Marine Weather Review – North Atlantic Area
September 2014 to February 2015

George P. Bancroft
Ocean Forecast Branch, Ocean Prediction Center, College Park, MD
NOAA National Center for Environmental Prediction

Introduction

The fall to mid-winter period of September 2014 to February 2015 featured the onset of mainly a progressive and amplified pattern of developing cyclones moving from southwest to northeast across the North Atlantic toward Greenland and Iceland, with cyclones less frequently taking a more northwesterly track toward the Davis Strait, or a more southern track over the central North Atlantic waters toward Europe. The heavy weather season started early with two hurricane force lows developing in middle to late September. October featured two such events including one with tropical origin (Hurricane Gonzalo). The numbers of hurricane force lows then increased from November to January, reaching a peak of 12 events in January, before easing to eight in February. These trends support the seasonal increase in numbers of hurricane force lows to a peak in January in the North Atlantic found in a study done in 2005 based on QuikSCAT winds (VonAhn and Sienkiewicz, 2005). One cyclone developed a central pressure below 940 hPa east of Greenland early in January. Three other cyclones, one in early December and two in January, developed central pressures in the low 940s. The six month period includes the last half of the hurricane season in the Atlantic basin. It turned out to be a quiet season in terms of the number of named tropical cyclones. The three tropical cyclones that affected OPC’s marine area north of 31N were hurricanes, including two major hurricanes (category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson scale, Reference 4 and 5).

One of these, Gonzalo, was the strongest and briefly developed into a post tropical hurricane force (extratropical) low over the North Atlantic. There was no late season activity after October.

Tropical Activity

Hurricane Edouard: Edouard briefly became a major hurricane while approaching 31N near 58W on the morning of September 16th with maximum sustained winds of 105 kts. The cyclone moved northward and then turned northeast late on the 16th and accelerated the following day with a slow weakening trend. By the 18th the weakening cyclone turned eastward along 40N, passing near 40N 42W as a minimal hurricane with 65 kts winds at 1800 UC on the 18th , and then weakening to a tropical storm six hours later.

Edouard then lost tropical characteristics and became a post tropical gale near 40N 38W at 1800 UTC on the 19th. The cyclone then turned southeast and then south late on the 20th as a remnant low, and dissipated near 30N 32W late on the 22nd.

Hurricane Fay: A short lived tropical cyclone with non tropical origin, Fay briefly became a hurricane while approaching and then passing over and just north of the island of Bermuda early on October 12th, with highest sustained winds 70 kts on the morning of the 12th. As a cold front approached, Fay then turned northeast and then east and weakened (Figure 1), and passed near 34N 59W as a 50 kts tropical storm at 0000 UTC on the 13th. Fay then became a post tropical cyclone the next morning and merged with a front. Post tropical Fay was strongest while passing near 33N 44W with a 1000 hPa central pressure and storm force winds at 1200 UTC on the 14th. The ALLIANCE ST. LOUIS (WGAE) near 36N 60W reported north winds of 40 kts and 5.8 m seas (19 ft) at 0600 UTC on the 13th. The MAERSK DAYTON (DDSC2) near 34N 46W reported north winds 35 kts and 6.7m seas (22 ft) at 1600 UTC on the 14th, and the ESMERALDA (9HA3564) near 34N 40W encountered northeast winds of 40 kts two hours later. Fay then tracked east southeast on the 14th and then accelerated northeast late on the 15th and became absorbed by a large gale to the north early on the 17th.

Hurricane Gonzalo: Gonzalo’s winds peaked at 125 kts (category 4 intensity on the Saffir-Simpson scale) when 460 nm south southwest of Bermuda at 1200 UTC October 16 (Ref. 5). Gonzalo crossed into OPC’s marine area near 31N 66W as a 105 kts (category 3), although weakening, hurricane at 1800 UTC on the 17th and passed over Bermuda 0030 UTC on the 18th. The Bermuda airport (TXKF) reported a west wind of 81 kts shortly after passage of the hurricane’s eye. Gonzalo then tracked northeast and slowly weakened but remained a hurricane until transition into a post tropical cyclone on the 19th (Figure 2). Figure 3 is an ASCAT image showing strongest winds around Gonzalo, up to 75 kts, close to the center, a characteristic of tropical cyclones. Gonzalo was still a hurricane at that time. After briefly maintaining hurricane force winds as a post tropical low, Gonzalo then moved northeast and weakened to a gale the following night, before re-intensifying into a storm force low passing near northern Scotland with a 976 hPa center at 0600 UTC on the 21st. Post tropical Gonzalo then moved in-land over Denmark as a gale late on the 21st.

Other Significant Events of the Period

Northwestern Atlantic Storms, September 3-7: A developing cyclone moved from northern Quebec on the morning of September 3rd to the Davis Strait early the next day, where it developed a lowest central pressure of 980 hPa and storm force winds. An ASCAT (METOP-A) pass from 1305 UTC on the 4th returned south to southeast winds up to 45 kts off the southwest Greenland coast, meaning possible storm force considering the low bias of ASCAT winds. The cyclone weakened in the Davis Strait on the 5th and was followed by another cyclone moving from central Quebec on the 5th to the northern Labrador Sea with a central pressure as low as 984 hPa at 1800 UTC on the 7th. The EURODAM (PHOS) near 59.5N 47W reported southeast winds of 51 kts and 4.0 m seas (13 ft) two hours later. The cyclone then weakened while turning toward the southeast and dissipated southeast of Cape Farewell late on the 9th.

North Atlantic Storm, Greenland area, September 12-15: Low pressure moved from southern Quebec early on September 11th to the Labrador coast on the morning of the 12th and then to the east Greenland waters early on the 14th, where it became the first hurricane force low of the fall season (Figure 4). Westerly winds south of the low of up to 60 kts detected by ASCAT are channeled against the southern tip of Greenland (Figure 5). This data supports the presence of hurricane force winds due to the low bias of ASCAT at high wind speeds. The MARY ARTICA (BATEU00) reported east winds of 45 kts near 65N 38W at 0800 UTC on the 14th. The cyclone then weakened while passing between Greenland and Iceland the following night.

North Atlantic Storm, Greenland area, September 28-October 1: Low pressure moving off the southern Labrador coast on the morning of September 27th developed gale force winds, and then turned northeast toward the east Greenland waters on the 28th and early on the 29th while rapidly intensifying (Figure 6) and became the second hurricane force low of the month. The central pressure fell 28 hPa in the twenty four hour period ending at 0600 UTC on the 29th. The ship BATEU08 (64N 33W) reported south winds of 65 kts at 2200 UTC on the 29th. The second part of Figure 6 shows a second developing storm moving north toward the east Greenland waters, after having moved off the southern Labrador coast the previous day. It, along with the other low, formed a complex storm system between Greenland and Iceland by 1200 UTC on the 30th with a lowest central pressure of 952 hPa near 64N 31W.The combined center then accelerated northeast on October 1st and passed north of Iceland late on the 1st. Ship BATEU08 encountered west winds of 45 kts near 60N 48W at 1600 UTC on that day.

North Atlantic Storm, October 12-15: The development of this cyclone, the first of two to develop a 948 hPa central pressure and occurring as Tropical Storm Fay was traversing the southern waters, is depicted in Figure 1. It originated near the northern mid- Atlantic coast of the U.S. early on October 11th, moved northeast and quickly intensified after passing east of the island of Newfoundland on the afternoon of the 12th. The central pressure fell 46 hPa in the 24 hour period ending at 1200 UTC on the 13th, or almost twice the rate needed for a meteorological “bomb” at 60N (Sanders and Gyakum, 1980). The ARCADIA (ZCDN2) sent several reports, including a report of northwest winds of 90 kts near 49N 42W and 5.2 m seas (17 ft) at 0900 UTC on the 13th. Four hours later the same ship encountered northwest winds of 65 kts and 12.8 m seas (42 ft) near 49N 40W. This was followed three hours later by a report of northwest winds 70 kts and 11.3 m seas (37 ft) near 50N 39W. The INDEPENDENCE II (WGAX) near 49N 40W encountered southeast winds of 60 kts at 0600 UTC on the 13th. The cyclone, after maintaining hurricane force winds from 0600 UTC on the 13th through 0000 UTC on the 14th, began to weaken and drift east with its top winds lowering to gale force by early on the 15th. The cyclone then became absorbed by a large gale passing to the south the next day.

Southwestern North Atlantic Storm, November 1-3:: The initial rapid development of this system is shown in Figure 7. The trailing low pressure system and secondary cold front on the southeast U.S. coast absorbed the initial low off the mid Atlantic coast during the 24 hour period. The cyclone became the only hurricane force event over the southwestern waters during the four month period through December. The lowest central pressure was 974 hPa over the Gulf of St. Lawrence at 0600 UTC on the 3rd. The cyclone stalled there before dissipating late on the 4th as a new cyclone formed to the north and moved toward Iceland. Some notable surface observations taken in this event are listed in Table 1.

North Atlantic Storm, November 8-10: Low pressure originating over the northeastern U.S. and New England on the afternoon of November 6th moved northeast to the Gulf of St. Lawrence late on November 7th and then over the following 24 hours reformed northeastward off the southern Labrador coast as a 961 hPa storm center (Figure 8). A scatterometer pass (Figure 9) returned winds up to 60 kts north of an occluded front approaching Greenland. The low bias of ASCAT at higher wind speeds indicates winds likely reached hurricane force late on the 8th before the system turned toward the east and weakened the following night and on the 9th.The cyclone then dissipated by early on the 10th as a new cyclone developed to the east.

Northwestern Atlantic Storm, November 15-16: The main development of this cyclone, which originated near the North Carolina coast early on November 13th, is shown in Figure 10. In this 24 hour period the low center’s central pressure dropped 27 hPa, and the lowest central pressure occurred six hours later. Like in the previous event, November 8-10, this cyclone developed winds to 60 kts in ASCAT imagery (Figure 11), but on the south side of the center where there is a tight pressure gradient as indicated in the second part of Figure 10. BATEU06 (51N 55W) reported west winds of 40 kts at 1900 UTC on the 15th. The platform HIBERNIA (46.7N 48.7W) reported west winds 49 kts at a height of 139 m and seas 3.0 m (10 ft) at 1500 UTC on the 15th, and 12 hours prior, reported 4.0 m seas (13 ft). The cyclone subsequently stalled and weakened near the southern tip of Greenland late on the 16th and on the 17th.

North Atlantic Storm, November 17-19: A wave of low pressure that formed on a front south of Newfoundland at 0000 UTC November 16th (second part of Figure 10) moved northeast and rapidly intensified over the central waters after 0600 UTC on the 17th, with the central pressure dropping 26 hPa in the following 24 hours. Figure 12 shows the cyclone near maximum intensity at 1200 UTC on the 18th. The cyclone developed a lowest central pressure of 967 hPa six hours later near 50N 23W when OPC analyzed it as a hurricane force low. Figure 14 shows wind retrievals from two ASCAT-B passes with the pass at 1307 UTC on the 18th revealing northwest winds to 60 kts. The cyclone therefore briefly developed hurricane force winds early on the 18th before it drifted southeast and weakened, and became a gale force low in the east central waters 1200 UTC on the 19th (Figure 13). Dissipation followed on the next day.

Northwestern Atlantic Storms, November 18-23: Two hurricane force lows affected the Labrador Sea and southern Greenland late in November. The more intense of these developed a lowest central pressure of 948 hPa while moving off the northern Labrador coast at 1200 UTC on the 19th, after forming in the Gulf of St. Lawrence 24 hours prior (Figure 12 and Figure 13). The central pressure fell 40 hPa during the twenty four hour period ending at 0600 UTC on the 19th. Winds lowered to storm force the afternoon of the 19th and to gale force the next day as the system moved north through the Davis Strait while weakening. The second low initially followed an inland track through the Great Lakes on the 19th (Figure 13) and along the St. Lawrence River the next day before intensifying into a hurricane force low with a central pressure as low as 960 hPa near 56N 50W at 1800 UTC on the 22nd. This event was similar in intensity and winds to the November 8-10 storm. An ASCAT-A image from 1415 UTC on the 22nd revealed retrieved winds on the edge of the pass from the east to 55 kts on the north side and from the west 50 kts on the south side. The ship VRY03 (47N 43W) reported south winds of 46 kts at 0000 UTC on the 22nd. The platform HIBERNIA (46.7N 48.7W) encountered west winds of 50 kts and 6.0 m seas (20 ft) at 0600 UTC on the 23rd. The cyclone subsequently weakened to a gale force low while passing near the southern tip of Greenland at 1800 UTC on the 23rd before dissipating by the 25th as a new low formed to the northeast.

North Atlantic Storm, November 29-December 1: A subsequent event at the end of November involved low pressure tracking from the southeastern U.S. on the 27th northeast across the Grand Banks late on the 28th and then as shown in Figure 15 the final development into a hurricane force low passing near Iceland at1800 UTC on the 30th. The cyclone passed north of Iceland six hours later with a lowest central pressure of 957 hPa. The ASCAT-B image in Figure 16 returned a swath of west winds containing numerous 60 kts wind reports, and it is possible the pass missed higher winds as these retrieved winds are on the edge of a pass. The cyclone then continued to move northeast from Iceland and weakened on December 1st.

Northwestern Atlantic Storm, December 1-2: This short lived event involved a low pressure area moving northeast across Quebec on November 30th, passing off the north Labrador coast the following night and then briefly developing hurricane force winds while passing near 62N 59W with a 968 hPa center around 1800 UTC December 1st. An ASCAT-B pass from 2329 UTC on the 1st returned a swath of west winds to 55 kts south of the center similar to the winds in Figure 16 but not quite as strong. The system then moved north through the Davis Strait and weakened rapidly the following night and on the 2nd.

Northwestern Atlantic/ Greenland Storms, December 4-6: The development of the stronger of two cyclones from its origin as an open wave over New Brunswick over a 36 hour period is depicted in Figure 17. Similar to the December 7-11 event that followed, the central pressure fell 50 hPa in the 24 hour period ending at 0000 UTC December 5th, or more than twice the rate of deepening needed for a meteorological “bomb” at 60N (Sanders and Gyakum, 1980). To support this development, two short wave troughs appear on a 500 hPa analysis for 0000 UTC on the 4th (Figure 18) at the start of rapid intensification, supported by strong 500 hPa winds, and are about to come into phase or reinforce one another. More information on use of the 500 Millibar chart may be found in the References (Sienkiewicz and Chesneau, 2008). The primary cyclone spawned a new or secondary low center on the east side of Greenland by 0600 UTC on the 5th (Figure 17) which briefly developed hurricane force winds six hours later. An ASCAT-A pass from 2318 UTC December 4th with partial coverage revealed southeast winds to 50 kts off the southwest Greenland coast and west winds to 50 kts in the Labrador Sea. The primary cyclone dissipated over Greenland late on the 5th while the secondary low moved northeast and dissipated near Iceland late on the 6th.

North Atlantic Storm, December 7-11: This developing cyclone moved from New England early on December 6th northeast to the Labrador Sea on the 7th and developed storm and hurricane force winds while passing near and east of Greenland on the night of the 7th and on the 8th. Figure 19 depicts the final 36 hour period of development, including a fall in central pressure of 51 hPa in the 24 hour period ending at 1800 UTC on the 8th. Hurricane force winds accompanied the system as it moved through the East Greenland Sea over the following twenty four hours. The lowest central pressure was 941 hPa (27.79 in) as shown in the second part of Figure 19, making it the second deepest of the six month period in the North Atlantic. The scatterometer image in Figure 20 taken about eight hours prior to maximum intensity returned a swath of 50 to 60 kts on the south side and even some 70 kts barbs along the Greenland coast. The IRENA ARTICA (BATEU05) near 61N 42W reported north winds of 50 kts at 1000 UTC on the 8th. The ship BATEU08 (60N 39W) encountered west winds 50 kts at 1700 UTC on the 9th. Buoy 64045 (59.2N 11.7W) reported west winds 45 kts with gusts to 62 kts and 14.0 m seas (46 ft) at 0300 UTC on the 10th, followed six hours later by a report of 15.8 m seas (52 ft). Buoy 62105 (55.0N 12.4W) reported similar conditions at 0800 UTC on the 10th and, one hour later, a peak gust of 63 kts and 15.2 m seas (50 ft). The system weakened while passing east of Iceland on the 10th and was pushed inland over Norway by the approach of the next major cyclone by the 13th (Figure 21).

North Atlantic Storms, Iceland area, December 13-15: The initial development was as a new low near the east Greenland coast at 1200 UTC on the 12th which became a storm over Iceland at 1800 UTC on the 13th, while another low formed and dropped south from the Denmark Strait to form the hurricane force low as shown in the first part of Figure 19. The two lows consolidated into one hurricane force low with a 953 hPa central pressure east of Iceland near 66N 7W 24 hours later (second part of Figure 19). An ASCAT-A pass from 2330 UTC on the 13th showed west to northwest winds to 55 kts on the edge of the pass south of the low west of Iceland. Figure 22 contains the same type of imagery around the combined low east of Iceland. Some wind retrievals are missing but otherwise winds in the 50 to 60 kts range are widespread around the south and west sides of the low. The cyclone subsequently drifted southwest on the 15th and 16th with winds weakening to below gale force.

North Atlantic Storm, Greenland-Iceland area, December 15-18: A new low formed just south of Greenland near 59N 44W at 1200 UTC on December 15th and moved northeast toward Iceland. It briefly developed hurricane force winds with the center near 64N 34W at 1200 UTC on the 16th, and then redeveloped to the east near Iceland early on the 17th. The central pressure fell 40 hPa in the 24 hour period ending at 1800 UTC on the 16th. The lowest central pressure was 949 hPa at 0600 UTC on the 17th as the center approached Iceland. ASCAT-A imagery at 1355 UTC on the 17th revealed a swath of west winds 50 to 60 kts extending from near the southern tip of Greenland east to near 33W. The cyclone lingered over Iceland until the morning of the 18th while weakening, and then dissipated just south of Iceland later that day.

North Atlantic Storm, December 19-21: A low pressure center, already with gale force winds, moved northeast from the island of Newfoundland with a 987 hPa center on the morning of the 19th and developed storm force winds with a new center forming to the north near 57N 40W 12 hours later. The cyclone developed hurricane force winds with a central pressure as low as 964 hPa near 62N 39W by 0000 UTC on the 20th, with a weakening trend setting in as the low moved toward Iceland the next day. An ASCAT A pass from 2243 UTC on the 20th showed a Greenland tip jet similar to Figure 5 for the mid-September event except in this event scatterometer winds were as high as 70 kts. The ship BATEU08 (63N 45W) encountered southwest winds of 44 kts at 2100 UTC on the 20th. The cyclone’s top winds weakened to storm force as it approached Iceland the next day and became absorbed by another storm passing north of Iceland late on the 21st.

Northwestern Atlantic Storm, December 25-27: This cyclone, initially strong while passing through eastern Canada on the 25th and 26th, briefly developed hurricane force winds late on the 26th as southeast winds ahead of an occluded front became enhanced and channeled against the southwest Greenland coast. An ASCAT-B pass from 2313 UTC December 26th revealed a swath of southeast winds to 60 kts near the southwest Greenland coast ahead of the approaching front, while the cyclone’s 968 hPa center was over northern Labrador. The cyclone then drifted east on the night of the 26th and on the 27th with winds weakening to gale force the following night.

North Atlantic Storms, January 2-5: Low pressure originating over the Gulf of St. Lawrence early on January 2nd moved northeast and developed hurricane force winds with a 972 hPa central pressure in the eastern Labrador Sea on the night of the 3rd before forming a new hurricane force low in the east Greenland waters by 1200 UTC on the 4th. The new cyclone developed a lowest central pressure of 964 hPa near 62N 36W six hours later. An ASCAT pass from 1243 UTC on the 4th showed northwest to north winds to 55 kts west of the center. The cyclone weakened as a new center formed to the north early on the 5th (Figure 23) and the two centers dissipated late on the 5th in the Denmark Strait.

North Atlantic Storm, January 5-10: An area of low pressure moved northeast from the Gulf of St. Lawrence early on the 5th and over the following thirty six hours became the deepest low of the six month period with a pressure of 936 hPa (Figure 23 and Figure 24). The central pressure fell 36 hPa in the 24 hour period ending at 1800 UTC on the 6th. The ASCAT image in Figure 27 reveals a wind maximum coming off the southern tip of Greenland of up to 55 kts, with data coverage incomplete. Although this cyclone was the deepest of the period, it did not have the highest winds. The fast moving, more compact system that followed and passed to the south produced much stronger winds. The cyclone subsequently stalled and weakened in the east Greenland waters (Figure 25 and Figure 26).

Northeastern Atlantic Storms, January 7-10: The first of two fast moving intense cyclones crossing the central and northeast Atlantic waters originated as the low pressure wave off the U.S. East Coast which raced northeast and approached the British Isles in two days (Figure 24 and Figure 25). The cyclone appears at maximum intensity in Figure 25. It was remarkable in that it produced the strongest winds seen in ASCAT imagery during the period. The ASCAT (METOP-B) image in Figure 28 includes some 80 kts observations. BATUK01 near 58N 3W reported west winds of 60 kts at 0700 UTC on the 9th. The GLOBAL PRODUCER (ZQSD5) at 58.3N 0.8W encountered seas to 13.5 m (44 ft) at 1000 UTC on the 9th. The platform 62114 (58.3N 0.8W) reported west winds of 60 kts at 0700 UTC on the 9th. Buoy 62161 (58.4N 1.2E) reported seas as high as 9.5 m (31 ft) three hours later. The cyclone weakened after passing north of Scotland early on the 9th and then moved inland later that day. The second cyclone originated over northern New England early on the 7th and moved quickly offshore, passing just south of the island of Newfoundland early on the 8th. The APL EGYPT (A8BZ6) near 40N 50W encountered southwest winds of 45 kts and 8.5 m seas (28 ft) at 1400 UTC on the 8th. The low center then rapidly intensified after passing over the central waters, and developed hurricane force winds with a 953 hPa center near the Norwegian coast (Figure 25 and Figure 26). The central pressure fell 38 hPa in the twenty four hour period ending at 0600 UTC on the 10th. Scatterometer winds in the 50 to 65 kts range appear south and southwest of the center (Figure 29). The cyclone then moved inland and rapidly weakened the following night.

Northwestern Atlantic Storm, January 9-11: Figure 25 and Figure 26 show low pressure moving from well inland over southern Canada to the Labrador Sea where it developed hurricane force winds on the 10th. An ASCAT-B pass from 2302 UTC on the 10th showed winds 50 to 60 kts on the south side of the center. The cyclone weakened to a gale while passing east of Greenland early on the 11th and then intensified again to a 960 hPa storm force low the following day (Figure 30). It then became absorbed by the second of two deep cyclones with pressures in the low 940s passing to the south 0600 UTC on the 15th, described below.

Northeastern Atlantic Storm, January 11-13: A wave of low pressure over the north central waters rapidly intensified as it moved rapidly northeast over a 24 hour period (Figure 30) with the central pressure dropping 51 hPa. This was the first of two lows with pressures in the low 940s to move over the northeastern waters in close succession. Scatterometer imagery from 2040 UTC on the 12th (Figure 31) returned a swath of west winds 50 to 65 kts on the south side before the system departed the area via the Norwegian Sea and weakened to a gale.

North Atlantic Storm, January 13-16: Just as the preceding event was reaching its maximum, the next developing low was inland over southern Quebec. It passed northeast of the island of Newfoundland early on January 13th and developed storm force winds out over the North Atlantic and hurricane force winds while approaching the British Isles on the 14th. The central pressure fell 42 hPa in the 24 hour period ending at 0600 UTC on the 14th. The lowest central pressure was 942 hPa, reached as the low passed just west of Scotland at 0600 UTC on the 15th. The ship BATFR60 (48N 6W) reported south winds of 55 kts at 2200 UTC on the 14th. The vessel BAREU12 (46N 21W) encountered northwest winds of 45 kts and 9.0 m seas (30 ft) at 1800 UTC on the 14th. Buoy 62023 (51.4N 7.8W) reported southwest winds of 55 kts with gusts to 69 kts and 8.2 m seas (27 ft) three hours later. Buoy 62081 (51.1N 13.3W) reported seas of 11.0 m (36 feet) at 0400 UTC on the 15th. An ASCAT pass from 2224 UTC on the 14th showed a swath of west winds 50 to 60 kts west of Ireland and also detected some easterly winds to 50 kts on the north side of the cyclone. The system weakened as it passed north of the British Isles late on the 15th and weakened to a gale in the Norwegian Sea the following day.

Northwestern Atlantic/ Davis Strait Storm, January 17-18: A developing low moved through Quebec and Labrador on January 16th and emerged in the Labrador Sea on the 17th as a storm force low. It then moved through the Davis Strait with a lowest central pressure of 972 hPa and briefly developed hurricane force winds late on the 17th (Figure 32). Rapid weakening followed early on the 18th as the cyclone passed north of the area.

North Atlantic Storms, January 17-20: A complex low pressure system entering the Labrador Sea consolidated over a 24 hour period ending at 0000 UTC January 19th to form a deep 960 hPa low east of Greenland (Figure 32). The ASCAT-B pass in Figure 33 reveals a broad swath of winds 50 kts or more that includes some 70 kts winds. A view of the north side of the cyclone in the same imagery shows winds 50 to 60 kts along the east Greenland coast. The ship BAREU12 (46N 42W) reported west winds of 55 kts at 0600 UTC on the 18th. The MAERSK PEMBROKE (PDHY) near 45N 47W encountered west winds of 40 kts and 9.8 m seas (32 ft) 12 hours later. The cyclone subsequently weakened to a storm force low in the east Greenland waters on the 19th as a new low formed to the west later on the 29th and briefly developed hurricane force winds the following night. The system resumed weakening on the 20th with winds diminishing to gale force.

North Atlantic Storms, January 23-28: An initial development consisted of a low pressure wave near Cape Hatteras early on January 22nd which intensified as it moved offshore and developed storm force winds and a pressure of 985 hPa as it passed south of Nova Scotia at 0600 UTC on the 23rd before moving across Newfoundland and temporarily weakening to a gale. ASCAT-B imagery from 0131 UTC on the 23rd revealed winds 50 to 55 kts on the west side and some of the buoy and platform observations listed in Table 2 indicate this cyclone approached hurricane force while in the southwestern waters. After weakening in the Labrador Sea late on the 23rd, the cyclone re intensified to a storm force low as it passed east of Greenland, and its lowest central pressure of 955 hPa came after it passed northeast of Iceland on the 25th. The subsequent development of a stronger system is depicted in Figure 34. Originating over the southeast U.S., a low pressure wave rapidly intensified over the southwestern waters where the central pressure fell 40 hPa in the 24 hour period ending at 0600 UTC on the 25th. The cyclone developed hurricane force winds at 0000 UTC on the 25th near the New England offshore waters and maintained these winds until it reached the Denmark Strait on the night of the 27th. Figure 35 is an ASCAT image from 0031 UTC January 26th, just prior to when the system reached maximum intensity showing a partial view of winds to 50 kts north and south of the center, but there is no data available from the west side. The cyclone dissipated north of the area late on the 28th.

Western North Atlantic Storm, February 2-4: An intensifying area of low pressure moved off the New Jersey coast already as a storm force low on the afternoon of February 2nd and developed central pressures in the 970s while passing just south of and then over the Canadian Atlantic provinces late on the 2nd and during the following night. The cyclone developed a lowest central pressure of 964 hPa while briefly developing hurricane force winds in the Labrador Sea at 0600 UTC on the 4th. An ASCAT-B pass from 0045 UTC on the 4th with limited coverage due to sea ice returned an area of south winds 50 to 55 kts off the southern Labrador coast. The BRITISH INTEGRITY (MGGF9) near 46N 55W reported south winds of 50 kts and 4.5 m seas (15 ft) at 1400 UTC on the 3rd. The platform HIBERNIA (46.7N 48.7W) reported south winds of 65 kts (anemometer height 139 m) at 2100 UTC on the 3rd and seas of 5.2 m (17 ft) three hours later, while TERRA NOVA FPSO (VCXF, 46.4N 48.4W) encountered south winds of 50 kts at a height of 53 m. Buoy 44137 (42.3N 62.0W) reported south winds of 45 kts with gusts to 58 kts at 0700 UTC on the 3rd, and maximum significant wave heights of 9.0 m (30 ft) four hours later. The cyclone subsequently moved into the Davis Strait and rapidly weakened late on the 4th.

North Atlantic Storm, February 11-13: A gale force low moved northeast off the U.S. mid Atlantic coast early on February 9th with slow strengthening through the night of the 10th, and then rapid intensification after passing the Grand Banks on the 11th. The central pressure fell 19 hPa in only a twelve hour period ending at 0600 UTC on the 12th, when it developed a lowest central pressure of 973 hPa and hurricane force winds near 53N 33W. An ASCAT pass from 2248 UTC on the 11th revealed a compact circulation with retrieved winds of 50 to 55 kts on the south side close to the low center. The cyclone then moved east and maintained storm force winds until it reached the British Isles, when it weakened to a gale. It then dissipated over northern France early on the 15th.

North Atlantic Storm, February 12-15: A frontal wave of low pressure over the Carolinas moved offshore and rapidly intensified into a hurricane force low within the following 24 hour period (Figure 36). The central pressure fell 42 hPa during this period, impressive for that low latitude. Winds in its compact circulation reached at least 70 kts with the scatterometer imagery in Figure 37 showing the strongest winds of 70 kts at the edge of the pass. The visible satellite image in Figure 38 valid six hours prior to time of maximum intensity (962 hPa) shows a comma cloud pattern and well defined center of the cyclone and the lines of clouds forming to the west as cold air streams off the East Coast. The MODU HENRY GOODRICH (YJQN7, 46.1N 54.5W) reported northeast winds of 70 kts at 1800 UTC on the 12th. THEBAUD PLATFORM (CFO383, 43.9N 60.2W) encountered northwest winds of 56 kts with gusts to 72 kts at 1600 UTC on the 13th. Buoy 44141 (43.0N 58.0W) reported southwest winds of 55 kts with gusts to 72 kts at 1700 UTC on the 13th, and highest seas of 8.2 m (27 ft) five hours later. Buoy 44139 (44.2N 57.1W) reported southwest winds of 49 kts with gusts to 68 kts at 1900 UTC on the 13th, and seas of 7.5 m (25 ft) one hour later. The cyclone then passed north of the island of Newfoundland by the 14th with its top winds weakening to storm force, and on the 15th passed between Greenland and Iceland.

Western North Atlantic Storm, February 14-17: The next event followed closely behind the departing cyclone in the second part of Figure 36, originating as a coastal redevelopment of the low north of the Great Lakes. It briefly developed hurricane force winds with a new center near 41N 67W at 1800 UTC on the 15th. The system consolidated into a 958 hPa cyclone near 47N 61W 12 hours later. The OLEANDER (V7SX3) near 38N 71W reported northwest winds of 60 kts at 1800 UTC on the 15th. The MONTE AZUL (CQHQ) near 33N 65W encountered west winds of 50 kts and 10.7 m seas (35 ft) at 1800 UTC on the 15th. The KAAN KALKAVAN (TCTX2) reported west winds of 60 kts near 37N 56W at 2100 UTC on the 16th. Buoy 44037 (43.5N 67.9W) reported northwest winds of 54 kts with gusts to 68 kts at 2300 UTC on the 15th, and three hours prior, a gust of 74 kts and 7.5 m seas (25 ft). The cyclone subsequently passed north of the island of Newfoundland and weakened to a gale early on the 17th as new lows formed to the east and northeast.

Northeastern Atlantic Storms, February 21-23: Low pressure tracked from the northeastern U.S. early on February 10th to the Labrador coast early on the 21st, when it spawned a new low on the front south of Greenland (Figure 39) which took over as the main low twenty four hours later. The new low deepened by 42 hPa in the twenty four hour period ending at 1200 UTC on the 22nd. The new low developed a lowest central pressure of 945 hPa 12 hours later, and it in turn formed a secondary cyclone on the front southeast of Iceland (Figure 39). The ASCAT image in Figure 40 shows the well defined front south of Iceland as the main focus for hurricane force winds between the front and Iceland. Buoy 62081 (51.1N 13.3W) at 1800 UTC on the 23rd reported west winds of 38 kts with gusts to 55 kts and 13.5 m seas (45 ft). The ship AS VICTORIA (A8SO7) near 48N 16W encountered west winds of 55 kts at 1800 UTC on the 23rd. The two lows merged near northern Scotland on the afternoon of the 23rd before weakening to a gale the next day and moving inland over Norway late on the 24th.

North Atlantic Storms, February 25-27: Low pressure originating in the southern Labrador Sea on February 23rd moved north and rapidly intensified in the East Greenland Sea on the 25th (Figure 41) with the central pressure falling 39 hPa in the 24 hour period ending at 0000 UTC on the 26th. The cyclone appears at maximum intensity in the second part of Figure 41, making it the deepest February cyclone. Like the first of two fast moving cyclones on January 7- 10 this cyclone produced winds as high as 80 kts detected by ASCAT (Figure 42). This intense system also generated hurricane force winds on the north side as well. The cyclone then continued to move northeast and weakened to a gale northeast of Iceland on the 27th. A second low forming off the North Carolina coast early on the 25th moved to the Gulf of St. Lawrence later that day and became a storm in the Labrador Sea on the 26th, and then briefly developed hurricane force winds with a 967 hPa center near 58N 43W at 0600 UTC on the 27th. An ASCAT-B pass from 2329 UTC on the 26th showed a swath of west to northwest winds of 50 to 55 kts off the southern Labrador coast. A weakening trend followed the next day.

References

1. Sanders, Frederick and Gyakum, John R., Synoptic-Dynamic Climatology of the “Bomb”, Monthly Weather Review, October 1980.

2. Ocean Surface Winds, http://manati.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/products.php

3. VonAhn, Joan. and Sienkiewicz, Joe, “Hurricane Force Extratropical Cyclones Observed Using QuikSCAT Near Real Time Winds”, Mariners Weather Log, Vol. 49, No. 1, April 2005.

4. Saffir-Simpson Scale of Hurricane Intensity: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshws.php

5. Tropical Cyclone Reports, 2014, National Hurricane Center, http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/index.php?season=2014&basin=atl

6. Sienkiewicz, Joe and Chesneau, Lee, “Mariner’s Guide to the 500-Millibar Chart”, Mariners Weather Log, December 2008.

7. http://www.mashable.com/2014/11/10/typhoon-nuri-bering-bomb-storm/

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