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The 2010 Atlantic hurricane season was the first of three consecutive very 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 ...
s, each with 19  named storms. This above average activity included 12 hurricanes, equaling the number that formed in
1969 This year is notable for Apollo 11's first landing on the moon. Events January * January 4 – The Government of Spain hands over Ifni to Morocco. * January 5 **Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 crashes into a house on its approach to ...
. Only the 2020 and
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 discover ...
seasons have had more, at 14 and 15 hurricanes respectively. Despite the high number of hurricanes, not one hurricane hit the United States making the season the only season with 10 or more hurricanes without a United States landfall. The overall
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. Dep ...
count in the Atlantic exceeded that in the West Pacific for only the second time on record. The season officially began on June 1 and ended on November 30, dates that conventionally delimit the period during each year when
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. Dep ...
formation is most likely. The first cyclone,
Alex Alex is a given name. It can refer to a shortened version of Alexander, Alexandra, Alexis. People Multiple *Alex Brown (disambiguation), multiple people *Alex Gordon (disambiguation), multiple people *Alex Harris (disambiguation), multiple p ...
intensified into the first June hurricane since Allison in
1995 File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The Great Hanshin earthquake str ...
. The month of September featured eight named storms. October featured five hurricanes, including Tomas, which became the latest on record in a calendar year to move through the
Windward Islands french: Îles 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 Sea No ...
. Activity was represented with an
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) value of 165 units, which was the eleventh highest value on record at the time. The activity in 2010 was heightened due to a very strong La Niña, which also led to an inactive Pacific hurricane season. Numerous tropical cyclones affected countries bordering the Atlantic Ocean throughout 2010. Alex caused 52 deaths and up to $1.52 billion (2010 USD) in damage as it struck northern Mexico in June. The next month, Tropical Storm Bonnie struck Florida as a weak cyclone, leaving one dead. Tropical Storm Colin led to one drowning death, and rip currents produced by Tropical Depression Five killed two people. Hurricane Danielle passed east of Bermuda while
Earl Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant " chieftain", particu ...
moved parallel to the East Coast of the United States and into
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 ...
throughout late August, resulting in 2 and 8 deaths, respectively. In early September, Tropical Storm Hermine caused significant flooding across Texas and killed 8 people. The strongest hurricane of the year,
Igor Igor may refer to: People * Igor (given name), an East Slavic given name and a list of people with the name * Mighty Igor (1931–2002), former American professional wrestler * Igor Volkoff, a professional wrestler from NWA All-Star Wrestling * ...
, killed four as it traversed the Atlantic and across
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 ...
. Latin America was badly hit by Hurricane Karl and Tropical Storm Matthew, with 22 and 126 deaths, respectively. In late September,
Tropical Storm Nicole The name Nicole has been used for four tropical cyclones and one subtropical cyclone in the Atlantic Ocean: * Hurricane Nicole (1998) – Category 1 hurricane that never approached land * Subtropical Storm Nicole (2004) – formed near Bermuda ...
produced torrential rainfall from the Caribbean into the U.S. East Coast, resulting in 16 fatalities. Hurricane Paula caused a tourist to drown offshore Cozumel in mid-October, while Hurricane Richard left two dead in
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 wa ...
later that month. The season concluded with Tomas which caused 35 fatalities along its track through the Caribbean and into the Atlantic.


Seasonal forecasts

Before and during each hurricane season, several forecasts of hurricane activity are issued by national meteorological services, scientific agencies, and noted hurricane experts. The forecasts include weekly and monthly changes in significant factors that help determine the number of tropical storms, hurricanes, and major hurricanes within a particular year. According to NOAA, the average Atlantic hurricane season between 1950 and 2005 contained 10.3 tropical storms, 6.2 hurricanes, 2.7 major hurricanes, and an
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) index of 66–103 units. 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 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 . Accordingly, tropical depressions are not included in the count. After the storm has dissipated, typically after the end of the season, the NHC re-examines 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 original value. 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 conditi ...
(NOAA) typically categorizes a season as either above-average, average, or below-average based on the cumulative ACE Index, but the number of tropical storms, hurricanes, and major hurricanes within a hurricane season are occasionally considered as well.


Pre-season forecasts

On December 7, 2009, Tropical Storm Risk (TSR) issued their first extended range outlook for the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season, predicting 13.9 named storms, 7.4 hurricanes, 3.4 major hurricanes, and an ACE index of 135 units. The organization referenced two main factors, slower trade winds across the Caribbean and above-average ocean temperatures across the Atlantic, for an above-average season. Two days later,
Colorado State University Colorado State University (Colorado State or CSU) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Fort Collins, Colorado. It is the flagship university of the Colorado State University System. Colorado S ...
(CSU) issued their first extended range outlook, projecting 11 to 16 named storms, 6 to 8 hurricanes, 3 to 5 major hurricanes, and an ACE index of 100 to 162 units. The organization stated that although a strong El Niño event was ongoing at the release of their forecast, a continuation of a warm El Niño–Southern Oscillation was unlikely to persist through the hurricane season. On January 27, 2010, The Weather Company (formerly WSI) called for the year to feature 13 named storms, 7 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes. CSU issued a more detailed update on April 7, upping their forecast to 15 named storms, 8 hurricanes, 4 major hurricanes, and an ACE index of 150. More confidence in the weakening of El Niño (and thus lower vertical wind shear) and the continuation of anomalously warm sea surface temperatures across the Atlantic Ocean were cited. Two days later, TSR revised their forecast upward to 16.3 named storms, 8.5 hurricanes, 4 major hurricanes, and an ACE index of 159 units. In their April 21 update, WSI predicted the most active year since the record-breaking 2005 season, with 16 named storms, 9 hurricanes, and 5 major hurricanes. Five days later,
North Carolina State University North Carolina State University (NC State) is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina system, it is the largest university in the Carolinas. The univers ...
(NCSU) released their only forecast for the season, with 15 to 18 named storms and 8 to 11 hurricanes. TSR largely maintained their forecast for their May 25 release. The next day, TWC/WSI again raised their forecast to 18 named storms, 10 hurricanes, and 5 major hurricanes. NOAA, meanwhile, released their forecast prediction for the 2010 season on May 27. The organization called for an active to extremely active year including 14 to 23 named storms, 8 to 14 hurricanes, and 3 to 7 major hurricanes, referencing a continuation of the active era that began in 1995.


Mid-season outlooks

On the first day of the 2010 Atlantic season,
Florida State University Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...
's Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies (FSU COAPS) released their only predictions, forecasting 17 named storms, 10 hurricanes, and an ACE index of 156 units. The next day, CSU upped their forecast to 18 named storms, 10 hurricanes, and 5 major hurricanes. On June 4, TSR followed suit, with 17.7 named storms, 9.5 hurricanes, 4.4 major hurricanes, and an ACE index of 182 units. The United Kingdom's
Met Office The Meteorological Office, abbreviated as the Met Office, is the United Kingdom's national weather service. It is an executive agency and trading fund of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and is led by CEO Penelop ...
(UKMET) released their only prediction for the season on June 17, with the most likely number of tropical storms being 20 and the most likely value of the ACE index being 204 units. On June 23, TWC/WSI once again upped their forecast, noting 20 named storms, 11 hurricanes, and 5 major hurricanes. TSR issued their boldest predictions on July 6, with 19.1 named storms, 10.4 hurricanes, 4.8 major hurricanes, and an ACE index of 203 units. Following a slightly less active June and July than originally anticipated, TWC/WSI downgraded their number of named storms from 20 to 19 on July 21, but kept their June numbers of 11 hurricanes and 5 major hurricanes untouched. In their final seasonal prediction on August 4, CSU left their June numbers the same, predicting 18 named storms, 10 hurricanes, 5 major hurricanes, and an ACE index of 185 units. That same day, TSR reduced their predictions for their final seasonal outlook, expecting 17.8 named storms, 9.7 hurricanes, 4.5 major hurricanes, and an ACE index of 183 units. On August 5, NOAA announced the official development of La Niña in their last seasonal outlook. The organization lowered the upper bounds of their forecast compared to May due to less early season activity than expected, in all predicting 14 to 20 named storms, 8 to 12 hurricanes, and 4 to 6 major hurricanes. TWC/WSI issued two final forecasts on August 25 and September 22, both expecting 18 named storms and 10 hurricanes. The number of major hurricanes was increased from 5 to 6 in their September update, however.


Seasonal summary

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Unlike on the
eastern Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contine ...
, which tied 1977 for the least active year in the reliable records, the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season ended as one of the most active in recorded history. It began on June 1 and ended on November 30, dates that conventionally delimit the period during each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic Ocean. The first system of the season, Hurricane Alex, developed on June 25; the final system of the season, Hurricane Tomas, dissipated on November 7. A total of 21 tropical depressions formed within the basin, of which 19 intensified into tropical storms, 12 intensified into hurricanes, and 5 further intensified into major hurricanes. The year's 12 hurricanes matched
1969 This year is notable for Apollo 11's first landing on the moon. Events January * January 4 – The Government of Spain hands over Ifni to Morocco. * January 5 **Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 crashes into a house on its approach to ...
for the third highest count on record, exceeded only by 2005 and 2020. There were more tropical storms in the Atlantic than the West Pacific in 2010, the second such occurrence on record after 2005. Throughout the entire Atlantic tropical cyclone database, 2010 is the only year with more than 10 hurricanes not to feature a hurricane landfall on the United States. Several factors contributed to exceptional activity. A strong El Niño observed in 2009 rapidly transitioned into a strong La Niña by mid-summer 2010, projecting anomalously low vertical wind shear across the Atlantic Ocean. Ocean temperatures reached record levels across the basin, averaging at 0.82 °C above the 1981–2010 average. Not only did ocean temperatures surpass 2005 to break the record overall, averaged water temperatures across the Main Development Region (MDR) of the Atlantic set monthly records from February to October 2010. This was aided by a strongly negative North Atlantic Oscillation that contributed to weaker trade winds and thus anomalous warming of ocean temperatures in the months leading up to the hurricane season. Lower sea level pressures were prevalent throughout much of the season, trailing only
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 Yijiangs ...
for the lowest average values across the MDR during the August to October period. In spite of the high number of tropical cyclones, mid-level dry air dominated the tropical Atlantic throughout the peak of the season, perhaps hindering the season from being even more active. The beginning of the Atlantic season featured Alex, the first hurricane observed in June since Hurricane Allison in 1995. One tropical storm, Bonnie, and a tropical depression formed in the month of July. August featured five cyclones – a tropical depression, tropical storms Colin and Fiona, as well as hurricanes Danielle and Earl (both of which further intensified into major hurricanes). September, the peak period of the Atlantic hurricane season, was its most active month, featuring eight tropical cyclones: tropical storms Gaston, Hermine, Matthew, and Nicole, as well as hurricanes Igor, Julia, Karl, and Lisa. This put the season into a tie with
2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
and
2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple Inc., Apple's first iPhone (1st generation), iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakis ...
for the most tropical storms to develop in September, a record that stood until it was surpassed in 2020. Igor attained peak winds of on September 15, cementing its status as the most intense storm of the season. Well above-average activity continued into October, with the formation of hurricanes Otto, Paula, Richard, Shary, and Tomas, one hurricane short of the monthly record set in
1870 Events January–March * January 1 ** The first edition of ''The Northern Echo'' newspaper is published in Priestgate, Darlington, England. ** Plans for the Brooklyn Bridge are completed. * January 3 – Construction of the Br ...
. Tomas persisted into the subsequent month before dissipating on November 7, heralding the end of the season's tropical cyclone activity. The season's activity was reflected with an ACE rating of approximately 165 units, the highest since 2005.


Systems


Hurricane Alex

A disturbance developed within the
Intertropical Convergence Zone The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ ), known by sailors as the doldrums or the calms because of its monotonous windless weather, is the area where the northeast and the southeast trade winds converge. It encircles Earth near the thermal ...
on June 17 and remained well defined as it tracked westward. An area of low pressure developed in association with the system over the northwestern Caribbean on June 24 and further organized into a tropical depression by 18:00 UTC the following day, supported by data from a
reconnaissance aircraft A reconnaissance aircraft (colloquially, a spy plane) is a military aircraft designed or adapted to perform aerial reconnaissance with roles including collection of imagery intelligence (including using photography), signals intelligence, as ...
. Steered west and eventually west-northwest by an expansive ridge across the
Bahamas The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to 88% of the a ...
and
Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an 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 the United ...
, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Alex at 06:00 UTC on June 26 and attained an initial peak with winds of before moving ashore near Belize City, Belize several hours later. Alex maintained tropical storm intensity as it crossed the Yucatán Peninsula, and upon executing a northward turn and a second westward turn began to steadily intensify. The cyclone intensified into the season's first hurricane at 00:00 UTC on June 30 and attained peak winds of as it made landfall near Soto la Marina, Mexico, at 02:00 UTC on July 1. Once inland, Alex turned west-southwest and rapidly weakened over the mountainous terrain of Mexico. The increasingly disrupted system dissipated at 06:00 UTC on July 2. The precursor disturbance to Alex flooded hundreds of homes and prompted the evacuation of thousands of residents in the
Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...
. Damage to crops and hundreds of structures occurred across Central America. In southern Mexico, torrential rainfall led to numerous landslides and mudslides, while swollen rivers flooded many homes and roads were collapsed. Near the track of Alex in northern Mexico, rainfall reached as high as 35.04 in (890 mm) in
Monterrey Monterrey ( , ) is the capital and largest city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León, Mexico, and the third largest city in Mexico behind Guadalajara and Mexico City. Located at the foothills of the Sierra Madre Oriental, the city is ancho ...
, waves affected the coastline, hundreds of thousands of citizens lost power, and widespread infrastructure was damaged or destroyed. Although the hurricane did not directly move ashore the coastline of the United States, its spiral bands produced tropical storm-force sustained winds across the southern reaches of Texas, peaking at in
Port Isabel Port Isabel may refer to: Places *Port Isabel, Texas, USA; a city in Cameron County *Port Isabel, Sonora, Mexico; a former port (1864-1879) at the mouth of the Colorado River * Port Isabel Independent School District, Cameron County, Texas, USA * P ...
. Heavy rainfall broke accumulation records, a storm surge of at least 3.5 ft (1.1 m) caused
beach erosion Coastal erosion is the loss or displacement of land, or the long-term removal of sediment and rocks along the coastline due to the action of waves, currents, tides, wind-driven water, waterborne ice, or other impacts of storms. The landward ...
, and embedded supercells produced nine tornadoes (all rated
EF0 The Enhanced Fujita scale (abbreviated as EF-Scale) rates tornado intensity based on the severity of the damage they cause. It is used in some countries, including the United States, Canada, China, and Mongolia. The Enhanced Fujita scale repla ...
). Along its track, Alex was responsible for 51 deaths (22 missing) and $1.52 billion in damage.


Tropical Depression Two

A
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 ...
emerged off the western coast of Africa on June 24, eventually emerging into the Gulf of Mexico on July 7. An area of low pressure became discernible, and with data from a reconnaissance aircraft, the system was upgraded to a tropical depression by 00:00 UTC on July 8. The depression failed to organize appreciably as it tracked west to west-northwest, moving ashore South Padre Island, Texas with winds of by 14:00 UTC that day. The depression degenerated into a remnant low by 06:00 UTC on July 9 and dissipated over northern Mexico a day later. In advance of landfall, the NHC issued a tropical storm warning from
Baffin Bay, Texas Baffin Bay is a bay in South Texas, an inlet of the larger Laguna Madre. Located near the Gulf of Mexico, Baffin Bay forms part of the boundary between Kenedy County and Kleberg County. Etymology The history of the bay name is unclear. The mos ...
to Rio San Fernando, Mexico; this was canceled once the storm failed to intensify. The Servicio Meteorológico Nacional warned residents of gusty winds and heavy rainfall in excess of 4–8 in (100–200 mm) capable of producing localized flooding and mudslides. Upon moving ashore, the depression produced a storm surge of 2–4 ft (0.6–1.2 m) along the southern coastline of Texas. Rainfall accumulations peaked at 5.16 in (131 mm) along the Guadalupe River, with lesser amounts elsewhere, including across areas affected by Hurricane Alex a week prior.


Tropical Storm Bonnie

A tropical wave emerged off the western coast of Africa on July 10. Once north of the Greater Antilles, convective growth and the development of a well-defined surface low led to the formation of a tropical depression just south of
Acklins Island Acklins is an island and district of the Bahamas. It is one of a group of islands arranged along a large, shallow lagoon called the Bight of Acklins, of which the largest are Crooked Island () in the north and Acklins () in the southeast, and ...
by 06:00 UTC on July 22. Amid a brief reprieve in strong upper-level winds, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Bonnie as it crossed Ragged Island around 23:15 UTC that day. It later traversed Andros Island at peak intensity, with sustained winds of , and weakened slightly before moving ashore near Elliott Key, Florida, with winds of on July 23. Bonnie weakened to a tropical depression as it crossed South Florida, and the persistent effects of strong wind shear prevented intensification in the Gulf of Mexico. The cyclone degenerated into a remnant low by 00:00 UTC on July 25 and later moved into southeastern Louisiana before dissipating later that day. The precursor disturbance to Bonnie produced rainfall up to 4 in (100 mm) in the Dominican Republic, isolating towns due to bridge collapses and prompting the evacuation of thousands of residents. In nearby
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 ...
, one person drowned in a swollen river. Upon designation, tropical storm watches and warnings were issued along portions of the Florida coastline. Approximately 14,000 Florida customers lost power as Bonnie moved ashore. Minimal tropical storm-force winds affected Virginia Key, where a storm surge of 0.92 ft (0.29 m) was also reported, and rainfall up to 3.25 in (82.6 mm) across
Miami-Dade County Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. The county had a population of 2,701,767 as of the 2020 census, making it the most populous county in Florida and the seventh-most populous county in ...
caused urban flooding. Despite degenerating into a remnant low, Bonnie produced more substantial rainfall totals across Louisiana and Mississippi, officially peaking at 5.75 in (146 mm) in Tylertown. Radar estimates of 8–9 in (203–229 mm) of rain prompted flash flooding which washed out more than 20 roads and bridges in
Washington Parish Washington Parish ( French: ''Paroisse de Washington'') is a parish located in the interior southeast corner of the U.S. state of Louisiana, one of the Florida Parishes. As of the 2010 census, the population was 47,168. Its parish seat is Fr ...
, while about 110 homes were flooded in West Baton Rouge Parish. Remnant moisture combined with a cold front to produce damaging severe thunderstorms across portions of the Southeast in late July.


Tropical Storm Colin

The interaction of two tropical waves and an upper-level trough led to the development of a tropical depression over the central Atlantic by 12:00 UTC on August 2. The depression steadily organized after formation, intensifying into Tropical Storm Colin by 06:00 UTC on August 3. An abnormally strong
ridge A ridge or a mountain ridge is a geographical feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for an extended distance. The sides of the ridge slope away from the narrow top on either side. The line ...
to the storm's north steered Colin to the west-northwest; reaching a forward speed up to , the system was unable to maintain a closed circulation and instead degenerated into a trough by 18:00 UTC that day. Over the coming days, the trough decelerated and recurved north into a weakness in the ridge while still producing tropical storm-force winds. Satellite imagery showed the reformation of a well-defined circulation by 12:00 UTC on August 5, and the system was once again classified as Tropical Storm Colin. After attaining peak winds of , an approaching trough sheared the cyclone and turned it northeast. Colin weakened to a tropical depression by 00:00 UTC on August 8 and degenerated into a trough for a second time twelve hours later; the trough dissipated early on August 9. A tropical storm warning was raised for
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 = , es ...
as Colin approached but was later discontinued as it weakened. Average winds of were observed across the island, although peak winds fell just shy of tropical storm intensity at .
L.F. Wade International Airport L.F. Wade International Airport , formerly named Bermuda International Airport, is the sole airport serving the British overseas territory of Bermuda in the North Atlantic Ocean. It is located in the parish of St. George's and is northeast of B ...
received 0.16 in (4.06 mm) of rainfall. Although Colin steered well clear of
the Carolinas The Carolinas are the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina, considered collectively. They are bordered by Virginia to the north, Tennessee to the west, and Georgia to the southwest. The Atlantic Ocean is to the east. Combining Nor ...
, swells from the storm prompted at least 205 water rescues, and a rip current off Ocracoke led to the drowning of one man.


Tropical Depression Five

A non-tropical area of low pressure, first noted over the
Gulf Stream The Gulf Stream, together with its northern extension the North Atlantic Drift, is a warm and swift Atlantic ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico and flows through the Straits of Florida and up the eastern coastline of the Unit ...
on August 7, entered the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and organized into a tropical depression about west of
Fort Myers, Florida Fort Myers (or Ft. Myers) is a city in southwestern Florida and the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated that the city's population was 92,245 in 20 ...
, by 18:00 UTC on August 10. As the newly formed cyclone moved west-northwest, a nearby upper-level low imparted high wind shear and dry air entrainment, and the depression degenerated into a remnant low twelve hours later without attaining tropical storm intensity. Upon degeneration, the low moved into the Gulf Coast of the United States and conducted a clockwise loop. It emerged into the Gulf of Mexico again on August 16, where the disturbance nearly regenerated into a tropical cyclone before making a second landfall in Mississippi the next day. The remnants dissipated over the southeastern portion of the state on August 18. The tropical depression produced waves up to 3 ft (0.9 m) around Anna Maria Island, where two people died of fatigue-related heart attacks after being caught in a rip current. Heavy rainfall in the and
Mobile, Alabama Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 187,041 at the 2020 census, down from 195,111 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth-most-populous city in Alabama ...
areas—aided by instability from the remnants of the depression—flooded streets, inundating an apartment complex in the former city and cutting power to 1,921 customers in the latter city. Forty homes and businesses were flooded in
Avoyelles Parish Avoyelles (french: Paroisse des Avoyelles) is a parish located in central eastern Louisiana on the Red River where it effectively becomes the Atchafalaya River and meets the Mississippi River. As of the 2010 census, the population was 42 ...
. Rainfall accumulations peaked south of
Natchez, Mississippi Natchez ( ) is the county seat of and only city in Adams County, Mississippi, United States. Natchez has a total population of 14,520 (as of the 2020 census). Located on the Mississippi River across from Vidalia in Concordia Parish, Louisiana, ...
, where 13.9 in (353 mm) was documented.


Hurricane Danielle

The interaction of a vigorous tropical wave and a disturbance within the
Intertropical Convergence Zone The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ ), known by sailors as the doldrums or the calms because of its monotonous windless weather, is the area where the northeast and the southeast trade winds converge. It encircles Earth near the thermal ...
led to the formation of a tropical depression about west-southwest of Cabo Verde by 18:00 UTC on August 21. Steered by a ridge to its north, the depression steadily organized as it moved west-northwest, intensifying into Tropical Storm Danielle by 06:00 UTC on August 22 and attaining hurricane intensity the following day. Influenced by moderate wind shear initially, Danielle maintained its status as a minimal hurricane for several days. Early on August 26, however, a more conducive environment led to rapid intensification, and by 18:00 UTC the next day, the storm attained its peak intensity as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of . Danielle began to round the western periphery of the steering ridge after peak intensity, curving northeast as it began 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 ...
. The inner core change, combined with progressively cooler waters, resulted in the system weakening to a tropical storm by 18:00 UTC on August 30 and degenerating into a remnant low six hours later. The low became extratropical on August 31 maintained distinct until dissipating well east-southeast of
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 ...
on September 3. A tropical storm watch was issued for Bermuda on August 27 but swiftly canceled the next day as Danielle steered well clear of the island. Swells from the powerful hurricane reached the East Coast of the United States, leading to the rescues of 250 people in
Ocean City, Maryland Ocean City, officially the Town of Ocean City, is an Atlantic resort town in Worcester County, Maryland along the East Coast of the United States. The population was 6,844 at the 2020 U.S. census, although during summer weekends the city hosts b ...
and an additional 70 people off the coast of Central Florida. The body of a man—whose death appeared to have been from drowning—was pulled from the waters of
Satellite Beach, Florida Satellite Beach is a coastal city in Brevard County, Florida, U.S. The population was 11,346 at the 2020 United States Census, and it is located with the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Indian River to the west. Satellite Beach is part of t ...
; a second man went missing in Ocean City, but his body was never recovered and the search was eventually called off. Researchers examining the wreckage of RMS ''Titanic'' were forced to seek refuge in St. John's, Newfoundland; swells as large as 10 ft (3 m) impacted the coastline of Newfoundland.


Hurricane Earl

A vigorous tropical wave entered the Atlantic on August 23, developing into a tropical depression off the western coast of Africa two days later at 06:00 UTC. The nascent depression steadily intensified as it moved west-northwest, becoming Tropical Storm Earl six hours after formation and further strengthening into a hurricane by 12:00 UTC on August 29. A weakness in the steering ridge, created by leading Hurricane Danielle, caused Earl to narrowly miss the northern Leeward Islands as it strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane on August 30. Intensification was temporarily stunted as the cyclone underwent an eyewall replacement cycle, but Earl ultimately attained peak winds of by 06:00 UTC on September 2. Increased shear and a second replacement cycle caused the hurricane to rapidly weaken thereafter. It weakened to a tropical storm by 00:00 UTC on September 4, and although the system briefly re-attained hurricane intensity as it moved ashore near
Liverpool, Nova Scotia Liverpool is a Canadian community and former town located along the Atlantic Ocean of the Province of Nova Scotia's South Shore. It is situated within the Region of Queens Municipality which is the local governmental unit that comprises all ...
, Earl transitioned into an extratropical cyclone twelve hours later. The extratropical low merged with another system over the
Labrador Sea The Labrador Sea (French: ''mer du Labrador'', Danish: ''Labradorhavet'') is an arm of the North Atlantic Ocean between the Labrador Peninsula and Greenland. The sea is flanked by continental shelves to the southwest, northwest, and northeast. It ...
the next day. Severe impacts from Earl 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 majo ...
amounted to EC $34 million ($12.6 million  USD). One person was electrocuted trying to restore power. Wind gusts neared or surpassed hurricane force across
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 ...
and the French islands, peaking at in Gustavia. Approximately 7,500 residents were left without power across Saint Martin, Saint Barthélemy, and Guadeloupe. Heavy rainfall and strong wind gusts battered Saint Kitts and Nevis, leaving streets flooded and many residences without power. In the British Virgin Islands, wind gusts up to damaged or destroyed dozens of structures, resulting in up to $7 million in damage. Substantial effects were also observed in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where total infrastructure losses were placed at $2.5 million and revenue losses from deterred vacationers reached $10.7 million. Flooding and downed power lines in Puerto Rico left 187,000 residents without power and an additional 60,000 without water access. As Earl paralleled the East Coast of the United States, it produced varying degrees of impact; North Carolina was hardest hit, with over $3.5 million in damage. Three people were killed in rough seas off Florida, one person was killed by rough seas off Maine, and two people were killed by rip currents off New Jersey. Approximately 940,000 people were left without power across Nova Scotia and surrounding areas, where one death occurred.


Tropical Storm Fiona

A large and convective tropical wave moved off the western coast of Africa in late August, developing into a tropical depression by 12:00 UTC on August 30 about 1,035 mi (1,665 km) east of the Lesser Antilles. Satellite imagery and data from a research aircraft indicated the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Fiona six hours later. Directed by an expansive mid-level ridge to its north, the cyclone moved west-northwest for several days, attaining peak winds of by 18:00 UTC on September 1 as it passed close to the northern Leeward Islands. Fiona's position between the mid-level ridge and the large circulation of Hurricane Earl off The Carolinas turned the storm northwest and then north as it encountered increasingly strong wind shear and began to weaken. Expansive outflow from Earl caused Fiona's low-level circulation to become dislocated from its convection, and the system degenerated into a remnant low by 00:00 UTC on September 4. The remnant low passed near Bermuda, producing light winds and about 0.78 in (19.8 mm) of rainfall, before dissipating the next day.


Tropical Storm Gaston

A strong tropical wave organized into a tropical depression by 06:00 UTC on September 1 about 920 mi (1,480 km) west-southwest of Cabo Verde. With a burst of convection near its center, the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Gaston six hours later and reached peak winds of . Despite initial projections that Gaston would become an increasingly strong hurricane over the central Atlantic, exceptionally dry air began to wrap in the storm after peak. It weakened to a tropical depression by 00:00 UTC on September 2 and further degenerated into a remnant low by 18:00 UTC that day. The system nearly regenerated into a tropical cyclone the following day as shallow convection wrapped into the center, but the increased organization was transient and it ultimately remained a remnant low until dissipating southeast on the Dominican Republic on September 8. The remnants of Gaston produced sporadic rainfall across Puerto Rico, peaking at 3.03 in (76.9 mm) in Naguabo.


Tropical Storm Hermine

The East Pacific's Tropical Depression Eleven-E moved across Mexico and degenerated into a remnant low on September 4. Its low and mid-level circulations survived crossing Mexico and entered the southern Bay of Campeche, reforming as a tropical depression by 18:00 UTC on September 5. Steered north to north-northwest, the cyclone quickly strengthened as deep convection fired over its center; it intensified into Tropical Storm Hermine by 06:00 UTC on September 6 and attained peak winds of by 02:00 UTC the following day as it made landfall near Matamoros, Mexico. Despite being well inland, Hermine continued to maintain an inner core and only slowly weakened. It fell to tropical depression status over central Texas by 00:00 UTC on September 8 and ultimately dissipated over southeastern Kansas by 06:00 UTC on September 10. Tropical storm-force winds affected mainly coastal sections of northern Mexico; Matamoros recorded peak sustained winds of with gusts to . Dozens of structures were damaged, trees and power lines were downed, and many residents were left without power. Impact was more significant across the United States—most notably in Texas—where 283 homes sustained minor damage, 231 homes sustained major damage, and 68 homes were destroyed. Torrential rainfall, peaking at 16.37 in (415.8 mm) in Georgetown, forced more than 100 high water rescues. In Oklahoma, flash flooding resulted in severe infrastructure damage. Several tornadoes touched down in both states. Seven people were killed in Texas and one in Oklahoma, while the total damage total reached $240 million.


Hurricane Igor

The most intense hurricane of the season began as a tropical wave that organized into a tropical depression southeast of Cabo Verde early on September 8. Initial organization was fast-paced, and the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Igor six hours after formation. Igor moved west to west-northwest for several days while embedded within the monsoon trough. Increased vertical shear caused the cyclone to temporarily weaken to a tropical depression by 12:00 UTC on September 9, but it re-attained tropical storm intensity the next day and further strengthened to a hurricane by 00:00 UTC on September 12. After rapid intensification and a subsequent eyewall replacement cycle, Igor attained its peak with maximum sustained winds of by 00:00 UTC on September 15. Inner core changes continued after peak, and Igor continued as a Category 4 hurricane for several days until increased shear and dry air entrainment forced a consistent weakening trend early on September 17. The system recurved north-northeast while passing within of Bermuda as a minimal hurricane. It eventually made landfall near Cape Race, Newfoundland with winds of by 15:00 UTC on September 21 and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone three hours later. The extratropical low was absorbed by a larger such system between Greenland and
Labrador , nickname = "The Big Land" , etymology = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Canada , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 ...
on September 23. Although Igor steered well clear of the Caribbean, large swells of 15–20 ft (4.6–6.1 m) propagated from the storm, drowning one person in St. Croix and another in Puerto Rico. Large waves affected the East Coast of the United States, and one person drowned in
Surf City, North Carolina Surf City is a town in Pender and Onslow counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 1,853 at the 2010 census. It is located on Topsail Island. The Pender County portion of Surf City is part of the Wilmington Metropolitan ...
. In Bermuda, sustained winds of and gusts up to downed trees and power lines, cutting power to approximately 28,000 residents. Rainfall was largely insignificant, peaking at 3.19 in (81 mm). Impacts near the storm's landfall in Newfoundland were more severe. Rainfall amounts of more than 2 in (50 mm) were widespread, with a peak of 9.37 in (238 mm) in St Lawrence; as such, Igor ranks as the third wettest tropical cyclone to impact
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, Newfoundla ...
. Run-off from the torrential rainfall damaged or destroyed structures, killed a man when his driveway was washed out and he was swept away, and isolated approximately 150 communities. Sustained winds of with gusts to in
Cape Pine The Headland of Cape Pine is the point of land marking the boundary of Trepassey Bay on the Avalon Peninsula of the island of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is the most southerly point in Newfoundland ...
downed trees and power lines while damaging or destroying many homes. Approximately 50,000 households lost power during the peak of the storm. The overall damage total reached $200 million across Newfoundland, making Igor the costliest hurricane on record there. It was regarded as the worst storm of tropical origin to hit Newfoundland since
1935 Events January * January 7 – Italian premier Benito Mussolini and French Foreign Minister Pierre Laval conclude an agreement, in which each power agrees not to oppose the other's colonial claims. * January 12 – Amelia Earhart ...
.


Hurricane Julia

A vigorous tropical wave moved off the western coast of Africa on September 11 and almost immediately led to the formation of a tropical depression by 06:00 UTC the next day. Steered in a traditional west-northwest fashion, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Julia twelve hours later and continued steady strengthening to become a hurricane by 12:00 UTC September 14. As a reminder of limited hurricane intensity forecasting skill, the system began a period of rapid intensification thereafter, attaining peak winds of by 12:00 UTC on September 15. Julia became the easternmost Category 4 hurricane on record in the Atlantic as a result. After peak, the system recurved around a ridge while simultaneously weakening under influence of Hurricane Igor's outflow. It fell back to tropical storm intensity by 00:00 UTC on September 18 and degenerated into a remnant low by 18:00 UTC on September 20 while located about 1,095 mi (1,760 km) west of the
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. The remnant low turned back west, dissipating late on September 24. The Government of Cabo Verde issued a tropical storm warning for the island chain as Julia approached. Gusts of 24–30 mph (38–48 km/h) damaged maize crops, and waves of 9.8–14.8 ft (3.0–4.5 m) affected the coastline. Landslides isolated the community of Covão Grande. Rainfall was insignificant, peaking at 0.39 in (9.91 mm) in
Sal Sal, SAL, or S.A.L. may refer to: Personal name * Sal (name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or nickname Places * Sal, Cape Verde, an island and municipality * Sal, Iran, a village in East Azerbaijan Province * Ca ...
.


Hurricane Karl

The interaction of a tropical wave and another elongated trough led to the development of a tropical depression by 12:00 UTC on September 14 about east of
Chetumal, Mexico Chetumal (, , ; yua, label=Yucatec Maya, Chactemàal , ) is a city on the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. It is the capital of the state of Quintana Roo and the municipal seat of the Municipality of Othón P. Blanco. In 2020 ...
. The depression intensified into Tropical Storm Karl six hours later and continued to strengthen until moving ashore near Rio Huach, Mexico, with winds of at 12:45 UTC on September 15. Although the storm's winds diminished over land, the structure of the storm actually improved, allowing Karl to quickly become a hurricane by 18:00 UTC on September 16 once emerging over the
Bay of Campeche The Bay of Campeche ( es, Bahía de Campeche), or Campeche Sound, is a 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 Mexican states of Campeche, ...
. A period of rapid deepening brought the cyclone to its peak of early on September 17, the only major hurricane on record in the Bay of Campeche. Increasing shear and dry air entrainment caused Karl to weaken slightly, but it retained winds of while making landfall just north of Veracruz, Mexico by 16:45 UTC on September 17. The system weakened rapidly over the mountainous terrain of Mexico, falling to tropical storm intensity by 00:00 UTC on September 18, weakening to a tropical depression six hours later, and dissipating about southeast of Veracruz by 12:00 UTC. Throughout
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 ...
, heavy rains from Karl resulted in scattered flooding which forced hundreds of families from their homes. More than 600 houses were destroyed in the city of Chetumal as a result of flooding and landslides. At the height of the storm, a total of 54,265 residents were without power; however, most had their electricity restored within a day. Thousands of hectares of crops were lost. Upon making landfall in Veracruz, Karl caused widespread heavy rainfall, peaking at 17.83 in (452.9 mm) in Misantla, Mexico. Strong winds uprooted hundreds of thousands of trees and downed power lines, leaving up to 280,000 residents in the dark. More than 200,000 homes were damaged or destroyed across the states of Veracruz, Tabasco, and Oaxaca. A total of 22 people were killed by the storm, and the damage cost totaled to approximately $3.9 billion.


Hurricane Lisa

Following a sequence of Cape Verde hurricanes, another tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa on September 16. A broad area of low pressure developed in association with the wave as it passed southwest of Cape Verde. By 18:00 UTC on September 20, the wave developed into a tropical depression about southwest of Cape Verde. An unusually weak subtropical ridge steered the system north, east, and then north again over subsequent days. The depression intensified into Tropical Storm Lisa six hours after formation, but fell back to tropical depression intensity by 18:00 UTC on September 22 as dry air entered the circulation. A more favorable environment allowed Lisa to re-attain tropical storm status by 12:00 UTC the following day and subsequently begin a period of rapid intensification. The small cyclone reached hurricane intensity by 21:00 UTC on September 24 and attained peak winds of six hours later. Progressively cooler waters and stronger shear caused Lisa to weaken to a tropical storm early on September 25, weaken to a tropical depression early on September 26, and degenerate into a remnant low at 18:00 UTC that day. The remnant low moved northwest and north, dissipating by 06:00 UTC on September 29 about south-southwest of the Azores.


Tropical Storm Matthew

The same tropical wave that led to the formation of Julia moved off the western coast of Africa on September 11, leading to the development of a tropical depression by 12:00 UTC on September 23 about east of Cabo Gracias a Dios. Steered west to west-northwest by a subtropical ridge to its north, the depression steadily organized, intensifying into Tropical Storm Matthew six hours after formation and attaining peak winds of by 18:00 UTC on September 23, an intensity it maintained while making just south of Cabo Gracias a Dios an hour later. The system briefly emerged into the Gulf of Honduras on September 25 before making a second landfall north-northeast of Monkey River Town, Belize, with winds of around 15:00 UTC. The system weakened quickly once inland, falling to a tropical depression by 18:00 UTC and degenerating into a remnant low by 12:00 UTC on September 26. The remnant low turned southwest and dissipated twelve hours later. The precursor wave to Matthew produced heavy rainfall across portions of
Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
, destroying several homes and leading to eight fatalities. Impacts extended across Central America, especially in
Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the coun ...
where 70 people were killed. Bridges were collapsed, roads were destroyed, communication lines were downed, and up to 255 communities were affected by the storm there. Similar but less severe damage was observed in
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 ...
, where four people were killed, and in
El Salvador El Salvador (; , meaning " The Saviour"), officially the Republic of El Salvador ( es, República de El Salvador), is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south ...
, where one person died. Widespread rainfall totals of 10 in (250 mm) were recorded across Veracruz, peaking at 16.73 in (424.9 mm) in
Acayucan Acayucan is a city in the Mexican state of Veracruz, located in the state's southeast, in the Olmeca region. It serves as the municipal seat for the Acayucan Municipality Acayucan Municipality is one of the 212 municipalities of the Mexican sta ...
. The combined impacts of Hurricane Karl and Tropical Storm Matthew in the state cost up to $8 billion. Flooding from Matthew further inland in Mexico, which was already observing one of its wettest years on record, led to a landslide in
Santa María Tlahuitoltepec Santa María Tlahuitoltepec is a town and municipality in Oaxaca in south-western Mexico. The municipality covers an area of km². It is part of the Sierra Mixe district within the Sierra Norte de Oaxaca La Sierra Norte de Oaxaca is a heavily w ...
that killed seven people.


Tropical Storm Nicole

The remnants of Matthew combined with a broad area of low pressure over the northwestern Caribbean to form Tropical Storm Nicole by 12:00 UTC on September 28, about south of the Isle of Youth, Cuba. Affected by strong westerly shear, Nicole never inherited a traditional appearance on satellite imagery; instead, it was characterized by an ill-defined circulation west of most convection, with the strongest winds well displaced from the center. The cyclone attained peak winds of shortly after formation, but its center of circulation became increasingly diffuse as Nicole tracked toward the Cuba coastline, leading to degeneration into a remnant low by 15:00 UTC on September 29. The low moved north-northeast into the Bahamas, where it became extratropical and quickly weakened to a trough on September 30. Nicole produced a tremendous amount of rain in Jamaica, totaling to 37.42 in (950.5 mm) in Belleisle. Severe flooding and landslides affected up to 507,831 residents, resulting 16 deaths and 42 injuries. Flooded roadways isolated communities, trapping hundreds of people in their homes. Over 288,000 residences lost power, over 40 percent of the island's water supply systems were inoperable at one point, and dozens of bridges collapsed. Infrastructure damage totaled to $235.4 million, while property damage reached $3.2 million and agricultural damage amounted to $6.8 million. In nearby Cuba, rainfall reached 9.22 in (234 mm) and winds gusted to ; houses were flooded, crops were damaged, and livestock was killed as a result. Similar impacts occurred across the Cayman Islands, with sporadic power outages, flooding in low-lying locations, and damaged houses. While the remnants of Nicole produced only minor impacts across Florida, mainly in the form of street flooding, impacts were much more severe across the Mid-Atlantic as the system combined with a large area of low pressure across the region. Record-breaking rainfall, accumulating to 22.54 in (572.5 mm) in
Wilmington, North Carolina Wilmington is a port city in and the county seat of New Hanover County in coastal southeastern North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 at the 2020 census, it is the eighth most populous city in the state. Wilmington is t ...
, closed over 150 roadways, knocked out power, and caused traffic accidents.


Hurricane Otto

A
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 ...
departed the western coast of Africa on September 26, becoming entangled with an upper-level trough to form a subtropical depression by 06:00 UTC on October 6, about north-northwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The depression recurved sharply northeast and quickly strengthened into Subtropical Storm Otto six hours after formation. On October 7, Otto completed transition into a fully tropical cyclone as deep convection formed over its center, despite weakening during the process. The system further intensified into a hurricane by 12:00 UTC on October 8 and attained peak winds of twelve hours later. An abrupt increase in wind shear caused Otto to weaken as it accelerated northeast; it fell to tropical storm intensity by 00:00 UTC on October 10 and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone six hours later while positioned about 1,035 mi (1,665 km) east-northeast of Bermuda. The extratropical cyclone persisted for several days, eventually becoming a non-convective swirl early on October 14 and dissipating by 00:00 UTC on October 18. Otto and its precursor disturbance brought several days of rainfall and gusty winds to the Greater Antilles. In St. Lucia, 400 houses were severely flooded or destroyed, access to water was cut off, and power outages were observed. Storm impacts in Saint Kitts and Nevis flooded homes, caused minor beach erosion, topped bridges, washed out roads, and caused severe disruption to electrical services. Throughout the U.S. Virgin Islands, monthly rainfall records were shattered, with 21.52 in (546.6 mm) in Red Hook. Flooding and landslides on surrounding islands closed roads and highways. Across the British Virgin Islands, the worst flooding in the nation's history—with precipitation amounts up to 24.98 in (634.5 mm)—overturned cars, damaged drainage pipes and utility lines, and left residents without water. Widespread flooding across Puerto Rico affected at least 295 roads, including at least 14 that were severely damaged, and impacted crops. Landslides and downed utility poles isolated communities, waters supplies were contaminated, and numerous people required rescuing.


Hurricane Paula

The complex interaction between a cold front, multiple tropical waves, and a broad area of low pressure in the wake of Nicole led to the formation of a tropical depression by 00:00 UTC on October 11 about southeast of Cabo Gracias a Dios. The nascent cyclone intensified into Tropical Storm Paula six hours later, briefly moving ashore the northeastern tip of Honduras early on October 11 before re-emerging into the northwestern Caribbean. Amid a favorable environment, Paula intensified into a hurricane by 00:00 UTC on October 12 and attained peak winds of at 18:00 UTC while maintaining an unusually small size. An increase in shear prompted a steady weakening trend as the system turned north and then east. Paula fell to tropical storm intensity early on October 14, making landfall between Santa Lucia and Puerto Esperanza with winds of . The system further weakened to a tropical depression early on October 15 and degenerated into a remnant low by 12:00 UTC. The remnant low quickly became diffuse, dissipating at 18:00 UTC. In northeastern Honduras, low-lying areas were evacuated and numerous homes were destroyed. Rainfall peaked at 7.9 in (200 mm), resulting in widespread flooding. Waves up to 7 ft (2.1 m) affected the coastline. An American tourist drowned off Cozumel after succumbing to rough seas. Only very minor impacts were observed along the northeastern coastline of the Yucatán Peninsula. The outer bands of Paula affected Cuba, where rainfall peaked at 7.32 in (186 mm) and winds reached . The strong winds downed many trees, blocking roadways, and damaged the roofs of several homes. The rain, however, was regarded as generally beneficial to crops and low reservoirs. Rough seas removed concrete from
Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.
's sea wall and submerged coastal streets under 1–2 ft (0.3–0.61 m) of water.


Hurricane Richard

An area of disturbed weather within a persistent, broad trough across the southwestern Caribbean organized into the nineteenth tropical depression of the season by 06:00 UTC on October 20 about north of Cabo Gracias a Dios. The depression was slow to organize at first, affected by dry air and moderate shear from a trough over the Southeast United States and western Atlantic, but eventually strengthened into Tropical Storm Richard by 12:00 UTC on October 21 as it curved south and then west. Upper-level winds slackened over subsequent days, allowing the cyclone to attain hurricane intensity early on October 24 and reach peak winds of by 00:00 UTC the next day. Richard moved ashore near Gales Point, Belize, thirty minutes later. The system weakened rapidly once inland, degenerating into a remnant low by 00:00 UTC on October 26. Despite emerging over the Bay of Campeche, high wind shear prevented redevelopment and instead caused the feature to dissipate eighteen hours later. Although Richard tracked north of Honduras, strong winds along the coastline downed trees and power lines. Mudslides stranded up to 15,000 people across 40 different towns. The island of Roatán received a gust of . Farther north and west in Belize, the Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center—popular attractions for tourists—were heavily damaged. About 80% of the grapefruit and nearly 25% of the orange crop were lost there. Two deaths were observed: one man was killed when his boat capsized in rough seas, while a second man was mauled to death by a jaguar that escaped after a tree mangled its cage. The damage cost topped $80 million.


Hurricane Shary

A broad area of low pressure formed at the tail-end of a
stationary front A stationary front (or quasi-stationary front) is a weather front or transition zone between two air masses when both air mass is advancing into the other at speeds exceeding 5 knots (about 6 miles per hour or about 9 kilometers per hour) at the gr ...
, organizing into a tropical depression by 18:00 UTC on October 28 about south-southeast of Bermuda. Steered west-northwest and then sharply northeast ahead of an approaching cold front, the system intensified into Tropical Storm Shary six hours after formation. Within an environment of low wind shear, Shary strengthened into a hurricane and attained peak winds of by 00:00 UTC on October 30 as an eye became apparent on microwave imagery. The storm became increasingly asymmetric as it interacted with the front, and Shary transitioned into an extratropical cyclone by 18:00 UTC that day. The extratropical system was completely absorbed by the front six hours later. Since Shary remained south and east of Bermuda, its effects were limited to 0.54 in (13.7 mm) of rainfall and a gust to .


Hurricane Tomas

The final tropical cyclone of the 2010 season developed from a tropical wave that moved off Africa on October 24. The wave pushed west, organizing into a tropical depression by 06:00 UTC on October 29 and into Tropical Storm Tomas six hours later while located a few hundred miles east of Barbados. The cyclone turned northwest after formation while continuing to intensify, moving over Barbados by 09:00 UTC on October 30 with winds of ; as such, Tomas became the latest storm in a calendar year to strike the Windward Islands. The system reached hurricane intensity three hours later, and by 20:00 UTC, attained its peak winds of while moving across St. Lucia. After moving into the Caribbean, a sharp increase in wind shear and dry air entrainment caused Tomas to dramatically weaken, and the storm fell to a tropical depression by 00:00 UTC on November 3. Fluctuating atmospheric conditions allowed Tomas to strengthen and oscillate between a tropical storm and hurricane as it curved through the Windward Passage and into the Atlantic. By 00:00 UTC on November 8, the cyclone succumbed to an increasingly unfavorable regime and became an extratropical cyclone. The storm rotated around a broader low in the western Atlantic before being absorbed by a larger extratropical low south of Newfoundland early on November 11. Impacts throughout the Windward Islands were substantial, but most heavily concentrated in St. Lucia. There, gusts reached , toppling trees and power lines. Torrential rainfall up to 26.3 in (668 mm) created mudslides and landslides that damaged or destroyed numerous structures, bridges, and vehicles. Most of the island's plantain and banana crops were destroyed. Up to 14 people were killed. Farther west in Curaçao, Tomas led to the most prolific rain event in four decades. An elderly man was killed after suffering a heart attack and drowning in his flooded vehicle, while a rescue worker died after a hospital wall collapsed. In Haiti, already ravaged by a catastrophic 7.0 MW earthquake less than a year prior, heavy rainfall flooded a refugee camp and triggered mudslides that destroyed homes and roads. Up to 35 people were killed there, though it was feared many more could die as Tomas exacerbated an already-deadly cholera outbreak.


Storm names

The following list of names was used for named storms that formed in the North Atlantic during 2010. The names not retired from this list were used again in the 2016 season. This was the same list used in the 2004 season with the exceptions of Colin, Fiona, Igor, and Julia, which replaced Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne, respectively. The names Colin, Fiona, Igor, Julia, Paula, Richard, Shary, and Tomas were used for the first time this year (and only, in the cases of Igor and Tomas).


Retirement

On March 16, 2011, at the 33rd Session of the RA IV hurricane committee, 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 Inter ...
retired the names ''Igor'' and ''Tomas'' from its rotating name lists due to the number of deaths and damage they caused, and they will not be used again for another
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 ...
. They were replaced with ''Ian'' and ''Tobias'', respectively, for the
2016 Atlantic hurricane season The 2016 Atlantic hurricane season was the first above-average hurricane season since 2012, producing 15 named storms, 7 hurricanes and 4 major hurricanes. The season officially started on June 1 and ended on November 30, though the ...
.


Season effects

This is a table of the storms that formed in the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season. This table includes each storm's name, duration, peak intensity, 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 storm-related. Damage and deaths include totals while the storm was extratropical, a wave or a low. All of the damage figures are in 2010 USD (the listed damage figure is in millions).


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 ...
* South-West Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 2009–10, 2010–11 * Australian region cyclone seasons: 2009–10, 2010–11 * South Pacific cyclone seasons: 2009–10, 2010–11 * South Atlantic tropical cyclone


References


External links


The Weather Prediction Center's rainfall page for 2010 Tropical Cyclones

The National Hurricane Center's website

NOAA Visualization's annotated animation of the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season
{{DEFAULTSORT:2010 Atlantic Hurricane Season Atlantic hurricane seasons Articles which contain graphical timelines Tropical cyclones in 2010