Hurricane Tomas (2010)

Storm Active: October 29-November 7
On October 25, a tropical wave formed in the extreme southeastern Atlantic Ocean, near 5ºN. The wave produced only scattered shower and thunderstorm activity as it moved west over the next few days. It was a vigorous tropical wave, however, and it developed a low pressure center on October 27. The low adopted a general northwest motion, and deepened significantly over the next two days. By the afternoon of October 29, the system had a very organized circulation and outflow, and the confirmation of a closed low at its center merited the upgrading of the system into Tropical Storm Tomas.

Tropical Storm Tomas was already in a state of rapid intensification, and the winds increased rapidly as the cyclone approached the Caribbean Islands, moving westnorthwest between 10 and 15 mph. During the morning of October 30, Tomas passed directly over Barbados, with peak winds of 70 mph, causing fairly significant damage. Tomas developed a very wide eye feature (about 40 miles across) just before noon on October 30, and it was then organized enough to be upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane.

The system promptly made a direct landfall in St. Vincent during that afternoon, and heavy rain and tropical storm winds affected islands up to 100 miles north and south along the Windward and Leeward Islands. The wide eye clouded over with a flare of convection, and Tomas continued to strengthen, becoming a Category 2 by later that night. However, southwesterly shear and dry air began to impact the west side of the system early on October 31, weakening it to a Category 1 storm by the afternoon. The center became ragged in appearance, and lost definition as a result of harsh atmospheric conditions.

Tomas weakened further into a tropical storm during the night, and only stabilized on November 1, when the winds dropped to 45 mph. Tomas was pushed on a general westsouthwest course during the day. Tomas's intensity fluctuated with large variations in convection over the day of November 2. The cyclone's forward speed also decreased as it reached the edge of a ridge to its north and steering currents weakened. For a brief period on November 3, Tomas degenerated into a wide area of scattered convection covering the entire southwest Caribbean, and was therefore downgraded to a depression, but the conditions for development drastically improved later in the day and Tomas turned towards the north, and the storm underwent a fast strengthening process, regaining tropical storm status. Tomas reached an intensity of 50 mph winds, and maintained it for the next day as it slowly moved northward. Wide rain bands began to sweep across Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba by the afternoon of November 4. As Tomas approached land, it rapidly strengthened into a hurricane, reaching its secondary peak intensity of 85 mph winds and a pressure of 984 mb as it passed just west of Haiti on November 5.

Cuba and Haiti both experienced tropical storm conditions, as well as hurricane force in some areas of Haiti, as the day went on, and as Tomas began to accelerate northeast, it interacted with the land around it briefly, and weakened back to a minimal Category 1 hurricane later in the evening. Tomas passed over the Turks and Caicos islands overnight, but emerged over open Atlantic waters on November 6, weakening back to tropical storm. Unexpectedly, Tomas once again regained hurricane strength late on November 6, but a cold front quickly overtook the system, and Tomas rapidly transitioned into an extratropical low on November 7. 41 fatalities and $572 million in damage directly resulted from Tomas in the Caribbean Islands, but Tomas is also indirectly linked to an epidemic of cholera in Haiti.



Hurricane Tomas intensifying as it enters the Caribbean. A fair amount of wind shear is evident on the south side of the system.



Track of Tomas.

Hurricane Shary (2010)

Storm Active: October 28-30
A trough of low pressure formed in the Caribbean on October 26. The trough was associated with an area of convection, but strong upper-level winds prevented development. However, on October 28, the shear relaxed enough for a central low pressure to form. However, the convection remained disassociated with this low until late on October 28, when the system developed an eyewall. At this point, the low was upgraded to Tropical Storm Shary.

Tropical Storm Shary sped to the northwest through the night, and shear began to increase on the system once again, giving it a lopsided appearance. This shear was produced by a strong front moving east off of the U.S. and this front also began to turn Shary to the north and then northeast. Despite adverse conditions, Shary strengthened as it began the turn, intensifying to 60 mph winds and a pressure of 1000 mb during the afternoon of October 29. The cyclone then made its closest approach to Bermuda, causing only showers and gusty winds however, as it passed well to the east. Shary's circulation was largely exposed through the coming day, but it continued to strengthen, becoming a minimal hurricane early on October 30.

By this time, Shary was speeding off to the northeast, and it briefly reached its peak intensity of 75 mph winds and a pressure of 989 mb before quickly becoming extratropical and being absorbed by a front later that afternoon. No damage resulted from Shary.



Hurricane Shary at peak intensity.



Track of Shary.

Hurricane Richard (2010)

Storm Active: October 20-26
On October 16, an area of showers and thunderstorms developed in the extreme southwestern Caribbean. The area drifted to the northwest, and interaction with the Nicaragua-Honduras area inhibited development for a time on October 18 and 19. However, after emerging over open water, the circulation improved, and the system moved slowly northeast. Late on October 20, the system became organized enough to be Tropical Depression Nineteen. By this time, steering currents had weakened, and the cyclone had reverted to a slow southeast movement. Dry air existed near the circulation over the next day, but intensification occurred nonetheless, and Nineteen became Tropical Storm Richard on October 21.

The system did not intensify for almost a day, but convection increased as dry air moved away from the system and a ridge built over the Gulf of Mexico, steering Richard back to the west by October 22. The system finally began to strengthen that day, rapidly intensifying into a strong tropical storm the next morning. Due to its proximity to Honduras, tropical storm conditions began for coastal areas by late on October 22. Richard began accelerating to the westnorthwest late on October 23, and a burst of convection the following morning caused Richard to intensify rapidly, becoming a category 1 hurricane.

The cyclone continued to intensify and made landfall in Belize at its peak strength of 90 mph winds and a minimum pressure of 981 mb during the evening of October 24. It quickly weakened over the next day, becoming a tropical depression by October 25. The system reemerged over the Gulf of Mexico early on October 26, but conditions were hostile for restrengthening and Richard swiftly weakened to a remnant low. The effects of Richard were $24.7 million in damage and 2 fatalities.



Richard as a Category 1 hurricane before landfall.



Track of Richard.

Hurricane Paula (2010)

Storm Active: October 11-15
On October 7, a broad area of low pressure developed in the southwestern Caribbean. Disorganized showers and thunderstorms remained associated with the system as it drifted generally to the northwest over the coming days. A low pressure center formed on October 9, and deepened thereafter, becoming a tropical depression during the morning of October 11, although not being formally recognized as a tropical system until later that afternoon. By that time, the cyclone was already a strong tropical storm, and was named Paula.

The system was in the midst of rapid intensification, and was a hurricane by the morning of October 12. It turned more to the northnorthwest over the next day, but continued to strengthen, exploding into a Category 2 (albeit a small one) by the afternoon of that same day, as it approached the Yucatan Peninsula. It stalled just offshore to the east later on October 12, still maintaining its peak intensity of 100 mph winds and a pressure of 981 mb. Since Paula was a small storm, only minimal rain and wind affected the Yucatan itself, and a jet stream just to the north of the system started to push Paula to the east and weaken it by the afternoon of October 13. The system accelerated eastward slightly, and made landfall in western Cuba on October 14, as it weakened to a tropical storm. Paula continued to degenerate, becoming a remnant low by October 15. It dissipated the next day. Paula was a very small storm, and damage was therefore limited, with only one fatality recorded.



Paula at peak intensity. The system remains very small, with a correspondingly small eye feature.



Track of Paula.

Hurricane Otto (2010)

Storm Active: October 6-10
On September 28, a tropical wave over the Central Atlantic began to produce an area of showers and thunderstorms. The next day, another tropical wave to its east also began to be monitored for development. The two systems moved west, but the second caught up with the first and the two waves combined on September 30. The combined disturbance produced a wide area of showers and thunderstorms as it moved westnorthwest, but wind shear increased, and the system remained disorganized. A low pressure center began to form in association with the system, and the low deepened as it passed over the Leeward Islands on October 3-5. By October 6, a surface circulation had formed. However, unlike a tropical cyclone, the center of the system had an upper-level low situated above it, rather than an upper level high, and this fact, combined with the limited convection that was only prevalent on the southeast side of the center, resulted in the classification of the system as Subtropical Depression Seventeen early on October 6. Seventeen's convection wrapped around the center the next day, and the winds reached gale force that evening, meriting the naming of the system as Subtropical Storm Otto.

By late on October 6, Otto's winds had rapidly increased, and the cyclone had reached an intensity of 65 mph winds and a pressure of 990 mb. However, the convection remained very sparse throughout the night, and intensity was difficult to judge, although the ragged appearance of the circulation suggested a slight weakening during the morning of October 7. By later in the morning, the upper-level low that had been shearing the circulation weakened, the core had warmed, and a distinct central eyewall had appeared as the system turned northeast. Otto was now a tropical cyclone, and it was officially classified as such at 11:00 am EDT on October 7. Otto's cloud cover continued to increase as it accelerated eastnortheast, and the system strengthened further, becoming a hurricane by October 8. The system reached its peak intensity of 85 mph and a minimum central pressure of 972 mb, before beginning to weaken. The system picked up speed as it moved out to sea, and it became a tropical storm late on October 9. Otto lost most of its central convection and was displaced to the north over the next 12 hours. As a result, the system was extratropical by midmorning on October 10. The cyclone subsequently impacted the Azores with some rain and wind as it weakened, dissipating on October 12.

Otto caused $20 million in damage but no deaths were reported, most damage being caused by flooding in the Caribbean Islands when the cyclone loitered to the north. As much as 17 inches of rain was reported in parts of Puerto Rico over a six day period from October 3-8 (this and similar rainfall reports courtesy of the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center).



Hurricane Otto at peak intensity speeding off into the open Atlantic.



Track of Otto.

Tropical Storm Nicole (2010)

Storm Active: September 28-29
During the final week of September, Tropical Storm Matthew dissipated over Mexico. However, the huge amount of moisture left over from this system was accompanying a broad area of low pressure over Central America and the western Caribbean. Disorganized showers and thunderstorms began to appear in this area during the day of September 26, and pressures dropped over the area over the coming days. On September 28, a closed center formed, and the system was upgraded to Tropical Depression Sixteen. The depression's center was broad, with the only area of convection to the southeast of the circulation, but a band formed to the northeast of the center later that day, as well as the center itself becoming slightly more defined, and these factors resulted in the pressure dropping slightly as the system moved northnortheast, but not a promotion to tropical storm status. The depression made landfall in Cuba, but as it was a very asymmetrical and broad cyclone, it was very difficult to classify one way or the other. However, the presence of tropical storm force winds near the center was enough to push the cyclone to Tropical Storm Nicole during the morning of September 29, while still over Cuba.

The system emerged over water but the huge circulation lost the little tropical characteristics that it had, and was declared dissipated later that day, shortly after reaching its peak intensity of 40 mph winds and a pressure of 996 mb. However, the rainfall was by no means over. The remnant moisture of Nicole combined with an extratropical low off of North Carolina and a stationary front over the northeast to bring torrential rainfall to the region from Maine to Florida, with local amounts exceeding fifteen inches. This storm activity finally ceased by October 1. This cyclone caused 13 fatalities and $151.9 million in damage, but this does not include additional damage wreaked by the combined system that impacted the northeast U.S.



Nicole as an odd-looking tropical storm near Cuba.



Track of Nicole.

Tropical Storm Matthew (2010)

Storm Active: September 23-26
On September 19, a trough of low pressure formed in the south central Atlantic. It slowly organized organization and a low pressure center appeared on September 21. The system gained convection, and the convection showed signs of a organized circulation by September 23, meriting the promotion of the low to Tropical Depression Fifteen. The tropical depression's center was fairly open until later that day, when a band circumnavigated the center for the first time, and the system was named Tropical Storm Matthew.

Matthew moved quickly westward through the southern Caribbean, and strengthened slowly over the next day. However, Matthew only reached an intensity of 50 mph winds and a pressure of 998 mb, before making landfall in northern Nicaragua during the afternoon of September 24. It maintained an intensity of 50 mph over land, and briefly emerged over the Gulf of Honduras on September 25, before beginning to weaken over Belize later that day.

The system quickly weakened to a tropical depression, and was a remnant low by early on September 26. However, the large area of moisture associated with the large circulation of Matthew caused continual heavy rain and flooding through the next few days. Matthew was the direct cause of several mudslides in Central America, causing 109 fatalities.



Matthew at its peak intensity before making landfall in Mexico.



Track of Matthew.

Hurricane Lisa (2010)

Storm Active: September 20-26
The tropical wave that became Lisa emerged off of Africa on September 16. The cloud cover associated with the wave remained disorganized for a day, but a broad low pressure center formed on September 17. The low took a turn northwest before slowing its motion and drifting to the north over the next few days. This uncertain motion was caused by a weakness in the usual Azores high that pushes cyclones to the west, a weakness that was enlarged by Hurricane Julia a few days earlier. Meanwhile, the system became more organized, and was declared a tropical depression late on September 20. The depression soon strengthened into Tropical Storm Lisa.

The cyclone meandered northeast, then east, then south, and then east again through the next day, with no change in intensity. Some convection was lost during the day of September 21, and the system weakened to a tropical depression, still maintaining a slow east motion. By September 23, convection had organized enough for Lisa to become a tropical storm again, and the system was nearly stationary during that day. However, Lisa adopted a northward motion during the day of September 24, and continued strengthening.

By late on September 24, Lisa had quickly intensified to a hurricane, reaching its peak intensity of 80 mph winds and a pressure of 987 mb just before midnight. An eye feature even made a brief appearance. However, Lisa began quickly weakening the next day, as it moved into cooler waters. The system was a remnant low by the afternoon of September 26. Lisa moved north and quickly dissipated. The cyclone affected no land masses.



Lisa as a hurricane. It is obviously a very small storm.



Track of Lisa.

Hurricane Karl (2010)

Storm Active: September 14-18
Late on September 9, a low pressure system formed to the east of the northeastern coast of South America. The low stalled near the Windward Islands, and crossed into the Caribbean on September 10. The low produced a lot of disorganized shower and thunderstorm activity which brought stormy conditions to much of the Caribbean over the next few days as it moved west, but little of this convection showed evidence of any circulation. However, on September 14, a closed circulation became evident from an aircraft reconnaissance mission sent to investigate the system, and a small pocket of tropical storm force winds allowed the low to skip depression status and become Tropical Storm Karl.

Karl lost most of its convection during the night, but still strengthened slightly, before a burst of convection near the center caused the cyclone to intensify to 65 mph winds early on September 15 just before landfall in the southeast Yucatan Peninsula. Since Karl made landfall near the Mexican border, portions of both Mexico and Belize were struck by tropical storm force conditions. Karl weakened over land to a minimal tropical storm, but reemerged over the Bay of Campache by early on September 16. Karl immediately began a strengthening trend over water, and the system quickly intensified into a hurricane later on September 16. An eye feature developed over the next day, and Karl rapidly intensified into a major hurricane, reaching its major hurricane peak intensity if 120 mph winds and a pressure of 956 mb on early on September 17, before weakening slightly just before landfall in Veracruz, Mexico with maximum winds of 115 mph.

Karl quickly began to weaken over land, losing its major hurricane status quickly later on September 17. Karl was ripped apart by the mountainous regions of central Mexico as it moved southwest inland, but these same mountainous regions caused a large amount of flooding over the affected area. 22 fatalities and $3.9 billion in damage are direct effects of the cyclone.



Hurricane Karl before striking the Mexican coast.



Track of Karl.

Hurricane Julia (2010)

Storm Active: September 12-20
Early in the second week of September, a strong tropical wave was already very evident over Africa, and it was monitored for development even before leaving the coast. By the time it did emerge over the Atlantic Ocean on September 11, it was very organized and was already showing tropical characteristics. As a result, the system was declared Tropical Depression Twelve on September 12. As the depression turned westnorthwest, it intensified into Tropical Storm Julia late on September 12.

Early on September 13, the southernmost Cape Verde islands experienced tropical storm conditions, as Julia passed just to the southwest. Julia took a more northward track than the cyclones before it, but it still intensified over the next day, as the predecessor of an eyewall formed near Julia's center, signifying a very healthy cyclone. The storm continued this strengthening trend, and became a Category 1 hurricane early on September 14.

It continued to strengthen through the morning as a structure that was almost an eye appeared, but Julia stabilized later in the afternoon after strengthening rapidly to its peak intensity as a Category 4 hurricane with 135 mph winds and a pressure of 950 mb early on September 15.

The cyclone turned farther to the north and began a general northwest motion. It began to encounter less favorable conditions as it approached cooler water and shear associated with the outflow of Igor. However, during its time as a Category 4, Julia set the record for strongest Atlantic cyclone east of 35ºW, surpassing the record set by Hurricane Fred just a year earlier. Julia continued to weaken over the next day, but wind shear died down slightly later on September 16, as Julia took a more westward turn. Julia maintained its Category 1 intensity over the next day, despite entering the outflow of the much larger and powerful Igor.

Julia continued weakening, and the center became separated from the convection on September 17. As a result, Julia soon became a tropical storm. Julia continued weakening into September 19, as it turned north and then northeast, accelerating over the open ocean. The system became extratropical on September 20, and started to be absorbed over the next day as a frontal boundary associated with Igor engulfed it. Julia caused only minimal damage while passing the Cape Verde islands, and was only notable for being a major hurricane very far east.



Julia near peak intensity.



Track of Julia.