Ураган Эдит: самый южный ураган 5-й категории в Атлантике (1971)

Category 5 Atlantic hurricane

Hurricane Edith was the strongest hurricane to form during the 1971 Atlantic hurricane season and the southernmost landfalling Category 5 hurricane on record in the Atlantic at the time. Edith developed from a tropical wave on September 5 and quickly strengthened into a hurricane in the Caribbean Sea. Edith rapidly intensified on September 9 and made landfall on Cape Gracias a Dios as a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir Simpson Hurricane Scale. Being a category 5 hurricane, Edith peaked at only 943 mbar (hPa), making Edith the least intense category 5 Atlantic hurricane on record. It quickly lost intensity over Central America and after briefly entering the Gulf of Honduras it crossed the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. After moving across the Gulf of Mexico a trough turned the storm to the northeast and Edith, after having restrengthened while accelerating towards the coast, made landfall on Louisiana with winds of on September 16. Edith steadily weakened over land and dissipated over Georgia on September 18. The hurricane killed two people when it passed near Aruba. Striking northeastern Central America as a Category 5 hurricane, Edith destroyed hundreds of homes and killed at least 35 people. In Texas high tides caused coastal flooding but little damage. Edith caused moderate to heavy damage in portions of Louisiana due to flooding and a tornado outbreak from the storm. One tornado, rated F3 on the Fujita Scale, damaged several homes and injured multiple people in Baton Rouge. The tornado outbreak extended eastward into Florida, of which a few destroyed entire buildings. Damage in the United States totaled US$25 million (1971 USD, $ 2022 USD).

A tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa near Dakar on August 31. It moved westward into the Intertropical Convergence Zone, and organized into a tropical disturbance on September 2 with a small, circular area of convection. The system moved to the west, and on September 3, the convection diminished after moving west of 40° W. By the next day, the tropical disturbance was barely discernible from the clouds of the Intertropical Convergence Zone. The wave gradually became detached from the ITCZ, and based on a reconnaissance flight that confirmed the existence of a low level circulation, it is estimated the system developed into a tropical depression on September 5 while located 255 mile (410 km) east of Grenada. As Fern moved inland over Texas, the flow became more favorable around Edith, and 36 hours after entering the Gulf of Mexico, the storm began to reintensify slightly. In Belize, officials ordered the mandatory evacuation of low lying areas, resulting in hundreds of residents leaving to the United States through the international airport. Officials sent police troops to maintain order and prevent looting. In the Gulf of Mexico, several oil facilities were closed or placed on automatic controls. Drilling rigs as far east as the coastal waters off of Mississippi were prepared to evacuate in the event Edith moved further east than anticipated. Additionally, thousands evacuated coastal areas of Louisiana prior to the arrival of the hurricane. Several shelters opened in coastal cities, and many people prepared for the hurricane by purchasing emergency supplies. Officials closed schools throughout much of southern Louisiana.

While passing through the southern Lesser Antilles, the tropical depression produced heavy rainfall and winds of around though a later report indicated 35 people died in Nicaragua. There, damage was estimated at over US$380,000 (1971 dollars$, in dollars). Three United States Air Force aircraft delivered food, medical supplies, and fuel to the hurricane victims of Nicaragua. In Honduras, the hurricane produced 15 feet (5 m) tides and strong winds, while strong waves destroyed 40 fishing boats as well. While the hurricane reportedly destroyed entire villages, no deaths occurred in Honduras. The storm dropped light to moderate amounts of rainfall peaking at in Sabine Pass. An F3 tornado touched down in the eastern residential suburbs of Baton Rouge, causing heavy property damage totaling $2.5 million (1971 dollars$, in dollars) along its intermittent 7 mile (11 km) path. The tornado also injured three people. An F2 tornado in Tangipahoa Parish caused $250,000 in damage (1971 dollars$, in dollars) along its 4 mile (6 km) path, while an F1 tornado in St. Martin Parish injured 6 people on its 3 mile (5 km) path. The hurricane caused extensive damage to the sugar cane crop in southwestern Louisiana. In Mississippi, wind gusts peaked at in Hattiesburg, with multiple locations reporting tropical storm force winds. Additionally, Edith produced moderate rainfall peaking at in Liberty. In Alabama, the storm caused light rains, moderate wind gusts, and a storm tide of 2.7 feet (1 m) in Mobile. In Florida, Edith produced slightly above normal tides and light rain. It spawned a tornado in Pensacola, Florida, Damage throughout the United States totaled $25 million (1971 dollars$, in dollars), primarily from crop damage in southwest Louisiana. No deaths were reported in the United States.