Tropical Storm Gabrielle (2013)
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The 2013 Atlantic hurricane season was a well below average
Atlantic hurricane season The Atlantic hurricane season is the period in a year, from June 1 through November 30, when Tropical cyclone, tropical or subtropical cyclones are most likely to form in the North Atlantic Ocean. These dates, adopted by convention ...
in terms of the number of hurricanes. It was the first since
1994 The year 1994 was designated as the " International Year of the Family" and the "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal" by the United Nations. In the Line Islands and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, 1994 had only 364 days, omitti ...
with no major hurricanes, Category 3 or higher on the
Saffir–Simpson scale The Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS) is a tropical cyclone intensity scale that classifies hurricanes—which in the Western Hemisphere are tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical sto ...
, and the first in the satellite era where no hurricanes reached Category 2 strength. Altogether, the season produced 15
tropical cyclone A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its locat ...
s, of which all but one became a
named storm Tropical cyclones and subtropical cyclones are named by various warning centers to simplify communication between forecasters and the general public regarding forecasts, watches and warnings. The names are intended to reduce confusion in the ...
. The season officially began on June 1, and ended on November 30. These dates historically describe the period in each year when most
tropical cyclogenesis Tropical cyclogenesis is the development and strengthening of a tropical cyclone in the atmosphere. The mechanisms through which tropics, tropical cyclogenesis occur are distinctly different from those through which temperate cyclogenesis occu ...
occurs in the North Atlantic and are adopted by convention. The first storm of the season,
Andrea Andrea is a given name which is common worldwide for both males and females, cognate to Andreas, Andrej and Andrew. Origin of the name The name derives from the Greek word ἀνήρ (''anēr''), genitive ἀνδρός (''andrós''), that re ...
, developed on June 5, while the last, an unnamed subtropical storm, dissipated on December 7. Throughout the year, only two storms, Humberto and
Ingrid Ingrid may refer to: * Ingrid (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Ingrid Burley (born 1986), rapper known mononymously as Ingrid * Ingrid (record label), also an artist collective * Tropical Storm Ingrid, various cy ...
, reached hurricane strength; this was the lowest seasonal total since
1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...
. The season's overall impact was minimal; although 15 tropical cyclones developed, most were weak or remained at sea. Tropical Storm Andrea killed four people after making
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 ...
in
Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
and moving up the
East Coast of the United States The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, the Atlantic Coast, and the Atlantic Seaboard, is the region encompassing the coast, coastline where the Eastern United States meets the Atlantic Ocean; it has always pla ...
. In early July, Tropical Storm Chantal moved through the Windward Islands, causing one fatality, but minimal damage overall. Tropical storms Dorian and Erin and Hurricane Humberto brought only squally weather to the
Cape Verde Islands Cape Verde or Cabo Verde, officially the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an island country and archipelagic state of West Africa in the central Atlantic Ocean, consisting of ten volcanic islands with a combined land area of about . These islands ...
. Mexico, where Hurricane Ingrid, Tropical Depression Eight, and tropical storms Barry and Fernand all made landfall, was the hardest hit; Ingrid alone caused at least 32 deaths and $1.5 billion (2013
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) in damage. In early October, Karen brought showers and gusty winds to the central
Gulf Coast of the United States The Gulf Coast of the United States, also known as the Gulf South or the South Coast, is the coastline along the Southern United States where they meet the Gulf of Mexico. The list of U.S. states and territories by coastline, coastal states th ...
, before impacting the
U.S. East Coast The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, the Atlantic Coast, and the Atlantic Seaboard, is the region encompassing the coastline where the Eastern United States meets the Atlantic Ocean; it has always played a m ...
as a long-lived
nor'easter A nor'easter (also northeaster; see below) is a large-scale extratropical cyclone in the western North Atlantic Ocean. The name derives from the direction of the winds that blow from the northeast. Typically, such storms originate as a low ...
. All major forecasting agencies predicted an above-average season. All reduced their seasonal predictions in early August, but even the revised predictions were too high. The lack of activity was primarily caused by an unexpected significant weakening of the Atlantic Ocean
thermohaline circulation Thermohaline circulation (THC) is a part of the large-scale Ocean current, ocean circulation driven by global density gradients formed by surface heat and freshwater fluxes. The name ''thermohaline'' is derived from ''wikt:thermo-, thermo-'', r ...
between winter and spring. This resulted in continuation of the spring weather pattern over the Atlantic Ocean, with strong vertical
wind shear Wind shear (; also written 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 ...
, mid-level moisture, and atmospheric stability, which suppressed
tropical cyclogenesis Tropical cyclogenesis is the development and strengthening of a tropical cyclone in the atmosphere. The mechanisms through which tropics, tropical cyclogenesis occur are distinctly different from those through which temperate cyclogenesis occu ...
.


Seasonal forecasts

In advance of, and during, each hurricane season, several forecasts of hurricane activity are issued by national meteorological services, scientific agencies, and noted hurricane experts. These include forecasters from the United States
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA ) is an American scientific and regulatory agency charged with Weather forecasting, forecasting weather, monitoring oceanic and atmospheric conditions, Hydrography, charting the seas, ...
(NOAA)'s National Hurricane and
Climate Prediction Center The Climate Prediction Center (CPC) is a United States federal agency that is one of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction, which are a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service. CPC is hea ...
, Tropical Storm Risk, the United Kingdom's
Met Office The Met Office, until November 2000 officially the Meteorological Office, is the United Kingdom's national weather and climate service. It is an executive agency and trading fund of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and ...
, and Philip J. Klotzbach, William M. Gray and associates at
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, United States. It is the flagship university of the Colorado State University Syst ...
(CSU). 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 and CSU, the average Atlantic hurricane season between 1981 and 2010 contained roughly 12 tropical storms, six hurricanes, three major hurricanes, and an
accumulated cyclone energy Accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) is a metric used to compare overall activity of tropical cyclones, utilizing the available records of windspeeds at six-hour intervals to synthesize storm duration and strength into a single index value. The ACE ...
(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, such as Humberto, 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 here. After the storm has dissipated, typically after the end of the season, the NHC reexamines the data, and produces a final report on each storm. These revisions can lead to a revised ACE total either upward or downward compared to the operational value. 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 considered occasionally as well.


Pre-season forecasts

Multiple agencies predicted above-average activity, citing forecasts for slower-than-average trade winds, warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures, abnormally low wind shear, and the unlikelihood of an El Niño developing prior to the peak of the season. On December 5, 2012, Tropical Storm Risk (TSR), a public consortium consisting of experts on insurance, risk management, and seasonal climate forecasting at
University College London University College London (Trade name, branded as UCL) is a Public university, public research university in London, England. It is a Member institutions of the University of London, member institution of the Federal university, federal Uni ...
, issued an extended-range forecast. In its report, the organization called for 15.4 (±4.3) named storms, 7.7 (±2.9) hurricanes, 3.4 (±1.6) major hurricanes, and a cumulative Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) index of 134. While no value was placed on the number of expected landfalls during the season, TSR stated that the landfalling ACE index was expected to be above average. Four months later, on April 5, Tropical Storm Risk issued its updated forecast, continuing to call for an above-average season with 15.2 (±4.1) named storms, 7.5 (±2.8) hurricanes, 3.4 (±1.6) major hurricanes, and an ACE index of 131; the landfalling ACE index was once again forecast to be higher than normal. Meanwhile, on April 8, Weather Services International (WSI) issued its first forecast for the hurricane season. In its report, the organization forecast 16 named storms, nine hurricanes, and five major hurricanes. On April 10, Colorado State University (CSU) issued its first forecast for the season, calling for a potentially hyperactive season with 18 named storms, nine hurricanes, four major hurricanes, and an ACE index of 165. The probabilities of a major hurricane hitting the Gulf Coast and East Coast were well above average. On May 15, the United Kingdom Met Office (UKMO) predicted 14 named storms, with a 70% chance that the number would be between 10 and 18, and nine hurricanes with a 70% chance that the number would be between 4 and 14. It also predicted an ACE index of 130 with a 70% chance that the index would be in the range 76 to 184. On May 23, 2013, NOAA issued its first seasonal outlook for the year, stating there was a 70% likelihood of 13 to 20 named storms, of which seven to eleven could become hurricanes, including three to six major hurricanes; these ranges are greater than the seasonal average of twelve named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes. On May 30, the Florida State University Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies, FSU COAPS, issued its first and only prediction for the season. The organization called for 12 to 17 named storms, of which five to ten would further intensify into hurricanes; no forecast was given for the number of major hurricanes. In addition, an ACE index of 135 units was forecast.


Mid-season outlooks

In June, predictions from CSU and TSR were similar to pre-season forecasts due to the a lack of an El Niño and warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures across the Atlantic Ocean. However, by July and August, CSU and TSR all adjusted their forecasts downward because of predictions of cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures and above-average wind shear. NOAA also decreased the amount of activity in its final outlook, despite predicting a wetter-than-average western Africa and above-average sea surface temperatures in its report. On June 3, CSU issued its first mid-season prediction for the remainder of the year. In its report, the organization continued to predict well above-average activity, with eighteen named storms, nine hurricanes, four major hurricanes, and an ACE index of 165 units. CSU stated that there was a 72% chance of at least one major hurricane impacting any stretch of the United States coastline; the chances of a major hurricane hitting the East Coast and Gulf Coast were 48% and 47%, respectively. The following day, Tropical Storm Risk issued its third forecast for the 2013 Atlantic hurricane season, calling for sixteen named storms, eight hurricanes, four major hurricanes, and an ACE of 134 units; this activity was predicted to be roughly 30% above the 1950–2012 long-term mean. TSR gave a 65% probability that the landfalling ACE index would be above-average. A month later, TSR lowered its numbers to 15 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes. On August 2, Colorado State University issued another update for the season, lowering its numbers slightly. However, the organization continued to state that there was an above-average probability of a United States and Caribbean major hurricane landfall. Finally, on August 8, NOAA issued its second and final outlook for the season, predicting 13 to 19 named storms, six to nine hurricanes, and three to five major hurricanes; these numbers were down slightly from its May outlook.


Post-season review

With 14 tropical storms, two hurricanes, and no major hurricanes, activity fell far below most predictions. Brian McNoldy at the University of Miami noted several reasons why NOAA should not cease seasonal predictions, including the variability of hurricane seasons and the value of supplementing climatology with seasonal forecasts. Further, McNoldy argued that forecasting a hurricane season "challenges us to better understand how the atmosphere works." On November 29, Dr. Phil Klotzbach of CSU noted that " r. Gray and Ihave been doing these forecasts for 30 years and that's probably the biggest forecast bust that we've had." The program, which had already lost contributions from an insurance company in June, was defunded further following the botched season forecasts. However, Gray and Klotzbach were able to issue predictions for the 2014 season.


Seasonal summary

The Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 2013. It was a below average season in which 14 tropical cyclones and one subtropical cyclone formed. Thirteen of the fifteen designated cyclones attained tropical storm status. However, only two of those became hurricanes, the fewest since
1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...
; neither of these intensified into a major hurricane, the first such occasion since
1994 The year 1994 was designated as the " International Year of the Family" and the "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal" by the United Nations. In the Line Islands and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, 1994 had only 364 days, omitti ...
. 2013 was also the most active season without a major hurricane. By default, 2013 extended the period without major hurricane landfalls in the United States to eight years since
Hurricane Wilma Hurricane Wilma was the most intense tropical cyclone in the Atlantic basin and the second-most intense tropical cyclone in the Western Hemisphere, both based on barometric pressure, after Hurricane Patricia in 2015. Wilma's rapid intensifi ...
in
2005 2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...
. Further, neither hurricane exceeded Category 1 intensity for the first time since
1925 Events January * January 1 – The Syrian Federation is officially dissolved, the State of Aleppo and the State of Damascus having been replaced by the State of Syria (1925–1930), State of Syria. * January 3 – Benito Mussolini m ...
. Throughout the season, NOAA and the United States Air Force Reserve flew a total of 45 reconnaissance missions over the Atlantic basin, totaling 435 hours; this was the lowest number of flight hours since 1966. One hurricane and three tropical storms made landfall during the season, causing 56 deaths and about $1.51 billion in damage. The last storm of the season dissipated on December 7, a week after the official end of hurricane season on November 30, 2013. Activity was primarily suppressed by significant weakening of the Atlantic Ocean
thermohaline circulation Thermohaline circulation (THC) is a part of the large-scale Ocean current, ocean circulation driven by global density gradients formed by surface heat and freshwater fluxes. The name ''thermohaline'' is derived from ''wikt:thermo-, thermo-'', r ...
(THC) early in the year, representing the largest reduction in strength of the THC since NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis began. The weakening of the THC was possibly the result of lowered ocean salinity and a decrease in North Atlantic Deep Water formation. Oceanic and atmospheric gyres were able to strengthen in the subtropical Atlantic, allowing southward advection of cold air and water. Consequently, there was a significant cooling of
sea surface temperature Sea surface temperature (or ocean surface temperature) is the ocean temperature, temperature of ocean water close to the surface. The exact meaning of ''surface'' varies in the literature and in practice. It is usually between and below the sea ...
s over portions of the north Atlantic. This resulted in a continuation of the spring weather pattern over the Atlantic Ocean, with strong vertical
wind shear Wind shear (; also written 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 ...
, reduced mid-tropospheric moisture, and high atmospheric stability. The weak THC also resulted in slightly stronger
trade winds The trade winds or easterlies are permanent east-to-west prevailing winds that flow in the Earth's equatorial region. The trade winds blow mainly from the northeast in the Northern Hemisphere and from the southeast in the Southern Hemisphere ...
and less wind convergence and rainfall in the
Intertropical Convergence Zone The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ , or ICZ), 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 t ...
, with an increase in upper-level zonal winds and higher environmental air pressures. Collectively, these factors worked to suppress
tropical cyclogenesis Tropical cyclogenesis is the development and strengthening of a tropical cyclone in the atmosphere. The mechanisms through which tropics, tropical cyclogenesis occur are distinctly different from those through which temperate cyclogenesis occu ...
. Tropical cyclogenesis began in early June, with the development of Tropical Storm Andrea in the Gulf of Mexico on June 5. Twelve days later, Tropical Storm Barry formed in the northwestward Caribbean Sea. Two named storms originated during the month of July—tropical storms Chantal and Dorian. Similarly, there were two tropical storms in August, Erin and Fernand. In September, four tropical cyclones formed, three of which strengthened into tropical storms; two of those reached hurricane status. The most intense tropical cyclone—Hurricane Humberto—peaked with
maximum sustained wind The maximum sustained wind associated with a tropical cyclone is a common indicator of the intensity of the storm. Within a mature tropical cyclone, it is found within the eyewall at a certain distance from the center, known as the radius of ma ...
s of on September 11, which is a Category 1 on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. The other hurricane, Ingrid, was the most devastating storm of the season and peaked at slightly less intensity. Activity began to slow in October, with the development of only two tropical storms, Karen and Lorenzo. Tropical cyclogenesis then halted for almost a month, until Tropical Storm Melissa formed over the eastern Atlantic Ocean on November 18. This was the only tropical cyclone in the month of November. The final system was an unnamed subtropical storm that developed south of the Azores on December 5. After meandering for two days, it degenerated into a remnant
low-pressure area In meteorology, a low-pressure area (LPA), low area or low is a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of surrounding locations. It is the opposite of a high-pressure area. Low-pressure areas are commonly associated with incle ...
on December 7. The season's activity was reflected with an accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) rating of 36. This was well below the 1981–2010 median of 92, and the lowest value since 1994.


Systems


Tropical Storm Andrea

An area of low pressure in the eastern
Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico () is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States; on the southw ...
developed into Tropical Storm Andrea on June 5. Despite strong wind shear and an abundance of dry air, the storm strengthened while initially heading north-northeastward, before turning northeastward later that day. Andrea intensified and peaked as a strong tropical storm with winds at on June 6. A few hours later, the storm weakened slightly and 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 ...
near Steinhatchee, Florida. It began losing tropical characteristics while tracking across Florida and
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. Andrea transitioned into an
extratropical cyclone Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are low-pressure areas which, along with the anticyclones of high-pressure areas, drive the weather over much of the Earth. Extratropical cyclones are capable of p ...
over
South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...
on June 7, though the remnants continued to move along the East Coast of the United States until being absorbed by another extratropical storm off
Maine Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...
on June 10. The precursor to Andrea dropped nearly of rainfall on the Yucatán Peninsula. In Cuba, the storm brought flooding, with over 1,000 people fleeing their homes, mainly along the Cuyaguateje River in
Pinar del Río Province The Pinar del Río Province is one of the 15 provinces of Cuba. It is at the western end of the island of Cuba. The capital and largest city is Pinar del Río (191,081 pop. in 2022). Geography The Pinar del Río province is Cuba's westernmost p ...
. In the area, five
tornado A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with the surface of Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, although the ...
es were spawned, one of which damaged three homes. In Florida, the storm brought heavy rainfall to some areas, causing localized flooding. There were 10 tornadoes, the worst of which touched down in The Acreage. The twister downed power lines and trees, causing significant roof damage to several houses; there was also one injury. A surfer went missing in South Carolina and was presumed to have drowned. The remnants of Andrea spawned one tornado in North Carolina, though damage was minor. Additionally, flooding was reported in some areas of the
Northeastern United States The Northeastern United States (also referred to as the Northeast, the East Coast, or the American Northeast) is List of regions of the United States, census regions United States Census Bureau. Located on the East Coast of the United States, ...
. Three fatalities occurred due to weather-related traffic accidents in
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
and
New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
. The remnants of Andrea brought gusty winds to
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, causing thousands of power outages in
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
and
New Brunswick New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...
.


Tropical Storm Barry

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 into the Atlantic Ocean from the west coast of Africa on June 8. The system moved westward and an area of low pressure developed over the southwestern Caribbean Sea on June 16. The low then moved across Honduras, where heavy rainfall triggered flooding that damaged 60 homes and affected 300 people. The low later re-emerged into the Caribbean Sea and developed into a tropical depression at 12:00 UTC on June 17, while situated east of Monkey River Town. About 10 hours later, it made landfall near Big Creek, Belize. In that country, an estimated of rain fell in 24 hours, causing several rivers to overflow their banks. In some areas,
culvert A culvert is a structure that channels water past an obstacle or to a subterranean waterway. Typically embedded so as to be surrounded by soil, a culvert may be made from a pipe (fluid conveyance), pipe, reinforced concrete or other materia ...
s were washed away. At least 54 people living along Hope Creek were relocated to shelters. In
El Salvador El Salvador, officially the Republic of 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 by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador's capital and largest city is S ...
, flooding and
lightning Lightning is a natural phenomenon consisting of electrostatic discharges occurring through the atmosphere between two electrically charged regions. One or both regions are within the atmosphere, with the second region sometimes occurring on ...
caused one fatality each. Despite decreasing wind speeds as the storm crossed land, the circulation became better-defined. Early on June 19, the depression emerged into the
Bay of Campeche The Bay of 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, Tabasco and Veracruz. The ...
and began strengthening due to warm
sea surface temperature Sea surface temperature (or ocean surface temperature) is the ocean temperature, temperature of ocean water close to the surface. The exact meaning of ''surface'' varies in the literature and in practice. It is usually between and below the sea ...
s. Around 12:00 UTC, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Barry. After about 12 hours, Barry attained its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of and a minimum
barometric pressure Atmospheric pressure, also known as air pressure or barometric pressure (after the barometer), is the pressure within the atmosphere of Earth. The standard atmosphere (symbol: atm) is a unit of pressure defined as , which is equivalent to 1,013.2 ...
of . At 11:15 UTC on June 20, Barry made landfall near
Veracruz Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entit ...
at the same intensity. The storm rapidly weakened and degenerated into a remnant low early on June 21. In the Mexican state of
Yucatán Yucatán, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Yucatán, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, constitute the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It comprises 106 separate municipalities, and its capital city is Mérida. ...
, wind gusts up to and heavy rains downed trees and power lines. More than 26,000 residents temporarily lost power after lightning struck a nearby power station, leading to a fire. Four deaths were reported in Mexico due to drowning.


Tropical Storm Chantal

A large tropical wave emerged into the Atlantic Ocean from the west coast of Africa on July 4. The system moved rapidly westward under the influence of a
subtropical ridge The horse latitudes are the latitudes about 30 degrees north and south of the Equator. They are characterized by sunny skies, calm winds, and very little precipitation. They are also known as subtropical ridges or highs. It is a high-pressur ...
.
Scatterometer A scatterometer or diffusionmeter is a scientific instrument to measure the return of a beam of light or radar waves scattered by diffusion in a medium such as air. Diffusionmeters using visible light are found in airports or along roads to measur ...
passes indicating a closed circulation confirmed that Tropical Storm Chantal had developed by 12:00 UTC on July 7, while located about east-southeast of
Barbados Barbados, officially the Republic of Barbados, is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and the easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American ...
. Chantal continued to move swiftly west-northwestward and was one of the fastest moving tropical cyclones in the deep tropics during the satellite era. While approaching the Lesser Antilles, it became disorganized due to wind shear, but at 12:00 UTC on July 9, Chantal peaked with sustained winds of . Shortly thereafter, it crossed through the Lesser Antilles and continued weakening in the Caribbean Sea. By late on July 10, Chantal degenerated into a tropical wave while located south of
Hispaniola Hispaniola (, also ) is an island between Geography of Cuba, Cuba and Geography of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean. Hispaniola is the most populous island in the West Indies, and the second-largest by List of C ...
. The storm brought heavy rainfall to the Lesser Antilles. In Dominica, several mudslides were reported. Wind gusts up to were observed on the island, de-roofing houses and causing power outages. Strong winds were reported on Martinique, with gusts up to observed in
Fort-de-France Fort-de-France (, , ; ) is a Communes of France, commune and the capital city of Martinique, an overseas department and region of France located in the Caribbean. History Before it was ceded to France by Spain in 1635, the area of Fort-de-Fra ...
. Trees were knocked onto roads and power lines, leaving about 33,000 homes without electricity. Elsewhere, damage reported in the Lesser Antilles was minimal, and there were no casualties. Although sustained winds in Puerto Rico remained below tropical storm force, a weather station at Las Mareas in
Guayama Guayama (, ), officially the Autonomous Municipality of Guayama (), is a Guayama barrio-pueblo, city and Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality on the Caribbean Sea, Caribbean coast of Puerto Rico. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 ...
observed a wind gust of late on July 9. Winds toppled trees and power lines, blocking several roads. In Hispaniola, heavy rains caused flooding over portions of the island, but the fast-moving nature of the system precluded a more severe flooding event. In the Dominican Republic, a firefighter from the community of Maimon was killed as he was swept away by flood waters while attempting to clear a clogged storm drain. Chantal's remnant moisture interacted with a surface boundary over northeastern Florida, contributing to widespread thunderstorms that produced locally heavy rainfall and gusty winds. Overall, the storm caused at least $10 million in damage.


Tropical Storm Dorian

Early on July 22, 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 ...
with an associated low-pressure area emerged off the western coast of Africa. Based on satellite data, the wave was upgraded to a tropical depression at 18:00 UTC on July 23 while located about south of the Cape Verde Islands, and further intensified into Tropical Storm Dorian by 06:00 UTC the following day. The storm tracked swiftly west-northwest over warm ocean temperatures and within an environment of low wind shear initially, allowing it to attain peak winds of by July 25. However, the entrainment of drier mid-level air and cooler ocean waters caused a weakening trend. Late on July 27, a closed low-level circulation ceased to exist and Dorian degenerated into an open tropical wave. The remnants continued west-northwest until August 1, at which time the disturbance reached the western extend of a ridge and curved northward. Despite continued unfavorable wind shear, a broad area of low pressure formed off the east coast of Florida and became increasingly better defined. The convection gained enough organization for the system to be re-designated as a tropical depression by 18:00 UTC on August 2. However, strong northerly winds caused the depression to deteriorate into a remnant low about 24 hours later, southeast of
Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atla ...
. On August 4, the remnant low was absorbed into a trough off the coast of North Carolina. Dorian produced scattered thunderstorms across Florida. A man was injured by a lightning strike in Miami.


Tropical Storm Erin

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 ...
, accompanied by a misshapen area of surface low pressure and a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms, emerged from the west coast of Africa on August 15. The wave moved west-northwestward along the southern periphery of a
ridge A ridge is a long, narrow, elevated geomorphologic landform, structural feature, or a combination of both separated from the surrounding terrain by steep sides. The sides of a ridge slope away from a narrow top, the crest or ridgecrest, wi ...
to its north. The system quickly organized and its circulation became more defined, warranting its classification as a tropical depression early on August 15. At the time, the depression was situated about south of
Praia Praia (, Portuguese for "beach") is the capital and largest city of Cape Verde.Cape Verde Cape Verde or Cabo Verde, officially the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an island country and archipelagic state of West Africa in the central Atlantic Ocean, consisting of ten volcanic islands with a combined land area of about . These islands ...
, prompting the issuance of tropical storm warnings for the southernmost islands. Deep convection continued to develop over the center and the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Erin six hours after its initial designation. However, dry air quickly became entrained into the circulation and convection waned. Operationally (in real time), Erin was briefly downgraded to a tropical depression on August 16, though post-storm analysis indicated it retained tropical storm intensity that day. Early on August 17, the ship ''British Cygnet'' measured winds in relation to the cyclone; around this time, it was estimated that Erin attained its peak intensity with sustained winds of and a barometric pressure of . A temporary northwesterly turn occurred around this time as the storm moved through a weakness in the ridge. Later on August 17, increasing wind shear took its toll on Erin and convection became displaced from the center. The following day, Erin degenerated into a remnant low about halfway between the Lesser Antilles and the west coast of Africa. The remnants proceeded westward on the low-level trade winds before opening up into a
trough Trough may refer to: In science * Trough (geology), a long depression less steep than a trench * Trough (meteorology), an elongated region of low atmospheric pressure * Trough (physics), the lowest point on a wave * Trough level (medicine), the l ...
early on August 20, and ultimately dissipated several days later.


Tropical Storm Fernand

The origins of Fernand were from the interaction of two
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 ...
s – the first exited western Africa on August 10, and the other three days later, which spawned Tropical Storm Erin. The two waves became a single disturbance by August 20 to the east of the Lesser Antilles. Little change in organization occurred while it tracked westward across the
Caribbean Sea The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere, located south of the Gulf of Mexico and southwest of the Sargasso Sea. It is bounded by the Greater Antilles to the north from Cuba ...
, until the system moved over the Yucatán Peninsula. By early on August 25, the disturbance exited into the
Bay of Campeche The Bay of 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, Tabasco and Veracruz. The ...
, at which time the NHC assessed a 60% chance of development. At 12:00 UTC that day, a tropical depression formed approximately north-northeast of
Coatzacoalcos Coatzacoalcos (; formerly known as Puerto México; ; Zapotec: ; Popoluca: ''Puertu'') is a major port city in the southern part of the Mexican state of Veracruz, mostly on the western side of the Coatzacoalcos River estuary, on the Bay of Ca ...
, Mexico. Shortly afterwards, an Air Force reconnaissance aircraft found surface winds of up to tropical storm-force, and the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Fernand at 18:00 UTC. Fernand shortly thereafter achieved its peak intensity early on August 26 with winds of and a pressure of as it simultaneously made landfall near Zempoala, about north-northwest of the city of Veracruz. Operationally, Fernand was thought to have by the NHC peaked with winds of . Rapid weakening occurred as it tracked over the mountainous terrain of Mexico, and Fernand weakened to a tropical depression at 12:00 UTC that day, degenerating into a remnant low hours later. The center later dissipated at 00:00 UTC on August 27. On August 25, a tropical storm warning was posted for the Gulf Coast of Mexico from the
Veracruz city Veracruz (), also known as Heroica Veracruz, is a major port city and municipal seat for the surrounding municipalities of Mexico, municipality of Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico and the most populous city in the Mexico, Mexican States of Mexico, ...
northward to
Tampico Tampico is a city and port in the southeastern part of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It is located on the north bank of the Pánuco River, about inland from the Gulf of Mexico, and directly north of the state of Veracruz. Tampico is the fif ...
. Warnings were canceled north of Barra de Nautla,
Veracruz Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entit ...
state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...
early on August 26, and discontinued entirely after Fernand weakened to a tropical depression. The
Mexican Navy The Mexican Navy () is one of the components of the Mexican Armed Forces. The Secretariat of the Navy is in charge of administration of the navy. The commander of the navy is the Secretary of the Navy, who is both a cabinet minister and a career ...
helped people in Veracruz evacuate their homes efficiently. Classes at all levels of education in the state were closed during the storm's passage. Impact from the storm in Mexico was most severe in Veracruz, where 13 people were killed by
landslide Landslides, also known as landslips, rockslips or rockslides, are several forms of mass wasting that may include a wide range of ground movements, such as rockfalls, mudflows, shallow or deep-seated slope failures and debris flows. Landslides ...
s: nine in
Yecuatla Yecuatla is a Municipalities of Veracruz, municipality located in the north zone in the List of states of Mexico, Mexican state of Veracruz, about 40 km from the state capital Xalapa. It has a surface of 135.72 km2. It is located at . Name ...
, three in
Tuxpan Tuxpan (or Túxpam, fully Túxpam de Rodríguez Cano, for Enrique Rodríguez Cano) is both a municipality and city located in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The population of the city was 89,557 and of the municipality was 154,600 inhabitants, ...
, and one in Atzalán. In the city of Veracruz, heavy rainfall flooded roads, while downed trees caused power outages. In Boca del Río, flooding stranded people at a shopping plaza. Damage was reported in 19
municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...
, mostly in northern and central Veracruz. The storm damaged 457 homes and caused four rivers to overflow. In
Oaxaca Oaxaca, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca, is one of the 32 states that compose the political divisions of Mexico, Federative Entities of the Mexico, United Mexican States. It is divided into municipalities of Oaxaca, 570 munici ...
, a man died after being swept away by a swollen river. After the storm, Veracruz governor Javier Duarte declared a state of emergency for 92 municipalities, which allowed farmers who sustained damage to receive aid. In all, the storm caused "millions" of dollars in damages.


Tropical Storm Gabrielle

In late August, 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 ...
accompanied by a broad area of low pressure exited the west coast of Africa. While the wave was south of Puerto Rico, another tropical wave reached the system and enhanced deep convection. Late on September 4, a tropical depression developed about south-southeast of Puerto Rico. Operationally, the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Gabrielle early on September 5. However, in post-analysis, it was determined that Gabrielle was never a tropical storm in the Caribbean. The depression moved west-northwestward and lost its closed circulation near the eastern tip of Hispaniola late on September 5. During a 48-hour period, the disturbance brought of rain to some areas of Puerto Rico. A mudslide detached part of a small bridge on Highway 184. On
Saint Croix Saint Croix ( ; ; ; ; Danish language, Danish and ; ) is an island in the Caribbean Sea, and a county and constituent Districts and sub-districts of the United States Virgin Islands, district of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), an Unin ...
, minor street flooding was reported, and several trees were downed. The remnant system was monitored for regeneration. By September 9, wind shear began decreasing and the system re-developed into a tropical depression early on September 10. Six hours later, the depression moved northward and strengthened into Tropical Storm Gabrielle. By 12:00 UTC on September 10, it peaked with maximum sustained winds of and a minimum barometric pressure of . The storm passed about east of
Hamilton, Bermuda Hamilton is the capital city of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, and the main settlement of Pembroke Parish. A port city, Hamilton is Bermuda's financial and commercial centre, and a popular tourist destination. Its population of ...
early on September 11. Strong winds on the island downed trees branches, caused minor infrastructural damage, and left minor power outages. After marked oscillations in intensity on September 12, Gabrielle finally succumbed to wind shear midway between Bermuda and Cape Cod.


Tropical Depression Eight

The eighth tropical depression of the season originated from a tropical wave that crossed the western coast of Africa on August 23. Tracking westward, the wave reached the Caribbean Sea and became increasingly ill-defined while in the central Caribbean. An increase in convection was observed on September 1 and the subsequent day as the wave entered the western Caribbean. After moving into the Bay of Campeche, a broad low-pressure area formed in association with the system on September 5. An increase in deep convection on September 6 led to the formation of a tropical depression by 12:00 UTC, located approximately east-northeast of
Tampico Tampico is a city and port in the southeastern part of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It is located on the north bank of the Pánuco River, about inland from the Gulf of Mexico, and directly north of the state of Veracruz. Tampico is the fif ...
, Mexico. Forming at a longitude of 97.4°W, this system is notable for being the westernmost forming tropical cyclone in the Atlantic hurricane database, dating back to
1851 Events January–March * January 11 – Hong Xiuquan officially begins the Taiping Rebellion in China, one of the bloodiest revolts that would lead to 20 million deaths. * January 15 – Christian Female College, modern-d ...
. The cyclone then moved west-southwest under the influence of an anticyclone, and at around 18:00 UTC on September 6, the depression made landfall near Tampico. Once inland, the depression quickly diminished to a remnant low by 06:00 UTC on September 7. It dissipated six hours later. Heavy rains across
Tamaulipas Tamaulipas, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas, is a state in Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into 43 municipalities. It is located in nor ...
and
Veracruz Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entit ...
triggered flooding in areas that had been affected by Tropical Storm Fernand just two weeks prior. The most significant effects were in Veracruz where hundreds of homes were inundated. Record-breaking rains in
Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...
, falling at rates of per hour, caused significant flooding. Many streets were inundated, paralyzing traffic and prompting water rescues. An estimated 20,000 homes were damaged by the floods and officials opened four shelters in the area.


Hurricane Humberto

A tropical wave exited the west coast of Africa on September 7 and spawned a low-pressure area by the following day. At 18:00 UTC on September 8, a tropical depression developed about west-southwest of
Dakar Dakar ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Senegal, largest city of Senegal. The Departments of Senegal, department of Dakar has a population of 1,278,469, and the population of the Dakar metropolitan area was at 4.0 mill ...
,
Senegal Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country in West Africa, situated on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. It borders Mauritania to Mauritania–Senegal border, the north, Mali to Mali–Senegal border, the east, Guinea t ...
. The depression moved steadily westward and intensified into Tropical Storm Humberto early on September 9. Despite moderate wind shear, Humberto continued to strengthen while passing south of Cape Verde, due to a moist atmosphere and warm ocean temperatures. The storm brought squalls to Cape Verde. The southwestern islands experienced wind gusts exceeding which downed several trees. Heavy rains in many areas triggered flooding that washed out roads and damaged homes. Offshore, the freighter ''Rotterdam'' went missing with a crew of six amid swells. The vessel eventually reached
São Tomé and Príncipe São Tomé and Príncipe, officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, is an island country in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa. It consists of two archipelagos around the two main isla ...
, though that country's port institute and coast guard denied her entrance. Later on September 10, the storm's deepening briefly halted as it curved northwest in response to a developing mid-level trough over the central Atlantic. At 12:00 UTC on September 11, Humberto reached hurricane status while turning northward. About six hours later, it peaked with sustained winds of . By late on September 12, increasing wind shear, cooling sea surface temperatures, and a more stable atmosphere led to a weakening trend of the storm. Around 12:00 UTC on the next day, Humberto fell to tropical storm intensity, while curving west-northwestward in the low-level flow south of the Azores surface high pressure. Early on September 14, the storm degenerated into a remnant low. However, deep convection began re-developing later that day. At 00:00 UTC on September 15, Humberto regenerated into a tropical storm about southwest of
Ponta Delgada Ponta Delgada (; ) is the largest municipality (''concelho'') and executive capital of the Autonomous Region of the Azores in Portugal. It is located on São Miguel Island, the largest and most populous in the archipelago. As of 2021, it has 67,2 ...
, Azores. An approaching mid- to upper-level cyclone began to capture Humberto, causing the storm to decelerate between late on September 16 and early on September 17. When Humberto's low-level circulation became vertically stacked under the non-tropical cyclone, the system transitioned into a subtropical storm on September 17. Humberto then weakened to a subtropical depression early the next day, about south of Ponta Delgada. The subtropical depression continued north-northwestward until degenerating into an open trough, and was soon absorbed by a cold front.


Hurricane Ingrid

A tropical wave spawned an area of low pressure in the Bay of Campeche early on September 12. Several hours later, it matured into a tropical depression about east-southeast of the city of Veracruz. Initially, the depression moved slowly due to weak steering currents. Around midday on September 13, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Ingrid. After initially moving westward toward Veracruz, the storm turned northeastward away from the coast. Favorable conditions allowed it to attain hurricane status on September 14, and the next day Ingrid attained peak winds of . Subsequently, heightened wind shear eroded the storm's convection. Caught between a trough over eastern Mexico and a ridge over the Southeastern United States, the storm turned sharply northwestward and later to the west. On September 16, Ingrid made landfall just south of La Pesca, Tamaulipas in northeastern Mexico as a strong tropical storm. Early on September 17, the storm weakened to a tropical depression, shortly before degenerating into an area of low pressure. Ingrid struck shortly after Hurricane Manuel on Mexico's Pacific coast, creating the first instance of two landfalling tropical cyclones in the nation within the same 24-hour period since 1958. The combined impacts of hurricanes Ingrid and Manuel affected two-thirds of Mexico, killing 192 people and causing $75 billion pesos (MXN, US$5.7 billion) in damage. Most of the destruction has been attributed to Manuel, but Ingrid was directly responsible for at least 23 deaths and $20 billion pesos (MXN, US$1.5 billion) in losses. The two storms produced approximately 5.7 trillion cubic feet (160 billion m3) of rainwater, equivalent to the combined volume of every reservoir in Mexico. Rainfall from the storm peaked at in Tuxpan, Veracruz. The rains caused widespread flooding that damaged at least 14,000 houses and hundreds of roads and bridges. In Tamaulipas, where the storm made landfall, the rainfall damaged crops and flooded rivers. The effects of the storm spread into southern
Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
, causing high tides and some flooding. After Ingrid's onslaught, the Mexican government declared states of emergency in several municipalities. Relief agencies distributed food and other aid to the hardest hit areas, though in Tamaulipas, residents had to rely on assistance from the local
Gulf Cartel The Gulf Cartel ( , or ''Golfos'') is a criminal syndicate, Drug cartel, drug trafficking organization, and U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, which is perhaps one of the oldest organized crime groups in Mexico. It is currently bas ...
.


Tropical Storm Jerry

A tropical wave exited the west coast of Africa on September 24. Interaction with a mid- to upper-level low pressure forced the wave to split, with the southern portion spawning Tropical Storm Octave in the eastern Pacific Ocean on October 12. As evidenced by scatterometer wind data, the northern portion moved north-northwestward and transitioned into a low-pressure area early on September 28. After convection gradually became better organized, a tropical depression developed early on September 29, about east-northeast of the Leeward Islands. The depression moved northeastward and initially struggled to intensify due to the presence of dry mid-level air. However, early on September 30, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Jerry while curving eastward. Shortly thereafter, vigorous deep
convection Convection is single or Multiphase flow, multiphase fluid flow that occurs Spontaneous process, spontaneously through the combined effects of material property heterogeneity and body forces on a fluid, most commonly density and gravity (see buoy ...
developed, allowing the storm to deepen further. At 00:00 UTC on October 1, Jerry attained its peak intensity with sustained winds of and a minimum barometric pressure of . However, strong wind shear soon weakened Jerry. Later on October 1, a blocking high pressure ridge briefly impeded the storm's northeastward motion, but it resumed moving in that direction by the following day. After losing all deep convection late on October 3, Jerry became extratropical at about southwest of the central Azores. The remnants persisted for a few days, until being absorbed by a larger extratropical low on October 6.


Tropical Storm Karen

On September 16, 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 into the Atlantic from the west coast of Africa. Minimal development occurred until the wave reached the western Caribbean Sea on September 27. Around that time, the wave encountered an upper-level trough, generating deep convection over the region. On September 28, a broad area of low pressure formed southeast of Jamaica. Based on surface observations, it is estimated that Tropical Storm Karen developed near the northeastern tip of the Yucatán Peninsula early on October 3. Despite a deteriorating cloud pattern, Karen deepened and peaked with winds of later that day. Wind shear and dry air caused the storm to weaken beginning early on October 4. Throughout the day, only sporadic bursts of deep convection occurred. The storm moved northwestward at inconsistent forward speeds around a low- to mid-level ridge. Early on October 6, Karen weakened to a tropical depression, and several hours later disintegrated into an open trough off the coast of Louisiana. Since the beginning of reconnaissance flights in 1943, Karen was one of few named storms to dissipate in the Gulf of Mexico without making landfall. While the storm was threatening the
Gulf Coast of the United States The Gulf Coast of the United States, also known as the Gulf South or the South Coast, is the coastline along the Southern United States where they meet the Gulf of Mexico. The list of U.S. states and territories by coastline, coastal states th ...
, the NHC issued several tropical cyclone warnings and watches as Karen approached. Additionally, states of emergency were issued in portions of
Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
, Louisiana,
Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...
, and Florida. The mayor of the town of
Grand Isle, Louisiana Grand Isle is a town in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, Jefferson Parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on a barrier island of the same name in the Gulf of Mexico. The island is at the mouth of Barataria Bay where it meets the Gulf. The tow ...
evacuated the island on October 4, while residents were also ordered to flee Lafourche and Plaquemines parishes. The
Federal Emergency Management Agency The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), initially created under President Jimmy Carter by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Exec ...
(FEMA) and the
United States Department of the Interior The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government responsible for the management and conservation ...
called back workers, furloughed because of the
government shutdown A government shutdown occurs when the legislative branch does not pass key bills which fund or authorize the operations of the executive branch, resulting in the cessation of some or all operations of a government. Government shutdowns in the U ...
, to assist state and local agencies. Louisiana Governor
Bobby Jindal Piyush "Bobby" Jindal (born June 10, 1971) is an American politician who served as the 55th governor of Louisiana from 2008 to 2016. A member of the Republican Party, Jindal previously served as a U.S. representative from Louisiana from 2005 t ...
authorized the mobilization of the state's
National Guard National guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. ...
members to active duty. Abnormally high tides were reported along the coast of Louisiana. At Grand Isle, tar balls from the
Deepwater Horizon oil spill The ''Deepwater Horizon'' oil spill was an environmental disaster off the coast of the United States in the Gulf of Mexico, on the BP-operated Macondo Prospect. It is considered the largest marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum in ...
in 2010 were washed ashore. In Texas, the storm brought minor coastal flooding to Brazoria County. Additionally, the moisture associated with the remnants of Karen was absorbed into a frontal system and caused minor flooding in a few states, including
Delaware Delaware ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic states, South Atlantic regions of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey ...
, Georgia, New Jersey, and
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
.


Tropical Storm Lorenzo

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 ...
exited the west coast of Africa and entered the Atlantic on October 11. Four days later, a mid- to upper-level trough increased convection along the northern portion of the wave. The southern portion of the wave continued westward, while the northern portion moved slowly west-northwestward and developed into a surface trough after interacting with a second mid to upper-level low. Eventually, the system transitioned into a broad surface low. Despite southwesterly vertical shear, deep convection began to increase by late on October 20. After becoming better defined, the system developed into a tropical depression at 06:00 UTC on October 21 while located about east-southeast of Bermuda. Six hours later, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Lorenzo. On October 21, the storm moved north-northeastward around the northwestern periphery of a mid-level ridge. Lorenzo strengthened further and peaked with sustained winds of and a minimum barometric pressure of at 12:00 UTC on October 22. Around that time, satellite imagery indicated increased banding and an
eye An eye is a sensory organ that allows an organism to perceive visual information. It detects light and converts it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons (neurones). It is part of an organism's visual system. In higher organisms, the ey ...
-like feature. The cyclone then turned eastward in weak westerly low- to mid-level flow. Early on October 23, strong wind shear began impacting Lorenzo, causing the circulation to become exposed to deep convection. At 00:00 UTC on the following day, Lorenzo weakened to a tropical depression and dissipated into a remnant low 12 hours later. The low persisted for a few days, until it degenerated into an open trough on October 26. The remnants of Lorenzo fueled the St. Jude storm, which struck northern Europe with hurricane-force winds on October 27 and October 28.


Tropical Storm Melissa

Early on November 17, an extratropical low developed along a stationary front over the central Atlantic. It moved northward and became co-located with an upper-level low. After the fronts dissipated, deep convection began to initiate near the center. As a result, Subtropical Storm Melissa developed at 12:00 UTC on November 18, about east-southeast of Bermuda. Melissa moved generally northward and strengthened slightly on November 19, but weakened later that day after convection diminished. Early on November 20, convection increased again, and after the storm acquired a warm core, it was reclassified as a tropical storm. After becoming a tropical cyclone on November 20, Melissa accelerated northeastward and slowly strengthened. Later that day, the storm attained its peak intensity with sustained winds of and a minimum barometric pressure of . Amid colder ocean temperatures, Melissa lost all of its deep convection and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone at 00:00 UTC on November 22, at about north-northeast of Flores Island, Azores. The remnants merged with another system several hours later.


Unnamed subtropical storm

In early December, an upper-level trough became trapped in steering currents near the
British Isles The British Isles are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner Hebrides, Inner and Outer Hebr ...
. When an upper-level low strengthened to its west, an extratropical cyclone formed in response on December 3. The cyclone then completed a counter-clockwise loop in response to the blocking area of
high pressure In science and engineering the study of high pressure examines its effects on materials and the design and construction of devices, such as a diamond anvil cell, which can create high pressure. ''High pressure'' usually means pressures of thousan ...
to its north that would have otherwise caused the storm to move towards mainland Europe. Shortly thereafter, the radius of maximum winds—which are usually large in extratropical cyclones—began to contract, signifying the onset of a subtropical transition, despite being over
sea surface temperature Sea surface temperature (or ocean surface temperature) is the ocean temperature, temperature of ocean water close to the surface. The exact meaning of ''surface'' varies in the literature and in practice. It is usually between and below the sea ...
s. Low
wind shear Wind shear (; also written 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 ...
in the area allowed the system to transition into a subtropical storm on December 5 on 00:00 UTC. However, the National Hurricane Center did not initiate advisories, particularly due to predictions of stronger wind shear and decreasing sea surface temperatures preventing additional development. The storm continued to show more signs of becoming tropical; however, it failed to complete the transition. By December 7, stronger wind shear and cooler waters took its toll on the system, and it weakened to a remnant low, dissipating shortly afterwards. The storm produced sustained winds of on
Santa Maria Island Santa Maria (; Portuguese language, Potuguese and Spanish language, Spanish for 'Saint Mary') is an island in the Eastern Group, Azores, eastern group of the Azores archipelago (south of the island of São Miguel Island, São Miguel) and the sou ...
in the Azores, with gusts to . This was the first December subtropical or tropical storm since
Tropical Storm Olga The name Olga has been used seventeen tropical cyclone A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that ...
in 2007.


Storm names

The following list of names was used for named storms that formed in the North Atlantic in 2013. This was the same list used in the 2007 season, with the exceptions of ''Dorian'', ''Fernand'', and ''Nestor'', which replaced '' Dean'', '' Felix'', and '' Noel'', respectively. Storms were named ''Dorian'' and ''Fernand'' for the first time in 2013.


Retirement

On April 10, 2014, at the 36th session of the RA IV hurricane committee, the
World Meteorological Organization The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting international cooperation on atmospheric science, climatology, hydrology an ...
retired the name ''Ingrid'' from its rotating Atlantic name lists due to the number of deaths and amount of damage it caused, and it will not be used again for another Atlantic tropical storm or hurricane. ''Ingrid'' was replaced with '' Imelda'' for the 2019 season.


Season effects

The following table lists all of the storms that formed in the 2013 Atlantic hurricane season. It includes: duration, name, 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 were still related to that storm. Damage and deaths include totals while the storm was extratropical, a wave, or a low, and all of the damage figures are in 2013 USD.


See also

*
Tropical cyclones in 2013 Throughout 2013, 139 tropical cyclones formed in seven different areas called Tropical cyclone basins, basins. Of these, 67 have been Tropical cyclone naming, named by various weather agencies when they attained maximum sustained winds of 35&nbs ...
* Weather of 2013 * 2013 Pacific hurricane season *
2013 Pacific typhoon season The 2013 Pacific typhoon season was a devastating and catastrophic season that was the most active since 2004, and the deadliest since 1991. It featured Typhoon Haiyan, one of the most powerful storms in history, as well as one of the strongest ...
*
2013 North Indian Ocean cyclone season The 2013 North Indian Ocean cyclone season was an above average and deadly season. The season had no official bounds, but cyclones typically formed between May and December, with the peak from October to November. These dates conventionally del ...
* South-West Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 2012–13, 2013–14 * Australian region cyclone seasons: 2012–13, 2013–14 * South Pacific cyclone seasons: 2012–13, 2013–14 *
South Atlantic tropical cyclone South Atlantic tropical cyclones are unusual weather events that occur in the Southern Hemisphere. Strong wind shear, which disrupts the formation of Tropical cyclone, cyclones, as well as a lack of weather disturbances favorable for development ...


Notes


References


External links


National Hurricane Center Website
{{Tropical cyclone season, 2013 Articles which contain graphical timelines
2013 2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years). 2013 was designated as: *International Year of Water Cooperation *International Year of Quinoa Events January * January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...
2013 Atl