| Category 3 hurricane (SSHS) | |
|---|---|
| Hurricane Alma offshore the East Coast | |
| Formed | June 4, 1966 |
| Dissipated | June 13, 1966 |
| Highest winds | 1-minute sustained: 125 mph (205 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 970 mbar (hPa; 28.64 inHg) |
| Fatalities | 90 direct |
| Damage | $210.1 million (1966 USD) |
| Areas affected | Honduras, Cuba, Florida |
| Part of the 1966 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Hurricane Alma was a rare June major hurricane in the 1966 Atlantic hurricane season. It was the earliest continental U.S. hurricane strike within any season since 1908. It brought moderate rains to the Southeast, and wind damage was mainly confined to Florida.
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In early June, a trough in the westerlies extended from the southeastern United States towards Nicaragua. A surface circulation formed near Cabo Gracias a Dios, also known as Cape Gracias, on June 3, and drifted southwestward over land. The circulation organized into Tropical Depression One early on June 4 over the Honduras/Nicaragua border, where it turned to a north drift, dropping heavy rain across the countries.
Upon reaching the Caribbean Sea on June 5, the depression was able to strengthen, with warm water temperatures, good outflow, and deep convection. When the only inhibiting factor, land, was removed, the depression rapidly intensified, becoming Tropical Storm Alma on June 6 and reaching hurricane status that night. Initially a slow mover, Alma accelerated to the northeast, where it reached winds of 95 mph (153 km/h) before hitting the Isle of Youth on June 8.
Just six hours after crossing the Isle of Youth, Alma hit western Cuba. Because it crossed at one of the narrowest points of the island, the hurricane didn't weaken at all. On the contrary, upon reaching the Gulf of Mexico, Alma reached major hurricane status with peak winds of 130 mph (210 km/h) late on June 8. It passed between the Dry Tortugas and Key West, Florida at that intensity, and began a north-northwest motion in response to an upper level cyclone developing over the extreme northern Gulf of Mexico.
After crossing the Florida west coast, Alma weakened quickly, and hit Apalachee Bay on June 9 as a 90 mph (140 km/h) hurricane. The storm turned to the northeast, where it weakened to a 45 mph (72 km/h) tropical storm while crossing Georgia. On June 11, Alma emerged into the Atlantic near Savannah, Georgia, and continued its northeast movement. While paralleling the Carolina coastline over the Gulf Stream, Alma briefly restrengthened into a hurricane on the night of June 11. This intensification trend ended when cold waters and dry air approached the system, causing Alma to lose its tropical characteristics on June 13 while east of the Delmarva Peninsula. As an extratropical storm, Alma lasted another day before dissipating near Cape Cod.
One week before its hurricane preparations for the season, Alma gave the Kennedy Space Center a chance to go through the situation under the threat of a real storm. A mock-up of a Saturn V rocket was rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building on June 8, within 12 hours in the face of 60 mph (97 km/h) wind gusts, within the anticipated time for such a move. Two other rockets were also removed from their pads.[1]
While drifting over northeastern Central America as a tropical depression, Alma dropped torrential rains, resulting in 30 inches (760 mm) of rain in some locations. The Honduran town of San Rafael was nearly destroyed, killing 73 of the town's population. In Cuba, the storm brought heavy flooding, causing nearly $200 million in damage and 11 deaths.
During its transit of the Gulf of Mexico, scientists were measuring the hurricane's impact of the seawater temperatures around Alma at a depth of 4 meters. They discovered that they cooled off in its southeast quadrant due to the storm's wake.[2] In the southwest Atlantic ocean, the vessel Atlantis II sailed through the eye of Alma, and learned information regarding air-sea interaction in the vicinity of a tropical cyclone.[3]
Alma caused strong wind damage and flooding, mainly across Florida. The heaviest rainfall was confined to the Gold coast of Florida and coastal North Carolina. The highest rainfall report was just under 10 inches (250 mm) near Dania, Florida.[4] There was significant loss to the mango crop in southwest Florida and the grapefruit crop in Pinellas county. Wind damage from Alma caused damage to the tobacco crop in northern Florida. A 10-foot (3.0 m) storm tide was recorded near New Port Richey, Crystal River, and Cedar Key. Much of Cedar Key went underwater during the hurricane.[5] Damage amounted to $10 million and 6 deaths in Florida. Five tornadoes were spawned by the cyclone.[6] A flow of moisture from Alma into a frontal over the northern Mid-Atlantic states led to 2–3 inches (51–76 mm) of rain across southern New York.[7]
In all, Hurricane Alma caused over $210.1 million in damage (1966 USD), with 90 deaths related to the storm.
| Country | Deaths |
|---|---|
| Honduras | 73 |
| Cuba | 11 |
| United States | 6 |
| Total | 90 |
When Hurricane Alma hit Florida on June 9, it became the earliest hurricane strike on the United States since a hurricane in May of 1908. The hurricane was also the second earliest to attain major hurricane intensity, only behind Hurricane Able of 1951. It became the third strongest June hurricane on record, behind Hurricane Audrey in 1957 and Hurricane Alex in 2010.[8]
