The 1995 Atlantic hurricane season was an extremely active
Atlantic hurricane season
The Atlantic hurricane season is the period in a year from June through November when tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic Ocean, referred to in North American countries as hurricanes, tropical storms, or tropical depressions. In addition ...
and is considered to be the start of an ongoing era of high-activity
tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...
formation. The season produced twenty-one tropical cyclones, nineteen
named storms, as well as eleven hurricanes and five
major hurricane
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
s. The season officially began on June 1 and ended on November 30, dates which conventionally delimit the period of each year when most
tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...
s develop in the Atlantic basin. The first tropical cyclone,
Hurricane Allison The name Allison has been used for three tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean, and the alternative spelling Alison has been used for two tropical cyclones in the Australian region of the Indian Ocean, one in the South-West Indian Ocean, and one i ...
, developed on June 2, while the season's final storm,
Hurricane Tanya
Hurricane Tanya was the first named storm to start with a "T" in the Atlantic since naming began in 1950, and the final storm of the very active 1995 Atlantic hurricane season. The twenty-first tropical cyclone, nineteenth named storm, and eleven ...
, transitioned into an
extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are low-pressure areas which, along with the anticyclones of high-pressure areas, drive the weather over much of the Earth. Extratropical cyclones are capable of ...
on November 1. The very active
Atlantic hurricane
An Atlantic hurricane, also known as tropical storm or simply hurricane, is a tropical cyclone that forms in the Atlantic Ocean, primarily between the months of June and November. A hurricane differs from a cyclone or typhoon only on the basis of ...
activity in 1995 was caused by
La Niña
La Niña (; ) is an oceanic and atmospheric phenomenon that is the colder counterpart of as part of the broader El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) climate pattern. The name ''La Niña'' originates from Spanish for "the girl", by an ...
conditions, which also influenced a very inactive
Pacific hurricane season
A Pacific hurricane is a mature tropical cyclone that develops within the northeastern and central Pacific Ocean to the east of 180°W, north of the equator. For tropical cyclone warning purposes, the northern Pacific is divided into three regio ...
.
There were four particularly destructive hurricanes during the season, including
Luis
Luis is a given name. It is the Spanish form of the originally Germanic name or . Other Iberian Romance languages have comparable forms: (with an accent mark on the i) in Portuguese and Galician, in Aragonese and Catalan, while is archaic ...
,
Marilyn,
Opal
Opal is a hydrated amorphous form of silica (SiO2·''n''H2O); its water content may range from 3 to 21% by weight, but is usually between 6 and 10%. Due to its amorphous property, it is classified as a mineraloid, unlike crystalline forms ...
and
Roxanne. Hurricanes Luis and Marilyn both caused catastrophic damage in the
Leeward Islands
french: ÃŽles-Sous-le-Vent
, image_name =
, image_caption = ''Political'' Leeward Islands. Clockwise: Antigua and Barbuda, Guadeloupe, Saint kitts and Nevis.
, image_alt =
, locator_map =
, location = Caribbean SeaNorth Atlantic Ocean
, coor ...
and
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands ( es, Islas VÃrgenes) are an archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. They are geologically and biogeographically the easternmost part of the Greater Antilles, the northern islands belonging to the Puerto Rico Trench and St. Croix ...
. The former storm was the first hurricane to affect the islands since
Hugo
Hugo or HUGO may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Hugo'' (film), a 2011 film directed by Martin Scorsese
* Hugo Award, a science fiction and fantasy award named after Hugo Gernsback
* Hugo (franchise), a children's media franchise based on ...
in
1989
File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...
, while the latter was the most devastating cyclone on the Virgin Islands since Hugo as well. Opal, the strongest and most intense storm of the season, caused devastation along portions of the
Gulf Coast of the United States
The Gulf Coast of the United States, also known as the Gulf South, is the coastline along the Southern United States where they meet the Gulf of Mexico. The coastal states that have a shoreline on the Gulf of Mexico are Texas, Louisiana, Mississ ...
. Roxanne, a rare late-season major hurricane, caused significant damage when it made landfall in
Quintana Roo
Quintana Roo ( , ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Quintana Roo ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Quintana Roo), is one of the 31 states which, with Mexico City, constitute the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into 11 mu ...
. All four aforementioned names were retired following the season. Additionally,
Erin
Erin is a Hiberno-English word for Ireland originating from the Irish word ''"Éirinn"''. "Éirinn" is the dative case of the Irish word for Ireland, "Éire", genitive "Éireann", the dative being used in prepositional phrases such as ''"go hà ...
produced moderate damage in
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
and into
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
.
Felix
Felix may refer to:
* Felix (name), people and fictional characters with the name
Places
* Arabia Felix is the ancient Latin name of Yemen
* Felix, Spain, a municipality of the province AlmerÃa, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, ...
generated strong waves, causing heavy
beach erosion in the Northeastern United States and drowning nine people.
Iris
Iris most often refers to:
*Iris (anatomy), part of the eye
*Iris (mythology), a Greek goddess
* ''Iris'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants
* Iris (color), an ambiguous color term
Iris or IRIS may also refer to:
Arts and media
Fictional ent ...
caused flooding that left five deaths in the
Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles ( es, link=no, Antillas Menores; french: link=no, Petites Antilles; pap, Antias Menor; nl, Kleine Antillen) are a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. Most of them are part of a long, partially volcanic island arc betwe ...
. Collectively, the tropical cyclones of the season caused about $12.74 billion (1995
USD
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
) in damage and at least 182 deaths.
Seasonal forecasts
Pre-season forecasts
Forecasts of hurricane activity are issued before each hurricane season by noted hurricane experts such as
Dr. William M. Gray and his associates at
Colorado State University
Colorado State University (Colorado State or CSU) is a public land-grant research university in Fort Collins, Colorado. It is the flagship university of the Colorado State University System. Colorado State University is classified among "R1: ...
(CSU) and the Weather Research Center (WRC). A normal season, as defined by the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (abbreviated as NOAA ) is an United States scientific and regulatory agency within the United States Department of Commerce that forecasts weather, monitors oceanic and atmospheric conditio ...
(NOAA), has 12.1 named storms; of these, 6.4 reach hurricane strength; and 2.7 major hurricanes, which are Category 3 or higher on the
Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale.
Additionally, the 1950–2000 CSU average for a normal season is 9.6 named storms, of these 5.9 reach hurricane strength, and 2.3 become major hurricanes.
In December 1994, CSU predicted that only 12 named storms would form and 8 of those would become hurricanes; 3 major hurricanes were projected. CSU noted an above average season due to expectations that the existing
El Niño
El Niño (; ; ) is the warm phase of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and is associated with a band of warm ocean water that develops in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific (approximately between the International Date L ...
would dissipate, while a
La Niña
La Niña (; ) is an oceanic and atmospheric phenomenon that is the colder counterpart of as part of the broader El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) climate pattern. The name ''La Niña'' originates from Spanish for "the girl", by an ...
would develop by the summer of 1995. Additionally, the western areas of the
Sahara Desert
, photo = Sahara real color.jpg
, photo_caption = The Sahara taken by Apollo 17 astronauts, 1972
, map =
, map_image =
, location =
, country =
, country1 =
, ...
were predicted to have the fourth or fifth rainiest season since 1970. A year with heavier precipitation in this region usually correlates with an active Atlantic hurricane season. In April 1995, CSU revised their forecast, decreasing the number of named storms to 10, hurricanes to 6, and major hurricanes to 2. However, in June, CSU reverted to their December forecast, which called for 12 named storms, 8 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes.
The forecast by the WRC in early 1995 was 10 named storms and 6 hurricanes, with no prediction on the number of major hurricanes.
Seasonal summary
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from:12/07/1995 till:20/07/1995 color:TS text:"Chantal (TS)"
from:28/07/1995 till:02/08/1995 color:TS text:" Dean (TS) "
from:31/07/1995 till:06/08/1995 color:C2 text:" Erin (C2)"
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from:22/08/1995 till:28/08/1995 color:TS text:" Jerry (TS)"
from:26/08/1995 till:03/09/1995 color:TS text:"Karen (TS)"
from:28/08/1995 till:11/09/1995 color:C4 text:" Luis (C4)"
from:09/09/1995 till:13/09/1995 color:TD text:"Fourteen (TD)"
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from:26/09/1995 till:07/10/1995 color:C1 text:"Noel (C1)"
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from:04/10/1995 till:08/10/1995 color:TS text:"Pablo (TS)"
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from:01/08/1995 till:01/09/1995 text:August
from:01/09/1995 till:01/10/1995 text:September
from:01/10/1995 till:01/11/1995 text:October
from:01/11/1995 till:30/11/1995 text:November
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The Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS) classifies hurricanes—which in the Western Hemisphere are tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms—into five categories distinguished by ...
)"
![1995 Parade of Storms](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/1995_Parade_of_Storms.jpg)
The Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1,
and activity in 1995 began on the next day with the formation of Hurricane Allison on June 2. It was a well-above average season in which 21 tropical depressions formed, 19 of which attained tropical storm status, and 11 of these attained hurricane status. In addition, five tropical cyclones reached major hurricane status, which was well above the 1950–2005 average of two per season.
At the time, only
1933
Events
January
* January 11 – Sir Charles Kingsford Smith makes the first commercial flight between Australia and New Zealand.
* January 17 – The United States Congress votes in favour of Philippines independence, against the wis ...
surpassed the season's total storms, making the season the second most active in recorded history tying with
1887
Events
January–March
* January 11 – Louis Pasteur's anti-rabies treatment is defended in the Académie Nationale de Médecine, by Dr. Joseph Grancher.
* January 20
** The United States Senate allows the Navy to lease Pearl Har ...
. Following the
2005
File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
,
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
, and
2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...
seasons, it has been pushed down to the fifth most active season alongside
2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
,
2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
, and
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
.
The 1995 season would be the beginning of an active period in the Atlantic basin, which has lasted for over 20 years. Collectively, the tropical cyclones of this season caused 182 deaths and $12.02 billion in damage. The last storm of the season,
Hurricane Tanya
Hurricane Tanya was the first named storm to start with a "T" in the Atlantic since naming began in 1950, and the final storm of the very active 1995 Atlantic hurricane season. The twenty-first tropical cyclone, nineteenth named storm, and eleven ...
, became extratropical on November 1, over four weeks before the official end of the season on November 30.
Tropical cyclogenesis
Tropical cyclogenesis is the development and strengthening of a tropical cyclone in the atmosphere. The mechanisms through which tropical cyclogenesis occurs are distinctly different from those through which temperate cyclogenesis occurs. Tropi ...
in the 1995 Atlantic hurricane season began with the development of Hurricane Allison on June 2. The month of July was very active, with four tropical cyclones forming. This record of storms in July stood until the
2005 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active Atlantic hurricane season in history, until the record was broken 15 years later in 2020. The season broke numerous records at the time, with 28 tropical or subtropical storms recorded. ...
when five storms formed in July. A total of seven storms formed in August — Felix,
Gabrielle, Humberto,
Iris
Iris most often refers to:
*Iris (anatomy), part of the eye
*Iris (mythology), a Greek goddess
* ''Iris'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants
* Iris (color), an ambiguous color term
Iris or IRIS may also refer to:
Arts and media
Fictional ent ...
,
Jerry
Jerry may refer to:
Animals
* Jerry (Grand National winner), racehorse, winner of the 1840 Grand National
* Jerry (St Leger winner), racehorse, winner of 1824 St Leger Stakes
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ''Jerry'' (film), a 2006 Indian fil ...
, Karen, and
Luis
Luis is a given name. It is the Spanish form of the originally Germanic name or . Other Iberian Romance languages have comparable forms: (with an accent mark on the i) in Portuguese and Galician, in Aragonese and Catalan, while is archaic ...
— tying the
1933
Events
January
* January 11 – Sir Charles Kingsford Smith makes the first commercial flight between Australia and New Zealand.
* January 17 – The United States Congress votes in favour of Philippines independence, against the wis ...
record for most in the month; this record was broken in the
2004 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2004 Atlantic hurricane season was a very deadly, destructive, and extremely active Atlantic hurricane season, with over 3,200 deaths and more than $61 billion (2004 USD, $95.77 billion 2022 USD) in damage. More than half of the 16 ...
when eight named storms formed during August. Although September is the climatological peak of hurricane season, it was much less active than August. Four tropical cyclones developed in September, with
Marilyn, Noel, and
Opal
Opal is a hydrated amorphous form of silica (SiO2·''n''H2O); its water content may range from 3 to 21% by weight, but is usually between 6 and 10%. Due to its amorphous property, it is classified as a mineraloid, unlike crystalline forms ...
eventually strengthening into hurricanes. Four tropical cyclones also formed in October; notably,
Hurricane Roxanne
Hurricane Roxanne was a rare and erratic tropical cyclone that caused extensive flooding in Mexico, due to its unusual movement. The seventeenth storm, tenth hurricane, and the fifth and final major hurricane of the very active 1995 Atlantic hur ...
developed in that month. The last storm of the season, Hurricane Tanya, developed later in October and eventually became extratropical on November 1.
The season's activity was reflected with a very high
accumulated cyclone energy
Accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) is a metric used by various agencies to express the energy released by a tropical cyclone during its lifetime. It is calculating by summing the square of a tropical cyclone's maximum sustained winds, measured ever ...
(ACE) rating of 228, the fifth highest value on record,
and far above the 1981–2010 median of 92.
Broadly speaking, ACE is a measure of the power of a tropical or subtropical storm multiplied by the length of time it existed. Therefore, a storm with a longer duration or stronger intensity, such as Felix, Luis, Opal, or Roxanne will have high values of ACE. It is only calculated for full advisories on specific tropical and subtropical systems reaching or exceeding wind speeds of 39 mph (63 km/h). Accordingly, tropical depressions are not included here. After the storm has dissipated, typically after the end of the season, the NHC reexamines the data, and produces a final report on each storm. These revisions can lead to a revised ACE total either upward or downward compared to the operational value.
Systems
Hurricane Allison
A westward moving
tropical wave
A tropical wave (also called easterly wave, tropical easterly wave, and African easterly wave), in and around the Atlantic Ocean, is a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which ...
reached the
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea ( es, Mar Caribe; french: Mer des Caraïbes; ht, Lanmè Karayib; jam, Kiaribiyan Sii; nl, Caraïbische Zee; pap, Laman Karibe) is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico ...
in late May and gradually organized over the next few days. Around 00:00
UTC on June 3, a tropical depression developed about 265 miles (425 km) east of
Belize City
Belize City is the largest city in Belize and was once the capital of the former British Honduras. According to the 2010 census, Belize City has a population of 57,169 people in 16,162 households. It is at the mouth of the Haulover Creek, wh ...
,
Belize
Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wate ...
. The depression initially moved northwestward before recurving to the north. The depression entered the
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...
and strengthened into Tropical Storm Allison by 12:00 UTC. Despite unfavorable upper-level winds, the storm intensified into a hurricane about 24 hours later. Allison then peaked with
maximum sustained wind
The maximum sustained wind associated with a tropical cyclone is a common
indicator of the intensity of the storm. Within a mature tropical cyclone, it is found within the eyewall at a distance defined as the radius of maximum wind, or RMW. Unl ...
s of 75 mph (120 km/h) and a minimum
barometric pressure
Atmospheric pressure, also known as barometric pressure (after the barometer), is the pressure within the atmosphere of Earth. The standard atmosphere (symbol: atm) is a unit of pressure defined as , which is equivalent to 1013.25 millibars, 7 ...
of . Increasing
wind shear
Wind shear (or windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical or horizontal ...
weakened it to a tropical storm early on June 5. At 14:00 UTC, Allison made landfall near
Alligator Point, Florida, with winds of 70 mph (110 km/h). After briefly emerging over
Apalachee Bay
Apalachee Bay is a bay in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico occupying an indentation of the Florida coast to the west of where the Florida peninsula joins the United States mainland. It is bordered by Taylor County, Florida, Taylor, Jefferson Coun ...
, Allison struck near
St. Marks with winds of 65 mph (100 km/h). Early on June 6, Allison weakened to a tropical depression, shortly before becoming
extratropical
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are low-pressure areas which, along with the anticyclones of high-pressure areas, drive the weather over much of the Earth. Extratropical cyclones are capable of p ...
. The remnants continued northeastward and later struck
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
before dissipating near
Greenland
Greenland ( kl, Kalaallit Nunaat, ; da, Grønland, ) is an island country in North America that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Greenland is t ...
on June 11.
While brushing
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
, Allison produced wind gusts up to 64 mph (102 km/h) and as much as of rainfall. A total of 32 structures were damaged or destroyed, causing one death.
In
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
,
storm surge
A storm surge, storm flood, tidal surge, or storm tide is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low-pressure weather systems, such as cyclones. It is measured as the rise in water level above the n ...
heights of were observed in
Dixie
Dixie, also known as Dixieland or Dixie's Land, is a nickname for all or part of the Southern United States. While there is no official definition of this region (and the included areas shift over the years), or the extent of the area it cover ...
and
Wakulla counties and to the east, causing significant beach erosion and damaging 65 homes, 3 hotels, and a restaurant.
Elsewhere in Florida, damage was generally minor, totaling only about $860,000. In
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
, there was minor flooding and tornadoes, one of which caused $800,000 in damage in
St. Marys.
Some locations in
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada, also called the Atlantic provinces (french: provinces de l'Atlantique), is the region of Eastern Canada comprising the provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec. The four provinces are New Brunswick, Newfoundlan ...
reported tropical storm force winds and heavy rainfall.
Tropical Storm Barry
A frontal low situated between
Bermuda
)
, anthem = "God Save the King"
, song_type = National song
, song = " Hail to Bermuda"
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, mapsize2 =
, map_caption2 =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name =
, e ...
and
South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
developed into Tropical Depression Two late on July 6.
Strong
wind shear
Wind shear (or windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical or horizontal ...
initially prevented significant strengthening,
though by early on July 7, the depression became Tropical Storm Barry. A nearby
trough
Trough may refer to:
In science
* Trough (geology), a long depression less steep than a trench
* Trough (meteorology), an elongated region of low atmospheric pressure
* Trough (physics), the lowest point on a wave
* Trough level (medicine), the l ...
enhanced convection and caused strengthening, with maximum sustained winds reaching 70 mph (110 km/h) later that day.
Later on July 8, Barry weakened slightly, falling to winds of 50 mph (85 km/h), an intensity it would retain until landfall.
An approaching mid-level trough accelerated the storm as it traveled roughly along the
Gulf Stream
The Gulf Stream, together with its northern extension the North Atlantic Current, North Atlantic Drift, is a warm and swift Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico and flows through the Straits of Florida a ...
.
Early on July 9, convection began to shift away from the storm's center. While moving rapidly northeastward, Barry made landfall in Hart Island,
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland".
Most of the population are native Eng ...
, late on July 9.
It weakened slightly and made landfall on
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island (french: link=no, île du Cap-Breton, formerly '; gd, Ceap Breatainn or '; mic, Unamaꞌki) is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America and part of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada.
The island accounts for 18. ...
less than an hour later.
Cold water caused deep convection to diminish as it was making landfall, and the storm lost most remaining tropical characteristics as it tracked toward
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
.
Barry was declared
extratropical
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are low-pressure areas which, along with the anticyclones of high-pressure areas, drive the weather over much of the Earth. Extratropical cyclones are capable of p ...
early on July 10 near the west coast of Newfoundland. As a fast-moving and weakening extratropical cyclone, the system remained distinct until it passed across the east coast of
Labrador
, nickname = "The Big Land"
, etymology =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Canada
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 ...
, when it dissipated.
Tropical storm force winds were recorded at
Fourchu, Nova Scotia
Fourchu ( ) is a small community located on Nova Scotia Route 247 in Richmond County on Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island (french: link=no, île du Cap-Breton, formerly '; gd, Ceap Breatainn or '; mic, Unamaꞌki) is an island on th ...
, as well as wind gusts up to 62 mph (100 km/h) at
Port aux Basques
Channel-Port aux Basques is a town at the extreme southwestern tip of Newfoundland fronting on the western end of the Cabot Strait. A Marine Atlantic ferry terminal is located in the town which is the primary entry point onto the island of Newfou ...
,
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
. Barry dropped significant rainfall, peaking at in Nova Scotia, with lesser totals at several other locations.
Tropical Storm Chantal
A tropical wave emerged into the Atlantic Ocean from the west coast of Africa on July 5. During the next week, the wave improved on satellite imagery and developed into a tropical depression about east-northeast of
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe (; ; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Gwadloup, ) is an archipelago and overseas department and region of France in the Caribbean. It consists of six inhabited islands—Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Désirade, and the ...
on July 12. The depression quickly strengthened into Tropical Storm Chantal. Initially, Chantal threatened the Bahamas, and the Government of the Bahamas issued tropical storm watches and warnings, which were in effect for the southeast and central islands as well as the
Turks and Caicos Islands
The Turks and Caicos Islands (abbreviated TCI; and ) are a British Overseas Territory consisting of the larger Caicos Islands and smaller Turks Islands, two groups of tropical islands in the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean and n ...
. However, Chantal re-curved to the north and did not directly affect the Bahamas. After the cyclone turned northward, it threatened
Bermuda
)
, anthem = "God Save the King"
, song_type = National song
, song = " Hail to Bermuda"
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, mapsize2 =
, map_caption2 =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name =
, e ...
, which prompted a tropical storm watch for the island on July 16. The watch was canceled on July 18 as the storm passed well northwest of the island.
By early on July 17, Chantal attained its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of . Thereafter, the storm began weakening and slowly losing tropical characteristics. At 18:00 UTC on July 20, Chantal transitioned into an extratropical storm about 225 mi (360 km) east-southeast of
Cape Race
Cape Race is a point of land located at the southeastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Its name is thought to come from the original Portuguese name for this cape, "Raso", mea ...
, Newfoundland. The remnants continued rapidly northeastward and later east-northeastward, before dissipating west of the
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...
on July 22.
Although Chantal remained well offshore, the storm dropped heavy rainfall in
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland".
Most of the population are native Eng ...
and Newfoundland, peaking at on the
Burin Peninsula
The Burin Peninsula ( ) is a peninsula located on the south coast of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Marystown is the largest population centre on the peninsula.Statistics Canada. 2017. Marystown, T ensus ...
. Further west in Nova Scotia, heavier precipitation was reported, peaking at near
Barrington.
Tropical Storm Dean
A
stationary front in the Gulf of Mexico developed an upper-level circulation. By July 28, the system organized enough to be classified as Tropical Depression Four. Despite favorable conditions, the depression tracked westward without significantly intensifying, due to the poor organization of the storm itself. As the depression curved west-northwestward, it began to strengthen and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Dean while located only 70 mi (110 km) from the
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
coastline on July 30. The system made landfall early on July 31 near
Freeport with winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 999 mbar (hPa; 29.5 inHg). Shortly thereafter, Dean weakened back to a tropical depression. The storm continued to slowly weaken as it moved northwestward, dissipating on August 2 near the Texas–
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
border.
Storm surge caused minor
coastal flooding
Coastal flooding normally occurs when dry and low-lying land is submerged by seawater. The range of a coastal flooding is a result of the elevation of floodwater that penetrates the inland which is controlled by the topography of the coastal land ...
, especially on
Galveston Island
Galveston Island ( ) is a barrier island on the Texas Gulf Coast in the United States, about southeast of Houston. The entire island, with the exception of Jamaica Beach, is within the city limits of the City of Galveston in Galveston County.
T ...
.
Dean produced a large swath of rainfall between , while some areas received more than .
Precipitation from the storm caused moderate localized flood damage. A total of 20 families in
Chambers County evacuated,
while 38 houses in the southeastern portions of Texas were flooded.
Two tornadoes were also reported in the state, but neither caused significant damage.
In
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
, heavy rainfall flooded more than 40 houses and left about 24 cars stranded. At least three highways suffered significant flooding, while other minor roads were closed for several days.
Outside of Oklahoma and Texas, the remnants of the storm dropped rainfall in several
Midwestern states
The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of the United States. I ...
, though minimal damage occurred.
Despite the flooding, property damage estimates were only $500,000,
while one fatality occurred.
Hurricane Erin
A tropical wave exited the west coast of Africa on July 22 and headed toward the
Leeward Islands
french: ÃŽles-Sous-le-Vent
, image_name =
, image_caption = ''Political'' Leeward Islands. Clockwise: Antigua and Barbuda, Guadeloupe, Saint kitts and Nevis.
, image_alt =
, locator_map =
, location = Caribbean SeaNorth Atlantic Ocean
, coor ...
, where the system nearly developed into a tropical cyclone but was inhibited by vertical wind shear. By July 31, the system was classified as Tropical Storm Erin while just west of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Despite effects from wind shear, Erin continued to strengthen as it moved northwestward and was upgraded to a hurricane later on July 31. Further intensification occurred, and Erin reached winds of 85 mph (140 km/h) before making landfall near
Vero Beach, Florida
Vero Beach is a city in and the seat of Indian River County, Florida, United States. Vero Beach is the second most populous city in Indian River County. Abundant in beaches and wildlife, Vero Beach is located on Florida's Treasure Coast. It is thi ...
, on August 1. The storm emerged over the Gulf of Mexico after weakening back to a tropical storm, though it quickly re-strengthened into a hurricane. Shortly before making landfall near
Pensacola Beach, Florida
Pensacola Beach is an unincorporated community located on Santa Rosa Island, a barrier island, in Escambia County, Florida, United States. It is situated south of Pensacola (and Gulf Breeze connected via bridges spanning to the Fairpoint Pen ...
on August 3, Erin briefly intensified into a Category 2 hurricane. After moving inland, Erin slowly weakened as it tracked across the
Southern United States
The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, or simply the South) is a geographic and cultural region of the United States of America. It is between the Atlantic Ocean ...
and
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of the United States. I ...
. By August 6, Erin merged with a frontal system over
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
.
Erin was the first hurricane to strike the United States since
Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew was a very powerful and destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that struck the Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana in August 1992. It is the most destructive hurricane to ever hit Florida in terms of structures damaged ...
in 1992. In
Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
, the outer bands of Erin produced heavy rainfall on the island, which caused a plane crash, killing five people; two other fatalities occurred when two people were struck by lightning. Although many islands in the Bahamas experienced high winds and heavy rainfall, damage associated with Erin was fairly minor. Offshore of Florida, nine people drowned, three of which occurred after a cruise ship sunk. Over land, high winds produced by Erin damaged over 2,000 houses, most of which were in the
Florida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle (also West Florida and Northwest Florida) is the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Florida; it is a Salient (geography), salient roughly long and wide, lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia (U. ...
. In addition, strong winds left over one million people without electricity. Several tornadoes were spawned in the state, causing damage. In Alabama, more than 100 houses were damaged by Erin.
Between 50 and 75 percent of the pecan crop in
Baldwin County was lost. Similar impact also occurred in
Mississippi
Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
, although to a lesser degree. Elsewhere, some areas of the Mid-Atlantic and
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States, also referred to as the Northeast, the East Coast, or the American Northeast, is a geographic region of the United States. It is located on the Atlantic coast of North America, with Canada to its north, the Southe ...
experienced heavy rainfall. Overall, Erin caused 13 fatalities and $700 million in damage.
Tropical Depression Six
The southern part of the tropical wave that spawned Hurricane Erin continued into the Caribbean Sea in late July. By August 4, the system entered the Bay of Campeche and developed into Tropical Depression Six on August 5. The depression moved slowly over Mexico and gradually intensified that day and August 6. Satellite intensity estimated showed the depression was likely just below the threshold of tropical storm status. However, late on August 6, the depression made landfall in
Cabo Rojo,
Veracruz
Veracruz (), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave), is one of the 31 states which, along with Me ...
. The depression slowly weakened inland and dissipated late on August 7.
The depression and the precursor tropical wave dropped heavy rainfall in some areas of Mexico. Precipitation from the precursor system peaked at in
Escuintla, Chiapas
Escuintla is a town and one of the 119 Municipalities of Chiapas, in southern Mexico. It covers an area of 206.2 km².
As of 2010, the municipality had a total population of 30,068, up from 28,064 as of 2005.
As of 2010, the town of Escuint ...
, while rainfall from the depression itself peaked at in
Tlaxco,
Puebla
Puebla ( en, colony, settlement), officially Free and Sovereign State of Puebla ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 217 municipalities and its cap ...
. Some localized flooding may have occurred near the path of the depression.
Hurricane Felix
A tropical wave exited the west coast of Africa on August 6 developed into Tropical Depression Seven on August 8 while located about west-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands. The depression moved west-northwestward due to a
subtropical ridge
The horse latitudes are the latitudes about 30 degrees north and south of the Equator. They are characterized by sunny skies, calm winds, and very little precipitation. They are also known as Subtropics, subtropical ridges, or highs. It is a h ...
and deepened into Tropical Storm Felix later that day. Further intensification was slower, with Felix reaching hurricane status on August 11. Due to warm sea surface temperatures and light wind shear, Felix began to rapidly strengthen as it was curving northwestward. Late on August 12, Felix peaked with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (220 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of . Felix weakened over the next few days back to a Category 1 hurricane on August 14, after an
eyewall replacement cycle
In meteorology, eyewall replacement cycles, also called concentric eyewall cycles, naturally occur in intense tropical cyclones, generally with winds greater than , or major hurricanes ( Category 3 or above). When tropical cyclones reach this int ...
and an increase in wind shear.
The storm posed a significant threat to Bermuda, warranting a hurricane warning between August 14 and August 15. During the latter date, Felix passed only 75 mi (120 km) to the southwest of the island. Continuing on its northwest trek, the cyclone also temporarily prompted preparations along the East Coast of the United States. However, the storm curved northward and then east-northeastward while remaining offshore. Felix briefly threatened Bermuda again, but turned back to the northeast and weakened to a tropical storm on August 20. It accelerated east-northeastward and passed a short distance offshore of Newfoundland, where it transitioned into an extratropical storm on August 22. The remnants of Felix continued northeastward across the Atlantic until dissipating near
Shetland
Shetland, also called the Shetland Islands and formerly Zetland, is a subarctic archipelago in Scotland lying between Orkney, the Faroe Islands and Norway. It is the northernmost region of the United Kingdom.
The islands lie about to the no ...
on August 25.
Large waves in
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
caused minor coastal flooding in
Cataño.
On Bermuda, the storm produced near-hurricane-force winds,
which downed trees and power lines, and left 20,000 people without power. Rough surf was also reported on Bermuda, which damaged a few boats and hotels. In addition, the passage of Felix postponed Bermuda's 1995 independence referendum. In the United States, Felix generated large waves from northeast Florida to
Maine
Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...
.
In
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
, two houses were washed away in
The Hamptons
The Hamptons, part of the East End of Long Island, consist of the towns of Southampton and East Hampton, which together comprise the South Fork of Long Island, in Suffolk County, New York. The Hamptons are a popular seaside resort and one of ...
, while 20 to 30 houses in North Carolina experienced minor damage from rough seas.
While passing southeast of Newfoundland, Felix produced moderate rainfall and large waves across the island, although damage was minimal. Overall, Felix caused eight deaths due to drowning along the coasts of
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
and
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
, and $132,000 in damage.
Tropical Storm Gabrielle
A tropical wave emerged into the Atlantic from the west coast of Africa in late July 1995 and entered the Gulf of Mexico on August 8. On the following day, the system developed a weak low-level circulation and was declared Tropical Depression Eight while in the western Gulf of Mexico. The depression quickly intensified into Tropical Storm Gabrielle on August 10. Gabrielle continued to rapidly strengthen as it tracked toward the coast of Mexico, nearly becoming a hurricane late on August 11. However, Gabrielle made landfall near
La Pesca
La Pesca is a small town in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It is located on the Gulf of Mexico, at the mouth of the RÃo Soto La Marina, between the Laguna Madre to the north and the Laguna Morales to the south.
It stands due east of state capi ...
,
Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas), is a state in the northeast region of Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entiti ...
, Mexico two hours later, which prevented further strengthening. Gabrielle rapidly weakened inland and dissipated early on August 12.
Gabrielle dropped heavy rainfall in Mexico, where some areas possibly experienced more than of precipitation. However, according to the
Weather Prediction Center (WPC), rainfall peaked at in southern
Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas), is a state in the northeast region of Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entiti ...
.
Despite the large amounts of precipitation, it was considered beneficial due to drought conditions in some areas, especially in Tamaulipas and
Nuevo Leon Nuevo is the Spanish word for "new". It may refer to:
* Nuevo, California, a town in the state of California
* Nuevo (band), featuring singer and musician Peter Godwin
* Nuevo (Bayamón), a settlement in Puerto Rico
* "Nuevo", Spanish-language vers ...
.
However, in other nearby areas, the heavy rainfall flooded streets and destroyed roadways and bridges.
Further north, Gabrielle dropped light to moderate rainfall in Texas.
Gabrielle caused six fatalities in Mexico, while the damage figure is unknown.
Hurricane Humberto
On August 19, a tropical wave crossed over
Dakar
Dakar ( ; ; wo, Ndakaaru) (from daqaar ''tamarind''), is the capital and largest city of Senegal. The city of Dakar proper has a population of 1,030,594, whereas the population of the Dakar metropolitan area is estimated at 3.94 million in 2 ...
,
Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤠(Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤠ðž ...
, shortly before entering into the Atlantic Ocean. The wave quickly organized once in the Atlantic and developed into Tropical Depression Nine on August 22.
Due to low wind shear and warm
sea surface temperatures
Sea surface temperature (SST), or ocean surface temperature, is the ocean temperature close to the surface. The exact meaning of ''surface'' varies according to the measurement method used, but it is between and below the sea surface. Air masse ...
, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Humberto six hours later.
It continued west-northwestward and then westward under the influence of a mid-level trough. Early on August 23, Humberto intensified into a hurricane.
By early on August 24 the storm developed a well-defined
eye after becoming a Category 2 hurricane.
After peaking with winds of 110 mph (175 km/h) on August 24, Humberto began a
fujiwhara interaction
The Fujiwhara effect, sometimes referred to as the Fujiwara effect, Fujiw(h)ara interaction or binary interaction, is a phenomenon that occurs when two nearby cyclonic vortices move around each other and close the distance between the circulations ...
with
Hurricane Iris
Hurricane Iris was a small, but powerful Category 4 hurricane that caused widespread destruction in Belize. Iris was the second-strongest storm of the 2001 Atlantic hurricane season, behind Hurricane Michelle. It was the ninth named storm, fif ...
.
This generated shear on Humberto, causing the storm to weaken back to a Category 1 hurricane on August 26.
Humberto continued to weaken until August 28, when it was barely a hurricane.
Operationally, Humberto was erroneously downgraded to a tropical storm on that same day.
Thereafter, the storm began restrengthening and reached a secondary peak slightly below the threshold for a Category 2 hurricane on August 30.
While tracking northeastward, Humberto began weakening and acquiring extratropical characteristics starting on the following day. Later on August 31, Humberto weakened to a tropical storm. By 06:00 UTC on September 1, the storm was absorbed by an extratropical low while west of the
Azores
)
, motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace")
, anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores")
, image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg
, map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union
, map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...
.
Humberto was the second of four tropical waves in quick succession in the tropical Atlantic that all eventually became tropical storms or hurricanes; it was preceded by the wave that became Iris, and followed by the waves that became
Karen
Karen may refer to:
* Karen (name), a given name and surname
* Karen (slang), a term and meme for a demanding woman displaying certain behaviors
People
* Karen people, an ethnic group in Myanmar and Thailand
** Karen languages or Karenic l ...
and
Luis
Luis is a given name. It is the Spanish form of the originally Germanic name or . Other Iberian Romance languages have comparable forms: (with an accent mark on the i) in Portuguese and Galician, in Aragonese and Catalan, while is archaic ...
. It was also the first of three tropical cyclones to form within a 24-hour period on August 21 and 22; Iris formed 12 hours later and Jerry formed 18 hours later. It was also the first of five named storms to form within a seven-day period; Karen formed on August 26 and Luis on August 28.
Hurricane Iris
A tropical wave emerged into the Atlantic Ocean from the west coast of Africa on August 16. It rapidly developed a closed circulation, though convection diminished a few days after the wave entered the Atlantic. However, convection began to re-develop and by 12:00 UTC on August 22, the system developed into Tropical Depression Ten. Six hours later, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Iris. Thereafter, Iris continued to intensify and became a hurricane later on August 23. After reaching winds of 85 mph (140 km/h), the storm began to weaken during a Fujiwhara interaction with Hurricane Humberto, causing Iris to be downgraded to a tropical storm on August 24. Iris continued to steadily weaken as it approached the Lesser Antilles. After making a direct hit on
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia ( acf, Sent Lisi, french: Sainte-Lucie) is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean. The island was previously called Iouanalao and later Hewanorra, names given by the native Arawaks and Caribs, two Amerindian ...
and
Martinique
Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in th ...
on August 26, steering currents produced by a trough forced Iris north-northwestward; this caused it to brush
Dominica
Dominica ( or ; Kalinago: ; french: Dominique; Dominican Creole French: ), officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island country in the Caribbean. The capital, Roseau, is located on the western side of the island. It is geographically ...
and
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe (; ; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Gwadloup, ) is an archipelago and overseas department and region of France in the Caribbean. It consists of six inhabited islands—Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Désirade, and the ...
and make landfall in
Antigua
Antigua ( ), also known as Waladli or Wadadli by the native population, is an island in the Lesser Antilles. It is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region and the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua and Bar ...
and
Barbuda
Barbuda (), is an island located in the eastern Caribbean forming part of the sovereign state of Antigua and Barbuda. It is located north of the island of Antigua and is part of the Leeward Islands of the West Indies. The island is a popular ...
on August 27. Around the time, Iris began restrengthening due to a decrease in wind shear and became a hurricane again on August 28.
It is possible that the forward motion of the storm became slightly erratic after a Fujiwhara interaction began with Tropical Storm Karen. By September 1, Iris peaked as a 110 mph (175 km/h) Category 2 hurricane. After curving north-northeastward, Iris began to weaken after encountering increasing wind shear and decreasing sea surface temperatures. Nonetheless, it was still able to absorb Tropical Depression Karen on September 3. By early on the following day, Iris weakened to a tropical storm, six hours before becoming extratropical, while centered southeast of Newfoundland.
While crossing through the Leeward Islands, Iris produced heavy rainfall. High waves in
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is often referred to as the southernmos ...
caused coastal flooding and damage to boats. In
Martinique
Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in th ...
, significant amounts of precipitation led to flooding and landslides. Four fatalities were reported on that island,
two of which occurred after mudslides push a house off a cliff. Flooding was also reported in coastal areas, resulting in heavy damage in
Le Vauclin
Le Vauclin (; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Voklen) is a commune and town in the French overseas department and region, and island of Martinique.
Geography
Located in the southeast of the island, its neighboring towns are Le François, Saint-E ...
. On
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe (; ; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Gwadloup, ) is an archipelago and overseas department and region of France in the Caribbean. It consists of six inhabited islands—Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Désirade, and the ...
, the only island to record tropical storm force winds, one fatality occurred after a person drowned in a flooded river. Rainfall in
Antigua
Antigua ( ), also known as Waladli or Wadadli by the native population, is an island in the Lesser Antilles. It is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region and the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua and Bar ...
damaged banana trees and caused flooding in low-lying areas.
Tropical Storm Jerry
A tropical wave which emerged off of Africa began convective organization in the vicinity of the Bahamas. On August 23, the system was declared Tropical Depression Eleven while located between Florida and
Andros Island
Andros Island is an archipelago within the Bahamas, the largest of the Bahamian Islands. Politically considered a single island, Andros in total has an area greater than all the other 700 Bahamian islands combined. The land area of Andros consis ...
. The depression strengthened as it headed north-northwestward, despite only marginally favorable conditions. On the following day, the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Jerry while located only 33 mi (53 km) offshore Florida. At 18:00 UTC on August 23, the storm made landfall later near
Jupiter, Florida
Jupiter is the northernmost town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. According to the 2020 Census, the town had a population of 61,047 as of April 1, 2020. It is 84 miles north of Miami, and the northernmost community in the Miami met ...
, as a minimal tropical storm with winds of 40 mph (65 km/h). Jerry slowly weakened and was downgraded to a tropical depression late on August 24. After drifting across Florida, the cyclone briefly emerged over the
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...
, but then headed northward and back inland. Jerry meandered over
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
and eventually dissipated on August 28.
Jerry dropped heavy rainfall in Florida, especially in the southern portion of the state, where of precipitation fell in
Golden Gate
The Golden Gate is a strait on the west coast of North America that connects San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean. It is defined by the headlands of the San Francisco Peninsula and the Marin Peninsula, and, since 1937, has been spanned by th ...
. Although the storm struck the east coast of the state, much of the damage in Florida occurred in
Collier County
Collier County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 375,752; an increase of 16.9% since the 2010 United States Census. Its county seat is East Naples, where the county offices were moved from E ...
. In that county, 340 houses were damaged and 12 others were destroyed due to flooding. Other nearby counties also reported flood damage, albeit less severe. Agricultural damage was also reported in southwest Florida, primarily to citrus crops. The storm also spawned two tornadoes in
West Central Florida, though neither caused any damage.
Heavy rainfall also occurred in Georgia, with some areas experiencing over 12 in (300 mm) of rain. The remnants of Jerry produced heavy precipitation in
North
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography.
Etymology
T ...
and
South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
, with observed in
Antreville, South Carolina. In both states, many roads were flooded and numerous buildings and houses were damaged, especially in the
Charlotte
Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...
and
Raleigh
Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...
areas of North Carolina. Overall, there were eight fatalities and $40 million in damage associated with Jerry.
Tropical Storm Karen
On August 23, a tropical wave emerged into the Atlantic from the west coast of Africa. Shortly after entering the Atlantic, the tropical wave developed into a
low-pressure area
In meteorology, a low-pressure area, low area or low is a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure areas are commonly associated with inclement weather (such as cloudy, windy, with possible ...
. Over the next few days, the cloud pattern associated with the system fluctuated in organization and a tropical depression may have developed as early as August 24. Two days later, satellite imagery indicated a well-defined low-level cloud center. As a result, it is estimated that Tropical Depression Twelve developed at 12:00 UTC on August 26. The depression slowly intensified as it tracked west-northwestward under the influence of low- to mid-level flow.
Although sea surface temperatures were warm, outflow from Hurricane Humberto may have slowed further strengthening of the depression.
The depression finally began to develop bands north of the center on August 27, though overall, the deep convection remained disorganized; the circulation of the depression also became elongated. Around 06:00 UTC on August 28, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Karen. Early on the following day, Karen peaked with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 km/h). By August 31, Karen north-northwestward around the circulation of Hurricane Iris and thus, a Fujiwhara interaction began.
As the storm was approaching Iris, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) began predicting on September 1 that Karen would merge with the former. On the following day, Karen weakened to a tropical depression. Early on September 3, Karen lost its well-defined center and merged with Iris at 06:00 UTC, while centered near Bermuda.
Hurricane Luis
A westward-moving tropical wave developed into Tropical Depression Thirteen at 18:00 UTC on August 28. Initially, strong vertical shear hindered the depression from strengthening significantly; by early on August 29, however, it acquired sufficient organization to be named Tropical Storm Luis. The storm continued to strengthen slowly until wind shear decreased on August 30, causing Luis to become a hurricane later that day. By September 1, Luis became a major hurricane after it reached Category 3 intensity. Later that day, Luis was further upgraded to a Category 4 hurricane. Early on September 3, maximum sustained winds reached 150 mph (240 km/h), though the lowest pressure in relation to Luis was not recorded until September 8. After weakening slightly, Luis passed near Antigua and made landfall in Barbuda early on September 5, before brushing
Saint Barthélemy
Saint Barthélemy (french: Saint-Barthélemy, ), officially the Collectivité territoriale de Saint-Barthélemy, is an overseas collectivity of France in the Caribbean. It is often abbreviated to St. Barth in French, and St. Barts in English ...
,
Saint Martin, and
Anguilla
Anguilla ( ) is a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It is one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, lying east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and directly north of Saint Martin. The territo ...
. After remaining a major hurricane for a week, Luis weakened to a Category 2 hurricane while northeast of the Bahamas on September 8;
the weakening was possibly as a result of the storm crossing over decreasing ocean temperature due to
upwelling
Upwelling is an oceanographic phenomenon that involves wind-driven motion of dense, cooler, and usually nutrient-rich water from deep water towards the ocean surface. It replaces the warmer and usually nutrient-depleted surface water. The nutr ...
from Hurricane Felix. On September 10, Luis rapidly accelerated northeastward and weakened to a Category 1 hurricane. Luis made landfall on the
Avalon Peninsula
The Avalon Peninsula (french: Péninsule d'Avalon) is a large peninsula that makes up the southeast portion of the island of Newfoundland. It is in size.
The peninsula is home to 270,348 people, about 52% of Newfoundland's population, according ...
of Newfoundland early on September 11.
While crossing the island, cold, dry air began impacting the storm, causing it to rapidly become extratropical and merge with a frontal zone shortly after reentering the Atlantic Ocean.
Strong winds and high waves wreaked havoc on several islands in the Lesser Antilles. In
Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda (, ) is a sovereign country in the West Indies. It lies at the juncture of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean in the Leeward Islands part of the Lesser Antilles, at 17°N latitude. The country consists of two maj ...
, winds reaching damaged numerous houses on Barbuda and destroyed nearly 45% of residences on Antigua.
An estimated 1,700 people were forced to flee to shelters and about 3,200 others were left homeless. Within Antigua and Barbuda alone, three fatalities occurred, 165 people were injured, and damage totaled to $350 million.
Strong winds in Guadeloupe caused moderate damage to homes and trees, especially in the
Grande-Terre
Grande-Terre Island (french: île de Grande-Terre / île de la Grande-Terre; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Gwantè) is the name of the eastern-half of Guadeloupe proper, in the Lesser Antilles. It is separated from the other half of Guadeloupe ...
region. At
Basse-Terre
Basse-Terre (, ; ; gcf, label=Guadeloupean Creole, Bastè, ) is a commune in the French overseas department of Guadeloupe, in the Lesser Antilles. It is also the ''prefecture'' (capital city) of Guadeloupe. The city of Basse-Terre is located ...
, nearly 100% of the banana crop was destroyed. Heavy rainfall in this portion of the island caused significant damage to roads. High waves also caused significant coastal flooding on the west coast of the island. About $50 million in damage was reported and one fatality occurred.
The most significant effects occurred in the
Netherlands Antilles
nl, In vrijheid verenigd"Unified by freedom"
, national_anthem =
, common_languages = Dutch English Papiamento
, demonym = Netherlands Antillean
, capital = Willemstad
, year_start = 1954
, year_end = 2010
, date_start = 15 December
, ...
, especially on Saint Martin – including both the French and Dutch side of the island. Approximately 60% of buildings were damaged to some degree.
Additionally, severe disruption to utility services was reported, including water, electricity, and telephone service. Nine deaths and $1.8 billion in damage was reported on the island.
In Dominica, storm surge left 1,000 people homeless and $47 million in property losses. Winds exceeding caused severe impact in eastern
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
, especially
Culebra. The area was left without electricity and 350 houses were extensively damaged or destroyed. On the main island, effects were primarily limited to downed trees and power lines on highways and electrical outages at about 200,000 houses. Throughout Puerto Rico, damaged reached $200 million and there were two deaths. Similarly strong winds lashed the
United States Virgin Islands
The United States Virgin Islands,. Also called the ''American Virgin Islands'' and the ''U.S. Virgin Islands''. officially the Virgin Islands of the United States, are a group of Caribbean islands and an unincorporated and organized territory ...
.
Saint Thomas suffered the worst, where 75%–80% of houses were severely damaged or destroyed. The island's hospital was flooded. Damage in the United States Virgin Islands was estimated at $300 million. Lesser effects occurred in the
British Virgin Islands
)
, anthem = "God Save the King"
, song_type = Territorial song
, song = "Oh, Beautiful Virgin Islands"
, image_map = File:British Virgin Islands on the globe (Americas centered).svg
, map_caption =
, mapsize = 290px
, image_map2 = Brit ...
. Several homes were deroofed, especially on
Anegada
Anegada is the northernmost of the British Virgin Islands (BVI), a group of islands that form part of the archipelago of the Virgin Islands. It lies approximately north of Virgin Gorda. Anegada is the only inhabited British Virgin Island for ...
and
Virgin Gorda
Virgin Gorda () is the third-largest island (after Tortola and Anegada) and second-most populous of the British Virgin Islands (BVI).
Geography
Located at about 18 degrees, 48 minutes North, and 64 degrees, 30 minutes West, it covers an area o ...
. There were a number of telephone and electrical outages after a number of poles were toppled. In the United States, storm surge and high tides were reported along the
East Coast
East Coast may refer to:
Entertainment
* East Coast hip hop, a subgenre of hip hop
* East Coast (ASAP Ferg song), "East Coast" (ASAP Ferg song), 2017
* East Coast (Saves the Day song), "East Coast" (Saves the Day song), 2004
* East Coast FM, a ra ...
, leading to two drowning deaths—one in North Carolina and the other in
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
. In the former state, eight homes were swept into the ocean and damage reached $1.9 million.
The storm also brought minor flooding to
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
, with one death and $500,000 in damage. In addition, Luis was the earliest twelfth-named storm on record at the time. However, this record has since been broken by
Hurricane Laura
Hurricane Laura was a deadly and destructive Category 4 hurricane that is tied with the 1856 Last Island hurricane and 2021's Hurricane Ida as the strongest hurricane on record to make landfall in the U.S. state of Louisiana, as measur ...
in
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
.
Tropical Depression Fourteen
A tropical wave exited the coast of Africa on September 4 and tracked westward across the Atlantic. The system gradually organized and became a tropical depression on September 9.
However, the NHC did not operationally declare the system as Tropical Depression Fourteen until September 11, while the system was centered southeast of Bermuda. Although the National Hurricane Center predicted that it would intensify into a tropical storm, it was also noted shortly after advisories were initiated that "this might have been the only opportunity to name this depression." The depression moved toward the northwest and encountered strong upper-level winds which removed the convection from the low-level center on September 13, causing the storm to dissipate.
Hurricane Marilyn
A tropical wave exited the west coast of Africa and entered into the Atlantic Ocean between September 7 and September 8. Although it had a large circulation, deep convection was minimal. After tracking steadily westward over the next few days, the system began developing convection. By 18:00 UTC on September 12, the system became Tropical Depression Fifteen, while centered about 585 mi (940 km) east-southeast of
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estimate). ...
. The depression strengthened and became Tropical Storm Marilyn six hours later. Early on September 14, Marilyn further intensified to a hurricane. Later that day, Marilyn made landfall near Jenny Point,
Dominica
Dominica ( or ; Kalinago: ; french: Dominique; Dominican Creole French: ), officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island country in the Caribbean. The capital, Roseau, is located on the western side of the island. It is geographically ...
, with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) at 21:00 UTC. Shortly thereafter, Marilyn entered the Caribbean Sea. While approaching the
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands ( es, Islas VÃrgenes) are an archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. They are geologically and biogeographically the easternmost part of the Greater Antilles, the northern islands belonging to the Puerto Rico Trench and St. Croix ...
and Puerto Rico, the storm became a Category 2 hurricane. After avoiding landfall, Marilyn re-entered into the Atlantic Ocean on September 16. The storm continued to intensify and early on September 17, it peaked as a minimal Category 3 hurricane. While curving northward, Marilyn fluctuated in intensity until beginning a weakening trend on September 20. The storm turned east-northeastward, and by the following day, it weakened to a tropical storm. By 06:00 UTC on September 22, Marilyn became extratropical while about 315 mi (505 km) southeast of
Sable Island
Sable Island (french: île de Sable, literally "island of sand") is a small Canadian island situated southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and about southeast of the closest point of mainland Nova Scotia in the North Atlantic Ocean. The island i ...
. The remnants of Marilyn lasted until merging with a cold front on October 1.
Throughout the
Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles ( es, link=no, Antillas Menores; french: link=no, Petites Antilles; pap, Antias Menor; nl, Kleine Antillen) are a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. Most of them are part of a long, partially volcanic island arc betwe ...
, the storm produced high winds and heavy rainfall.
After Hurricane Luis destroyed 90% of Dominica's banana crop, Marilyn ruined the remaining 10%. In addition, a roof was torn off an emergency shelter. On
Martinique
Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in th ...
, moderate rainfall and tropical storm force winds were recorded, though no damage or fatalities occurred. Effects in
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe (; ; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Gwadloup, ) is an archipelago and overseas department and region of France in the Caribbean. It consists of six inhabited islands—Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Désirade, and the ...
were similar, but more intense. In
Saint-Claude, of rain fell, which was the highest precipitation total associated with Marilyn. Wind speeds measured on Guadeloupe were also tropical storm force, with sustained winds of in
Marie-Galante
Marie-Galante ( gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Mawigalant) is one of the islands that form Guadeloupe, an overseas department of France. Marie-Galante has a land area of . It had 11,528 inhabitants at the start of 2013, but by the start of 2018 ...
. Similar but lesser winds and rain occurred in
Saint Barthélemy
Saint Barthélemy (french: Saint-Barthélemy, ), officially the Collectivité territoriale de Saint-Barthélemy, is an overseas collectivity of France in the Caribbean. It is often abbreviated to St. Barth in French, and St. Barts in English ...
and
Sint Maarten
Sint Maarten () is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Caribbean. With a population of 41,486 as of January 2019 on an area of , it encompasses the southern 44% of the divided island of Saint Martin, while the north ...
. However, the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
possessions, were, by far, suffered the most damage. Strong winds damaged or destroyed at least 80% of buildings on
St. Thomas, which left 10,000 people homeless.
Storm surge in the
Charlotte Amalie harbor beached the ''
USCGC Point Ledge'' and damaged many smaller boats.
Moderate to severe damage was also reported on
St. Croix
Saint Croix; nl, Sint-Kruis; french: link=no, Sainte-Croix; Danish and no, Sankt Croix, Taino: ''Ay Ay'' ( ) is an island in the Caribbean Sea, and a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), an unincor ...
and
St. John,
where 20–30% of houses were damaged.
On
Culebra, an offshore island of Puerto Rico, wind gusts as high as 125 mph (201 km/h) were reported.
As a result, light planes were overturned and 250 homes were either damaged or destroyed. Large waves also caused street flooding on the island. Flash floods on the main island of Puerto Rico sent rivers above their banks.
Moderate winds and rainfall on
Antigua
Antigua ( ), also known as Waladli or Wadadli by the native population, is an island in the Lesser Antilles. It is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region and the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua and Bar ...
caused extensive damage to banana crops. While the storm bypassed Bermuda, tropical storm force winds were reported but no damage occurred.
Overall, Marilyn caused at least 13 fatalities and $2.1 billion in damage.
Hurricane Noel
A tropical wave exited
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
on September 22 and within three days began to develop organized convection. After a low-level circulation formed, the system developed into Tropical Depression Sixteen late on September 26.
Despite the presence of wind shear, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Noel on September 27. Moving northwestward, it gradually intensified to hurricane status by September 28, with peak winds of 75 mph (120 km/h). After remaining a hurricane for 42 hours, during which it turned to the northeast, Noel weakened to tropical storm strength due to increased wind shear.
Although forecast to weaken to a tropical depression, Noel maintained minimal tropical storm intensity as it curved to the northwest. Following a decrease in shear, Noel regained hurricane status on October 5 about west-southwest of the
Azores
)
, motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace")
, anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores")
, image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg
, map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union
, map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...
. It turned to the east,
and the return of unfavorable conditions caused it to weaken to a tropical storm by October 6. A day later, Noel weakened below tropical storm strength as it transitioned to an extratropical cyclone. The remnants lasted until late on October 7 until they were absorbed by a cold front.
Hurricane Opal
On September 11, a tropical wave emerged into the Atlantic from the west coast of Africa. The wave remained disorganized until nearing the
Yucatán Peninsula
The Yucatán Peninsula (, also , ; es, PenÃnsula de Yucatán ) is a large peninsula in southeastern Mexico and adjacent portions of Belize and Guatemala. The peninsula extends towards the northeast, separating the Gulf of Mexico to the north ...
, where it became a tropical depression on September 27 while south-southeast of
Cozumel
Cozumel (; yua, Kùutsmil) is an island and municipality in the Caribbean Sea off the eastern coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, opposite Playa del Carmen. It is separated from the mainland by the Cozumel Channel and is close to the Yucatán ...
. The depression slowly moved over the Yucatán Peninsula for a few days, eventually emerging off the north coast, where it was upgraded to Tropical Storm Opal on September 30. After becoming a hurricane on October 2, the cyclone rapidly intensified and began moving north across the Gulf of Mexico. At 10:00 UTC on October 4, Opal peaked as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of and a minimum barometric pressure of . Shortly thereafter, the storm began weakening. Upon making landfall in
Pensacola Beach, Florida
Pensacola Beach is an unincorporated community located on Santa Rosa Island, a barrier island, in Escambia County, Florida, United States. It is situated south of Pensacola (and Gulf Breeze connected via bridges spanning to the Fairpoint Pen ...
, around 22:00 UTC on October 4, winds had decreased to 115 mph (185 km/h), which is Category 3 intensity. Opal weakened rapidly after moving inland, deteriorating to a tropical storm early on October 5 and then to a tropical depression about six hours later. At 18:00 UTC on October 5, Opal became extratropical over
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
. The extratropical storm dissipated over
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
on October 6.
The precursor and initial stages of Opal brought heavy rainfall and flooding to
Guatemala
Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico; to the northeast by Belize and the Caribbean; to the east by H ...
and Mexico. In the former, rivers near the border with Mexico overflowed, resulting in the evacuation of 110 families in
Tecún Umán
Tecun UmanAlternate transliterations include Tecún Umán, Tecúm Umán, Tecúm Umam, Tekun Umam, etc. (1500? – February 20, 1524) was one of the last rulers of the K'iche' Maya people, in the Highlands of what is now Guatemala. According to ...
. Approximately 34,000 people were left homeless. Landslides left damage to infrastructure and agriculture, with about $17 million in crop damage alone. Thirty-one deaths occurred in Guatemala. In Mexico, more than 42,000 people were forced to evacuate as rivers overtopped their banks in
Campeche
Campeche (; yua, Kaampech ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Campeche ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Campeche), is one of the 31 states which make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Located in southeast Mexico, it is bordered by ...
and Tabasco,
while an estimated 100,000 people evacuated due to the storm. Around 500,000 acres of crops had been destroyed by the floods.
[ (Accessed through LexisNexis)] Agricultural losses in Campeche alone were estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Nineteen fatalities were reported in Mexico.
In Florida, strong winds and storm surge left severe damage in
the panhandle. From
Wakulla County
Wakulla County is a County (United States), county located in the Big Bend (Florida), Big Bend region in the North Florida, northern portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 33, ...
westward, many structures including homes and buildings were swept away or suffered some degree of damage. In
Escambia,
Okaloosa, and
Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa is the Italian, Portuguese and Spanish name for Saint Rose.
Santa Rosa may also refer to:
Places Argentina
*Santa Rosa, Mendoza, a city
* Santa Rosa, Tinogasta, Catamarca
* Santa Rosa, Valle Viejo, Catamarca
* Santa Rosa, La Pampa
* S ...
counties, nearly 300 homes were destroyed and 1,000 others suffered major damage. The storm left at least $2.1 billion in damage in Florida.
In
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
, storm surge ranging from left significant damage in coastal counties. Inland, tropical storm force winds gusts were observed as far north as
Huntsville
Huntsville is a city in Madison County, Limestone County, and Morgan County, Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Madison County. Located in the Appalachian region of northern Alabama, Huntsville is the most populous city in th ...
. Numerous trees and power lines were downed in several counties, leaving 2.6 million people across the state without electricity at the height of the storm. Downed trees also damaged some dwellings, primarily mobile homes. Several short-lived tornadoes destroyed over 125 homes, while 150 others suffered major damage. It was estimated that the storm caused over $182 million in damage in Alabama.
Strong wind gusts were reported in northern Georgia, with a gust of at
Marietta
Marietta may refer to:
Places in the United States
*Marietta, Jacksonville, Florida
*Marietta, Georgia, the largest US city named Marietta
*Marietta, Illinois
*Marietta, Indiana
*Marietta, Kansas
*Marietta, Minnesota
*Marietta, Mississippi
*Mar ...
.
There were more than 1,200 telephone poles knocked down and almost 5,000 power lines snapped. Wind damage in
Rabun County
Rabun County () is the north-easternmost county in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 16,883, up from 16,276 in 2010. The county seat is Clayton. With an average annual rainfall of over , Rabun County has the ...
alone reached about $5 million, while the pecan crop suffered around $50 million in damage. Several other states reported lesser wind damage and flooding.
Throughout the United States, Opal caused approximately $4.7 billion in damage and 27 fatalities, including 14 in Georgia, 6 in Alabama, 5 in Florida, and 2 in North Carolina.
Tropical Storm Pablo
A tropical wave crossed the west coast of Africa and entered into the Atlantic Ocean on October 3. It quickly acquired a low-level circulation and by the following day, it developed into Tropical Depression Eighteen. Under the influence of deep easterlies, the storm tracked west-northwest and westward across the southern portions of the Atlantic Ocean.
At 12:00 UTC on October 5, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Pablo.
After becoming a tropical storm, Pablo developed well-defined outflow and the possibility of it strengthening into a hurricane seemed likely.
Although strong upper-level westerlies were ahead of the storm, it was still predicted that Pablo would reach hurricane status. By 12:00 UTC on October 6, Pablo peaked as a 60 mph (95 km/h) tropical storm.
However, shortly thereafter, strong vertical shear then diminished much of the deep convection associated with the storm. Early on October 7, Pablo managed to re-develop some deep convection, though it did not restrengthen. Later that day, the low level circulation became indiscernible on infrared imagery. By 12:00 UTC on October 8, Pablo weakened to a tropical depression. Six hours later, Pablo dissipated while approaching the
Windward Islands
french: ÃŽles du Vent
, image_name =
, image_caption = ''Political'' Windward Islands. Clockwise: Dominica, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada.
, image_alt =
, locator_map =
, location = Caribbean SeaNorth ...
.
Hurricane Roxanne
A tropical wave merged with a broad low pressure area and an upper trough near
Honduras
Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. The republic of Honduras is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Oce ...
. The system quickly organized into Tropical Depression Nineteen on October 7. The depression brushed Central America before curving northward, where it strengthened into Tropical Storm Roxanne on October 9. Roxanne posed a threat to Cuba and the
Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands () is a self-governing British Overseas Territory—the largest by population in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, which are located to the ...
, which briefly prompted the issuance of a tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch. However, a high pressure system forced Roxanne to tracked generally westward, which prevented it from significantly affecting the aforementioned islands. After becoming a hurricane on October 10, Roxanne began to rapidly strengthen. Later that day, the storm peaked as a minimal Category 3 hurricane, with winds of 115 mph (185 km/h).
By 02:00 UTC on October 11, Roxanne made landfall just north of
Tulum
Tulum (, yua, Tulu'um) is the site of a pre-Columbian Mayan walled city which served as a major port for Coba, in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. The ruins are situated on cliffs along the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula on the Caribb ...
,
Quintana Roo
Quintana Roo ( , ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Quintana Roo ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Quintana Roo), is one of the 31 states which, with Mexico City, constitute the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into 11 mu ...
, on the Yucatán Peninsula with winds of 115 mph (185 km/h). The storm significantly weakened inland and emerged into the
Bay of Campeche
The Bay of Campeche ( es, BahÃa de Campeche), or Campeche Sound, is a bight (geography), bight in the southern area of the Gulf of Mexico, forming the north side of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. It is surrounded on three sides by the Mexico, Mexic ...
as a tropical storm. Several shortwave troughs and ridges caused Roxanne to track aimlessly through the southern Gulf of Mexico. By October 14, it re-strengthened into a hurricane. After making a close approach to the Yucatán Peninsula while heading southeastward, Roxanne weakened to a tropical storm on October 17 as it doubled back to the northwest. A cold front forced Roxanne westward on October 19, and it simultaneously weakened to a tropical depression. The cyclone curved abruptly southward and dissipated just offshore of Veracruz on October 21.
In the Gulf of Mexico, a petroleum work barge with 245 people on board capsized, causing five people to drown. Due to its erratic movement, Roxanne dropped heavy rainfall in many areas of southern Mexico, and some areas reported over 25 in (640 mm) of precipitation. Extensive flooding occurred as a result, which destroyed crops, washed out roads, and damaged at least 40,000 homes. In addition, significant coastal flooding also occurred, as storm surge for nearly a week caused water to travel inland for hundreds of yards. High winds also occurred over the Yucatán Peninsula, with one station reporting hurricane-force winds on October 11. Unconfirmed reports also indicated that many hotel lobbies in
Cancun and
Cozumel
Cozumel (; yua, Kùutsmil) is an island and municipality in the Caribbean Sea off the eastern coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, opposite Playa del Carmen. It is separated from the mainland by the Cozumel Channel and is close to the Yucatán ...
were damaged from pounding waves. Overall, Roxanne caused $1.5 billion in damage and 29 fatalities. However, not all damage could be distinguished from Hurricane Opal.
Tropical Storm Sebastien
A tropical wave exited the west coast of Africa on October 13 and moved across the Atlantic. On October 20, it was declared a depression after shower activity increased. Twelve hours after forming, the depression became Tropical Storm Sebastien.
It organized and developed good outflow.
Although wind shear was expected to limit intensification,
the storm instead intensified and peaked with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) late on October 22, based on a ship report.
At the time, most of the convection was sheared away from the center, and the storm was interacting with a low pressure area near Puerto Rico. The storm initially moved northwestward, before turning to the southwest along the low-level flow and into an area of increasing shear. On October 24, Sebastien weakened into a tropical depression, and it maintained this intensity until landfall on
Anguilla
Anguilla ( ) is a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It is one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, lying east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and directly north of Saint Martin. The territo ...
. The next day, the system dissipated near the United States Virgin Islands, although the remnants continued westward.
As it turned towards the Caribbean, the NHC issued a tropical storm watch for the United States Virgin Islands and the
British Virgin Islands
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.
Other islands were on alert as the NHC stated that the watch area may need to be expanded. Still recovering from
Hurricane Marilyn
Hurricane Marilyn was the most powerful hurricane to strike the Virgin Islands since Hurricane Hugo of 1989, and the third such tropical cyclone in roughly a two-week time span to strike or impact the Leeward Islands, the others being Hurricane ...
less than a month prior, residents living in damaged homes reportedly evacuated their homes. However, the watch was discontinued 24 hours later after the storm weakened to a tropical depression.
The remnants of Sebastien produced moderate rainfall across parts of Puerto Rico, peaking at in Quebradillas.
Hurricane Tanya
Early on October 27, a tropical wave developed into a tropical depression. The system strengthened into Tropical Storm Tanya later that day. Tanya initially tracked northeastward due to a shortwave trough, though an upper-level cyclone soon turned the storm toward eastward. Early on October 29, Tanya was upgraded to a hurricane. On the following day, a cold front to the west forced the cyclone to accelerate northeastward.
Despite slightly cooler water, Tanya strengthened a bit more that afternoon, reaching its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (135 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 972 mbar (28.7 inHg).
That intensity was maintained until late on October 31, when the storm weakened as it traveled over cooler waters. Early on November 1, Tanya began to lose tropical characteristics while heading rapidly northeast towards the Azores. The system was downgraded to a tropical storm on November 1. That evening, Tanya became extratropical near the central Azores. The remnants turned northward and were absorbed by another extratropical cyclone early on November 3.
In the Azores, Tanya tore roofs off houses and downed trees, and light posts flew through houses and buildings. One death by drowning was reported, as well as several injuries. The islands of
Faial,
Pico
Pico may refer to:
Places The Moon
* Mons Pico, a lunar mountain in the northern part of the Mare Imbrium basin
Portugal
* Pico, a civil parish in the municipality of Vila Verde
* Pico da Pedra, a civil parish in the municipality of Ribeir ...
,
São Jorge, and
Terceira
Terceira () is a volcanic island in the Azores archipelago, in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the larger islands of the archipelago, with a population of 53,311 inhabitants in an area of approximately . It is the location ...
were hardest hit, where the storm sank numerous boats and knocked down trees and power lines, which severely disrupted electricity and telecommunications. Additionally, several houses were damaged and moderate crop losses were reported.
Storm names
The following names were used for named storms that formed in the north Atlantic in 1995.
The names not retired from this list were used again in the
2001 season.
This is the same list used for the
1989 season except Humberto,
which replaced
Hugo
Hugo or HUGO may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Hugo'' (film), a 2011 film directed by Martin Scorsese
* Hugo Award, a science fiction and fantasy award named after Hugo Gernsback
* Hugo (franchise), a children's media franchise based on ...
.
Storms were named Humberto, Luis, Marilyn, Noel, Opal, Pablo, Roxanne, Sebastien, and Tanya for the first time in 1995 (and only, in the cases of Luis, Marilyn, Opal and Roxanne). This was the first time since forecasters began assigning
Given name
A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a fa ...
s to tropical storms in 1953 that names starting with the letters O through T were used.
Retirement
The
World Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting international cooperation on atmospheric science, climatology, hydrology and geophysics.
The WMO originated from the Internati ...
retired four names in the spring of 1996: ''Luis, Marilyn, Opal & Roxanne''.
They were replaced in the
2001 season by ''Lorenzo'', ''Michelle'', ''Olga'', and ''Rebekah''.
With four names retired, the 1995 season is tied with the
1955
Events January
* January 3 – José Ramón Guizado becomes president of Panama.
* January 17 – , the first nuclear-powered submarine, puts to sea for the first time, from Groton, Connecticut.
* January 18– 20 – Battle of Yijian ...
,
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...
and
2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
seasons for the second most storm names retired after a single season in the Atlantic basin, only being surpassed by the
2005 season, where five names were retired.
''Rebekah'' was not used in 2001, and would not be used until the
2019 season.
Season effects
This is a table of all of the storms that formed in the 1995 Atlantic hurricane season. It includes their duration, names, intensities, areas affected, damages, and death totals. Deaths in parentheses are additional and indirect (an example of an indirect death would be a traffic accident), but are still related to that storm. Damage and deaths include totals while the storm was extratropical or a wave or low, and all of the damage figures are in 1995 USD.
See also
*
Atlantic hurricane season
The Atlantic hurricane season is the period in a year from June through November when tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic Ocean, referred to in North American countries as hurricanes, tropical storms, or tropical depressions. In addition ...
*
1995 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
*
1995 Pacific typhoon season
The 1995 Pacific typhoon season occurred all year round, unusual in that most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between May and November.
The scope of this article is limited to the Pacific Ocean, north of the equat ...
*
1994–95 Australian region cyclone season
*
1995–96 Australian region cyclone season
*
1994–95 South Pacific cyclone season
*
1995–96 South Pacific cyclone season
*
1994–95 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season
*
1995–96 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season
The 1995–96 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season was a moderately active season that included Cyclone Bonita, which was the first known tropical cyclone to cross from the southern Indian Ocean into the southern Atlantic Ocean. Tropical activi ...
*
Lists of Atlantic hurricanes
Lists of Atlantic hurricanes, or tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean, are organized by the properties of the hurricane or by the location most affected.
By property
* List of Atlantic hurricane seasons
*List of Atlantic hurricane records
*Li ...
*
Mediterranean tropical-like cyclone
Mediterranean tropical-like cyclones, often referred to as medicanes (a portmanteau of Mediterranean hurricanes) but sometimes also as Mediterranean cyclones or as Mediterranean hurricanes, are meteorological phenomena occasionally observed over ...
Notes
References
Further reading
*
External links
Monthly Weather Review
{{DEFAULTSORT:1995 Atlantic Hurricane Season
Articles which contain graphical timelines