Hurricane Emily was an extremely rare and powerful tropical cyclone that became the first July Atlantic hurricane to reach Category 5 status on the Saffir-Simpson scale. It remained the only to have done so until Beryl of 2024. The fifth named storm, third hurricane, second major hurricane, and first Category 5 hurricane of the record-breaking 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, Emily formed on July 11 from a tropical wave east of the Lesser Antilles. Three days later, it made landfall on Grenada as a minimal hurricane, just ten months after Hurricane Ivan devastated the region. Emily attained maximum sustained winds of 260 km/h (160 mph) on July 16 while passing southwest of Jamaica, which at the time made it the strongest Atlantic hurricane before the month of August. Slight weakening occurred before Emily made landfall along Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula on July 18 as a Category 4 hurricane. Quickly crossing the peninsula, Emily emerged over the Gulf of Mexico as a minimal hurricane. It reorganized and reached Category 3 intensity before making its final landfall in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas on July 20. It rapidly weakened and dissipated over land on July 21, although thunderstorms reached as far inland as New Mexico. In 2024, Emily was surpassed by Hurricane Beryl as the strongest Atlantic hurricane before August, as measured by maximum sustained winds.
Emily was a powerful early-season tropical cyclone that caused significant damage across the Lesser Antilles, the Caribbean, and Mexico. While moving through the Lesser Antilles, the hurricane produced strong winds and heavy rainfall that caused flooding and landslides across several islands. In Grenada, a man died when a landslide destroyed his house. The hurricane damaged or destroyed 2,641 homes in the country, leaving 167 families homeless. Emily's damage on Grenada totaled EC$121.14 million (US$44.87 million). Later, the hurricane dropped of rainfall on Jamaica, which added to the destruction caused by Hurricane Dennis a week earlier. Damage from the two hurricanes totaled J$5.98 billion (US$96 million) in Jamaica. Also in the country, five people died related to a vehicle accident and floods. In nearby Haiti, flooding from Emily caused ten fatalities. Emily's impacts occurred as far south as Honduras, where one person drowned due to river flooding from the storm.
Ahead of the hurricane's first landfall in Mexico, officials ordered evacuations for popular tourist areas along the eastern Yucatán Peninsula. About 44,000 people evacuated from Cancún International Airport, while another 60,000 people fled to shelters farther inland. One person died in Playa del Carmen while preparing for the storm. Mexico's oil company Pemex evacuated approximately 15,800 workers from oil platforms. Two workers died in a helicopter crash while evacuating. The hurricane lashed northeastern Mexico with strong winds, high waves, a storm surge, and heavy rainfall. The precipitation reached in Cerralvo, Nuevo Leon, more than half of which occurred within 24 hours. The rains caused flooding and landslides that led to two deaths and isolated more than 100 small towns. Across Mexico, Emily's damage was estimated at Mex$3.427 billion (US$322 million). The destructive effects of the hurricane spread into South Texas, where at least nine tornadoes touched down. Flooding also caused US$4.7 million worth of crop damage.
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Meteorological history
By July 5, 2005, the annual hurricane season was already active, with four named storms. The origins of Hurricane Emily were from a mesoscale convective system that developed over Ethiopia in eastern Africa, which evolved into a tropical wave that moved westward. On July 6, the tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa, associated with a large area of cyclonic turning. The convection, or thunderstorms, became better organized on July 9, prompting the National Hurricane Center (NHC) to include the system as a potential area for tropical cyclone development. Over the next day, the convection became more concentrated as a low-pressure area developed. At 00:00 UTC on July 11, Tropical Depression Five developed in the tropical Atlantic Ocean, about 1,990 km (1,235 mi) east of the southern Lesser Antilles. A ridge to its north steered the nascent depression westward. At first, the depression's development was halted by moderate wind shear and dry air. However, it intensified into Tropical Storm Emily at 00:00 UTC on July 12, 24 hours after its formation.
Initially, the NHC anticipated Emily would move to the west-northwest, potentially affecting the Greater Antilles. Instead, the track remained westerly as Emily continued intensifying. The storm developed outflow and improved rainbands, signs of a maturing tropical cyclone. Sea surface temperatures remained warm along Emily's path, partly due to the spread of warm waters from Hurricane Dennis over the northwestern Caribbean Sea. At first, the storm's structure was asymmetrical, and the center of circulation was occasionally exposed from the thunderstorms. However, thunderstorms fired over the convection, and Emily became a hurricane at 00:00 UTC on July 14. Emily's rapid intensification was potentially caused by a plume of air from the Amazon and Orinoco rivers to the south, which then interacted with the warm waters of the Caribbean.
Early on July 15, it reached a preliminary peak intensity as a Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale with sustained winds of 215 km/h (130 mph). The Hurricane Hunters observed two concentric eyewalls, and Emily temporarily weakened, only to re-intensify. The hurricane passed about 165 km (105 mi) south of the island that day. At 00:00 on July 17, Emily attained peak winds of 260 km/h (160 mph), making it a Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale. This was based on observations from the Hurricane Hunters, which observed a minimum pressure of .
After Emily attained peak intensity, its eye became slightly ragged as the wind speed decreased. The Hurricane Hunters encountered significant turbulence and thunderstorms; however, the strong convection was asymmetric, which led to the slight weakening. On July 18, the eyewall crossed over the island of Cozumel in eastern Mexico. At 06:30 UTC that day, Emily moved over the Yucatán Peninsula mainland at Playa del Carmen, with winds of about 215 km/h (130 mph), still a Category 4. At 00:00 UTC on July 21, the hurricane attained a secondary peak of 205 km/h (125 mph), making it a Category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson scale. At 12:00 UTC on July 21, Emily made its final landfall with winds of 205 km/h (125 mph), in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas near San Fernando; the landfall location was about 140 km (85 mi) south of Brownsville, Texas near the Mexico–United States border. The hurricane rapidly weakened over the mountainous terrain of the Sierra Madre Oriental, quickly dropping to tropical storm status and dissipating late on July 21 over northern Mexico. The threat from Emily prompted officials to declare a state of emergency. A shortage of construction material had stagnated rebuilding after Ivan. This left fewer buildings as reliable shelters and many homes without roofs by the arrival of Emily. Of the 80 buildings considered for public shelters, 45 were used as such, with 1,650 people seeking refuge in them. During the storm's passage, the country's government implemented a nighttime curfew.
In the easternmost Caribbean Island of Barbados, the government ordered the closure of businesses while residents stocked up on emergency supplies. Shelters were opened nationwide, and local radio stations broadcast regular warnings to alert the public. The Dominica Red Cross Society confirmed emergency resources were properly stockpiled. BP evacuated all but 11 essential workers from their 14 oil platforms around the nation.
In Venezuela, a few oil tankers were forced to remain at Puerto la Cruz. Some flights were canceled or delayed as early as July 12, and residents were alerted to the possibility of floods and mudslides. People living in or visiting the Los Roques Archipelago were advised to remain sheltered in their homes. Alerts were also raised for the nearby islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao.
Greater Antilles
On July 15, the government of Jamaica issued a hurricane warning for the island. Prime Minister P. J. Patterson ordered J$100,000 be made available for each of the nation's constituencies. A further J$250,000–300,000 would be allocated for the activation of public shelters. Thousands of residents evacuated from coastal communities or flood-prone areas, including Port Royal and Portmore. Government offices were closed beginning on July 15, and local businesses were advised to do the same. A total of 3,269 Jamaicans utilized the 79 public shelters across the island.
On July 14, residents of the Cayman Islands were alerted to the potential effects of Emily. The following day, the territory issued a hurricane warning. Owen Roberts International Airport shut down for the duration of the hurricane.
As early as July 14, Haiti began issuing tropical storm warnings.
Mexico
thumb|right|Hurricane Emily on July 18 after emerging from the Yucatán Peninsula|alt=An image of Hurricane Emily, weakened after emerging from the Yucatán Peninsula
On July 15, the Mexican Red Cross began preparations for potential impact from Emily along the Yucatán Peninsula. The agency transported of supplies to the Yucatán Peninsula. Preparations for evacuating people in coastal areas began on July 16, including the islands of Cozumel, Holbox, and Mujeres. On July 17, the government of Mexico issued hurricane warnings from Chetumal to Campeche. The Mexican military mobilized in preparation for rescue operations.
The states of Yucatán and Quintana Roo issued the highest level of alert on July 17, likening Emily's trajectory to Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. An estimated 130,000 tourists were visiting the region at the time of Emily's approach. Officials ordered visitors in beach hotels in Cancún to evacuate. Workers in Cancún removed billboards and traffic lights ahead of the storm to prevent damage. Officials in the state of Yucatán opened 1,108 shelters, and 7,225 people evacuated from coastal areas. Supermarkets in Mérida were packed with residents stocking up on supplies. Emergency services prepped response units for medical needs. During the storm's passage, most businesses were closed. State authorities in Campeche prepared 624 shelters with a collective capacity of 85,000 persons. A state of alert was raised for Veracruz, prompting the readying of shelters.
Emily's threat prompted Mexico's national oil industry, Pemex, to evacuate approximately 15,000 workers from oil platforms in the Bay of Campeche. Two pilots died during the evacuation process when their helicopter crashed amid high winds. The evacuations halted work along 23 oil wells for two days. The hurricane also caused two ports that export crude oil to close. The loss of production was estimated at Mex$4.484 billion (US$421 million), which included the suspension of 2.95 million barrels of oil, as well as of natural gas. On July 18, the government of Mexico issued hurricane warnings for Tamaulipas from La Cruz northward to the United States border. Two days later, the country's government issued a tropical storm warning from Belize City northward to its border with Mexico. The Costa Rican National Meteorological Institute advised residents in high-risk areas to be alert and to avoid venturing outside in the event of rainfall. Similarly, Defensa Civil de Cuba reminded people to remain vigilant. Emergency management officials in Escambia County, Florida, became wary of Emily's formation on the heels of Hurricane Dennis. Although the storm was expected to remain in the Caribbean, county officials identified supplies used for Dennis-related relief; an influx of fuel was expected to normalize reserves before any potential impact. On July 17, the American Red Cross began preparations to open shelters and had emergency supplies deployed for rapid distribution in South Texas. Ultimately, 14 shelters were opened across the region, which housed about 4,000 people during the height of the storm. Ahead of Emily's landfall, the NHC issued a tropical storm warning as far north as Baffin Bay, and issued a hurricane warning for extreme southern Texas from Port Mansfield south to the Mexican border. Hundreds of boats returned to port in South Padre Island to ride out the storm.
Impact
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin:0 0 0.5em 1em; float:right;"
|+Impact by country
|- style="text-align:center;"
| Country
| Fatalities
| Damage (USD)
|- style="text-align:center;"
| Grenada
| 1
| $44.87 million
| <$64.3 million<!-- used simple math to obtain damage total-->
|- style="text-align:center;"
| Haiti
| 10
|- style="text-align:center;"
| Total
| 22
| >$435.97 million
|}
Along its path through the Atlantic, Caribbean, and the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Emily contributed to 22 fatalities, including ten in Haiti, five in Jamaica, five in Mexico, one in Grenada, and one in Honduras.
Hurricane Emily produced flooding and landslides across both Trinidad and Tobago, the island country south of Grenada. On Tobago, the hurricane destroyed two houses, and another 30 homes lost their roofs. On neighboring Trinidad, floodwaters reached , inundating at least 200 houses, while strong winds destroyed eight roofs. Thirty people required evacuation in Chaguanas. Flooding in Couva left Caparo Village temporarily isolated.
In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, one child was injured during the storm. On the island of St. Vincent, flooding and landslides closed roads, damaging two houses. The most extensive impacts occurred on Union Island, where 21 homes were damaged, including four that lost their roofs. The hurricane also disrupted the island's water service after overturning a water tank. On the nearby island of Canouan, four homes had their roofs torn off and three others had major damage. The roof of Canouan Airport was also damaged, although that did not affect the airport's operations. Losses to the banana crop were minimal.
thumb|Debris from Hurricanes Ivan and Emily littered the shores of Grenada even into August 2007|alt=Debris from hurricanes Ivan and Emily littered the shores of Grenada into 2007
Grenada
Striking Grenada as a hurricane, Emily's strongest winds affected the northeastern portion of the island, as well as the smaller islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique. However, there were no wind observations from those areas, and the highest reported wind gust in the country was 107 km/h (67 mph), recorded at Point Salines International Airport.
The hurricane also wrecked health facilities and damaged 21 schools nationwide, including five that were completely demolished. In the general hospital in Grenada's capital, St. George's, the hurricane damaged windows and caused flooding that forced the evacuation of the female medical ward. Also in St. George's, Emily severely damaged one-third of the roof of an assisted living facility.
In the small island of Carriacou, north of Grenada, the hurricane severely damaged the roof of Princes Royal Hospital, forcing patients to evacuate. On Petite Martinique, the hurricane damaged many homes. Extensive flooding occurred in Saint Elizabeth Parish, with many roads rendered impassable or washed away altogether. Destruction of a coastal road rendered Treasure Beach inaccessible. In Black River, lightning struck and hospitalized a child. The storm left nearly 80,000 people without power, including some people who were still waiting for power restoration after Dennis. Despite the hurricane's intensity, only one location in Jamaica, Montego Bay, recorded gale-force winds. Offshore Discovery Bay, the hurricane displaced sediment onto coral reefs and into shipping channels.
Hurricane Emily dropped heavy rainfall across Haiti, causing floods that caused ten fatalities after people were swept away from vehicles and homes. The hurricane destroyed at least 37 houses, while another 113 homes were damaged.
The hurricane produced gale-force winds in the Cayman Islands, not strong enough to cause any damage.
In Honduras, rainfall from Emily caused river flooding, which killed a man in the country's capital Tegucigalpa. Flooding and landslides forced dozens of people in the city to evacuate.
Mexico
Throughout Mexico, Emily directly caused Mex$3.427 billion (US$322 million) worth of damage, not including the Mex$4.484 billion (US$421 million) in lost oil production. The strongest winds were confined to a small area around Emily's center. Additionally, of retaining walls sustained damage, leaving areas vulnerable to flooding from future storms.
Damage was heaviest in the state of Tamaulipas, just south of the U.S.-Mexican border, with the total estimated at Mex$1.491 billion (US$140 million). The strong winds knocked down trees or lifted trees, power poles, signs, and roofs. Throughout the state, Emily left more than 115,000 people without power. Across the state, Emily damaged 10,103 houses to some degree, including 2,461 that were destroyed. The most significant damage occurred in San Fernando, where 45.9% of houses were affected by the storm. Across the state, the hurricane also damaged 34 health facilities, as well as 145 schools. The hurricane also caused significant agricultural damage, including to warehouses and silos, with 141 wineries reporting damage. Throughout the state, the hurricane wrecked worth of crops, mostly cotton, while also killing 18,730 heads of livestock. Along the coast, the hurricane also damaged five piers and 367 boats. Emily's rainbands spawned at least nine tornadoes across southern Texas. The rest of the tornadoes were rated F0. A short-lived tornado in Cameron County destroyed a mobile home. An F0 tornado touched down for about near Bruni. The twister flung a truck camper shell about , while also damaging fences and trees. A tornado touched down in open fields of Jim Wells County, which crossed into Duval County, remaining on the ground for about . The twister damaged a few houses. Another tornado touched down in rural parts of Jim Wells County, which crossed into Live Oak County. There were also short-lived tornadoes in open fields in Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, San Patricio, and Zapata counties.
In southern Texas, damage was generally minor. There was scattered roof damage on South Padre Island. The storm left about 27,500 people without power, but most service was quickly restored. The hurricane's rains were generally beneficial to farmers, due to drought conditions across the region. However, the storm's rains damaged 30% of the cotton crop in Willacy and Cameron counties, with damage estimated at US$4.7 million.
Aftermath
Grenada
<!--Grenada, local-->
On the day of Emily's passage, the Government of Grenada began relief supply distribution and conducted aerial damage assessments. The Ministry of Works coordinated the deployment of worker crews. Grenada informed the United Nations that they could largely handle the disaster on their own, though some international assistance would be needed. As the country was already experiencing a construction boom following Hurricane Ivan, the government projected the GDP to grow by 11.91% during the year 2005. After Hurricane Emily, the government revised the projections to a growth of 11.8%. Despite the damage to housing and agriculture, the hurricane did not significantly affect the construction or other industries. Businesses resumed normal operations on July 16. India provided galvanized roofing material with expected delivery in August.
Elsewhere
The Pan American Disaster Response Unit (PADRU) sent an airplane to the Haitian Red Cross on July 17 with blankets and cleaning supplies. By early August, every storm shelter but one had closed, the exception being a displaced family whose house was destroyed.
Mexico's Secretariat of the Interior declared a state of emergency across four states, including the entirety of Quintana Roo and Yucatán, 21 municipalities in Tamaulipas, and another 31 municipalities in Nuevo Leon. The government set up temporary employment programs across the four states toward repairing houses and clearing roads. The country's Secretaría de Desarrollo Social (SEDESOL) provided financial assistance toward rebuilding residents' damaged homes. In Quintana Roo, the country's Fondo de Desastres Naturales (Natural Disaster Fund) helped finance the construction of 167 homes away from high-risk areas. Also in the state, the Comisión Nacional del Agua (CONAGUA) set up two water purifying stations in Quintana Roo. The agency had a crew of 54 people to disinfect and sanitize water systems for 6,201 people. In Yucatán state, the federal government provided financial assistance to 500 families toward building new homes. Due to power outages, CONAGUA opened temporary water treatment plants across nine municipalities. Mexico's Comisión Federal de Electricidad, or Federal Electricity Commission, announced that all new power installations in the state of Yucatán would be underground, after the electrical damage caused by Emily and previously Hurricane Isidore in 2002. Three months after Hurricane Emily, Hurricane Wilma struck the eastern Yucatán peninsula, causing further damage to the region.