Hurricane Nate (2005)

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Hurricane Nate
Type=hurricane
Year=2005
Basin=Atl
Image location=Hurricane Nate Sept 6 05.jpg


Formed=September 5, 2005
Dissipated=September 10, 2005
1-min winds=80
Pressure=979
Da

Inflated=
Fatalities=1 direct
(With Hurricane Maria)
Areas=Bermuda, New Jersey
Hurricane season=2005 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Nate was a hurricane over the Atlantic during September in the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. Nate was the fourteenth named storm and seventh hurricane of the season.

Hurricane Nate formed to the southwest of Bermuda on September 5 and initially moved very slowly to the northeast. Forecasts initially suggested a possible threat to the island, but Nate passed well to the south on September 8 as a Category 1 hurricane. After moving away from the island, wind shear increased and Nate weakened back into a tropical storm before becoming extratropical on September 10. There was no reported damage, although one death was reported off the New Jersey coast due to rip currents.

Meteorological history

Tropical Depression Fifteen formed from a complex interaction between a weak tropical wave and a broad low pressure on the morning of September 5 about 350 miles (560 km) south-southwest of Bermuda.cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|title=Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Nate|publisher=NOAA|accessdate=April 30|accessyear=2006|format=PDF|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-AL152005_Nate.pdf] The initial forecast called for only a modest increase in strength, but the depression intensified more quickly than predicted and became Tropical Storm Nate that afternoon, only six hours after it formed.cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|title=Discussion for Tropical Depression Fifteen, 5 p.m. EDT, September 5 2005|publisher=NOAA|accessdate=April 30|accessyear=2006|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/dis/al152005.discus.001.shtml] Tropical Storm Nate moved very slowly to the northeast, as it was trapped between the circulations of Hurricane Maria to the north and the developing Hurricane Ophelia to the west. At this time, the forecasts indicated that Nate could pass close to Bermuda.cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|title=Discussion for Tropical Storm Nate, 5 p.m. EDT, September 6 2005|publisher=NOAA|accessdate=April 30|accessyear=2006|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/dis/al152005.discus.005.shtml]

Tropical Storm Nate strengthened further and became a hurricane on September 7, as it began to turn away from Bermuda. Some models indicated that Nate could be either be absorbed by or merge with the larger Hurricane Maria, but the NHC forecast that Nate would survive as a separate system, which it indeed did.cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|title=Discussion for Hurricane Nate, 11 p.m. EDT, September 7 2005|publisher=NOAA|accessdate=April 30|accessyear=2006|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/dis/al152005.discus.010.shtml] Nate reached its peak intensity of 90 mph (145 km/h) late on September 8 as it passed 120 miles (205 km) southeast of Bermuda with its strongest winds remaining well offshore.

Soon after Hurricane Nate had reached its peak strength, increasing wind shear and dry air caused it to weaken back into a tropical storm late on September 9. Nate accelerated to the northeast, following Maria's path into the open Atlantic Ocean. Nate became extratropical the next day and did not reintensify again before becoming absorbed by a larger system on September 12.

Impact

A tropical storm watch was issued for Bermuda early on September 7 and later that day a tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch superseded it. However the storm did not approach the island closely and the warnings were canceled as the storm moved past the island on September 8.

Canadian Navy ships headed to the Gulf Coast of the United States, carrying relief supplies to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, were slowed down trying to avoid Hurricanes Nate and Ophelia.cite news|title=Storms slow Canada aid|publisher=St. Petersburg Times|date=September 11 2005|url=http://www.sptimes.com/2005/09/11/Worldandnation/Storms_slow_Canada_aid.shtml] The outer bands of Nate brushed Bermuda, with sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) and less than 1 inch (25 mm) of rain recorded at Bermuda International Airport. There were no fatalities as a result of Hurricane Nate in Bermuda, and no damage was reported.

Rip currents from Nate and the more distant Maria killed one and seriously injured another in New Jersey. cite web|author=National Climatic Data Center|year=2005|title=Event Record Details for New Jersey|accessdate=2006-05-31|url=http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~591538]

Records and naming

When Tropical Storm Nate developed on September 5, it was the earliest ever in the season that the fourteenth named tropical storm developed, beating the previous record held by storm 14 of the 1936 season. [http://pipsey.net:8080/~thegreatzo/hurricanes.html] Due to the lack of any major effects from Hurricane Nate, the name was not retired by the World Meteorological Organization and will be on the list of names for the 2011 season.

See also

* List of 2005 Atlantic hurricane season storms

References

External links

* [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/refresh/NATE+shtml/ NHC's archive on Hurricane Nate]
* [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-AL152005_Nate.pdf NHC's Tropical Cyclone Report on Hurricane Nate]