Hurricane Camille Destruction, Photo courtesy Chauncey T. Hinman/Brad Hinman - 1969/2003

Hurricane Ivan is starting to show some erie similarities to Hurricane Camille, the most powerful storm ever to hit the United States. Camille made landfall on August 17, 1969 near Pass Christian, Mississippi with sustained winds estimated at 190 miles/hour and accompanying storm surge 25 feet above mean tide.

Michael A.Grammatico, who wrote an excellent article on Camille, had this to say about the impact of the hurricane:

As Camille marched toward the Mississippi coast in darkness, brick by brick, civilization from near Ansley to Biloxi, was erased. Homes, motels, apartments, restaurants, and other buildings were swept off their foundations, and deposited in mountains of rubble together with trees and automobiles. The local effect resembled an atomic bombing. Camille's 200 mph wind gusts and 25 foot storm surge, destroyed 100 years of growth and progress along the Mississippi coast in only three hours. Survivors near the eye reported a deafening roar of wind, that was by itself truly terrifying, often compared to speeding freight train. Although the damage in all of southern Mississippi was appalling, within about 1/2 mile from the ocean, most of the structures seemed to have just vanished. Only footings and slabs remained. Even plumbing systems had been removed. (W.Guice 1970).

How similar is Ivan to Camille? Barometric pressure is an excellent measure of a hurricane's strength -- the lower the pressure, the stronger the hurricane. By this measure, the two are similar in strength. Hurricane Ivan's barometric pressure has ranged between 911-916 millibars. Hurricane Camille's barometric pressure was 905 millibars.

Fortunately, forecasters expect Ivan to weaken before it hits the Gulf Coast sometime on Wednesday.

In another erie similarity, Hurricane Ivan seems to be following the same track as Hurricane Camille.

Path of Hurricane Camille, 1969. Source Michael A.Grammatico

Projected Path of Hurricane Ivan, Source: NOAA

Forecasters expect Ivan to hit somewhere in the Florida panhandle, but Ivan has, like all hurricanes, been unpredictable and moving further westward than predicted.

While we are awed by the beauty and power of hurricanes, we also pray for those who have been and will be impacted by nature's fury. We encourage everyone in Ivan's path to stayed tuned to the Weather Channel and take all necessary precautions.

-Tim