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Hurricane Tanya (1995)
Encyclopedia
Hurricane Tanya was the final storm of the very active 1995 Atlantic hurricane season
. The twenty-first tropical cyclone, nineteenth named storm, and eleventh hurricane of the season, Tanya developed from a tropical wave while well north of the Lesser Antilles
on October 26. The system headed northeastward and strengthened into Tropical Storm Tanya on October 27. Tanya meandered around the central Atlantic, and further intensified into a hurricane on October 29. Thereafter, Tanya tracked northeastward before curving to the east-northeast. After switching to an eastward direction, Tanya weakened to a tropical storm on November 1. Later that day, Tanya passed through the Azores
as it was transitioning into an extratropical cyclone.
Throughout the Azores, the extratropical remnants of Tanya produced high winds. As a result, extensive property damage occurred, which included destroyed or damaged houses, and sunken boats; there were also reports of significant damage to agriculture. However, an exact damage toll figure in unknown. In addition, there was one fatality and several injuries.
that moved off the western coast of Africa
in the middle of October. The wave closely followed the path of Tropical Storm Sebastien
and was unable to develop in the tropical Atlantic as it moved westward. The system did not begin to become organized until October 25 while south-southeast of Bermuda
. However, the Dvorak technique
was still unable to classify the system until October 26 as the low-cloud swirl became better organized while moving northward in the central Atlantic. That evening, a closed circulation had formed, and it was classified as Tropical Depression Twenty-One by the National Hurricane Center
. On the morning of October 27, it strengthened into a tropical storm, becoming the 19th as well as the final named storm of the season. Operationally, it was not declared a tropical cyclone until that point, when it was immediately declared Tropical Storm Tanya.
Immediately after becoming a tropical storm, the movement of Tanya became hindered by a nearby upper-level low, and it quickly turned eastward before virtually stalling early on October 28. The upper-level low also influenced Tanya in giving it some subtropical characteristics
, including a comma
-shaped cloud band and maximum winds far from the center of the storm at the time. Despite that, the storm gradually strengthened as it remained over warm waters of about 81 °F (27 °C). That afternoon, it gained full tropical characteristics, as an eye
featured was beginning to form in the central dense overcast. The eye became clearly defined, although it was small in size. Early on October 29, Tropical Storm Tanya was upgraded to a hurricane, the 11th of the 1995 season, as it turned northward in response to the nearby low.
Later on October 29, while slowly tracking north, Tanya leveled off as a low-end Category 1
hurricane. By the next morning, a cold front
to the west forced Tanya to accelerate in a more easterly track . It remained fairly well organized with a distinct eye as it became wedged in a narrow zone of warm air between the cold front to the west and the upper-level low to the northeast. Despite slightly cooler water, Tanya strengthened a bit more that afternoon, reaching its peak intensity of 85 mph (135 km/h) with a 972 mbar central pressure as the forward speed increased. That intensity was maintained until late on October 31, when Tanya began to weaken as it traveled over cooler waters and the eye became obscured.
Early on November 1, Tanya began to lose tropical characteristics while still a hurricane. Hurricane Tanya was also heading rapidly northeast towards the Azores
at the time. Tanya was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm on November 1. Despite weakening, the wind field of Tanya became larger. That evening, Tanya was declared fully extratropical as it passed the Azores. The remnant cyclone turned north, before being absorbed by another extratropical cyclone early on November 3.
, Pico
, Terceira
and São Jorge. Extensive property damage was reported, including many sunk boat
s, many houses were damaged and some destroyed and significant agricultural damage. Many trees and power lines were also knocked down, cutting electricity
and hampering communication
s in the area. The highest wind gusts reported in the Azores were around 105 mph (170 km/h). After the storm, a resolution was submitted to the European Parliament
by the Government of Portugal
and a disaster area
was declared in the islands. One Spanish
fisherman drowned and several people were injured.
There were many reports of tropical storm-force winds from ships in the north Atlantic. One ship, with the call sign GBSA, encountered Tanya's winds twice and reported the strongest winds from any ship, 71 mph (112 km/h).
Hurricane Tanya was the first storm to be designated with a name starting with "T" since naming of Atlantic tropical cyclones began in 1950.
1995 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1995 Atlantic hurricane season was the third most active Atlantic hurricane season on record. It officially began on June 1, 1995, and lasted until November 30, 1995. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the north Atlantic ocean...
. The twenty-first tropical cyclone, nineteenth named storm, and eleventh hurricane of the season, Tanya developed from a tropical wave while well north of 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 October 26. The system headed northeastward and strengthened into Tropical Storm Tanya on October 27. Tanya meandered around the central Atlantic, and further intensified into a hurricane on October 29. Thereafter, Tanya tracked northeastward before curving to the east-northeast. After switching to an eastward direction, Tanya weakened to a tropical storm on November 1. Later that day, Tanya passed through 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...
as it was transitioning into an extratropical cyclone.
Throughout the Azores, the extratropical remnants of Tanya produced high winds. As a result, extensive property damage occurred, which included destroyed or damaged houses, and sunken boats; there were also reports of significant damage to agriculture. However, an exact damage toll figure in unknown. In addition, there was one fatality and several injuries.
Meteorological history
The origins of Hurricane Tanya were from a 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...
that moved off the western 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...
in the middle of October. The wave closely followed the path of Tropical Storm Sebastien
Tropical Storm Sebastien (1995)
Tropical Storm Sebastien was the twentieth cyclone of the active 1995 Atlantic hurricane season. Sebastien originated from a tropical wave that near the coast of Africa on October 13 and moved westward toward the Caribbean Sea. The wave increased in convection and became Tropical Depression Twenty...
and was unable to develop in the tropical Atlantic as it moved westward. The system did not begin to become organized until October 25 while south-southeast 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...
. However, the Dvorak technique
Dvorak technique
The Dvorak technique is a widely used system to subjectively estimate tropical cyclone intensity based solely on visible and infrared satellite images. Several agencies issue Dvorak intensity numbers for cyclones of sufficient intensity...
was still unable to classify the system until October 26 as the low-cloud swirl became better organized while moving northward in the central Atlantic. That evening, a closed circulation had formed, and it was classified as Tropical Depression Twenty-One 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...
. On the morning of October 27, it strengthened into a tropical storm, becoming the 19th as well as the final named storm of the season. Operationally, it was not declared a tropical cyclone until that point, when it was immediately declared Tropical Storm Tanya.
Immediately after becoming a tropical storm, the movement of Tanya became hindered by a nearby upper-level low, and it quickly turned eastward before virtually stalling early on October 28. The upper-level low also influenced Tanya in giving it some subtropical characteristics
Subtropical cyclone
A subtropical cyclone is a weather system that has some characteristics of a tropical and an extratropical cyclone. As early as the 1950s, meteorologists were unclear whether they should be characterized as tropical or extratropical cyclones. They were officially recognized by the National...
, including a comma
Comma
A comma is a type of punctuation mark . The word comes from the Greek komma , which means something cut off or a short clause.Comma may also refer to:* Comma , a type of interval in music theory...
-shaped cloud band and maximum winds far from the center of the storm at the time. Despite that, the storm gradually strengthened as it remained over warm waters of about 81 °F (27 °C). That afternoon, it gained full tropical characteristics, as an eye
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...
featured was beginning to form in the central dense overcast. The eye became clearly defined, although it was small in size. Early on October 29, Tropical Storm Tanya was upgraded to a hurricane, the 11th of the 1995 season, as it turned northward in response to the nearby low.
Later on October 29, while slowly tracking north, Tanya leveled off as a low-end Category 1
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. By the next morning, a cold front
Cold front
A cold front is defined as the leading edge of a cooler mass of air, replacing a warmer mass of air.-Development of cold front:The cooler and denser air wedges under the less-dense warmer air, lifting it...
to the west forced Tanya to accelerate in a more easterly track . It remained fairly well organized with a distinct eye as it became wedged in a narrow zone of warm air between the cold front to the west and the upper-level low to the northeast. Despite slightly cooler water, Tanya strengthened a bit more that afternoon, reaching its peak intensity of 85 mph (135 km/h) with a 972 mbar central pressure as the forward speed increased. That intensity was maintained until late on October 31, when Tanya began to weaken as it traveled over cooler waters and the eye became obscured.
Early on November 1, Tanya began to lose tropical characteristics while still a hurricane. Hurricane Tanya was also heading rapidly northeast towards 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...
at the time. Tanya was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm on November 1. Despite weakening, the wind field of Tanya became larger. That evening, Tanya was declared fully extratropical as it passed the Azores. The remnant cyclone turned north, before being absorbed by another extratropical cyclone early on November 3.
Impact, naming and records
Hurricane Tanya was not considered a threat to land, as it did not move through the Azores while a tropical cyclone. The Azores were hit very hard by the storm, which had just been declared extratropical when it hit the region. Damage was particularly severe on the islands of FaialFaial Island
Faial Island , also known in English as Fayal, is a Portuguese island of the Central Group of the Azores....
, Pico
Pico Island
Pico Island , is an island in the Central Group of the Portuguese Azores noted for its eponymous volcano, Ponta do Pico, which is the highest mountain in Portugal, the Azores, and the highest elevation of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge...
, Terceira
Terceira Island
Referred to as the “Ilha Lilás” , Terceira is an island in the Azores archipelago, in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the larger islands of the archipelago, with a population of 56,000 inhabitants in an area of approximately 396.75 km²...
and São Jorge. Extensive property damage was reported, including many sunk boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
s, many houses were damaged and some destroyed and significant agricultural damage. Many trees and power lines were also knocked down, cutting electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
and hampering communication
Communication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
s in the area. The highest wind gusts reported in the Azores were around 105 mph (170 km/h). After the storm, a resolution was submitted to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
by the Government of Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and a disaster area
Disaster area
A disaster area is a region or a locale heavily damaged by either natural hazards, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, floods, earthquakes, technological hazards including nuclear and radiation accidents, or sociological hazards like riots, terrorism or war. The population living there often...
was declared in the islands. One Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
fisherman drowned and several people were injured.
There were many reports of tropical storm-force winds from ships in the north Atlantic. One ship, with the call sign GBSA, encountered Tanya's winds twice and reported the strongest winds from any ship, 71 mph (112 km/h).
Hurricane Tanya was the first storm to be designated with a name starting with "T" since naming of Atlantic tropical cyclones began in 1950.
See also
- List of Atlantic hurricanes
- 1995 Atlantic hurricane season1995 Atlantic hurricane seasonThe 1995 Atlantic hurricane season was the third most active Atlantic hurricane season on record. It officially began on June 1, 1995, and lasted until November 30, 1995. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the north Atlantic ocean...
- Timeline of the 1995 Atlantic hurricane seasonTimeline of the 1995 Atlantic hurricane seasonThis timeline documents all the storm formations, strengthening, weakening, landfalls, extratropical transitions, as well as dissipation during the 1995 Atlantic hurricane season. The season officially began on June 1, 1995, and ended on November 30, and no storms formed off-season...
External links
- NHC's Preliminary Report on Hurricane Tanya