Camille - 8/14/69

[StormClouds63]

Just a brief post to note the 43rd anniversary of the "birth" of Camille (8/14/69).

Forecasters predicted rapid intensification. They were right about that. However, they also said a "cut-off" low over the eastern GOM would steer the storm to the Florida Panhandle. The first actual projected landfall location mentioned in the tropical discussions on 8/14/69 was Panama City, FL. Later, Fort Walton and Mobile were indicated. It wasn't until Sunday morning (8/17/69) that the Mississippi coast was placed under a hurricane warning. Gulfport was the final projected landfall location in the 3 p.m. advisory on that Sunday.

The hurricane watch the day before (8/16/69) was from Biloxi, MS to Cedar Key, FL. The first warning, also issued on Saturday morning, covered Fort Walton to St. Marks. From these locations, you can see that Director Robert Simpson and his forecasters felt that the cut-off low, plus a strong trough over the Mississippi Valley, would steer the storm almost due north after entering the Gulf (even north-northeast near landfall).

Good resource for advisories:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1969-prelim/camille/TCR-1969Camille.pdf

I still recommend the book, Category 5: The story of Camille (by Zebrowski and Howard, 2005). Lots of detail ... including how Project Stormfury affected the availability of recon crews and ... later ... the unexpected flooding in Virginia.

[TYNI]

Thanks for the information and the link.

[vbhoutex]

I will NEVER FORGET Camille. I was in Gulf Breeze, FL.(P'cola)when she hit. Debate still goes on whether she was a CAT5 or not, but officially she was. Her aftermath put images in my mind I will never forget. The published pictures show the destruction very well, but up close and personal cements the true depth of the devastation in your mind.