Yesterday in my remembering Hurricane Dennis I referenced Hurricane Emily. I decided Hurricane Emily needed its own thread. Hurricane Emily was a historic storm that occurred one week after Hurricane Dennis.

The 2005 season was historic, because at that time it held the record for most named storms in a season with 28. However, it was broken in 2020, which had 30 named storms. The 2005 season was above average due to a La Nina pattern and very warm waters. The 2005 season also featured 4 category 5 hurricanes. Emily was one of the 4 category 5's. The others being Katrina, Rita, and Wilma.

Hurricane Emily was unusual because it developed in a region we normally do not see tropical development until August-October. Second, it was unusual is because it was a category 5 hurricane. We usually do not see major hurricanes (categories 3, 4 and 5) until August, September, October, and sometimes in November especially in the Caribbean for November. A category 4 or 5 hurricane is more likely to develop August-October.

A tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa. Due to above average water temperatures the wave begin to get organized. It was officially named Tropical Storm Emily. Emily would steady intensify becoming a hurricane a few days later. Emily would then enter the Caribbean. While in the Eastern Caribbean Emily became a category 2 hurricane and a category 3 hurricane, which made Emily a major hurricane. Emily would weaken to a category 2 due to undergoing an eye wall replacement cycle and by this time Emily was in the Central Caribbean.

After completing its eye wall cycle the hurricane strengthened into a category 4 hurricane. Emily would continue to strengthen reaching a peak of 160 mph in the Western Caribbean, this made the hurricane a category 5. It also became clear Emily was going to strike the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico as a powerful hurricane.

Emily weakened some due to dry air from Mexico. However, Emily was still a category 4 hurricane when it made landfall in the Yucatan. It made landfall as a 140 mph hurricane. Going over land Emily weakened. Emerging in the Gulf of Mexico as a category 1 hurricane. Due to going over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Emily became a major hurricane again before making a second landfall in Mexico. Emily made landfall in Mexico as a 120-125 mph category 3 hurricane.

Overall, Emily caused $1.1 Billion dollars worth of damage to Mexico and caused 22 deaths. The official peak is a pressure of 929 millibars and maximum winds at 160 mph. As I stated Emily was a category 5 hurricane. In fact, Emily is the strongest July hurricane observed.

As a student (at that time) I was just amazed of the power of seeing a category 5 hurricane in July. It was like wow this is rare and very intense. I had tracked category 5 hurricanes before, but they were in months they would normally occur. I can remember everyday as a student checking the charts to see what Emily was going to do. As a student I begin to analyze what caused this storm to be so strong early in the hurricane season.

In my opinion, The name Emily should have been retired. Many of my professors and classmates thought the name would be retired the following year, but it was not. The main reason is Mexico did not request retirement. As only the impacted area can request retirement at the annual WMO hurricane conference. Instead Mexico requested the retirement of Hurricane Stan. Hurricane Stan was a hurricane that peaked as a category 1. However, Stan made landfall in a more densely populated area in Mexico. Second, Stand made landfall in a mountainous area in Mexico. Over 2,000 people were killed by Stan. Still, Emily should have been retired.