 | This article needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(December 2019) |
 Betsy north of theTurks and Caicos Islands fromTIROS VIII on September 4, 1965 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | August 27, 1965 |
| Extratropical | September 12, 1965 |
| Dissipated | September 13, 1965 |
| Category 4 major hurricane | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
| Highest winds | 140 mph (220 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 942mbar (hPa); 27.82 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 81 |
| Damage | $1.42 billion (1965USD) |
| Areas affected | |
IBTrACS | |
Part of the1965 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Hurricane Betsy was an intense, deadly and destructivetropical cyclone that brought widespread damage to areas of Florida, the Bahamas, and the centralUnited States Gulf Coast in September 1965. The storm's erratic nature, coupled with its intensity and minimal preparation time contributed to making Betsy the first tropical cyclone in theAtlantic basin to accrue at least $1 billion in damage.[nb 1] While the storm primarily affected areas of southern Florida andLouisiana, lesser effects were felt inthe Bahamas and as far inland in the United States as theOhio River Valley. Betsy began as atropical depression north ofFrench Guiana on August 27, and strengthened as it moved in a general northwesterly direction. After executing a slightanticyclonic loop north of the Bahamas, Betsy proceeded to move through areas ofsouth Florida on September 8, causing extensive crop damage. After emerging into theGulf of Mexico, the cyclone strengthened and reached its peak intensity equivalent to that of aCategory 4 hurricane on September 10 before making its finallandfall nearGrand Isle, Louisiana, shortly thereafter. Once inland, Betsy was slow to weaken, and persisted for two more days before degenerating into anextratropical storm; these remnants lasted until September 13.
As a developing tropical cyclone, Betsy tracked over the northernLeeward Islands, producing moderate gusts and slight rainfall, though only minimal damage was reported. After tracking over open waters for several days, Betsy had significantly strengthened upon moving through the Bahamas. There, considerable damage occurred, particularly to crops on the archipelago's islands. For the island chain, Betsy was considered the worst hurricane since atropical cyclone impacted the region in1929. Widespreadpower outage and property damage ensued due to the storm's strong winds. Overall, damage on the Bahamas amounted to at least $14 million, and one fatality occurred. From there Betsy tracked westward and made landfall onsouthern Florida, where it was considered the worst tropical cyclone since ahurricane in 1926. Betsy's strongstorm surge inundated large portions of theFlorida Keys, flooding streets and causing widespread damage. The only route out of the Keys onto the mainland was cut off by the storm. In the state alone, Betsy caused $139 million in damage and five deaths.
Betsy's most severe impacts were felt in Louisiana, where it made landfall as a powerful Category 4 hurricane. The cyclone propelled damagingstorm surge intoLake Pontchartrain, breaching levees inNew Orleans and inundating several neighborhoods, most notably thelower Ninth Ward. Strong winds caused widespread power and telecommunications outages across the region. Further inland, effects wrought by Betsy were considerably weaker, though precipitation caused by the storm extended as far northeast asPennsylvania. Rainfall was primarily beneficial inArkansas, though localized flooding impactedrice andcotton crops. InKentucky andIllinois, strong winds caused moderate property damage. By the time the remnants of Betsy moved into the northeastern United States, the storm's winds and rainfall had substantially lessened, and as such resulting wind damage was negligible while precipitation benefited crops. In total, the damage wrought by Betsy throughout its existence equated to roughly $1.42 billion, making it thecostliest Atlantic hurricane at the time. In addition the hurricane caused 81 deaths, primarily in Louisiana. After the season, theUnited States Weather Bureau retired thename Betsy from theirrotating lists of tropical cyclone names.
Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depressionOrigins of Hurricane Betsy can be traced back to anarea of disturbed weather southwest ofCape Verde that first identified viaTIROSsatellite imagery on August 23.[1] Tracking westward, thetropical wave was intercepted by aUnited States Navyreconnaissance airplane early on August 27,[2] which concluded that the disturbance had become atropical cyclone of moderate intensity.[3] Based on information from the flight, it was estimated that the system had organized into atropical depression by 0000 UTC on August 27,[4] 350 mi (560 km) east-southeast ofBarbados.[1] Although operationally theUnited States Weather Bureau office inSan Juan, Puerto Rico upgraded the disturbance totropical storm intensity three hours after their first tropical cyclone bulletin that same day,[nb 2][2][3] post-analysis indicated that the tropical depression had remained at the same intensity up until 1200 UTC on August 29.[4] Nonetheless, the tropical cyclone was given the name Betsy for a period of time as a tropical depression,[2] contrary to typicaltropical cyclone naming procedure.[6] As Betsy approached theWindward Islands, it began to move in a more northwesterly direction,[3][7] and was briefly located in theCaribbean Sea during the overnight hours of August 28 before re-emerging into the Atlantic Ocean the following day,[4][7][8] after which Betsy was upgraded to tropical storm classification in post-analysis.[4]
Upon moving to the northwest of theLeeward Islands, Betsy entered conditions favorable for marked development. Anupper-leveltrough centered a short distance north of the tropical storm enhancedoutflow conditions and speeddivergence.[1] Under these conditions, Betsy proceeded to quickly intensify,[1] and reconnaissance missions tasked by theUnited States Air Force[nb 3] and Weather Bureau indicated that the tropical storm had reached hurricane intensity by 0000 UTC on August 30,[2][4] centered roughly 200 mi (320 km) north-northeast ofPuerto Rico. By coincidence, forecast responsibilities were transferred to the Weather Bureau Office inMiami, Florida at the same time;[2] however, the hurricane was still under the purview of the Weather Bureau per se.[8] Due to increasingatmospheric pressureheights to the north,[1] Betsy drastically slowed in forward speed and intensification,[2][4] and remained stationary for a period of time on August 31 before it began to drift westward.[4][10][11][12] On September 2, Betsy began to quickly intensify,[13] and after strengthening to a Category 3 hurricane-equivalent – amajor hurricane on the modern-daySaffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale[nb 4] – the small hurricane attained Category 4 intensity and reached an initial peak intensity with winds of 140 mph (220 km/h) at 0000 UTC on September 4, while situated well north of theTurks and Caicos.[2][4][15]
However, on September 5, ablocking ridge ofhigh pressure situated over theEastern United States forced Betsy to make a tight,[16][17] clockwise loop and track in an unusual southwesterly path, redirecting it towards Florida andThe Bahamas.[1][2] At roughly the same time, the hurricane weakened to Category 2 intensity, though it later restrengthened to Category 3 intensity on September 6.[4] Betsy's atypical southwesterly path brought it directly over several islands in the northern Bahamas,[2] includingGreat Abaco Island.[18] After stalling for a third time over portions of the central Bahamas, the major hurricane resumed its prior westward track towardsSouth Florida.[1][2][4][19] Early on September 8,[20] Betsy madelandfall onKey Largo in extreme southeastern Florida with winds of 125 mph (205 km/h) and a minimumbarometric pressure of 953 mbar (hPa; 28.15 inHg).[21][4] Without much change in strength,[4] the intense hurricane quickly traversed theUpper Keys andFlorida Bay before emerging midday on September 8 into theGulf of Mexico.[1][22]
Situated in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico on September 8,[21] Betsy began to strengthen and accelerate towards the west and then northwest,[4] under the influence of the sameridge of high pressure that had forced it southwestward three days prior.[1] At roughly the same time, hurricane forecast operations were handed over the Weather Bureau Office inNew Orleans, Louisiana.[23] During its trek through the gulf, Betsy accelerated to a maximum forward speed of 22 mph (35 km/h), a speed anomalously high for a tropical cyclone traversing the Gulf of Mexico.[1] At 0600 UTC on September 9, the hurricane was estimated to have regained Category 4 intensity, and continued to strengthen as it neared the CentralUnited States Gulf Coast. At 0000 UTC the next day, Betsy reached its primary peak intensity with winds of 140 mph (220 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 942 mbar (hPa; 27.79 inHg) shortly before moving ashore a rural area of Louisiana coastline adjacent toHouma andGrand Isle early on September 10.[21][24][4] Once inland, Betsy quickly weakened,[21] and paralleled theMississippi River before degenerating into a tropical depression by 0600 UTC the following day. Afterwards, it began to track northeastward along theOhio River before it transitioned into anextratropical cyclone on September 12.[4] The remnant extratropical circulation of Betsy persisted into southernOhio before dissipating entirely by 0000 UTC on September 13.[25]
AtCape Kennedy,NASA delayed the erection of anAtlas-Centaur rocket which was to be used to launch a craft towards theMoon as part of theSurveyor Program on September 2. Several other prepared rockets on the site's launch pads were readied for potential emergency scramble should the hurricane impact the area.[26] Other American space personnel stationed inGrand Turk Island andMayaguana began preparatory measures after the United States Air Force issued a No. 1 alert for the region.[27] Personnel from a small outpost on Allan Cay were evacuated toGrand Bahama, despite indications at the time that Betsy would curve away from the Bahamas or theEast Coast of the United States.[28][29] AtBrunswick, Georgia'sNaval Air Station Glynco, 21 jetfighter-bombers were evacuated inland.[30] On September 4, helicopters arrived at theFrying Pan Shoals Light to evacuate the lighthouse's operators due to the impending threat of a hurricane strike.[31] In thePalm Beach area, a group composed of regionalRed Cross disaster chairman Forest W. Dana and nearby town officials held a nearly nonstop radio vigil service.[32] Red Cross volunteers inThe Carolinas set up three district headquarters to prepare shelters, first aid programs, and communications.[33] Therelief agency also readied seven first aid and food vans in the cities ofNew Bern and Wilmington in North Carolina andCharleston, South Carolina.[34] TheUnited States Department of Agriculture prepared food supplies in the event of an emergency for the two states.[33]
After Betsy stalled and assumed a southwesterly course towards southern Florida, precautionary measures ceased in the Carolinas but were initiated in Florida and The Bahamas.Mackey Airlines assisted in the evacuation of 227 residents of West End Island to Miami,Fort Lauderdale, andWest Palm Beach, Florida, over the course of three flights. Three additionalDouglas DC-6 airliners from Mackey Airlines evacuated 240 people, primarily American tourists, fromNassau to Miami. Various commercial flights between the archipelago and Florida were cancelled due to the impending storm. In Florida, various relief agencies prepared 9,000 hot dogs, 8,000 hamburgers, and 6,000 servings of chicken, to be donated to local hospitals and charitable organizations.[35] The United States Weather Bureau urged for the reopening of grocery stores and lumberyards which had been closed forLabor Day in order to increase availability of hurricane preparedness materials to potentially affected populations.[36] Indowntown Miami, a traffic coordination plan for the evacuation of vehicles and aquatic craft through theBrickell Avenue Bridge was set in place.Homestead Air Reserve Base went into Phase 2 of its hurricane preparedness plan, in which aircraft stationed at the base were serviced for potential evacuation to bases inMichigan andIndiana.[37] Upon Betsy's recurvature southwestward toward the peninsula on September 7, the Weather Bureau strongly advised evacuation procedures between Fort Lauderdale and Key Largo.[38] Evacuation was strongly advised in the Florida Keys, where rising water as a result of the storm could potentially flood over portions ofU.S. Route 1 – the only primary access route from the Keys to the mainland.[39] Overall, an estimated 50,000 residents were within coastal regions where evacuations were advised. The U.S. Navy abandoned its housing project on Big Pine Key to avoid the hurricane, while sheriff deputies in Marathon, Tavernier, andIslamorada strongly advised evacuation in those respective cities.[40] Various offices, businesses, and schools were closed in advance of the hurricane.[39] Airlines cancelled service to Fort Lauderdale and Miami.[41] In the latter, city crews dismantled traffic lights alongBiscayne Boulevard; such procedure was influenced by the damage wrought byHurricane Cleo ayear prior.
On September 7, the United States Weather Bureau predicted that Betsy would make landfall inMatanzas Province inCuba.[42] TheNational Observatory of Cuba expressed concern for the island's northern coast from theprovinces ofHavana toCamagüey, and in particular the provinces of Matanzas andLas Villas.[43][nb 5] Cuban radio alerted residents along the country's northern coast, potentially threatened by the hurricane, to take the necessary precautions in the event of an emergency.[46] Radio services inHavana alerted residents along the shores ofPinar del Río Province of potentially dangerous storm surge, and urged immediate precautionary measures.[43]
Upon the operationaldevelopment of Betsy into a tropical storm on August 27,[2] the San Juan Weather Bureau Office issuedgale warnings for Barbados,St. Vincent and the Grenadines, andMartinique. The weather office advised for small craft in the Windward and Leeward Islands to remain in port until the storm passed. These gale warnings were later expanded to includeDominica andGuadeloupe the next day.[3] Midday on August 28, warnings were lowered for Barbados and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and raised for areas of the northern Leeward Islands and laterPuerto Rico. Late that day, warnings in Dominica and Guadeloupe were discontinued.[7] All warnings associated with the developing tropical cyclone were discontinued for a period of time on August 29,[8] as Betsy was pulling away from any landmasses. After the hurricane temporarily stalled and began to track westward on September 1,[4] the Weather Bureau began to warn interests in the Bahamas. Though no warnings were specified, the tropical cyclone tracking agency forecasted winds of potentiallyhurricane-force and strong surf to impact the Turks and Caicos Islands and Mayaguana;[12] such forecasts were changed after Betsy began tracking northwest.[1][4][13] Threatening the coasts ofGeorgia andThe Carolinas on September 4,[1] the Weather Bureau announced the possibility of ahurricane watch for those coastal areas, but decided to delay the issuance of such watches due to Betsy's slow movement at the time.[16] Nonetheless, the organization advised for small craft in coastal waters adjacent to the coast between Cape Kennedy toSandy Hook, New Jersey to remain in port, and other small craft north of Miami, Florida and into Bahamian waters to exercise caution.[47] As a result of Betsy executing a loop and beginning to tracking southwestward, these watches were never issued, however, the Weather Bureau advised extreme caution in several Bahamian islands, though once again no warnings were specified.[17] However, general emergency hurricane warning was issued early on September 16 for islands in the northern Bahamas, as well as adjacent waters.[48][49] Hurricane watches and gale warnings were also issued for surrounding islands at the same time.[49] These warnings and watch products for the Bahamas held until late on September 7.[19]
Early on September 6, as Betsy was tracking through the Bahamas,[2] a hurricane watch and gale warning were issued for portions of the Southeastern Floridian coast from Cape Kennedy toKey West. Late that day, however, areas of the watch zone from Palm Beach to Key West and Everglades City were upgraded to hurricane emergency warning status. Additional hurricane watches were hoisted for areas of Florida's western coast fromEverglades City toPunta Gorda.[49] The following evening, the hurricane emergency warning zone was expanded to include areas of the east coast northward toFort Pierce and on the west coast northward toVenice. Gale warnings were also expanded to include coastal areas fromJacksonville toSt. Marks. Hurricane watches were similarly extended to include coastal regions of Florida from the boundaries of the hurricane warnings toDaytona Beach andCedar Keys on the peninsula's eastern and western coasts, respectively.[19] Once Betsy began moving through the peninsula, however, warning and watch products began to be discontinued by regions, with all products pertaining to Florida discontinued by midday on September 8.[22][50] After leaving the Florida area, the first hurricane watch pertaining to the Central Gulf Coast of the United States occurred late on September 8, when the Weather Bureau office in New Orleans issued a hurricane watch for coastal areas fromMatagorda Bay to theMississippi River Delta.[23] Early the following day, hurricane emergency warnings were issued for areas stretching fromGalveston, Texas to the Mississippi River Delta and gale warnings elsewhere fromMobile Bay toMatagorda Bay.[51] Upon completing its northwestward recurvature, hurricane emergency warnings were shifted eastward to include areas from the mouth of the Mississippi River Delta toMobile, Alabama. Gale warnings were effected by this change, and as such were also extended to include areas west ofPanama City, Florida.[52] On September 9, hurricane warnings were once again extended eastward toPensacola, Florida, while they were lowered for the Texas coast.[53] These warnings remained in effect until September 10, by which time Betsy had weakened sufficiently enough not to warrant such warnings and watches.[54]
The effects of Hurricane Betsy were of far-reaching and unprecedented severity.[2][21] Though the extent of impacts were limited to the Bahamas and portions of the United States, the damage in these respective regions were considerable.[1] According to theHurricane Research Division of theAtlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Betsy produced Category 3 winds (111 mph (179 km/h) or greater) in Southeastern Florida and Southeastern Louisiana.[55] However, winds of such intensity were also reported in the Bahamas.[1] The final, enumerated damage figure of $1.42 billion in damage costs made Betsy the firsttropical cyclone in the United States to accrue more than $1 billion in damage, unadjusted forinflation.[56] For this reason, the tropical cyclone was nicknamed "Billion Dollar Betsy."[57][58]
During Betsy's initial approach of the Bahamian archipelago on September 2, strong surf and high swells were reported in the Southeastern islands, though no damage was reported.[59][60] Much of the damage inflicted to the Bahamas by Betsy occurred between September 6–8, when the tropical cyclone moved across the northern Bahamas as a Category 3 hurricane.[1][4] The preceding track was similar to that of anothermajor hurricane in1929, which had also drastically curved southwestward before causing significant damage to the island group.[35] Likewise, Betsy was considered the worst hurricane to strike the region since then.[61] Stalling over the Bahamas for a period of time as it moved through the islands, several locations sustained the Betsy's effects for prolonged periods of time, despite the tropical cyclone's relatively small size.[1][2] Widespreadpower outage and communication blackouts ensued, preventing the flow of reports between the northern Bahamas and other outlets as the storm took place.[62]
This included NASA communication centers in Cape Kennedy, which had lost contact with downrange missile tracking stations in the archipelago.[63] Over the duration of the hurricane, the lowest pressure measured was 961 mbar (hPa; 28.40 inHg) inDunmore Town onHarbour Island. However, no wind measurement was recorded alongside the pressure reading due to a resulting power failure.[1]
Offshore, the Dutch freighter Sarah Elizabeth was caught in rough seas and had lost control of its rudder while it was pulled by continuous wave action towardsEgg Island.[43][63] As a result, the ship's operators relayed aSOS signal, to which theUnited States Coast Guard responded by dispatching acutter and several merchant ships to assist in escorting the stricken freighter to safety. However, roughly five hours later the crew of the Sarah Elizabeth was able to navigate to safer waters within theProvidence Channel.[63] Two luxuryyachts within the harbor were destroyed, with dozens of smaller craft damaged, as a result of the wind and waves.[61]
Passing to the north ofNassau, Betsy caused considerable damage to the capital city and the rest ofNew Providence Island as the hurricane'seyewall stalled over the area.[1][38][43] The last message received by the Miami Weather Bureau office from communication operators in Nassau during the storm was a report of 80 mph (130 km/h) winds and rough seas late on September 6.[62] The strong winds downedpower lines,[38] trees,[42] and destroyed homes, while the heavy rainfall, having accumulated over several days, flooding city streets.[38] Other streets were littered with coconuts, palm fronds, and other debris blown or felled by the strong winds.[61] Heavy loss of shrubbery was also reported due to the storm's effects.[46] A strongstorm surge estimated at 10 ft (3.0 m) swept into the Bay Street waterfront shopping district, inundating the renowned shopping area.[42][63] The local police detachment, which had been holed up within a waterfront barracks, was forced to take refuge in a nearby high school due to the storm surge.[43] Along the coast, 500 American tourists remained stranded in waterfront hotels.[61][64] Despite the severe effects, only one person died in the Nassau area after his ship was destroyed and capsized in Nassau Harbor; this would be the only fatality associated with Betsy in the Bahamas.[1]
OnWest End onGrand Bahama, a weather station reported maximum sustained winds of 89 mph (143 km/h),[1] with other locations elsewhere on the island experiencing gusts of at least 60 mph (97 km/h). However, no damage was reported.[65] Out of all the islands, the strongest winds were reported onAbaco Island, where areas were within Betsy's swath ofhurricane-force winds for over 20 hours.[2][66] InGreen Turtle Cay, a station clocked winds of 151 mph (243 km/h), well into Category 4 intensity on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale. Another station inHope Town measured a peak wind gust of 178 mph (286 km/h).[1][67] The entirety of Hope Town was covered with sand to a depth of 2 ft (0.61 m), and the local harbor club was extensively damaged. Other docks were either damaged or completely destroyed. Though there was relatively little rainfall,[68]coastal flooding damaged many houses to a point beyond repair. InMarsh Harbour, a majority of homes were unroofed. Heavy crop and fruit tree losses were reported in Little and Northern Abaco, with damage enumerated at well over a million dollars.[69] In the southern Berry Islands, which experienced hurricane-force winds for over 25 hours and the eye for 3 hours, all the islands suffered damage of some degree. Frazers Hog Cay had several houses badly damaged, one totally destroyed and the entire power distribution destroyed. Only Bird Cay, which had underground utilities, was able to restore electricity and water the next day. The harbor at Chub Cay was severely damaged. and would take months to repair.
Across the northern portion ofEleuthera Island, Betsy wrought considerable damage.[70] Communications from the island's missile tracking center were lost, with the last transmitted message indicating winds of 130 mph (210 km/h) which subsequently destroyed an anemometer. Asubmarine communications cable connecting the missile tracking center to Cape Kennedy was cut by the strong wave action.[71] InTarpum Baya police station sustained heavy damage after being hit by storm surge. Other coastal installments and property were severely damaged by the waves. The Glass Window Bridge was also damaged by the storm surge. Elsewhere, vehicles were damaged by fallen debris kicked up by the strong winds associated with Betsy.[69] Overall, Hurricane Betsy caused an estimated $14 million in damage across the Bahamas, primarily to crops. Insurance claims were estimated at $4 million. The low death toll from the hurricane was accredited by the United States Weather Bureau to the relatively low storm tide, which,[1] although rough,[63] was negligible in areas including in Nassau, and the heeding of posted hurricane warnings by the affected populations.[1]
Beginning on September 7, intermittentsqualls associated with Betsy's outerrainbands began affecting the coast, producing gusts in excess of 60 mph (97 km/h).[63] One of these squalls toppled trees and damaged awnings inStuart.[72] Early the following day, Betsy made landfall on the southeastern Florida coast near Key Largo with a strength equivalent to that of a Category 3 hurricane.[4][21] Intense winds were felt across the region, with the highest officially wind speed clocked at 125 mph (201 km/h) inBig Pine Key; the same station also recorded the strongest gust documented while Betsy was over southern Florida at 165 mph (266 km/h). The lowest barometric pressure recorded was 952 mbar (hPa; 28.12 inHg) at a station inTavernier while it was within the eye of the storm.[1][73]
The strong winds knocked down utility poles, causing widespread power outage and a telecommunications blackout.[74] At one point, an estimated 25,000 telephones were knocked out of service, with half of the centraltelephone exchange operating on emergency backup power.[72] Sometransformers that were blown down sparked localized fires.[74] One person was killed after being electrocuted by a fallen power line.[75] The blackouts cut electric service to 80 percent of customers in the Miami and Fort Lauderdale areas. House trailers were smashed by flying debris in the same areas. Several roads were blocked by debris thrown by the wind.U.S. Highway 1 inFlorida was cut off by fallen telephone poles, preventing land access from the mainland to the Florida Keys. Similarly, numerous portions of theTamiami Trail were blocked by fallen trees.[76] A person was killed after a prostrated tree fell, crushing the individual.[77] At theMiami International Airport, two twin-engine cargo craft were blown off the airport's perimeter.[72] Heavy agricultural losses resulted from the strong winds as well. Approximately 25 to 50 percent of Florida's citrus crop was damaged after being blown down by strong winds. In addition, 90 percent ofDade andBroward counties' avocado crop,[1] valued at $2 million, was destroyed.[76]
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Much of the damage inflicted in the state was caused by an unusually strong storm surge, which inundated the coastal and low-lying areas of Florida.[1] Although the strongest storm surge was positioned north of the eye, away from the more densely populated regions ofGreater Miami, an abnormally high storm tide still prevailed and caused extensive damage along the southern coast of the peninsula.[78] Northerly winds well in advance of Betsy's landfall forced water from Florida Bay onto theFlorida Keys, and the resulting damage was then further exacerbated when southerly winds during and after the hurricane's approach forced water from the Atlantic onto the isolated Keys. Storm surge was further exacerbated by (this writer remembers) high tide (cannot substantiate) and near full moon[79] at the peak of the storm in the Miami area. This resident living one block north of the Miami city line remembers the waters of Biscayne Bay came within mm of entering his family's home on NE 88th Street perhaps 300 meters from the bay. Though storm surge was estimated to have peaked along the coast of North Key Largo at 9 ft (2.7 m), a measurement of 7.7 ft (2.3 m) in Tavernier was the highest measured total. However, ahigh water mark of 9 ft (2.7 m) on a highway west ofSugarloaf Key indicated that such estimations in North Key Largo were valid.[1] The strong storm surge caused severebeach erosion, mostly to areas south ofClearwater on the state's western coast while Betsy was traversing the Gulf of Mexico. In Fort Pierce, the waves washed away up to 10 ft (3.0 m) of beach.[72]
Coastal flooding in the Upper Keys was severe, with areas being inundated under several feet of seawater. Along theMiami Beach waterfront, a storm tide measuring 6.1 ft (1.9 m) caused extensive damage to shoreline property alongBiscayne Bay.[73] Eight people on the beach were injured, primarily due to flying glass shards.[80] Roads were inundated, with water exceeding the first floor heights of some buildings.[73] As a result of the waves and wind, three barges were torn out of their moorings, and later drifted downwind before severing a portion of theRickenbacker Causeway,[76] rendering it impassable and isolatingKey Biscayne from the mainland.[77][81] Along the waterfront, the waves blew into hotels and shoreline residences.[74]
Offshore, the strong waves caused a freighter to run aground near Palm Beach, and nine people became stranded inhouseboats near a mangrove island in Biscayne Bay.[82] Another cargo ship, thePanamanian, ran aground withinLake Worth Inlet.[81] At Key Largo, a 50 ft (15 m) sailboat was blown out of the water onto an adjacent neighborhood. Elsewhere in Key Largo, homes were unroofed by the strong winds, with other buildings damaged by flying debris.[82] Water forced into theMiami River caused it to overflow its banks and spread inland for several city blocks in Miami. In the Miami area, Betsy caused the most severe seawater inundation since amajor hurricane struck in1926;[74] this record was attributed to the highest storm surge reported in as many years.[81] A 5 mi (8.0 km) section ofState Road A1A,[83] which runs adjacent to Miami and the nearby beach, was blocked by sand dunes piled inland by the strong winds.[76] The high tide also washed out a some portions of the road between Fort Lauderdale andPompano Beach.[41]
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Precipitation was localized, albeit heavy, in South Florida. Rainfall peaked at 11.80 in (300 mm) inPlantation Key on September 8.[1][84] The weather station in Big Pine Key observed the second highest state rainfall total at 10.52 in (267 mm).[1] Elsewhere, rainfall spread as far northward asTampa Bay.[25] Although intense, the rains helped partially alleviate a concurrentdrought in theEverglades.[68][85] No damage was reported in association with the rainfall.[21] A total of threetornadoes formed in association with Betsy,[73] of which two occurred while the major hurricane was landfalling in South Florida.[21] On September 8, a tornado developed and track nearMarathon, while another occurred near Big Pine Key; both tornadoes caused no reported damage.[73] However, awaterspout formed nearFort Walton Beach off theFlorida Panhandle the following day and later destroyed a marina with twelve boats.[21][73] The relatively low number of tornadoes that formed as a result of Betsy was due to the anomalously rapid forward motion that Betsy traveled at during its traverse of the Florida peninsula and the Gulf of Mexico. Overall, five people were killed in the state,[73] and damage totaled $139 million, primarily due to the strong storm surge generated by Betsy.[1]
Eight offshore oil platforms were destroyed during Betsy, with others experiencing damage. AShell oil platform off the Mouth of the Mississippi River was not seen again. The oil rig Maverick, owned by future presidentGeorge H. W. Bush's Zapata corporation also disappeared during the cyclone. It was insured byLloyd's of London for US$5.7 million (1965 dollars).[86]
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Hurricane Betsy slammed intoGrand Isle on the evening of September 9, 1965. 110 mph (180 km/h) winds and power failures were reported in New Orleans.[87] The eye of the storm passed to the southwest of New Orleans on a northwesterly track. The northern and western eyewalls covered Southeast Louisiana and the New Orleans area from about 8 pm until 4 am the next morning. InThibodaux winds of 130 mph (210 km/h) to 140 mph (230 km/h) were reported.[88] The Baton Rouge weather bureau operated under auxiliary power, without telephone communication.[89] Around 1 am, the worst of the wind and rain was over.
Betsy also drove astorm surge intoLake Pontchartrain, just north of New Orleans, and the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, a deep-water shipping channel to the east and south. Levees for the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet along Florida Avenue in theLower Ninth Ward and on both sides of the Industrial Canal failed. The flood water reached theeaves of houses in some places and over some one story roofs in the Lower Ninth Ward. Some residents drowned in their attics trying to escape the rising waters.
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These levee breaches flooded parts ofGentilly, theUpper Ninth Ward, and the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans as well asArabi andChalmette in neighboring St. Bernard Parish.
On the morning of September 10, 1965, US SenatorRussell Long called PresidentLyndon Johnson pleading for federal aid and for him to visit the city of New Orleans.[90] During the phone call Long suggested that the gesture would help Long, US RepresentativeEdwin Willis, and Johnson himself win re-election.[91] Five hours later, Johnson arrived in the, promising New Orleans MayorVic Schiro federal aid.[90][92]
It was ten days or more before the water level in New Orleans went down enough for people to return to their homes. It took even longer than that to restore their flooded houses to a livable condition. Those who did not have family or friends with dry homes had to sleep in the shelters at night and forage for supplies during the day, while waiting for the federal government to provide emergency relief in the form of trailers. In all, 164,000 homes were flooded at the second landfall.
Evidence suggests that cheap construction and poor maintenance of the structures led to the failure of the levees. However, popular rumor persists that they were intentionally breached,[93] possibly as a means of salvaging theFrench Quarter and central business district.
Many of the barges that had been traveling on the Mississippi River were engulfed by the hurricane. One of the barges,MTC-602, contained 600 tons of deadly chlorine gas contained in cylinders. Chlorine gas, which was used frequently as achemical weapon in World War I, is a powerful irritant that can inflict damage to the eyes, nose, throat and lungs, and (at high concentrations and prolonged exposure) cause death by asphyxiation. It was estimated that the amount of chlorine loaded on the barge was enough to kill 40,000 people. The barge had sunk nearBaton Rouge, where an estimated 300,000 people lived. The residents in the harbor area were evacuated until the barge was recovered. President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered the Navy and Army Engineers to find and raise the barge. While it took months to locate and make the appropriate plans for raising the barge, the actual process of raising it took around two hours. The barge was reportedly recovered, without any problems, on November 12, 1965.[94][95]
The storm produced rainfall, high tides, and strong winds in Mississippi. Near the border with Alabama, tides of 7 feet (2.1 m) were reported, while ranging as high as 15 feet (4.6 m) near the state line with Louisiana. Wind speeds also varied greatly throughout the state. InPascagoula, winds between 40 and 65 mph (64 and 105 km/h) were recorded. By contrast, winds were in excess of 100 mph (160 km/h) inBay St. Louis. Despite the winds, much of the property damage in the state was caused by tides along the Gulf Coast. Strong winds and heavy rainfall caused significant crop damage inHarrison,Hancock County, Mississippi, andJackson County, Mississippi. Throughout the state, 25,000 people lost electricity and more than 22,641 disruptions to telephone service occurred.[96] Overall, damage in the state of Mississippi totaled to $80 million (1965 USD).[97]
Though Betsy remained well south and west ofAlabama throughout its existence,[4][25] its outer rainbands and strong storm surge caused damage in some areas of the state, particularly in the southern portions of the state.[21] At the coast, the storm tide caused by Betsy were the highest since1916.[98] High tides peaking at 4.7 ft (56 in) inMobile destroyed and damage some private piers and waterfront buildings.[73] TheMobile Bay Causeway and adjacent infrastructure was flooded by the storm surge; as a result the causeway was closed between September 9–10.[98] Strong winds were also reported in southern Alabama. Gusts of 80 mph (130 km/h) were reported onDauphin Island just off the Alabama coast; these would be the strongest winds or gusts reported statewide. Similarly, gusts of 75 mph (121 km/h) were estimated atAlabama Port. In the former, minor damage was reported to residences and other buildings, and numerous homes sustained minor roof and carport damage.[99]Mobile County reported similar damage. Extensive damage to utility lines in those same regions also occurred. The strong winds also resulted in the tearing of 20–25 percent of the state pecan crop from their trees.[73][99] Damage to other crops was negligible.[99]
Although rainfall occurred throughout Alabama, precipitation was more numerous in the northern part of the state after Betsy passed the region to the north as a weakening tropical cyclone.[25] Rainfall peaked at 3.39 in (86 mm) inGuntersville.[100] Betsy's outer rainbands also produced two tornadoes in the state. The first occurred in a remote area nearTheodore and as such did not cause any damage. However, the second tornado, which touched down nearCullman late on September 11, destroyed several acres of corn and uprooted over 300 fruit trees.[98] The tornado, described as one of "narrow" length, also slightly damaged some buildings and uprooted a number of other trees. Though no exact damage total could be calculated, the tornado caused anywhere between $5,500–$55,000 in damage.[73] Statewide, Hurricane Betsy caused $500,000 in damage.[1]
In its early formative stages, Betsy forced the shortening of NASA'sGemini 5 mission by one orbit due to the tropical storm's forecasted track over the initial targetsplashdown zone near Grand Turk Island.[101][102] As a result, the spacecraft, which had been orbiting the Earth since August 1965, had its target splashdown zone shifted northward to an area of the Atlantic Ocean well east of Jacksonville, Florida, away from the storm's projected path.[101] In Martinique, the precursor tropical depression caused marginal rainfall and light gusts, and no damage was reported.[102] InSint Maarten, winds and their associated gusts peaked at 35 mph (56 km/h) for several hours on August 28.[103] Throughout the rest of the Windward Islands, gusts peaked at 40 mph (65 km/h),[1] though the resultant wind damage was marginal.[104] As the hurricane was passing near the southeastern Bahamas, high swells were reported along the northern coast ofHispaniola, though no damage ensued.[60]
Although the more significant effects of Hurricane Betsy in the United States were limited to coastal regions, areas further inland received rainfall and strong winds from the weakening tropical cyclone and its remnants, with precipitation extending inland as far northeast asPennsylvania.[25] Far offset from where Betsy made landfall, effects in Texas were minimal,[1] despite the large scale evacuations in Sabine Pass prior to landfall.[105] InPort Arthur a station received just 0.02 in (0.51 mm) of rain, coupled with storm tides 2.4 ft (0.73 m) above mean sea level.[1] From September 10–11, Betsy passed throughArkansas, which experienced the worst effects in the United States outside of states adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico.[106] The highest reported rainfall total from the hurricane in the state was inWynne, where 8.02 in (204 mm) of rain was recorded.[100] Surrounding regions in northeastern Arkansas reported at least 6 in (150 mm) of rain.[107] The heavy precipitation and resulting flooding there damaged cotton and rice crops.[1] Much of the rice crop in the eastern and southern portions of the state were flattened by the rains, and thus were highly susceptible to future rainfalls. A third of cotton, much of which defoliated, was lost to the rain.[108] However, these losses were offset by the increased soybean yield resulting from the same rainfall.[1] A number of pecan tree limbs were torn down, though relative to the overall pecan production for the state these losses were negligible.[108] The rains also caused both theBlack andWhite Rivers in the eastern part of the state to rise from 3 ft (0.91 m) to 7 ft (2.1 m); however, they did not exceedflood stage.[108] Betsy's remnants were estimated to have brought winds of 50–70 mph (80–113 km/h) throughout the state.[107] Most of the stronger winds were in the northern quadrant of the weakening tropical cyclone as it progressed through Arkansas. However, the highest measured wind gusts were only clocked at 45 mph (72 km/h) in stations atPine Bluff andWalnut.[106] The strong winds tore down power lines, leaving hundreds of electricity customers without power for several days. However, regional electrical crews were able to restore most power by the night of September 11.[108] Four people were killed by the weakening hurricane statewide.[108]
InIllinois, the remnants of Hurricane Betsy brought heavy rainfall to the extreme southern portions of the state over a period of three days, ranging anywhere from 3–6 in (76–152 mm);[73] the highest recorded total was 6.25 in (159 mm) inCairo, Illinois. The same station recorded 6.25 in (159 mm) of rain in a 24-hour period.[109] The resulting damage, if any, was minimal,[73] though minor damage occurred to cotton and soy crops in the Cairo area.[110] Hail and strong winds inKentucky'sBluegrass region damagedtobacco fields and caused damage to 35 mobile homes and a number of other roofs.[73] Though no deaths were directly associated with Betsy's effects, a car lost control during a rainstorm inGallatin County and subsequently crashed; the two occupants later went missing and were presumed dead.[111] Strong wind inMontgomery County downed trees. In westernTennessee, moderate to heavy rains in conjunction with gusts as strong as 40 mph (65 km/h) were reported.[73] Precipitation peaked in the state at 6.01 in (153 mm) inRipley.[112] Though much of the rainfall was beneficial to the region's agricultural sector, localized flooding was also reported.[73] Winds estimated between 25–35 mph (40–56 km/h) blew down some cotton and corn crops.[113] Other opened cotton bolls were damaged, while soybeans were blown down, making mechanical harvesting difficult.[114]
Further north and east, the rains Betsy produced were mostly beneficial as the storm had substantially weakened by the time it had approached these regions.[1][4] The outer fringes of Betsy caused moderate rainfall in thesoutheastern states ofNorth Carolina,Georgia, andSouth Carolina, where state precipitation totals peaked at 3.64 in (92 mm) inRandleman, 3.48 in (88 mm) inAiley, and 2.21 in (56 mm) inLaurens, respectively.[112] Waves cresting as high as 7 ft (2.1 m) off of South Carolina caused minor beach damage during Betsy's initial approach of theSouth Atlantic States on September 7.[115] InWest Virginia, the rains helped to saturate soils used for growing crops, benefiting crop production.[116] From September 11–13, Betsy's rains were felt throughoutPennsylvania. Rainfall peaked at 1.5 in (38 mm) in the central and northeastern regions of the state.[117] Further south, inMaryland andDelaware, the rains were also beneficial to arable land. Precipitation in the former peaked at 2.55 in (65 mm) inBittinger, while precipitation in the latter peaked at 1.83 in (46 mm).[118]
TheU.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Hurricane Protection Program came into existence as a result of Betsy. The Corps built new levees for New Orleans that were both taller and made of stronger material, designed specifically to resist a fast-moving Category 3 hurricane like Betsy (Betsy was retroactively upgraded to a Category 4 at the time of its Louisiana landfall in 2019). The resulting levee improvements failed whenHurricane Katrina, a large, slow-moving, intense hurricane made landfall nearNew Orleans on August 29, 2005.
Due to the storm's extent and severity of impacts, the nameBetsy was retired following the season by theNational Hurricane Center, and it will not be used again to name a tropical cyclone in the Atlantic basin.[119] Consequently, the name was replaced withBlanche for the1969 season.[120]
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
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