hurricane alma hurricane alma rare june major hurricane atlantic hurricane season earliest atlantic hurricane calendar year years earliest continental hurricane strike alma developed june central_america moving honduras dropped heavy rainfall killed people city offshore northern honduras system produced heavy rainfall alma moved northeastward intensified hurricane june crossed western cuba causing heavy crop damage water shortages alma destroyed houses damage estimated million usd storm killed people country crossing cuba alma intensified reach winds mph gulf_of_mexico hurricane passed west florida causing power flooding alma dropped heavy rainfall produced winds florida damaged crops caused scattered power outages hurricane weakened moving ashore near damage florida estimated million deaths state alma crossed southeastern georgia tropical storm damaging houses causing light damage storm intensified hurricane western atlantic_ocean outer rainbands dropped heavy rainfall wilmington north_carolina alma encountered colder water temperatures transitioned extratropical cyclone june remnants dissipated day later massachusetts meteorological history june low atmospheric pressure stretched western caribbean_sea gulf_of_mexico pattern tropical cyclogenesis days month dissipating trough extended southeastern united_states western caribbean mid level circulation developed trough near cabo june day circulation reached surface marked development tropical depression eastern nicaragua june depression crossed honduras emerged western caribbean moving north northeastward area warm sea surface temperatures good cyclonic circulation convection moisture content significantly passing trough north provided depression favorable outflow june depression rapidly intensified tropical storm later hurricane alma earliest hurricane basin hurricane able attaining hurricane status alma continued moving slowly north northeast intensification rate slowed western caribbean alma large hurricane gale force winds covering km2 hurricane accelerated june quickly moving later mainland cuba winds mph alma weaken land entered gulf_of_mexico turned northwestward passed late june station reported winds mph alma peak intensity hurricane began weakening paralleled west coast florida point developing upper level low northern gulf_of_mexico began influence motion hurricane moved northward gulf_of_mexico large ragged eye reached diameter initially forecasters anticipated alma cross central florida hurricane turned north northwest cool water temperatures contributed weakening alma landfall near winds mph june marked earliest united_states hurricane landfall hurricane june turning northeastward northern florida alma quickly weakened tropical storm moved georgia emerged atlantic near savannah late june circulation remained near coast late june alma moved far offshore able intensify hurricane developed large eye maintained hurricane intensity hours afterward alma turned north area drier air colder waters weakened tropical storm june day alma transitioned extratropical cyclone east maryland remnants continued northeast dissipated june massachusetts preparations cuba evacuations ordered people mainland cattle moved safe location storm passage president declared state emergency western provinces threat local sugar industry alma struck florida officials issued hurricane warnings hurricane watch gale warning issued state eastern coastline extending savannah georgia residents boarded houses people fled region shelters hawk missiles city moved higher ground having place cuban missile crisis north officials ordered evacuation island closed residents evacuated emergency shelters opened naples overall people advised seek shelter chose stay homes phantom jet fighters tampa transported mississippi aircraft evacuated alma initially forecast cross central portion state residents florida panhandle adequately prepared hurricane hours storm moved ashore officials ordered evacuations residents low lying areas week scheduled hurricane drill kennedy space center alma presented facility actual storm threat scale version saturn rocket rolled june hours anticipated time expected arrival mph wind gusts rockets removed pads impact formative stages alma produced heavy rainfall days central_america primarily nicaragua honduras overnight june city honduras recorded precipitation possibly relation localized extreme rainfall flooded entire city left covered mud destroyed deaths city news report indicated people died city rivers honduras swollen height storm offshore northern honduras storm dropped rain little damage island affecting cuba alma spawned tornado destroyed houses power lines combination high winds rains destroyed dairy facilities chicken farms large areas fruit crops storm destroyed large radio tower island alma struck cuba produced high tides southern province destroyed fishing boats towns coastline flooded storm hurricane crossed western cuba strengthening recorded winds mph barometric pressure mbar inhg strong winds knocked trees power lines including capital city havana hundreds trees fell city power outages damage water systems houses damaged havana poorly constructed lack government funding repair gradually deteriorating structures tropical climate high winds sank boat occupants drowned swam shore alma caused significant crop damage western cuba destroyed acres hectares acres hectares corn fields heavy losses fruit trees sugar industry storm destroyed sugar mills rail lines carried cane mills storm destroyed tobacco drying including contents destruction tobacco represented million loss country high winds destroyed tobacco storage facilities tobacco removed near havana alma destroyed food crops exacerbated cuba existing food shortages alma passage resulted water shortages prompting government urge residents use water heavy structural damage western cuba including havana del hurricane destroyed houses overall damage estimated million alma killed people country injured storm aftermath cuban officials sent people havana cities capital repair storm damage forced labor complaint rule food supply shortages hurricane alma affected entire state florida strong winds rainfall hurricane passed east station recorded winds mph highest winds land station recorded pressure mbar inhg lowest pressure recorded land wind gusts reached mph causing power rising tides flooded streets city including sustained damage adjacent damage lower florida keys estimated southwestern florida hurricane heavily damaged crop high rainfall totals occurred state peaking near miami tornadoes funnel clouds state including damaged home west coast storm damaged crop high winds including gust mph caused power outages wind gust knocked car bridge tampa occupants able escape safely paralleled coastline alma produced storm tide high tides caused significant flooding northern florida alma moved ashore wind gusts reached mph high winds damaged local tobacco crop deaths heart attacks related storm deaths man heart attack preparing evacuate damage florida estimated million storms similar intensity sparse population affected area north alma produced mph wind gusts savannah georgia high winds damaged houses downed trees near albany georgia winds overturned bus fort gordon injuring soldiers storm caused damage state effects minor south_carolina heavy rainfall totaled wilmington north_carolina rainfall increased storm tides extended virginia new_jersey
Hurricane Alma (1966)