The 1985 season as stated in my other threads was average to slightly above average. Yet this season was destructive for the United States. A total of 6 hurricanes made landfall, with 4 of those being destructive. Hurricane Kate was the 4th and final destructive hurricane of the 1985 season. Like most November tropical systems Kate developed around the Gulf Stream. Usually, November tropical systems develop in the Western Caribbean or around the Gulf Stream.

On November 15th a vigorous tropical low developed north of Puerto Rico and near the Gulf stream. Satellite data showed this low had a closed circulation, convection, but was disorganized. Hurricane Hunters flew into the system and discovered the low was a tropical storm it was given the name Kate the 11th named storm of the season. As Kate moved westward it taped into the Gulf Stream and started to rapidly organize. Later on the 16th Kate became a category 1 hurricane.

Kate continued to strengthen as it headed toward Cuba and on November 19th Kate made landfall in Cuba as a 110 mph tropical storm. In Cuba Kate claimed 4 lives and caused $100 million in damages. On the morning November 20th Kate emerged in the Gulf as a 85 mph category 1 hurricane.

The waters of the Gulf were still very warm so Kate was forecasted to strengthen which it did. By the afternoon Kate's center contracted and the winds went from 85 to 105 mph. On the 21st Kate became a major hurricane with winds reaching 120 mph and the pressure dropped to 953 millibars. For the next day and half Kate would maintain category 3 status and remain a major hurricane.

A storm system to the North injected cooler air into Kate and on the evening of the 22nd before landfall Kate's winds weakened to 105 mph making Kate a high end category 2 hurricane. Kate made landfall as a 105 mph category 2 hurricane in the Florida Panhandle. The remnants of Kate moved into Georgia and South Carolina. On November 23rd Kate was declared extra-tropical.

Kate was historic because it is one of the latest hurricanes to strike the US. As Kate made landfall 6 days before Thanksgiving. Usually in November its the Caribbean countries that have land falling hurricanes, and some November hurricanes stay out to sea.

Kate was very destructive in Florida Kate killed 15 people making it the deadliest USA hurricane of 1985 and it caused $750 million in damages to the USA. Overall, between the USA and Cuba Kate killed 19 people and caused $850 million in damages.

Despite the damage in the United States the name Kate was surprisingly not retired. It is unknown why the US did not request retirement since even in 1985 similar hurricanes were retired in the past. The name Kate is still used on the rotating lists to this day.

In my opinion the names Juan and Kate should have been retired along with Elena and Gloria due to their damage. In Kate's case it was not only a destructive hurricane but historic due to hitting the US at a much later date. Kate's record of being the latest hurricane to strike the US still stands to this day 40 years later. Me and other meteorologist do not know why these two names were not retired along with the other two destructive hurricanes. When it comes to November hurricanes Kate is still talked about to this day.