News... Hurricane Bill Begins the 2009 Hurricane Season
Although the official start of the 2009 Atlantic Hurricane Season was June 1st, other than a minor tropical depression that developed in the Atlantic basin at the end of May, the storm activity has been dormant to the relief of the many Caribbean nations that dwell in the epicenter of the hurricane belt.
Then in mid-August, three storms developed: Ana and Bill formed off the coast of the Cape Verde Islands; in the following days, Claudette formed in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and was the first storm to make landfall on the United States with limited damage. Ana, although forecast to hit the island of Hispaniola, the home of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, dissipated over the eastern Caribbean before hitting land.
Bill, however, grew and became the first named hurricane of 2009. At its strongest, Hurricane Bill was a Category 4 hurricane with force winds extending 115 miles and averaging between 131 and 155 miles per hour. Originally expected to strike nearly 20 miles west of the coast of Bermuda, Bill, then downgraded to a Category 2 hurricane, missed the island nation on Friday, August 21, 2009 by more than 200 miles and worked its way up the east coast of the United States.
Beaches up and down the east coast were closed to swimmers, but that did not stop Hurricane Bill from indirectly taking two lives.
Orlando, Florida resident, 54-year-old Angel Rosa, lost his life in residual waves from Bill during a swim on New Smyrna Beach. His body was discovered unconscious on the shore on Saturday, August 22, 2009.
Additionally, the following day, a 7-year-old girl from New York City, on vacation in Maine, visited Acadia National Park to check out the violent surf caused by Bill. One such wave engulfed nearly 20 people near Thunder Hole; three were hospitalized and the girl, still unnamed by the authorities, died as a result of the enormous surf.
Before the next hurricane strikes, it is important to prepare your family for potentially disastrous scenarios and travel fiascos; check out “Travel Disasters – Being Prepared” for more information.
A fact of life in tropical and coastal destinations, storms and hurricanes certainly impact tourists and can be hazardous and life threatening. The official end of the 2009 Hurricane Season will be November 30th.
For more general information about hurricanes, their formation and history, read “Hurricanes – Need To Know.”
