Tag Archives: storms

Names for the 2015 Atlantic Hurricane Season

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Today is the first day of the Atlantic Hurricane Season. While the number of storms expected to develop this year is low, their names have already been chosen.

Since 1950, each Atlantic tropical storm or hurricane has had a unique name.  They come from a set of six rotating lists produced by the World Meteorological Organization. A name is retired only when a storm was particularly noteworthy – causing a large number of fatalities or an extraordinary amount of damage. Some retired Atlantic Basin names include: Andrew, Katrina, and Sandy.

The Atlantic Hurricane Season officially runs from June 1st to November 30th. The names for this year’s storms are below.

2015 Atlantic Storm Names

AnaHenriOdette
BillIdaPeter
ClaudetteJoaquinRose
DannyKateSam
ErikaLarryTeresa
FredMindyVictor
GraceNicholasWanda

2015 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook

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From year to year, the number and strength of storms that develop during the Atlantic hurricane season varies. This year, despite the pre-season arrival of Tropical Storm Ana, NOAA is forecasting a 70% chance of a below average season.

Tropical cyclones, known as hurricanes in the United States, develop around the globe at different times of the year. In this country, we are most affected by the Atlantic hurricane season, which impacts the North Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. It runs from June 1 through November 30.

The main driver behind this season’s mild forecast is the presence of El Niño in the tropical Pacific. This naturally occurring oceanic-atmospheric phenomenon is known to impact weather around the planet. According to NOAA, “El Niño can strengthen the trade winds and increase the atmospheric stability across the tropical Atlantic, making it more difficult for cloud systems coming off of Africa to intensify into tropical storms.”

While the overall number of storms expected to develop this year is low, it is important to remember that it only takes one land-falling system to cause serious damage.

Data Source: NOAA

Data Source: NOAA

First Major Winter Storm of 2015 in NYC

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A major winter storm blasted a large area of the eastern U.S. on Monday and Tuesday. Heavy snow and high winds impacted states from the Mid-Atlantic to New England.

Here in New York City, the storm dumped 9.8 inches of snow in Central Park. While that is a substantial amount, it is a far cry from the record-breaking numbers and blizzard conditions that were forecast. In response to this forecast bust, the NWS said, “The science of forecasting storms, while continually improving, still can be subject to error, especially if we’re on the edge of the heavy precipitation shield. Efforts, including research, are already underway to more easily communicate that forecast uncertainty.”

Starting out as a weak area of low pressure, this storm quickly intensified when it interacted with the jet stream and transformed into a massive nor’easter. It tracked further east than expected and that change in distance to the coast made a big difference in where the heaviest snow fell. On Long Island, only a few miles east of NYC, communities dealt with blizzard conditions and over 20 inches of snow.

While not one for the record books in the Big Apple, this storm ended the so-called snow drought in the northeast and brought enough snow for a fun day of sledding in parks across the city.

What is a Blizzard?

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A blizzard is expected to blast the northeastern United States over the next two days. Different than a typical winter storm, a blizzard is characterized more by its winds than the amount of snow it produces.

According to the National Weather Service, a blizzard means the following conditions prevail for three hours or longer:

  • Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35mph or higher, and
  • Considerable falling and/or blowing snow that frequently reduces visibility to ¼ mile or less.

These conditions heighten the risk for power outages and often produce whiteout conditions on roadways, making travel extremely dangerous.

A Quiet 2014 Atlantic Hurricane Season Comes to an End

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The 2014 Atlantic Hurricane Season officially ends today.  For a second year in a row, it was relatively quiet.

According to NOAA, there were eight named storms this season. Of these, six developed into hurricanes and only two – Edouard and Gonzalo – were rated category-3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. On average, the Atlantic produces twelve named storms and three major hurricanes (category-3 or higher) every year.

Throughout the season, which runs from June 1st to November 30th, only one named storm made landfall in the U.S.  Hurricane Arthur, a category-2 storm, brought powerful winds and storm surge flooding to North Carolina’s Outer Banks for Independence Day in early July. It was the earliest hurricane to strike N.C. in the state’s history.

Other countries, such as Bermuda, were hard hit this hurricane season. In October, two storms – Tropical Storm Fay and Hurricane Gonzalo – slammed the island nation in less than a week.

Experts say broad areas of high pressure and dry air were the main factors that hindered more extensive tropical development in the Atlantic this season.

Hurricanes

Source: NOAA

Autumn Considered the Second Season for Tornadoes

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Spring is the season most commonly associated with twisters in the United States. Autumn, however, can be just as dangerous and is known as the “second season” for tornadoes.

According to NOAA, approximately 1200 tornadoes touch down in the US every year. While most occur in “Tornado Alley”, in the central part of the country, activity there tends to peak in May. The second season is most active in the mid-south, an area often referred to as “Dixie Alley”.

During the transitional months of autumn, the jet stream frequently dips south bringing cooler air into the region. At the same time, warm, moist air is flowing in from the Gulf of Mexico. When these two different air masses meet, the local weather can get very active. In fact, some of the largest tornado outbreaks of any month have occurred in October and November.

Credit: USTornadoes

Credit: USTornadoes.com

Credit: USTornadoes

Credit: USTornadoes.com

Microburst Winds Damage Town in Massachusetts

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A strong microburst toppled trees and power-lines in the town of Easthampton, Massachusetts early Wednesday morning. With winds in excess of 100mph, the damage to the area was equivalent to an EF-1 tornado.

According to the National Weather Service in Boston, the powerful storm cut a path of destruction one mile long and a quarter mile wide. No serious injuries have been reported.

A microburst is a powerful, but short-lived, downward moving column of air generated by a thunderstorm. It produces intense straight-line winds – as opposed to the rotating winds of a tornado – that generally impact localized areas less than 2.5 miles wide.

microburst

How a mircoburst works.   Credit: NOAA

Damage from microburst in Easthampton, MA. Credit: MassLive

Damage from microburst in Easthampton, MA.   Credit: MassLive

Record Rainfall Floods Long Island

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Record rainfall swamped New York’s Long Island on Wednesday morning. Flash floods prompted evacuations, submerged cars on major roadways, and even uprooted trees. Local officials have also reported one weather-related death.

One of the hardest hit areas was Islip in Suffolk County, where 13.27 inches of rain fell in less than 24 hours. That is more than the town would normally get for an entire summer season and is nearly double its previous daily record of 6.7 inches set in August 1990. The storm also shattered the record for 24-hour rainfall in New York State. The previous record was 11.6 inches, which was measured in Tannersville, NY during Tropical Storm Irene in August 2011.

The intensity of this rain event, according to the NWS, was caused by a few factors. First, several different weather systems came together over Long Island and were fed by moisture from the Atlantic Ocean. Then, the storm essentially stalled in place for hours.

While Suffolk County bore the brunt of the rain, flash flooding also caused problems in nearby sections of New Jersey and Connecticut. Here in New York City, we were mostly unscathed. JFK airport (in Queens) reported 3.2 inches of rain, but less than an inch was measured in Central Park.

Flood waters strand cars on Sunrise Highway in Valley Stream on Long Island, NY. Credit: wpix11

Flood waters strand cars on Sunrise Highway in Valley Stream on Long Island, NY.                 Image Credit: pix11

Deadly Tornado Strikes Upstate New York

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A tornado tore through the town of Smithfield in upstate New York on Tuesday. It caused widespread damage and claimed the lives of four people.

Carving out a 2.5-mile path of destruction, this deadly twister toppled trees and leveled homes. With winds ranging from 111-mph to 135-mph, it was rated EF-2 by the National Weather Service. While tornadoes in New York are not very common, they are not unheard of.  In fact, two twisters touched down in NYC in 2012.

Tuesday’s tornado, according to NOAA, was the second deadliest in NY history.  It was only outranked by a storm that struck Orange County in November 1989 that caused nine fatalities.

Storm damage in Smithfield, NY Credit: Syracuse.com

Storm damage in Smithfield, NY.  Credit: Syracuse.com

Hurricane Arthur

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Hurricane Arthur made landfall in North Carolina’s Outer Banks late Thursday night. It was the first named storm of the 2014 Atlantic Hurricane Season and the earliest to strike N.C. in the state’s history.

Coming ashore with 100-mph winds, Arthur was classified as a category-2 hurricane. These powerful winds coupled with storm surge flooding caused widespread power outages and property damage throughout the area. Luckily, no serious injuries or fatalities have been reported.

Traveling north, parallel to the coastline, Arthur soon moved over cooler waters and was downgraded to a tropical storm. Nonetheless, it still brought high winds, heavy rain, and rough surf to many Atlantic beaches over the July 4th holiday weekend.

Arthur was the first hurricane to make landfall in the continental U.S. since 2012.

Eye of Hurricane Arthur passes over NC. Image Credit: NOAA

Eye of Hurricane Arthur passes over NC. Image Credit: NOAA