Tropical Storm Barry (1995)

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Tropical Storm Barry
Type=Tropical storm
Year=1995
Basin=Atl
Image location=Tropical Storm Barry (1995).jpg

Cape Hatteras
Formed=July 6, 1995
Dissipated=July 10, 1995
1-min winds=60
Pressure=989
Da

Inflated=
Fatalities=None reported
Areas=Nova Scotia, Newfoundland
Hurricane season=1995 Atlantic hurricane season

Tropical Storm Barry was the second named storm of the 1995 Atlantic hurricane season. It was a relatively short-lived storm that affected parts of Atlantic Canada, although no damage or fatalities were reported as a result.

Barry developed on July 6 off the Southern U.S. coast, and roughly followed the Gulf Stream while slowly intensifying. It peaked at just under hurricane intensity with 70 mph (110 km/h winds) on July 7 before weakening slightly, making landfall in Nova Scotia and again in Newfoundland with 45-50 mph (75-85 km/h) winds on July 9. It dissipated in the Labrador Sea on July 10.

Meteorological history

The system originated out of a weak frontal low with a pressure of 1019 mbar between Bermuda and South Carolina early on July 5. The low was slow to develop as clouds associated with the frontal zone separated themselves from the front into a separate system over the next 24 hours. The satellite imagery also revealed that a low-level cloud system center became better defined just to the west of a small cluster of deep convection, and on the afternoon of July 6, the system was declared Tropical Depression Two.cite web | author=National Hurricane Center | year=1995 | title=Preliminary Report: Tropical Storm Barry | publisher=NOAA | accessdate=2006-11-10 | url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/1995barry.html]

The system was slow to move at first, as it slowly continued to develop in the subtropical Atlantic Ocean. Strong wind shear prevented significant development at first as the system remained exposed on satellite imagery.cite web | author=National Hurricane Center | year=1995 | title=TD2 Discussion #2 | publisher=NOAA | accessdate=2006-11-10 | url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1995/barry/tropdisc/nal0295.002] Early on July 7, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Barry as it began to move to the northeast and convection increased.

The storm began to strengthen slowly that morning, as it began to increase in forward speed and wind shear decreased. The presence of a trough just southwest of Barry also helped to increase convection and strengthen the storm. Reconnaissance aircraft confirmed a strengthening, high-end tropical storm on the afternoon of July 7, as they found a small area of hurricane-force winds, although there were no signs of eye formation and the minimum central pressure of 998 mbar was considered to be too high for an upgrade, suggesting that the winds were not reaching the surface.cite web | author=National Hurricane Center | year=1995 | title=Barry Discussion #5 | publisher=NOAA | accessdate=2006-11-10 | url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1995/barry/tropdisc/nal0295.005] The peak winds at that point were estimated at 70 mph (110 km/h), just under hurricane intensity. That evening, Barry began to weaken as convection began to decrease.

Early on July 8, while Barry moving northeastward towards Nova Scotia as a gradually weakening system, an eye feature formed amidst a poorly organized system of low clouds.cite web | author=National Hurricane Center | year=1995 | title=Barry Discussion #7 | publisher=NOAA | accessdate=2006-11-10 | url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1995/barry/tropdisc/nal0295.007] The pressure remained virtually unchanged that day but the winds diminished somewhat and Barry weakened slightly, remaining a moderate tropical storm with 50 mph (85 km/h) winds, an intensity it would retain until landfall. The presence of an approaching mid-level trough accelerated the storm as it traveled roughly along the Gulf Stream.cite web | author=National Hurricane Center | year=1995 | title=Barry Discussion #9 | publisher=NOAA | accessdate=2006-11-10 | url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1995/barry/tropdisc/nal0295.009] The central dense overcast area continued to grow in size as Barry tracked farther north, as a result of a warm eddy in the Gulf Stream as far north as 42°N latitude (although it did not strengthen the storm).

On the morning of July 9, Barry began to lose tropical characteristics as the water temperatures dropped below 68°F (20°C) cite web | author=National Hurricane Center | year=1995 | title=Barry Discussion #11 | publisher=NOAA | accessdate=2006-11-10 | url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1995/barry/tropdisc/nal0295.011] , the central pressure also began to steadily decrease as it tracked northward. That afternoon, Barry continued to lose tropical characteristics as its convection began to shift away from the storm's center. However, it was clearly still a tropical storm when it passed near Sable Island. While maintaining a rapid movement to the northeast, Barry made landfall over Hart Island, Nova Scotia early in the evening of July 9 as a 50 mph (85 km/h) tropical storm with a 990 mbar central pressure. It weakened slightly and made landfall over Cape Breton Island less than an hour later.

Despite an impressive satellite appearance, the cold water and land interaction allowed the deep convection to virtually dissipate as it was making landfall, and the storm lost most remaining tropical characteristics as it tracked across the Cabot Strait towards the west coast of Newfoundland.cite web | author=National Hurricane Center | year=1995 | title=Barry Discussion #13 | publisher=NOAA | accessdate=2006-11-10 | url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1995/barry/tropdisc/nal0295.013] Barry was declared fully extratropical early on July 10 near the west coast of Newfoundland. As a fast-moving and weakening extratropical cyclone, the system remained distinct until it passed across the east coast of Labrador that morning, when it dissipated.

Impact

The highest rainfall amounts reported in Nova Scotia were just under 4 inches (about 95 mm) in the eastern portions. Winds were not a major issue on land.cite web | author=Canadian Hurricane Centre | year=1995 | title=Storms of 1995 | publisher=Environment Canada | accessdate=2006-11-10 | url=http://www.atl.ec.gc.ca/weather/hurricane/storm95.html] There were no reports of any damage or fatalities as a result of Tropical Storm Barry. Due to the lack of any significant land impacts, the name Barry was not retired and was re-used in 2001 and again in 2007.

ee also

*List of tropical cyclones
*1995 Atlantic hurricane season

References

External links

*The NHC's [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/1995barry.html Preliminary Report] on Tropical Storm Barry
* [http://www.atl.ec.gc.ca/weather/hurricane/storm95.html CHC Storms 1995]
* [http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/atlantic/1995/BARRY/track.gifTropical Storm Barry Track (Unisys)]