Significant July Hurricanes

Hurricane Dennis in July 2005  (Source: NOAA)

The tropical Atlantic often sees an uptick in hurricane development during the month of July as conditions become more favorable.  While not as busy as late August or September, there have been some significant July hurricanes during the last twenty years.

Hurricane Arthur (2014) – Late on July 3, Arthur made landfall near Beaufort, North Carolina as a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale.  According to NOAA, it became the earliest hurricane on record to make landfall in North Carolina.  Arthur was the first Category 2 hurricane to make landfall in the United States since Ike in 2008.  Fortunately, Arthur didn’t cause significant damage but was an important storm since it came during the Independence Day holiday.  Although Arthur never reached “major” hurricane status (Category 3 or higher), it was the first hurricane to develop in the Atlantic Ocean in July since 2010.  At peak intensity, Arthur had sustained winds of 100 mph.

Hurricane Emily (2005) – Emily broke several records during the record 2005 hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean.  Emily was the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record to form (July 16).  Emily remains the only July Category 5 hurricane ever observed in the Atlantic.  Emily’s remnants brought south Texas some beneficial rainfall and a few tornadoes.  At peak intensity, Emily had sustained winds of 160 mph with a minimum central air pressure of 929 millibars – the lower the air pressure the stronger the storm is.  Standard sea level air pressure is approximately 1013 millibars.

Hurricane Dennis (2005) – Dennis was a powerful Category 4 hurricane at peak intensity with sustained winds of 150 mph and a minimum central air pressure of 930 millibars.  Dennis reached peak intensity on July 10 in the Gulf of Mexico.  After causing extensive damage in Cuba, Dennis made landfall on the Gulf Coast as a Category 3 hurricane.  Dennis would become the first of five hurricanes to have their names retired by the World Meteorological Organization following the 2005 season – the highest such number on record.  Hurricanes and tropical storms have their names retired for being exceptionally damaging or deadly. 

Hurricane Bertha (1996) – On July 9, Bertha reached its peak intensity as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 115 mph and a central air pressure of 960 millibars.  Fortunately, Bertha weakened to a Category 1 hurricane before making landfall in North Carolina.  Although Hurricane Bertha quickly weakened after making landfall, its remnants brought appreciable rainfall up and down the East Coast.  However, the name “Bertha” was not retired in 1996.

The list of names are reused every six years with the exception of names that are retired.  Coincidently, the last “major” hurricane to develop during the month of July in the Atlantic Ocean was Bertha in 2008 that was also a Category 3 storm.  In conclusion, while hurricanes in July aren’t as common as later in the season, they can still be high impact systems.