Tropical Storm Bonnie (2004)

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Tropical Storm Bonnie
Type=Tropical storm
Year=2004
Basin=Atl
Image location=TS Bonnie 2004.jpg


Formed=August 3, 2004
Dissipated=August 14, 2004
1-min winds=55
Pressure=1001
Da

Inflated=2
Fatalities=3 direct, 1 indirect
Areas=Leeward Islands, Jamaica, Yucatán Peninsula, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Maine
Hurricane season=2004 Atlantic hurricane season

Tropical Storm Bonnie was a small tropical storm that made landfall on Florida in August 2004. Bonnie, the second storm of the season, developed from a tropical wave on August 3 to the east of the Lesser Antilles. After moving through the islands, its fast forward motion caused it to dissipate; however, it later regenerated into a tropical storm near the Yucatán Peninsula. Bonnie reached peak winds of 65 mph (105 km/h) over the Gulf of Mexico, turned to the northeast, and hit Florida as a 45 mph (70 km) tropical storm. The storm accelerated to the northeast and became an extratropical cyclone to the east of New Jersey. Bonnie was the first of five tropical systems to make landfall on Florida in the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season, and the second of a record eight disturbances to reach tropical storm strength during the month of August.cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|year=2004|title=August 2004 Monthly Tropical Weather Summary|accessmonthday=May 18 |accessyear=2004|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/tws/MIATWSAT_aug.shtml?]

Bonnie's impact was minimal. Throughout the Caribbean Sea, the storm mainly caused light rainfall; and in Florida, rainfall caused flooding and minor damage. The tropical storm caused a tornado outbreak across the Southeastern United States, killing three and causing over $1 million (2004 USD) in damage. Bonnie is most notable for making landfall on Florida the day before Hurricane Charley struck.

Meteorological history

A tropical wave left the coast of Africa on July 29 and entered the Atlantic Ocean. It moved westward, attaining convection and a mid-level circulation. Convection steadily increased, and, upon the development of a low-level circulation center, the system organized into Tropical Depression Two on August 3 while 415 miles (670 km) east of Barbados. It moved rapidly westward at speeds of up to 23 mph (37 km/h); after crossing through the Lesser Antilles on August 4, it degenerated back into a tropical wave.cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|year=2004|title=Tropical Storm Bonnie Tropical Cyclone Report|accessmonthday=May 18 |accessyear=2006|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2004bonnie.shtml]

The tropical wave continued to move rapidly to the west-northwest, until it reached the western Caribbean Sea. While south of Cuba, the system slowed down to regenerate convection, and it re-developed into a tropical depression on August 8. Operationally, the system was classified a tropical wave until a day later.cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|year=2004|title=Tropical Storm Bonnie Tropical Discussion #7|accessmonthday=May 18 |accessyear=2006|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/dis/al022004.discus.007.shtml?] The depression moved through the Yucatán Channel, and intensified into Tropical Storm Bonnie on August 9 while 70 miles (115 km) north of the Yucatán Peninsula.

Bonnie continued to the west-northwest; late on August 9, the storm presented a 9-mile (15-km) wide eyewall, a very unusual occurrence in a small and weak tropical storm.cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|year=2004|title=Tropical Storm Bonnie Tropical Discussion #8|accessmonthday=May 18 |accessyear=2006|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/dis/al022004.discus.008.shtml?] Bonnie quickly strengthened while turning to the north, a directional shift caused by a break in the mid-level ridge.cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|year=2004|title=Tropical Storm Bonnie Tropical Discussion #10|accessmonthday=May 18 |accessyear=2006|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/dis/al022004.discus.010.shtml?] The storm briefly weakened late on August 10; it re-strengthened again the following day to attain a peak intensity of 65 mph (105 km/h). Soon after, strong southwesterly wind shear disrupted the storm, causing Bonnie to weaken again. On August 12, Bonnie made landfall just south of Apalachicola as a 45 mph (70 km/h) tropical storm. It quickly weakened to a tropical depression, and accelerated northeastward through the southeastern United States. After paralleling the Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina coastlines, Bonnie lost its tropical characteristics on August 14 to the east of New Jersey. Its remnant low continued northeastward, making landfall in Massachusetts and Maine and continuing into Atlantic Canada.cite web|author=Hydrometeorological Prediction Center|year=2006|title=Rainfall Summary for Tropical Storm Bonnie|accessmonthday=May 18 |accessyear=2006|url=http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/bonnie2004.html]

Preparations

16 hours before the storm moved through the Lesser Antilles, the government of Saint Lucia issued a tropical storm warning. Guadeloupe, Martinique, Dominica, St. Maarten, Saba, St. Eustatius, Puerto Rico and the U.S Virgin Islands issued tropical storm watches.

In combination with the threat of Hurricane Charley, Bonnie forced the evacuation of 154 oil platforms and 32 oil rigs. The stoppage of production was equivalent to over 1.2 million barrels of crude oil, or 0.2% of the annual oil production in the Gulf of Mexico. Natural gas reserves were also limited. The lack of gas production due to the storms was equivalent to 7.4% of the total daily production in the Gulf of Mexico.cite web|author=United States Department of the Interior|year=2004|title=Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley Evacuation and Production Shut-in Statistics|accessmonthday=May 18 |accessyear=2006|url=http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/whatsnew/newsreal/2004/040813.html]

Early forecasts for Bonnie indicated that the storm might make landfall as an 80 mph (130 km/h) Category 1 hurricane. In response to the threat, fifteen shelters in seven northwestern Florida counties were put on standby.cite web|author=Capital City Area Red Cross|year=2004|title=Tropical Storm Bonnie Situation Report #1|accessmonthday=May 18 |accessyear=2006|url=http://www.tallytown.com/redcross/situation/bonnie-csr-01.pdf] In the hours before landfall, two shelters were opened, four were put on standby, and health and cleanup teams were deployed to the area.cite web|author=Capital City Area Red Cross|year=2004|title=Tropical Storm Bonnie Situation Report #1|accessmonthday=May 18 |accessyear=2006|url=http://www.tallytown.com/redcross/situation/bonnie-csr-05.pdf] Parts of Gadsden, Wakulla, and Levy Counties issued voluntary evacuations, and numerous schools were closed. In anticipation of the threat, Florida Governor Jeb Bush issued a state of emergency.cite web|author=Florida State Emergency Response Team|year=2004|title=Situation Report #1|accessmonthday=May 18 |accessyear=2006|url=http://www.tallytown.com/redcross/situation/bonnie-ssr-01.pdf]

Impact

Bonnie was a weak storm through most of its path, dropping only light rainfall and causing minimal damage. South Carolina and North Carolina experienced the worst of the storm, where a tornado outbreak killed three people and caused moderate damage.

Caribbean Sea

While traversing the Lesser Antilles as a tropical depression, Bonnie was moving very rapidly; consequently, most islands only experienced minor effects. For example, Saint Lucia received light and sporadic rainshowers, with sustained winds of 20 to 25 mph (32 to 40 km/h) and gusts to 35 mph (55 km/h).cite web|author=Mike Davis|year=2004|title=Unofficial Reports from St. Lucia|accessmonthday=May 18 |accessyear=2006|url=http://stormcarib.com/reports/2004/stlucia.shtml] In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, however, the depression dropped up to 9.2 inches (235 mm) of rain in 24 hours. The rainfall blocked storm drains, including those near the airport, which was forced to shut down. In addition, the rainfall caused debris to collect on roads throughout the island.cite web|author=National Emergency Office, St Vincent|year=2004|title=Airport in St Vincent temporarily closed due to flooding|accessmonthday=May 18 |accessyear=2006|url=http://www.cdera.org/cunews/sitrep/article_378.php] Although the storm passed only 70 miles (110 km) north of the Yucatán Peninsula, Bonnie only 0.6 inches (15 mm) of rain due to its small size.es iconcite web|author=Dir. Gral. Adj. de Oceanografia, Hidrografia y Meteorología|year=2004|title=Tormenta Tropical Bonnie|accessmonthday=May 18 |accessyear=2006|url=http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:laT7Y4NUjlcJ:www.semar.gob.mx/meteorologia/huracanes_atlantico/TT%2520Bonnie.pdf+Tropical+2004+Agosto+Tormenta&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1]

North America

In Florida, Bonnie produced up to 4.1 inches (104 mm) of rainfall in Pace, with peak wind gusts of 42 mph (68 km/h). Bonnie was accompanied by a four-foot storm surge; moderate wave action caused slight beach erosion. Rainfall and storm surge flooded roads, forcing the evacuation of 2,000 residents in Taylor County. The winds downed trees and caused scattered power outages.cite web|author=World Meteorological Organization|year=2004|title=Storm data and unusual weather phenomena, August 2004 (Alabama-Florida)|accessmonthday=May 18 |accessyear=2006|url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0QRF/is_8_46/ai_n9481380] A tornado in Jacksonville damaged several businesses and houses.cite web|author=Insurance Journal|year=2004|title=Storm Bonnie Spawns Tornadoes from Fla. to Va.|accessmonthday=May 18 |accessyear=2006|url=http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2004/08/13/44943.htm]

Bonnie spawned a tornado outbreak across the Mid-Atlantic. One such tornado in Pender County, North Carolina destroyed 17 homes and damaged 59 houses, causing three deaths and $1.27 million in damage (2004 USD).cite web|author=Wilmington National Weather Service|year=2004|title=Final Pender County Tornado Damage Assessment|accessdate=2006-05-22|url=http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/ilm/news/Pendertornadoweb.htm] In Stella, Bonnie generated a waterspout that struck a campground, damaged nine trailers, and wrecked small boats.cite news|author=Timmi Toler|year=2004|title=Waterspout damages Stella campground|publisher=Jacksonville Daily News|accessdate=2004-05-18|url=http://www.jacksonvilledailynews.com/SiteProcessor.cfm?Template=/GlobalTemplates/Details.cfm&StoryID=24768&Section=News] A tornado in Richlands damaged several houses as well.cite news|author=Roselee Papandrea|year=2004|title=Bonnie makes presence felt|publisher=Jacksonville Daily News|accessdate=2006-05-18|url=http://www.jacksonvilledailynews.com/SiteProcessor.cfm?Template=/GlobalTemplates/Details.cfm&StoryID=24776&Section=News] In South Carolina, tornadoes across the state damaged nine homes. A suspected tornado in Danville, Virginia destroyed the roofs of several businesses. In South Carolina, rainfall peaking at 6.07 inches (154 mm) in Loris caused flooding across the state. The flooding, including a one foot depth along U.S. Route 501, washed away a road and a bridge in Greenville County. In addition, 600 people across the state were left without electricity.cite web|author=Associated Press|year=2004|title=Bonnie brings high winds, tornadoes around SC|accessmonthday=May 18 |accessyear=2006|url=http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=2166556]

In Pennsylvania, the remnants of the storm dropped up to 8 inches (200 mm) of rain in Tannersville. The rainfall caused the Schuylkill River to reach a crest peak of 12.89 ft (4 m) at Berne. The flooding blocked several roads across eastern Pennsylvania. In addition, Bonnie produced gusty winds, leaving thousands without power from downed power lines.cite web|author=World Meteorological Organization|year=2004|title=Storm data and unusual weather phenomena, August 2004 (New York-Pennsylvania)|accessmonthday=May 19 |accessyear=2006|url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0QRF/is_8_46/ai_n9481384] In Delaware, the storm dropped up to 4 inches (100 mm) of rain, forcing 100 to evacuate from the floodwaters. The flooding closed part of U.S. Route 13, and an overflown creek in New Castle County caused moderate flooding damage to stores. In Maine, moisture from the remnants of Bonnie produced heavy rainfall, with localized totals of up to 10 inches (250 mm). The rainfall flooded or washed out roads across the eastern portion of the state. In Aroostook County, near the town of St. Francis, the rainfall caused a mudslide, narrowing a county road to one lane.cite web|author=World Meteorological Organization|year=2004|title=Storm data and unusual weather phenomena, August 2004 (Kansas-Michigan)|accessmonthday=May 18 |accessyear=2006|url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0QRF/is_8_46/ai_n9481382]

Bonnie, as an extratropical low combined with a frontal system, continued to produce moderate rainfall in Canada, peaking at 3.5 inches (90 mm) in Edmundston, New Brunswick. The rainfall caused basement flooding and road washouts; slick roads caused a traffic fatality in Edmundston.cite news|author=Canadian Hurricane Centre|year=2004|title=2004 Tropical Cyclone Season Summary|accessdate=2006-05-18|url=http://www.atl.ec.gc.ca/weather/hurricane/storm04.html]

Aftermath

22 hours after Bonnie struck Florida, Hurricane Charley passed over the Dry Tortugas. This was the first time in recorded history that two tropical storms struck Florida in one day. Before Bonnie and Charley, the most recent example of two tropical storms hitting the state in a short amount of time was Hurricane Gordon and Tropical Storm Helene in September 2000, which hit five days apart. Originally, it was thought that two storms in the 1906 season hit the state within 12 hours;cite news|author=David Royse|year=2004|title=How Rare is Tropical Storm Double Trouble?|publisher=Associated Press|accessdate=2006-05-18|url=http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/hurricanes_two_040812.html] however, the suspected tropical storm was downgraded to a tropical depression in a more recent analysis.cite web|author=HURDAT|year=2004|title=HURDAT Re-Analysis (1901–1910)|accessmonthday=May 18 |accessyear=2006|url=http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/metadata_01-10.html#1906_9]

Because Bonnie hit Florida immediately before Charley, damage between the two storms was often difficult to differentiate. President George W. Bush responded to the storm by declaring much of Florida a Federal Disaster Area on August 13, 2004.cite web|author=FEMA|year=2004|title=Florida Hurricane Charley and Tropical Storm Bonnie|accessmonthday=May 18 |accessyear=2006|url=http://www.fema.gov/news/event.fema?id=3455] Because the damage was minimal, the name "Bonnie" was not retired; it is on the list to be reused in the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season.

ee also

*Other tropical cyclones named Bonnie

External links

* [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2004bonnie.shtml Tropical Storm Bonnie Report]

References