Hurricane Fabian

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This article is about the 2003 Atlantic hurricane. For other storms of the same name, see List of storms named Fabian.
Hurricane Fabian
A view of Hurricane Fabian from Space on September 1, 2003. The intense Category 4 storm is located about 190 miles north-northeast of Barbuda. The storm's eye, visible near the center of the image, is over the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
Fabian at peak intensity on September 1
Meteorological history
FormedAugust 27, 2003
ExtratropicalSeptember 8, 2003
DissipatedSeptember 10, 2003
Category 4 major hurricane
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS)
Highest winds145 mph (230 km/h)
Lowest pressure939 mbar (hPa); 27.73 inHg
Overall effects
Fatalities8 direct
Damage$300 million (2003 USD)
Areas affectedLeeward Islands, Bermuda, Eastern Canada, Iceland
IBTrACSEdit this at Wikidata
Part of the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Fabian was a powerful

extratropical on September 8, before dissipating two days later.[1]

Fabian was the strongest hurricane to hit Bermuda since Hurricane Arlene in 1963.[2] It was both the most damaging and the first hurricane to cause a death on the island since 1926.[3] The hurricane's powerful winds resulted in moderate damage and destroyed roofs throughout the island. A strong storm surge associated with the hurricane killed four people crossing a causeway on Bermuda, temporarily closing the only link between two islands. The endangered Bermuda petrel, better known as the cahow, was threatened by the hurricane, which destroyed ten nests, although volunteer work transported the species to a safer location. Strong swells resulted in damage in northern Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, and also caused four people to drown along the United States' Atlantic coast. In all, Fabian caused around US$300 million in damage and eight deaths.[1]

Meteorological history

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
Map key
Saffir–Simpson scale
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown
Storm type
triangle Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

On August 25, a

banding features became more prominent.[1][6]

Banding features and outflow continued to develop as a ring of convection formed around the center of Fabian,

eyewall became much cooler; simultaneously, outflow away from the eye became much more symmetrical, both signs of an intensifying tropical cyclone. Fabian reached its peak intensity of 145 mph (233 km/h) on September 1 while located 345 miles (555 km) east of the northern Lesser Antilles.[12]

Hurricane Fabian south of Bermuda on September 5

After maintaining its peak intensity for 12 hours Fabian degraded due to internal fluctuations, and began to weaken.

direct hit; the center did not move over the island, so Fabian did not make landfall. After passing the island, the hurricane accelerated northeastward, and weakened to a 105 mph (169 km/h) Category 2 hurricane on September 7.[1] Steady weakening occurred as the hurricane moved into an area of increasing wind shear, drier air, and progressively cooler waters.[15] On September 8, while located 680 miles (1,090 km) east-northeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland, Fabian transitioned into an extratropical storm, with no deep convection remaining near the center.[16] Fabian's extratropical remnant turned to the north on September 9, and on September 10, Fabian's remnant merged with another extratropical storm while located between southern Greenland and Iceland.[1]

Preparations

Several days prior to Fabian striking Bermuda,

hurricane watch for the island. When a track near Bermuda became more certain, a hurricane warning was issued for the island, approximately 29 hours before Fabian made a direct hit on the island.[1]

The

football game, and a dinghy race.[24]

Impact

Storm deaths by region
Region Direct deaths
Bermuda 4
Grand Banks
 3
North Carolina 1
Total 8[1]

Fabian killed eight people and caused US$300 million in damages, primarily in Bermuda.

Caribbean

The hurricane produced storm surge damage in

Ocean Park, resulting in US$30,000 in damage.[26] In the Dominican Republic, the hurricane produced waves of up to 8 ft (2.4 m) in height. Due to the waves and gusty winds, boats were advised to stay at port. Several families had to be evacuated in Nagua when rough seas flooded their homes.[25]

Bermuda

Hurricane Fabian over Bermuda late on September 5

Hurricane Fabian struck Bermuda on Friday, 5 September 2003, with sustained winds having reached 39 mph (63 km/h) by 0800, 74 mph (119 km/h) by 1400, and 150 mph (240 km/h) by 1755. The eye did not pass directly over the archipelago, instead passing to the west (placing Bermuda in the northeast quarter where the winds were particularly powerful) with the eyewall dragging over Bermuda for three hours. This prolonged the damaging winds the island was subjected to.

eyewall moved over the island, winds decreased to 60 mph (97 km/h).[1] Large waves battered the southern portion of the island for several days, reaching heights of 25 to 35 feet (7.6 to 10.7 m) at the worst of the hurricane, and upon passing the island, the hurricane produced a storm surge exceeding 11 feet (3.4 m) in height. Due to its fast motion, rainfall totals rose to only 1.82 inches (46 mm). There were also several unofficial reports of tornadoes.[17] Strong rip currents from the hurricane persisted for several days prior to Fabian passing the island; two swimmers were caught in the currents and relied on lifeguard assistance to return to shore. As a result, rip tide warnings were posted for the island.[28]

John Smith's Bay
during the approach of the storm

Strong waves caused extensive damage to the coastline, especially on the southern portion of Bermuda.

sea wall in Hamilton, causing traffic jams for one day until it was fixed.[30]

The winds downed numerous power lines, causing 78% of the island's 32,031 power customers to experience

Devonshire.[32] The hurricane destroyed a restaurant in Southampton and also damaged stands and roofs at sports facilities.[31] Strong winds from the hurricane damaged several landmark buildings, including the House of Assembly and the City Hall,[22]
both in Hamilton, and the former military headquarters in St. George's.

Bermuda International Airport
Structural damage was extensive at Bermuda International Airport.

Bermuda International Airport sustained US$15 million in damages,[33] primarily to buildings and roadways which were washed away by the storm surge. The runway escaped major damage, however, and the airport re-opened the following day for emergency relief flights.[34] Confronting the damages in the storm's aftermath, Airport General Manager James G. Howes was quoted by the news media as saying, "My heart sank when I first saw the Airport that morning. There was tons of debris everywhere and all the fire alarms and security alarms were going off. There was this din of bells and horns – it was like a war zone".[35] Commercial airline service was suspended for three days due to heavy damage to the Terminal Building, which was flooded with 3 ft (0.91 m) of seawater.[36] The airport's ILS
and radar were also damaged.

The hurricane also affected the Bermuda Weather Service, as 8 ft (2.4 m) waves destroyed recording equipment.[30] The winds severely damaged the island's major hotels, closing five for extended periods to repair damage. One hotel that remained open experienced damage to 25% of its rooms.[37] The strong winds uprooted hundreds of trees along the island's golf courses, though little damage was reported at most courses. One course experienced significant damage at its club house, temporarily closing it.[38]

Government Conservation Officer Dr.

indigenous plants.[40] The hurricane washed away large sections of the nesting island for the endangered Bermuda petrel and destroyed 10 of the 70 active nests. The endangered birds were not on the island, though local residents quickly gathered to restore their habitat.[41] Strong waves resulted in severe coastal erosion, and at one beach, the lack of sand destroyed a natural cove. The Natural Arches, a set of eroded stones resembling an arch that was popular in photographs, was destroyed by the waves.[42] The powerful winds knocked coconuts off several trees and scattered them across the ground.[32]

The storm surge from the hurricane stranded one vehicle with three police officers and another with a resident on the causeway between St. George's Parish and St. David's Island. After a fire truck failed in its attempt to rescue them, powerful waves washed the vehicles into Castle Harbour. The United States Coast Guard and Bermuda police divers mounted a full-scale search for the missing people during the worst of the storm. The strong winds and emotional issues of searching for colleagues made the search difficult.[43] Ultimately, the vehicles[22] and one dead body were recovered,[17] with the others remaining missing, presumably dead.[22] Another vehicle was on the causeway as the two cars became stranded, though the driver was able to safely cross.[43] High winds and surf tore off the causeway's side walls and greatly damaged the structure,[22] temporarily closing it to automobile traffic.[30]

As most people were well-prepared, these were the only four deaths on the island.[17] In addition, nine people sought medical attention for minor injuries.[44] Damage on Bermuda totaled to US$300 million, reportedly the worst to affect the area since 1926.[1]

Atlantic coast

Swells from the hurricane produced rip currents and heavy surf along the eastern

Grand Banks due to strong waves of over 60 feet (18 m) in height.[1][47]

Aftermath

Road washout at Bermuda International Airport

Blocked roads initially caused delays to crews from the

Bermuda Electric Light Company Limited (BELCO), which were attempting to restore power to the island. Of high priority among the places to be restored were the hospital, as well as hotels to accommodate tourists who remained on the island through the storm.[22] By the second day after the storm passed the island, power was restored to 11,000 residents.[48] Power on Bermuda was restored to all customers within three weeks of the hurricane, but the electricity supply distribution system was greatly weakened. This resulted in a rehabilitation plan implemented in October 2003. Days after the hurricane passed, moisture from Tropical Storm Henri resulted in thunderstorms and heavy rainfall; this hindered recovery efforts, but did not cause any reported damage.[17] Lack of power caused interruptions to communications. While an emergency broadcast station was installed and tested prior the hurricane, the hurricane caused a problem to the system's back-up generator.[49] The causeway in Bermuda remained closed for several days after the hurricane as road crews made temporary repairs.[30] Upon being opened three days after the storm,[48] traffic was limited to one lane of the original two. However, the causeway had to be closed in the event of rain, winds exceeding 30 mph (48 km/h), and at night.[42] The bridge was fully repaired by early November 2003.[30]

In the days after the storm, people provided assistance for each other, especially for the elderly.

World Vision also offered assistance with blankets, tents, and other supplies, while two United States companies offered to send generators. Bermuda Electric Light Company received aid from the Caribbean Electric Organization, which sent over 20 electricians to repair power lines.[51]

Hurricane damage in Bermuda

Initially, the time for the destroyed vegetation on Bermuda to regrow was estimated to take decades. To help, the

Nonsuch Island. That island, a long-standing nature preserve, was much higher and safer for the birds, and by two years after the hurricane the population numbers were higher than before the storm.[52]

Shortly after the hurricane, the American home improvement franchise This Old House, unaware of the limited extent of damage, decided to do a hurricane repair story. Upon realising that there would be little to nothing available for the Ask This Old House to repair, it was decided instead to do a renovation of an 1805 home in St. George's. It was only the second time that the franchise had worked outside of the United States.[53]

A memorial to the four Bermudians whose lives were claimed by Hurricane Fabian was erected near the Causeway's east end by the airport, where the 10th anniversary of their deaths was remembered by government officials in September 2013.[54] The onslaught of Hurricane Gonzalo in October 2014 prompted a catastrophe modeller to revisit Fabian's destruction, concluding that had it struck in 2014, it would have caused around US$650 million in damage.[55]

Retirement

See also: List of retired Atlantic hurricane names

Due to the storm damage and deaths in Bermuda, the World Meteorological Organization retired the name Fabian in the spring of 2004, and it will never again be used for a North Atlantic tropical cyclone. It was replaced with Fred for the 2009 season.[56][57]

The Bermuda Weather Service allowed residents to suggest a replacement name, with the only rule being the name had to be a male name beginning with the letter "F", able to be easily pronounced, and not currently in use by the National Hurricane Center. The service received a list of over 30 names, including Forrest and Frodo, after the character in The Lord of the Rings.[58] The Bermuda Weather Service sent three names to the World Meteorological Organization: Fred, Ford, and Flynn.[59]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Richard J. Pasch; Eric S. Blake; Daniel P. Brown (2003-11-19). "Hurricane Fabian Tropical Cyclone Report" (PDF). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  2. ^ Jessica Blunden (2006-10-17). "Global Hazards and Significant Events September 2003". National Climatic Data Center. Archived from the original on 2010-04-17. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
  3. ^ Patrick Thiele (2003-09-15). "PartnerRe Weathers Hurricane Fabian". PartnerRE Ltd. Archived from the original on January 18, 2012. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
  4. ^ Stewart (2003). "August 26 Tropical Weather Outlook". NHC. Retrieved 2006-10-14.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ Franklin (2003). "August 26 Tropical Weather Outlook". NHC. Retrieved 2006-10-14.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ Richard J. Pasch (2003-08-28). "Tropical Storm Fabian Discussion Five". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
  7. ^ Lixion A. Avila (2003-08-29). "Tropical Storm Fabian Discussion Eight". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2006-10-14.
  8. ^ Lixion A. Avila (2003-08-30). "Hurricane Fabian Discussion Twelve". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
  9. ^ Eric Holweg; Brian Jarvinen (2003-08-30). "Hurricane Fabian Discussion Fourteen". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
  10. ^ Brian Jarvinen (2003-08-31). "Hurricane Fabian Discussion Fifteen". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
  11. ^ Lixion A. Avila; Michelle Mainelli (2003-08-31). "Hurricane Fabian Discussion Seventeen". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
  12. ^ James L. Franklin; Michelle Mainelli (2003-09-01). "Hurricane Fabian Discussion Twenty-One". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
  13. ^ Richard J. Pasch; Jamie R. Rhome (2003-09-02). "Hurricane Fabian Discussion Twenty-Three". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
  14. ^ Stacy R. Stewart (2003-09-04). "Hurricane Fabian Discussion Thirty-Four". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
  15. ^ Brian Jarvinen (2003-09-07). "Hurricane Fabian Discussion Forty-Three". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
  16. ^ Eric S. Blake; Richard J. Pasch (2003-09-08). "Hurricane Fabian Discussion Forty-Eight". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Mike Guishard; Roger Williams (2004). "2003 Hurricane Season in Bermuda" (PDF). Final Report of the Twenty-Sixth Session. World Meteorological Organization. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-12-04. Retrieved 2006-10-15.
  18. ^ Karen Smith (2003). "Weather experts keep wary eye on Fabian". The Royal Gazette.
  19. ^ Bermuda Electric Light Company (2003). "What to do before and after Fabian hits". The Royal Gazette.
  20. ^ a b Matthew Taylor (2003-05-09). "Bermuda prepares for Fabian's worst". The Boston Globe. Associated Press. Retrieved 2006-10-15.
  21. ^ a b c Stephen Breen (2003-04-09). "Bermuda braces for powerful Hurricane Fabian". Reuters. Retrieved 2006-10-15.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g Stephen Breen (2003). "Four feared dead". The Royal Gazette.
  23. ^ Lilla Zuill; Mairi Mallon (2003). "Fabian unleashes insurance surge". The Royal Gazette.
  24. ^ Gayle Alleyne (2003). "Sport faces weekend blow-out". The Royal Gazette.
  25. ^ a b Oficina Nacional de Meteorología; Centro de Información Huracanes (2004). "Reports of hurricanes, tropical storms, tropical disturbances and related flooding during 2003" (PDF). Final Report of the Twenty-Sixth Session. World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved 2006-10-16.
  26. ^ National Climatic Data Center (2003). "Puerto Rico Event Report". Archived from the original on March 26, 2007. Retrieved 2006-10-16.
  27. ^ [dead link]Fabian: A blow-by-blow account. By Stephen Breen. The Royal Gazette. Published 9 September, 2003
  28. ^ Matthew Taylor (2003). "Rip tide warning issued after bathers have to be rescued". The Royal Gazette.
  29. ^ Dan Rutstein (2003). "My life flashed before my eyes". The Royal Gazette.
  30. ^ a b c d e Robyn Bardgett (2003). "Bermuda Year End: The year that Fabian struck". The Royal Gazette.
  31. ^ a b c d The Royal Gazette (2003). "Bermuda Shorts—Fabian".
  32. ^ a b Tania Theriault (2003). "Clean-up begins as Islanders assess damage". The Royal Gazette.
  33. ^ Bermuda Government Budget Statement, May 24, 2004
  34. ^ "Bermuda Mops Up After Fabian, Thousands Without Power", Reuters News Service, Sept. 9, 2003.
  35. ^ Rutstein, Dan (October 2, 2003). "It was like a war zone". The Royal Gazette. Retrieved 2013-09-02.
  36. ^ "Airport Soldiers On" and "Flying to the Rescue", Bermuda Sun, September 10, 2003.
  37. ^ Stephen Breen (2003). "Bermuda hotels closed indefinitely by Fabian damage". CYBER DIVER News Network. Archived from the original on November 18, 2006. Retrieved 2006-10-17.
  38. ^ Sam Stevens (2003). "Mid Ocean counts cost of storm". The Royal Gazette.
  39. ^ [dead link]Fabian's brutal South Shore legacy. By Matthew Taylor. The Royal Gazette. Published 9 September, 2003
  40. ^ a b South Carolina Maritime Heritage Foundation (2004). "South Carolina Maritime Heritage Foundation Restores Lost Plants in Bermuda". Archived from the original on October 8, 2006. Retrieved 2006-10-17.
  41. ^ Environment News Service (2003). "Bermuda's National Bird Blown Away". Retrieved 2006-10-17.
  42. ^ a b c Stormcarib.net (2003). "Unofficial Reports from Bermuda". Retrieved 2006-10-17.
  43. ^ a b Karen Smith; Dan Rutstein (2003). "Search for the missing a difficult job". The Royal Gazette.
  44. ^ a b "Fabian moves on; 4 missing". Associated Press. 2003-09-07.
  45. ^ National Climatic Data Center (2003). "Event Report for North Carolina". Archived from the original on March 28, 2007. Retrieved 2006-10-17.
  46. ^ Sean Collins; the Surfline Forecast Team (2003). "Wavetraks September 2003 Newsletter". Retrieved 2006-10-17.
  47. ^ Canadian Hurricane Centre (2004). "2003 Tropical Cyclone Season Summary". Retrieved 2006-10-17.
  48. ^ a b c Stephen Breen (2003). "First body recovered". The Royal Gazette.
  49. ^ The Royal Gazette (2003). "Communication Breakdown".
  50. ^ Ayo Johnson (2003). "Shoppers urged not to panic buy for essentials".
  51. ^ Dan Rutstein (2003). "Premier turns down UK offer to help". The Royal Gazette.
  52. ^ BirdLife International (2005). "Cahows bounce back as Bermudans build burrows". Archived from the original on 2012-10-03. Retrieved 2006-10-17.
  53. ^ Terceira, Amy: What's old is new in Harbour View, The Royal Gazette, March 13, 2004
  54. ^ "Minister lays wreath to Fabian victims". The Royal Gazette. September 1, 2013. Retrieved 2013-09-02.
  55. ^ "Modellers estimate $200m-$400m in insured losses from Gonzalo". The Royal Gazette. October 22, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
  56. ^ "Worldwide Tropical Cyclone Names". Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. May 19, 2008. Archived from the original on August 4, 2008. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  57. NOAA
    Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research. May 2004. p. 3-9. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  58. ^ Sarah Titterson (2004). "Fabian's out ... Frodo's in?". The Royal Gazette.
  59. ^ World Meteorological Organization (2004). "Replacement Names for 2003 Atlantic Hurricanes (Fabian, Isabel, and Juan) and 2002 Hurricane Lili" (DOC). Retrieved 2007-02-11.[dead link]

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hurricane Fabian.

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