Hurricane Cindy (2005)

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Hurricane Cindy (2005) - Short Version

Hurricane Cindy formed as a tropical disturbance on July 3, 2005 near the Yucatán Peninsula. It moved over land briefly, then entered the Gulf of Mexico and strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane with winds up to 75 mph.

Cindy made its first landfall near Grand Isle, Louisiana on July 5 at peak strength, then weakened as it moved inland and made a second landfall near Waveland, Mississippi as a tropical storm. It became an extratropical cyclone on July 7 and its remnants moved northeast into the Atlantic.

The storm caused a tornado outbreak across six states, spawning 42 tornadoes. The most damaging tornado hit the Atlanta Motor Speedway area in Hampton, Georgia, causing about $70 million in damage. In total, Cindy killed six people (all in vehicle accidents during heavy rain) and caused about $320 million in damage.

Heavy rainfall led to flooding from Louisiana to the Mid-Atlantic, with widespread power outages in the New Orleans area and beach flooding along the Gulf Coast. The rainfall extended as far north as Vermont, where Montpelier set a July rainfall record. Cindy’s effects came just before the more destructive hurricanes Dennis and Katrina later in 2005. Some Louisiana areas were later declared federal disaster areas.