Hurricane Janet
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
| Duration | Sept. 21 - 30, 1955 |
| Highest winds | 175 mph (280 km/h) sustained |
| Damages | $320 million (2005 dollars) |
| Fatalities | 538-681 direct |
| Areas affected | Leeward Islands, Belize, Mexico |
| Part of the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Hurricane Janet was the most powerful hurricane of the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season and the 10th strongest Atlantic hurricane on record. It made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, causing catastrophic damage and up to 681 deaths in the Yucatán Peninsula.
Storm history
A weak tropical wave moved across the Tropical Atlantic in mid-September. It organized into a tropical storm on September 21st east of the Lesser Antilles. A small hurricane, it rapidly organized on the 22nd becoming a Category 3 hurricane just as it hit Barbados with a 20 nautical miles (37 km) wide eye. It continued through the islands, causing heavy damage in Grenada and the Grenadines.
As it moved through the eastern Caribbean Sea, conditions became unfavorable for continued development, and Janet weakened to a minimal hurricane on the 23rd. Over the next few days, Janet steadily intensified with better conditions, reaching a peak of 175 mph (280 km/h) winds in the western Caribbean Sea, making it one of the most intense Atlantic hurricanes on record.
| Ten most intense Atlantic hurricanes Intensity is measured solely by central pressure |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Hurricane | Year | Minimum pressure |
| 1 | Wilma | 2005 | 882 mbar (hPa) |
| 2 | Gilbert | 1988 | 888 mbar (hPa) |
| 3 | Labor Day | 1935 | 892 mbar (hPa) |
| 4 | Rita | 2005 | 897 mbar (hPa) |
| 5 | Allen | 1980 | 899 mbar (hPa) |
| 6 | Katrina | 2005 | 902 mbar (hPa) |
| 7 | Camille | 1969 | 905 mbar (hPa) |
| 8 | Mitch | 1998 | 905 mbar (hPa) |
| 9 | Ivan | 2004 | 910 mbar (hPa) |
| 10 | Janet | 1955 | 914 mbar (hPa) |
| Source: The Weather Channel | |||
Janet remained a Category 5 hurricane, and hit near the city of Chetumal, Mexico on the 28th. It caused heavy flooding and wind damage to the Yucatan Peninsula and Belize (then known as British Honduras). As it crossed the peninsula, the hurricane weakened to a 100 mph (160 km/h) hurricane. Over the Bay of Campeche, it did not have much time to strengthen, and hit between Vera Cruz, Mexico and Naulta, Mexico on the 29th as a 110 mph (175 km/h) hurricane. Janet dissipated the next day over Mexico.
Impact
Janet was the only Atlantic hurricane to cause the loss of a Hurricane Hunter aircraft, a P2V Neptune under the command of Navy Lieutenant Commander Grover B. Windham. The aircraft flew from the airfield at Guantanamo Bay, and disappeared after signalling that it was entering the Category 5 hurricane. Janet also destroyed a U.S Weather Post on Swan Island.
Janet added to the flooding caused by Gladys and Hilda, and caused $47,800,000 in damage through its path of destruction. In addition, Janet caused 681 deaths (538 according to some sources) [1].
The name Janet was used on various lists in the 1960s. Once formal list for hurricane naming were created, the name Janet was retired.
