Ураган Альма: Редкий июньский ураган 1966 года.

Category 3 Atlantic hurricane in 1966

Hurricane Alma was a rare June major hurricane in the 1966 Atlantic hurricane season. It was the earliest Atlantic hurricane in the calendar year in fifteen years, as well as the earliest continental U. S. hurricane strike since 1825. Alma developed on June 4 over Central America, and while moving through Honduras, it dropped heavy rainfall that killed at least 73 people in the city of San Rafael. Offshore northern Honduras, the system produced heavy rainfall in Swan Island. Alma moved northeastward and intensified into a hurricane on June 6. It crossed western Cuba, causing heavy crop damage and water shortages. Alma destroyed over 1,000 houses, and damage was estimated around $200 million (1966 USD). The storm killed 11 people in the country. After crossing Cuba, Alma intensified further to reach winds of in the Gulf of Mexico. The hurricane passed west of Key West, Florida, causing a power outage and flooding. Alma dropped heavy rainfall and produced winds across most of Florida, which damaged crops and caused scattered power outages. The hurricane weakened before moving ashore near Apalachee Bay. Damage in Florida was estimated at $10 million, and there were six deaths in the state. Alma crossed southeastern Georgia as a tropical storm, damaging a few houses and causing light damage. The storm re intensified into a hurricane over the western Atlantic Ocean, and its outer rainbands dropped heavy rainfall in Wilmington, North Carolina. Alma encountered colder water temperatures and its intensity decreased to being an extratropical cyclone on June 13. Its remnants dissipated a day later over Massachusetts.

During June 1966, low atmospheric pressure stretched across the western Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico—a pattern that is conducive for tropical cyclogenesis. During the first few days of the month, a dissipating trough extended from the southeastern United States into the western Caribbean. A mid level circulation developed along the trough near Cabo Gracias a Dios on June 3. By the next day, the circulation had reached the surface, which marked the development of a tropical depression over eastern Nicaragua. On June 5, the depression crossed Honduras and emerged into the western Caribbean, moving north northeastward through an area of warm sea surface temperatures. It had a good cyclonic circulation, convection, and moisture content, but most significantly, a passing trough to the north provided the depression with favorable outflow. After attaining hurricane status, Alma continued moving slowly to the north northeast, although its intensification rate slowed. Cool water temperatures contributed to weakening, and Alma made landfall near Apalachee Bay with winds of on June 9. This marked the earliest United States hurricane landfall since a hurricane in May and June of 1825. President Fidel Castro declared a state of emergency in four western provinces due to the threat to the local sugar industry. Before Alma struck Florida, officials issued hurricane warnings from the Florida Keys through Apalachicola. All Phantom jet fighters at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa were transported to Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi, while aircraft were also evacuated from Homestead Air Reserve Base.

During its formative stages, Alma produced heavy rainfall for several days across Central America, primarily in Nicaragua and Honduras. Overnight on June 5, the city of San Rafael, Honduras recorded about of precipitation, possibly in relation to a localized cloudburst. On Swan Island, offshore northern Honduras, the storm dropped of rain. There was little damage on the island. On Isla de la Juventud, the combination of high winds and rains destroyed dairy facilities, chicken farms, and large areas of fruit crops. The storm also destroyed a large radio tower on the island. Alma caused significant crop damage in western Cuba; In Güines near Havana, Alma destroyed food crops, which further exacerbated Cuba's existing food shortages. In the storm's aftermath, Cuban officials sent about 100,000 people from Havana to the cities around the capital to repair storm damage. Such forced labor was a complaint about the rule of Fidel Castro, after the food and supply shortages.

Hurricane Alma affected the entire state of Florida with strong winds and rainfall. Along the west coast of Pinellas County, the storm damaged the grapefruit crop. Damage throughout Florida was estimated at $10 million. This was less than other storms of similar intensity, due to the sparse population of the affected area. The storm caused about $50,000 in damage in the state. Effects were minor in South Carolina, although heavy rainfall totaled in Wilmington, North Carolina. Rainfall and increased storm tides extended into Virginia and New Jersey.