Hurricane Katrina vs. Camille
Hurricane Camille - August 1969
Hurricane Katrina followed a track eerily similar to the worst hurricane ever
to hit the continent of North America in recorded history - Hurricane Camille.
Both made landfall near the mouth of the Mississippi river and ravaged the
state from one end to the other. We still have heard very little from the
three counties on the Mississippi Gulf coast, and I expect the death toll of
Mississippians to rise significantly from the current estimate of 80.
Hurricane Katrina was a devastating storm that has left the Gulf Coast
without power, water, or fuel from Florida to Louisiana. However, it pales in
comparison to Hurricane Camille. Although Hurricane Katrina was a category
5 hurricane in the Gulf, it had weakened to a Category 4 by the time it made
landfall. Hurricane Camille made landfall as a Cat 5 with 200 mph winds and
a storm surge "22-25 feet above mean tide". It erased civilization from the
coast of Mississippi, from one end to the other. Brick hotels were reduced to
concrete slabs. 6,000 housing units were totally destroyed. Camille washed
ships onto the shore so large, that they were subsequently converted into
bars and restaurants.
Although the eye of Katrina sported an impressive 902 millibars of
atmospheric pressure over the Gulf, it weakened before making landfall to a
Category 4 hurricane before making landfall.
When the Category 4 hurricane made landfall, it had a central pressure of
918 millibars, making it the third most intense tropical cyclone to hit the
U.S. since records of hurricane activity were initiated. Hurricane Camille is
the second most intense storm at 909 millibars at the time of landfall in
1969. The number one storm is the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 (which
occurred before storms were being named) with a landfall central pressure
of 892 millibars.
Hurricane Camille was a Category 5 hurricane when it made landfall.
Due to Camille's extreme intensity at landfall, meteorological conditions
(winds, tides, pressure...etc.), were impossible to obtain. The National
Hurricane Center estimates Camille had sustained winds of 190 mph with
gusts in the 210 - 220 mph range. A Transworld oil rig platform tower that
was abandoned as the hurricane approached, recorded gusts to 172 mph
until failure. It has been estimated that from Biloxi to Gulfport, wind gusts
were in excess of 180 mph, while from Long Beach to Waveland, winds likely
exceeded 200 mph.
The lowest barometric pressure recorded on land in Camille was 909 mb
(26.85) at Bay St. Louis. This is the second lowest barometric pressure ever
measured in the United States. Only the 1935 Hurricane produced a lower
pressure in the middle Keys of 892 Mb (26.35). Several reports of pressure
under 915 Mb (27.00), were reported by survivors near the eye.
Hurricane Camille - August 1969