Hurricane David facts for kids
| Category 5 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Hurricane David at peak intensity near landfall in Hispaniola on August 31
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| Formed | August 25, 1979 |
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| Dissipated | September 8, 1979 |
| Highest winds | 1-minute sustained: 175 mph (280 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 924 mbar (hPa); 27.29 inHg |
| Fatalities | 2,068+ direct |
| Damage | $1.54 billion (1979 USD) |
| Areas affected | Windward Islands, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Bahamas, Florida, Georgia, most of eastern North America |
| Part of the 1979 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Hurricane David was a very powerful and deadly storm. It was the strongest hurricane during the 1979 Atlantic hurricane season. This hurricane caused a lot of destruction.
David hit the Dominican Republic as a Category 5 hurricane. This is the highest level on the hurricane scale. Later, it struck Florida as a Category 2 hurricane. Hurricane David led to the deaths of over 2,000 people. It also caused more than $1.5 billion in damage.
Why Hurricane Names Are Retired
When a hurricane causes a lot of death or damage, its name is "retired." This means the name will never be used again for another storm. This is done to remember the storm's impact.
Because Hurricane David caused so many deaths in the Dominican Republic, its name was retired. It was the first male name ever retired for a storm in the Atlantic Ocean. The name "Danny" took its place on the list of hurricane names. Danny has been used in 1985, 1991, 1997, 2003, and 2009. The name Danny was also on the list for 2015.
Images for kids
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Hurricane David making landfall in Florida on September 3
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Satellite view of Hurricane David after crossing the Lesser Antilles on August 29, 1979. It was a strong Category 4 hurricane.
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Map showing how much rain David brought to Puerto Rico
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Map showing how much rain David brought to the United States East Coast
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Hurricane David making landfall in Georgia on September 4
See also
In Spanish: Huracán David para niños
