Tropical Storm Isabel was the ninth tropical storm of the 1985 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm's track extended from the Caribbean Sea to the southeastern United States during the second week of October. Prior to developing into a tropical cyclone, it produced torrential rainfall, resulting in great damage and loss of life in Puerto Rico. Isabel later made landfall in northeastern Florida, and moved out to sea without producing great damage. The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is a scale classifying most Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the levels of tropical depression and tropical storm and thereby become hurricanes; the categories it divides hurricanes into are distinguished by the intensities of their respective sustained winds. ... Image File history File links Tropical_Storm_Isabel_(1985). ... October 7 is the 280th day of the year (281st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 15 is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years). ... 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Miles per hour is a unit of speed, expressing the number of international miles covered per hour. ... Kilometre per hour (American spelling: kilometer per hour) is a unit of both speed (scalar) and velocity (vector). ... A millibar (mbar, also mb) is 1/1000th of a bar, a unit for measurement of pressure. ... HPA means Physiology Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis: The hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal glands work together to regulate hormone levels and maintain homeostasis. ... Inches of mercury or inHg is a non SI unit for pressure. ... ISO 4217 Code USD User(s) the United States, the British Indian Ocean Territory[1], the British Virgin Islands, Cambodia, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Panama, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the insular areas of the United States Inflation 2. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston(1670-1789) Columbia(1790-present) Largest city Columbia Largest metro area Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson Area  Ranked 40th  - Total 34,726 sq mi (82,965 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 260 miles (420 km)  - % water 6  - Latitude 32°430N to 35... First storm formed: July 15, 1985 Last storm dissipated: Nov. ... Hurricane Isabel was the ninth named storm, the fifth hurricane, the second major hurricane, and the only Category 5 hurricane of the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season. ... First storm formed: July 15, 1985 Last storm dissipated: Nov. ... Map of Central America and the Caribbean A Caribbean beach in Isla Margarita, Venezuela. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Storm history

Storm path

A tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa on September 29. As it moved westward across the Atlantic Ocean, the wave entered the eastern Caribbean Sea on October 5. On October 7, an area of disturbed weather on the northern edges of the wave organized into a tropical depression while south of Hispaniola. Shortly after forming, the depression attained tropical storm status and received the name of Isabel, although further intensification was limited by interaction with the lands of the Dominican Republic. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x637, 406 KB) Tropical Storm Isabel (1985) track. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x637, 406 KB) Tropical Storm Isabel (1985) track. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa. ... September 29 is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Map of Central America and the Caribbean A Caribbean beach in Isla Margarita, Venezuela. ... October 5 is the 278th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (279th in Leap years). ... October 7 is the 280th day of the year (281st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Early map of Hispaniola The island of Hispaniola (from Spanish, La Española) is the second-largest island of the Antilles, lying between the islands of Cuba to the west, and Puerto Rico to the east. ...

Located on the western edge of a mid-Atlantic high pressure system, Isabel moved northward over the Dominican Republic, and on the night of October 7, it moved northward through the southeastern Bahamas. Located over open waters, the storm quickly strengthened, and its winds reached a peak of 70 mph (110 km/h) late on the 8th, while to the northeast of the Bahamas. An approaching cold front quickly weakened the storm, and a high pressure system behind the front pushed a weakened Isabel to the west-northwest and towards land. October 7 is the 280th day of the year (281st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Kilometre per hour (American spelling: kilometer per hour) is a unit of both speed (scalar) and velocity (vector). ... In meteorology, a weather front is a boundary between two air masses with differing characteristics (e. ...

Isabel at its Florida landfall

Convection steadily waned as it moved west-northwestward, and Isabel made landfall near Fernandina Beach, Florida as a 40 mph (65 km/h) tropical storm late on October 10. It quickly weakened to a tropical depression, and Isabel remained near the Georgia coastline until exiting near Savannah late on the 11th. The depression drifted to the northeast, and Isabel remained a minimal tropical depression until being absorbed by a frontal trough on October 15 to the east of the Outer Banks. Image File history File links Isabel_(1985). ... Image File history File links Isabel_(1985). ... Map Political Statistics County Nassau County Geographic Statistics Area  - Total  - Land  - Water 27. ... October 10 is the 283rd day of the year (284th in leap years). ... Coordinates: County Chatham  - Mayor Otis S. Johnson Area    - City 202. ... October 15 is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years). ... North Carolinas Outer Banks separating the Atlantic Ocean (east) from Albemarle Sound (north) and Pamlico Sound (south). ...

Impact

Heavy rainfall caused great damage and loss of life in Puerto Rico as a tropical wave. When it hit Florida, damage was very minor due to its disorganization. Overall, the storm caused over $459 million in damage (1985 USD, $815 million 2005 USD) and at least 180 deaths. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Puerto Rico

Mameyes landslide

An upper level trough to the west of the precursor tropical wave enhanced rainshower activity across the northeastern Caribbean Sea.^[2] Because of this, portions of Puerto Rico experienced rainfall totals of 22 inches (560 mm) in 24 hours, while some areas received around 2.8 inches (70 mm) per hour. ^[3] In the south-center portion of the island, rainfall peaked at 31.67 inches (805 mm). ^[4] This deluge of rain came five months after another rainfall event, and resulted in widespread mudslides across the island.^[3] Image File history File links Mameyes. ... Image File history File links Mameyes. ...

Rainfall totals from Isabel

One such landslide occurred in Mameyes, a barrio on the southern portion of the island in Ponce. An entire sheet of bedrock in the mountainous region outside of the city collapsed under the oversaturated soil, burying much of the city. The landslide was responsible for at least 129 deaths, and caused severe damage in the area. More than 100 homes were destroyed, and many others were later condemned. The mudslide, which by some estimates could have killed up to 300 people, was among the worst landslide disasters in North American history. ^[3] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (981x768, 14 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Tropical Storm Isabel (1985) ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (981x768, 14 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Tropical Storm Isabel (1985) ... Flag Seal Nickname: Ciudad de los Leones , La Perla del Sur Gentilic: Ponceños Location Location of Ponce, Puerto Rico within Puerto Rico Government Founded 1692 Mayor Francisco Zayas Seijo Political party PPD Senatorial district 5 - Ponce Representative district 24,25 Geographical characteristics Area Total 501. ... Bedrock is the native consolidated rock underlying the Earths surface. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ...

Elsewhere on the island, at least 51 more people were killed from Isabel, though an exact total is unknown.^[3] The rainfall seriously damaged 8 bridges and 36 roads,^[5] and destroyed the approach slabs on one bridge in Coamo, killing eight people when they drove their cars through the opening.^[6] Thirteen individuals perished in the El Tuque portion of Ponce when a wall collapsed and flooded the area.^[6] In Santa Isabel, nineteen bodies were retrieved from the Paso Seco River, which was close to overflowing. Also in town, another bridge was destroyed.^[6] The flooding also left 60 cities without power and 35,000 people without telephone service.^[5] Across the island, the storm damaged nearly 3,000 homes, leaving 4,400 homeless to be housed in 44 public shelters. Eleven water-filtration plants and 13 sewage treatment plants were closed following the storm, leaving 21% of the island without drinkable water.^[7] In all, the storm caused around $447 million (1985 USD, $793 million 2005 USD) in damage. ^[8] Coamo is a municipality in south central Puerto Rico, about 30 minutes away by car from Ponce. ... Santa Isabel is a municipality of Puerto Rico. ...

Conspiracy theory

According to a conspiracy theory on the island, an explosion in a fireworks factory led to the mudslide disaster in Mameyes. This is supported by a report that rescue dogs detected gunpowder in the area, as well as people experiencing a blast when the mudslide occurred. However, this news was supposedly kept quiet so the citizens could receive aid from FEMA. ^[9]

Southeast United States

Rainfall totals from Isabel

When Isabel made landfall on northeastern Florida, the storm retained little convection. It dropped light rain along the southeastern United States coastline, peaking at 3.38 inches in southeastern North Carolina. Overall, damage was relatively light.^[10] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (764x820, 13 KB) From http://www. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (764x820, 13 KB) From http://www. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area  Ranked 28th  - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 km²)  - Width 150 miles (240 km)  - Length 560[1] miles (901 km)  - % water 9. ...

Aftermath

Just days after the storm, the United States House of Representatives passed a resolution to provide Puerto Rico with all necessary assistance in the cleanup.^[11] Days later, President Ronald Reagan declared the island as a Federal Disaster Area when requested to by Puerto Rican Governor Rafael Hernandez Colon]]. A memorial service with some 3,000 people attending was held for 23 of the casualties, and a memorial park was proposed to be built where the landslide ravine was.^[6] FEMA provided $63 million (1985 USD, $111.8 million 2005 USD) in aid.^[7] Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress, the other being the Senate. ... Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981–1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967–1975). ... New FEMA seal The Federal Emergency Management Agency or FEMA is an agency of the United States government dedicated to swift response in the event of disasters, both natural and man-made. ...

Lack of Retirement

Despite the great amount of damage, the name Isabel was not retired by the World Meteorological Organization and it remained on the list of names for the 1991 season. Due to inactivity the name was not used again until the 2003 season, when the name Isabel was retired and replaced with Ida on the list of names for the 2009 season. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 187 Member States and Territories. ... The 1991 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1991, and lasted until November 30, 1991. ... First storm formed: April 20, 2003 Last storm dissipated: Dec. ... Hurricane Isabel was the ninth named storm, the fifth hurricane, the second major hurricane, and the only Category 5 hurricane of the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season. ...

See also

Tropical cyclones Portal

• List of notable tropical cyclones
• List of notable Atlantic hurricanes

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x662, 320 KB) http://eol. ... This is a list of notable tropical cyclones, subdivided by basin and reason for notability. ... This is a list of notable Atlantic hurricanes, subdivided by reason for notability. ...

External links

• Isabel's Tropical Cyclone Report from NHC
• Isabel's Rainfall Report from HPC
• 1985 MWR
• Puerto Rican Landslide information
• More P.R. information
• Puerto Rico Hurricanes and Tropical Storms

References