cuba hurricanes .org - Cuba, Hurricane Eloise 1975

Was the most destructive hurricane of the 1975 Atlantic hurricane season.
Eloise developed over the Atlantic, and continued to strengthen until it became a Category 1 hurricane, making landfall over the northeast coast of the Dominican Republic. Eloise then tracked over Hispaniola in Haiti and Cuba before reemerging over water north of Jamaica.
The mountains of Hispaniola and Cuba destroyed the circulation center and Eloise weakened to a minimal tropical storm. As Eloise approached the Yucatan Peninsula, it intensified and then turned to the north, crossing Cozumel.
Eloise exploded in the Gulf Of Mexico, strengthing from a tropical storm to a Category 3 hurricane until landfall about midway between Fort Walton Beach and Panama City, Florida.
Eloise also dropped nearly eight inches of rain as it weakened in North Carolina, Virginia, and Washington D.C.. Eloise left 76 dead in its path.

Eloise became a threat when it regained hurricane strength in the central Gulf of Mexico about 350 miles south of New Orleans, LA. It continued.to strengthen until it made landfall about midway between Fort Walton Beach and Panama City, FL early on September 23. Winds were estimated at about 100 mph with storm tides of 12-16 feet above normal just east of Fort Walton Beach to Panama City. About $1 billion damage (in 1990 dollars) occurred along the 25 mile wide Panama City beach strip, mostly the result of the high tides undermining beachfront structures.