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Tropical Storm Debby was a weak but costly
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 ...
that affected 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 ...
in September 1994. It was the fourth named tropical storm of the
1994 Atlantic hurricane season The 1994 Atlantic hurricane season was the final season in the most recent negative Atlantic multidecadal oscillation period ("low-activity era" or "cold phase") of tropical cyclone formation within the basin. Despite the below average activity, ...
; it developed on September 9 east of Barbados. Debby made
landfall Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...
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 ...
early on September 10, producing heavy rainfall and tropical storm-force wind gusts. The rains caused flooding and landslides, damaging about half of the island's banana plantations. Several villages were isolated after roads and bridges were damaged. Damage totaled about $103 million (1994 
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 ...
). On nearby Dominica, Debby damaged crops and fisheries. While Debby was crossing Saint Lucia, its strongest thunderstorms were located north and east of the center due to
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 ...
. A station 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 ...
reported hurricane-force winds, and about 20,000 people on the island lost power. After entering the eastern Caribbean Sea, Debby attained peak winds of , although continued wind shear caused the storm to dissipate on September 11. In Puerto Rico, one person died due to high waves. The storm caused power outages and flooding in the Dominican Republic. Throughout its path, Debby killed nine people.


Meteorological history

The origins of Tropical Storm Debby were from 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 ...
that moved off the coast of
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 4. By September 6, satellite images indicated a vigorous tropical wave with intense
convection Convection is single or multiphase fluid flow that occurs spontaneously due to the combined effects of material property heterogeneity and body forces on a fluid, most commonly density and gravity (see buoyancy). When the cause of the convec ...
about midway between Africa and the Lesser Antilles. Encountering northwesterly vertical
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 ...
, convection markedly decreased and weakened on the following day, only to redevelop on September 8 after the shear dropped. Post-analysis indicate that the sixth tropical depression of the season developed on September 9 at 1200  UTC, about 185 mi (300 km) east 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). ...
; however, it was not operationally classified as Tropical Depression Six until almost 24 hours later. Early on September 10, satellite imagery indicated a surface circulation just north of Barbados, around which time the
National Hurricane Center The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is the division of the United States' NOAA/National Weather Service responsible for tracking and predicting tropical weather systems between the Prime Meridian and the 140th meridian west poleward to the 3 ...
(NHC) initiated advisories. The increasing organization of the tropical depression prompted 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 ...
investigation, which reported flight-level winds of around in an intense rainband northeast of the center. The same flight estimated surface winds of 58 mph (93 km/h), which indicated that the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Debby. However, ongoing wind shear removed all thunderstorms from the circulation. At 0300 UTC on September 10, the storm made
landfall Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...
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 ...
with winds of . Although Debby was not very well-organized on satellite imagery, stations 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 ...
and nearby ships reported that the storm intensified further in the eastern
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 ...
to a peak strength of at 0600 UTC. Such winds were not known while the storm was active, and around the time of Debby's peak intensity, the NHC operationally estimated winds of only . The storm continued quickly to the west-northwest, affected by strong wind shear while maintaining strong winds. A reconnaissance flight on September 12 did not observe a closed circulation; as a result, it is estimated that Debby dissipated at around 0600 UTC that day to the south of Puerto Rico. The remnants of Debby continued to the west and diminished over Mexico on September 15, although residual clouds spread into the Gulf of Mexico.


Preparations and impact

When the first advisory was issued for Debby, the governments of Barbados, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, and
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 ...
issued tropical storm warnings. In addition, the Saint Lucia Meteorological Service issued a flood warning before Debby developed. Although the NHC recommended a tropical storm warning to be issued in Martinique, government officials there issued a heavy rain warning instead. Debby first affected Barbados as it passed the island to the north, producing winds of . In Saint Vincent to the southwest of Barbados, there was minor roof damage. In Dominica to the north, the storm damaged roads and caused power outages. Across Dominica, the combination of winds and heavy rains damaged 2,800 acres of bananas, 143 acres of plantains, 355 acres of
root crops Root vegetables are underground plant parts eaten by humans as food. Although botany distinguishes true roots (such as taproots and tuberous roots) from non-roots (such as bulbs, corms, rhizomes, and tubers, although some contain both hypocotyl ...
, and 355 acres of tree crops. Damage to crops and fisheries were estimated at EC$30 million ($12 million 1994 USD). After the storm, Windward Islands Crop Insurance (WINCROP) paid 2189 claims in the country, amounting to EC$1.6 million ($660,000 1994 USD). Tropical Storm Debby struck Saint Lucia, and wind gusts on the island reached in
Vigie Vigie is part of Castries, Saint Lucia. The French established a village at the base of Vigie Hill in 1745, and a military headquarters on Vigie Height. Three forts were built, Choc Fort facing Choc Bay, Fort St. Victor at the entrance to Grand ...
. Damage throughout Debby's path was heaviest on this island, and the storm affected most of Saint Lucia. Debby produced heavy rainfall and thunderstorms over a six-hour period, which caused flooding along rivers and in low-lying areas. High rainfall totals wrecked houses on hillsides, forcing about 150 people to evacuate to shelters. Roadways were washed out or covered by landslides, and 10 bridges were destroyed or severely damaged. This limited access to villages across the island. Landslides also affected the town of Fond Saint-Jacques. Heavy rains covered
Hewanorra International Airport Hewanorra International Airport , located near Vieux Fort Quarter, Saint Lucia, in the Caribbean, is the larger of Saint Lucia's two airports and is managed by the Saint Lucia Air and Seaports Authority (SLASPA). It is on the southern cape of t ...
with of silt, and in
Anse La Raye Anse La Raye or Anse-La-Raye is the largest town and seat of the Anse la Raye District of Saint Lucia. It is located on the island's western side, near Marigot Bay, and has several examples of French and English colonial architecture. History ...
, floods reached waist-deep levels. In that town, residents had to be rescued by boat. The storm damaged about half of the banana plantations on the island. Several towns lost access to their water supplies, which prompted the governments of Martinique and Saint Vincent to provide fresh water to the country. Overall, there were 24 injuries and 4 deaths across Saint Lucia; all of the deaths were from two landslides. During the storm, nine prisoners escaped the jail in
Castries Castries is the capital and largest city of Saint Lucia, an island country in the Caribbean. The urban area has a population of approximately 20,000, while the eponymous district has a population of 70,000, as at May 2013. The city stretches o ...
, and there were also reports of looting. In the capital city of
Castries Castries is the capital and largest city of Saint Lucia, an island country in the Caribbean. The urban area has a population of approximately 20,000, while the eponymous district has a population of 70,000, as at May 2013. The city stretches o ...
, the storm damaged a ward of an evacuated hospital; it had been scheduled for reconstruction, and the effects from Debby provided a new assessment for the rebuilding. Damage on Saint Lucia was estimated at EC$250 million ($103 million 1994 USD). After the storm, WINCROP paid 5,802 claims for insured crop damage in the country, totaling EC$7.8 million ($3.2 million 1994 USD). As of 2008, Debby was the largest event in WINCROP's 20-year history of insurance claims for disasters. The Saint Lucia government responded to the damage from Debby by repairing damaged buildings and bridges, diversifying crops, and removing silt from major rivers. While Debby was moving across Saint Lucia, a station 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 ...
in southeastern Martinique reported 10 minute sustained winds of , with a gust to ; the observation provided the basis for Debby's peak intensity. When the storm was active, however, the strongest winds known at the time were a 10-minute wind of , and a gust of at
Martinique Aimé Césaire International Airport Martinique Aimé Césaire International Airport (french: link=no, Aéroport international de Martinique-Aimé-Césaire, ) is the international airport of Martinique in the French West Indies. Located in Le Lamentin, a suburb of the capital Fort ...
. About half of the island experienced of precipitation, and the highest rainfall total on the island was in Saint-Joseph. High rains caused flooding across the island, and one woman drowned when a flooded river washed away her car. High winds downed trees and covered some roads, and there was damage to the banana crop. About 20,000 people lost power during the storm. When Debby was still active, a
NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
satellite fired lasers at the storm to measure cloud heights, the first such experiment. As Debby moved into the Caribbean Sea, a tropical storm warning was issued for
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 ...
and 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 ...
. High winds spread across Puerto Rico;
Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport ( es, link=no, Aeropuerto Internacional Luis Muñoz Marín) is a joint civil-military international airport located in suburban Carolina, Puerto Rico, southeast of San Juan. It is named for Luis Muño ...
reported a peak wind gust of . The winds downed trees and power lines across the island and caused isolated roof and house damage. High seas entered several coastal homes and prevented ferry passage from Culebra. In
Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico Cabo Rojo (, ) is a Cabo Rojo barrio-pueblo, city and Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality situated on the southwest coast of Puerto Rico and forms part of the San Germán – Cabo Rojo metropolitan area, San Germán–Cabo Rojo metropoli ...
, high waves swept away two men fishing from the coast; one was injured and the other was killed. Later, a tropical storm warning was issued for the southern coasts of 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 wit ...
and
Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...
. After Debby dissipated, its remnants maintained strong winds, and a station in the Dominican Republic reported a gust of on September 11. The storm downed power lines, leaving hundreds of homes without electricity and contributing to three deaths. An expressway and some rivers also flooded in the country.


See also

*
Tropical Storm Erika Tropical Storm Erika was one of the deadliest and most destructive natural disasters in Dominica since Hurricane David in 1979 Atlantic hurricane season, 1979. The fifth Tropical cyclone naming, named storm of the 2015 Atlantic hurricane seaso ...
* Other storms of the same name


Sources

{{1994 Atlantic hurricane season buttons Debby Debby (1994) Debby (1994) Debby (1994) Debby (1994) Debby (1994) Debby (1994) Debby (1994)