Tropical Weather Summary
000 ABNT30 KNHC 011402 TWSAT MONTHLY TROPICAL WEATHER SUMMARY...CORRECTED NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 800 AM EST MON DEC 1 2008 ...CORRECT OMAR FROM HURRICANE TO MAJOR HURRICANE IN THE SUMMARY TABLE... FOR THE NORTH ATLANTIC...CARIBBEAN SEA AND THE GULF OF MEXICO... HURRICANE PALOMA...THE SECOND-STRONGEST NOVEMBER HURRICANE ON RECORD...WAS THE ONLY TROPICAL CYCLONE TO OCCUR DURING THE MONTH. ON AVERAGE...A TROPICAL STORM IS OBSERVED ABOUT EVERY OTHER NOVEMBER...AND A NOVEMBER MAJOR HURRICANE OCCURS ABOUT ONCE A DECADE. TROPICAL CYCLONE ACTIVITY DURING THE 2008 ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON WAS ABOVE AVERAGE. SIXTEEN TROPICAL STORMS OCCURRED...OF WHICH 8 BECAME HURRICANES AND 5 STRENGTHENED INTO MAJOR HURRICANES. THESE NUMBERS ARE FAR ABOVE THE LONG-TERM AVERAGES OF 11...6...AND 2...RESPECTIVELY. IN TERMS OF THE ACCUMULATED CYCLONE ENERGY (ACE) INDEX...2008 HAD 167% OF THE LONG-TERM MEDIAN ACE...ALMOST AS MUCH ACE AS 2006 AND 2007 COMBINED. THE DEVELOPMENT OF ARTHUR APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN THE RESULT OF A COMBINATION OF THE LOW- TO MID-LEVEL REMNANTS OF EASTERN PACIFIC TROPICAL STORM ALMA...AND A WESTWARD-MOVING TROPICAL WAVE OVER THE CARIBBEAN SEA. ARTHUR FORMED EARLY ON 31 MAY WHILE CENTERED ABOUT 50 MILES EAST OF BELIZE CITY AND STRENGTHENED INTO A TROPICAL STORM... WITH MAXIMUM WINDS OF ABOUT 45 MPH...BEFORE MAKING LANDFALL IN NORTHEASTERN BELIZE. THE CENTER OF THE CYCLONE MOVED SLOWLY FARTHER INLAND TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST OVER THE YUCATAN PENINSULA OF MEXICO...BUT WINDS OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE CONTINUED OVER PORTIONS OF THE NORTHWESTERN CARIBBEAN SEA UNTIL EARLY ON 1 JUNE...WHEN THE SYSTEM BECAME A TROPICAL DEPRESSION. THE DEPRESSION THEN TURNED TOWARD THE WEST AND EVENTUALLY WEST-SOUTHWEST... DISSIPATING NEAR THE NORTHERN BORDER BETWEEN GUATEMALA AND MEXICO BY VERY EARLY THE NEXT DAY. EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINFALL...WITH STORM TOTALS OF UP TO 15 INCHES...CAUSED DEVASTATING FLOODS IN BELIZE. FIVE DEATHS ARE DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO ARTHUR IN THAT COUNTRY. THE BELIZE NATIONAL EMERGENCY ORGANIZATION ESTIMATES THAT TOTAL DAMAGE WAS ABOUT 78 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS. BERTHA DEVELOPED FROM A STRONG TROPICAL WAVE THAT MOVED OFF THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA ON 1 JULY. THE SYSTEM BECAME A TROPICAL DEPRESSION EARLY ON 3 JULY OVER THE FAR EASTERN ATLANTIC ABOUT 190 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF THE CAPE VERDE ISLANDS. THE DEPRESSION STRENGTHENED INTO A TROPICAL STORM A SHORT TIME LATER WHILE PASSING SOUTH OF THE CAPE VERDE ISLANDS. BERTHA'S STRENGTH CHANGED LITTLE DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS AS IT MOVED QUICKLY WEST-NORTHWESTWARD OVER COOLER WATERS. LATE ON 6 JULY... BERTHA STRENGTHENED WHEN IT REACHED WARMER WATERS...AND IT BECAME A HURRICANE EARLY THE NEXT DAY ABOUT 850 MILES EAST OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS. BERTHA TURNED NORTHWESTWARD AND RAPIDLY INTENSIFIED TO A PEAK INTENSITY OF 120 MPH...CATEGORY THREE STRENGTH...BY EARLY ON 8 JULY. LATER THAT DAY...INCREASED SHEAR CAUSED BERTHA TO WEAKEN...FOLLOWED BY RE-INTENSIFICATION ON 9 JULY WHEN THE SHEAR DECREASED. DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS...BERTHA TURNED NORTH-NORTHWESTWARD WITH A DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED. ON 12-13 JULY...BERTHA STALLED A COUPLE OF HUNDRED MILES SOUTH- SOUTHEAST OF BERMUDA AND GRADUALLY WEAKENED TO A TROPICAL STORM. THE NEXT DAY THE CYCLONE BEGAN MOVING NORTH-NORTHWESTWARD...WITH THE CENTER PASSING ABOUT 40 MILES EAST OF BERMUDA. AFTER PASSING BERMUDA...BERTHA'S FORWARD SPEED SLOWED DOWN AGAIN AND THE STORM TURNED EASTWARD...AND THEN SOUTHEASTWARD. BERTHA ACCELERATED NORTHEASTWARD AND REACHED HURRICANE STRENGTH AGAIN ON 18 JULY. BERTHA PASSED ABOUT 450 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CAPE RACE NEWFOUNDLAND BEFORE BECOMING EXTRATROPICAL OVER THE NORTH ATLANTIC ON 20 JULY. THE EXTRATROPICAL LOW CONTINUED NORTHEASTWARD TOWARD ICELAND WHERE IT MERGED WITH A LARGER LOWER PRESSURE AREA. BERTHA BROUGHT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS TO BERMUDA DURING ITS CLOSE PASSAGE ON 14 JULY...AND HURRICANE FORCE WIND GUSTS WERE EXPERIENCED AT SOME ELEVATED LOCATIONS ON BERMUDA. HOWEVER...ONLY MINOR DAMAGE WAS REPORTED. BERTHA'S 17 DAYS AS A TROPICAL CYCLONE MAKES IT THE LONGEST-LIVED JULY ATLANTIC BASIN TROPICAL CYCLONE ON RECORD. CRISTOBAL FORMED FROM AN AREA OF DISTURBED WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH A BROAD AREA OF LOW PRESSURE THAT MOVED NORTHEASTWARD FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO ACROSS FLORIDA. THE SYSTEM CONTINUED TO MOVE NORTHEASTWARD NEAR THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES AND BECAME A TROPICAL DEPRESSION ON 18 JULY ABOUT 65 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA. THE DEPRESSION CONTINUED MOVING SLOWLY TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AND BECAME A TROPICAL STORM ON 19 JULY ABOUT 225 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA. WHILE CRISTOBAL MOVED NORTHEASTWARD...THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST ESCAPED THE STRONGEST WINDS SINCE MOST OF THE ASSOCIATED WEATHER WAS LOCATED TO THE EAST OF THE CENTER. CRISTOBAL MOVED AWAY FROM THE UNITED STATES WITH INCREASING FORWARD SPEED AND THEN REACHED ITS MAXIMUM INTENSITY OF 65 MPH ON 21 JULY ABOUT 725 MILES SOUTHWEST OF HALIFAX NOVA SCOTIA. CRISTOBAL THEN MOVED TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST AND BECAME EXTRATROPICAL ON 23 JULY ABOUT 380 MILES EAST OF HALIFAX. DOLLY ORIGINATED FROM A TROPICAL WAVE THAT EMERGED FROM AFRICA ON 11 JULY. THE SYSTEM MOVED RAPIDLY WESTWARD AND GENERATED A SURFACE LOW PRESSURE AREA ABOUT 1600 MILES EAST OF THE WINDWARD ISLANDS ON 13 JULY. THE LOW MOVED GENERALLY WESTWARD OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS AND CROSSED THE WINDWARD ISLANDS EARLY ON 17 JULY. AS THE SYSTEM TRAVERSED THE EASTERN AND CENTRAL CARIBBEAN IT HAD A BROAD LOW-LEVEL CIRCULATION WITH WINDS TO TROPICAL STORM FORCE IN SQUALLS...BUT NO DEFINITE CENTER OF CIRCULATION. ON 20 JULY...WHEN THE SYSTEM REACHED THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN...A WELL-DEFINED CIRCULATION CENTER FORMED...MARKING THE FORMATION OF A TROPICAL STORM ABOUT 300 MILES EAST OF CHETUMAL MEXICO. THE STORM MOVED NORTHWESTWARD AND TEMPORARILY BECAME DISORGANIZED WHILE ITS CENTER WAS REFORMING NEAR THE NORTHEASTERN YUCATAN PENINSULA. DOLLY REORGANIZED OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO ON 21 JULY AND HEADED WEST-NORTHWESTWARD TOWARD THE WESTERN GULF OF MEXICO. ON 22 JULY THE CYCLONE TURNED TOWARD THE NORTHWEST AND STRENGTHENED INTO A HURRICANE. DOLLY'S FORWARD SPEED SLOWED AND IT REACHED A PEAK INTENSITY OF 100 MPH ON 23 JULY SHORTLY BEFORE ITS EYE MADE LANDFALL ON SOUTH PADRE ISLAND TEXAS...A SHORT DISTANCE SOUTHEAST OF PORT MANSFIELD. AFTER LANDFALL THE CYCLONE STEADILY WEAKENED. IT BECAME A TROPICAL STORM EARLY ON 24 JULY AND A TROPICAL DEPRESSION LATER THAT DAY AS IT CROSSED THE RIO GRANDE RIVER...WHILE CONTINUING TO DUMP HEAVY RAINS ALONG ITS PATH. DOLLY'S SURFACE CIRCULATION DISSIPATED OVER NORTHERN MEXICO ON 25 JULY BUT ITS REMNANTS ALOFT MOVED OVER NEW MEXICO ON 26-27 JULY WHILE CONTINUING TO PRODUCE HEAVY RAINS. ONE PERSON DROWNED IN ROUGH SURF IN THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND PRELIMINARY DAMAGE TOTALS RANGE FROM 750 MILLION TO 1 BILLION DOLLARS. EDOUARD WAS A SHORT-LIVED TROPICAL STORM THAT FORMED AS A DEPRESSION IN THE GULF OF MEXICO ABOUT 160 MILES SOUTH OF PENSACOLA FLORIDA ON 3 AUGUST. THE DEPRESSION MOVED SLOWLY WESTWARD TO WEST- NORTHWESTWARD AND STRENGTHENED INTO A TROPICAL STORM LATER THAT DAY...ITS INTENSITY REACHING 50 MPH EARLY ON 4 AUGUST. EDOUARD WEAKENED SLIGHTLY BUT RE-STRENGTHENED LATE ON 4 AUGUST AS IT APPROACHED THE UPPER-TEXAS COAST. EDOUARD MADE LANDFALL AROUND 7 AM CDT 5 AUGUST BETWEEN HIGH ISLAND AND SABINE PASS...AT THE MCFADDIN NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE...WITH MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ESTIMATED TO BE 65 MPH. EDOUARD MOVED INLAND AND WEAKENED TO A DEPRESSION EARLY ON 6 AUGUST...BEFORE DISSIPATING OVER NORTHWEST TEXAS LATE THAT DAY. THE EFFECTS OF EDOUARD WERE RELATIVELY MINIMAL. SOME MINOR COASTAL FLOOD DAMAGE WAS REPORTED IN TERREBONNE PARISH LOUISIANA AS EDOUARD PASSED THROUGH THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO. LITTLE DAMAGE WAS REPORTED ALONG THE UPPER-TEXAS COAST...MOSTLY LIMITED TO FLOODING IN A SMALL NUMBER OF HOMES. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OVER 6 INCHES WERE REPORTED...THE MAXIMUM OCCURRING IN BAYTOWN TEXAS...AND SOME ROADWAYS WERE BRIEFLY UNDER WATER. THERE WAS ONE DIRECT DEATH REPORTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH EDOUARD. FAY WAS A LONG-LIVED AND SLOWLY-MOVING TROPICAL STORM THAT SPENT MOST OF ITS LIFE CENTERED NEAR OR OVER LAND...DUMPING HEAVY RAINS THAT PRODUCED DAMAGING AND DEADLY FLOODS OVER PORTIONS OF THE GREATER ANTILLES AND FLORIDA. ORIGINATING FROM A TROPICAL WAVE...FAY FORMED ON 15 AUGUST AS A TROPICAL STORM WITH MAXIMUM WINDS OF ABOUT 40 MPH AS IT CROSSED THE EASTERN COAST OF HISPANIOLA. ITS STRENGTH CHANGED LITTLE AS IT TRAVERSED THAT ISLAND AND THE WINDWARD PASSAGE ON THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE STORM GAINED A LITTLE STRENGTH...WITH MAXIMUM WINDS REACHING ABOUT 50 MPH ON 17 AUGUST AS ITS CENTER PASSED JUST OFFSHORE THE SOUTHERN COAST OF EASTERN CUBA. RESPONDING TO A BREAK IN A SUBTROPICAL RIDGE OVER FLORIDA...FAY TURNED NORTH-NORTHWESTWARD OVER CENTRAL CUBA THE NEXT DAY. MAXIMUM WINDS INCREASED TO ABOUT 60 MPH AS THE STORM MOVED INTO THE FLORIDA STRAITS...AND THE CENTER OF THE CYCLONE PASSED OVER THE LOWER FLORIDA KEYS LATE ON 18 AUGUST. FAY TURNED NORTHEASTWARD ON 19 AUGUST...MAKING LANDFALL EARLY THAT DAY ON THE SOUTHWESTERN COAST OF THE FLORIDA PENINSULA AT CAPE ROMANO WITH MAXIMUM WINDS OF 60 MPH. EVEN AFTER MOVING INLAND FAY STRENGTHENED...EXHIBITING WHAT RESEMBLED A CLASSICAL EYE IN RADAR AND SATELLITE IMAGERY...AND IT REACHED ITS PEAK INTENSITY OF ABOUT 65 MPH AS IT PASSED OVER THE WESTERN SHORES OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE. DURING 20-23 AUGUST...HOWEVER...CONTINUED INTERACTION WITH THE LANDMASS OF NORTHERN FLORIDA CAUSED THE CYCLONE TO WEAKEN SLIGHTLY...WITH FAY'S MAXIMUM WINDS REMAINING 50-60 MPH DURING MOST OF THAT PERIOD. THE CENTER OF FAY MADE TWO BRIEF REAPPEARANCES OVER WATER...OFF THE NORTHEASTERN FLORIDA COAST ON 20-21 AUGUST...AND OVER APALACHEE BAY EARLY ON 23 AUGUST. UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE OVER THE EASTERN UNITED STATES...FAY HEADED SLOWLY WEST-NORTHWESTWARD OVER THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE ON 23 AUGUST...FINALLY WEAKENING TO A DEPRESSION EARLY THE NEXT DAY. FAY REMAINED A DEPRESSION FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS AS IT MOVED SLOWLY OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES...AND EVENTUALLY DEGENERATED INTO A REMNANT LOW OVER NORTHERN ALABAMA ON 26 AUGUST. DUE TO FAY'S VERY SLOW MOTION...STORM-TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS IN SOME AREAS WERE STAGGERING...INCLUDING A FEW LOCATIONS IN EAST-CENTRAL FLORIDA THAT RECEIVED MORE THAN TWO FEET OF RAIN. FAY'S RAIN-INDUCED FLOODS CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE AND WERE DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR NUMEROUS DEATHS IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC...HAITI...AND FLORIDA. HOWEVER...FINAL FATALITY TOTALS AND DAMAGE COST ESTIMATES HAVE NOT YET BEEN COMPILED. GUSTAV WAS A MAJOR HURRICANE ORIGINATING FROM A TROPICAL WAVE THAT EMERGED FROM THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA ON 13 AUGUST. THE WAVE FIRST SHOWED SIGNS OF ORGANIZATION ON 18 AUGUST. HOWEVER...SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT DID NOT OCCUR UNTIL THE SYSTEM WAS OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN CARIBBEAN SEA ON 24 AUGUST. A TROPICAL DEPRESSION FORMED EARLY ON 25 AUGUST ABOUT 110 MILES NORTHEAST OF BONAIRE IN THE NETHERLAND ANTILLES. THE DEPRESSION STRENGTHENED RAPIDLY AS IT MOVED NORTHWESTWARD...BECOMING A TROPICAL STORM LATER THAT DAY. GUSTAV BECAME A HURRICANE EARLY ON 26 AUGUST AND MADE LANDFALL LATER THAT DAY ON THE SOUTHWESTERN PENINSULA OF HAITI AS A CATEGORY 1 HURRICANE. THE CYCLONE WEAKENED TO A TROPICAL STORM AND MOVED SLOWLY WESTWARD JUST NORTH OF THE SOUTHWESTERN PENINSULA OF HAITI ON 27 AUGUST...THEN TURNED WEST-SOUTHWESTWARD EARLY ON 28 AUGUST. GUSTAV RESUMED A WESTWARD MOTION LATER THAT DAY AND MOVED OVER JAMAICA. ON 29 AUGUST...GUSTAV TURNED NORTHWESTWARD AND RE-INTENSIFIED INTO A HURRICANE AS IT APPROACHED THE CAYMAN ISLANDS. THE CYCLONE PASSED THROUGH THE CAYMAN ISLANDS EARLY ON 30 AUGUST AS A CATEGORY 1 HURRICANE...AND RAPIDLY INTENSIFIED INTO A MAJOR HURRICANE LATER THAT DAY. GUSTAV MADE LANDFALLS IN THE CUBAN PROVINCES OF THE ISLE OF YOUTH AND PINAR DEL RIO ON 30 AUGUST AS A STRONG CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE WITH MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR 150 MPH. GUSTAV EMERGED INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO EARLY ON 31 AUGUST HURRICANE AND ACCELERATED NORTHWESTWARD ACROSS THE GULF. IT MADE ITS FINAL LANDFALL NEAR COCODRIE LOUISIANA ON 1 SEPTEMBER AS A CATEGORY 2 HURRICANE. AFTER LANDFALL...GUSTAV WEAKENED TO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION OVER NORTHWESTERN LOUISIANA ON 2 SEPTEMBER...THEN BECAME EXTRATROPICAL OVER THE MID-MISSISSIPPI VALLEY ON 4 SEPTEMBER. THE GUSTAV REMNANT LOW WAS ABSORBED OVER THE CENTRAL GREAT LAKES ON 5 SEPTEMBER. GUSTAV LEFT A LONG TRAIL OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION. MAJOR WIND AND STORM SURGE DAMAGE OCCURRED DURING GUSTAV'S LANDFALL IN CUBA... WHILE HEAVY RAINS IN HAITI CAUSED DESTRUCTIVE MUDSLIDES. STRONG WINDS...HIGH STORM SURGES...AND HEAVY RAINS ALSO CAUSED AN ESTIMATED 4.3 BILLION DOLLARS DAMAGE IN LOUISIANA. THE ESTIMATED DEATH TOLL FROM GUSTAV IS 112...OF WHICH AT LEAST 77 OCCURRED IN HAITI. HOWEVER...THIS ESTIMATE IS HIGHLY UNCERTAIN DUE TO THE SUBSEQUENT EFFECTS OF HANNA AND IKE ON THE CARIBBEAN AREAS AFFECTED BY GUSTAV...AND THE DIFFICULTIES OF DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN DIRECT AND INDIRECT DEATHS. HANNA FORMED FROM A TROPICAL WAVE THAT MOVED OFF THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA ON 19 AUGUST. ASSOCIATED SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY GRADUALLY INCREASED AS THE WAVE PROGRESSED WESTWARD ACROSS THE ATLANTIC...AND ON 26 AUGUST THE WAVE SPAWNED AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE ABOUT 550 MILES EAST-NORTHEAST OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS. ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS LED TO THE FORMATION OF A TROPICAL DEPRESSION ABOUT 350 MILES EAST-NORTHEAST OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS ON 28 AUGUST. THE DEPRESSION BECAME A TROPICAL STORM SIX HOURS LATER. HANNA MOVED BETWEEN WEST-NORTHWEST AND NORTHWEST OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS...PASSING A COUPLE HUNDRED MILES NORTH OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND PUERTO RICO. PERSISTENT VERTICAL WIND SHEAR FROM AN UPPER-LEVEL LOW TO THE WEST OF HANNA KEPT THE STORM FROM SIGNIFICANTLY STRENGTHENING. ON 1 SEPTEMBER...HANNA BEGAN MOVING SOUTHWESTWARD AND STRENGTHENED INTO A HURRICANE THAT AFTERNOON. HANNA REACHED A PEAK INTENSITY OF 80 MPH AS ITS CENTER PASSED OVER PORTIONS OVER THE CAICOS ISLANDS EARLY ON 2 SEPTEMBER. STRONG SHEAR WEAKENED THE HURRICANE LATER THAT DAY AS IT CONTINUED TO MOVE VERY SLOWLY SOUTHWARD. OVER THE NEXT DAY OR SO HANNA WEAKENED TO A TROPICAL STORM AND MADE A COUNTER-CLOCKWISE LOOP BETWEEN THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS AND THE NORTHERN COAST OF HISPANIOLA. HANNA THEN MOVED NORTH OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS LATE ON 3 SEPTEMBER...AND BEGAN MOVING NORTHWESTWARD...PASSING JUST EAST OF THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS ON 4 SEPTEMBER. THE NEXT DAY...THE CYCLONE MOVED JUST EAST OF THE NORTHWESTERN BAHAMAS AND THEN TURNED NORTHWARD...PASSING ABOUT 150 MILES EAST OF THE COAST OF NORTH FLORIDA. HANNA ACCELERATED NORTHWARD AND MADE LANDFALL WITH 70 MPH WINDS DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF 6 SEPTEMBER NEAR THE BORDER OF NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA. HANNA WEAKENED BUT REMAINED A TROPICAL STORM AS IT PASSED OVER NORTH CAROLINA AND EASTERN VIRGINIA. THE STORM TURNED NORTHEASTWARD AND MOVED ALONG THE MID-ATLANTIC COAST. HANNA BECOME EXTRATROPICAL AS IT EXITED THE COAST OF MASSACHUSETTS EARLY ON 7 SEPTEMBER. THE EXTRATROPICAL REMNANTS OF HANNA MOVED ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN CANADA...THEN TURNED EASTWARD AND MERGED WITH A FRONTAL BOUNDARY AFTER PASSING ST. JOHN'S NEWFOUNDLAND ON 8 SEPTEMBER. REPORTS INDICATE THAT HANNA WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR VERY HEAVY RAINFALL IN HAITI THAT RESULTED IN AN ESTIMATED 500 FATALITIES. HANNA PRODUCED MINOR WIND AND FLOOD DAMAGE IN THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS. IN THE UNITED STATES...DAMAGE WAS RELATIVELY MINOR IN NATURE...BUT OCCURRED OVER A LARGE AREA...TOTALLING AN ESTIMATED $160 MILLION DOLLARS. IKE WAS A MAJOR CAPE VERDE HURRICANE THAT CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE AND MANY DEATHS ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE CARIBBEAN AND ALONG THE COASTS OF TEXAS AND LOUISIANA. IKE ORIGINATED FROM A WELL-DEFINED TROPICAL WAVE THAT MOVED OFF THE COAST OF WEST AFRICA ON 28 AUGUST AND BECAME A TROPICAL DEPRESSION ON 1 SEPTEMBER ABOUT 1470 MILES EAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS. THE DEPRESSION QUICKLY STRENGTHENED TO A TROPICAL STORM LATER THAT DAY BUT THEN WENT THROUGH A MORE GRADUAL INTENSIFICATION FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS AS IT MOVED WEST-NORTHWEST OVER THE TROPICAL ATLANTIC. IKE BECAME A HURRICANE ON 3 SEPTEMBER AND RAPIDLY INTENSIFIED TO A MAJOR HURRICANE LATER THAT DAY. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING CONTINUED...TO CATEGORY 4 STATUS...AS IKE ACHIEVED A PEAK INTENSITY OF 145 MPH ON 4 SEPTEMBER WHEN IT WAS LOCATED 550 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS. THEREAFTER...NORTHEASTERLY SHEAR INCREASED OVER THE SYSTEM WHEN STRONG HIGH PRESSURE BUILT OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC...AND IKE WEAKENED A BIT AS IT MOVED WEST-SOUTHWESTWARD FROM 5-6 SEPTEMBER. THE WEAKENING TREND WAS SHORT-LIVED...AND IKE REGAINED CATEGORY 4 STATUS JUST BEFORE MOVING ACROSS THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS AND GREAT INAGUA ISLAND IN THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS EARLY ON 7 SEPTEMBER. IKE CONTINUED WESTWARD AND MADE LANDFALL ALONG THE NORTHEAST COAST OF CUBA IN THE PROVINCE OF HOLGUIN EARLY ON 8 SEPTEMBER WITH MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ESTIMATED TO BE 125 MPH. IKE THEN MOVED ACROSS EASTERN CUBA FOR SEVERAL HOURS...RE-EMERGED OFF THE SOUTH COAST LATER THAT DAY...AND MAINTAINED CATEGORY 1 STATUS AS IT MOVED WEST-NORTHWESTWARD ALONG THE SOUTH COAST OF CUBA. IKE MADE A SECOND LANDFALL IN CUBA OVER THE EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN PART OF THE PROVINCE OF PINAR DEL RIO ON 9 SEPTEMBER WITH WINDS OF 80 MPH...AND MOVED INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO LATER THAT DAY. IKE DEVELOPED A LARGE WIND FIELD AS IT MOVED NORTHWESTWARD ACROSS THE GULF OF MEXICO OVER THE NEXT THREE DAYS AND GRADUALLY INTENSIFIED AS IT APPROACHED THE TEXAS COAST. IKE MADE LANDFALL ALONG THE NORTH END OF GALVESTON ISLAND IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF 13 SEPTEMBER AS A CATEGORY 2 HURRICANE...WITH MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS OF 110 MPH. THE HURRICANE WEAKENED AS IT MOVED INLAND ACROSS EASTERN TEXAS AND ARKANSAS AND THEN TOWARD THE OHIO VALLEY...WHERE ITS EXTRATROPICAL REMNANTS PRODUCED WIND GUSTS TO HURRICANE FORCE. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT FLOODING AND MUD SLIDES FROM IKE KILLED 74 PEOPLE IN HAITI AND 2 IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. NO DEATHS WERE REPORTED IN THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS AND SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS...ALTHOUGH ABOUT 70 TO 80 PERCENT OF THE HOUSES ON GREAT INAGUA ISLAND SUSTAINED SOME DAMAGE. IKE ALSO CAUSED EXTENSIVE WIND AND STORM SURGE DAMAGE AS IT CROSSED THE ISLAND OF CUBA...WHERE 7 DEATHS WERE REPORTED. ALTHOUGH IKE PRODUCED SOME WIND DAMAGE ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...THE DESTRUCTION FROM STORM SURGE WAS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ASPECT OF THE HURRICANE... PARTICULARLY ALONG THE BOLIVAR PENINSULA EAST OF GALVESTON. AS OF THE END OF NOVEMBER...MEDIA REPORTS INDICATE THAT THERE WERE 19 DIRECT DEATHS IN TEXAS...LOUISIANA...AND ARKANSAS...11 OF WHICH WERE FROM DROWNING IN STORM SURGE. THE NUMBER OF MISSING PERSONS HAS DECREASED SUBSTANTIALLY SINCE THE STORM...BUT AT LEAST 11 PEOPLE ARE STILL UNACCOUNTED FOR...MAINLY FROM GALVESTON AND THE BOLIVAR PENINSULA. THE REMNANTS OF IKE ALSO CAUSED WIND DAMAGE AND SEVERAL DOZEN INDIRECT DEATHS ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE MISSISSIPPI AND OHIO VALLEYS. JOSEPHINE DEVELOPED FROM A WELL-ORGANIZED TROPICAL WAVE THAT DEPARTED THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA LATE ON 31 AUGUST. A TROPICAL DEPRESSION FORMED EARLY ON 2 SEPTEMBER...LOCATED ABOUT 170 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF THE CAPE VERDE ISLANDS. THE DEPRESSION BECAME A TROPICAL STORM SIX HOURS LATER AS THE SYSTEM WAS MOVING WEST-NORTHWESTWARD. JOSEPHINE REACHED A PEAK INTENSITY OF 65 MPH ON 3 SEPTEMBER WHILE THE SYSTEM WAS LOCATED ABOUT 305 MILES WEST-SOUTHWEST OF THE CAPE VERDE ISLANDS. THEREAFTER...A COMBINATION OF MODERATE TO STRONG SOUTHWESTERLY WIND SHEAR AND COOLING WATERS CAUSED THE STORM TO SLOWLY WEAKEN DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. EARLY ON 6 SEPTEMBER...JOSEPHINE WEAKENED TO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION AND SIX HOURS LATER DISSIPATED AS A TROPICAL CYCLONE BECAUSE IT WAS UNABLE TO GENERATE DEEP CONVECTION. THE REMNANT LOW OF JOSEPHINE CONTINUED TO MOVE GENERALLY WESTWARD FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE DISSIPATING ABOUT 520 MILES EAST OF GUADELOUPE. KYLE ORIGINATED FROM AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE THAT FORMED IN THE WINDWARD ISLANDS ON 19 SEPTEMBER. THE LOW MOVED SLOWLY TOWARD THE NORTHWEST AND THEN DRIFTED OVER WESTERN PUERTO RICO AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS...PRODUCING TORRENTIAL RAINS AND DAMAGING FLASH FLOODS OVER PUERTO RICO. ONCE THE LOW MOVED NORTHWARD AWAY FROM HISPANIOLA IT DEVELOPED A WELL-DEFINED CENTER AND BECAME A TROPICAL STORM LATE ON 25 SEPTEMBER. KYLE MOVED ON A GENERAL NORTHWARD TRACK AND PASSED WELL TO THE WEST OF BERMUDA ON THE MORNING OF 27 SEPTEMBER AND BECAME A HURRICANE LATER ON THAT DAY. KYLE ACCELERATED NORTHWARD WITH NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN STRENGTH AND MOVED OVER WESTERN NOVA SCOTIA LATE ON 28 SEPTEMBER. IT CONTINUED NORTHWARD AND LOST TROPICAL CHARACTERISTICS AS IT APPROACHED NEW BRUNSWICK. THE EFFECTS OF KYLE IN CANADA ARE STILL BEING ASSESSED. LAURA ORIGINATED FROM A NON-TROPICAL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE CENTRAL NORTH ATLANTIC. IT FORMED AS A SUBTROPICAL STORM WITH 60 MPH WINDS EARLY ON 29 SEPTEMBER ABOUT 1000 MILES WEST OF THE WESTERNMOST AZORES ISLANDS. LAURA INITIALLY MOVED WEST- NORTHWESTWARD BUT IT SOON TURNED NORTHWARD. ON 30 SEPTEMBER...THE SYSTEM MADE THE TRANSITION TO A TROPICAL STORM. LAURA TURNED NORTH-NORTHEASTWARD AND LOST TROPICAL CHARACTERISTICS ON 1 OCTOBER ABOUT 300 MILES EAST OF CAPE RACE NEWFOUNDLAND. THE EXTRATROPICAL CYCLONE CONTINUED OVER THE NORTH ATLANTIC FOR A FEW DAYS AND LOST ITS IDENTITY BY 4 OCTOBER. MARCO FORMED OUT OF A BROAD AREA OF LOW PRESSURE THAT HAD PERSISTED OVER THE NORTHWESTERN CARIBBEAN AND YUCATAN PENINSULA FOR SEVERAL DAYS AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER. BY 4 OCTOBER THE LOW BECAME BETTER DEFINED NEAR BELIZE...BUT THEN MOVED INLAND OVER THE YUCATAN PENINSULA. AS THE LOW APPROACHED THE BAY OF CAMPECHE ON 5 OCTOBER THE CLOUD PATTERN GAINED ORGANIZATION...AND THE SYSTEM BECAME A TROPICAL DEPRESSION EARLY ON 6 OCTOBER WHILE CENTERED OVER THE TERMINOS LAGOON IN THE STATE OF CAMPECHE. THE DEPRESSION QUICKLY STRENGTHENED TO A TROPICAL STORM...AND ITS WINDS REACHED 65 MPH EARLY ON 7 OCTOBER AS IT MOVED TO THE WEST-NORTHWEST. MARCO DID NOT STRENGTHEN FURTHER...AND MADE LANDFALL BETWEEN TUXPAN AND VERACRUZ ON THE MORNING OF 7 OCTOBER. THE CYCLONE WEAKENED RAPIDLY AFTER MAKING LANDFALL AND DISSIPATED LATER THAT DAY. THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPORTS OF CASUALTIES OR SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT AT TIMES THE TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTENDED NO MORE THAN ABOUT 12 MILES FROM THE CENTER. ALTHOUGH THE HISTORICAL RECORD ON STORM SIZE IS VERY SHORT...DATING BACK ONLY TO 1988...MARCO'S 12 MILE EXTENT OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS MAKES IT THE SMALLEST TROPICAL STORM ON RECORD IN THE ATLANTIC BASIN. NANA WAS A WEAK AND SHORT-LIVED TROPICAL STORM THAT DEVELOPED FROM A TROPICAL WAVE ON 12 OCTOBER ABOUT 925 MILES WEST OF THE CAPE VERDE ISLANDS. NANA BECAME A TROPICAL STORM LATER THAT DAY. AS IT MOVED STEADILY WEST-NORTHWESTWARD...SOUTHWESTERLY UPPER-LEVEL SHEAR CONDITIONS CAUSED NANA TO WEAKEN INTO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION ON 13 OCTOBER. THE SYSTEM DEGENERATED INTO A REMNANT LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM ON 14 OCTOBER ABOUT 1300 MILES EAST OF THE LESSER ANTILLES AND EVENTUALLY DISSIPATED LATE ON 15 OCTOBER ABOUT 1000 MILES EAST-NORTHEAST OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS. OMAR FORMED FROM A TROPICAL WAVE THAT MOVED WESTWARD FROM THE COAST OF AFRICA ON 30 SEPTEMBER. THE WAVE MOVED SLOWLY ACROSS THE TROPICAL ATLANTIC AND REACHED THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN SEA ON 10 OCTOBER. THE ASSOCIATED SHOWER ACTIVITY SHOWED SIGNS OF ORGANIZATION ON 11 OCTOBER...AND A TROPICAL DEPRESSION FORMED ON 13 OCTOBER ABOUT 220 MILES NORTH-NORTHWEST OF CURACAO IN THE NETHERLANDS ANTILLES. THE CYCLONE MOVED SLOWLY AND ERRATICALLY ON 13-14 OCTOBER...AND IT BECAME A TROPICAL STORM ON 14 OCTOBER ABOUT 130 MILES NORTH OF CURACAO. OMAR TURNED NORTHEASTWARD AND ACCELERATED ON 15 OCTOBER AS IT BECAME A HURRICANE. IT RAPIDLY STRENGTHENED TO A PEAK INTENSITY OF 125 MPH EARLY ON 16 OCTOBER AS IT PASSED THROUGH THE VIRGIN AND NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS. LATER THAT DAY...SOUTHWESTERLY VERTICAL WIND SHEAR CAUSED RAPID WEAKENING TO A CATEGORY 1 HURRICANE. A TEMPORARY DECREASE IN THE SHEAR ALLOWED OMAR TO RE-INTENSIFY ON 17 OCTOBER AS IT REMOVED RAPIDLY NORTHEASTWARD OVER THE OPEN ATLANTIC. HOWEVER...INCREASED SHEAR AND COOLER SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES CAUSED OMAR TO WEAKEN...AND IT DECAYED TO A REMNANT LOW ON 18 OCTOBER ABOUT 865 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF CAPE RACE NEWFOUNDLAND. THIS LOW MOVED SLOWLY NORTHEASTWARD AND DISSIPATED EARLY ON 21 OCTOBER ABOUT 800 MILES WEST OF THE AZORES ISLANDS. OMAR DIRECTLY AFFECTED THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS...AS WELL AS ST. CROIX IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS...WITH DAMAGE FROM WINDS...TIDES...AND SURF REPORTED IN THESE AREAS. SWELLS GENERATED BY THE HURRICANE AFFECTED THE WESTWARD-FACING SHORES OF OTHER ISLANDS IN THE LESSER ANTILLES. AT THIS TIME...THERE ARE NO REPORTS OF CASUALTIES FROM OMAR. TROPICAL DEPRESSION SIXTEEN FORMED ABOUT 50 MILES NORTH-NORTHEAST OF CABO GRACIAS A DIOS ON THE NICARAGUA/HONDURAS BORDER OUT OF A BROAD AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IN THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN ON 14 OCTOBER. THE SPRAWLING SYSTEM WAS NEVER ABLE TO GAIN MUCH ORGANIZATION AS IT MOVED ALONG THE NORTH COAST OF HONDURAS. THE CENTER OF THE DEPRESSION MOVED INLAND OVER NORTHEAST HONDURAS JUST AFTER 1200 UTC 15 OCTOBER AND DISSIPATED EARLY ON 16 OCTOBER. THE DEPRESSION... ITS PRECURSOR LOW...AND ITS REMNANTS CAUSED FLOODING IN PORTIONS OF COSTA RICA...NICARAGUA...HONDURAS...EL SALVADOR AND GUATEMALA. FLOODS CAUSED BY THE DEPRESSION WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR NINE DEATHS IN THE REGION. PALOMA...THE SECOND STRONGEST NOVEMBER ATLANTIC HURRICANE ON RECORD...FORMED FROM A BROAD AREA OF DISTURBED WEATHER THAT PERSISTED OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN CARIBBEAN SEA FOR SEVERAL DAYS IN EARLY NOVEMBER. A TROPICAL WAVE THAT MOVED WEST OFF THE COAST OF AFRICA ON 23 OCTOBER MOVED INTO THIS AREA ON 4 NOVEMBER...INCREASING THE COVERAGE AND ORGANIZATION OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THE DISTURBANCE DEVELOPED INTO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION ON 5 NOVEMBER ABOUT 115 MILES EAST OF CABO GRACIAS A DIOS ALONG THE NICARAGUA/HONDURAS BORDER. THE DEPRESSION MOVED SLOWLY TO THE NORTHWEST AND BECAME A TROPICAL STORM ON 6 NOVEMBER ABOUT 85 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF CABO GRACIAS A DIOS. LATER THAT DAY...PALOMA TURNED TOWARD THE NORTH AND BEGAN TO RAPIDLY INTENSIFY...BECOMING A HURRICANE EARLY ON 7 NOVEMBER ABOUT 280 MILES WEST-SOUTHWEST OF MONTEGO BAY JAMAICA. PALOMA CONTINUED TO RAPIDLY INTENSIFY AS IT TURNED TO THE NORTHEAST AND MOVED VERY CLOSE TO THE CAYMAN ISLANDS OF LITTLE CAYMAN AND CAYMAN BRAC ON 7-8 NOVEMBER. AS PALOMA CONTINUED NORTHEAST TOWARD THE SOUTHERN COAST OF CUBA IT REACHED A PEAK INTENSITY OF 145 MPH ON 8 NOVEMBER...WHEN IT WAS LOCATED ABOUT 35 MILES WEST-SOUTHWEST OF SANTA CRUZ DEL SUR CUBA. AS VERTICAL WIND SHEAR INCREASED...PALOMA BEGAN TO WEAKEN...MAKING LANDFALL NEAR SANTA CRUZ DEL SUR LATE ON 8 NOVEMBER WITH AN ESTIMATED INTENSITY OF 125 MPH. AFTER LANDFALL...PALOMA TURNED TOWARD THE NORTH...SLOWED...AND RAPIDLY WEAKENED DUE TO STRONG VERTICAL WIND SHEAR AND INTERACTION WITH LAND. PALOMA WEAKENED INTO A TROPICAL STORM ON 9 NOVEMBER NEAR CAMAGUEY CUBA...AND THEN TO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION EARLY ON 10 NOVEMBER ABOUT 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CAMAGUEY. THE DEPRESSION DEGENERATED INTO A REMNANT LOW ABOUT 40 MILES NORTH OF CAMAGUEY LATER THAT DAY WHEN IT LOST ALL DEEP CONVECTION. THE REMNANT LOW OF PALOMA MOVED SLOWLY NORTHWARD AND THEN MADE A LOOP OFF THE NORTH-CENTRAL COAST OF CUBA ON 10-11 NOVEMBER. ON 11 NOVEMBER...THE REMNANT LOW MOVED SOUTH AND THEN SOUTHWESTWARD ACROSS CENTRAL CUBA INTO THE NORTHWESTERN CARIBBEAN. THE LOW TURNED TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST AND MOVED OVER THE WESTERN TIP OF CUBA ON 12 NOVEMBER...AND EMERGED INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO ON 13 NOVEMBER. THE REMNANTS OF PALOMA THEN TURNED TOWARD THE NORTH AND EVENTUALLY REACHED THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE ON 14 NOVEMBER. PALOMA DIRECTLY IMPACTED THE CAYMAN ISLANDS AND CUBA WITH HIGH WINDS...STORM SURGE...AND HEAVY RAINFALL. DAMAGE WAS REPORTED THESE AREAS...HOWEVER MONETARY DAMAGE FIGURES ARE NOT AVAILABLE. AT THIS TIME...THERE ARE NO REPORTS OF CASUALTIES FROM PALOMA. SUMMARY TABLE NAME DATES MAX WIND (MPH) DEATHS ------------------------------------------------------------------- TS ARTHUR 31 MAY-1 JUN 45 5 MH BERTHA 3-20 JUL 125 3 TS CRISTOBAL 19-23 JUL 65 H DOLLY 20-25 JUL 100 1 TS EDOUARD 3-6 AUG 65 1 TS FAY 15-26 AUG 65 * MH GUSTAV 25 AUG-2 SEP 150 112 H HANNA 28 AUG-7 SEP 80 500* MH IKE 1-14 SEP 145 102* TS JOSEPHINE 2-6 SEP 65 H KYLE 25-29 SEP 80 TS LAURA 29 SEP-1 OCT 60 TS MARCO 6-7 OCT 65 TS NANA 12-14 OCT 40 MH OMAR 13-18 OCT 125 TD SIXTEEN 14-15 OCT 30 9 MH PALOMA 5-10 NOV 145 ------------------------------------------------------------------- MH DENOTES MAJOR HURRICANE...CATEGORY 3 OR HIGHER ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE. * DATA INCOMPLETE OR NOT AVAILABLE. NOTES...DATES BASED ON COORDINATED UNIVERSAL TIME (UTC). $$ HURRICANE SPECIALISTS UNIT
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