Tropical Storm Gamma (2005)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tropical Storm Gamma

Tropical storm (SSHS)

Tropical Storm Gamma in the Gulf of Honduras

Formed

November 13, 2005

Dissipated

November 20, 2005

Highest
winds

50 mph (85 km/h) (1-minute sustained)

Lowest pressure

1002 mbar (hPa; 29.6 inHg)

Fatalities

37 direct, 4 indirect

Damage

$18 million (2005 USD)
$19.9 million (2008 USD)

Areas
affected

Lesser Antilles, Honduras, Belize

Part of the
2005 Atlantic hurricane season

Tropical Storm Gamma affected much of the Caribbean Islands and Honduras during November. Gamma was the 27th tropical depression and 24th tropical storm of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. The wave began its life on November 3 off Africa. The wave crossed the Atlantic Ocean for ten days and intensified into Tropical Depression 27 on November 13. The depression continued through the Caribbean Sea and weakened into a tropical wave on November 16. The remnants strengthened into Tropical Storm Gamma on November 18. The storm dissipated on November 22 over Honduras and Nicaragua. 37 people were killed directly, most in Honduras. 4 others were killed indirectly by Tropical Storm Gamma.

1 Storm history
2 Preparations
3 Impact
4 Aftermath
- 4.1 Lack of retirement
5 Naming and records
6 See also
7 References
8 External links

[edit] Storm history

Storm path

A tropical wave formed off the coast of Africa on November 3.^[1] Being a late-season tropical wave, the system kept an unusually high amount of convection as it trekked across the Atlantic Ocean. The tropical wave first appeared on the National Hurricane Center's Tropical Weather Outlook late on November 12.^[2] At this time, the wave was located about 100 miles (160 km) off the coast of Barbados. The wave gained convection as the National Hurricane Center predicted that it might become a tropical depression about a day or two later. Early on November 13, the National Hurricane Center mentioned that the wave had lost a little convection, but the chance for strengthening had remained.^[3] The day before, a poorly-defined area of low pressure had formed, but the convection quickly diminished. Upper-level winds were marginally favorable for development of the system.^[4] The low-pressure system changed little during November 13, producing locally heavy rains to the Caribbean Islands.^[5] Late on November 13, the low-pressure system gained convection and was declared Tropical Depression 27 by the National Hurricane Center.

Tropical Storm Gamma over the western Caribbean Sea.

Tropical Depression 27 became better organized despite moderate upper-level wind shear.^[1] Dvorak intensities placed the system at 40 mph (64 km/h) on November 14, making it into a tropical storm. The storm was short-lived however, as upper-level wind shear increased and tore the system apart. It weakened into a depression at 1800 UTC and into a tropical wave 24 hours later. A subtropical ridge caused the remnants of Gamma to move at about 25-27 mph. Soon after, the system slowed down on November 17. A tropical wave had formed over the country of Panama in early November and had produced rainfall in several countries. It merged into the remnants of Tropical Depression 27 near Honduras on November 18. Tropical Depression 27 strengthened back into a tropical storm on November 18 and became known as Tropical Storm Gamma. Gamma slowly strengthened, reaching peak winds of 50 mph (80 km/h). The cyclone entered wind shear and rapidly weakened. It weakened into a tropical depression on November 19 and into a remnant low early on November 21. The remnant low dissipated on November 22 near the Honduran-Nicagaruan border.

Operationally, Tropical Storm Gamma was to enter the Gulf of Mexico and strike Florida as a tropical storm.^[6]

[edit] Preparations

The government of Honduras issued tropical storm warnings for the islands in the Bay of Honduras on November 18. A tropical storm warning was also issued for Belize.^[1] Also watches and warnings were discontinued by November 20. Because the storm was not predicted to make landfall (and it did not), few preparations were taken in Honduras for the storm. However, constant rainfall for well over a day as Gamma wandered offshore caused floods that forced over 30,000 people to abandon their homes.^[7]

[edit] Impact

[edit] Death toll

Country	Total	Direct deaths
Belize	3	3
Honduras	34	34
St. Vincent	2	0
Jamaica	2	0
Totals	41	37
Because of differing sources, totals may not match.

As of January 24, 2006, a total of thirty seven people were reported dead as a direct result of Tropical Storm Gamma, mostly in Honduras, with 13 missing in Honduras. ^[8]

[edit] Caribbean islands

Two people were killed by a mudslide in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on the island of Bequia as what would become Gamma, at the time only Tropical Depression Twenty-seven, passed the region. Seven homes were also destroyed by flood waters in the region and others were damaged. ^[9] Heavy rains from Tropical Depression 27 made roads impassible in St.Vincent and the Grenandines and blow out two bridges in the island of Trinidad. The airport on St.Vincent was closed when Tropical Depression 27 poured rain and debris on the runways.^[10]

Other effects across other areas of the Lesser Antilles were minimal and no greater than that of a normal rain event. The deaths of two fishermen in Jamaica were reported to be blamed on Gamma. ^[11]

[edit] Central America

Thirty-four people died in Honduras with at least thirteen others missing.^[7] All deaths were due to flooding and mudslides rather than wind damage as tropical storm-force winds did not impact the mainland.^[1] These areas had already been affected by Hurricane Wilma and Hurricane Beta had affected the country in late October.^[7] According to the COCEP, the Honduran civil emergency committee, dozens of bridges were washed away and about 2,000 homes were destroyed.^[7] According to the NHC, 10 bridges were destroyed due to flooding, and 7 damaged. And 5,200 acres (21 km²) worth of banana crops was destroyed, causing $13-18 million (2005 USD) in damage.^[1] Floods covered most of Islas de la Bahía department.^[7]

An unofficial report of 4.44 inches (113 mm) of rain was reported on Roatan Island.^[1]

Five fishermen who were at sea during Tropical Storm Gamma have been reported missing and, as of November 25, were feared dead pending examination of five unidentified bodies found on the Honduran coast.^[12] Three people were killed in a plane crash during Gamma's outer bands; it was deemed weather was a factor.^[13] Other effects to Belize were minimal.

[edit] Aftermath

After the storm turned out to sea, Honduran authorities executed helicopter rescues for individuals and families stranded by flood waters, and UN agencies began airlifting food and water to impacted areas.^{[citation needed]}

The government of Andalucía, in Spain, donated 40 million lempiras to aid in disaster efforts, and the United States sent helicopters to help in the distribution of food among those impacted by the storm.^[14]

[edit] Lack of retirement

Because damage was minimal, Gamma was not retired and will be used again whenever the regular list of names is used up.

[edit] Naming and records

After all of the twenty one predetermined hurricane names for the 2005 season were exhausted following Hurricane Wilma, the Greek alphabet was used, beginning with Tropical Storm Alpha. This storm was designated Gamma once it was known to have reached tropical storm status (after it regenerated). This was the first time that the name Gamma had been used for a tropical cyclone.

By virtue of being the only twenty-fourth tropical storm to form in any Atlantic hurricane season, Gamma also holds the record for being the earliest twenty-fourth tropical storm, reaching tropical storm strength on November 18. Gamma also extended the 2005 season's record for tropical storms to twenty-four, which was exceeded four more times and ended at twenty-eight storms due to Tropical Storm Zeta and a post-season addition of an unnamed storm occurring in October. Additionally, Gamma tied the record set during the 1992 Eastern Pacific hurricane season for most storms in a single basin monitored by NOAA.