Hurricane Camille - Meteorological History

Meteorological History

The origins of Hurricane Camille were from a tropical wave off the western coast of Africa on August 5. It tracked nearly due westward, eventually becoming clearly identifiable on satellite imagery on August 9. By that time, the thunderstorm activity concentrated into a circular area of convection. The next day, it moved through the Lesser Antilles, although there was no evidence of a closed circulation. On August 13, the wave passed near or over the southern coast of Jamaica as its convection spread northeastward through the Bahamas. Subsequently it began a slower motion to the northwest. On August 14, the Hurricane Hunters flew to investigate for a closed circulation near the Bahamas as well as near the Cayman Islands. The crew observed a developing center in the western Caribbean, and winds quickly reached tropical storm status. It is estimated Tropical Storm Camille developed late on August 14 with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h), about 50 miles (80 km) west-northwest of Grand Cayman.

Upon first being classified as a tropical cyclone, Camille was located in an area favorable for further strengthening, although initially it slowly intensified. It was located within an area of very light wind shear and an overall warm environment. Additionally, the storm developed strong low-level inflow from the deep southern Caribbean, which continuously brought moisture into the storm. Throughout its duration, it was a small tropical cyclone, although with a radius of gale force winds spreading 100 miles (160 km) to the north, the storm's thunderstorm area quickly spread over Cuba. As the storm approached the western coast of Cuba, it began rapid deepening, reaching hurricane status and less than 12 hours later attaining major hurricane status, or winds of 115 mph (185 km/h). Prior to landfall, its eye was tracked by radar from Havana; it is estimated the hurricane moved ashore between Cape San Antonio and Guane late on August 15 as a major hurricane. Camille was a small hurricane as it crossed western Cuba, and its winds decreased to 105 mph (170 km/h) before it emerged into the Gulf of Mexico.

Initially, Hurricane Camille was forecast to turn northeastward toward the Florida panhandle. Instead, it continued northwestward and rapidly intensified. Its eye contracted to a diameter of less than 8 miles (13 km), and strong rainbands developed around the entire hurricane. Due to the small eye, Hurricane Hunters at first had difficulties in obtaining the strength; however a flight late on August 16 recorded a very low pressure of 908 hectopascals (26.8 inHg), with winds estimated at 150 mph (240 km/h). At the time, it was not expected to intensify further. However, a subsequent Hurricane Hunters flight early on August 17 recorded a pressure of 905 hectopascals (26.7 inHg), at the time the lowest pressure recorded by reconnaissance aircraft. Additionally, the winds of the hurricane were estimated at 160 mph (260 km/h), making Camille the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, which had not been developed at the time. That made Camille the most intense hurricane since the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane; currently it is tied for the seventh most intense Atlantic hurricane, as ranked by lowest pressure.

As it continued toward the Gulf Coast of the United States, Camille maintained its small eye, and forecasters continued to anticipate a turn toward Florida. Late on August 17, a reconnaissance flight was forced to end its mission early due to a damaged engine. Before it left the storm, the crew recorded a pressure of 909 hectopascals (26.8 inHg) and estimated surface winds at 190 mph (305 km/h), while Camille was located about 100 miles (160 km) southeast of the Mississippi River Delta. There were no subsequent Hurricane Hunter flights, but it is estimated the hurricane maintained much of its intensity. After passing very near southeastern Louisiana, Hurricane Camille made landfall late on August 17 in and decimated Pass Christian, Mississippi, ground zero. Maximum wind speeds near the coastline are unknown, but gusts were estimated to have approached 200 mph (325 km/h).

The hurricane rapidly weakened as it progressed inland, and within twelve hours of moving ashore, Camille weakened to tropical storm status. Shortly thereafter it weakened to tropical depression status, by which time it began a turn to the north and northeast. On August 20, the remnants of Camille turned eastward through Kentucky, dropping heavy rainfall in West Virginia and Virginia. Later that day it emerged into the Atlantic Ocean east of Norfolk, and by August 21 it regained tropical storm status. Camille accelerated east-northeastward, attaining peak winds of 70 mph (115 km/h) as it interacted with larger Hurricane Debbie to its southeast. Subsequently Camille began to interact with a cold front, causing it to gradually change into an extratropical cyclone as it entrained cooler air. On August 22, Camille was absorbed by the cold front to the south of Atlantic Canada.