Allen was one of the strongest hurricanes in recorded history, spending moretime as a Category 5 storm than any other Atlantic hurricane. Strongestsustained winds were 190 miles per hour. The only other hurricane to achievewinds that high was Camille. Hurricane Wilma (2005) came close with sustainedwinds of 185 mph. Of course, then there was the Labor Day hurricane in 1935which destroyed all wind-recording devices. Some say the winds of that stormwere up to 200 mph, but we'll never know for sure.Though still a Category 5 hurricane on the doorstep of southern Texas, Allenweakened quickly just before landfall coming in as a Category 3 storm.
Nevertheless, Allen produced extreme damage throughout southern Texas andnortheastern New Mexico and claimed over 200 lives.
Early August is about the time you expect to see major hurricanes taking shapeacross the Atlantic. Anything that happens before then is just gravy. Sufficeit to say that the tropics are ripe for development. The easterly trade windsare carrying strong waves off Africa which all have a chance to strengtheningover the warm waters of the central and western Atlantic.
By the way, Colin will get going again over the next couple of days, but theonly place it will threaten is Bermuda. Colin will be a tropical storm againand conceivably could become a weak Category 1 hurricane as it heads north.
Story by AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist John Kocet.
