A Reanalysis of 1969's Hurricane Camille

A proposed reanalysis of 1969's Hurricane Camille has been completed, as part of the Atlantic Hurricane Database Reanalysis Project. This overall reassessment of the main archive for tropical cyclones of the North Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico has been necessary to correct systematic biases and random errors in the data as well as to search for previously unrecognized systems. The reanalysis of Hurricane Camille has been expedited to allow for a homogeneous comparison of all four of the U.S. landfalling Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale Category 5 hurricanes since 1900 (the 1928 “San Felipe” Hurricane in Puerto Rico, the 1935 “Labor Day Hurricane” in the Florida Keys, 1969's Hurricane Camille in Louisiana/Mississippi, and 1992's Hurricane Andrew in southeastern Florida). A review of the available ship, station, radar, aircraft and satellite observation is presented, along with the reanalysis methodology. Finally, highlights of the Best Track Change Committee approved changes to Camille's genesis, track, intensity, and dissipation are discussed.