Hurricane Tomas
Encyclopedia
Hurricane Tomas was the nineteenth named storm and twelfth hurricane of the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season
. Tomas developed from a tropical wave
east of the Windward Islands
on October 29. Quickly intensifying into a hurricane, it moved through the Windward Islands
and passed very near Saint Lucia
. After reaching Category 2 status on the Saffir-Simpson scale
, Tomas quickly weakened to a tropical storm in the central Caribbean Sea
, due to strong wind shear and dry air. Tomas later regained hurricane status as it reorganized near the Windward passage
.
Throughout the hurricane's path, at least 69 people are known to have been killed, 7 of whom were in Saint Lucia. Monetary losses throughout the Windward Islands were estimated at US$588 million, mainly in Saint Lucia. In the wake of the storm in Haiti
, flooding intensified an ongoing cholera outbreak indirectly causing more fatalities. According to a report released in December 2010, 55 people were killed in Cuba and Hispanola, though the distribution of these fatalities are unknown. Overall damage from the storm was at least $626 million.
, or elongated low pressure area
, exited the western coast of Africa on October 25, and was soon embedded within the Intertropical Convergence Zone
. Moving quickly westward, the west contained scattered areas of strong convection, or thunderstorms, as well as a broad circulation
. The National Hurricane Center
(NHC) first mentioned the wave in its Tropical Weather Outlook on October 27 when the system was located about 1200 miles (1940 km) east-southeast of the Lesser Antilles
. At the time, the agency assessed a 10% chance for tropical cyclogenesis
within 48 hours, noting that conditions would become more favorable for development in a few days. By October 28, the system was becoming better organized, with a large area of convection. The next day, Hurricane Hunters
investigated the disturbance and reported a developing surface circulation with tropical storm force winds. As a result, the NHC initiated advisories on Tropical Storm Tomas late on October 29 when the system was about 290 miles (470 km) east-southeast of St. Vincent
.
Upon being classified, Tomas was in an area of low wind shear and high moisture, both supportive of rapid intensification
. At the time, the low-level and upper-level circulations were not vertically aligned, which was expected to cause slow strengthening. The NHC forecast indicated that Tomas was expected to attain hurricane status within 36 to 48 hours. By three hours after it was classified, however, the winds had already increased to 60 mph (95 km/h). The outflow
became well-established in all quadrants as deep convection increased into a prominent rain band. Radar on Martinique indicated an eye
was forming, and Tomas continued west-northwestward toward the Lesser Antilles, steered by a ridge
to its north. While located only 35 miles (55 km) east of St. Vincent, Tomas attained hurricane status, based on Hurricane Hunters recording surface winds of 75 mph (120 km/h). At the time, the eye's diameter ranged from 35–46 miles (56–74 km).
On October 31, Hurricane Tomas passed very near Saint Lucia
as an intensifying cyclone, producing 92 mph (148 km/h) winds on the island. By later in the day, it became increasingly better organized, and reports from the Hurricane Hunters indicated that the winds increased to 100 mph (160 km/h), a Category 2 on the Saffir-Simpson scale
. Concurrently, the storm was being impacted by southwesterly wind shear, which computer models forecasted to increase. Despite the shear, Tomas was forecast to strengthen into a major hurricane. However, Tomas weakened as the convection waned near the center, due to the shear and dry air, and by early on November 1 diminished to tropical storm status. Later that day, the storm was described as a "highly sheared tropical cyclone", because the circulation became dislocated from the convection by more than 100 miles (160 km). As a result, the winds were estimated to have decreased to 45 mph (75 km/h), although an area of thunderstorms reformed northeast of the center. Over the subsequent day the structure became better organized, with more deep convection over the center due to lighter shear and a moister environment. By that time, it was passing just north of the ABC Islands. However, the structure again deteriorated, and Tomas weakened to tropical depression status on November 3 about 325 miles (520 km) southeast of Kingston, Jamaica.
Upon weakening to tropical depression status, Tomas maintained a poorly defined and elongated circulation, with little convective organization near the center. The NHC described the weakening as "difficult to explain", due to generally favorable conditions. The circulation lost further definition, becoming part of an elongated area of low pressure across the western Caribbean, and the NHC sent a Hurricane Hunters plane to determine whether Tomas was still a tropical cyclone. The flight determined that the circulation reformed to the northeast, and Tomas re-intensified into a tropical storm late on November 3. Gradual intensification occurred as it tracked north-northwestward, although initially the low-level and mid-level centers were non-aligned. By late on November 4, the circulation was still dislocated from the deepest convection, indicative of the presence of wind shear. Around that time, Tomas was turning northward as it passed around the western periphery of the subtropical ridge. Over a six hour period, there was an increase in organization of the cyclone's core thunderstorm activity, with a corresponding quick drop in central pressure. As it turned northeastward through the Windward Passage
, Tomas regained hurricane status by 0900 UTC on November 5, just 36 miles (58 km) west-southwest of the western tip of Haiti
.
After re-attaining hurricane status, Tomas accelerated to the northeast due to an approaching trough, passing between eastern Cuba and western Haiti. Due to land interaction, the convection became slightly ragged-looking near the center, although atmospheric conditions favored continued intensification. During the afternoon of November 7, strong wind shear caused by the approaching upper level trough caused Tomas to weaken back to a tropical depression status. Late on November 7, the National Hurricane Center issued its last advisory on Tomas as it became an extratropical cyclone
. Early on November 10, the extratropical remnants of Hurricane Tomas whisked northeastward by another extratropical storm, just off the coast of the northeast United States. The system subsequently raced off into the north Atlantic ocean, until they it was absorbed by another extratropical system east of the British Isles on November 14.
, Venezuela, and northern Guyana
, due to the tropical wave of which later developed into Hurricane Tomas. Upon development of Tropical Storm Tomas, most of the Windward Islands
were put under a tropical storm warning
, issued by their respective Governments; a tropical storm watch was also issued for Dominica
. Six hours later as Tomas was nearly a hurricane, the tropical storm warning was replaced by a hurricane warning in Barbados
, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, and Martinique
; the tropical storm watch in Dominica was also upgraded to a tropical storm warning.
In Barbados, people evacuated to schools and shelters for safety during the storm. On St. Lucia, the government closed the island's two airports and ordered the closure of all businesses. Additionally, a large Creole
festival was canceled due to the storm. Officials in Trinidad and Tobago closed beaches across the country.
In St. Vincent, the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) issued advisories that a tropical system was approaching the country. The rapid intensification of Tomas caught many citizens in St. Vincent off guard. Early on October 30, the Prime Minister addressed the nation and informed the country of the situation it was facing.
Following the west-southwesterly motion of the storm, swells generated by Tomas produced breaking waves on coastal sections of the ABC islands during the morning of November 1. Consequently, a small craft advisory
was issued at 1415 UTC
for all three islands. In addition, a state of severe weather was declared for Bonaire and Curaçao
during the passage of Tomas. In Haiti
, the country which was devastated earlier in the year from a deadly January 12 earthquake
, government officials began preparing for possible impact from Tomas by October 30. One United Nations spokesperson remarked that a hurricane strike would be "the last thing Haiti needs". The Haitian government issued a orange storm alert, one level short of the highest state of alert, and warned for the possibility of winds, thunderstorms, and flooding.
recorded sustained winds of 48 mph (77 km/h), with gusts to 69 mph (110 km/h). There was widespread damage to homes and power lines. The winds destroyed the roof of a hospital and a school, with several trees and power lines blown down. Additionally, a station on Martinique reported a gust of 51 mph (82 km/h).
On Saint Vincent
, there were no deaths but two persons sustained serious injuries while trying to effect repairs to house roofs and two persons were reported missing. The two persons reported missing were found on November 1, off the island of Balliceaux. The National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) declared all areas from Park Hill to Owia on the eastern side and all areas from Belle Isle to Fitz Hughes on the western side disaster zones. It was also reported that the agriculture sector sustained over US$25 million(EC$67 million) worth of damage. Over 1200 people were forced to seek refuge in hurricane shelters across St. Vincent. About 600 houses lost their roofs. A lot of downed power lines, trees and landslides made some roads impassable but NEMO, the Bridges Roads and General Services Authority (BRAGSA) and the St. Vincent Electricity Services Company (VINLEC) were able to clear the main road by the November 1.
St. Lucia arguably had sustained the worst damage from the storm overall. Throughout St. Lucia, severe flooding and mudslides resulted in at least 14 fatalities. According to a government minister, several other people were missing and buried in landslides. By the morning of November 2, two more fatalities were confirmed on the island.
, located off the northern coast of Venezuela.
Although Tomas did not directly strike the ABC islands, the storm's rainbands produced torrential rains over the islands, triggering localized flooding during the night of November 1 to November 2. In total, at least 10.4 in (265 mm) of precipitation was recorded on the territory. Majority of local roads were made impassable, with several cars stranded and hundreds of houses flooded. A severe thunderstorm caused large scale power, TV and radio station outages across the islands. In Curaçao, a rescue worker helping with the evacuation of a local hospital was killed by the collapse of a wall. An elderly man drowned after suffering a fatal heart attack while unable to exit his flooded car. Authorities were forced to delay some flights from Curaçao International Airport
due to persistent storm conditions. All schools across the islands were closed on November 2 and 3 as a result of the storm.
Lightning produced by Tomas sparked three large fires in a major oil refinery in Willemstad
. The fires inflicted severe damage to several tanks, estimated at US$10 million. Of all three islands, Curaçao reported the worst flood damage; insured losses across the island amounted to approximately NAƒ110 million (US$63 million), although total monetary damage was as high as NAƒ200 million (US$115 million).
, one of the largest refugee camps set up near the ruins of the capitol building was flooded following heavy rains. By the evening of November 8, 20 people had been confirmed dead, 7 others were listed as missing and more than 30 000 people were in shelters. Health workers also feared damage related to Tomas on the island could exacerbate the ongoing cholera outbreak. Tomas passed just to the east of Cuba hours later, but no significant damage was reported on the island. As the outer bands of Hurricane Tomas began to impact Cuba, Aero Caribbean Flight 883
, an ATR-72-212 aircraft, crashed near the town of Guasimal
in Sancti Spíritus
province. All 68 people on-board the plane were killed on impact. Although the plane was the last to leave the airport in Santiago de Cuba before it closed due to Tomas, it is unknown what role, if any, the storm played in the crash. Following a review of the crash, it was determined that severe ice accumulation, at an altitude of 20000 ft (6,096 m), along with errors by the crew caused the incident.
$17 million (~US$8.5 million). Throughout the northern part of St. Vincent, the entire banana crop was lost. Press reports from the Prime Minister revealed that nearly every banana tree had been downed during the storm. The country's banana crop is a major source of income and jobs, accounting for roughly 60% of the workforce and 50% of the merchandise exported.
Damage from the storm on Trinidad and Tobago amounted to TT$
4 million (US$629,000). Losses in Barbados reached Bds$17 million (US$8.4 million). The Government of St. Lucia stated that damage from the storm could exceed US$100 million. By November 5, the Prime Minister stated that damage from Tomas was roughly EC$1.3 billion ($500 million USD), five times higher than initially stated.
Due to the extent of damage across the Caribbean, the name Tomas was later retired by the World Meteorological Organization
and will never be used again for an Atlantic hurricane. It was replaced with Tobias for the 2016 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...
. Tomas developed from 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...
east of the Windward Islands
Windward Islands
The Windward Islands are the southern islands of the Lesser Antilles, within the West Indies.-Name and geography:The Windward Islands are called such because they were more windward to sailing ships arriving in the New World than the Leeward Islands, given that the prevailing trade winds in the...
on October 29. Quickly intensifying into a hurricane, it moved through the Windward Islands
Windward Islands
The Windward Islands are the southern islands of the Lesser Antilles, within the West Indies.-Name and geography:The Windward Islands are called such because they were more windward to sailing ships arriving in the New World than the Leeward Islands, given that the prevailing trade winds in the...
and passed very near Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
. After reaching Category 2 status on the Saffir-Simpson scale
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...
, Tomas quickly weakened to a tropical storm in the central Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
, due to strong wind shear and dry air. Tomas later regained hurricane status as it reorganized near the Windward passage
Windward Passage
The Windward Passage is a strait in the Caribbean Sea, between the islands of Cuba and Hispaniola. The strait specifically lies between the easternmost region of Cuba and the northwest of Haiti.80km wide, the Windward Passage has a threshold depth of 1,700m...
.
Throughout the hurricane's path, at least 69 people are known to have been killed, 7 of whom were in Saint Lucia. Monetary losses throughout the Windward Islands were estimated at US$588 million, mainly in Saint Lucia. In the wake of the storm in 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...
, flooding intensified an ongoing cholera outbreak indirectly causing more fatalities. According to a report released in December 2010, 55 people were killed in Cuba and Hispanola, though the distribution of these fatalities are unknown. Overall damage from the storm was at least $626 million.
Meteorological history
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...
, or elongated low pressure area
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...
, exited the western coast of Africa on October 25, and was soon embedded within the Intertropical Convergence Zone
Intertropical Convergence Zone
The Intertropical Convergence Zone , known by sailors as The Doldrums, is the area encircling the earth near the equator where winds originating in the northern and southern hemispheres come together....
. Moving quickly westward, the west contained scattered areas of strong convection, or thunderstorms, as well as a broad circulation
Atmospheric circulation
Atmospheric circulation is the large-scale movement of air, and the means by which thermal energy is distributed on the surface of the Earth....
. 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) first mentioned the wave in its Tropical Weather Outlook on October 27 when the system was located about 1200 miles (1940 km) east-southeast 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...
. At the time, the agency assessed a 10% chance for tropical cyclogenesis
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...
within 48 hours, noting that conditions would become more favorable for development in a few days. By October 28, the system was becoming better organized, with a large area of convection. The next day, 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...
investigated the disturbance and reported a developing surface circulation with tropical storm force winds. As a result, the NHC initiated advisories on Tropical Storm Tomas late on October 29 when the system was about 290 miles (470 km) east-southeast of St. Vincent
Saint Vincent (island)
Saint Vincent is a volcanic island in the Caribbean. It is the largest island of the chain called Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It is located in the Caribbean Sea, between Saint Lucia and Grenada. It is composed of partially submerged volcanic mountains...
.
Upon being classified, Tomas was in an area of low wind shear and high moisture, both supportive of rapid 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...
. At the time, the low-level and upper-level circulations were not vertically aligned, which was expected to cause slow strengthening. The NHC forecast indicated that Tomas was expected to attain hurricane status within 36 to 48 hours. By three hours after it was classified, however, the winds had already increased to 60 mph (95 km/h). The outflow
Outflow (meteorology)
Outflow, in meteorology, is air that flows outwards from a storm system. It is associated with ridging, or anticyclonic flow. In the low levels of the troposphere, outflow radiates from thunderstorms in the form of a wedge of rain-cooled air, which is visible as a thin rope-like cloud on weather...
became well-established in all quadrants as deep convection increased into a prominent rain band. Radar on Martinique indicated 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...
was forming, and Tomas continued west-northwestward toward the Lesser Antilles, steered by a ridge
Ridge (meteorology)
A ridge is an elongated region of relatively high atmospheric pressure, the opposite of a trough....
to its north. While located only 35 miles (55 km) east of St. Vincent, Tomas attained hurricane status, based on Hurricane Hunters recording surface winds of 75 mph (120 km/h). At the time, the eye's diameter ranged from 35–46 miles (56–74 km).
On October 31, Hurricane Tomas passed very near Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
as an intensifying cyclone, producing 92 mph (148 km/h) winds on the island. By later in the day, it became increasingly better organized, and reports from the Hurricane Hunters indicated that the winds increased to 100 mph (160 km/h), a Category 2 on the Saffir-Simpson scale
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...
. Concurrently, the storm was being impacted by southwesterly wind shear, which computer models forecasted to increase. Despite the shear, Tomas was forecast to strengthen into a major hurricane. However, Tomas weakened as the convection waned near the center, due to the shear and dry air, and by early on November 1 diminished to tropical storm status. Later that day, the storm was described as a "highly sheared tropical cyclone", because the circulation became dislocated from the convection by more than 100 miles (160 km). As a result, the winds were estimated to have decreased to 45 mph (75 km/h), although an area of thunderstorms reformed northeast of the center. Over the subsequent day the structure became better organized, with more deep convection over the center due to lighter shear and a moister environment. By that time, it was passing just north of the ABC Islands. However, the structure again deteriorated, and Tomas weakened to tropical depression status on November 3 about 325 miles (520 km) southeast of Kingston, Jamaica.
Upon weakening to tropical depression status, Tomas maintained a poorly defined and elongated circulation, with little convective organization near the center. The NHC described the weakening as "difficult to explain", due to generally favorable conditions. The circulation lost further definition, becoming part of an elongated area of low pressure across the western Caribbean, and the NHC sent a Hurricane Hunters plane to determine whether Tomas was still a tropical cyclone. The flight determined that the circulation reformed to the northeast, and Tomas re-intensified into a tropical storm late on November 3. Gradual intensification occurred as it tracked north-northwestward, although initially the low-level and mid-level centers were non-aligned. By late on November 4, the circulation was still dislocated from the deepest convection, indicative of the presence of wind shear. Around that time, Tomas was turning northward as it passed around the western periphery of the subtropical ridge. Over a six hour period, there was an increase in organization of the cyclone's core thunderstorm activity, with a corresponding quick drop in central pressure. As it turned northeastward through the Windward Passage
Windward Passage
The Windward Passage is a strait in the Caribbean Sea, between the islands of Cuba and Hispaniola. The strait specifically lies between the easternmost region of Cuba and the northwest of Haiti.80km wide, the Windward Passage has a threshold depth of 1,700m...
, Tomas regained hurricane status by 0900 UTC on November 5, just 36 miles (58 km) west-southwest of the western tip of 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...
.
After re-attaining hurricane status, Tomas accelerated to the northeast due to an approaching trough, passing between eastern Cuba and western Haiti. Due to land interaction, the convection became slightly ragged-looking near the center, although atmospheric conditions favored continued intensification. During the afternoon of November 7, strong wind shear caused by the approaching upper level trough caused Tomas to weaken back to a tropical depression status. Late on November 7, the National Hurricane Center issued its last advisory on Tomas as it became 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...
. Early on November 10, the extratropical remnants of Hurricane Tomas whisked northeastward by another extratropical storm, just off the coast of the northeast United States. The system subsequently raced off into the north Atlantic ocean, until they it was absorbed by another extratropical system east of the British Isles on November 14.
Preparations
Prior to the development of Tomas, the NHC noted the potential for heavy rainfall and strong wind gusts to spread across the Windward IslandsWindward Islands
The Windward Islands are the southern islands of the Lesser Antilles, within the West Indies.-Name and geography:The Windward Islands are called such because they were more windward to sailing ships arriving in the New World than the Leeward Islands, given that the prevailing trade winds in the...
, Venezuela, and northern Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
, due to the tropical wave of which later developed into Hurricane Tomas. Upon development of Tropical Storm Tomas, most of the Windward Islands
Windward Islands
The Windward Islands are the southern islands of the Lesser Antilles, within the West Indies.-Name and geography:The Windward Islands are called such because they were more windward to sailing ships arriving in the New World than the Leeward Islands, given that the prevailing trade winds in the...
were put under a tropical storm warning
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...
, issued by their respective Governments; a tropical storm watch was also issued for Dominica
Dominica
Dominica , officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles region of the Caribbean Sea, south-southeast of Guadeloupe and northwest of Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth...
. Six hours later as Tomas was nearly a hurricane, the tropical storm warning was replaced by a hurricane warning in Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, and Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
; the tropical storm watch in Dominica was also upgraded to a tropical storm warning.
In Barbados, people evacuated to schools and shelters for safety during the storm. On St. Lucia, the government closed the island's two airports and ordered the closure of all businesses. Additionally, a large Creole
Creole peoples
The term Creole and its cognates in other languages — such as crioulo, criollo, créole, kriolu, criol, kreyol, kreol, kriulo, kriol, krio, etc. — have been applied to people in different countries and epochs, with rather different meanings...
festival was canceled due to the storm. Officials in Trinidad and Tobago closed beaches across the country.
In St. Vincent, the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) issued advisories that a tropical system was approaching the country. The rapid intensification of Tomas caught many citizens in St. Vincent off guard. Early on October 30, the Prime Minister addressed the nation and informed the country of the situation it was facing.
Following the west-southwesterly motion of the storm, swells generated by Tomas produced breaking waves on coastal sections of the ABC islands during the morning of November 1. Consequently, a small craft advisory
Small craft advisory
A small craft advisory is a type of warning issued by the National Weather Service in the United States, most frequently in coastal areas. It is issued when winds have reached, or are expected to reach within 12 hours, a speed marginally less than gale force....
was issued at 1415 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...
for all three islands. In addition, a state of severe weather was declared for Bonaire and Curaçao
Curaçao
Curaçao is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast. The Country of Curaçao , which includes the main island plus the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao , is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
during the passage of Tomas. In 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...
, the country which was devastated earlier in the year from a deadly January 12 earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
, government officials began preparing for possible impact from Tomas by October 30. One United Nations spokesperson remarked that a hurricane strike would be "the last thing Haiti needs". The Haitian government issued a orange storm alert, one level short of the highest state of alert, and warned for the possibility of winds, thunderstorms, and flooding.
Lesser Antilles
Barbados and the Windward Islands
As Tomas passed 20 miles (32.2 km) to the south of Barbados, it produced a wind gust of 63 mph (100 km/h), which damaged homes and power lines on the island. There were also reports of blown off roofs, impassable roads and uprooted trees. Later, a station on Saint LuciaSaint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
recorded sustained winds of 48 mph (77 km/h), with gusts to 69 mph (110 km/h). There was widespread damage to homes and power lines. The winds destroyed the roof of a hospital and a school, with several trees and power lines blown down. Additionally, a station on Martinique reported a gust of 51 mph (82 km/h).
On Saint Vincent
Saint Vincent (island)
Saint Vincent is a volcanic island in the Caribbean. It is the largest island of the chain called Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It is located in the Caribbean Sea, between Saint Lucia and Grenada. It is composed of partially submerged volcanic mountains...
, there were no deaths but two persons sustained serious injuries while trying to effect repairs to house roofs and two persons were reported missing. The two persons reported missing were found on November 1, off the island of Balliceaux. The National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) declared all areas from Park Hill to Owia on the eastern side and all areas from Belle Isle to Fitz Hughes on the western side disaster zones. It was also reported that the agriculture sector sustained over US$25 million(EC$67 million) worth of damage. Over 1200 people were forced to seek refuge in hurricane shelters across St. Vincent. About 600 houses lost their roofs. A lot of downed power lines, trees and landslides made some roads impassable but NEMO, the Bridges Roads and General Services Authority (BRAGSA) and the St. Vincent Electricity Services Company (VINLEC) were able to clear the main road by the November 1.
St. Lucia arguably had sustained the worst damage from the storm overall. Throughout St. Lucia, severe flooding and mudslides resulted in at least 14 fatalities. According to a government minister, several other people were missing and buried in landslides. By the morning of November 2, two more fatalities were confirmed on the island.
Lesser Antilles
Gradually passing the Windward Islands into the Caribbean Sea, the hurricane produced strong winds and heavy rainfall on Isla AvesIsla Aves
Isla de Aves , or Aves Island, is a Caribbean dependency of Venezuela. It has been the subject of numerous territorial disputes between the neighboring independent islands, such as Dominica, and European mother countries of surrounding dependent islands, such as the Netherlands. It lies to the west...
, located off the northern coast of Venezuela.
Although Tomas did not directly strike the ABC islands, the storm's rainbands produced torrential rains over the islands, triggering localized flooding during the night of November 1 to November 2. In total, at least 10.4 in (265 mm) of precipitation was recorded on the territory. Majority of local roads were made impassable, with several cars stranded and hundreds of houses flooded. A severe thunderstorm caused large scale power, TV and radio station outages across the islands. In Curaçao, a rescue worker helping with the evacuation of a local hospital was killed by the collapse of a wall. An elderly man drowned after suffering a fatal heart attack while unable to exit his flooded car. Authorities were forced to delay some flights from Curaçao International Airport
Hato International Airport
Hato International Airport or Curaçao International Airport is the airport of Willemstad, Curaçao. It has services to the Caribbean region, South America, North America and Europe...
due to persistent storm conditions. All schools across the islands were closed on November 2 and 3 as a result of the storm.
Lightning produced by Tomas sparked three large fires in a major oil refinery in Willemstad
Willemstad
Willemstad can refer to:*Willemstad, the capital of Curaçao*Willemstad , a town in Moerdijk, the Netherlands*Willemstad , a hamlet near Marum, the Netherlands*Willemstad , a hamlet in the Netherlands...
. The fires inflicted severe damage to several tanks, estimated at US$10 million. Of all three islands, Curaçao reported the worst flood damage; insured losses across the island amounted to approximately NAƒ110 million (US$63 million), although total monetary damage was as high as NAƒ200 million (US$115 million).
Greater Antilles
After days of anticipation, Tomas arrived just offshore in Haiti on the morning of November 5. The storm steadily intensified while brushing the disaster-weary nation, reattaining hurricane strength near the westernmost tip of Haiti. Torrential rains and tropical storm force winds buffeted the entire region. Within hours of the storm's arrival, flooding began to occur. In earthquake-ravaged Port-au-PrincePort-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
, one of the largest refugee camps set up near the ruins of the capitol building was flooded following heavy rains. By the evening of November 8, 20 people had been confirmed dead, 7 others were listed as missing and more than 30 000 people were in shelters. Health workers also feared damage related to Tomas on the island could exacerbate the ongoing cholera outbreak. Tomas passed just to the east of Cuba hours later, but no significant damage was reported on the island. As the outer bands of Hurricane Tomas began to impact Cuba, Aero Caribbean Flight 883
Aero Caribbean Flight 883
Aero Caribbean Flight 883 was an international scheduled passenger flight from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to Havana, Cuba, via Santiago de Cuba. On 2010, the Aero Caribbean ATR-72-212 operating the route crashed in the central Cuban province of Sancti Spíritus, killing all 61 passengers and 7 crew...
, an ATR-72-212 aircraft, crashed near the town of Guasimal
Guasimal, Sancti Spíritus
Guasimal is a town and municipality in Sancti Spíritus Province, Cuba. The town has a population of 5,000 people. Che Guevara established his first guerrilla camp near the town.Aero Caribbean Flight 883 crashed near Guasimal in November 2010....
in Sancti Spíritus
Sancti Spíritus
Sancti Spíritus is a municipality and capital city of the province of Sancti Spíritus in central Cuba. Sancti Spíritus, Latin for "Holy Spirit," is one of the best preserved cities in the Caribbean from the time of the sugar trade.-History:...
province. All 68 people on-board the plane were killed on impact. Although the plane was the last to leave the airport in Santiago de Cuba before it closed due to Tomas, it is unknown what role, if any, the storm played in the crash. Following a review of the crash, it was determined that severe ice accumulation, at an altitude of 20000 ft (6,096 m), along with errors by the crew caused the incident.
Turks and Caicos
Hurricane Tomas narrowly missed the Turks and Caicos, sparing the islands a direct hit and causing only minor flooding.Aftermath
Estimates place the cost of damage in Barbados at BDSBarbados dollar
The dollar has been the currency of Barbados since 1935. The present dollar has the ISO 4217 code BBD and is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign "$" or, alternatively, "Bds$" to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. It is divided into 100 cents...
$17 million (~US$8.5 million). Throughout the northern part of St. Vincent, the entire banana crop was lost. Press reports from the Prime Minister revealed that nearly every banana tree had been downed during the storm. The country's banana crop is a major source of income and jobs, accounting for roughly 60% of the workforce and 50% of the merchandise exported.
Damage from the storm on Trinidad and Tobago amounted to TT$
Trinidad and Tobago dollar
The dollar is the currency of Trinidad and Tobago. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively TT$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. It is subdivided into 100 cents...
4 million (US$629,000). Losses in Barbados reached Bds$17 million (US$8.4 million). The Government of St. Lucia stated that damage from the storm could exceed US$100 million. By November 5, the Prime Minister stated that damage from Tomas was roughly EC$1.3 billion ($500 million USD), five times higher than initially stated.
Due to the extent of damage across the Caribbean, the name Tomas 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 Tobias for the 2016 hurricane season.
See also
- 2010 Atlantic hurricane season2010 Atlantic hurricane seasonThe 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...
- List of retired Atlantic hurricane names