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Hurricane Maria (2005)
Encyclopedia
Hurricane Maria was a Cape Verde-type hurricane
which formed in September during the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season
. Maria was the thirteenth named storm
, sixth hurricane
, and fourth major hurricane of the record-breaking season.
Hurricane Maria formed in the central Atlantic on September 1 and tracked to the northwest, strengthening as it moved over warm waters. The storm reached its peak strength on September 5 east of Bermuda
and gradually weakened before becoming extratropical on September 10. Hurricane Maria did not affect any land as a tropical system, but it brought tropical storm-force winds to Iceland
as an extratropical storm and caused heavy rain and three fatalities in Norway.
moved off the coast of Africa on August 27. As it moved west into the Atlantic, it became more organized and the system developed into Tropical Depression Fourteen about midway between Cape Verde
and the Lesser Antilles
on September 1. Shear from an upper-level low to the southwest slowed the development of the storm and caused uncertainties in the National Hurricane Center
's forecasts, as some models indicated that the depression would dissipate and others that it would become a hurricane. The depression gradually strengthened as it moved to the northwest across the open Atlantic Ocean, becoming Tropical Storm Maria on September 2 and reaching hurricane strength on September 4.
In the central Atlantic, Hurricane Maria continued to strengthen in favorable conditions, and on September 5 briefly became a Category 3
hurricane with 115 mph (185 km/h) winds while 480 miles (770 km) east of Bermuda
. Increasing shear and cooler waters caused the storm to rapidly weaken to a minimal hurricane on September 7. Operationally, the NHC believed that Maria had briefly weakened further into a tropical storm, but post-season analysis confirmed this did not occur.
As Hurricane Maria moved to the northeast the official forecasts called for the storm to continue to weaken slowly but an interaction with an upper-level trough caused Maria to strengthen again. It was also predicted that the storm would rapidly become extratropical, but Maria retained tropical characteristics for 48 hours longer than some forecasts indicated. Maria weakened into a tropical storm on September 9 before finally becoming extratropical about midway between the Azores
and Newfoundland early on September 10.
The extratropical system intensified considerably, achieving hurricane intensity once again on September 11 at about 52°N, with a minimum pressure of 962 mbar
(hPa
) — equal to its minimum pressure as a tropical cyclone. It passed just to the south of Iceland
on September 13 as a hurricane-strength extratropical system (although the center stayed offshore). As the storm approached Norway on September 14 it merged with another strong extratropical system.
While Maria remained far from the U.S. East Coast
, rip current
s caused by the combined effects of the distant Maria and the closer Hurricane Nate
(which was near Bermuda
at the time) killed one person and seriously injured another in New Jersey
.
Maria never approached any land areas while a tropical system, but tracked toward northern Europe after becoming an extratropical storm on September 10. The first land effects were felt in Iceland
on September 12, where tropical storm-force winds were reported. The strongest winds were recorded in Vestmannaeyjar where sustained winds in excess of 67 mph (107 km/h) were reported as well as a minimum pressure of 979 mbar
. The storm then brushed the northernmost part of Scotland, with no reported damage there either. The extratropical Maria merged with another system and this storm made landfall in Norway. This storm brought tropical storm force winds and heavy rainfall to that country, and caused flood
ing and several mudslides, particularly around Bergen, the most important of which occurred in Hatlestad
. One person was killed immediately, at least nine others were injured, and numerous homes were destroyed. Marine interests were also affected, as a large number of ferries
were docked in the Baltic Sea
. On September 18, a woman died of injuries. Her daughter died on February 7, 2006, after having been kept alive in a respirator since the accident. After the storm, kr18.8 million (2005 NOK
, $3.1 million in 2005 USD
) in compensation was given for the damage.
When Maria developed on September 2, it was the earliest ever in a season that the 13th named tropical storm developed, beating the previous record held by Hurricane 13 of the 1933 season
by six days.
NHC's Tropical Cyclone Report on Hurricane Maria
NHC's archive on Hurricane Maria
Cape Verde-type hurricane
A Cape Verde-type hurricane is an Atlantic hurricane that develops near the Cape Verde islands, off the west coast of Africa. The average hurricane season has about two Cape Verde-type hurricanes, which are usually the largest and most intense storms of the season because they often have plenty of...
which formed in September during the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season
2005 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active Atlantic hurricane season in recorded history, repeatedly shattering numerous records. The impact of the season was widespread and ruinous with an estimated 3,913 deaths and record damage of about $159.2 billion...
. Maria was the thirteenth named storm
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...
, sixth hurricane
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...
, and fourth major hurricane of the record-breaking season.
Hurricane Maria formed in the central Atlantic on September 1 and tracked to the northwest, strengthening as it moved over warm waters. The storm reached its peak strength on September 5 east of 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...
and gradually weakened before becoming extratropical on September 10. Hurricane Maria did not affect any land as a tropical system, but it brought tropical storm-force winds to Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
as an extratropical storm and caused heavy rain and three fatalities in Norway.
Meteorological history
A powerful tropical waveTropical 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...
moved off the coast of Africa on August 27. As it moved west into the Atlantic, it became more organized and the system developed into Tropical Depression Fourteen about midway between Cape Verde
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
and the Lesser Antilles
Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles are a long, partly volcanic island arc in the Western Hemisphere. Most of its islands form the eastern boundary of the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, with the remainder located in the southern Caribbean just north of South America...
on September 1. Shear from an upper-level low to the southwest slowed the development of the storm and caused uncertainties in 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...
's forecasts, as some models indicated that the depression would dissipate and others that it would become a hurricane. The depression gradually strengthened as it moved to the northwest across the open Atlantic Ocean, becoming Tropical Storm Maria on September 2 and reaching hurricane strength on September 4.
In the central Atlantic, Hurricane Maria continued to strengthen in favorable conditions, and on September 5 briefly became a Category 3
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
hurricane with 115 mph (185 km/h) winds while 480 miles (770 km) east of 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...
. Increasing shear and cooler waters caused the storm to rapidly weaken to a minimal hurricane on September 7. Operationally, the NHC believed that Maria had briefly weakened further into a tropical storm, but post-season analysis confirmed this did not occur.
As Hurricane Maria moved to the northeast the official forecasts called for the storm to continue to weaken slowly but an interaction with an upper-level trough caused Maria to strengthen again. It was also predicted that the storm would rapidly become extratropical, but Maria retained tropical characteristics for 48 hours longer than some forecasts indicated. Maria weakened into a tropical storm on September 9 before finally becoming extratropical about midway between the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
and Newfoundland early on September 10.
The extratropical system intensified considerably, achieving hurricane intensity once again on September 11 at about 52°N, with a minimum pressure of 962 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...
) — equal to its minimum pressure as a tropical cyclone. It passed just to the south of Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
on September 13 as a hurricane-strength extratropical system (although the center stayed offshore). As the storm approached Norway on September 14 it merged with another strong extratropical system.
Impact and records
While Maria remained far from the U.S. East Coast
East 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...
, 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 caused by the combined effects of the distant Maria and the closer Hurricane Nate
Hurricane Nate (2005)
Hurricane Nate was an Atlantic hurricane that threatened Bermuda but remained at sea during early September 2005. The fourteenth named storm and seventh hurricane of the 2005 season, Hurricane Nate formed to the southwest of Bermuda on September 5 and initially moved very slowly to the northeast...
(which was near 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...
at the time) killed one person and seriously injured another in 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...
.
Maria never approached any land areas while a tropical system, but tracked toward northern Europe after becoming an extratropical storm on September 10. The first land effects were felt in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
on September 12, where tropical storm-force winds were reported. The strongest winds were recorded in Vestmannaeyjar where sustained winds in excess of 67 mph (107 km/h) were reported as well as a minimum pressure of 979 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...
. The storm then brushed the northernmost part of Scotland, with no reported damage there either. The extratropical Maria merged with another system and this storm made landfall in Norway. This storm brought tropical storm force winds and heavy rainfall to that country, and caused flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
ing and several mudslides, particularly around Bergen, the most important of which occurred in Hatlestad
Hatlestad Slide
Users searching for 'Hatlestad' are redirected here as no article on the last name or locations exist. You can help Wikipedia by creating them.The Hatlestad Slide was a slide of mud and rock which occurred in the early morning of September 14, 2005 in a rural area in Bergen, Norway, as a result of...
. One person was killed immediately, at least nine others were injured, and numerous homes were destroyed. Marine interests were also affected, as a large number of ferries
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
were docked in the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
. On September 18, a woman died of injuries. Her daughter died on February 7, 2006, after having been kept alive in a respirator since the accident. After the storm, kr18.8 million (2005 NOK
Norwegian krone
The krone is the currency of Norway and its dependent territories. The plural form is kroner . It is subdivided into 100 øre. The ISO 4217 code is NOK, although the common local abbreviation is kr. The name translates into English as "crown"...
, $3.1 million in 2005 USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
) in compensation was given for the damage.
When Maria developed on September 2, it was the earliest ever in a season that the 13th named tropical storm developed, beating the previous record held by Hurricane 13 of the 1933 season
1933 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1933 Atlantic hurricane season was the second most active Atlantic hurricane season on record, with 21 storms forming during that year in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. The season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1933, and was surpassed in total number of tropical cyclones by...
by six days.
See also
- List of Atlantic hurricanes
- List of 2005 Atlantic hurricane season storms
- Timeline of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane seasonTimeline of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane seasonThe timeline of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season documents the formations, strengthenings, weakenings, landfalls, extratropical transitions, and dissipations of the season's tropical and subtropical storms. The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active Atlantic hurricane season in...
- List of New Jersey hurricanes
- Other storms with the same nameHurricane Maria (2011)Hurricane Maria was the thirteenth named storm and third hurricane of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season. Maria developed from a strong tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa in early September. Moving westward, the wave organized rapidly, and became a tropical storm on September 6...