Hurricane Debby (1982)

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Hurricane Debby
Type=hurricane
Year=1982
Basin=Atl
Image location=Hurricane Debby (1982).jpg


Formed=September 13, 1982
Dissipated=September 20, 1982
1-min winds=116
Pressure=950
Da

Fatalities=None
Areas=Bermuda, Newfoundland, Puerto Rico, Ireland, United Kingdom
Hurricane season=1982 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Debby was the strongest tropical cyclone of the 1982 Atlantic hurricane season. The fourth tropical cyclone of the season, it lasted one week moving over the Atlantic Ocean affecting Puerto Rico, Bermuda, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. Light damage was reported from winds over the Carribean Sea. Debby had also caused some evacuations in Bermuda, with people boarding up and/or leaving the island completely.

Debby formed from a tropical disturbance off the coast of Africa on 3 September. It began as a small and diffused storm, heading westward and possibly getting a circulation on 7 September, but the circulation was gone by the next day. The wave was able to strengthen into a tropical depression on 13 September near the Dominican Republic and strengthened into a tropical storm the next day. Debby moved north, grazing Bermuda and soon closing in towards the Canadian Maritimes. The storm moved eastward and caught a forward speed of 60 mph (100 km/h). Debby was absorbed by a major storm system over the British Isles on 20 September. Debby's winds peaked at 135 mph (215 km/h) and had a minimal pressure of 950 mbar.

Meteorological history

A weather system formed off the coast of Africa on 3 September. The disturbance was small and diffused and completely lost identification within 24 hours of formation. Pictures from satellites indicated that the disturbance may have gained some circulation on 7 September, but the circulation was gone by the next day. The remaining tropical wave moved into the Lesser Antilles on 11 September and a reconnaissance aircraft was deployed. The aircraft found circulation, however, by the next day, only a strong wave was detected. Atmospheric conditions changed and became more favorable for development, providing lower wind shear near Hispanola for the days to come. Debby moved into this area as the 13th reconnaissance aircraft was deployed, declaring it a tropical depression on 13 September near the Dominican Republic.cite web
author=NHC
year=1983
title=Hurricane Debby Preliminary Report- Page 1 - Storm History I
publisher=The National Hurricane Center
accessdate=2007-04-05
url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1982-prelim/debby/prelim01.gif]

The fourteenth reconnaissance aircraft that headed to the system discovered a minimal pressure of 1005 mbar (28.67 inHg) and winds of 45 mph (70 km/h) in the depression's center, upgrading it to Tropical Storm Debby on the morning of 14 September. Doubt occurred that Debby would have approached an incoming trough or come near the influence of a high-pressure ridge over the southeastern United States. Debby was later picked up by the trough, moving away from land and moved to the north. Debby strengthened further, becoming a minimal hurricane late on 14 September. The hurricane deepened further, reaching max winds of 110 mph (180 km/h), a Category 2 storm. Debby started approaching Bermuda in this time, and on 16 September, Debby passed 80 miles (130 km) west of the island and continued north.

Debby began to slow down to 5 mph (10 km/h) early on September 17 as another trough in the westerlies arrived and Debby entered it. As Debby entered the trough, its forward speed picked up from 5 mph (10 km/h) to 30 mph (50 km/h). During this time, Debby reached Category 4 strength, reaching a peak intensity of 135 mph (215 km/h) and a minimal pressure of 950 mbar (28.05 inHg). Debby passed just south of Cape Race, Newfoundland and started accelerating to the east at 60 mph (100 km/h) by 20 September, weakening moderately.cite web
author=NHC
year=1983
title=Hurricane Debby Preliminary Report- Page 2 - Storm History II
publisher=The National Hurricane Center
accessdate=2007-04-05
url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1982-prelim/debby/prelim02.gif] Debby kept its identity while crossing the North Atlantic Ocean, weakened into a tropical storm at 0600 UTC 20 September and was absorbed by a major storm over Ireland and Great Britain.cite web
author=NHC
year=1983
title=Hurricane Debby Preliminary Report- Page 5 - Best Track
publisher=The National Hurricane Center
accessdate=2008-08-17
url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1982-prelim/debby/prelim05.gif]

Starting in the 1982 season, the Hurricane Hunter Aircraft (also known as P-3s) began running a new mission for NOAA's Hurricane Research Division. The mission was to drop dropwindsondes that deployed very-low Omega frequency signals. These signals were to estimate the sonde's motion compared to the aircraft in certain areas in a storm.cite web
author=NOAA
year=2007
title=NOAA's Gulfstream-IV Jet Takes Hurricane Track Predictions to New Heights
publisher=NOAA
accessdate=2007-02-11
url=http://celebrating200years.noaa.gov/transformations/aircraft/welcome.html#path]

Preparations and Impact

Rainfalls from Debby in Puerto Rico spread from three inches around the northern end of the island to ten inches in the southern ridge of the island. Rains in Puerto Rico peaked at 12.86 inches in Penuelas. The U.S. Virgin Islands reported rain of about three inches and five inches in the Dominican Republic.cite web
author=David Roth
year=2007
title=Incipient Stage of Debby - September 12-14, 1982
publisher=Hydrometeorological Prediction Center
accessdate=2007-02-11
url=http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/debby1982.html]

Tourists by the thousands took the last-minute flights out of Bermuda on 16 September as Debby drew near packing 110 mph winds, predicting that the hurricane's eye would be over the island the next day.cite web
author=UPI
date=1982-09-16
title=Crowds Flee Bermuda With Hurricane Near
publisher=The New York Times
accessdate=2007-02-11
url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A06E6DA1338F935A2575AC0A964948260] Airlines cancelled flights, buildings boarded up, and cruise liners were hurried out of their harbors in the time before Debby arrived.cite web
author=The Daily Intelligencer
date=1982-09-16
title=Hurricane Debby Gains Strength
publisher=Daily Intelligencer
accessdate=2007-02-11
url=http://www.thehurricanearchive.com/Viewer.aspx?
] Rescue teams evacuated workers from Mobil oil rigs in Debby's path as it neared.cite web
author=The Syracuse Herald Journal
date=1982-09-19
title=Newfoundland battered
publisher=Syracuse Herald Journal
accessdate=2007-02-11
url=http://www.thehurricanearchive.com/Viewer.aspx?
] Heavy rains fell on Newfoundland and no damage was reported there. Nova Scotia also reported gale-force winds. Bermuda experienced heavy gusts of wind, which caused minor damage with no injuries or fatalities. Electricity was knocked out in Bermuda, but was restored quickly.cite web
author=Associated Press
date=1982-09-17
title=A Wandering Hurricane Brushes Past Bermuda
publisher=The New York Times
accessdate=2007-04-05
url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A02E0D81338F934A2575AC0A964948260&n=Top%2fNews%2fWorld%2fCountries%20and%20Territories%2fBermuda]

Despite the strength, the name "Debby" was not retired due to the lack of damage. The name Debby has been used in the 1988, 1994, 2000, 2006 and set for 2012 seasons.

See also

* List of Atlantic hurricanes
* List of Atlantic hurricane seasons

References

External links

* [http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1982.pdf Monthly Weather Review]
* [ftp://ftp.nhc.noaa.gov/pub/storm_archives/atlantic/prelimat/atl1982/ Detailed information on all storms from 1982]