Tag Archives: Ian

Hurricane Fiona Nears Canadian Maritimes

Hurricane Fiona neared the Canadian Maritimes on Friday night. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Hurricane Fiona was located at latitude 44.5°N and longitude 60.8°W which put it about 140 miles (220 km) east of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Fiona was moving toward the north at 46 m.p.h. (74 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 105 m.p.h. (165 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 125 m.p.h. (200 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 933 mb.

A Hurricane Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Hubbards to Brule, Nova Scotia. Hurricane Warnings were in effect for Prince Edward Islands and Isle de la Madeline. A Hurricane Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Parson’s Pond to Francois, Newfoundland. A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for St. Andrews, New Brunswick to Hubbards, Nova Scotia. A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Brule, Nova Scotia to Cap Madeline, Quebec. Tropical Storm Warnings were in effect for Anticosti Island and for the portion of the coast from Sheldrake, Quebec to Parson’s Pond, Newfoundland. A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Boat Harbor to Hare Bay, Newfoundland. A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Francois to St. Lawrence, Newfoundland. A Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for the portion of the coast from Boat Harbor, Newfoundland to West Bay, Labrador.

Hurricane Fiona was making a rapid transition to a large, powerful extratropical cyclone on Friday night. The former eye and eyewall were no longer present at the center of Fiona. Most of the remaining thunderstorms were in bands northeast of the center of Fiona’s circulation. Cooler drier air was wrapping around the western and southern sides of the circulation. Upper level divergence above Hurricane Fiona was still pumping mass away and the surface pressure remained around 933 mb.

Hurricane Fiona grew much larger during the transition to an extratropical cyclone. Winds to hurricane force extended out 185 miles (295 km) from the center of Fiona’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 345 miles (555 km) from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Hurricane Fiona was 17.8. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 48.4 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 66.2. Hurricane Fiona was capable of causing extensive serious damage.

An upper level trough over eastern Canada will steer Hurricane Fiona quickly toward the north during the weekend. The strongest winds will occur over eastern Nova Scotia and western Newfoundland. Strong winds will also affect the rest of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, parts of New Brunswick, Quebec and Labrador. The large circulation around Hurricane Fiona could cause widespread electrical outages. Locally heavy rain could cause floods in some places. Large waves and a storm surge could cause damage along the coast.

Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, Tropical Storm Gaston brought wind and rain to the Azores, Tropical Storm Hermine moved northeast of the Cabo Verde Islands and Tropical Storm Ian formed over the Caribbean Sea.

At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Gaston was located at latitude 38.9°N and longitude 29.5°W which put it about 50 miles (80 km) west-northwest of the Faial, Azores. Gaston was moving toward the southwest at 8 m.p.h. (13 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 999 mb.

Tropical Storm Warnings were in effect for Corvo, Flores, Faial, Pico, Sao Jorge, Graciosa, and Terceira.

At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Hermine was located at latitude 19.4°N and longitude 20.8°W which put it about 315 miles (505 km) northeast of the Cabo Verde Islands. Hermine was moving toward the north at 10 m.p.h. (16 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1002 mb.

At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Ian was located at latitude 14.8°N and longitude 72.0°W which put it about 385 miles (625 km) southeast of Kingston, Jamaica. Ian was moving toward the west-northwest at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1005 mb.

Hurricane Watches were in effect for the Cayman Islands including Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. A Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for Jamaica.