2020 Hurricane Season
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TThhee WWhhiissppeerriinngg TTrraaddeess D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0 • V O L U M E 7 • I S S U E 1 T R O P I C A L S T O R M S I S A Í A S & L A U R A H U R R I C A N E S E A S O N By: Ernesto Rodríguez This hyperactive hurricane season produced two 2 0 2 0 tropical storms that directly affected Puerto Rico and Summary By: Gabriel Lojero the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tropical Storm Isaias was the first storm to threaten the islands as it moved about 150 The 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season miles south of Puerto Rico on July 29th, 2020. is considered historic as a record Although the center of Isaias passed further south than setting of 30 storms developed, anticipated, it produced tropical force wind gusts and breaking the record previously significant rainfall across Puerto Rico.This broad and established during the 2005 Season disorganized storm resulted in total rainfall of 28 storms. It is also the second accumulations between 4 and 8 inches over west and time ever that the Greek Alphabet southwest Puerto Rico, with some areas of the central had to be used to name storms. Many interior and eastern Puerto Rico reporting an excess of outlooks developed by different 10 inches during the event. During the passage of Isaías, agencies before the season started strong gusty winds ranging between 55 and 65 mph called for a very busy season. There were observed over portions of Puerto Rico. In contrast, were two main factors that resulted the impacts over the U.S. Virgin Islands were minimal, in a busy season across the Atlantic although windy conditions and some rainbands were Basin. The first factor was the also reported from time to time.Roughly a month later, development of La Niña conditions Tropical Storm Laura moved remarkably close to the (below normal sea surface local islands. Laura passed approximately 15-20 miles temperatures in the equatorial south of St. Croix on the morning of August 22nd Pacific). When La Niña occurs, upper- generating showers and thunderstorms with wind gusts level winds become weaker than to around 45 mph. Later that day, the center of the normal across the Atlantic Basin, tropical storm passed about 10 miles south of resulting in a favorable environment Guayanilla moving at 18 mph. Rainbands with strong for the development of storms. gusty wind were felt by most of Puerto Rico, Culebra Another factor was the well-above and Vieques during its passage. The tropical storm normal sea surface temperatures that continued moving west-northwest later affecting the islands of the Greater Antilles. Laura strengthened into persisted across the tropical Atlantic, a hurricane as it moved over the Gulf of Mexico Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. eventually becoming a deadly and destructive major This also favored the development as hurricane before making landfall over the state of well as the intensification of storms. Louisiana. D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0 • V O L U M E 7 • I S S U E 1 • P A G E 2 E F F E C T S O N D R O U G H T 2 0 2 0 R E C O R D S F O R H U R R I C A N E By: Odalys Martínez S E A S O N 2 0 2 0 The peak of the Atlantic basin hurricane season By: Lee Ann Inglés Serrano brought above normal rainfall to Puerto Rico and HISTORICAL HURRICANE SEASON the U.S. Virgin Islands, resulting in significant with 30 named storm improvements in the drought conditions. The drought conditions peaked across the area during The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season the first week of July, with 32% of Puerto Rico in was the most active Atlantic severe drought (D2), including nearly the entire hurricane season on record. southern coast and portions of the eastern interior extending north to near the San Juan metro The greek alphabet was used for the area.Isaias’ rains, however, improved the drought second time ever, the first time was in conditions across Puerto Rico with “Moderate 2005. Drought” (D1) and “Severe Drought” (D2) classification being removed. A second round of 31 tropical or subtropical cyclones, 30 widespread wetting rains were observed during named storms, 13 hurricanes, and 6 major hurricanes, including one Tropical Storm Laura which brought additional Category 5 hurricane (Iota). improvements in drought conditions, particularly across the U.S. Virgin Islands. The rainfall deficits Of the 30 named storms, 12 made decreased across all islands, with soil moisture and landfall streamflows recovering as well. As a result, there is no drought (D1 or worse) currently being observed Nine named storms have made across Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Despite landfall over the mainland U.S. this the dryness across the area, 24 out of 110 river season, and four of those were gauges in the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) hurricanes. streamflow network rose above the minor or moderate flood stage during the passage of On September 18, 2020, 3 Storms Tropical Storm Isaias which left rainfall totals formed in a single day, tying the ranging between 4 to 8 inches. Each river gauge previous record. along Rio Grande de Manatí, Río Grande de La Plata, Río Grande de Arecibo, and Río Grande de Loíza September was the season’s busiest rose above flood stage with several points rising month with 10 named stormed forming by September 21. above moderate flood stage. Significant flooding was observed along Río Yagüez, Río Hondo and On September 14th, for a brief period Quebrada Grande in Mayagüez where dozens of of time the Atlantic Basin had 5 active homes were affected. No major flooding problems tropical cyclones, which included were associated with the passage of Tropical Storm Paulette, Rene, Sally, Teddy Tropical Laura which left rainfall totals ranging between 2 Depression Twenty-One. and 4 inches. D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0 • V O L U M E 7 • I S S U E 1 • P A G E 3 A " C O V I D 1 9 " S E A S O N Who would've thought the day we were celebrating our office holiday party, four months later we would be interacting virtually from our homes? As for many other agencies, this Holiday Party December 2019 became our new reality. We were sent to our homes to work remotely, something that the majority of us had never done before. This brought each of us a vast amount of uncertainty, many doubts and concerns arose. Along with all of the situations that were filling our minds with insecurity towards how we would continue to give our public the best service Virtual Group Meetings 2020 possible, also came the prediction of what was to be an extremely active "The outreach program, along with other programs, hurricane season. has been significantly affected by the COVID-19 restrictions. All of our interaction changed to virtual Management's Perspective platforms and this caused a major impact on how we communicated with our partners during the "Hurricane season 2020 will definitely hurricane season. Skywarns courses, StormReady and be remembered as one of the most, if TsunamiReady recognitions and renewals, NWS not the most, difficult season for the presence during press conferences were all affected. National Weather Service. Not only did It is to my understanding that this has changed the it break the record in terms of the relationship with the state and municipal emergency number of tropical storms, hurricanes managers across the island.Trust is key to maintain a and major hurricanes, but also the good relationship with our partners and this is earned forecast offices dealt with a through face to face interactions." -Ernesto Morales, considerable amount of cyclones in Warning and Coordination Meteorologist the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. WFO San Juan, as other offices, had to Observing Program Leader's Perspective make significant changes in operations long before the beginning "The most important part of the Cooperative Observer of the hurricane season. In order to Program (COOP) is to visit observers to fix, install, or ensure the safety of the staff, changes remove equipment. Not being able to do that, due to in the schedule had to be made. To the COVID19 pandemic, the COOP Program has been keep the number of employees in the building to a minimum, many of the hugely affected. In person interaction with observers staff members were put in teleworking was modified to sending emails or making phone status. Many of the outreach and calls to confirm if equipment was in good condition. decision support services had to be Phone calls and emails are not a substitute for annual either cancelled or done virtually. visits, therefore complying with the COOP Program Tours and visits to the office were requirements has been extremely challenging since cancelled as well. Nevertheless, we we are only authorized to visit stations in emergency strived to achieve our mission 24/7 situations. On a positive note, the observations from thanks to the forecasters that were our stations haven’t been affected since the stations working on different shifts to provide were in good conditions prior to the pandemic. the best forecasts and warnings for During the pandemic, I reaffirmed that time is key. Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin We should seize the time and do the most of it to Islands." -Roberto Garcia-Hiraldo, have things in order.” -Rosalina Vázquez-Torres, Meteorologist in Charge Observing Program Leader D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0 • V O L U M E 7 • I S S U E 1 • P A G E 4 B E F O R E A F T E R A " C O V I D 1 9 " S E A S O N A Forecaster's Perspective "Working through Tropical Cyclones in times of COVID definitely changed the workload and procedures.