Tropical Storm Cindy has been upgraded to hurricane status by the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Accumulated data analyzed by NHC indicates that Cindy was “a relatively short-lived tropical cyclone,” but the post-storm reanalysis and upgrade means that 15 Atlantic-based hurricanes occurred in 2005, a new record for one year. Cindy was also the first of five named tropical cyclones that developed during an unusually active month of July.
“A post-storm reanalysis indicates Cindy was a category 1 hurricane just offshore and while making landfall along the southeastern coast of Louisiana,” Stacy R. Stewart, NHC analyst said. “The hurricane produced heavy rainfall across coastal areas of southeastern Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, and caused minor wind damage in the New Orleans metropolitan area.”
Cindy generated a storm surge of 4-6 feet above normal tide levels along the coasts of southeastern Louisiana and Mississippi, including Lake Borgne and the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain. Storm surge values of 3-4 feet were reported along the Alabama coast, while a storm surge of 2-3 feet occurred as far west as southwestern Louisiana and as far east as the western Florida panhandle.
Rainfall totals generally ranged from 4-6 inches across southeastern Louisiana, southern Mississippi, and southern Alabama. However, isolated higher totals were observed in the 7-9 inches range in a few areas where radar data indicated the ‘training’ of echoes had occurred for about two hours.
The heavy rains triggered flooding across portions of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. Significant rainfall amounts also occurred during the extra-tropical stage from the Carolinas northward to the mid-Atlantic States. Virginia was especially hard hit where more than 5 inches of rain fell across a large portion of the Appalachian Mountain region, which caused localized flooding.
Moss Point, Mississippi says: 
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