Hurricane Danny (1985)

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Hurricane Danny (1985)
Type=hurricane
Year=1985
Basin=Atl
Image location=Hurricane Danny (1985).jpg


Formed=August 12, 1985
Dissipated=August 15, 1985
1-min winds=70
Pressure=987
Da

Inflated=0
Fatalities=2 direct, 1 indirect
Areas=Cuba, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia
Hurricane season=1985 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Danny was a Category 1 hurricane that formed during mid August of the 1985 Atlantic hurricane season. The fourth named storm and the third hurricane of the 1985 season, Danny was one of four hurricanes to make landfall in the northern U.S. Gulf coast. Danny formed on August 12 and moved northward where it reached a peak intensity of 80 mph and low barometric pressure of 987 millibars before making landfall near Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Danny produced an outbreak of 39-47 tornadoes and flash flooding across the United States Gulf Coast and Southeastern United States causing $100 million dollars (1985 USD) and three fatalies, two of them directly related to the storm.

Meteorological history

A tropical wave moved off the west coast of Africa on July 30 and continued across the Atlantic and though the Leeward Islands with no sign of development. On August 12, data from hurricane hunter flights indicated that a tropical depression formed near the Cayman Islands. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1985-prelim/danny/prelim01.gifNHC Report on Danny] ] The tropical depression then crossed the tip of Cuba and entered the Gulf of Mexico on August 13. In a 24 hour period, the depression rapidly intensified into a tropical storm and then a hurricane and was named Danny by the National Hurricane Center. Danny continued northwest with a peak wind speed of 80 mph and minimum barometric pressure of 987 millibars before making landfall near Lake Charles, Louisiana. Danny then quickly weakened into a tropical storm as it moved inland. The center was still identifiable before the storm became extratropical near the East coast of the United States. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1985-prelim/danny/prelim01.gifNHC Report on Danny] ]

Impact

Danny killed 3 people (2 direct, 1 indirect) and left up to $100 million dollars in damage (1985 USD) in damage. Danny also produced an outbreak of tornadoes. About 47 tornadoes were reported in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and the Carolinas. Moderate to heavy rainfall fell to the east of the track while Danny remained tropical. As it was transitioning into a frontal wave across the East, heavy rainfall became focused to the left of its track, overrunning the frontal surface ahead of the storm. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1985-prelim/danny/prelim02.gifNHC Report on Danny] ]

Gulf of Mexico

Forty miles offshore the Gulf coast, seven Texans sailed a 41-foot (12 m) yacht into the storm. They were airlifted to a hospital in the New Orleans metropolitan area after experiencing various injuries.Associated Press. [http://www.thehurricanearchive.com/Viewer.aspx?
] Retrieved on 2008-05-14.]

Louisiana and Mississippi

In Louisiana, the storm dropped heavy rainfall with totals of 3 inches reported in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1985-prelim/danny/prelim05.gifNHC Report on Danny] ] there was moderate flooding and 275 homes were destroyed or severely damaged. About 792 people were left homeless and sixty six were injured by the storm there were no deaths. The American Red Cross reported that there was up to $23 million dollars (1985 USD) in damage. Governor Edwin Edwards declared a state of emergency for 13 parishes.Associated Press. [http://www.thehurricanearchive.com/Viewer.aspx?
] Retrieved on 2008-05-14.] In Mississippi, an F2 tornado spawned by Danny touched down near Hickory at 1235 UTC. The 72 ft wide tornado caused no damage. Another tornado, an F0 touched down near Enterprise causing no damage.

Alabama

In Alabama, two of the most damaging tornadoes spawned by Hurricane Danny was the "Redstone Arsenal Tornado" and the "Jasper Tornado" that struck Huntsville and Jasper, Alabama. The Redstone tornado touched down at 2030 UTC near Gold-Rithe area. The twister damaged trees and signs and flipped over two trailers. The tornado also damaged a runway at Marshall Space Flight Center. [http://ams.allenpress.com/pdfserv/10.1175%2F1520-0493(1987)115%3C1206:OOTHTO%3E2.0.CO%3B2 Monthly Weather Review on Danny (1985) tornado outbreak] ]

The Jasper Tornado, touched down 45 minutes before the Redstone Arsenal Tornado. The F2 tornado, caused considerable damage and showed a multiple-vortex.There were two fatalities and fourteen injuries in Alabama and $5 million dollars (1985 USD) in damage, mostly from tornadoes.

Remainder of the southeast United States

An F3 Tornado spawned by Danny, struck Waco, Tennessee and produced a damage path of 500 yards wide making the tornado the largest hurricane spawned tornado.

Lack of retirement

Danny was the replacement name for Hurricane David which had its name retired in 1979. The name Danny was not retired and it was used again in 1991, 1997 and 2003 and it will be used again in 2009.

ee also

*List of tropical cyclones
*List of Atlantic hurricanes

References