Meteorological history | |
---|---|
Formed | September 22,2023 |
Extratropical | September 23,2023 |
Dissipated | September 25,2023 |
Tropical storm | |
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Highest winds | 70 mph (110 km/h) |
Lowest pressure | 981 mbar (hPa);28.97 inHg |
Overall effects | |
Fatalities | None |
Damage | $450 million (2023 USD) |
Areas affected | East Coast of the United States |
[1] [2] | |
Part of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season |
Tropical Storm Ophelia was a strong but short-lived tropical storm that impacted the East Coast of the United States in September 2023. The fifteenth named storm of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season,Ophelia originated from a disturbance off the east coast of Florida before making landfall in North Carolina the next day as a strong tropical storm. Flood waters inundated coastal communities and roadways from North Carolina to New Jersey,and winds downed trees and power lines,and caused sporadic property damage.
On September 17, the NHC first noted the potential for tropical cyclone development near the southeast coast of the United States in its seven day outlook. [3] A few days later, a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms developed east of Florida within an offshore trough of low pressure. [4] A broad non-tropical area of low pressure formed within the area on September 21. Anticipating that the low could acquire some tropical or subtropical characteristics as it continued to form, coupled with its close proximity to the Southeastern United States, the NHC initiated advisories on it as Potential Tropical Cyclone Sixteen at 15:00 UTC that day. [5] The system's minimum barometric pressure fell appreciably on the morning of September 22, as it moved generally northward, still attached to a frontal feature. It was generating sustained tropical storm-force winds within its broad, asymmetric wind field, and the deep convection was concentrated to the north of the poorly formed, indistinct low level center of the circulation. [6] Later that day, it became detached from the frontal feature, and was designated Tropical Storm Ophelia. [7] The storm made landfall at 10:15 UTC, near Emerald Isle, North Carolina, about 25 mi (40 km) west-northwest of Cape Lookout, with winds of 70 mph (115 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 981 mbar (28.97 inHg). [8] By 0:00 UTC on September 24, the system had lost its tropical characteristics, becoming a post-tropical cyclone after crossing into southeast Virginia. [2] The next day, its remnant circulation moved eastward off the New Jersey coast, as rains from the system swept northward into New England. [9] The remnants of Ophelia were absorbed by another offshore low-pressure area a few days later. This low pressure ended up causing severe floods in New York City on the evening of September 29. [10]
States of emergency were declared in Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland and New York ahead of the storm. [11] [12] Schools were closed for the day in coastal communities in those states. [13] Also, four Northeast Regional Amtrak train routes were modified due to the storm. [14] Floodwaters inundated communities and roadways along the Atlantic seaboard from North Carolina to New Jersey. [11] [15] [16] The reinsurer Aon estimated the losses at $450 million. [1]
Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Moores Creek National Battlefield and Wright Brothers National Memorial were closed, and Pamlico Sound ferry service departures were curtailed. [13] [17]
The highest storm surge was 3.67 ft (1.12 m) above mean sea level at Sewell's Point, Virginia. [15] Tropical storm‑force winds from Ophelia downed trees and power lines and caused sporadic property damage along its path. [16] [18] [19] Five people were rescued in a sailing vessel in coastal North Carolina. [20] Rainfall totals reached 7.65 in (194 mm) in Cape Carteret, North Carolina, [15] and 9.51 in (242 mm) in Greenville, North Carolina. [21] An EF0 tornado occurred in Belvidere, North Carolina early on September 23. [22] At the height of storm, more than 70,000 electric utility customers in North Carolina and Virginia were without power. [11]
Major League Baseball games scheduled for September 23, at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. and Yankee Stadium in New York City, were postponed due to the storm, [11] while a game on September 24 at Citizens Bank Park was delayed for five hours. [23] Additionally, on September 23, thoroughbred racing at Aqueduct in New York City, Pimlico in Baltimore, Maryland, and Delaware Park in Stanton, Delaware, was canceled. [24] In preparation for the storm, Cape May County Park & Zoo closed and the Cape May–Lewes Ferry was suspended on September 23. [25]
Heavy rain also fell along the Mid-Atlantic, with state maximums occurred at Huntingtown, Maryland; Millsboro, Delaware; and Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and a regional maximum at 5.63 in (143 mm) in Toms River, New Jersey. [26] A person was injured in Washington D.C. when a tree fell on a Metrobus. [27] In Ocean City, Maryland, wind gusts reached 48 mph (77 km/h), causing $21,000 in damage throughout the city, [28] with a 40 mph (64 km/h) wind gust in Salisbury, Maryland also causing $21,000 in damage. [29] Over 13,000 power outages occurred in the state of New Jersey alone, where wind gusts reached as high as 62 mph (100 km/h) in North Beach Haven. [30] [31] On September 25, slick roads resulted in several bridges in Staten Island having speed limits reduced. [32] On September 26, at Citi Field, a New York Mets game against the Miami Marlins was postponed due to unplayable field conditions from the heavy rainfall from the previous four days. [33]
The 1960 Atlantic hurricane season was the least active season since 1952. The season officially began on June 15, and lasted until November 15. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The first system, an unnamed storm, developed in the Bay of Campeche on June 22. It brought severe local flooding to southeastern Texas and was considered the worst disaster in some towns since a Hurricane in 1945. The unnamed storm moved across the United States for almost a week before dissipating on June 29. In July, Hurricane Abby resulted in minor damage in the Leeward Islands, before impacting a few Central American counties — the remnants of the storm would go on to form Hurricane Celeste in the East Pacific. Later that month, Tropical Storm Brenda caused flooding across much of the East Coast of the United States. The next storm, Hurricane Cleo, caused no known impact, despite its close proximity to land.
The 2008 Atlantic hurricane season was the most destructive Atlantic hurricane season since 2005, causing over 1,000 deaths and nearly $50 billion in damage. The season ranked as the third costliest ever at the time, but has since fallen to ninth costliest. It was an above-average season, featuring sixteen named storms, eight of which became hurricanes, and five which further became major hurricanes. It officially started on June 1 and ended on November 30. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. However, the formation of Tropical Storm Arthur caused the season to start one day early. It was the only year on record in which a major hurricane existed in every month from July through November in the North Atlantic. Bertha became the longest-lived July tropical cyclone on record for the basin, the first of several long-lived systems during 2008.
Hurricane Ophelia was a long-lived tropical cyclone in September 2005 that moved along an erratic path off the East Coast of the United States for much of its existence. The fifteenth named storm and the eighth hurricane of the record-breaking 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, Ophelia originated from a complex set of systems across the Atlantic in early September. An area of low pressure consolidated near the Bahamas and was classified as Tropical Depression Sixteen on September 6. Stuck in a region of meager steering currents, largely dominated by a lull between two ridges to the north and east, this system moved along a looping course with a general northward trajectory. The following day it organized into Tropical Storm Ophelia and soon reached hurricane status on September 8. Over the next week, Ophelia's intensity oscillated between tropical storm and hurricane levels due to intrusions of dry air, varying levels of wind shear, and gradual upwelling of cooler waters along its meandering path. Gradually growing in size, the system reached hurricane strength for the fourth time and its peak strength on September 14, with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 km/h). By this time Ophelia had completed a second loop and was moving northwest toward North Carolina. Changing direction once again, the system turned away from the state though its eyewall scraped the coastline for two days. The system degraded to tropical storm strength for a final time on September 16 as it began accelerating northeast. Becoming embedded within the westerlies, Ophelia transitioned into an extratropical cyclone the next day. Remaining on a steady east-northeast to northeast path for the next week, Ophelia traversed Atlantic Canada and the northern Atlantic Ocean before dissipating on September 23 over the Norwegian Sea.
Tropical Storm Doria was the costliest tropical cyclone in the 1971 Atlantic hurricane season. The fifth tropical storm of the season, Doria developed from a tropical wave on August 20 to the east of the Lesser Antilles, and after five days without development it attained tropical storm status to the east of Florida. Doria turned to the north, and reached peak winds of 65 mph (105 km/h) as it was making landfall near Morehead City, North Carolina. It turned to the northeast, and moved through the Mid-Atlantic and New England as a tropical storm before becoming an extratropical storm over Maine on August 29.
The 1945 Homestead hurricane, known informally as Kappler's hurricane, was the most intense tropical cyclone to strike the U.S. state of Florida since 1935. The ninth tropical storm, third hurricane, and third major hurricane of the season, it developed east-northeast of the Leeward Islands on September 12. Moving briskly west-northwestward, the storm became a major hurricane on September 13. The system moved over the Turks and Caicos Islands the following day and then Andros on September 15. Later that day, the storm peaked as a Category 4 hurricane on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson scale with winds of 130 mph (215 km/h). Late on September 15, the hurricane made landfall on Key Largo and then in southern Dade County, Florida.
The 2014 Atlantic hurricane season was a well below-average hurricane season in terms of named storms while the number of hurricanes and major hurricanes, were overall average. It produced nine tropical cyclones, eight of which became named storms; six storms became hurricanes and two intensified further into major hurricanes. The season officially began on June 1, and ended on November 30. These dates historically describe the period each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The first storm of the season, Arthur, developed on July 1, while the final storm, Hanna, dissipated on October 28, about a month prior to the end of the season.
The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season was a devastating and extremely active Atlantic hurricane season that became the costliest on record, with a damage total of at least $294.92 billion (USD). The season featured 17 named storms, 10 hurricanes, and 6 major hurricanes. Most of the season's damage was due to hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. Another notable hurricane, Nate, was the worst natural disaster in Costa Rican history. These four storm names were retired following the season due to the number of deaths and amount of damage they caused. Collectively, the tropical cyclones were responsible for at least 3,364 deaths. The season also had the highest accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) since 2005 with an approximate index of 224 units, with a record three hurricanes each generating an ACE of over 40: Irma, Jose, and Maria. This season featured two Category 5 hurricanes, and the only season other than 2007 with two hurricanes making landfall at that intensity. The season's ten hurricanes occurred one after the other, the greatest number of consecutive hurricanes in the satellite era, and tied for the highest number of consecutive hurricanes ever observed in the Atlantic basin.
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active Atlantic hurricane season on record, in terms of number of systems. It featured a total of 31 tropical or subtropical cyclones, with all but one cyclone becoming a named storm. Of the 30 named storms, 14 developed into hurricanes, and a record-tying seven further intensified into major hurricanes. It was the second and final season to use the Greek letter storm naming system, the first being 2005, the previous record. Of the 30 named storms, 11 of them made landfall in the contiguous United States, breaking the record of nine set in 1916. During the season, 27 tropical storms established a new record for earliest formation date by storm number. This season also featured a record ten tropical cyclones that underwent rapid intensification, tying it with 1995, as well as tying the record for most Category 4 hurricanes in a singular season in the Atlantic Basin. This unprecedented activity was fueled by a La Niña that developed in the summer months of 2020, continuing a stretch of above-average seasonal activity that began in 2016. Despite the record-high activity, this was the first season since 2015 in which no Category 5 hurricanes formed.
Hurricane Arthur was the earliest known hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. state of North Carolina during the calendar year. It was also the first hurricane to make landfall in the United States since Hurricane Isaac in 2012. The first named storm of the 2014 Atlantic hurricane season, Arthur developed from an initially non-tropical area of low-pressure over the Southeastern United States that emerged into the western Atlantic Ocean on June 28. After sufficiently organizing, developing a well-defined circulation and deep convection amid a favorable environment, it was classified as a tropical depression on July 1. The system continued to strengthen and was declared a tropical storm later that day. Drifting northward, the storm reached hurricane status early on July 3 and curved toward the north-northeast. Further structural organization resulted in additional intensification, and by 01:00 UTC on July 4, the system attained its peak winds of 100 mph (160 km/h) as a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. Arthur made landfall at 03:15 UTC over North Carolina's Shackleford Banks, positioned between Cape Lookout and Beaufort, and intensified slightly further, with a minimum atmospheric pressure of 973 mbar. The storm then trekked swiftly northeast, weakening as it passed by Cape Cod and Nantucket, before transitioning into an extratropical cyclone and coming ashore at Weymouth, Nova Scotia, on July 5. The remnants continued generally northeastward through Atlantic Canada before ultimately dissipating on July 9 over the Labrador Sea.
The 2023 Atlantic hurricane season was the fourth-most active Atlantic hurricane season on record in terms of storms with 20 named storms forming, tied with 1933. Among them, 7 became hurricanes, with 3 reaching major hurricane strength. The season also had an above‑normal accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) rating of 148, despite the presence of the 2023–24 El Niño event, which typically results in less activity, and had the most storms for an El Niño year on record, largely due to record-warm sea surface temperatures across the Atlantic. The season officially began on June 1 and ended on November 30. These dates, adopted by convention, historically describe the period in each year when most tropical cyclogenesis occurs in the Atlantic. However, the formation of subtropical or tropical cyclones is possible at any time of the year, as demonstrated by the formation of a subtropical storm on January 16, the earliest start of an Atlantic hurricane season since Hurricane Alex in January 2016. Because the system was operationally assessed as non-tropical by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and designated after the fact, it went without a name.
The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season was the third-most active Atlantic hurricane season on record in terms of number of tropical cyclones, although many of them were weak and short-lived. With 21 named storms forming, it became the second season in a row and third overall in which the designated 21-name list of storm names was exhausted. Seven of those storms strengthened into a hurricane, four of which reached major hurricane intensity, which is slightly above-average. The season officially began on June 1 and ended on November 30. These dates historically describe the period in each year when most Atlantic tropical cyclones form. However, subtropical or tropical cyclogenesis is possible at any time of the year, as demonstrated by the development of Tropical Storm Ana on May 22, making this the seventh consecutive year in which a storm developed outside of the official season.
Tropical Storm Arthur was a strong off-season tropical cyclone that impacted the East Coast of the United States in May 2020. The first of thirty-one depressions and thirty different named storms of the extremely active 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, Arthur marked the record sixth consecutive year in the Atlantic basin with a tropical cyclone forming before June. It was one of two off-season storms in the season, alongside short-lived Tropical Storm Bertha. Arthur originated from a front that stalled over the Straits of Florida on May 10, which slowly drifted south for two days. The system became a tropical depression on May 16 north of The Bahamas. A day later, the system intensified into a tropical storm and was named Arthur. Arthur gradually intensified while tracking towards the Outer Banks of North Carolina, attaining its peak intensity with maximum 1-minute sustained winds of 60 mph (97 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 990 mbar (29 inHg) on May 19, before skirting the region and becoming an extratropical cyclone. The cyclone then accelerated towards Bermuda and dissipated on May 21.
Tropical Storm Bertha was a rapidly forming and short-lived off-season tropical storm that affected the Eastern United States in late May 2020. The second named storm of the very active 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, Bertha originated from a trough in the Gulf of Mexico. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) only anticipated slight development as the trough moved over southern Florida, bringing torrential rainfall. The system rapidly organized on May 27 after it emerged into the western Atlantic Ocean, developing a small, well-defined circulation. That day, the disturbance developed into Tropical Storm Bertha east of Georgia, and a few hours later it moved ashore near Isle of Palms, South Carolina with peak winds of 50 mph (80 km/h). The storm weakened over land and dissipated late on May 28 over West Virginia.
Tropical Storm Fay was the first tropical cyclone to make landfall in the U.S state of New Jersey since Hurricane Irene in 2011. The sixth named storm of the very active 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, Fay was the earliest sixth named storm on record in the basin when it formed on July 9. Fay originated from a surface low that formed over the Northern Gulf of Mexico on July 3 and slowly drifted eastward, before crossing over the Florida Panhandle. The system subsequently drifted across the Southeastern United States as a well-defined low pressure system, before emerging off the coast of North Carolina on July 8. From there, the storm utilized favorable conditions for development, or tropical cyclogenesis, and coalesced into a tropical storm on July 9. The storm intensified, reaching its peak intensity on July 10, with maximum 1-minute sustained winds of 60 mph (97 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 998 millibars (29.5 inHg). While moving northward, Fay made landfall on New Jersey later that day. After making landfall, the storm quickly lost most of its organization and rapidly transitioned into a post-tropical cyclone over New York on July 11, before being absorbed by a larger extratropical low over Quebec on July 12.
Hurricane Teddy was a large and powerful tropical cyclone that was the fifth-largest Atlantic hurricane by diameter of gale-force winds recorded. Teddy produced large swells along the coast of the Eastern United States and Atlantic Canada in September 2020. The twentieth tropical depression, nineteenth named storm, eighth hurricane, and second major hurricane of the record-breaking 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, Teddy initially formed from a tropical depression that developed from a tropical wave on September 12. Initially, the depression's large size and moderate wind shear kept it from organizing, but it eventually intensified into Tropical Storm Teddy on September 14. After steadily intensifying for about a day, the storm rapidly became a Category 2 hurricane on September 16 before westerly wind shear caused a temporary pause in the intensification trend. It then rapidly intensified again on September 17 and became a Category 4 hurricane. Internal fluctuations and eyewall replacement cycles then caused the storm to fluctuate in intensity before it weakened some as it approached Bermuda. After passing east of the island as a Category 1 hurricane on September 21, Teddy restrengthened back to Category 2 strength due to baroclinic forcing. It weakened again to Category 1 strength the next day before becoming post-tropical as it approached Atlantic Canada early on September 23. It then weakened to a gale-force low and made landfall in Nova Scotia with sustained winds of 65 mph (105 km/h). The system weakened further as it moved northward across eastern Nova Scotia and then the Gulf of St. Lawrence, before being absorbed by a larger non-tropical low early on September 24, near eastern Labrador.
Hurricane Zeta was a late-season tropical cyclone in 2020 that made landfall on the Yucatán Peninsula and then in southeastern Louisiana, the latest on record to do so at such strength in the United States. Zeta was the record-tying sixth hurricane of the year to make landfall in the United States. The twenty-seventh named storm, twelfth hurricane and fifth major hurricane of the extremely active 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, Zeta formed from a broad area of low pressure that formed in the western Caribbean Sea on October 19. After battling wind shear, the quasi-stationary low organized into Tropical Depression Twenty-Eight on October 24. The system strengthened into Tropical Storm Zeta early on October 25 before becoming a hurricane the next day as it began to move northwestward. Hurricane Zeta made landfall on the Yucatán Peninsula late on October 26 and weakened while inland to a tropical storm, before moving off the northern coast of the peninsula on October 27. After weakening due to dry air entrainment, Zeta reorganized and became a hurricane again, and eventually a Category 2 hurricane, as it turned northeastward approaching the United States Gulf Coast on October 28. It continued to strengthen until it reached its peak intensity as a major Category 3 hurricane with 115-mile-per-hour (185 km/h) sustained winds and a minimum pressure of 970 mbar (28.64 inHg) as it made landfall at Cocodrie, Louisiana, that evening. Zeta continued on through Mississippi and parts of Alabama with hurricane-force winds. Zeta gradually weakened as it accelerated northeastward, and became post-tropical on October 29, as it moved through central Virginia, dissipating shortly afterwards off the coast of New Jersey. After bringing accumulating snow to parts of New England, the extratropical low-pressure system carrying Zeta's remnant energy impacted the United Kingdom on November 1 and 2.
Hurricane Nicole was a sprawling late-season Category 1 hurricane in November 2022. The fourteenth named storm and eighth hurricane of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, Nicole formed as a subtropical cyclone on November 7, from a non-tropical area of low pressure near the Greater Antilles, and transitioned into a tropical cyclone the next day. Then, taking a path similar to that of Hurricane Dorian three years earlier, Nicole made landfall on November 9, on Great Abaco and on Grand Bahama in The Bahamas, where it strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane. On November 10, it made landfall twice in Florida, south of Vero Beach and then northwest of Cedar Key, after briefly emerging over the Gulf of Mexico. Nicole then weakened to a depression while moving over the Florida Panhandle, and then was absorbed into a mid-latitude trough and cold front over extreme eastern Tennessee the following day.