Hurricane Emily was a powerful early season Cape Verde hurricane that caused significant damage across the Caribbean to Mexico. It was also the earliest-forming Category 5 Atlantic hurricane on record in a season and the most intense to form before August. At the time, Emily was the earliest-forming fifth named storm in the Atlantic on record; this record has since been surpassed by 2020's Tropical Storm Edouard, and again the following year by 2021's Hurricane Elsa. After forming on July 10, 2005, the storm moved through the central Atlantic Ocean before passing through the Windward Islands on July 14. Tracking generally towards the west-northwest, the storm gradually intensified as it traversed the Caribbean, peaking as a Category 5 hurricane on July 16, marking the earliest date for a storm to do so during the course of a given year. The system subsequently made landfall in the Yucatán Peninsula as a Category 4. Quickly crossing the peninsula, Emily emerged into the Gulf of Mexico and reorganized. On July 20, the storm struck Tamaulipas as a major hurricane and rapidly dissipated within 24 hours. The storm caused significant damage along its path, with up to $1.01 billion (2005 USD) in damages recorded, primarily in Mexico. 5 people died in each of Jamaica, Haiti, and Mexico; 2 people died elsewhere, for a total of 17 fatalities. Emily is the costliest Category 5 storm to not have its name retired. Meteorological history On July 6, a tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa. Moving westward, the disturbance gradually organized until July 10, at which point convection became more concentrated, and it is estimated Tropical Depression Five formed in the central tropical Atlantic that evening. Late on July 11, it strengthened and was named Tropical Storm Emily. Initially forecast to strengthen rapidly and move west-northwest through the Greater Antilles, Emily instead moved almost due west toward the Windward Islands, remaining a moderate tropical storm. The storm languished while moving quickly west, and struggled with maintaining its form. Contrary to the normal occurrence that hurricanes leave a cold wake behind, Hurricane Dennis had made portions of the Caribbean warmer, and therefore more favorable for tropical cyclone development. Late on July 13, Emily strengthened rapidly and reached hurricane strength while passing north of Tobago and entering the eastern Caribbean. On July 14, Emily made landfall in northern Grenada with winds. The intensification trend picked up again