Tropical Storm Fiona (2010)
Encyclopedia
Tropical Storm Fiona was the eighth tropical depression and sixth tropical storm in the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season
. A weak and disorganized storm, it originated from a tropical wave
that moved into the Atlantic Ocean
late on August 25. After struggling to develop, it became a tropical storm on August 30 and was named Fiona. It followed closely behind Hurricane Earl
, and moved through the northern Leeward Islands
. There, it produced brief showers and tropical storm force wind gusts. Subsequently, Fiona reached its peak intensity on September 1, before it dissipated on September 4 to the south of Bermuda
. No deaths were reported from the storm. Fiona was the second storm of 2010 to affect Bermuda after Tropical Storm Colin
, and the third after Hurricane Bill
a year earlier.
which emerged from the western coast of Africa into the late on August 25, 2010. As it moved westward across the Atlantic Ocean
, the convection gradually became organized, and by August 24 the National Hurricane Center
(NHC) assessed a high chance of tropical cyclogenesis
within 48 hours. The thunderstorm activity fluctuated, until the system reached an area more favorable for development. Late on August 30, a research flight
investigated the system and observed sustained surface winds of 40 mph (75 km/h). As a result of the winds and the increased organization, the NHC declared the system Tropical Storm Fiona about 890 mi (1435 km) to the east of the Leeward Islands
.
Initially, the strongest convection was displaced to the northwest of the center, and significant intensification was not expected due to strong wind shear
and cooler water temperatures upwelled
by Hurricane Earl
. By August 31, convection had become more persistent near the slightly-elongated center, as identified by radar from nearby Guadeloupe
and Martinique
. The next day, a Hurricane Hunters reported maximum wind speed of 60 mph (95 km/h), indicating that strengthening had occurred. Despite the strong wind shear
leaving the low level circulation center (LLCC) of Fiona exposed of convective activity
, it reached its peak intensity at around 2100 UTC
on September 1 with 70 mph winds and the lowest air pressure
of about 997 millibar
(hPa; 29.44 inHg
).
Affected by strong northerly wind shear, Fiona remained weak and disorganized, and started to accelerate toward the northwest. Although a few bursts of convection
took place near the center of Fiona, the much stronger and larger Hurricane Earl caused unfavorable upper level winds that made Fiona unable to maintain convection. As Fiona rounded the southwestern periphery of a ridge over the central Atlantic
, it was also steered toward the northeast into an area of very strong upper-lever wind flow
causing it to deteriorate. The National Hurricane Center
(NHC) briefly kept its strength at with winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) based on a Dvorak T-number
of 3.0 from TAFB and scatterometer
data gathered earlier that day. On September 3, the low level circulation center (LLCC) become rather elongated as it neared Bermuda
, and Fiona weakened to a tropical depression. Early on September 4, Fiona degenerated into a remnant low about 60 mi (100 km) south
of Bermuda
. The remnants of Fiona drifted northeastwards across the open Atlantic Ocean
and was absorbed by a stationary front
on September 6.
August 30 (0300 UTC
), a tropical storm watch was declared for Antigua
, Barbuda
, Montserrat
, Saint Kitts
, Nevis
, Anguilla
, Saint Martin
, Saba and Sint Eustatius. During the next day the French Government issued a tropical storm warning for Saint Martin
and Saint Barthélemy
. They were, however, all discontinued later that day. Only minor intermittent showers and tropical storm force wind gusts were recorded on islands such as Antigua
, Barbuda
, Saint Kitts
, Nevis
and Anguilla
as Fiona passed by.
On September 2, the Bermuda Weather Service
issued a tropical storm watch for Bermuda
, before it was upgraded into a tropical storm warning six hours later. The Bermuda Weather Service
discontinued the tropical storm warning for Bermuda
on the evening of September 3 as Fiona degenerated into a tropical depression. The center of the remnant low from Fiona went through Bermuda
around September 4 at 9 am AST (1200 UTC
). Besides local thunderstorm
s and wind gusts up to tropical storm force, there were no major impacts in Bermuda
from Fiona. About 0.78 inches (19.81 mm) of rain were received across the island throughout September 4 and September 5.
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...
. A weak and disorganized storm, it originated 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...
that moved into the 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...
late on August 25. After struggling to develop, it became a tropical storm on August 30 and was named Fiona. It followed closely behind 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...
, and moved through the northern 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...
. There, it produced brief showers and tropical storm force wind gusts. Subsequently, Fiona reached its peak intensity on September 1, before it dissipated on September 4 to the south 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...
. No deaths were reported from the storm. Fiona was the second storm of 2010 to affect Bermuda after Tropical Storm Colin
Tropical Storm Colin (2010)
Tropical Storm Colin was the fourth depression and third named storm of the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season. It was the first tropical cyclone to threaten Bermuda since Hurricane Bill a year earlier, although it dissipated before making landfall on the island....
, and the third after Hurricane Bill
Hurricane Bill (2009)
Hurricane Bill was a relatively large Atlantic tropical cyclone, attaining a maximum gale-diameter of 460 mi . A Cape Verde type hurricane, Bill originated from a tropical wave that emerged from the western coast of Africa on August 12, and organized into a tropical depression near the Cape...
a year earlier.
Meteorological history
Fiona's origins are traced back to 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...
which emerged from the western coast of Africa into the late on August 25, 2010. As it moved westward across the 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...
, the convection gradually became organized, and by August 24 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) assessed a high chance of 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. The thunderstorm activity fluctuated, until the system reached an area more favorable for development. Late on August 30, a research flight
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 system and observed sustained surface winds of 40 mph (75 km/h). As a result of the winds and the increased organization, the NHC declared the system Tropical Storm Fiona about 890 mi (1435 km) to the east 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...
.
Initially, the strongest convection was displaced to the northwest of the center, and significant intensification was not expected due to strong 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...
and cooler water temperatures upwelled
Upwelling
Upwelling is an oceanographic phenomenon that involves wind-driven motion of dense, cooler, and usually nutrient-rich water towards the ocean surface, replacing the warmer, usually nutrient-depleted surface water. The increased availability in upwelling regions results in high levels of primary...
by 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...
. By August 31, convection had become more persistent near the slightly-elongated center, as identified by radar from nearby Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe is an archipelago located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres and a population of 400,000. It is the first overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe...
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 next day, a Hurricane Hunters reported maximum wind speed of 60 mph (95 km/h), indicating that strengthening had occurred. Despite the strong 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...
leaving the low level circulation center (LLCC) of Fiona exposed of convective activity
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...
, it reached its peak intensity at around 2100 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 1 with 70 mph winds and the lowest air pressure
Atmospheric pressure
Atmospheric pressure is the force per unit area exerted into a surface by the weight of air above that surface in the atmosphere of Earth . In most circumstances atmospheric pressure is closely approximated by the hydrostatic pressure caused by the weight of air above the measurement point...
of about 997 millibar
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; 29.44 inHg
Inch of mercury
Inches of mercury, ' is a unit of measurement for pressure. It is still widely used for barometric pressure in weather reports, refrigeration and aviation in the United States, but is seldom used elsewhere....
).
Affected by strong northerly wind shear, Fiona remained weak and disorganized, and started to accelerate toward the northwest. Although a few bursts of 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...
took place near the center of Fiona, the much stronger and larger Hurricane Earl caused unfavorable upper level winds that made Fiona unable to maintain convection. As Fiona rounded the southwestern periphery of a ridge over the central Atlantic
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...
, it was also steered toward the northeast into an area of very strong upper-lever wind flow
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...
causing it to deteriorate. 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) briefly kept its strength at with winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) based on a Dvorak T-number
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...
of 3.0 from TAFB and scatterometer
Scatterometer
A radar scatterometer is designed to determine the normalized radar cross section of the surface. Scatterometers operate by transmitting a pulse of microwave energy towards the Earth's surface and measuring the reflected energy. A separate measurement of the noise-only power is made and...
data gathered earlier that day. On September 3, the low level circulation center (LLCC) become rather elongated as it neared 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 Fiona weakened to a tropical depression. Early on September 4, Fiona degenerated into a remnant low about 60 mi (100 km) south
South
South is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.South is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to east and west.By convention, the bottom side of a map is south....
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...
. The remnants of Fiona drifted northeastwards across the open 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...
and was absorbed by a stationary front
Stationary front
A stationary front is a boundary between two different air masses, neither of which is strong enough to replace the other. On a weather map, this is shown by an inter-playing series of blue spikes pointing one direction and red domes pointing the other. They tend to remain essentially in the same...
on September 6.
Preparations and Impact
On August 31 at 11 pm EDTEastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
August 30 (0300 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...
), a tropical storm watch was declared for Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
, Barbuda
Barbuda
Barbuda is an island in the Eastern Caribbean, and forms part of the state of Antigua and Barbuda. It has a population of about 1,500, most of whom live in the town of Codrington.-Location:...
, Montserrat
Montserrat
Montserrat is a British overseas territory located in the Leeward Islands, part of the chain of islands called the Lesser Antilles in the West Indies. This island measures approximately long and wide, giving of coastline...
, Saint Kitts
Saint Kitts
Saint Kitts Saint Kitts Saint Kitts (also known more formally as Saint Christopher Island (Saint-Christophe in French) is an island in the West Indies. The west side of the island borders the Caribbean Sea, and the eastern coast faces the Atlantic Ocean...
, Nevis
Nevis
Nevis is an island in the Caribbean Sea, located near the northern end of the Lesser Antilles archipelago, about 350 km east-southeast of Puerto Rico and 80 km west of Antigua. The 93 km² island is part of the inner arc of the Leeward Islands chain of the West Indies...
, Anguilla
Anguilla
Anguilla is a British overseas territory and overseas territory of the European Union in the Caribbean. It is one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, lying east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and directly north of Saint Martin...
, Saint Martin
Saint Martin
Saint Martin is an island in the northeast Caribbean, approximately east of Puerto Rico. The 87 km2 island is divided roughly 60/40 between France and the Kingdom of the Netherlands ; however, the Dutch side has the larger population. It is one of the smallest sea islands divided between...
, Saba and Sint Eustatius. During the next day the French Government issued a tropical storm warning for Saint Martin
Saint Martin
Saint Martin is an island in the northeast Caribbean, approximately east of Puerto Rico. The 87 km2 island is divided roughly 60/40 between France and the Kingdom of the Netherlands ; however, the Dutch side has the larger population. It is one of the smallest sea islands divided between...
and Saint Barthélemy
Saint Barthélemy
Saint Barthélemy , officially the Territorial collectivity of Saint Barthélemy , is an overseas collectivity of France. Often abbreviated to Saint-Barth in French, or St. Barts in English, the indigenous people called the island Ouanalao...
. They were, however, all discontinued later that day. Only minor intermittent showers and tropical storm force wind gusts were recorded on islands such as Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
, Barbuda
Barbuda
Barbuda is an island in the Eastern Caribbean, and forms part of the state of Antigua and Barbuda. It has a population of about 1,500, most of whom live in the town of Codrington.-Location:...
, Saint Kitts
Saint Kitts
Saint Kitts Saint Kitts Saint Kitts (also known more formally as Saint Christopher Island (Saint-Christophe in French) is an island in the West Indies. The west side of the island borders the Caribbean Sea, and the eastern coast faces the Atlantic Ocean...
, Nevis
Nevis
Nevis is an island in the Caribbean Sea, located near the northern end of the Lesser Antilles archipelago, about 350 km east-southeast of Puerto Rico and 80 km west of Antigua. The 93 km² island is part of the inner arc of the Leeward Islands chain of the West Indies...
and Anguilla
Anguilla
Anguilla is a British overseas territory and overseas territory of the European Union in the Caribbean. It is one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, lying east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and directly north of Saint Martin...
as Fiona passed by.
On September 2, the Bermuda Weather Service
Bermuda Weather Service
The Bermuda Weather Service is Bermuda's national meteorological service. It provides public, marine, tropical and aviation weather forecasts as well as warnings and climatolological services. The service began operations under contract from the Department of Airport Operations, Ministry of...
issued a tropical storm watch for 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...
, before it was upgraded into a tropical storm warning six hours later. The Bermuda Weather Service
Bermuda Weather Service
The Bermuda Weather Service is Bermuda's national meteorological service. It provides public, marine, tropical and aviation weather forecasts as well as warnings and climatolological services. The service began operations under contract from the Department of Airport Operations, Ministry of...
discontinued the tropical storm warning for 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...
on the evening of September 3 as Fiona degenerated into a tropical depression. The center of the remnant low from Fiona went through 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...
around September 4 at 9 am AST (1200 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...
). Besides local 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...
s and wind gusts up to tropical storm force, there were no major impacts in 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...
from Fiona. About 0.78 inches (19.81 mm) of rain were received across the island throughout September 4 and September 5.
See also
- Timeline of the 2010 Atlantic hurricane seasonTimeline of the 2010 Atlantic hurricane seasonThe 2010 Atlantic hurricane season was a hyperactive year in which nineteen tropical storms formed, the most since 2005. Although Hurricane Alex formed on June 25, 2010, the season officially began on June 1 and ended on November 30...
- 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 tropical cyclone names