Hurricane Kate (1985)

Hurricane Kate was the 11th named storm, 7th hurricane, and third major hurricane of the 1985 hurricane season. Kate originated from the interaction of an upper-level trough and tropical wave northeast of Puerto Rico on November 15. A favorable atmospheric pattern allowed the newly developed system to intensify to hurricane intensity on November 16, and further to Category 2 intensity three days later. Kate made its first landfall on the northern coast of Cuba at this intensity prior to emerging as a slightly weaker storm during the evening hours of November 19. Once clear of land, it began to strengthen quickly, becoming a Category 3 and reaching its peak intensity of 120 mph the following day. On November 21, a cold front moving across the Mississippi Valley resulted in a

About Hurricane Kate (1985) in brief

Hurricane Kate was the eleventh named storm, seventh hurricane, and third major hurricane of the 1985 hurricane season. Kate originated from the interaction of an upper-level trough and tropical wave northeast of Puerto Rico on November 15. A favorable atmospheric pattern allowed the newly developed system to intensify to hurricane intensity on November 16, and further to Category 2 intensity three days later. Kate made its first landfall on the northern coast of Cuba at this intensity prior to emerging as a slightly weaker storm during the evening hours of November 19. Once clear of land, it began to strengthen quickly, becoming a Category 3 and reaching its peak intensity of 120 mph the following day. On November 21, a cold front moving across the Mississippi Valley resulted in a north and eventual northeast turn of the cyclone, and on November 22, Kate came ashore near Mexico Beach, Florida. Kate resulted in 15 fatalities and USD 700 million in damage. When Kate struck the Florida Panhandle, it became the first hurricane to make landfall in that location since Hurricane Eloise in 1975. Storm surge and flooding rains destroyed much of the oyster industry, causing many people to lose their jobs in the weeks after the storm. Heavy rainfall in Cuba caused numerous mudslides and flooding, killing 10 people and leading to severe agriculture damage. Wind gusts over hurricane intensity resulted in widespread power outages, significant building damage, and major crop damage. In preparation for the system’s arrival, many hurricane watches and warnings were put into effect.

Hundreds of thousands of residents were evacuated, and Florida governor Bob Graham declared a state of emergency for six counties; this was later cancelled following the relatively minor impacts of Kate. The threat of Hurricane Kate in Cuba prompted the evacuation of 360,000 people. The storm was the final in a series of tropical cyclones to impact the United States during 1985, and the latest in any calendar year to strike the country at hurricaneintensity on record. Kate maintained its hurricane intensity for about 24 hours after making it across northern Cuba, and about 12 hours after it emerged into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. Based on these observations, it was estimated that Kate attained a peak of about 120mph around 1200 UTC on November 18. Kate became an extratropical cyclone on November 23, a day after exiting the coastline of North Carolina. It was the highest-strength hurricane to hit the U.S. since Hurricane Lili in 2002. Kate was also the last hurricane to be classified as a tropical cyclone by the National Hurricane Center. It is the most powerful hurricane to have made landfall in Florida since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Kate is the only storm to have caused more than $1 billion in damage to the state since Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Kate has been named the 11th named storm and 7th hurricane of 1985, as well as the 3rd major hurricane in the annual hurricane season. It has also been the most significant  hurricane to strike Cuba in many decades.

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