Hurricane Katelyn (2032)

Hurricane Katelyn, otherwise known in Texas as The Big One and The Storm that will change Texan history, was a extremely powerful Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. Katelyn caused severe damages across the Texan coast, as well as being one of the costliest Texan storms in history, only behind Hurricane Harvey in 2017. The storm had a peak intensity of 155 miles per hour and a barometric pressure of 933 millibars, one of the lowest pressures of a Category 4 hurricane. Subsequent flooding was the major cause of the damages during the lifespan from The Bahamas to the Gulf Coast of Texas.

The storm was originally formed from a tropical wave that was caused by the outer bands of Jeffery, while approaching Florida. The wave showed development and was upgraded to Tropical Depression Eleven while moving closer to the Inner Antilles and Puerto Rico. More significant development occurred, which upgraded Eleven into Tropical Storm Katelyn, moving up. The storm intensified into a hurricane in warm waters in the Bahamas, and made landfall in Florida as a Category 2 hurricane. The storm exploded into a Category 4 hurricane, approaching the Gulf Coast of Texas. Katelyn finally made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on the Texan coast. The storm merged with a frontal system, fully dissipating on September 12.

The first inflicted structural damage that Katelyn left behind was by The Bahamas. Katelyn bashed the islands with a 7 foot storm surge and 12 inches of rain, causing inches of flooding across the islands. About 300 mobile homes were destroyed from the storm surge and the flooding. Damages were calculated to about $5 million dollars of damages and total fatalities reached 6 in the Bahamas. As Katelyn moved through the Miami metropolitan area, otherwise known as South Florida as a Category 2 hurricane, Katelyn's gusts were recorded up to 135 miles per hour, which caused a 12 foot storm surge on the metropolitan area. 800 homes were damaged, and calculated totals of damages were $73 million dollars of damages left behind. 5 people died in the storm and a record of 543 were missing in the hurricane. Katelyn hit hard on the Gulf Port of Texas, striking the state with gusts of Category 5 intensity and a storm surge of 23 feet high. Katelyn played a major role in the flooding, with 43 inches of rain, Katelyn became the 2nd wettest hurricane in Texan history, only behind Harvey in 2017. $20 billion dollars of damages were calculated in the area, and a whopping 73 people died in the storm.

## Meteorological History

A trough of low pressure was spotted off the coast of Africa, while outer bands of Hurricane Jeffery reaches near the African coast of Western Sahara. The low moved under swift conditions, under possible tropical cyclogenesis under the next 48 hours. The NHC tracked the low, with a broad development of tropical activity. The low battled moderate wind shear, struggling to gain tropical cyclogenesis under the conditions the low is in. Swiftly crossing the islands of Cape-Verde, favorable conditions, such as ample moisture and low wind shear gradually made showers and thunderstorms in the low better organized over the days, and tropical formation looked likely, so the NHC predicted tropical formation. a invest was formed, having a high chance of development over the next 5 days, with a 90% chance of tropical formation over the next 5 days. Gradual formation developed the invest into Tropical Depression Eleven on the end of the month of August. A frontal system drifting off to sea merged with Eleven, which formed a counterclockwise motion and a barometric pressure fell to 1002 millibars during the path. Eleven tracked westward, moving closer to the Inner Antilles, while entering unfavorable conditions, including low moisture and wind shear. Eleven weakened severely, as it downgraded to a 20 mph depression, as it tracked more to the north. A strong convective banding feature merged into the depression, causing the depression to upgrade swiftly and a convection burst struck the young depression, forming a disorganized pattern of motion. Hurricane Hunters flew in the storm, and recorded 41 mile per hour winds, which upgraded the Eleven into Tropical Storm Katelyn on August 30, 07:00 UTC. Katelyn moved northwestward, hurling towards the islands of the Bahamas, with 60 mile per hour winds lashing near. A disorganized eyewall was seen from a satellite by NASA on September 1 and Hurricane Hunters in The Bahamas traveled the storm and caught a area where winds reached 76 miles per hour, which upgraded Katelyn into a Category 1 hurricane on September 2. Katelyn made the first landfall in The Bahamas as a weak Category 1 hurricane on September 2, just 2 hours after coalesting into a hurricane. Katelyn strengthened after passing the Bahamas, into a 85 mph Category 1 hurricane, and having a barometric pressure of 974 millibars. Katelyn passed The Bahamas, entering more favorable conditions, which the eyewall was clearer and wind was gusting to major hurricane status. Katelyn was upgraded to Category 2 hurricane status before making a landfall on the Miami metropolitan area. Hurricane Warnings were issued by the NWC on Miami and surrounding areas. Landfall happened on September 4 and dropped 23 inches of rain, which left severe flash flooding across the Miami metropolitan area.