Hurricane Eloise encyclopedia topics

Storm history

On September 6, a tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa. It moved westward across the shear-ridden Atlantic, gradually organizing until it became a tropical depression on September 13 over the Tropical Atlantic. The depression slowly got stronger, and became a tropical storm on the 16th just north of Puerto Rico. As an anticyclone developed over Eloise, the storm rapidly intensified to a hurricane just before hitting the north coast of the Dominican Republic on the 17th.

Eloise continued westward over Hispaniola and hit eastern Cuba on September 18. It emerged into the Caribbean Sea late on the 18th. The high mountains of Hispaniola and Cuba greatly disrupted the circulation center, and Eloise tracked westward as a minimal tropical storm. With a very favorable atmosphere aloft, Eloise slowly organized to a tropical storm before hitting Cozumel, Mexico on the 21st.

An approaching upper level trough to Eloise's north pulled the hurricane northward and northeastward. Warm Gulf of Mexico waters allowed Eloise to continue to intensify, reaching hurricane strength on September 22 while south of New Orleans. Eloise continued to strengthen up until landfall as it moved northeastward, reaching a peak of winds on the 23rd. It made landfall at that intensity midway between Fort Walton Beach and Panama City, Florida.

Cooler, drier air weakened Eloise greatly as it moved northward through the Southeast United States, becoming extratropical on September 24. The remnants dropped very heavy rain in the Mid-Atlantic states.

Impact

Caribbean Sea

Hurricane Eloise was a wet and disorganized tropical depression as it moved through the Leeward Islands and the Greater Antilles. In St. Kitts and St. Martin, rainfall amounts ranged from 5-10 inches, with lesser amounts in the northern islands. Winds were light, and damage was minimal.

Storm deaths by region
Region	Direct deaths
Puerto Rico	34
Dominican Republic	7
Haiti	18
Florida	4
other United States	17
Total	80

Puerto Rico fared much worse. Extreme rainfall was attributed to the storm passing through, with a maximum of in Dos Bocas. Severe flooding led to mudslides, causing $60 million in damage (1975 USD, $224.7 million 2005 USD) and 34 deaths, mostly from drowning. Hispaniola received similar effects, with torrential flooding and mudslides. Damage totals are unknown, and Eloise was responsible for 7 deaths in Dominican Republic and 18 casualties in southern Haiti.

After passing through Puerto Rico and Hispaniola, Eloise was very weak and disorganized. Much of its convection remained to the south, sparing Cuba and Jamaica from any significant effects. Minor wind gusts occurred, but damage was minimal. It remained weak as it made landfall on northeastern Yucatán Peninsula, causing no reported damage or deaths.

Gulf of Mexico

In advance of the hurricane, the Coast Guard helped evacute over 800 people from the offshore oil rigs.

Florida

In advance of the storm, approximately 100,000 people fled the Florida panhandle. Hurricane Eloise, strengthening while moving northeastward through the Gulf of Mexico, strengthened up until landfall, bringing a 12-16 foot storm surge and significant beach erosion. With the storm came widespread heavy rainfall, with 4-8 inches of rain in most locations and one report of from Eglin Air Force Base . Much of the heavy rain occurred when warm air brought north by Eloise combined with cold air from an approaching cold front.

Nineteen planes were destroyed at Fort Walton Beach and Destin airports. More than 30 boats in Destin were severely damaged. A seawall in Panama City Beach collapsed, swamping two motels. The storm surge and wave action damaged portions of U.S. Highway 89.

Damage in Bay County, Florida alone totaled US$50 million (1975 dollars).

Because it hit Panama City, Florida, a relatively unpopulated area, there were only 4 deaths, all indirectly associated to the storm. Damage amounted to US$200 million (1975 dollars) from Florida to Louisiana, a possibly lower number than if a similar hurricane hit a more populated region.

Remainder of the Southeast

Winds and rains from the cyclone led to numerous trees downed. Still a hurricane while plowing through Alabama, the highest wind gust reported from an inland location in the United States from Eloise was 120 mph/104 knots at a location northwest of Ozark, Alabama. The highest wind gust recorded in Georgia was 61 mph/53 knots at Columbus.

Eastern United States

Eloise's remnants brought great moisture to the Northeast third of the United States in the combination of warm, tropical air and cold air from a cold front. From Virginia through New Jersey, of rain were reported, while New York and Pennsylvania experienced . Westminster, Maryland received the maximum amount from the storm in this region with a total of .

The excessive rainfall across the Mid-Atlantic states led to overflown rivers from flash flooding. 17 people were killed in this area, many from drowning, with damage estimated at US$300 million (1975 dollars, US$1.1 billion in 2005), mostly from crop and road damage.

Retirement

The name Eloise was retired in the spring of 1976, and will never be used for an Atlantic hurricane again. Because of a name change in 1979, there was no replacement name for the storm.