| Hurricane Emily | |
| Formed: | July 11, 2005 |
| Dissipated: | July 21, 2005 |
| Winds: | 140 |
| Pressure: | 929 |
| Year: | 2005 |
| Fatalities: | 22 |
| Damages: | 1014000000 |
| Areas: | Lesser Antilles, Venezuela, Greater Antilles, Honduras, Belize, Mexico, Texas |
Hurricane Emily was a powerful early season tropical cyclone that caused significant damage across the Lesser Antilles, the Caribbean, and Mexico. The fifth named storm of the record-breaking 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, Emily was the only recorded Category 5 Atlantic hurricane to have formed in the month of July until Hurricane Beryl in 2024. It formed on July 11 from a tropical wave, which progressed westward across the Atlantic. Three days later, the hurricane struck Grenada before entering the eastern Caribbean Sea. After fluctuating in intensity, Emily strengthened to attain maximum sustained winds of 260 km/h (160 mph) on July 16 while passing southwest of Jamaica. Slight weakening occurred before Emily made landfall along Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula on July 18. Quickly crossing the peninsula, Emily emerged into the Gulf of Mexico and reorganized, making a second landfall in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas on July 20. It rapidly weakened and dissipated over land.
Just ten months after Hurricane Ivan's damaging path through the Caribbean, Emily wrought additional damage to the Lesser Antilles, damaging or destroying hundreds of homes. A landslide killed a person on Grenada, and damage on the island totaled US$110.4 million. Later, five people died in Jamaica due to a vehicle accident, while ten people died in Haiti related to floods from the storm. Emily's impacts occurred as far south as Honduras, where one person drowned due to river flooding from the storm. In northeastern Mexico, the hurricane left widespread power outages, affecting 200,000 people, with additional flood damage during its last landfall. Damage in Mexico was estimated at over US$843.3 million, with five deaths in the country.
On July 6, a tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa, associated with a large area of cyclonic turning.[1] The convection, or thunderstorms, became better organized on July 9, prompting the National Hurricane Center (NHC) to include the system as a potential area for tropical cyclone development.[2] Over the next day, the convection became more concentrated as a low pressure area developed.[1] [3] At 00:00 UTC on July 11, Tropical Depression Five developed in the tropical Atlantic Ocean, about 1,990 km (1,235 mi) east of the southern Lesser Antilles. A ridge to its north steered the nascent depression westward. At first, the depression's development was halted by moderate wind shear and dry air. However, it intensified into Tropical Storm Emily at 00:00 UTC on July 12, about 24 hours after its formation.[1] Initially, the NHC anticipated that the storm would move to the west-northwest, potentially affecting the Greater Antilles.[4] Instead, the track remained westerly as Emily continued intensifying. The storm developed outflow and improved rainbands, signs of a maturing tropical cyclone.[5] Sea surface temperatures remained warm along Emily's path, partly due to the spread of warm waters from Hurricane Dennis over the northwestern Caribbean Sea.[6] At first, the storm's structure was asymmetrical, and occasionally exposed from the thunderstorms.[7] [8] However, thunderstorms fired over the convection, and Emily became a hurricane early at 00:00 UTC on July 14.[1]
At 07:00 UTC on July 14, Hurricane Emily made landfall on northern Grenada with maximum sustained winds of 140 km/h (85 mph), and it moved west-northwestward into the Caribbean.[1] The eye became much more distinct in the center of the convection, and by late on July 14, Emily strengthened into a major hurricane, the second of the season.[9] Early on July 15, it reached a preliminary peak intensity as a Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale with sustained winds of 215 km/h (135 mph). The Hurricane Hunters observed two concentric eyewalls, and Emily temporarily weakened, only to re-intensify.[1] On July 16, the eye became embedded within a round central dense overcast as it approached southern Jamaica.[10] The hurricane passed about 165 km (105 mi) south of the island that day. At 00:00 on July 17, Emily attained peak winds of 260 km/h (160 mph), making it a Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale. This was based on observations from the Hurricane Hunters, which observed a minimum pressure of 929mbar.[1] Unrelated to Emily, Typhoon Haitang developed and intensified into a Category 5-equivalent super typhoon around the same time Emily intensified into a Category 5 hurricane, marking the first time since Typhoons Ivan and Joan in 1997 when two tropical cyclones of Category 5 strength existed simultaneously in the Northern Hemisphere.[11]
After reaching peak intensity, the eye of Emily became slightly ragged as the winds fell slightly.[12] On July 18, the eyewall cross over the island of Cozumel in eastern Mexico. At 06:30 UTC that day, Emily made landfall on the Yucatán peninsula mainland at Playa del Carmen, with winds of about 215 km/h (135 mph), still a Category 4.[1] While over land, it weakened significantly, emerging into the Gulf of Mexico as a minimal hurricane late on July 18, with its inner core disrupted. With low wind shear and warm waters, Emily restrengthened as the eye redeveloped convection.[13] [14] At 00:00 UTC on July 21, the hurricane attained a secondary peak of 205 km/h (125 mph), making it a Category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson scale.[1] While approaching the coast, Emily had concentric eyewalls, with an inner eye with a diameter of 30 km (18 mi), and an outer eye 93 km (58 mi) in diameter.[15] At 12:00 UTC on July 21, Emily made its final landfall in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas near San Fernando, or about 140 km (85 mi) south of Brownsville, Texas, with winds of 205 km/h (125 mph). The hurricane rapidly weakened over the mountainous terrain of the Sierra Madre Oriental, quickly dropping to tropical storm status, and dissipating late on July 21 over northern Mexico.[1]
After Emily attained tropical storm status on July 12, the various governments of the West Indies began issuing tropical cyclone watches and warnings. These included hurricane warnings for Barbados, Grenada, Grenadines, St.Vincent, and St. Lucia. A day later, the NHC incorrectly predicted that Emily would move through the islands as a tropical storm. This resulted in the hurricane warnings being downgraded to a tropical storm warning, only to be upgraded back to hurricane warnings on July 14 five hours before Emily's landfall in Grenada. That day, the ABC islands also issued a tropical storm warning.[1]
Still recovering from Hurricane Ivan a year prior, which damaged or destroyed approximately 90 percent of housing,[16] residents in Grenada took quick action to prepare for Emily, including declaring a state of emergency.[17] A shortage of construction material stagnated rebuilding after Ivan. This left fewer buildings as reliable shelters and many homes without roofs by the arrival of Emily.[18] Of the 80 buildings considered for public shelters, 45 were used as such, with 1,650 people seeking refuge in them. Residents rushed to stock up on emergency supplies, resulting in heavy road traffic.[18] The International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) described residents to be in "panic"; grocery stores were emptied and stretches of cars lined at gas stations.[19] The Grenada Red Cross Society affirmed their stockpile of 2,000 jerry cans, 600 blankets, 100 tarps, 50 cots, and 10 generators. They also coordinated evacuations with local transportation services.[19] The nation's government enacted a curfew from 7:00 p.m. July 14 to 6:00 a.m. July 15 local time. Telecommunication services Cingular and Digicel suspended service as a precaution.
In the easternmost Caribbean Island of Barbados, the government ordered the closure of businesses while residents stocked up on emergency supplies.[20] Shelters were opened nationwide, and local radio stations broadcast regular warnings to alert the public.[21] A delegate from the Panama Regional Delegation was sent to assist the local chapter of the Red Cross.[19] The Dominica Red Cross Society confirmed emergency resources were properly stockpiled. Trinidad and Tobago activated its National Emergency Centre and ordered the closure of commerce.[19] Approximately 544 people sought refuge in shelters across Trinidad and Tobago.[22] BP evacuated all but 11 essential workers from their 14 oil platforms around the nation. Businesses shuttered across St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Lucia. Although airports remained open, British Airways cancelled flights to and from Hewanorra International Airport.[18] The St. Lucia Red Cross placed ten response teams on standby. The Antigua and Barbuda Red Cross placed 100 personnel on standby. The Pan American Disaster Response Unit (PADRU), already prepping its response to Hurricane Dennis, allocated supplies for the anticipated effects of Emily.[23]
In Venezuela, a few oil tankers were forced to remain at Puerto la Cruz.[24] Some flights were cancelled or delayed as early as July 12.[25] Residents were alerted to the possibility of floods and mudslides. A red alert was issued for Aragua and 100 personnel were deployed to coastal communities.[26] People living or visiting the Los Roques Archipelago were advised to remain sheltered in their homes.[27] Conditions were considered safe by July 15 and activities returned to normal.[28] Alerts were also raised for the nearby islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao.[29]
On July 15, the government of Jamaica issued a hurricane warning for the island.[1] Recently impacted by Hurricane Dennis, concerns were raised of further damage in Jamaica, especially with soils already saturated. In the former nation, PADRU requested immediate shipment of relief supplies, particularly hygiene kits and plastic tarps. The Jamaica Red Cross moved supply stockpiles originally intended for Dennis-related relief to southern areas of the island in preparation for Emily.[19] The nation's Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management advised residents to check their disaster supply kits, ensure their property was secured, and be prepared to evacuate. Fishermen, especially those out by the Morant Cays and Pedro Bank, were advised to return to port.[30] Prime Minister P. J. Patterson ordered J$100,000 be made available for each of the nation's constituencies. A further J$250,000 - 300,000 would be allocated for the activation of public shelters.[31] Thousands of people were evacuated from coastal communities, including all of Port Royal and many from Portmore. Government offices were closed beginning on July 15 and local businesses were advised to do the same.[32] Upon the onset of the storm, a total of 3,269 people were utilizing public shelters.[33] [34]
On July 14, residents of the Cayman Islands were alerted to the potential effects of Emily.[35] The following day, the territory issued a hurricane warning.[1] On July 15, shelters were opened across the territory: all but one on Grand Cayman, two on Cayman Brac, and one on Little Cayman. Owen Roberts and Charles Kirkconnell International Airports shut down for the duration of the hurricane. Water Authority - Cayman shut down services starting the night of July 16 with utilities to be reactivated after the storm. The territory's government enacted a curfew and warned all residents that emergency services would not be responding to calls during the storm.[36]
As early as July 14, Haiti began issuing tropical storm warnings.[1] Already severely impacted by Hurricane Dennis, alerts were raised for four departments in Haiti on July 15: Grand'Anse, Ouest, Sud, and Sud-Est. In neighboring Dominican Republic, storm alerts were issued for the towns of Baní and Pedernales.[37]
On July 15, the Mexican Red Cross began preparations for potential impact from Emily along the Yucatán Peninsula. The agency transported 30tonne of supplies, rescue vehicles, communication teams, and pantry trailers to the Yucatán Peninsula.[38] Preparations to evacuate thousands of residents from coastal communities (up to 1abbr=onNaNabbr=on inland) in the eastern Yucatán Peninsula began on July 16, including the islands of Cozumel, Holbox, and Mujeres.[39] On July 17, the government of Mexico issued hurricane warnings from Chetumal to Campeche.[1] Officials in the state of Yucatán opened 1,118 shelters.[40] State authorities in Campeche prepared 624 shelters with a collective capacity of 85,000 persons. A state of alert was raised for Veracruz, prompting the readying of shelters. Considered an "extremely dangerous" storm, with a trajectory mirroring Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, the highest level of alert was issued for the states of Yucatán and Quintana Roo on July 17. In response to this, "massive" evacuations began that day. With the region being a tourist destination, an estimated 120,000 people were visiting at the time of Emily's approach. Local officials ordered the evacuation of 85,000 people, and the complete relocation of guests at beach hotels in Cancún. An estimated 60,000 people were relocated to gymnasiums, hotels, and schools farther inland. Some hotels packed 15 people into a single room. Approximately 2,000 tourists from three hotels locked inside a gymnasium without air conditioning or fans by soldiers.
Supermarkets in Mérida were packed with residents stocking up on supplies. Officials in the state of Yucatán opened 1,118 shelters. Emergency services prepped response units for medical needs. Residents in these areas were advised to stockpile supplies, board up their homes, and shelter in sturdy structures; travel during the storm was advised against.[41] On July 16, Cancún International Airport saw 340 departing flights, 100 more than normal.[42] The Mexican military mobilized in preparation for rescue operations.[43] Hotel guests were evacuated on Saturday afternoon, and staff on Sunday afternoon. Though some hotel guests in second floor rooms and above were given the option to be bussed into the center of Cancún to safe houses and shelters or to stay and wait out the storm in only the modern built hotels and resorts. Most of the remaining guests were restricted to their rooms and were not allowed out on the beach areas. No alcohol was sold in Cancún for 36 hours prior to the arrival of the storm, in an attempt to avoid drunken tourists being injured during the night. A German resident was electrocuted on his roof in Playa del Carmen while preparing for the storm.
Mexico's national oil industry Pemex evacuated approximately 15,800 workers from oil platforms in the Bay of Campeche, halting work along 23 oil wells for two days. The hurricane also caused two ports to close that export crude oil. The loss of production was estimated at Mex$4.484 billion (US$421 million), which included the suspension of 2.95 million barrels of oil, as well as 1600000000ft3 of natural gas.[44] Two pilots died during the evacuation process when their helicopter crashed amid high winds.[45] On July 18, the government of Mexico issued hurricane warnings for Tamaulipas from La Cruz northward to the United States border.[1]
On July 15, Belize's National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) initiated its preliminary phase of preparedness.[46] Two days later, the country's government issued a tropical storm warning from Belize City northward to its border with Mexico.[1] An all-clear was issued for the nation as Emily traversed the Yucatán Peninsula on July 18.[47] The Costa Rican National Meteorological Institute advised residents in high risk areas to be alert and to avoid venturing outside in the event of rainfall. Similarly, Defensa Civil de Cuba reminded people to remain vigilant.
Early fears of Emily's potential disruption to oil production in the Gulf of Mexico contributed to a one dollar rise in prices by July 13, bringing the cost of a barrel over US$60.[48] Emergency management officials in Escambia County, Florida, became wary of Emily's formation on the heels of Hurricane Dennis. Although the storm was expected to remain in the Caribbean, county officials identified supplies used for Dennis-related relief; an influx of fuel was expected to normalize reserves before any potential impact.[49] On July 17, the American Red Cross began preparations to open shelters and had emergency supplies deployed for rapid distribution in South Texas.[50] The NHC issued a tropical storm warning as far north as Baffin Bay, and issued a hurricane warning for extreme southern Texas from Port Mansfield south to the Mexican border.[1]
| Country | Fatalities | Damage (USD) | |
| Grenada | 1[51] | $110.4 million[52] | |
| Jamaica | 5[53] | $65 million[54] [55] | |
| Haiti | 10 | N/A | |
| Honduras | 1 | N/A | |
| Mexico | 5[56] [57] | $834.3 million[58] | |
| United States | 0 | $4.8 million[59] [60] | |
| Total | 17 | $1.014 billion |
In Barbados, damaging winds downed trees and tore the roof off two homes.[61] Tobago saw significant effects from rainfall up to 8inches and damaging winds. These rains caused extensive flooding, reaching a depth of 3feet in some locations, with an estimated 200–300 homes being inundated.[62] [22] Rivers in the country's capital, Port of Spain, and across central Tobago topped their banks; many roads were inundated.[63] Thirty people required evacuation in Chaguanas. Flooding in Couva left Caparo Village temporarily isolated. At least 16 homes lost their roof and 2 collapsed amid gusty winds. Approximately 40 percent of residences - 15,630 Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission customers: 11,000 in Trinidad and 4,330 in Tobago - lost power and communications were temporarily lost with a town in the northern part of the country.[64] [62] In San Juan–Laventille, the Aranguez Bridge was rendered impassable after its supporting gabions were washed away. Landslides occurred along multiple sections of the Blanchisseuse Road between Matelot and Toco.[22] Strong winds downed power lines on the island, one of which sparked a fire.[17] Two homes were destroyed and thirty others were damaged across Trinidad while extensive flooding was reported island-wide.[62] [65]
Striking Grenada as a hurricane, Emily inflicted extensive damage to the already storm-battered nation. Hurricane-force winds tore roofs from homes, devastated agriculture, and worsened the nation's struggling economy. Nationwide, 2,641 homes were damaged and of which at least 120 were destroyed, leaving 167 families homeless. Of the impacted homes, 1,153 were in Saint Andrew Parish alone.[66] Emily resulted in one fatality in Saint Andrew Parish from a landslide and significant damage in northern parts of the country, including Carriacou and Petite Martinique which had been spared from the worst effects of Ivan.[64] A hospital in Carriacou lost its roof, forcing the relocation of patients, and many homes were damaged in Petite Martinique. Hardest hit were areas within Saint Andrew and Saint Patrick Parish Parishes.[64] Mount Rich, located within the latter parish, saw the destruction of half its homes. A police station in Sauteurs lost its roof.[64] Two of the main hospitals were flooded,[64] including the one just rebuilt with assistance from Cuba after Ivan.[67] Flooding affected communities in Saint George's, notably in Grenville.[64] Much of the nation lost its water supply, though restoration of power quickly remedied this. The slowly recovering agricultural industry was devastated, with progress made in the wake of Ivan destroyed. Cash crops including corn, pigeon peas, and bananas were largely lost while breadfruit, nutmeg, and cocoa trees were negatively impacted.[68] Damages in Grenada amounted to $110.4 million.
In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, various islands experienced differing degrees of damage. The most extensive occurred on Union Island where 21 homes were damaged, 17 severely. On Canouan, four homes had their roof torn off and three others had major damage. The roof of Canouan Airport was also damaged, though it continued operating normally.[22] No structural damage occurred in St. Lucia; some debris washed ashore, however.[69] One child was injured on St. Vincent. Losses to the banana crop were minimal.[22]
While passing south of Jamaica, Emily dropped heavy rainfall, reaching 15.43inches at Potsdam in Saint Elizabeth Parish.[1] Five people died when their vehicle was swept into a lake near Myersville.[51] Despite its intensity, Emily only produced gale-force winds at one location in southwestern Jamaica.[70] Damage in Jamaica was estimated at $65 million.[71] Landslides were reported in eastern Jamaica, triggered by heavy rain as the storm passed south of the island.[72] Extensive flooding occurred in Saint Elizabeth Parish, with many roads rendered impassable or washed away altogether. Destruction of a coastal road rendered Treasure Beach inaccessible. In Manchester Parish, at least 20 homes were inundated by floodwaters.[73] In Black River, lightning struck and hospitalized a child.[74]
Heavy rainfall associated with Emily killed 10 people and affected 500 families in Saint-Marc, Haiti, as homes and vehicles were swept away.[75]
In Honduras, a man drowned in a river swollen by rains from Emily.[53]
Moving ashore Quintana Roo in the eastern Yucatán Peninsula, Emily produced winds of 134 mph (215 km/h) in Puerto Aventuras. The anemometer in Cancún failed after recording winds of 55abbr=onNaNabbr=on.[76] The strongest winds were confined to a small area around Emily's center. The hurricane produced high tides and waves along eastern Quintana Roo. An amateur radio from Cozumel estimated a storm surge of 15feet in San Miguel. Due to the relatively fast movement of Emily, rainfall was fairly light, peaking at 4.9inches in Cozumel.[1] Rainfall reached 25abbr=onNaNabbr=on in Yucatán state neighboring Quintana Roo.[76] Along the mainland, surge heights were generally less than 4abbr=onNaNabbr=on. Additionally, waves reached 13abbr=onNaNabbr=on, resulting in some beach erosion and damage to dunes and coral reefs. Additionally, 0.7miles of retaining walls sustained damage, leaving areas vulnerable to flooding from future storms.
Areas in Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Cozumel sustained the most severe impact. In a few instances, concrete utility poles were snapped in half by powerful wind gusts.[1] The high winds produced by Emily caused considerable impact in Quintana Roo, especially in the municipality of Solidaridad, leaving nearly 200,000 residences without power. In terms of structural damage, 851 homes were impacted in varying degrees. Roughly 13345acres of forests and agricultural land was affected by the storm; some swathes of trees experienced defoliation. The most substantial losses associated with the hurricane stemmed from the tourism industry, with hotels experiencing 947 million pesos ($88.7 million) worth of damage. More than 12,500 rooms, nearly one-fifth of the state's available hotel infrastructure, sustained damage. Overall, damage in the state reached 1.11 billion pesos ($104.3 million).[58]
At its final landfall, Emily produced heavy rainfall reaching 13.77 in (350 mm) in Cerralvo, Nuevo Leon.[76] A weather station in San Fernando, Tamaulipas, 30 mi (55 km) inland, recorded wind gusts of 97 mph (166 km/h) during Emily's passage.[1]
Emily's second landfall as a strong Category 3 hurricane brought significant damage to the northeast coast of Mexico. In the fishing community of Laguna Madre, over 80% of the buildings were destroyed as a result of the storm surge.[1] Several communities on the remote coast of Tamaulipas were isolated after the storm, and major coastal flooding was reported along with heavy wind damage, with numerous homes destroyed. Inland flooding was also reported in Monterrey.[77]
Communication to the Riviera Maya area was difficult after the storm; not all cellular phones were receiving coverage to the area, land lines were down, and electricity was out. About 18,000 people in 20 low-lying communities in the state of Tamaulipas, just south of the U.S.-Mexican border, were evacuated. Including losses sustained by the oil industry, damage in Mexico amounted to 8.87 billion pesos ($834.3 million).
In southern Texas, damage was relatively minor despite the proximity of the storm. Portions of the state experienced tropical storm force winds and gusts as high as 65mph, resulting in scattered roof damage. Along the coast, a storm surge of 4.26feet flooded portions of SH 100.[1] [78] No significant structural damage was reported, although some trees were down and over 30,000 customers lost electricity.[79] Rainfall from the storm peaked at 5.2 inches in Mercedes, Texas. Additionally, eight tornadoes touched down in Texas as a result of Emily, damaging or destroying several homes. The remains of Emily passed farther west into Texas and delivered some rainfall, which ended a drought.[77] Agricultural losses in Texas amounted to $4.7 million,[60] while property losses reached $225,000.[59]
On the day of Emily's passage, the Government of Grenada began relief supply distribution and conducted aerial damage assessments. The Ministry of Works coordinated the deployment of worker crews. Grenada informed the United Nations that they could largely handle the disaster on their own, though some international assistance would be needed.[64] Following further assessments, the nation formally appealed for international aid on July 18.[80] The Grenada Coast Guard assisted with the distribution of emergency supplies to Carriacou on July 15. Power was restored to much of the nation within a day of the hurricane, though some residences would remain disconnected for several days. A second night of curfew was imposed from 11:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. local time July 15–16.[81] Businesses resumed normal operations on July 16.[81]
On July 15, the IFRC launched a joint-disaster appeal of 750,000 Swiss francs (US$590,000) for relief efforts related to Hurricanes Dennis and Emily. The target goal was 35,000 people throughout Grenada, Jamaica, and Haiti. Initial relief in Grenada would be carried out by the Grenada Red Cross, with focus placed on providing shelter and psychological support.[62] The Government of Grenada made a request for 10,000 - 15,000 tarpaulins, hygiene kits, jerry cans, and first aid kits to the IFRC.[81] The Oxford Committee for Famine Relief (OXFAM) deployed to Carriacou to build pit latrines.[22] Food for the Poor "rushed" to assist Grenadians.[82] India provided galvanized roofing material with expected delivery in August.[81] UNICEF provided 10,000 oral rehydration salts, 5,000 water purification tablets, 500 water containers (with a collective capacity of 5000L), and several trauma kits.[83]
Trinidad and Tobago did not request international assistance, indicating they could handle relief with internal resources.[22]
The Haitian Government coordinated with the IFRC to assist victims in Saint-Marc.[75]
Jamaica's Rapid Damage Assessment Team conducted aerial assessments on July 17 to determine the extent of flooding.[73]