Hurricane Larry

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Hurricane Larry
Category 3 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS)
Larry 2021-09-05 1200Z.jpg
Hurricane Larry at peak intensity in the open Atlantic Ocean on September 5.
FormedAugust 31, 2021
DissipatedSeptember 12, 2021
(Extratropical after September 11)
Highest winds1-minute sustained: 125 mph (205 km/h)
Lowest pressure953 mbar (hPa); 28.14 inHg
Fatalities7 total
Damage$80 million (2021 USD)
Areas affectedLesser Antilles, Bermuda, East coast of the United States, Eastern Canada, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Greenland
Part of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Larry was a strong and long-lived Cape Verde hurricane that became the first hurricane to make landfall in Newfoundland since Igor in 2010. The twelfth named storm, fifth hurricane, and third major hurricane of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season, Larry originated from a tropical wave that emerged off the coast of Africa and organized into a tropical depression on August 31. The next day, the depression developed into a tropical storm, receiving the name Larry. The storm moved quickly across the far eastern tropical Atlantic, where it strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane the morning of September 2. Then, after undergoing a period of rapid intensification, Larry became a major Category 3 hurricane early on September 4. After churning for several days as a strong hurricane in the open ocean, Larry made landfall in Newfoundland on September 11, as a Category 1 hurricane. Later that day, Larry became an extratropical cyclone. Finally, on September 13, Larry was absorbed by a larger extratropical cyclone near Greenland.

Larry passed to the east of Bermuda as a Category 1 hurricane, causing minimal damage. Swells generated by Larry's powerful and expansive wind field killed three people offshore the East Coast of the United States, one off the coast of Puerto Rico, and another in the U.S. Virgin Islands.[1] In Newfoundland, Larry caused over 60,000 power outages and damaged buildings. The powerful extratropical remnants of Larry paralleled the eastern coast of Greenland on September 12, resulting in over 3 ft (0.91 m) of snow and hurricane-force wind gusts across much of the interior of eastern Greenland. Larry killed seven people and caused an estimated $80 million (2021 USD) in damages.[2]

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
▲ Extratropical cyclone / Remnant low / Tropical disturbance / Monsoon depression

On August 26, NHC was monitoring a tropical wave that was going to emerge off the coast of West Africa.[3] Soon the environmental conditions for Larry were conducive. On August 30, satellite-derived wind imagery indicated an area of low pressure had formed.[4] The disturbance continued to organize on the next day, and at 21:00 UTC, it developed into a tropical depression[5] Later the next day, the depression became a tropical storm, receiving the name Larry. The storm underwent some strengthening on September 1, with a tight low-level eye-like feature forming that afternoon.[6] Early on September 2, Larry became a Category 1 hurricane.[7] It then underwent a period of rapid intensification, the fourth hurricane of the season to do so, intensifying by 45 mph (70 km/h) in a 24-hour period.[8] The hurricane would fluctuate in intensity from 120 mph to 125 mph as it started a period of eyewall replacement cycles. During this period, the storm gained annular characteristics while maintaining Category 3 intensity.[9] But soon reconnaissance aircraft found a weaker storm, as the storm's eyewall started to become less defined.[10]Soon after, the storm would weaken to a Category 2 hurricane.[11][12] Larry would maintain Category 2 status until it got downgraded to a Category 1 hurricane on September 9.[13] Larry would maintain Category 1 strength afterwards. At 03:20 UTC on September 11, Larry made landfall in Newfoundland as a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 960 millibars (28 inHg).[14] After landfall, Larry rapidly accelerated northeastwards, with a forward speed of 48 mph (77 km/h), while undergoing extratropical transition.[15] Six hours later, at 15:00 UTC, Larry transitioned into a post-tropical cyclone as its convection dissipated and its low- and mid-level circulation centers separated. A weather front was also developing at that time.[16]

Preparations and impact[]

Bermuda[]

Hurricane Larry as an annular tropical cyclone on September 5
Hurricane Larry passing east of Bermuda on September 9.

At 15:00 UTC on September 7, the Bermuda Weather Service issued a tropical storm watch as tropical storm conditions were possible.[17] The following day at 12:00 UTC, the watch was upgraded to a warning.[18] At 00:00 UTC, September 9, the Bermuda Weather Service discontinued the warning.[19] The island experienced winds gusting to about 46 mph (74 km/h), and a storm surge of 0.67 feet (0.20 m) was recorded at Ferry Reach. No power outages were recorded.[20]

United States[]

Although Larry remained far away from the United States and its territories, large swells from the hurricane reached the East Coast, as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Rip currents killed a woman in Saint Croix on September 8 and a man in Puerto Rico on September 11.[1] In Florida, the National Weather Service issued a rip current warning for beach areas. In Cape Canaveral, a 69-year-old man drowned due to rip currents.[21] On September 8, a 68-year-old man drowned offshore a beach in South Carolina.[22] A 23-year-old man was caught in a rip current off the Virginia coast and died.[1]

Canada[]

Larry making landfall in Newfoundland on September 11 at 3 UTC.

In Newfoundland, St. John's International Airport recorded sustained winds of 96 km/h (60 mph) and a gust of 145 km/h (90 mph) just after 5.30 a.m. UTC, while Cape St. Mary's Lighthouse reported a gust of 182 km/h (113 mph) before ceasing transmission.[23][24][25] The waves reached heights of 3.6 m (12 ft) in Argentia and the tide gauge showed a maximum water level about 150 centimeters higher than normal.[23][24][25] The storm surge coincided with a high tide, exacerbating coastal flooding.[26] It rained from 25 mm (0.98 in) to 35 mm (1.4 in) in a very short time over southeastern Newfoundland.[23]

In the eastern part of the province, 60,000 people were without power after Larry passed through.[25] Trees were uprooted and branches were littered across the ground.[27] An elementary school was damaged,[24] and the performance tent near Quidi Vidi Lake, set up for the Iceberg Alley concert festival, suffered significant damage.[25] Mayor Danny Breen confirmed that the hurricane caused a significant amount of damage around the city. The Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Transportation and Infrastructure has asked motorists to avoid the area of Highway 90 in the southern Avalon Peninsula because a section was damaged.[25] Numerous activities in the affected area and some flights at St. John's International Airport have been canceled or postponed.[28] St. Clare's Mercy Hospital lost power during the storm, leading them to temporarily stop visitations.[29] Advance polls for the 2021 Canadian federal election were suspended in parts of St. John's.[30]

In Lord's Cove, near Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, damage was caused to the infrastructures, including to the wharf, the seawall, and the causeway.[31] At North Harbour, a kilometre-long stretch of the main road was washed out by large waves and storm surge.[32] Over 90,000 salmon at an aquaculture facility off the south coast of Newfoundland died after concentrations of dissolved oxygen fell significantly while Larry passed over the area.[33]

Greenland[]

In Greenland, the snowfall forecast for ex-Larry, one of the few storms from the remnants of a tropical cyclone to pass so far north, was up to 4 feet of snow (120 cm) with some places along the coast receiving a rainfall equivalent. On September 12, gusts of 161 km/h (100 mph) were reported at Kulusuk airport, near the southeast coast of the island. In Tasiilaq, sustained winds reached 89 km/h (55 mph) and gusts of over 145 km/h (90 mph). Wind and snow caused a blizzard at Summit Camp, a weather station located on the ice sheet over 10,000 ft (3,000 m) above sea level.[34]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c Brown, Daniel (December 16, 2021). Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Larry (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  2. ^ Global Catastrophe Recap September 2021 (PDF) (Report). Aon Benfield. October 12, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ "August 27 Graphical Outlook Archive". www.nhc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  4. ^ "NHC Graphical Outlook Archive". www.nhc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  5. ^ "Tropical Depression TWELVE Advisory Number 1". www.nhc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  6. ^ "Tropical Storm LARRY Discussion Number 6". www.nhc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  7. ^ "Hurricane LARRY Advisory Number 7". www.nhc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  8. ^ Masters, Jeff; Henson, Bob (September 14, 2021). "Nicholas brings debris, storm surge to Texas as Cat 1 hurricane". New Haven, Connecticut: Yale Climate Connections. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  9. ^ "Hurricane LARRY". www.nhc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2021-09-12.
  10. ^ "Hurricane LARRY". www.nhc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2021-09-12.
  11. ^ "Hurricane LARRY". www.nhc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2021-09-12.
  12. ^ "Hurricane LARRY". www.nhc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2021-09-12.
  13. ^ "Hurricane LARRY". www.nhc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2021-09-12.
  14. ^ "Hurricane LARRY Tropical Cyclone Update". www.nhc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  15. ^ Blake, Eric (September 11, 2021). "Hurricane Larry Discussion Number 43". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  16. ^ Cangialosi, John (September 11, 2021). "Post-Tropical Cyclone Larry Discussion Number 44". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  17. ^ Richard Pasch (September 7, 2021). Hurricane Larry Advisory Number 28 (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  18. ^ Richard Pasch (September 8, 2021). Hurricane Larry Intermediate Advisory Number 31a (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  19. ^ Forecaster Papina (September 9, 2021). Hurricane Larry Intermediate Advisory Number 37A (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  20. ^ "Live Updates & Videos: Hurricane Larry". Bernews. September 9, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  21. ^ Dukes, Amanda (September 9, 2021). "Swimmers off Florida's coast encountering dangerous surf due to Hurricane Larry". WESH. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  22. ^ "Coroner identifies drowning victim in Cherry Grove as Pennsylvania man". WMBF. September 9, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  23. ^ a b c Meteorological Service of Canada (NFLD) [@ECCCWeatherNL] (September 11, 2021). "Hurricane #Larry brought very strong winds, powerful storm surge and a period of intense rainfall to eastern Newfoundland" (Tweet). Retrieved September 11, 2021 – via Twitter.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link).
  24. ^ a b c "Thousands without power across eastern Newfoundland as Hurricane Larry wreaks havoc". CBC News. September 10, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  25. ^ a b c d e "Hurricane Larry wallops eastern Newfoundland with strong winds, storm surge". CBC News. September 11, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  26. ^ Smellie, Sarah (September 11, 2021). "Hurricane Larry wipes out power, trees and fishing wharves across Newfoundland". CTV News. The Canadian Press. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  27. ^ "Hurricane Larry wipes out power, trees in Newfoundland". ABC news. September 11, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  28. ^ "Here's what's open, closed and affected due to Hurricane Larry". CBC News. September 11, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  29. ^ Lucero II, Louis; Medina, Eduardo; Mele, Christopher; Paybarah, Azi; Stanford, Chris; Paz, Isabella Grullón; Taylor, Derrick Tyson (September 11, 2021). "Hurricane Larry to Bring Heavy Snow to Greenland". The New York Times. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  30. ^ "Some advance polls closed in N.L. after Hurricane Larry rips through coast". Global News. The Canadian Press. September 11, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  31. ^ Alice Girard-Bossé (September 11, 2021). "L'ouragan Larry provoque des pannes et des dégâts". La Presse (in French). Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  32. ^ Mooney, Kyle (September 13, 2021). "'The road's got to be done': Larry pushes storm-ravaged town to the brink". CBC News. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  33. ^ "Aquaculture critic presses for answers after another salmon die-off". CBC News. September 17, 2021. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  34. ^ Becky Sullivan (September 12, 2021). "Greenland Pummeled By Snow One Month After Its Summit Saw Rain For The First Time". National Public Radio. Retrieved September 12, 2021.

External links[]

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