Hurricane Elena
Encyclopedia
Hurricane Elena was a category 3 major hurricane that produced heavy damage along the Gulf Coast of the United States
in August and September of the 1985 Atlantic hurricane season
. The fifth tropical storm, fourth hurricane, and first major hurricane of the season, Elena developed near Cuba
from a tropical wave. It quickly strengthened, reaching peak winds of 125 mph (205 km/h) after stalling in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico
. Elena turned to the west-northwest, and ultimately made landfall near Biloxi, Mississippi
, as a Category 3
hurricane. The storm quickly dissipated over land.
Elena's unusual path through the Gulf of Mexico, which included a loop, prompted many to evacuate from the coastline. Due to its powerful winds, Elena caused $2.7 billion in damage (2005 USD), primarily in property damage. The hurricane caused extensive beach erosion in Florida
, while powerful waves damaged the oyster crop. Hurricane Elena was responsible for no direct deaths, though four people were indirectly killed due to the storm.
on August 23. It remained weak due to its fast westward motion and Saharan Air Layer
around the circulation. As it moved through the Greater Antilles
, it slowed somewhat, and a tropical depression formed on August 28 between Cuba
and Haiti
. It paralleled the northern cost of Cuba, and became Tropical Storm Elena that night. Conditions were favorable for additional development in the Gulf of Mexico, and Elena became a hurricane on August 29.
A frontal trough of low pressure turned Elena to the northeast, but when the trough outran the storm, steering currents collapsed, leaving behind a stalled, strengthening hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico. It posed a threat to the west coast of Florida
, but after the crowds returned to the Mississippi
and Florida panhandle coasts, it slowly looped back to the northwest and was changed to a north Gulf Coast threat, prompting another evacuation of the Mississippi Coast. Elena reached its peak of 125 mph (205 km/h) on September 1, 75 miles (120.7 km) south of Apalachicola, Florida
while moving back to the west-northwest due to steering by a building high pressure area
to its northeast.
Elena weakened steadily to a 115 mi/h hurricane before making landfall near Biloxi, Mississippi
on September 2. The hurricane weakened rapidly over land, becoming a tropical depression on September 3 with its surface circulation dissipating across Missouri
. Its mid-level circulation spurred thunderstorm development as it turned eastward, dissipating by September 6 over Kentucky
.
From the Florida Panhandle
through Sarasota, Florida
, many people were evacuated from low-lying coastal areas. Rainfall totals along the western Florida peninsular coastline ranged from 1.7 inches (43.2 mm) in Key West
to a maximum of 15.67 inches (398 mm) two miles west-northwest of Cross City
. While Elena stalled off the coast, the hurricane's outer bands produced several tornadoes across the western part of the state, severely damaging some motor parks northeast of Tampa Bay
. A few injuries were reported, some serious, but there were no deaths across the state.
Apalachicola
on the Florida Panhandle received a 10 feet (3 m) storm surge, the maximum storm surge from the hurricane. In addition, the city reported 11.3 inches (287 mm) of precipitation, among the highest from the hurricane. The oyster industry in the town suffered greatly from the storm, with the hurricane destroying nearly all of the $6.5 million oyster crop. Apalachicola Bay provides for around 10% of United States
oysters, and hopes were ruined for a quick recovery when Hurricane Kate
destroyed much of what Elena didn't ruin. In addition, 3 days of rough seas eroded away 40 feet (12.2 m) of beaches and caused significant coastal flooding. The amount of time to replenish the beaches was estimated at 10 years.
through the Florida Panhandle
, prompting hundreds of thousands to evacuate. When Elena looped and turned to the west, warnings were issued again, and many were forced to evacuate two times in three days.
Tides ranged from three to six feet above normal, though rainfall was relatively minimal along the coastline. Near the ocean, the maximum rainfall amount was 5.7 inches (144.8 mm) in Pearl River Locks, Louisiana
, though much greater amounts were recorded further inland, including 8.6 inches (218.4 mm) in Clinton, Arkansas
. At least a dozen tornadoes were reported in coastal areas of Mississippi
, though damage was limited and localized.
The city of Pass Christian, Mississippi
, near where Elena made landfall, received a negative storm surge from the hurricane's extended northerly winds. Because of this, there was little flooding damage. Extensive wind damage effected 75% to 80% of homes in the town, resulting in widespread debris and property damage amounting to $2.9 million (1985 USD) in the small town of 6,500.
In all, Elena only caused four deaths, all indirectly related to the hurricane due to automobile accidents, falling from trees, or heart attacks. The hurricane's strong winds, combined with torrential flooding, resulted in a damage toll of about $1.25 billion (1985 dollars). At the time, it was among the costliest Atlantic hurricanes.
Elena was replaced with Erika in the 1991 season
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in August and September of the 1985 Atlantic hurricane season
1985 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1985 Atlantic hurricane season had the most U.S. landfalling tropical cyclones since 1916. The season officially began on June 1, 1985, and lasted until November 30, 1985...
. The fifth tropical storm, fourth hurricane, and first major hurricane of the season, Elena developed near Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
from a tropical wave. It quickly strengthened, reaching peak winds of 125 mph (205 km/h) after stalling in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. Elena turned to the west-northwest, and ultimately made landfall near Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
, as a Category 3
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
hurricane. The storm quickly dissipated over land.
Elena's unusual path through the Gulf of Mexico, which included a loop, prompted many to evacuate from the coastline. Due to its powerful winds, Elena caused $2.7 billion in damage (2005 USD), primarily in property damage. The hurricane caused extensive beach erosion in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, while powerful waves damaged the oyster crop. Hurricane Elena was responsible for no direct deaths, though four people were indirectly killed due to the storm.
Meteorological history
The precursor to Hurricane Elena was a tropical wave that moved off the coast of AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
on August 23. It remained weak due to its fast westward motion and Saharan Air Layer
Saharan Air Layer
The Saharan Air Layer is an intensely dry, warm and sometimes dust-laden layer of the atmosphere which often overlies the cooler, more-humid surface air of the Atlantic Ocean. In the Sahara Desert region of North Africa, where it originates, it is the prevalent atmosphere, extending from the...
around the circulation. As it moved through the Greater Antilles
Greater Antilles
The Greater Antilles are one of three island groups in the Caribbean. Comprising Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola , and Puerto Rico, the Greater Antilles constitute almost 90% of the land mass of the entire West Indies.-Greater Antilles in context :The islands of the Caribbean Sea, collectively known as...
, it slowed somewhat, and a tropical depression formed on August 28 between Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
and Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
. It paralleled the northern cost of Cuba, and became Tropical Storm Elena that night. Conditions were favorable for additional development in the Gulf of Mexico, and Elena became a hurricane on August 29.
A frontal trough of low pressure turned Elena to the northeast, but when the trough outran the storm, steering currents collapsed, leaving behind a stalled, strengthening hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico. It posed a threat to the west coast of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, but after the crowds returned to the Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
and Florida panhandle coasts, it slowly looped back to the northwest and was changed to a north Gulf Coast threat, prompting another evacuation of the Mississippi Coast. Elena reached its peak of 125 mph (205 km/h) on September 1, 75 miles (120.7 km) south of Apalachicola, Florida
Apalachicola, Florida
Apalachicola is a city in Franklin County, Florida, on US 98 about southwest of Tallahassee. The population was 2,334 at the 2000 census. The 2005 census estimated the city's population at 2,340...
while moving back to the west-northwest due to steering by a building high pressure area
High pressure area
A high-pressure area is a region where the atmospheric pressure at the surface of the planet is greater than its surrounding environment. Winds within high-pressure areas flow outward due to the higher density air near their center and friction with land...
to its northeast.
Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
on September 2. The hurricane weakened rapidly over land, becoming a tropical depression on September 3 with its surface circulation dissipating across Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. Its mid-level circulation spurred thunderstorm development as it turned eastward, dissipating by September 6 over Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
.
Impact
Though a powerful and damaging storm, it was Elena's unpredictable movement that forced over one-half million people to evacuate from Florida to Louisiana, the largest evacuation order at the time. Because of the evacuation, there were no direct deaths from the storm. The hurricane caused a total of $1.25 billion (1985 USD) in damage, mainly in the form of property damage and beach erosion.Florida
Florida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle, an informal, unofficial term for the northwestern part of Florida, is a strip of land roughly 200 miles long and 50 to 100 miles wide , lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia also on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its eastern boundary is...
through Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
, many people were evacuated from low-lying coastal areas. Rainfall totals along the western Florida peninsular coastline ranged from 1.7 inches (43.2 mm) in Key West
Key West, Florida
Key West is a city in Monroe County, Florida, United States. The city encompasses the island of Key West, the part of Stock Island north of U.S. 1 , Sigsbee Park , Fleming Key , and Sunset Key...
to a maximum of 15.67 inches (398 mm) two miles west-northwest of Cross City
Cross City, Florida
Cross City is a town in Dixie County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,775 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 1,800...
. While Elena stalled off the coast, the hurricane's outer bands produced several tornadoes across the western part of the state, severely damaging some motor parks northeast of Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and estuary along the Gulf of Mexico on the west central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay."Tampa Bay" is not the name of any municipality...
. A few injuries were reported, some serious, but there were no deaths across the state.
Apalachicola
Apalachicola, Florida
Apalachicola is a city in Franklin County, Florida, on US 98 about southwest of Tallahassee. The population was 2,334 at the 2000 census. The 2005 census estimated the city's population at 2,340...
on the Florida Panhandle received a 10 feet (3 m) storm surge, the maximum storm surge from the hurricane. In addition, the city reported 11.3 inches (287 mm) of precipitation, among the highest from the hurricane. The oyster industry in the town suffered greatly from the storm, with the hurricane destroying nearly all of the $6.5 million oyster crop. Apalachicola Bay provides for around 10% of United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
oysters, and hopes were ruined for a quick recovery when Hurricane Kate
Hurricane Kate (1985)
Hurricane Kate was the sixth hurricane to hit the United States during the 1985 Atlantic hurricane season, tying a record. Forming late in the season, it killed 15 people and caused $530 million in damage on its long path through Cuba, Florida, and Georgia between November 18 and...
destroyed much of what Elena didn't ruin. In addition, 3 days of rough seas eroded away 40 feet (12.2 m) of beaches and caused significant coastal flooding. The amount of time to replenish the beaches was estimated at 10 years.
Northern Gulf Coast
While Elena was moving northward for the first time, Hurricane Warnings were issued from Morgan City, LouisianaMorgan City, Louisiana
Morgan City is a city in St. Martin and St. Mary parishes in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 12,404 at the 2010 census....
through the Florida Panhandle
Florida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle, an informal, unofficial term for the northwestern part of Florida, is a strip of land roughly 200 miles long and 50 to 100 miles wide , lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia also on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its eastern boundary is...
, prompting hundreds of thousands to evacuate. When Elena looped and turned to the west, warnings were issued again, and many were forced to evacuate two times in three days.
Tides ranged from three to six feet above normal, though rainfall was relatively minimal along the coastline. Near the ocean, the maximum rainfall amount was 5.7 inches (144.8 mm) in Pearl River Locks, Louisiana
Pearl River, Louisiana
Pearl River is a town in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,839 at the 2000 census. It is part of the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, though much greater amounts were recorded further inland, including 8.6 inches (218.4 mm) in Clinton, Arkansas
Clinton, Arkansas
Clinton is the county seat of Van Buren County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 2,283 at the 2000 census. The city was named for DeWitt Clinton, the New York governor who built the Erie Canal; he previously was also a U.S. Senator from New York. Clinton is located at...
. At least a dozen tornadoes were reported in coastal areas of Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, though damage was limited and localized.
The city of Pass Christian, Mississippi
Pass Christian, Mississippi
Pass Christian , nicknamed The Pass, is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States, along the Gulf of Mexico. It is part of the Gulfport–Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, near where Elena made landfall, received a negative storm surge from the hurricane's extended northerly winds. Because of this, there was little flooding damage. Extensive wind damage effected 75% to 80% of homes in the town, resulting in widespread debris and property damage amounting to $2.9 million (1985 USD) in the small town of 6,500.
In all, Elena only caused four deaths, all indirectly related to the hurricane due to automobile accidents, falling from trees, or heart attacks. The hurricane's strong winds, combined with torrential flooding, resulted in a damage toll of about $1.25 billion (1985 dollars). At the time, it was among the costliest Atlantic hurricanes.
Retirement
The name Elena was retired in the spring of 1986 and will never be again used for an Atlantic hurricane. Until Hurricane Paloma in 2008, Elena was the only Atlantic storm name that had been retired without causing any direct casualties.Elena was replaced with Erika in the 1991 season
1991 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1991 Atlantic hurricane season was the first season in over 24 years in which no hurricanes developed from tropical waves, which are the source for most North Atlantic tropical cyclones. The hurricane season officially began on June 1, and ended on November 30. It was the least...
.
See also
- List of Atlantic hurricanes
- List of Florida hurricanes
- List of North Carolina hurricanes (1980–present)
- List of tropical cyclones