Hurricane Cindy (1999)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Category 4 hurricane (SSHS) | ||
|---|---|---|
_GOES.JPG/235px-Hurricane_Cindy_(1999)_GOES.JPG) Hurricane Cindy near peak strength |
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| Formed | August 19 | |
| Dissipated | August 31 | |
| Highest winds |
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| Lowest pressure | 942 mbar (hPa; 27.83 inHg) | |
| Fatalities | ||
| Damage | Unknown | |
| Areas affected |
None | |
| Part of the 1999 Atlantic hurricane season |
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Hurricane Cindy was the third named storm, second hurricane and second major hurricane of the 1999 Atlantic hurricane season. It developed on August 19 from a tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa. It was upgraded to a tropical storm on August 20, a hurricane on August 21, and it reached its peak intensity on August 28. The system moved into the North Atlantic before merging with a large extratropical storm north of the Azores on August 31. Cindy had no major effects on land, or at sea.
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[edit] Storm History
On August 18, a tropical wave emerged from the west coast of Africa, and tracked west across the Atlantic.[1] The wave was accompanied by a large pressure drop of 4.5 mb in 24 hours. Deep convection gradually increased as the wave organized, and on August 19, Tropical Depression Four formed in the eastern Atlantic.[2] High wind shear prevented the depression from intensifying further over the next day as the depression was on a westward track.[1] However, while the system was not intensifying further, it did not seem to be affected by the wind shear.[3] Later in the day, the depression was nearing tropical storm strength,[4] as the center of circulation became ill-defined, and difficult to locate due to high wind shear.[5] The minimum pressure dropped slightly to 1002 mb as the system passed south of the Cape Verde Islands.[6] As the depression moved away from the Cape Verde Islands, the center of circulation soon became exposed on the northeastern section.[7] Although still sheared, the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Cindy on August 20 as the convection became concentrated around the center.[8] The convection around Cindy became further organized, although the persistent wind shear prevented intensification.[9] Because of a strong ridge to the north of Cindy, the movement was generally westward, though by August 21, the rigde began to weaken, which allowed Cindy to turn slightly to the north-northwest.[10] Satellite images soon indicated banding of the convection, although ragged central-dense overcast persisted within the center of circulation.[11] Upper-level outflow improved slightly[12], as the maximum sustained wind increased to 70 mph (110 km/h) and the minimum central pressure dropped to 990 mb.[13] Late on August 21, Cindy was upgraded to a hurricane, with minimum central pressure of 987.[14]
Soon after, wind shear increased causing the center to be partially sheared away from the convection.[15] After six hours, the center of Cindy was located well to the east of the concentrated convection, although winds remained at 75 mph (120 km/h).[16] Because of the disorganized convection and the exposed circulation, Cindy was downgraded to a tropical storm.[17] Nearly two days later, high wind shear still persisted, and Cindy was gradually weakening, although, a burst of convection appeared late on August 22 but it was short-lived as the convection was soon sheared away from the center.[18] By late on August 24 and early on August 25, the wind shear slackened[1] as a low-level vortex became more evident, and convection began to reform under more favorable conditions.[19] Another sign that Cindy was re-organizing was the convection persisting around the center of circulation rather than to the west of the center as it was in the earlier stages of Cindy's existence.[20] By late in the day on August 25, Cindy had regained hurricane status.[1]
Cindy continued to intensify[1], and on August 27, a ragged eye appeared on satellite images as Cindy reached category 2 intensity on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale.[21] Within twelve hours, hurricane Cindy reached category 3 intensity making it a major hurricane.[22] Cindy turned north-northwest as it continued to intensify, now showing a well-defined eye.[1] On August 28, Cindy reached category 4 intensity with winds of 140 mph (220 km/h) and minimum pressure of 944 mb.[23] It then reached it's peak intensity of 942 mb as the storm was tracking northward over the open waters of the North Atlantic.[1] The storm remained at peak intensity until August 29 and August 30 when wind shear became prominent again, and Cindy began to weaken.[1] On August 31, Cindy was downgraded to a tropical storm as winds fell below hurricane criteria.[24] Later that day, Cindy merged with a large extratropical storm northwest of the Azores, and it lost all of its tropical characteristics.[1]
[edit] Impact and naming
Cindy had no major effects on land and caused no known damage to ships in the Atlantic.[1] Because of the lack of effects, the name Cindy was not retired, and was used again in the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. Hurricane Cindy was also one of five category 4 hurricanes on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale in the 1999 Atlantic hurricane season.[25]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Guiney (2000). Hurricane Cindy Tropical Cyclone Report. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ Guiney (1999). Tropical Depression Four public advisory #1. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ Guiney (1999). Tropical Depression Four Discussion #2. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ Beven (1999). Tropical Depression Four Discussion #3. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ Jarvinen (1999). Tropical Depression Four Discussion #6. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ Jarvinen (1999). Tropical Depression Four Public Advisory #6. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ Beven (1999). Tropical Depression Four Public Advisory #7. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ Beven (1999). Tropical Storm Cindy Discussion #8. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ Avila (1999). Tropical Storm Cindy Discussion #9. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2008-01-28.
- ^ Pasch (1999). Tropical Storm Cindy Discussion #10. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ Mayfield (1999). Tropical Storm Cindy Discussion #11. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ Mayfield (1999). Tropical Storm Cindy Discussion #12. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ Mayfield (1999). Tropical Storm Cindy Public Advisory #12. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ Jarvinen (1999). Hurricane Cindy Public Advisory #13. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ Jarvinen (1999). Hurricane Cindy Discussion #14. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ Avila (1999). Hurricane Cindy Public Advisiory #15. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ Avila (1999). Tropical Storm Cindy Discussion #16. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ Franklin (1999). Tropical Storm Cindy Discussion #17. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ Franklin (1999). Tropical Storm Cindy Discussion #24. National Hurricane CenteR. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ Mayfield (1999). Tropical Storm Cindy Discussion #25. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ Franklin (1999). Hurricane Cindy Discussion #35. National Hurricane CenteR. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ Jarvinen (1999). Hurricane Cindy discussion #37. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ Franklin (1999). Hurricane Cindy Discussion #40. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ Jarvinen (1999). Tropical Storm Cindy Public Adivosory #50. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
- ^ Hurricane Research Division (2007). Atlantic Hurricane Best Track File 1851-2006. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
