Effects of Hurricane Dennis in Mississippi

Infobox Hurricane Impact
Name=Hurricane Dennis
Type=Tropical Depression
Year=2005
Basin=Atl
Image location=Hurricane Dennis 10 july 2005 1615Z.jpg


Date=July 10, 2005
1-min winds=27
Gusts=50
Da

Inflated=2
Fatalities=1
Areas=Alabama
Maximum rainfall=convert|5|in|mm
Hurricane season=2005 Atlantic hurricane seasonThe Effects of Hurricane Dennis in Mississippi were mostly minor and included one indirect death. On June 29, 2005, a tropical wave emerged off the west coast of Africa. Gradually, the system organized on July 2 and formed a broad low pressure area. The system continued to develop, and became a tropical depression on July 4. Tracking westward, it became a tropical storm on July 5 and a hurricane on July 7. Dennis rapidly intensified to attain Category 4 status on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale before making landfall on Cuba. The hurricane weakened to Category 1 status before re-emerging in the Gulf of Mexico and intensifying to Category 4 strength. Dennis made landfall on the Florida Panhandle on July 10 as a Category 3 hurricane, then tracked over southeast Alabama and entered Mississippi as a tropical depression.

Dennis lightly affected Mississippi, dropping between 1–5 inches (25–125 mm) of rainfall and producing wind gusts up to convert|59|mph|km/h|abbr=on|lk=on, causing several hundred trees to uproot or snap and damaging a total of 21 homes and businesses. Over 40 structures were flooded, forcing 200 people to leave their homes. One indirect death occurred from a traffic accident in Jasper County due to wet roads. During the height of the storm, 24,000 customers were without power. In all, Hurricane Dennis caused $2.4 million (2005 USD) in damage across the state.

Preparations

At 2100 UTC on July 8 a hurricane watch was put into effect for coastal areas from the Steinhatchee River, Florida to the mouth of the Pearl River. At 0900 UTC on July 9, the hurricane watch was upgraded to a hurricane warning. The hurricane warning was soon downgraded to a tropical storm warning as Dennis moved inland, and by 0300 UTC on July 1 all advisories were discontinued.Cite web|author=Jack Beven|title=Hurricane Dennis tropical cyclone report|year=2005|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2008-04-06|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-AL042005_Dennis.pdf]

In anticipation of Hurricane Dennis, 190,000 people were ordered to evacuate, though many opted not to. [Cite web|author=The Herald Tribune|title=Gulf Coast residents brace for Hurricane Dennis|year=2005|publisher=|accessdate=2008-04-06|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/07/10/america/web.0710dennis.php] Jackson County issued a mandatory evacuation for its residents, while Hancock County called for a voluntary evacuation. Governor Haley Barbour issued a state of emergency, and 600 National Guard soldiers were on standby. Harrison County issued a mandatory evacuation for residents living in low-lying areas, and ordered the closing of its casinos. Also, the Red Cross provided 60 mobile canteens capable of serving 30,000 hot meals to staging areas in Hattiesburg and Jackson. 32 law officials were sent to Hattiesburg to assist with traffic control near the intersection with I-59 and U.S. Route 49. Additionally, a horse park in Starkville was caring for over 50 horses belonging to residents who were forced to evacuate and had no other location for them. [cite web|author=Daily Journal|title=Thousands flee as Hurricane Dennis sets sights on Gulf Coast|year=2005|publisher=|accessdate=2008-04-06|url=http://www.djournal.com/pages/archive.asp?ID=197106]

Impact and aftermath

In Mississippi, damage was not as severe as previously anticipated.Cite web|author=Jermaine Jackson|title=Oxford escapes major hurricane damage|year=2005|publisher=Daily Mississippian|accessdate=2008-04-07|url=http://media.www.thedmonline.com/media/storage/paper876/news/2005/07/12/News/Oxford.Escapes.Major.Hurricane.Damage-1587369.shtml] As Dennis impacted the state, storm tide of convert|2|ft|m|abbr=on–convert|4|ft|m|abbr=on above normal was reported. Rainfall from the hurricane averaged between 1–5 inches (25–125 mm), [cite web|author=David Roth|title=Rainfall Summary for Hurricane Dennis|year=2005|publisher=Hydrometeorological Prediction Center|accessdate=2008-04-06|url=http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/dennis2005.html] cite web|author=National Climatic Data Center|title=Event report for Hurricane Dennis|year=2005|publisher=|accessdate=2008-04-06|url=http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~581423] and minimum barometric pressure of 994.2 mb was reported near Pascagoula. Wind gusts peaked at convert|59|mph|km/h|abbr=on|lk=on causing several hundred trees to uproot or snap, damaging a total of 21 homes and businesses.cite web|author=National Climatic Data Center|title=Event report for Hurricane Dennis|year=2005|publisher=|accessdate=2008-04-06|url=http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~581423]

In Southaven, 40 homes were flooded and 200 were left homeless as a result of the heavy rainfall. [cite web|author=Unearth Mississippi|title=DeSoto County hit with flooding after heavy rains (The Biloxi Sun Herald)|year=2005|publisher=|accessdate=2008-04-06|url=http://blog.unearthmississippi.com/2005_07_19_archive.html] A church undergoing construction in Calhoun County was damaged, and a street light in Lee County was snapped. Also, a fallen tree damaged a house in Itawamba County. [Cite web|author=National Climatic Data Center|title=Event report for Hurricane Dennis (2)|year=2005|publisher=|accessdate=2008-04-06|url=http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~581424] One indirect fatality occurred in Jasper County from a automobile accident due to wet roads.cite web|author=National Climatic Data Center|title=Event report for Hurricane Dennis|year=2005|publisher=|accessdate=2008-04-06|url=http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~581423] An estimated 24,000 customers lost electric power during the storm. [cite web|author=David Royse|title=Gulf Coast avoids widespread damage from Dennis|year=2005|publisher=SignOnSandDiego.com|accessdate=2008-04-06|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20050711-0611-tropicalweather-dennis.html] After the storm, several fires were sparked due to downed electrical wires.Cite web|author=CAIN BURDEAU|title=Dennis spares Mississippi coast; no major damage inland|year=2005|publisher=Daily Journal|accessdate=2008-04-07|url=http://www.djournal.com/pages/archive.asp?ID=197189] In all, the weakening Hurricane Dennis left $2.6 million (2005 USD) in damage.cite web|author=National Climatic Data Center|title=Event report for Hurricane Dennis|year=2005|publisher=|accessdate=2008-04-06|url=http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~581423]

Although impact was mostly minor, President George W. Bush initially declared 38 counties in Mississippi federal disaster areas, making them eligible for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In the city of Meridian, over 300 people sought shelter. More than 885 people took shelter in Jackson County, and 1,000 people were in shelters in neighboring Harrison County.Cite web|author=CAIN BURDEAU|title=Dennis spares Mississippi coast; no major damage inland|year=2005|publisher=Daily Journal|accessdate=2008-04-07|url=http://www.djournal.com/pages/archive.asp?ID=197189] On July 15, three additional counties became eligible for federal assistance, bringing the number of declared disaster areas to 41. [cite web|author=FEMA|title=Three Additional Mississippi Counties To Receive FEMA Funding For Emergency Protective Costs During Hurricane Dennis|year=2005|publisher=|accessdate=2008-05-07|url=http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=18031]

ee also

*Effects of Hurricane Dennis in Florida
*Effects of Hurricane Dennis in Alabama
*Effects of Hurricane Dennis in Georgia

References

External links

* [http://www.fema.gov/news/eventnews.fema?id=4587 Mississippi aftermath]
* [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-AL042005_Dennis.pdf Tropical cyclone report]