| Category 5 Hurricane (SSHS) | |
|---|---|
| |
| Hurricane Everett at peak intensity | |
| Formed | July 4, 2012 |
| Dissipated | July 11, 2012 |
| Highest winds | 1-minute sustained: 175 mph (280 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 907 mbar (hPa); 26.78 inHg |
| Part of the 2012 Biolixi Ocean hurricane season | |
Everett was the fifth named storm, fourth hurricane, and third major hurricane of the 2012 Biolixi Ocean hurricane season. Everett's duration was between July 4 and July 11. Everett was a category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph and minimum pressure of 907 mbar, making it the most intense system of the year. Everett was a very large and powerful system, from the beginning it was forecasted to become a major hurricane because of very favorable ocean and winds conditions. Everett formed from a tropical wave along the "Southwest-Northwest" tropical cyclone formation line, an area that typically sees tropical waves develop. It moved off the east and then began to turn off to the north and northwest, becoming a category 5 major hurricane on July 8. Everett didn't affect any land, but brought dangerous rip currents along Northwest and the Northern Biolixi Island.
Meteorological History
Everett's Path
On July 2, a tropical wave formed in between the coasts of Northwest and Southwest, it steadily moved a continued to organize. On July 3, the system was given a near 100% chance of developing from the National Hurricane Center. The system soon developed into Tropical Depression Five on July 4. Five continued to press on to the E and due to warm waters and very favorable conditions, Five quickly strengthened into Tropical Storm Everett later the same day. On July 5, Everett continued to under-go rapid intensification and quickly became a category 1 hurricane. Everett became a category 2 hurricane later the same day while still undergoing rapid intensification. On July 6, Everett became the third major hurricane of the season with 115 mph winds and pressure of 961 mbar. On July 7, Everett became a category 4 hurricane and was still expected to intensify into a category 5 hurricane. During the evening hours on July 7, Everett broke a record for shortest amount of time for a tropical cyclone to attain category 5 status. The National Hurricane Center documented this event live as they put on a special event to the countdown for Everett to become a category 5 and break a record. On July 8, Everett gained its peak intensity with 175 mph winds and central pressure of 907 mbar. Beginning on July 8, Everett began to enter its weakening process and moved off to the northwest. Everett weakened into a category 4 hurricane and then a category 3 hurricane during the early morning hours on July 9. Afterwards, Everett underwent more rapid weakening, weakening down to a category 1 hurricane and then a tropical storm on July 10. Everett then dissipated the next day as it moved into cooler waters. Everett caused no known impacts, besides rip current threat.
Records
Everett broke the record for the shortest amount of time for a tropical cyclone to attain category 5 status, a record that was held since 1959. The National Hurricane Center broadcasted the live event for the "countdown for Everett", over a million people watched the event as Everett attained category 5 status breaking a record that had been held for a very long time. Several businesses took advatage of the event and sold hats, balloons, and other notorious items to bring up sales. This was considered a pretty unsual because a category 5 hurricane party seemed a bit "over-the-top" as some critics said. But it was most likely due to the fact that a record that had been kept for over 60 years was to be broken is something that needed to be celebrated, according to the citizens of San Francisco and Biolixi Islands.