User:Icelandic Hurricane/Sandbox/Hurricane Dennis (1981)
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| Category 1 hurricane (SSHS) | ||
|---|---|---|
 Hurricane Dennis off of the North Carolina coastline |
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| Formed | August 7, 1981 | |
| Dissipated | August 22, 1981 | |
| Highest winds |
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| Lowest pressure | 995 mbar (hPa) | |
| Damage | $25 million (1981 USD) $55.9 million (2005 USD) | |
| Fatalities | none | |
| Areas affected |
Windward Islands, Cuba, Florida, Carolinas | |
| Part of the 1981 Atlantic hurricane season |
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Hurricane Dennis was a long-lived hurricane of the 1981 Atlantic hurricane season. It took longer than any other Atlantic hurricane on record to reach hurricane strength. Dennis brought torrential amounts of rain to the Miami, Florida, area before moving out to sea. Dennis is also one of two notable minimal hurricanes of the 1981 Atlantic hurricane season.
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[edit] Storm History
The tropical wave that later would be Dennis formed off the African coastline on August 5. By August 7, the wave reached tropical depression status as it headed westward. On the same daym, the storm reached tropical storm strength and was named Dennis, the 4th named storm of the season.
As Dennis approached the Caribbean Sea, strong upper level winds degenerated the storm to a tropical wave by August 11. The tropical wave crossed over southeastern Haiti before stalling south of Cuba. On August 15, Dennis regained tropical storm status as it crossed Cuba and moved into the Straits of Florida. On August 18 and August 19, Dennis traversed the Florida peninsula as a weak tropical storm, bringing heavy rains and gusty winds. The rains helped end a spring/summer drought in Florida. The cyclone later moved offshore and skirted the Carolinas and then briefly reached hurricane strength before being declared extratropical on August 22.
[edit] Impact
Dennis left $10 million dollars (1981 USD) in agricultural damage. In south Florida, 516 mm of rain fell in a 24 hour period. Structural damage was minor and the damage was totaled to $25 million (55.9 million 2005 USD). The damage was minimal because the storm was weak and because of a good warning system. In the North Carolina about 10+ inches of rain fell in Wilmington and the Outer Banks. Damage estimates in the Windward Islands and the Caribbean is unknown, due to sketchy press reports at the time.
[edit] Lack of retirement
Because the damage was minimal, the name Dennis was not retired so it was used again in 1987, 1993, 1999 and 2005. The name Dennis was retired after the 2005 season, and it was replaced by Don for the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season.
[edit] Records
Hurricane Dennis took 12 days and 6 hours to reach hurricane strength. Other storms that took a long time to reach hurricane strength was 2004's Hurricane Lisa and 2005's Hurricane Irene.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
Dennis (1981 Dennis Dennis (1981) Dennis (1981) Category:1981 meteorology
