Tropical Storm Tammy (2005)

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Tropical Storm Tammy

Tropical storm (SSHS)

Tropical Storm Tammy off the coast of Florida

Formed

October 5, 2005

Dissipated

October 6, 2005

Highest
winds

60 mph (95 km/h) (1-minute sustained)

Lowest pressure

1001 mbar (hPa; 29.57 inHg)

Fatalities

0 direct, 10 indirect

Damage

$30 million (2005 USD)
$31 million (2006 USD)
(Paid losses from Fema only)

Areas
affected

Bahamas, Florida, Georgia

Part of the
2005 Atlantic hurricane season

Tropical Storm Tammy was a moderate strength but short lived tropical storm during October in the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season which brought minor damage to the southeastern United States. However its remnants contributed to the Northeast U.S. flooding of October 2005 which killed 10 people and caused significant damage.

Tropical Storm Tammy formed from a non-tropical system off the Florida coast on October 5. It moved north just offshore before making landfall later that day. Tammy rapidly weakened as it moved overland and dissipated on October 6. The remnant circulation moved south towards the Gulf of Mexico, while the moisture was absorbed by a cold front. Paid losses from FEMA totaled $30 million (2005).^[1]

1 Storm History
2 Preparations
3 Impact
4 Naming and records
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Storm History

Storm path

A tropical wave left the African coast on September 24 and crossed the Atlantic without any development. The wave began to develop on October 2 north of the Lesser Antilles when it encountered an upper level trough. It strengthened as it passed through the Bahamas and early on October 5 a vigorous tropical disturbance formed.^[2] As the system already had tropical-storm force winds, it was immediately named Tropical Storm Tammy. The initial forecasts from the National Hurricane Center indicated that Tammy would travel north roughly parallel to the coast, which meant there was uncertainty as to where the storm's landfall would occur.^[3]

Tropical Storm Tammy strengthened slightly to its peak with 50 mph (85 km/h) winds before it made landfall near Atlantic Beach, Florida later that same day. Tammy then moved inland over Georgia and soon weakened to a tropical depression before losing its circulation on October 6.^[2]

The remnant low drifted south towards the Gulf of Mexico before being absorbed by a cold front (which also picked remnants of Subtropical Depression Twenty-two), which affected much of the Northeastern United States over the next few days. The NHC watched the system to see if any of the low level circulation would redevelop over the Gulf of Mexico but unfavorable upper-level winds prevented this as was predicted.^[4]

[edit] Preparations

Radar image of Tropical Storm Tammy, 1834Z 5 October 2005.

A Tropical Storm Warning was issued at short notice for the coast from Cocoa Beach, Florida to the Santee River, South Carolina as soon as Tropical Storm Tammy formed on September 5 and as Tammy moved inland the southern end of the warning zone moved north to Altamaha Sound, Georgia before all warnings were discontinued on September 6.^[2]

[edit] Impact

Rainfall totals from Tammy

Tropical Storm Tammy caused minor damage. The main concern with Tammy was flooding. The highest sustained wind recorded with Tammy was 50 mph, reported a few miles northeast of the center. The highest wind gust reported with Tammy was near 60 mph. Several areas in northeast Florida and South Georgia reported sustained winds of 40 mph+ due to Tammy's large wind field. Rainfall totals associated with Tammy were mostly in the 3-5 inch range, though some isolated amounts received 10 inches of rain.

In Georgia, Several homes were damaged due to flooding. Also in Georgia, several roads were washed out and two pond dams burst. Storm surge associated with Tammy was in the 2-4ft range. Many boardwalks were washed away and there was significant beach erosion in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. In addition to the flooding, an F0 tornado was reported, which caused moderate roof damage and snapped trees in Brunswick, Georgia. Total Damage from Tammy was around $30 million (2005 USD). 16,500 people were reported in southeast Georgia without power during the height of the storm.

The remnant low of Tammy was absorbed a larger extratropical low which tracked north and Tammy's moisture contributed to the Northeast U.S. flooding of October 2005, killing ten people and causing significant damage.

[edit] Naming and records

When Tropical Storm Tammy formed on October 5, it was the earliest ever in the season that the twentieth storm formed, beating the previous record held by Storm 20 of the 1933 season by 21 days. Tammy was only the second Atlantic storm to be named with the letter 'T', after Tanya in 1995. This was also the first time Tammy had been used to name any tropical cyclone worldwide. Due to the lack of any major effects from Tropical Storm Tammy, the name was not retired by the World Meteorological Organization and will be on the list of names for the 2011 Season.