches due to Betsy's slow movement at the time. Nonetheless, the organization advised for small craft in coastal waters adjacent to the coast between Cape Kennedy to Sandy Hook, New Jersey to remain in port, and other small craft north of Miami, Florida and into Bahamian waters to exercise caution. As

12561-488: The corporate sector are all eligible for financing. The project is estimated to prevent and remove at least 15 000 tonnes of marine trash, benefiting at least 20 000 individuals. The climate of the Caribbean is driven by the low latitude and tropical ocean currents that run through it. The principal ocean current is the North Equatorial Current , which enters the region from the tropical Atlantic . The climate of

12720-466: The cyclone. It was insured by Lloyd's of London for US$ 5.7 million (1965 dollars). Hurricane Betsy slammed into Grand Isle on the evening of September 9, 1965. 110 mph (180 km/h) winds and power failures were reported in New Orleans. The eye of the storm passed to the southwest of New Orleans on a northwesterly track. The northern and western eyewalls covered Southeast Louisiana and

12879-645: The disturbance had become a tropical cyclone of moderate intensity. Based on information from the flight, it was estimated that the system had organized into a tropical depression by 0000  UTC on August 27, 350 mi (560 km) east-southeast of Barbados . Although operationally the United States Weather Bureau office in San Juan, Puerto Rico upgraded the disturbance to tropical storm intensity three hours after their first tropical cyclone bulletin that same day, post-analysis indicated that

13038-630: The evacuation of 227 residents of West End Island to Miami, Fort Lauderdale , and West Palm Beach, Florida , over the course of three flights. Three additional Douglas DC-6 airliners from Mackey Airlines evacuated 240 people, primarily American tourists, from Nassau to Miami. Various commercial flights between the archipelago and Florida were cancelled due to the impending storm. In Florida, various relief agencies prepared 9,000 hot dogs, 8,000 hamburgers, and 6,000 servings of chicken, to be donated to local hospitals and charitable organizations. The United States Weather Bureau urged for

13197-634: The extent of impacts were limited to the Bahamas and portions of the United States, the damage in these respective regions were considerable. According to the Hurricane Research Division of the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory , Betsy produced Category 3 winds (111 mph (179 km/h) or greater) in Southeastern Florida and Southeastern Louisiana. However, winds of such intensity were also reported in

13356-672: The first parts of the Americas to fall under the control of the Spanish Empire . European contact commenced with Christopher Columbus 's second voyage; many of the islands' names originate from this period: Montserrat was named in honour of Santa Maria de Montserrat (Our Lady of Montserrat), after the Blessed Virgin of the Monastery of Montserrat , which is located on the Mountain of Montserrat ,

13515-483: The genus Halophila , ( Halophila baillonii , Halophila engelmannii and Halophila decipiens ) are found at depths of up to 30 m (98 ft) except for Halophila engelmani which does not grow below 5 m (16 ft) and is confined to the Bahamas , Florida , the Greater Antilles and the western part of the Caribbean. Halophila baillonii has been found only in the Lesser Antilles . Marine biota in

13674-415: The hurricane emergency warning zone was expanded to include areas of the east coast northward to Fort Pierce and on the west coast northward to Venice . Gale warnings were also expanded to include coastal areas from Jacksonville to St. Marks . Hurricane watches were similarly extended to include coastal regions of Florida from the boundaries of the hurricane warnings to Daytona Beach and Cedar Keys on

13833-524: The hurricane in the state was in Wynne , where 8.02 in (204 mm) of rain was recorded. Surrounding regions in northeastern Arkansas reported at least 6 in (150 mm) of rain. The heavy precipitation and resulting flooding there damaged cotton and rice crops. Much of the rice crop in the eastern and southern portions of the state were flattened by the rains, and thus were highly susceptible to future rainfalls. A third of cotton, much of which defoliated,

13992-459: The hurricane temporarily stalled and began to track westward on September 1, the Weather Bureau began to warn interests in the Bahamas. Though no warnings were specified, the tropical cyclone tracking agency forecasted winds of potentially hurricane-force and strong surf to impact the Turks and Caicos Islands and Mayaguana; such forecasts were changed after Betsy began tracking northwest. Threatening

14151-565: The hurricane's eyewall stalled over the area. The last message received by the Miami Weather Bureau office from communication operators in Nassau during the storm was a report of 80 mph (130 km/h) winds and rough seas late on September 6. The strong winds downed power lines , trees, and destroyed homes, while the heavy rainfall, having accumulated over several days, flooding city streets. Other streets were littered with coconuts, palm fronds, and other debris blown or felled by

14310-405: The hurricane's approach forced water from the Atlantic onto the isolated Keys. Storm surge was further exacerbated by (this writer remembers) high tide (cannot substantiate) and near full moon { https://nineplanets.org/moon/phase/9-8-1965/#:~:text=The%20Moon%20phase%20for%20September,is%20a%20Waxing%20Gibbous%20phase} at the peak of the storm in the Miami area. This resident living one block north of

14469-532: The hurricane. Airlines cancelled service to Fort Lauderdale and Miami. In the latter, city crews dismantled traffic lights along Biscayne Boulevard ; such procedure was influenced by the damage wrought by Hurricane Cleo a year prior . On September 7, the United States Weather Bureau predicted that Betsy would make landfall in Matanzas Province in Cuba . The National Observatory of Cuba expressed concern for

14628-573: The island experiencing gusts of at least 60 mph (97 km/h). However, no damage was reported. Out of all the islands, the strongest winds were reported on Abaco Island , where areas were within Betsy's swath of hurricane-force winds for over 20 hours. In Green Turtle Cay , a station clocked winds of 151 mph (243 km/h), well into Category 4 intensity on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale. Another station in Hope Town measured

14787-415: The island group. Likewise, Betsy was considered the worst hurricane to strike the region since then. Stalling over the Bahamas for a period of time as it moved through the islands, several locations sustained the Betsy's effects for prolonged periods of time, despite the tropical cyclone's relatively small size. Widespread power outage and communication blackouts ensued, preventing the flow of reports between

14946-535: The island's northern coast from the provinces of Havana to Camagüey , and in particular the provinces of Matanzas and Las Villas . Cuban radio alerted residents along the country's northern coast, potentially threatened by the hurricane, to take the necessary precautions in the event of an emergency. Radio services in Havana alerted residents along the shores of Pinar del Río Province of potentially dangerous storm surge, and urged immediate precautionary measures. Upon

15105-474: The large scale evacuations in Sabine Pass prior to landfall. In Port Arthur a station received just 0.02 in (0.51 mm) of rain, coupled with storm tides 2.4 ft (0.73 m) above mean sea level. From September 10–11, Betsy passed through Arkansas , which experienced the worst effects in the United States outside of states adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico. The highest reported rainfall total from

15264-499: The latter peaked at 1.83 in (46 mm). The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ' Hurricane Protection Program came into existence as a result of Betsy. The Corps built new levees for New Orleans that were both taller and made of stronger material, designed specifically to resist a fast-moving Category 3 hurricane like Betsy (Betsy was retroactively upgraded to a Category 4 at the time of its Louisiana landfall in 2019). The resulting levee improvements failed when Hurricane Katrina ,

15423-524: The levees. However, popular rumor persists that they were intentionally breached, possibly as a means of salvaging the French Quarter and central business district. Many of the barges that had been traveling on the Mississippi River were engulfed by the hurricane. One of the barges, MTC-602 , contained 600 tons of deadly chlorine gas contained in cylinders. Chlorine gas, which was used frequently as

15582-555: The lighthouse's operators due to the impending threat of a hurricane strike. In the Palm Beach area, a group composed of regional Red Cross disaster chairman Forest W. Dana and nearby town officials held a nearly nonstop radio vigil service. Red Cross volunteers in The Carolinas set up three district headquarters to prepare shelters, first aid programs, and communications. The relief agency also readied seven first aid and food vans in

15741-471: The limits of the Caribbean Sea as follows: Although Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados are on the same continental shelf, they are considered to be in the Atlantic Ocean rather than in the Caribbean Sea. The Caribbean Sea is an oceanic sea on the Caribbean Plate . The Caribbean Sea is separated from the ocean by several island arcs of various ages. The youngest stretches from the Lesser Antilles to

15900-704: The mainland river Orinoco and the Magdalena River . Deposits on the bottom of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico have a thickness of about 1 km (0.62 mi). Upper sedimentary layers relate to the period from the Mesozoic to the Cenozoic (250 million years ago) and the lower layers from the Paleozoic to the Mesozoic . The Caribbean seafloor is divided into five basins separated from each other by underwater ridges and mountain ranges. Atlantic Ocean water enters

16059-529: The modern-day Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale  – the small hurricane attained Category 4 intensity and reached an initial peak intensity with winds of 140 mph (220 km/h) at 0000 UTC on September 4, while situated well north of the Turks and Caicos . However, on September 5, a blocking ridge of high pressure situated over the Eastern United States forced Betsy to make

16218-403: The most diverse marine habitats in the world, but they are fragile ecosystems. When tropical waters become unusually warm for extended periods of time, microscopic plants called zooxanthellae , which are symbiotic partners living within the coral polyp tissues, die off. These plants provide food for the corals and give them their color. The result of the death and dispersal of these tiny plants

16377-687: The mouth of the Mississippi River Delta to Mobile, Alabama . Gale warnings were effected by this change, and as such were also extended to include areas west of Panama City, Florida . On September 9, hurricane warnings were once again extended eastward to Pensacola, Florida , while they were lowered for the Texas coast. These warnings remained in effect until September 10, by which time Betsy had weakened sufficiently enough not to warrant such warnings and watches. The effects of Hurricane Betsy were of far-reaching and unprecedented severity. Though

16536-448: The national shrine of Catalonia . Mont serrat in Catalan means " saw mountain", referring to the serrated appearance of the mountain range. The Leeward Islands became a British colony in 1671, with William Stapleton as its first governor. Although comparatively much smaller than the surrounding islands in the Caribbean, the Leeward Islands posed the most significant rebellion to

16695-458: The next day, Betsy reached its primary peak intensity with winds of 140 mph (220 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 942 mbar (hPa; 27.79 inHg) shortly before moving ashore a rural area of Louisiana coastline adjacent to Houma and Grand Isle early on September 10. Once inland, Betsy quickly weakened, and paralleled the Mississippi River before degenerating into

16854-481: The next day. Midday on August 28, warnings were lowered for Barbados and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and raised for areas of the northern Leeward Islands and later Puerto Rico . Late that day, warnings in Dominica and Guadeloupe were discontinued. All warnings associated with the developing tropical cyclone were discontinued for a period of time on August 29, as Betsy was pulling away from any landmasses. After

17013-483: The night of September 11. Four people were killed by the weakening hurricane statewide. In Illinois , the remnants of Hurricane Betsy brought heavy rainfall to the extreme southern portions of the state over a period of three days, ranging anywhere from 3–6 in (76–152 mm); the highest recorded total was 6.25 in (159 mm) in Cairo, Illinois . The same station recorded 6.25 in (159 mm) of rain in

17172-512: The north and its convergence with the Euramerica basin decreased in size. The next stage of the Caribbean Sea's formation began in the Triassic . Powerful rifting led to the formation of narrow troughs, stretching from modern Newfoundland to the Gulf of Mexico's west coast, forming siliciclastic sedimentary rocks . In the early Jurassic due to powerful marine transgression , water broke into

17331-468: The northern Atlantic as the Guiana Current and part of the North Equatorial Current enter the sea on the east. On the western side of the sea, the trade winds influence a northerly current which causes an upwelling and a rich fishery near Yucatán . The Caribbean is home to about 9% of the world's coral reefs , covering about 50,000 km (19,000 sq mi), most of which are located off

17490-511: The northern Bahamas and other outlets as the storm took place. This included NASA communication centers in Cape Kennedy, which had lost contact with downrange missile tracking stations in the archipelago. Over the duration of the hurricane, the lowest pressure measured was 961 mbar (hPa; 28.40 inHg) in Dunmore Town on Harbour Island . However, no wind measurement was recorded alongside

17649-554: The northern part of the sea Cuba , Hispaniola , Jamaica and Puerto Rico lie on an older island arc. The geological age of the Caribbean Sea is estimated to be between 160 and 180 million years and was formed by a horizontal fracture that split the supercontinent called Pangea in the Mesozoic Era . It is assumed the proto-caribbean basin existed in the Devonian period and in the early Carboniferous movement of Gondwana to

17808-481: The northern tip of Yucatán Tropical cyclones are a threat to the nations that rim the Caribbean Sea. While landfalls are infrequent, the resulting loss of life and property damage makes them a significant hazard to life in the Caribbean. Tropical cyclones that impact the Caribbean often develop off the West coast of Africa and make their way west across the Atlantic Ocean toward the Caribbean, while other storms develop in

17967-439: The number of green turtles has declined from 91 million to 300,000 and hawksbill turtles from 11 million to less than 30,000 by 2006. All 170 species of amphibians that live in the region are endemic. The habitats of almost all members of the toad family, poison dart frogs , tree frogs and leptodactylidae (a type of frog) are limited to only one island. The Golden coqui is in serious threat of extinction. In

18126-407: The number of white settlers, which had declined to 7,311, and the number of enslaved Black people was estimated at 23,500. In 1816, the colony was dissolved as a federation of islands, and the individual islands were ruled individually. However, the colony of the Leeward Islands was re-established in 1833. There are two countries and eleven territories in the Leeward Islands. From the northwest to

18285-486: The only primary access route from the Keys to the mainland. Overall, an estimated 50,000 residents were within coastal regions where evacuations were advised. The U.S. Navy abandoned its housing project on Big Pine Key to avoid the hurricane, while sheriff deputies in Marathon, Tavernier, and Islamorada strongly advised evacuation in those respective cities. Various offices, businesses, and schools were closed in advance of

18444-526: The operational development of Betsy into a tropical storm on August 27, the San Juan Weather Bureau Office issued gale warnings for Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines , and Martinique . The weather office advised for small craft in the Windward and Leeward Islands to remain in port until the storm passed. These gale warnings were later expanded to include Dominica and Guadeloupe

18603-588: The overnight hours of August 28 before re-emerging into the Atlantic Ocean the following day, after which Betsy was upgraded to tropical storm classification in post-analysis. Upon moving to the northwest of the Leeward Islands , Betsy entered conditions favorable for marked development. An upper-level trough centered a short distance north of the tropical storm enhanced outflow conditions and speed divergence . Under these conditions, Betsy proceeded to quickly intensify, and reconnaissance missions tasked by

18762-478: The peninsula's eastern and western coasts, respectively. Once Betsy began moving through the peninsula, however, warning and watch products began to be discontinued by regions, with all products pertaining to Florida discontinued by midday on September 8. After leaving the Florida area, the first hurricane watch pertaining to the Central Gulf Coast of the United States occurred late on September 8, when

18921-536: The present area of the Gulf of Mexico creating a vast shallow pool. Deep basins emerged in the Caribbean during the Middle Jurassic rifting . The emergence of these basins marked the beginning of the Atlantic Ocean and contributed to the destruction of Pangaea at the end of the late Jurassic . During the Cretaceous the Caribbean acquired a shape close to today. In the early Paleogene due to marine regression

19080-482: The pressure reading due to a resulting power failure. Offshore, the Dutch freighter Sarah Elizabeth was caught in rough seas and had lost control of its rudder while it was pulled by continuous wave action towards Egg Island . As a result, the ship's operators relayed a SOS signal, to which the United States Coast Guard responded by dispatching a cutter and several merchant ships to assist in escorting

19239-694: The property damage in the state was caused by tides along the Gulf Coast. Strong winds and heavy rainfall caused significant crop damage in Harrison , Hancock County, Mississippi , and Jackson County, Mississippi . Throughout the state, 25,000 people lost electricity and more than 22,641 disruptions to telephone service occurred. Overall, damage in the state of Mississippi totaled to $ 80 million (1965 USD). Though Betsy remained well south and west of Alabama throughout its existence, its outer rainbands and strong storm surge caused damage in some areas of

19398-558: The rains helped to saturate soils used for growing crops, benefiting crop production. From September 11–13, Betsy's rains were felt throughout Pennsylvania . Rainfall peaked at 1.5 in (38 mm) in the central and northeastern regions of the state. Further south, in Maryland and Delaware , the rains were also beneficial to arable land. Precipitation in the former peaked at 2.55 in (65 mm) in Bittinger , while precipitation in

19557-743: The reefs could severely damage the region's economy. A Protocol of the Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region came in effect in 1986 to protect the various endangered marine life of the Caribbean through forbidding human activities that would advance the continued destruction of such marine life in various areas. Currently this protocol has been ratified by 15 countries. Also, several charitable organisations have been formed to preserve

19716-603: The region have representatives of both the Indian and Pacific oceans which were caught in the Caribbean before the emergence of the Isthmus of Panama four million years ago. In the Caribbean Sea there are around 1,000 documented species of fish, including sharks ( bull shark , tiger shark , silky shark and Caribbean reef shark ), flying fish , giant oceanic manta ray , angel fish , spotfin butterflyfish , parrotfish , Atlantic Goliath grouper , tarpon and moray eels . Throughout

19875-518: The region. Personnel from a small outpost on Allan Cay were evacuated to Grand Bahama , despite indications at the time that Betsy would curve away from the Bahamas or the East Coast of the United States . At Brunswick, Georgia 's Naval Air Station Glynco , 21 jet fighter-bombers were evacuated inland. On September 4, helicopters arrived at the Frying Pan Shoals Light to evacuate

20034-443: The region. The tropical rainforest climates include lowland areas near the Caribbean Sea from Costa Rica north to Belize , as well as the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico , while the more seasonal dry tropical savanna climates are found in Cuba , northern Venezuela , and southern Yucatán, Mexico . Arid climates are found along the extreme northern coast of Venezuela out to the islands including Aruba and Curaçao , as well as

20193-528: The reopening of grocery stores and lumberyards which had been closed for Labor Day in order to increase availability of hurricane preparedness materials to potentially affected populations. In downtown Miami , a traffic coordination plan for the evacuation of vehicles and aquatic craft through the Brickell Avenue Bridge was set in place. Homestead Air Reserve Base went into Phase 2 of its hurricane preparedness plan, in which aircraft stationed at

20352-570: The resultant wind damage was marginal. As the hurricane was passing near the southeastern Bahamas, high swells were reported along the northern coast of Hispaniola , though no damage ensued. Although the more significant effects of Hurricane Betsy in the United States were limited to coastal regions, areas further inland received rainfall and strong winds from the weakening tropical cyclone and its remnants, with precipitation extending inland as far northeast as Pennsylvania . Far offset from where Betsy made landfall, effects in Texas were minimal, despite

20511-603: The rising waters. These levee breaches flooded parts of Gentilly , the Upper Ninth Ward , and the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans as well as Arabi and Chalmette in neighboring St. Bernard Parish. President Lyndon Johnson visited the city, promising New Orleans Mayor Vic Schiro federal aid. It was ten days or more before the water level in New Orleans went down enough for people to return to their homes. It took even longer than that to restore their flooded houses to

20670-528: The same isthmus). The Caribbean Sea had been unknown to the populations of Eurasia until after 1492 when Christopher Columbus sailed into Caribbean waters to find a sea route to Asia. At that time, the Americas were generally unknown to most Europeans, although they had been visited in the 10th century by the Vikings . Following Columbus's discovery of the islands, the area was quickly colonized by several Western cultures (initially Spain , then later England ,

20829-539: The same station also recorded the strongest gust documented while Betsy was over southern Florida at 165 mph (266 km/h). The lowest barometric pressure recorded was 952 mbar (hPa; 28.12 inHg) at a station in Tavernier while it was within the eye of the storm. The strong winds knocked down utility poles, causing widespread power outage and a telecommunications blackout. At one point, an estimated 25,000 telephones were knocked out of service, with half of

20988-659: The same time. These warnings and watch products for the Bahamas held until late on September 7. Early on September 6, as Betsy was tracking through the Bahamas, a hurricane watch and gale warning were issued for portions of the Southeastern Floridian coast from Cape Kennedy to Key West . Late that day, however, areas of the watch zone from Palm Beach to Key West and Everglades City were upgraded to hurricane emergency warning status. Additional hurricane watches were hoisted for areas of Florida's western coast from Everglades City to Punta Gorda . The following evening,

21147-454: The season, the United States Weather Bureau retired the name Betsy from their rotating lists of tropical cyclone names . Origins of Hurricane can be traced back to an area of disturbed weather southwest of Cape Verde that first identified via TIROS satellite imagery on August 23. Tracking westward, the tropical wave was intercepted by a United States Navy reconnaissance airplane early on August 27, which concluded that

21306-451: The seawater is about 3.6%, and its density is 1,023.5–1,024.0 kg/m (63.90–63.93 lb/cu ft). The surface water color is blue-green to green . The Caribbean's depth in its wider basins and deep-water temperatures are similar to those of the Atlantic. Atlantic deep water is thought to spill into the Caribbean and contribute to the general deep water of its sea. The surface water (30 m; 100 ft) acts as an extension of

21465-561: The second highest state rainfall total at 10.52 in (267 mm). Elsewhere, rainfall spread as far northward as Tampa Bay . Although intense, the rains helped partially alleviate a concurrent drought in the Everglades . No damage was reported in association with the rainfall. A total of three tornadoes formed in association with Betsy, of which two occurred while the major hurricane was landfalling in South Florida. On September 8,

21624-532: The sewage from the Central American and Caribbean Island countries is properly treated before being released into the sea. The region has been famous for its rum production - the drink is first mentioned in records from Barbados in around 1650, although it was likely to have been produced beforehand across the other islands. The Caribbean region supports a large tourism industry. The Caribbean Tourism Organization calculates that about 12 million people

21783-619: The southeast, the main islands are: These three form the SSS islands that with the ABC islands comprise the Dutch Caribbean , of which the BES islands are not direct Kingdom constituents but subsumed with the country of the Netherlands . Physiographically , these continental islands are not part of the volcanic Windward Islands arc, although sometimes grouped with them culturally and politically. Disputed territories administered by Guyana . Disputed territories administered by Colombia . Caribbean Sea The Caribbean Sea

21942-644: The state, particularly in the southern portions of the state. At the coast, the storm tide caused by Betsy were the highest since 1916 . High tides peaking at 4.7 ft (56 in) in Mobile destroyed and damage some private piers and waterfront buildings. The Mobile Bay Causeway and adjacent infrastructure was flooded by the storm surge; as a result the causeway was closed between September 9–10. Strong winds were also reported in southern Alabama. Gusts of 80 mph (130 km/h) were reported on Dauphin Island just off

22101-451: The state. Most of the stronger winds were in the northern quadrant of the weakening tropical cyclone as it progressed through Arkansas. However, the highest measured wind gusts were only clocked at 45 mph (72 km/h) in stations at Pine Bluff and Walnut . The strong winds tore down power lines, leaving hundreds of electricity customers without power for several days. However, regional electrical crews were able to restore most power by

22260-437: The state. The first occurred in a remote area near Theodore and as such did not cause any damage. However, the second tornado, which touched down near Cullman late on September 11, destroyed several acres of corn and uprooted over 300 fruit trees. The tornado, described as one of "narrow" length, also slightly damaged some buildings and uprooted a number of other trees. Though no exact damage total could be calculated,

22419-546: The stricken freighter to safety. However, roughly five hours later the crew of the Sarah Elizabeth was able to navigate to safer waters within the Providence Channel . Two luxury yachts within the harbor were destroyed, with dozens of smaller craft damaged, as a result of the wind and waves. Passing to the north of Nassau , Betsy caused considerable damage to the capital city and the rest of New Providence Island as

22578-417: The strong winds as well. Approximately 25 to 50 percent of Florida's citrus crop was damaged after being blown down by strong winds. In addition, 90 percent of Dade and Broward counties' avocado crop, valued at $ 2 million, was destroyed. Much of the damage inflicted in the state was caused by an unusually strong storm surge, which inundated the coastal and low-lying areas of Florida. Although

22737-458: The strong winds. Heavy loss of shrubbery was also reported due to the storm's effects. A strong storm surge estimated at 10 ft (3.0 m) swept into the Bay Street waterfront shopping district, inundating the renowned shopping area. The local police detachment, which had been holed up within a waterfront barracks, was forced to take refuge in a nearby high school due to the storm surge. Along

22896-439: The strongest storm surge was positioned north of the eye, away from the more densely populated regions of Greater Miami , an abnormally high storm tide still prevailed and caused extensive damage along the southern coast of the peninsula. Northerly winds well in advance of Betsy's landfall forced water from Florida Bay onto the Florida Keys , and the resulting damage was then further exacerbated when southerly winds during and after

23055-410: The surface do not exceed 3 °C (5.4 °F). Over the past 50 years, the Caribbean has gone through three stages: cooling until 1974, a cold phase with peaks during 1974–1976 and 1984–1986, and finally a warming phase with an increase in temperature of 0.6 °C (1.1 °F) per year. Virtually all temperature extremes were associated with the phenomena of El Niño and La Niña . The salinity of

23214-477: The tearing of 20–25 percent of the state pecan crop from their trees. Damage to other crops was negligible. Although rainfall occurred throughout Alabama, precipitation was more numerous in the northern part of the state after Betsy passed the region to the north as a weakening tropical cyclone. Rainfall peaked at 3.39 in (86 mm) in Guntersville . Betsy's outer rainbands also produced two tornadoes in

23373-457: The time the remnants of Betsy moved into the northeastern United States, the storm's winds and rainfall had substantially lessened, and as such resulting wind damage was negligible while precipitation benefited crops. In total, the damage wrought by Betsy throughout its existence equated to roughly $ 1.42 billion, making it the costliest Atlantic hurricane at the time. In addition the hurricane caused 81 deaths, primarily in Louisiana. After

23532-537: The tornado caused anywhere between $ 5,500–$ 55,000 in damage. Statewide, Hurricane Betsy caused $ 500,000 in damage. In its early formative stages, Betsy forced the shortening of NASA's Gemini 5 mission by one orbit due to the tropical storm's forecasted track over the initial target splashdown zone near Grand Turk Island. As a result, the spacecraft, which had been orbiting the Earth since August 1965, had its target splashdown zone shifted northward to an area of

23691-468: The tropical depression had remained at the same intensity up until 1200 UTC on August 29. Nonetheless, the tropical cyclone was given the name Betsy for a period of time as a tropical depression, contrary to typical tropical cyclone naming procedure. As Betsy approached the Windward Islands , it began to move in a more northwesterly direction, and was briefly located in the Caribbean Sea during

23850-521: The two occupants later went missing and were presumed dead. Strong wind in Montgomery County downed trees. In western Tennessee , moderate to heavy rains in conjunction with gusts as strong as 40 mph (65 km/h) were reported. Precipitation peaked in the state at 6.01 in (153 mm) in Ripley . Though much of the rainfall was beneficial to the region's agricultural sector, localized flooding

24009-671: The wind. U.S. Highway 1 in Florida was cut off by fallen telephone poles, preventing land access from the mainland to the Florida Keys. Similarly, numerous portions of the Tamiami Trail were blocked by fallen trees. A person was killed after a prostrated tree fell, crushing the individual. At the Miami International Airport , two twin-engine cargo craft were blown off the airport's perimeter. Heavy agricultural losses resulted from

24168-439: Was also reported. Winds estimated between 25–35 mph (40–56 km/h) blew down some cotton and corn crops. Other opened cotton bolls were damaged, while soybeans were blown down, making mechanical harvesting difficult. Further north and east, the rains Betsy produced were mostly beneficial as the storm had substantially weakened by the time it had approached these regions. The outer fringes of Betsy caused moderate rainfall in

24327-533: Was attributed to the highest storm surge reported in as many years. A 5 mi (8.0 km) section of State Road A1A , which runs adjacent to Miami and the nearby beach, was blocked by sand dunes piled inland by the strong winds. The high tide also washed out a some portions of the road between Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach . Precipitation was localized, albeit heavy, in South Florida. Rainfall peaked at 11.80 in (300 mm) in Plantation Key on September 8. The weather station in Big Pine Key observed

24486-407: Was considered the worst hurricane since a tropical cyclone impacted the region in 1929 . Widespread power outage and property damage ensued due to the storm's strong winds. Overall, damage on the Bahamas amounted to at least $ 14 million, and one fatality occurred. From there Betsy tracked westward and made landfall on southern Florida , where it was considered the worst tropical cyclone since

24645-440: Was cut by the strong wave action. In Tarpum Baya police station sustained heavy damage after being hit by storm surge. Other coastal installments and property were severely damaged by the waves. The Glass Window Bridge was also damaged by the storm surge. Elsewhere, vehicles were damaged by fallen debris kicked up by the strong winds associated with Betsy. Overall, Hurricane Betsy caused an estimated $ 14 million in damage across

24804-422: Was initially considered a part of the Leeward Islands but was transferred from the British Leeward Islands to the British Windward Islands in 1940. The name of this island group, Leeward Islands , dates from previous centuries, when sailing ships were the sole form of transportation across the Atlantic Ocean. In sailing terminology, " windward " means towards the source of the wind (upwind), while " leeward "

24963-558: Was lost to the rain. However, these losses were offset by the increased soybean yield resulting from the same rainfall. A number of pecan tree limbs were torn down, though relative to the overall pecan production for the state these losses were negligible. The rains also caused both the Black and White Rivers in the eastern part of the state to rise from 3 ft (0.91 m) to 7 ft (2.1 m); however, they did not exceed flood stage . Betsy's remnants were estimated to have brought winds of 50–70 mph (80–113 km/h) throughout

25122-427: Was severely damaged. and would take months to repair. Across the northern portion of Eleuthera Island , Betsy wrought considerable damage. Communications from the island's missile tracking center were lost, with the last transmitted message indicating winds of 130 mph (210 km/h) which subsequently destroyed an anemometer. A submarine communications cable connecting the missile tracking center to Cape Kennedy

25281-418: Was to be used to launch a craft towards the Moon as part of the Surveyor Program on September 2. Several other prepared rockets on the site's launch pads were readied for potential emergency scramble should the hurricane impact the area. Other American space personnel stationed in Grand Turk Island and Mayaguana began preparatory measures after the United States Air Force issued a No. 1 alert for

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