Hurricane Igor (2010)
Encyclopedia
Hurricane Igor was the most destructive tropical cyclone
to strike the Canadian
island of Newfoundland on record. The origins of Igor were within a broad area of low pressure
that moved off the west coast of Africa
on September 6, 2010. Tracking slowly westward, it developed into a tropical depression on September 8 and strengthened into tropical storm shortly thereafter. Increased wind shear
temporarily halted intensification over the following days. On September 12, explosive intensification
took place, with Igor reaching Category 4 status on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. A prolonged turn towards the north was apparent by this time. Peaking with winds of 155 mph (250 km/h), the system gradually weakened before brushing Bermuda
as a minimal hurricane on September 20. After turning northeastward, Igor began to transition into an extratropical cyclone
, completing this phase within hours of striking southern Newfoundland. The remnants of Igor were later absorbed by another cyclone on September 23 over the Labrador Sea
.
While over the open ocean, large swell
s produced by the hurricane resulted in three fatalities, two in the Caribbean
and one in the United States
. Passing Bermuda as a minimal hurricane, damage was mainly limited to trees and power lines, with roughly 27,500 residences losing electricity. Total losses in the territory were less than $500,000. In Newfoundland, damage wrought by Igor was extreme, claimed to be the worst ever seen in some areas. Large stretches of roadways were completely washed out by severe flooding, including a portion of the Trans-Canada Highway
, isolating roughly 150 communities. Throughout the region, one person was killed and losses amounted to a record $200 million (US). In the storm's wake, military personnel were deployed to assist in recovery efforts and aid distribution.
of the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season
, was first identified as a broad area of low pressure
accompanying a tropical wave
over western Africa
in early September 2010. Tracking nearly due west, the system emerged into the eastern Atlantic Ocean
on September 6. Gradual development
took place as convection
– thunderstorm
activity – consolidated around its center. At 0600 UTC
on September 8, the low was deemed sufficiently organized to be classified a tropical depression; at this time the depression was situated roughly 90 mi (144.8 km) southeast of the Cape Verde Islands. Attaining gale-force winds six hours later, the depression intensified into a tropical storm, at which time it was named Igor by the National Hurricane Center
(NHC).
Development of Igor quickly ceased once it was named as a nearby disturbance produced moderate wind shear
over the storm, displacing convection from its center. Embedded within a monsoon trough
over the eastern Atlantic, the system maintained a slow westward track as it diminished to a tropical depression on September 9. Intensification resumed the following day once shear lessened and the dominant steering factor shifted to a mid-tropospheric ridge
north of Igor; it would remain so throughout the remainder of the system's existence. Contrary to its earlier movement, the storm's forward motion markedly increased. Following the development of an intermittent eye feature
and steady convection around its center, Igor strengthened into a hurricane around 0000 UTC on September 12.
Once classified a hurricane, Igor underwent explosive intensification
over the following 24 hours. During this time, satellite observations indicated that the storm's winds increased from 75 mph (120 km/h) to 150 mph (240 km/h) and its barometric pressure decreased by 52 mbar
(hPa
; 1.53 inHg). Near the end of this phase, forecasters at the NHC predicted the storm to attain Category 5 status, the highest classification on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. With a symmetrical 17 mi (27.4 km) wide eye, deep convection and spiral banding
, Igor maintained Category 4 intensity for nearly five days. Minor fluctuations took place during this period as multiple eyewall replacement cycle
s took place. After the first of these cycles, the hurricane is estimated to have reached its peak strength around 0000 UTC on September 15 with winds of 155 mph (250 km/h) and an estimated pressure of 924 mbar (hPa; 27.29 inHg). By this time, Igor began a northwestward track as it executed a prolonged "C-shaped" curve over the Atlantic Ocean.
Passing roughly 345 mi (555.2 km) northeast of the Leeward Islands
on September 17, Igor gradually weakened as it experienced increased wind shear and dry air intrusion. Over the following several days, the storm became exceedingly large, with tropical storm-force winds covering an area roughly 680 mi (1,094.4 km) wide. Due to a overestimated bias in Igor's intensity, forecasts from the NHC showed that the storm would strike Bermuda
as a major hurricane. However, weakening was more marked than anticipated and by the time its center neared the territory on September 20, winds decreased to 75 mph (120 km/h). Igor made its closest approach to Bermuda around 0230 UTC, passing roughly 40 mi (64.4 km) to the west-northwest.
Once north of Bermuda, Igor began to undergo an extratropical transition
as it turned northeastward. Though deep convection was no longer consistently over its center, data from Hurricane Hunters
continued to support hurricane intensity. Accelerating along the leading edge of a trough
over the Canadian Maritimes, the storm intensified within a baroclinic zone as it neared Newfoundland. Around 1500 UTC on September 21, Igor made landfall
near Cape Race, with winds of 85 mph (140 km/h), slightly higher than several hours earlier. Shortly thereafter, the storm completed its transition into an extratropical cyclone as it became fully embedded within the baroclinic zone. After turning northwestward between Labrador
and Greenland
, the remnants of Igor were absorbed by another extratropical cyclone on September 23.
for the southern islands on September 8. Though the storm passed relatively close to the region, only minimal effects were recorded. Once the system tracked away from Cape Verde, the watches were discontinued on September 9.
Although several hundred miles from the Leeward Islands
, Igor produced large swells
, averaging 9 to 13 ft (2.7 to 4 m) in height, in the region between September 16 and 21. There were also large breaking waves of 15 to 20 ft (4.6 to 6.1 m) or higher. The prolonged period of this event resulted in minor coastal flooding in St. Croix. One person drowned near Carambola Beach Resort after being overcome by large swells. Similar conditions affected Puerto Rico
where another person drowned. On several occasions, Luquillo
was flooded by the surf, though no damage took place. In nearby Haiti
, still reeling from a devastating earthquake in January, officials warned residents of possible relocation from "tent cities" to safer areas. An orange alert was declared across the country, indicating that heavy rains could result in flooding.
The Bermudan government closed its schools and the Bermuda International Airport
on September 20 and 21 in anticipation of Igor. No evacuation plans were put in place, although a local high school was converted into a shelter for residents who felt unsafe in their homes. Residents boarded up structures with plywood in order to protect windows. Tourists on the island wanting to escape the storm left more than a week before Igor's arrival. Additionally, a British Royal Navy vessel and helicopter were stationed offshore to assist with recovery efforts once the storm passed. Prior to Igor's arrival, there were fears that the enormous hurricane would be worse than Hurricane Fabian
in 2003
and could "flatten" the territory. These fears resulted from forecasts from the National Hurricane Center which indicated the storm would strike Bermuda as a Category 3 hurricane. However, following post-storm analysis, it was found that the forecast model consensus overestimated the storm's future intensity.
Though Hurricane Igor impacted Bermuda for several days, relatively little rain fell, with the highest amount being 3.19 in (81 mm). Winds proved to be the most significant factor; sustained winds reached 91 mph (146.5 km/h) and gusts to 117 mph (188.3 km/h). Additionally, a storm tide
of 1.75 ft (0.5334 m) took place in St. George's
. As the storm arrived, the island's airport was shut down earlier than originally planned due to the threat of tornado
es. Against initial fears, Igor left relatively little damage across Bermuda. The most significant impact was from downed trees which cut power to 27,500 residents. A handful of emergency rescues had to be made during the storm but no injuries took place. The main causeway connecting St. David's
and St. George’s Islands sustained minor damage, leaving one lane closed for several days. Waves up to 15 feet (4.6 m) battered the coast, breaking several ships from their moorings and tossing them into rocks. Officials in Bermuda stated that the biggest loss from Igor would be lessened tourism revenue following a mass exodus prior to the hurricane's arrival. Throughout the islands, damage from the storm was less than $500,000.
. High surf advisories were issued in Long Island, New York as waves of 6 to 10 ft (1.8 to 3 m) affected the area. Rip current
s in Florida pulled two people out to sea, who were rescued. One person drowned in Surf City, North Carolina
after being overwhelmed by rough surf. Along the New Jersey
coastline, waves averaging between 6 and 9 ft (1.8 and 2.7 m) and dangerous rip currents were reported.
, the Canadian Hurricane Center (CHC) issued tropical storm watches and warnings
for southern Newfoundland and the French
territory of Saint Pierre and Miquelon. On September 21, the CHC issued a hurricane watch for the eastern and northern coasts. Early the next day, all advisories were discontinued as Igor moved away from the region. In response to the storm's arrival, schools were closed and several flights were delayed or canceled at St. John's International Airport
. Offshore, an oil rig with 110 personnel was mostly evacuated near the coast of Newfoundland on September 19. In comparison to Hurricane Earl
two weeks earlier, there was substantially less media attention given to Igor, attributed to the possibility of it going out to sea.
Throughout much of eastern Newfoundland, Hurricane Igor produced torrential rainfall, estimated over 10 in (254 mm) in Bonavista
, resulting in widespread flooding. In St. Lawrence, a confirmed 9.37 in (238 mm) of rain fell, ranking Igor as the third-wettest tropical cyclone in the island's history. In Cape Pine
, near where the center of Igor tracked, sustained winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) and gusts to 107 mph (172.2 km/h) battered the area. Along the coast, Igor produced a storm tide
of 3.5 ft (1.1 m). Additionally, offshore waves reached immense heights, measured up to 83.6 ft (25.5 m); one buoy reported a wave of 92 ft (28 m) but data is subject to further analysis to verify it.
The main impacts from Igor were attributed to torrential rains, leading to excessive runoff
and flash flooding. Several rivers rose to record levels across the Bonavista
and Burin Peninsula
s where many roads were washed out. Entire bridges, homes and portions of roads were destroyed. In some instances, flood waters were higher than entire homes. Roughly 150 communities were temporarily isolated as all roads leading to them were severely damaged or washed out. Overall damage to roadways was regarded as "colossal" by Tom Hedderson, the minister for emergency preparedness. A 100 ft (30.5 m) section of the Trans-Canada Highway
in Terra Nova National Park
was severely eroded, leaving a large ravine behind and disconnecting the main population of Newfoundland from the rest of the island, while a bridge washout on the Burin Peninsula left 20,000 people cut off from the rest of the island. Public infrastructure losses were estimated in excess of $100 million, mainly attributed to roadways. On Random Island
, a man was killed when his driveway collapsed from flooding and he was swept out to sea. During the storm, portions of Clarenville
had to be evacuated.
In addition to flood damage, hurricane-force winds felled trees and power lines over large areas and many homes were damaged to varying degrees. An estimated 50,000 residences were left without electricity in the region. The small coastal community of South East Bight sustained some of the most significant wind damage where entire fishing sheds were hurled into the air. Along the East Coast hiking trail, an estimated 5,000 trees were felled. In all, losses from the hurricane were placed at $200 million, ranking it as the costliest cyclone in Newfoundland history.
and Marystown Mayor Sam Synard stated, "We've never seen such a violent storm before." More than 50 families were relocated to evacuation shelters. Electricity was gradually restored to residents, with a few hundred remaining in the dark six days after Igor's passage.
In light of the widespread damage, 1,000 personnel from the Canadian military
were brought in for recovery efforts. The military operation, known as Operation Lama, was to last for the duration of the emergency phase in the storm's immediate aftermath. An initial deployment of 120 soldiers and 40 vehicles arrived on September 25 from the Canadian Forces Base Gagetown
in Oromocto, New Brunswick
arrived in Newfoundland. Three ships and a fleet of helicopters were brought to the region for the distribution of emergency aid. Temporary bridges were also set up by the military as long-term plans for reconstruction were made. On September 27, government officials stated that it would take months for cleanup efforts to finish. Operation Lama allowed for the construction of three temporary bridges, partial repairs to several buildings and personnel surveyed roughly 560 mi (901.2 km) of roads in Newfoundland. Ten days after the storm, six towns were still isolated as slow progress on temporary road reconstruction was made. Military aid continued through October 6, though the number of personnel began lessening two days earlier.
Roughly a month after the storm, a benefit concert was held in St. John's
, which raised about $400,000 in one night. In late October, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador allocated $275,000 in funds for 200 workers who lost their jobs after a fish processing plant was destroyed. However, union leaders claimed that the assistance was insufficient and accounted for 420 of 600 work hours. Numerous insurance claims were made in the months following Igor, reaching $65 million by early November. During the course of the recovery phase, complaints were made by several people, including church ministers, that relief funds for victims of the storm were not being distributed fast enough and the overall process taking too long. Roughly ten months after the hurricane, work on permanent reconstruction of roadways began in several areas across the Burin Peninsula.
In June 2011, a federal document detailing the actions made by province officials was released to be public and incited further outcry from residents affected by the storm. The main complaint brought about was the delay in accepting federal aid despite the severity of damage. In one instance, a resident requested a boat to get bread and water; however, emergency services responded by saying "no, buy what you want and send us the bill." In an email sent on September 21 by Denys Doiron, the Emergency Preparedness and Response Officer, Doiron wrote that local emergency services reported Igor to be the worst disaster they have had to deal with and also stated that no requests for federal aid were made.
Due to the extent of damage in Newfoundland, the name Igor was later retired by the World Meteorological Organization
and will never be used again for an Atlantic hurricane. It was replaced with Ian for the 2016 hurricane season. The scale of damage wrought by Igor ranked it as the costliest hurricane in Newfoundland history. In Canada's report to the World Meteorological Organization, it was stated to be a storm without parallel in the island's history. The hurricane is also considered a probable benchmark for future cyclones in the region, having illustrated to residents that they are not immune from hurricanes and their impacts.
Tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
to strike the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
island of Newfoundland on record. The origins of Igor were within a broad area of low pressure
Low pressure area
A low-pressure area, or "low", is a region where the atmospheric pressure at sea level is below that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure systems form under areas of wind divergence which occur in upper levels of the troposphere. The formation process of a low-pressure area is known as...
that moved off the west coast of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
on September 6, 2010. Tracking slowly westward, it developed into a tropical depression on September 8 and strengthened into tropical storm shortly thereafter. Increased wind shear
Wind shear
Wind shear, sometimes referred to as windshear or wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere...
temporarily halted intensification over the following days. On September 12, explosive intensification
Rapid deepening
Rapid deepening, also known as rapid intensification, is a meteorological condition that occurs when the minimum sea-level atmospheric pressure of a tropical cyclone decreases drastically in a short period of time. The National Weather Service describes rapid deepening as a decrease of...
took place, with Igor reaching Category 4 status on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. A prolonged turn towards the north was apparent by this time. Peaking with winds of 155 mph (250 km/h), the system gradually weakened before brushing Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
as a minimal hurricane on September 20. After turning northeastward, Igor began to transition into an extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are a group of cyclones defined as synoptic scale low pressure weather systems that occur in the middle latitudes of the Earth having neither tropical nor polar characteristics, and are connected with fronts and...
, completing this phase within hours of striking southern Newfoundland. The remnants of Igor were later absorbed by another cyclone on September 23 over the Labrador Sea
Labrador Sea
The Labrador Sea is an arm of the North Atlantic Ocean between the Labrador Peninsula and Greenland. The sea is flanked by continental shelves to the southwest, northwest, and northeast. It connects to the north with Baffin Bay through the Davis Strait...
.
While over the open ocean, large swell
Swell (ocean)
A swell, in the context of an ocean, sea or lake, is a series surface gravity waves that is not generated by the local wind. Swell waves often have a long wavelength but this varies with the size of the water body, e.g. rarely more than 150 m in the Mediterranean, and from event to event, with...
s produced by the hurricane resulted in three fatalities, two in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
and one in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Passing Bermuda as a minimal hurricane, damage was mainly limited to trees and power lines, with roughly 27,500 residences losing electricity. Total losses in the territory were less than $500,000. In Newfoundland, damage wrought by Igor was extreme, claimed to be the worst ever seen in some areas. Large stretches of roadways were completely washed out by severe flooding, including a portion of the Trans-Canada Highway
Trans-Canada Highway
The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins the ten provinces of Canada. It is, along with the Trans-Siberian Highway and Australia's Highway 1, one of the world's longest national highways, with the main route spanning 8,030 km...
, isolating roughly 150 communities. Throughout the region, one person was killed and losses amounted to a record $200 million (US). In the storm's wake, military personnel were deployed to assist in recovery efforts and aid distribution.
Meteorological history
Hurricane Igor, the most intense tropical cycloneTropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
of the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season
2010 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2010 Atlantic hurricane season was the third most active Atlantic hurricane season on record, tying with the 1887 Atlantic hurricane season, 1995 Atlantic hurricane season and the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season. It had the most number of named storms since the 2005 season and also ties with the...
, was first identified as a broad area of low pressure
Low pressure area
A low-pressure area, or "low", is a region where the atmospheric pressure at sea level is below that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure systems form under areas of wind divergence which occur in upper levels of the troposphere. The formation process of a low-pressure area is known as...
accompanying a tropical wave
Tropical wave
Tropical waves, easterly waves, or tropical easterly waves, also known as African easterly waves in the Atlantic region, are a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which move from east to west across the tropics causing areas of...
over western Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
in early September 2010. Tracking nearly due west, the system emerged into the eastern Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
on September 6. Gradual development
Tropical cyclogenesis
Tropical cyclogenesis is the term that describes the development and strengthening of a tropical cyclone in the atmosphere. The mechanisms through which tropical cyclogenesis occurs are distinctly different from those through which mid-latitude cyclogenesis occurs...
took place as convection
Atmospheric convection
Atmospheric convection is the result of a parcel-environment instability, or temperature difference, layer in the atmosphere. Different lapse rates within dry and moist air lead to instability. Mixing of air during the day which expands the height of the planetary boundary layer leads to...
– thunderstorm
Thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...
activity – consolidated around its center. At 0600 UTC
Coordinated Universal Time
Coordinated Universal Time is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is one of several closely related successors to Greenwich Mean Time. Computer servers, online services and other entities that rely on having a universally accepted time use UTC for that purpose...
on September 8, the low was deemed sufficiently organized to be classified a tropical depression; at this time the depression was situated roughly 90 mi (144.8 km) southeast of the Cape Verde Islands. Attaining gale-force winds six hours later, the depression intensified into a tropical storm, at which time it was named Igor by the National Hurricane Center
National Hurricane Center
The National Hurricane Center , located at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, is the division of the National Weather Service responsible for tracking and predicting weather systems within the tropics between the Prime Meridian and the 140th meridian west poleward to the 30th...
(NHC).
Development of Igor quickly ceased once it was named as a nearby disturbance produced moderate wind shear
Wind shear
Wind shear, sometimes referred to as windshear or wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere...
over the storm, displacing convection from its center. Embedded within a monsoon trough
Monsoon trough
The monsoon trough is that portion of the Intertropical Convergence Zone which extends into or through a monsoon circulation, as depicted by a line on a weather map showing the locations of minimum sea level pressure, and as such, is a convergence zone between the wind patterns of the southern and...
over the eastern Atlantic, the system maintained a slow westward track as it diminished to a tropical depression on September 9. Intensification resumed the following day once shear lessened and the dominant steering factor shifted to a mid-tropospheric ridge
Ridge (meteorology)
A ridge is an elongated region of relatively high atmospheric pressure, the opposite of a trough....
north of Igor; it would remain so throughout the remainder of the system's existence. Contrary to its earlier movement, the storm's forward motion markedly increased. Following the development of an intermittent eye feature
Eye (cyclone)
The eye is a region of mostly calm weather found at the center of strong tropical cyclones. The eye of a storm is a roughly circular area and typically 30–65 km in diameter. It is surrounded by the eyewall, a ring of towering thunderstorms where the second most severe weather of a cyclone...
and steady convection around its center, Igor strengthened into a hurricane around 0000 UTC on September 12.
Once classified a hurricane, Igor underwent explosive intensification
Rapid deepening
Rapid deepening, also known as rapid intensification, is a meteorological condition that occurs when the minimum sea-level atmospheric pressure of a tropical cyclone decreases drastically in a short period of time. The National Weather Service describes rapid deepening as a decrease of...
over the following 24 hours. During this time, satellite observations indicated that the storm's winds increased from 75 mph (120 km/h) to 150 mph (240 km/h) and its barometric pressure decreased by 52 mbar
Bar (unit)
The bar is a unit of pressure equal to 100 kilopascals, and roughly equal to the atmospheric pressure on Earth at sea level. Other units derived from the bar are the megabar , kilobar , decibar , centibar , and millibar...
(hPa
Pascal (unit)
The pascal is the SI derived unit of pressure, internal pressure, stress, Young's modulus and tensile strength, named after the French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer, and philosopher Blaise Pascal. It is a measure of force per unit area, defined as one newton per square metre...
; 1.53 inHg). Near the end of this phase, forecasters at the NHC predicted the storm to attain Category 5 status, the highest classification on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. With a symmetrical 17 mi (27.4 km) wide eye, deep convection and spiral banding
Rainband
A rainband is a cloud and precipitation structure associated with an area of rainfall which is significantly elongated. Rainbands can be stratiform or convective, and are generated by differences in temperature. When noted on weather radar imagery, this precipitation elongation is referred to as...
, Igor maintained Category 4 intensity for nearly five days. Minor fluctuations took place during this period as multiple eyewall replacement cycle
Eyewall replacement cycle
Eyewall replacement cycles, also called concentric eyewall cycles, naturally occur in intense tropical cyclones, generally with winds greater than 185 km/h , or major hurricanes...
s took place. After the first of these cycles, the hurricane is estimated to have reached its peak strength around 0000 UTC on September 15 with winds of 155 mph (250 km/h) and an estimated pressure of 924 mbar (hPa; 27.29 inHg). By this time, Igor began a northwestward track as it executed a prolonged "C-shaped" curve over the Atlantic Ocean.
Passing roughly 345 mi (555.2 km) northeast of the Leeward Islands
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands in the West Indies. They are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. As a group they start east of Puerto Rico and reach southward to Dominica. They are situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
on September 17, Igor gradually weakened as it experienced increased wind shear and dry air intrusion. Over the following several days, the storm became exceedingly large, with tropical storm-force winds covering an area roughly 680 mi (1,094.4 km) wide. Due to a overestimated bias in Igor's intensity, forecasts from the NHC showed that the storm would strike Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
as a major hurricane. However, weakening was more marked than anticipated and by the time its center neared the territory on September 20, winds decreased to 75 mph (120 km/h). Igor made its closest approach to Bermuda around 0230 UTC, passing roughly 40 mi (64.4 km) to the west-northwest.
Once north of Bermuda, Igor began to undergo an extratropical transition
Extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are a group of cyclones defined as synoptic scale low pressure weather systems that occur in the middle latitudes of the Earth having neither tropical nor polar characteristics, and are connected with fronts and...
as it turned northeastward. Though deep convection was no longer consistently over its center, data from Hurricane Hunters
Hurricane Hunters
The Hurricane Hunters are aircraft that fly into tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic Ocean and Northeastern Pacific Ocean for the specific purpose of directly measuring weather data in and around those storms. In the United States, the Air Force, Navy, and NOAA units have all participated in...
continued to support hurricane intensity. Accelerating along the leading edge of a trough
Trough (meteorology)
A trough is an elongated region of relatively low atmospheric pressure, often associated with fronts.Unlike fronts, there is not a universal symbol for a trough on a weather chart. The weather charts in some countries or regions mark troughs by a line. In the United States, a trough may be marked...
over the Canadian Maritimes, the storm intensified within a baroclinic zone as it neared Newfoundland. Around 1500 UTC on September 21, Igor made landfall
Landfall (meteorology)
Landfall is the event of a tropical cyclone or a waterspout coming onto land after being over water. When a waterspout makes landfall it is reclassified as a tornado, which can then cause damage inland...
near Cape Race, with winds of 85 mph (140 km/h), slightly higher than several hours earlier. Shortly thereafter, the storm completed its transition into an extratropical cyclone as it became fully embedded within the baroclinic zone. After turning northwestward between Labrador
Labrador
Labrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle...
and Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
, the remnants of Igor were absorbed by another extratropical cyclone on September 23.
Cape Verde and Leeward Islands
Forming near the Cape Verde Islands, Igor prompted the issuance of tropical storm watchesTropical cyclone warnings and watches
Warnings and watches are two levels of alert issued by national weather forecasting bodies to coastal areas threatened by the imminent approach of a tropical cyclone of tropical storm or hurricane intensity. They are notices to the local population and civil authorities to make appropriate...
for the southern islands on September 8. Though the storm passed relatively close to the region, only minimal effects were recorded. Once the system tracked away from Cape Verde, the watches were discontinued on September 9.
Although several hundred miles from the Leeward Islands
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands in the West Indies. They are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. As a group they start east of Puerto Rico and reach southward to Dominica. They are situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
, Igor produced large swells
Swell (ocean)
A swell, in the context of an ocean, sea or lake, is a series surface gravity waves that is not generated by the local wind. Swell waves often have a long wavelength but this varies with the size of the water body, e.g. rarely more than 150 m in the Mediterranean, and from event to event, with...
, averaging 9 to 13 ft (2.7 to 4 m) in height, in the region between September 16 and 21. There were also large breaking waves of 15 to 20 ft (4.6 to 6.1 m) or higher. The prolonged period of this event resulted in minor coastal flooding in St. Croix. One person drowned near Carambola Beach Resort after being overcome by large swells. Similar conditions affected Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
where another person drowned. On several occasions, Luquillo
Luquillo, Puerto Rico
Luquillo is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the northeast coast, northwest of Fajardo; and east of Rio Grande. Luquillo is spread over 5 wards and Luquillo Pueblo...
was flooded by the surf, though no damage took place. In nearby Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, still reeling from a devastating earthquake in January, officials warned residents of possible relocation from "tent cities" to safer areas. An orange alert was declared across the country, indicating that heavy rains could result in flooding.
Bermuda
Long seen to be within Igor's track, Bermuda was finally placed under a hurricane watch on September 17 as the threat became imminent. Later that day, the watch was upgraded to a warning as hurricane-force winds were anticipated to impact the islands within the following 24 hours. This remained in place for nearly three days while Igor battered Bermuda. Following the passage of hurricane winds, the advisory was changed to a tropical storm warning early on September 20 before being discontinued later that day.The Bermudan government closed its schools and the Bermuda International Airport
Bermuda International Airport
L.F. Wade International Airport , formerly named Bermuda International Airport, is the sole airport serving Bermuda, a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. It is located in the parish of St. George's and is northeast of Bermuda's capital city of Hamilton. In 2006, L.F. Wade...
on September 20 and 21 in anticipation of Igor. No evacuation plans were put in place, although a local high school was converted into a shelter for residents who felt unsafe in their homes. Residents boarded up structures with plywood in order to protect windows. Tourists on the island wanting to escape the storm left more than a week before Igor's arrival. Additionally, a British Royal Navy vessel and helicopter were stationed offshore to assist with recovery efforts once the storm passed. Prior to Igor's arrival, there were fears that the enormous hurricane would be worse than Hurricane Fabian
Hurricane Fabian
Hurricane Fabian was a powerful Cape Verde-type hurricane that hit Bermuda in early September during the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season. Fabian, the sixth named storm, fourth hurricane, and first major hurricane of the season, developed from a tropical wave in the tropical Atlantic Ocean on August 25...
in 2003
2003 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2003 Atlantic hurricane season was an active Atlantic hurricane season with tropical activity before and after the official bounds of the season – the first such occurrence in 50 years. The season produced 21 tropical cyclones, of which 16 developed into named storms; seven...
and could "flatten" the territory. These fears resulted from forecasts from the National Hurricane Center which indicated the storm would strike Bermuda as a Category 3 hurricane. However, following post-storm analysis, it was found that the forecast model consensus overestimated the storm's future intensity.
Though Hurricane Igor impacted Bermuda for several days, relatively little rain fell, with the highest amount being 3.19 in (81 mm). Winds proved to be the most significant factor; sustained winds reached 91 mph (146.5 km/h) and gusts to 117 mph (188.3 km/h). Additionally, a storm tide
Storm tide
A storm tide is a tide with a high flood period caused by a storm. Storm tides can be a severe danger to the coast and the people living along the coast. The water level can rise to more than 5 meters above the normal tide....
of 1.75 ft (0.5334 m) took place in St. George's
St. George's, Bermuda
St. George's , located on the island and within the parish of the same names, was the first permanent settlement on the islands of Bermuda, and is often described as the third successful English settlement in the Americas, after St. John's, Newfoundland, and Jamestown, Virginia. However, St...
. As the storm arrived, the island's airport was shut down earlier than originally planned due to the threat of tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
es. Against initial fears, Igor left relatively little damage across Bermuda. The most significant impact was from downed trees which cut power to 27,500 residents. A handful of emergency rescues had to be made during the storm but no injuries took place. The main causeway connecting St. David's
St. David's Island, Bermuda
St. David's Island is one of the main islands of Bermuda. It is located in the far north of the territory, one of the two similarly sized islands that makeup the majority of St...
and St. George’s Islands sustained minor damage, leaving one lane closed for several days. Waves up to 15 feet (4.6 m) battered the coast, breaking several ships from their moorings and tossing them into rocks. Officials in Bermuda stated that the biggest loss from Igor would be lessened tourism revenue following a mass exodus prior to the hurricane's arrival. Throughout the islands, damage from the storm was less than $500,000.
United States
Though Igor's closest approach to the United States only brought it within 600 mi (965.6 km) of land, its large circulation produced significant swells along the entire East CoastEast Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
. High surf advisories were issued in Long Island, New York as waves of 6 to 10 ft (1.8 to 3 m) affected the area. Rip current
Rip current
A rip current, commonly referred to by the misnomer rip tide, is a strong channel of water flowing seaward from near the shore, typically through the surf line. Typical flow is at 0.5 metres per second , and can be as fast as 2.5 metres per second...
s in Florida pulled two people out to sea, who were rescued. One person drowned in Surf City, North Carolina
Surf City, North Carolina
Surf City is a town in Pender and Onslow counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 2,057 at the 2008 census. It is located on Topsail Island....
after being overwhelmed by rough surf. Along the New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
coastline, waves averaging between 6 and 9 ft (1.8 and 2.7 m) and dangerous rip currents were reported.
Canada
On September 20, roughly one day prior to Igor's arrival in Atlantic CanadaAtlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...
, the Canadian Hurricane Center (CHC) issued tropical storm watches and warnings
Tropical cyclone warnings and watches
Warnings and watches are two levels of alert issued by national weather forecasting bodies to coastal areas threatened by the imminent approach of a tropical cyclone of tropical storm or hurricane intensity. They are notices to the local population and civil authorities to make appropriate...
for southern Newfoundland and the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
territory of Saint Pierre and Miquelon. On September 21, the CHC issued a hurricane watch for the eastern and northern coasts. Early the next day, all advisories were discontinued as Igor moved away from the region. In response to the storm's arrival, schools were closed and several flights were delayed or canceled at St. John's International Airport
St. John's International Airport
St. John's International Airport is an international airport located northwest of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada that serves the St. John's Metro Area and the Avalon Peninsula. The airport is part of the National Airports System, and is operated by St...
. Offshore, an oil rig with 110 personnel was mostly evacuated near the coast of Newfoundland on September 19. In comparison to Hurricane Earl
Hurricane Earl (2010)
Hurricane Earl was a long-lived, powerful tropical cyclone which became the first major hurricane to threaten New England since Hurricane Bob in 1991. The fifth named storm of the 2010 season, Earl developed out of a tropical wave roughly west of the Cape Verde Islands on August 25...
two weeks earlier, there was substantially less media attention given to Igor, attributed to the possibility of it going out to sea.
Throughout much of eastern Newfoundland, Hurricane Igor produced torrential rainfall, estimated over 10 in (254 mm) in Bonavista
Bonavista, Newfoundland and Labrador
Bonavista is a town on the Bonavista Peninsula, Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Unlike many Newfoundland coastal settlements, Bonavista was built on an open plain, not in a steep cove, and thus had room to expand to its current area of 31.5 square...
, resulting in widespread flooding. In St. Lawrence, a confirmed 9.37 in (238 mm) of rain fell, ranking Igor as the third-wettest tropical cyclone in the island's history. In Cape Pine
Cape Pine
The Headland of Cape Pine is the point of land marking the boundary of Trepassey Bay on the Avalon Peninsula of the island of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador....
, near where the center of Igor tracked, sustained winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) and gusts to 107 mph (172.2 km/h) battered the area. Along the coast, Igor produced a storm tide
Storm tide
A storm tide is a tide with a high flood period caused by a storm. Storm tides can be a severe danger to the coast and the people living along the coast. The water level can rise to more than 5 meters above the normal tide....
of 3.5 ft (1.1 m). Additionally, offshore waves reached immense heights, measured up to 83.6 ft (25.5 m); one buoy reported a wave of 92 ft (28 m) but data is subject to further analysis to verify it.
The main impacts from Igor were attributed to torrential rains, leading to excessive runoff
Surface runoff
Surface runoff is the water flow that occurs when soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess water from rain, meltwater, or other sources flows over the land. This is a major component of the water cycle. Runoff that occurs on surfaces before reaching a channel is also called a nonpoint source...
and flash flooding. Several rivers rose to record levels across the Bonavista
Bonavista Peninsula
The Bonavista Peninsula is a large peninsula on the east coast of the island of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador....
and Burin Peninsula
Burin Peninsula
The Burin Peninsula is a Canadian peninsula located on the south coast of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador....
s where many roads were washed out. Entire bridges, homes and portions of roads were destroyed. In some instances, flood waters were higher than entire homes. Roughly 150 communities were temporarily isolated as all roads leading to them were severely damaged or washed out. Overall damage to roadways was regarded as "colossal" by Tom Hedderson, the minister for emergency preparedness. A 100 ft (30.5 m) section of the Trans-Canada Highway
Trans-Canada Highway
The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins the ten provinces of Canada. It is, along with the Trans-Siberian Highway and Australia's Highway 1, one of the world's longest national highways, with the main route spanning 8,030 km...
in Terra Nova National Park
Terra Nova National Park
Terra Nova National Park is located on the east coast of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, along several inlets of Bonavista Bay...
was severely eroded, leaving a large ravine behind and disconnecting the main population of Newfoundland from the rest of the island, while a bridge washout on the Burin Peninsula left 20,000 people cut off from the rest of the island. Public infrastructure losses were estimated in excess of $100 million, mainly attributed to roadways. On Random Island
Random Island
Random Island is located off Canada's Atlantic coast. Part of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, it is located on the east coast of Newfoundland and semi-surrounded by the Bonavista Peninsula on the north and within the confines of Trinity Bay...
, a man was killed when his driveway collapsed from flooding and he was swept out to sea. During the storm, portions of Clarenville
Clarenville
Clarenville is a Canadian town on the east coast of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Clarenville was incorporated in 1951 and is located in the Shoal Harbour valley fronting an arm of the Atlantic Ocean called Random Sound....
had to be evacuated.
In addition to flood damage, hurricane-force winds felled trees and power lines over large areas and many homes were damaged to varying degrees. An estimated 50,000 residences were left without electricity in the region. The small coastal community of South East Bight sustained some of the most significant wind damage where entire fishing sheds were hurled into the air. Along the East Coast hiking trail, an estimated 5,000 trees were felled. In all, losses from the hurricane were placed at $200 million, ranking it as the costliest cyclone in Newfoundland history.
Aftermath
In the wake of Igor, 30 Newfoundland communities declared a state of emergencyState of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
and Marystown Mayor Sam Synard stated, "We've never seen such a violent storm before." More than 50 families were relocated to evacuation shelters. Electricity was gradually restored to residents, with a few hundred remaining in the dark six days after Igor's passage.
In light of the widespread damage, 1,000 personnel from the Canadian military
Canadian Forces Land Force Command
The Canadian Army , previously called Land Force Command, is responsible for army operations within the Canadian Forces. The current size of the Army is 19,500 regular soldiers and 16,000 reserve soldiers, for a total of around 35,500 soldiers...
were brought in for recovery efforts. The military operation, known as Operation Lama, was to last for the duration of the emergency phase in the storm's immediate aftermath. An initial deployment of 120 soldiers and 40 vehicles arrived on September 25 from the Canadian Forces Base Gagetown
CFB Gagetown
Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, referred to as CFB Gagetown is a large Canadian Forces Base located in southwestern New Brunswick.- Construction of the base :...
in Oromocto, New Brunswick
Oromocto, New Brunswick
Oromocto is a Canadian town in Sunbury County, New Brunswick.The town is located on the west bank of the St. John River at the mouth of the Oromocto River, approximately 20 kilometres southeast of Fredericton...
arrived in Newfoundland. Three ships and a fleet of helicopters were brought to the region for the distribution of emergency aid. Temporary bridges were also set up by the military as long-term plans for reconstruction were made. On September 27, government officials stated that it would take months for cleanup efforts to finish. Operation Lama allowed for the construction of three temporary bridges, partial repairs to several buildings and personnel surveyed roughly 560 mi (901.2 km) of roads in Newfoundland. Ten days after the storm, six towns were still isolated as slow progress on temporary road reconstruction was made. Military aid continued through October 6, though the number of personnel began lessening two days earlier.
Roughly a month after the storm, a benefit concert was held in St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
, which raised about $400,000 in one night. In late October, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador allocated $275,000 in funds for 200 workers who lost their jobs after a fish processing plant was destroyed. However, union leaders claimed that the assistance was insufficient and accounted for 420 of 600 work hours. Numerous insurance claims were made in the months following Igor, reaching $65 million by early November. During the course of the recovery phase, complaints were made by several people, including church ministers, that relief funds for victims of the storm were not being distributed fast enough and the overall process taking too long. Roughly ten months after the hurricane, work on permanent reconstruction of roadways began in several areas across the Burin Peninsula.
In June 2011, a federal document detailing the actions made by province officials was released to be public and incited further outcry from residents affected by the storm. The main complaint brought about was the delay in accepting federal aid despite the severity of damage. In one instance, a resident requested a boat to get bread and water; however, emergency services responded by saying "no, buy what you want and send us the bill." In an email sent on September 21 by Denys Doiron, the Emergency Preparedness and Response Officer, Doiron wrote that local emergency services reported Igor to be the worst disaster they have had to deal with and also stated that no requests for federal aid were made.
Due to the extent of damage in Newfoundland, the name Igor was later retired by the World Meteorological Organization
World Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 189 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873...
and will never be used again for an Atlantic hurricane. It was replaced with Ian for the 2016 hurricane season. The scale of damage wrought by Igor ranked it as the costliest hurricane in Newfoundland history. In Canada's report to the World Meteorological Organization, it was stated to be a storm without parallel in the island's history. The hurricane is also considered a probable benchmark for future cyclones in the region, having illustrated to residents that they are not immune from hurricanes and their impacts.
See also
- List of Category 4 Atlantic hurricanes
- List of retired Atlantic hurricane names
- List of Canada hurricanes
External links
- The National Hurricane Center's Advisory Archive for Hurricane Igor
- The National Hurricane Center's Tropical Cyclone Report for Hurricane Igor
- Damage pictures from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
- Canadian Federal Documents on Hurricane Igor: Part 1, Part 2
- Storm Chaser George Kourounis documents Hurricane Igor