Tropical Storm Hermine (2004)

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Tropical Storm Hermine
Type=Tropical storm
Year=2004
Basin=Atl
Image location=TS Hermine 30 aug 2004 1145Z.jpg


Formed=August 27, 2004
Dissipated=August 31, 2004
1-min winds=50
Pressure=1002
Da

Inflated=
Fatalities=None
Areas=Massachusetts, New Brunswick
Hurricane season=2004 Atlantic hurricane season

Tropical Storm Hermine was a moderate tropical storm that made landfall in southeastern Massachusetts. The eighth tropical cyclone and named storm of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season, it formed from the same frontal zone over the western Atlantic that spawned Hurricane Gaston. Hermine remained weak and disorganized for its entire existence, peaking with winds of convert|60|mph|km/h|abbr=on|lk=on. The storm began to weaken as it tracked northward, and made landfall in southern Massachusetts on August 31. Hermine had minimal effects, mostly limited to gusty winds and locally heavy rainfall. As the extratropical remnants progressed northward, moderate rain fell in parts of New Brunswick, resulting in minor basement flooding and road closures.

Meteorological history

Hermine's origins can be traced back to the same nearly stationary frontal zone over the subtropical Atlantic that spawned Hurricane Gaston. Satellite imagery indicated that cloudiness began to develop to the south of Bermuda on August 25. The next day, the activity separated from the front and began to show cyclonic turning. A weak surface circulation soon developed; it is estimated that the disturbance formed into a tropical depression at 1800 UTC on August 27. After fluctuations in intensity of the associated convection, the depression tracked west-northwestward, and was named Tropical Storm Hermine on August 29.cite web| author=National Hurricane Center| year=2004| title=Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Hermine| publisher=NOAA| accessdate=2008-08-12| url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2004hermine.shtml]

Initially, due to wind shear, the center of circulation was located to the north of the area of convection. Despite this, the shear was not strong enough to prevent additional intensification,cite web|author=Avila|title=Tropical Storm Hermine Discussion Number 1|year=2004|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2008-08-12|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/dis/al082004.discus.001.shtml?] and Hermine attained peak winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 1002 mb on August 30. The storm began to turn towards the north under the steering currents of a subtropical ridge. [cite web|author=Jarvinen|title=Tropical Storm Hermine Discussion Number 3|year=2004|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2008-08-12|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/dis/al082004.discus.003.shtml?] By midday on August 30, the low-level center had become entirely exposed from the cloud pattern, and the convection remained disorganized. [cite web|author=Lawrence|title=Tropical Storm Hermine Discussion Number 4|year=2004|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2008-08-12|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/dis/al082004.discus.004.shtml?] Hermine continued northward, weakening due to increased wind shear caused by nearby Gaston.

As the cyclone approached landfall in southern Massachusetts, the circulation became devoid of any thunderstorm activity, leaving a resemblance of a low-level swirl of clouds. However, a buoy reported sustained winds of convert|35|mph|km/h|abbr=on, thus keeping the storm at tropical storm status. [cite web|author=Jarvinen|title=Tropical Storm Hermine Discussion Number 6|year=2004|publisher=National Hurricane Center|accessdate=2008-08-12|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/dis/al082004.discus.006.shtml?] Early on August 31, Hermine came ashore near New Bedford, Massachusetts, as a minimal tropical storm. It progressed northward, and rapidly weakened while becoming extratropical. The remnants were absorbed by a frontal zone later that same day.

Impact

At 1700 UTC on August 30, a tropical storm warning was issued for southeastern Massachusetts from Wood Hole to Plymouth. The advisory was discontinued at 0900 UTC on August 31. Thought no sustained winds of tropical storm-force were reported on land, the storm produced tropical storm-force gusts and a few bands of heavy rain in eastern Massachusetts. Rainfall in Cape Cod was generally less than convert|.05|in|mm|abbr=on|lk=on; because Tropical Storm Gaston passed through the area shortly after Hermine, differentiating the rainfall amounts between the two storms was difficult.

As the storm's remnants tracked northward into the Bay of Fundy, locally heavy rainfall occurred in parts of New Brunswick, peaking at around convert|55|mm|in|abbr=on. In Moncton, New Brunswick, minor basement flooding and street closures were reported. [cite web|author=|title=2004 Tropical Cyclone Season Summary|year=2004|publisher=Canadian Hurricane Centre|accessdate=2008-08-12|url=http://www.ns.ec.gc.ca/weather/hurricane/storm04.html] Overall, no fatalities or known damages occurred. Because the effects were minimal, the name "Hermine" was not retired, and is scheduled to be used for the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season. [cite web|author=|title=Worldwide Tropical Cyclone Names|publisher=National Hurricane Center|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutnames.shtml|accessdate=2008-08-21]

ee also

*List of tropical cyclones
*List of New England hurricanes

References

External links

* [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2004hermine.shtml Tropical Cyclone Report]
* [http://www.ns.ec.gc.ca/weather/hurricane/storm04.html Canadian Hurricane Centre Summary]