Hurricane Hermine

Hurricane Hermine

Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS/NWS)
Hurricane Hermine near peak strength approaching Florida on September 1
Formed	August 28, 2016
Dissipated	September 8, 2016
(Extratropical after September 3)
Highest winds	1-minute sustained: 80 mph (130 km/h)
Lowest pressure	981 mbar (hPa); 28.97 inHg
Fatalities	4 direct, 1 indirect
Damage	$550 million (2016 USD)
Areas affected	Dominican Republic, Cuba, The Bahamas, East coast of the United States
Part of the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Hermine was the first hurricane to make landfall in Florida since Hurricane Wilma in 2005, and the first to develop in the Gulf of Mexico since Hurricane Ingrid in 2013. The ninth tropical depression, eighth named storm, and fourth hurricane of the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season, Hermine developed from a long-tracked tropical wave. The precursor system dropped heavy rainfall in portions of the Caribbean, especially the Dominican Republic and Cuba. In the former, the storm damaged more than 200 homes and displaced over 1,000 people. Although some areas of Cuba recorded more than 12 in (300 mm) of rain, the precipitation was generally beneficial due to a severe drought. After being designated on August 29, Hermine shifted northeastwards due to a trough over Georgia and steadily intensified into an 80 mph (130 km/h) Category 1 hurricane just before making landfall in the Florida Panhandle during September 2. After moving inland, Hermine quickly weakened and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on September 3 near the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The remnant system meandered offshore the Northeastern United States before dissipating over southeastern Massachusetts on September 8.

In preparation of Hermine, multiple tropical cyclone warnings and watches were issued in the Southeastern United States, while state of emergencies were declared in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and New Jersey. Storm surge and heavy rainfall along the Florida gulf coast caused significant damage. In Citrus County, one of the worst areas impacted, 2,694 structures sustained damage, of which 531 suffered major damage, while damage reached about $102 million. Similar coastal and freshwater flooding occurred in Pasco County, where 7 homes were destroyed, 305 sustained major damage, and 1,564 received minor damage. Winds primarily left power outages and downed trees, some of which fell onto buildings and vehicles. About 325,000 people were left without electricity, including 80% of Tallahassee. One death occurred in the state after a tree fell on a homeless man's tent near Ocala. Flooding and fairly strong winds in other states such as Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina caused further damage, but to a lesser degree. One fatality each occurred in South Carolina and North Carolina. In New York, two fishermen drowned near the Wading River on Long Island due to rough surf. Overall, Hermine caused about $550 million (2016 USD) in damage in the United States.