A tropical wave left Africa on August 5, 1969 and moved across the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean. On August 14th, it was identified as a tropical storm off the coast of the Cayman Island. It deepened into a Category 3 hurricane with 115 mph winds and hit western Cuba. Once it was over the Gulf of Mexico, it was weakened to a Category 2 hurricane with 100 mph winds. The conditions was perfect for rapid strengthening due to the warm water and the Loop Current. On August 17th, Hurricane Camille explodes into a full blown Category 5 hurricane with 190 mph sustained winds and a pressure between 895 to 905 millbars, making it one of the most intense hurricanes on record. Hurricane Camille heads for the Gulf coast and first hits southeastern Louisiana as a Category 5 hurricane and moves north towards Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. It has sustain winds of at least 175 mph and central pressure of 909 millibar. Camille produces storm 25 foot storm surge on the Mississippi coast. Heavy rain and strong winds devastates Mississippi and Louisiana coast. 143 people died in the Gulf Coast, mostly in Mississippi, where 113 died. New Orleans was spared the worst of the hurricane. Parts of eastern New Orleans had wind gust as high as 100 mph. Mississippi had wind gust as high as 210 mph. Hurricane Camille maintains its hurricane status 150 miles inland, then weakens into a tropical storm then depression. However, it is not over yet. Once, it is over western Virginia and West Virginia on the night of August 20th, a massive rainstorm develops over the region. In a 8 hour period, up to 31 inches of rain fell, causing the James River to flood a large part of Nelson County. Some believe, as much as 46 inches of rain fell in that time period. 153 people perished in the flood from the remnants of Camille. Then Camille continues to barrel towards the east coast and eventually the Atlantic Ocean, where it re-develops into a tropical storm and becomes extratropical on August 22nd off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. The so-called hurricane party in Mississippi never happened, but that legend still persist to this day. Hurricane Camille is the second most intense hurricane to make landfall on American soil, after the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane. Also, it is one of the several recorded Category 5 hurricanes to make landfall on America, besides the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane and Hurricane Andrew of 1992. Hurricane Camille was considered the bench mark of hurricanes in the Gulf Coast until 2005 when Hurricane Katrina, a much larger hurricane, which produced storm surge as high as 35 feet and claiming many more lives and causing even more damage on the Gulf Coast.
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