User:12george1/Hurricane Isaac (2012)

Hurricane Isaac was a deadly and destructive tropical cyclone that came ashore the U.S. state of Louisiana during August 2012. The ninth named storm and fourth hurricane of the annual hurricane season, Isaac originated from a tropical wave that moved off the western coast of Africa on August 16. Tracking generally west, a broad area of low pressure developed along the wave axis the following day, and the disturbance developed into a tropical depression early on August 21 while situated several hundred miles east of the Lesser Antilles. Though the system intensified into a tropical storm shortly thereafter, high wind shear initially prevented much change in strength.

After tracking between Guadeloupe and Dominica late on August 22, Isaac turned towards the west-northwest and entered a region favorable for intensification; it passed over Haiti and Cuba at moderate tropical storm strength. An intensification of the ridge of high pressure to the cyclone's north caused it to turn westward over the Florida Keys by August 26, and Isaac entered the eastern Gulf of Mexico the following day. Gradual intensification occurred, in which the system reached its peak intensity of 80 mph (130 km/h) prior to making two landfalls, both at the same intensity, on the coast of Louisiana during the late evening hours of August 28 and early morning hours of August 29, respectively. The system gradually weakened once inland, but still produced a widespread tornado outbreak across the middle of the country before dissipating into an open low early on September 1.

Prior to becoming a hurricane, Isaac produced flooding rainfall across much of the Lesser and Greater Antilles. Particularly hard hit was the island of Haiti, where 24 people lost their lives. Overflowing rivers led to significant structural damage and many roadways were washed away, preventing aid to the affected area. While gusty winds and rainfall were reported in Cuba, damage was limited to a few buildings. In Florida, Isaac produced several inches of rainfall, leading to flooding. Strong winds knocked out power to thousands, and waves along the coast caused minor beach erosion. The most severe effects of the storm, however, occurred in Louisiana following the storm's upgrade to hurricane intensity.

Tropical storm-force sustained winds, with gusts well over hurricane strength, knocked out power to hundreds of thousands, while heavy rainfall led to flooding. Many dams along the coastline were briefly over-topped, though they did not break completely and were later pumped to prevent failure. Gusts near hurricane intensity and heavy rainfall also led to widespread power outages in the neighboring state of Mississippi, while portions of Alabama recorded nearly 1 ft (0.3 m) of precipitation. As an extratropical cyclone, Isaac produced torrential rains across Arkansas, flooding numerous streets and homes, and damaging many crops across the region. Strong winds contributed to downed lines and trees. Overall, Isaac caused $2.39 billion (2012 USD) in damage and led to 41 fatalities.

Meteorological history
During the early morning hours of August 16, 2012, a tropical wave moved off the western coast of Africa and into the eastern Atlantic Ocean. Tracking generally westward, the wave gradually organized as convection – shower and thunderstorm activity – burst along its axis. A broad low-pressure area developed in association with the disturbance early on August 17, at which time the National Hurricane Center (NHC) assessed the system with a low change of tropical development. These chances were subsequently raised over the coming days as the disorganized system continued west, and the probability of development was raised to the high category late on August 18. Despite this, the influence of moderate wind shear and quicker-than-average trade winds delayed development until early on August 20, when a well-defined center of circulation became distinguishable on satellite imagery. Following a series of satellite intensity estimates, the NHC determined the system was sufficiently well-organized to be declared a tropical depression at 0600 UTC on August 21, while situated nearly halfway between the Lesser Antilles and the Cape Verde Islands. Twelve hours later, the depression intensified even further and was classified as Tropical Storm Isaac, the eighth named storm of the season. At the time of the upgrade, Isaac was situated approximately 450 mi east of the Lesser Antilles.

As was the case prior to formation, an unusually strong subtropical ridge to the cyclone's north caused Isaac to continue westward at a fast clip. The center of the system moved through the Leeward Islands, between the islands of Guadeloupe and Dominica, during the evening hours of August 22 and pre-dawn hours of the following day. As noted by surface observations, the strongest winds in association with Isaac were located to the north of the center at this time. On August 24, as the system passed through the eastern Caribbean Sea, aircraft and satellite data indicated a deterioration of the storm's structure. The low-level center of circulation subsequently relocated farther south, leading to a northward shift in the track. In addition, a trough over the eastern United States began to erode the western periphery of the high pressure to Isaac's north, causing it to begin moving northwestward. Regardless, as the storm entered a region of slower trade winds, it began to strengthen. Though the possibility of the system intensifying into a minimal hurricane prior to landfall was noted, Isaac attained maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) shortly before coming ashore the southern tip of Haiti around 0600 UTC on August 25. An eye was noted at the time of landfall by microwave imagery, but was torn apart by the mountainous terrain of Hispaniola a few hours later. The center of Isaac emerged into the Gulf of Gonave early on August 25 in a much weaker state, and the tropical storm made a second landfall on the southeastern coast of Cuba around 1500 UTC. At this time, maximum sustained winds were estimated at 60 mph (95 km/h). After spending a few hours over land, the storm emerged into The Bahamas and began to grow in size.

United States
Tropical cyclone watches and warnings began in the United States late on August 24. A tropical storm watch from the Jupiter Inlet, Florida to Bonita Springs, which included the Florida Keys and Lake Okeechobee. Early on August 25, it was upgraded to a tropical storm warning. Simultaneously, a hurricane watch was issued for Bonita Springs to Ocean Reef, in addition to the Florida Keys, while a tropical storm watch was implemented for the Jupiter Inlet to the Sebastian Inlet. By 0900 UTC on August 25, the hurricane watch was upgraded to a hurricane warning. By late on August 30, all tropical cyclone watches and warnings were discontinued.

Florida
In preparation of Isaac, Governor Rick Scott declared a state of emergency for all of Florida on August 25. A mandatory evacuation was ordered for zones A, B, and C in Escambia County. Many shelters were opened for those who had no where to go, and all county schools were shut down. At the Pensacola Naval Air Station, many planes were either evacuated from the base or placed into secure hangers. Farther east in Santa Rosa County, a mandatory evacuation for all mobile home parks, campgrounds, low-lying areas, and RV parks. In Walton County, special needs and general shelters were opened to the public, and all schools and government offices were to be shut down throughout the duration of the storm. In South Florida, specifically in Monroe County, many schools were used as shelters. In Miami-Dade County, all public schools and universities–including Florida International University and Miami University cancelled classes. While the airport in the county remained open, it cancelled hundreds of flights and delayed many others. As the storm passed, regular services became available once again. Across the remainder of the state, especially along coastal counties, most schools and government buildings were closed. Isaac also threatened the Republican National Convention in Tampa. The convention continued as planned with the exception of the first day, August 27, with numerous events either postponed or cancelled.

Lesser Antilles
The outerbands of Isaac brought showers and thunderstorms to Trinidad and Tobago. Significant flooding and landslides occurred, damaging homes in several cities. In the United States Virgin Islands, rainfall ranging from 2 – were reported, along with strong gusts.

Venezuela
The outer bands of Isaac produced heavy rainfall in Venezuela. In the state of Sucre, the Manzanares River overflowed its banks in the town of Cumanacoa, inundating approximately 1,200 homes, many of which were damaged and a few destroyed. Some residents had to be airlifted to safety. Similar flooding occurred elsewhere in the country, such as in Caracas where 40 families had to be evacuated. Across Caracas, transportation was significantly disrupted as the local Metro suspended service and debris blocked local roads. The most significant flooding in the city occurred in western areas where hundreds of families had to be evacuated. In the state of Monagas, heavy rains and high winds damaged a total of 47 homes. Several roads were blocked by downed trees and flooding, temporarily isolating a few cities. Across the states of Anzoátegui, Monagas, and Sucre, 3,200 families were affected by the floods and 600 homes were damaged or destroyed. In the state of Yaracuy, flooding destroyed 10 homes and affected 70 others. At least two people were killed and two others were listed as missing in various events related to the storm.

Greater Antilles
Precipitation amounts were generally between 2 and 4 in in Puerto Rico, with a peak of 9.28 in near Ponce. The highest recorded storm surge in Puerto Rico was 1.23 ft at Mayagüez. In Dominican Republic, rainfall peaked at 16.18 in in Barahona. There were 5 confirmed fatalities in Dominican Republic. River flooding and storm surge forced almost 13,000 people to flee their homes and isolated 90 towns, including Pedernales. An estimated 864 homes suffered flood damage. Losses to agriculture alone totaled about $30 million, with between 5 and 10% of banana and coconut crops damaged.

The storm brought heavy rainfall to Haiti. Nearly 15,000 families were evacuated and 218 camps were affected by the storm, which were still used as shelter in the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Within the camps, about 6,000 people lost shelter, while an additional 1,000 houses were destroyed. The departments of Ouest and Sud-Est were most severely affected by the storm, including the cities of Port-au-Prince to Jacmel. Damage to the electrical network reached about 336 million Haitian gourdes ($8 million USD). There were 24 deaths, 42 injuries, and 3 people left missing in Haiti. One fatality occurred when a tree fell on a home in Marigot, killing the occupant, a 51 year old woman. A 10 year old girl died in Thomazeau when a wall collapsed on her.

Almost 50,000 people in Cuba evacuated to higher ground during the storm. Heavy rainfall was reported on the eastern portion of the island, with 14.08 in in San Antonio del Sur, Guantánamo and 10.8 in in El Plátano, Granma. The storm destroyed 4 homes and damaged 19 others in Baracoa, Guantánamo. Additionally, 72 homes were flooded due to the Sagua de Tánamo River overflowing in Holguín Province. Isaac also knocked down power lines and damaged about 1,100 acres of plantain, cocoa, and coconut plants.

United States
Due to the relatively weak nature of the storm, most of the impact caused by Isaac in the United States was due to flooding and storm surge. Precipitation peaked at 26.71 in in Pascagoula, Mississippi, with similar totals observed in southeastern Louisiana. Although substantial flooding occurred in some states – especially Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi – rainfall was beneficial in other states due to an ongoing severe drought. Storm surge caused severe damage, especially in southeastern Louisiana. However, due to improvements to the levee system since hurricanes Katrina and Rita, New Orleans was mostly spared. Additionally, there was a tornado outbreak associated with Isaac and its remnants. A total of 34 tornadoes were spawned, with three in Alabama, two in Arkansas, one in Delaware, five in Florida, eleven in Illinois, one in Indiana, six in Mississippi, four in Missouri, and one in New Jersey. Although wind damage was generally minor, over 1.1 million people were left without electricity, including 901,000 in Louisiana and at least 113,000 in Florida. Overall, nine fatalities and $2.35 billion in damage were reported.

Florida
Passing southwest of the Florida Keys, sustained winds in the state peaked at 55 mph at Smith Shoal Light. Although winds caused little damage, around 113,000 customers were left without electricity in South Florida, alone. The most significant impact was flooding due to heavy rainfall from the outerbands. Precipitation in the state peaked at 16.5 in in Vero Beach. Further south, several other locations reported at least 10 in of rain, including 15.86 in at Lion Country Safari in Loxahatchee, 13.74 in in Boynton Beach, 13.54 in near Grovenor Estates in Vero Beach, 13.45 in in Whispering Pines,13.1 in in Greenacres, 13.02 in in Port St. Lucie, 12.33 in in Palm City. Palm Beach County was the most severely impacted by flooding. Whole neighborhoods in The Acreage, Loxahatchee, Royal Palm Beach, and Wellington were left stranded for up to several days. Flooding also caused damage to homes, businesses, and roads, with losses totaling almost $71.6 million. One indirect death was reported in Palm Beach County due to a traffic accident in West Palm Beach, due to slick roads; another person died due to a similar scenario in Okeechobee County. Further south in Broward County, flood damage reached $1 million.

Throughout the state, Isaac spawned five tornadoes, all of which ranked as only F0 on the Fujita scale. The first tornado, spawned in Osceola County, destroyed an abandoned mobile home, broke a window on another home, and knocked shrub and fence damage on the property, before toppling several trees in a citrus. The worst twister occurred in Indian River County and it damaged 118 mobile homes and 15 single-family homes. Losses from that tornado alone reached about $850,000. A third tornado that touched down in Hillsborough County damaged fences, trees, and roofs at six residences. Two other tornadoes were both spawned in the Florida Panhandle. The first was spawned in Jackson County and caused no damage, while the second tore the front porch off a mobile home and downed numerous trees in Holmes County. Storm surge and tides brought coastal flooding to Southwest Florida, particularly in Collier County. Some people were left stranded between Everglades and Chokoloskee due to inundated roadways. Water also flooded marinas, streets, yards, and entered a few homes in Goodland. Losses in Collier County totaled about $6 million. Damage in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties amounted to $10.4 million and $1.2 million, respectively. Overall, Isaac was responsible for two indirect fatalities and approximately $91 million in losses.

Louisiana
Storm surge in Louisiana peaked at 11.03 ft in Shell Beach, which is located on the southern edge of Lake Borgne in St. Bernard Parish. Precipitation from the storm in Louisiana peaked at 23.22 in in Hammond.

In Plaquemines Parish, storm surge left some areas inundated with 10 to 17 ft of water. Homes, cars, and other debris were swept onto Highway 93 in Braithwaite. Within the city, over 100 people were rescued from flooded homes and on rooftops. Additionally, about 400 head of cattle died in Plaquemines Parish alone. In St. John the Baptist Parish, water from Lake Pontchartrain flooded in LaPlace. Nearly 4,000 people requiring rescuing from their homes. Interstate 10 was briefly closed because of standing water. About 1,000 more people were rescued after storm surge breached a levee in Lafourche Parish.

Damage occurred primarily due to inundation from storm surge. The New Orleans area was relatively unscathed, due to levees built after hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. However, major flooding occurred in unprotected areas of St. Bernard, Orleans, and St. Tammany Parishes. Throughout the state, at least 901,000 homes lost electricity, which accounts for 47% of the state's energy users. Approximately 59,000 homes suffered flood damage. Crops were also severely impacted by flooding, especially citrus and sugarcane. About 380,000 acres of the latter was damaged, which was equivalent to about 90% of the crop planted. There were at least 5 deaths in Louisiana, 3 direct and 2 indirect.

Elsewhere in the South
In South Carolina, up to 9.08 in of precipitation fell near Mount Pleasant. Local flooding was reported in the Charleston area, with several low-lying streets inundated with water, leaving about 20 vehicles stranded.

Mid-Atlantic
Every state in the Mid-Atlantic observed rainfall in association with the remnants of Isaac, though no flooding occurred. Tropical moisture associated with the remnants of Isaac and an approaching cold front resulted in instability and wind shear within the atmosphere over the Mid-Atlantic states. As a result, tornadoes were spawned as far east as Delaware and New Jersey. In the former, a tornado touched down in Kent County, near the city of Camden on September 3. The twisted moved from south to north, parallel to a nearby railroad track. It damaged several houses and injured two people, one of whom was a firefighter attempted to provide assistance to a resident of the area, while the other person was cut by glass. On September 4, another tornado was spawned in Camden County, New Jersey near Mount Ephraim. The tornado moved east-northeastward and damage many roofs, after a number of tree limbs fell. One tree was uprooted and a number of others were bent.