It initially threatened Warning areas of Louisiana that sustained significant damage from Hurricane Betsy in early September , although Debbie only caused Causation light rainfall and some flooding in the state .

Hurricane Betsy was an intense and destructive tropical cyclone that brought Bringing widespread damage Damaging to areas of Florida and the central United States Gulf Coast in September 1965 .

The storm 's erratic nature , coupled Cause_to_amalgamate with its intensity and minimized preparation time contributed to making Causation Betsy the first tropical cyclone in the Atlantic basin to accrue Cause_change_of_position_on_a_scale at least $ 1 billion in damage .

Betsy began Process_start as a tropical depression north of French Guiana on August 27 , and strengthened Cause_change_of_strength as it moved Motion in a general northwesterly direction .

After executing a slight anticyclonic loop north of the Bahamas , Betsy proceeded Motion to move Motion through areas of south Florida on September 8 , causing Causation extensive crop damage .

Once inland , Betsy was slow to weaken Cause_change_of_strength , and persisted for two more days before degenerating Destroying into an extratropical storm ; these remnants lasted until September 13 .

As a developing Coming_to_be tropical cyclone , Betsy tracked Self_motion over the northern Leeward Islands , producing Creating moderate gusts and slight rainfall , though only minimal damage was reported Reporting .

After tracking Self_motion over open waters for several days , Betsy had significantly strengthened Cause_change_of_strength upon moving Motion through the Bahamas .

For the island chain , Betsy was considered the worst hurricane Catastrophe since a tropical cyclone impacted Influence the region in 1929 .

From there Betsy tracked Self_motion westward and made landfall on southern Florida , where it was considered the worst tropical cyclone since a hurricane Catastrophe in 1926 .

Betsy 's strong storm surge inundated Destroying large portions of the Florida Keys , flooding streets and causing Causation widespread damage .

In the state alone , Betsy caused Causation $ 139 million in damage and five deaths .

Betsy 's most severe impacts were felt Perception_active in Louisiana , where it made landfall as a powerful Category 4 hurricane Catastrophe .

Further inland , effects Influence wrought by Betsy were considerably weaker , though precipitation caused Causation by the storm extended Expansion as far northeast as Pennsylvania .

By the time the remnants of Betsy moved Motion into the northeastern United States , the storm 's winds and rainfall had substantially lessened Cause_change_of_position_on_a_scale , and as such resulting Causation wind damage was negligible while precipitation benefited crops .

In total , the damage wrought by Betsy throughout its existence equated to roughly $ 1.43 billion , making it Causation the costliest Atlantic hurricane Catastrophe at the time .

After the season , the United States Weather Bureau retired Removing the name Betsy from their rotating lists of tropical cyclone names .