Talk:2020 Atlantic hurricane season/Link Archiver/2

Tropical Storm Cristobal
On May 31, the NHC began to note that Tropical Depression Two-E in the Eastern Pacific, later to be Tropical Storm Amanda, would have the potential to redevelop in the Bay of Campeche. After making landfall, Amanda's remnants moved north-northwest into the Bay of Campeche and subsequently began to re-organize. At 21:00 UTC on June 1, the remnants redeveloped into Tropical Depression Three over the Bay of Campeche, slowly moving west over west over the bay. The depression became a tropical storm and was named Cristobal at 15:15 UTC June 2. This marked the earliest third named storm in the Atlantic, beating the previous record set by Tropical Storm Colin which became a tropical storm on June 5, 2016. Throughout the remainder of the day, Cristobal's wind field became more symmetrical and well defined and it gradually strengthened with falling barometric pressure as the storm meandered towards the Mexican coastline. Cristobal made landfall as a strong tropical storm just west of Ciudad del Carmen at 13:35 UTC on June 3 at its peak intensity of 60 mph. As Cristobal moved very slowly inland, it weakened back down to tropical depression status as the overall structure of the storm deteriorated. The storm began accelerating northwards on June 5 and by 18:00 UTC that day, despite being situated inland over the Yucatán peninsula, Cristobal re-intensified back to tropical storm status. As Cristobal moved further north into the Gulf of Mexico, dry air and interaction with an upper-level trough to the east began to strip Cristobal of any central convection, with most of the convection being displaced east and north of the center. Late on June 7, Cristobal made landfall over southeastern Louisiana. It weakened to a tropical depression the next day as it moved inland over the state. The storm survived as a depression as it moved up the Mississippi River Valley, until finally becoming extratropical at 03:00 UTC on June 10 over southern Wisconsin. On June 12 Cristobal turned into a remnant low and fully dissipated on June 13.

On June 1, the government of Mexico issued a tropical storm warning from Campeche westward to Puerto de Veracruz. Residents at risk were evacuated. Nine thousand Mexican National Guard members were summoned to aid in preparations and repairs. Significant rain fell across much of Southern Mexico and Central America. Wave heights up to 3 m high closed ports for several days. In El Salvador, a mudslide caused 7 people to go missing. Up to 243 mm of rain fell in the Yucatán Peninsula, flooding sections of a highway. Street flooding occurred as far away as Nicaragua. On June 5, while Cristobal was still a tropical depression, a tropical storm watch was issued from Punta Herrero to Rio Lagartos by the government of Mexico as well as for another area from Intracoastal City, Louisiana to the Florida-Alabama border, issued by the National Weather Service. These areas were later upgraded to warnings and for the Gulf Coast, the warning was extended to the Okaloosa/Walton County line. Heavy rains and damage were reported within the warning areas during Cristobal's passage and the storm caused an estimated US$665 million in damage.

Tropical Storm Dolly
On June 19, the NHC began monitoring an area of disturbed weather off the southeastern U.S. coast for possible subtropical development in the short term. At the time, the low pressure system was not considered likely to develop due to unfavorable sea surface temperatures. Contrary to predictions, the low moved south into the Gulf Stream in the afternoon of June 22, and new thunderstorm activity began to fire near the circulation. The low's convective activity rapidly became more defined and well organized while the circulation became closed, prompting the National Hurricane Center to upgrade the system into Subtropical Depression Four at around 21:00 UTC on June 22. On June 23, the system's wind field had contracted significantly, becoming more characteristic of a tropical cyclone, while also strengthening further with winds to gale force, allowing the NHC to upgrade the system and designate it as Tropical Storm Dolly at approximately 16:15 UTC with winds of 45 mph. However, Dolly's peak intensity proved to be short-lived as its central convection began to diminish while it drifted over colder ocean waters. At 15:00 UTC on June 24, Dolly became a post-tropical cyclone, with any remaining convection displaced well to the system's south and the remaining circulation exposed.

Dolly's formation marked the third-earliest occurrence of the fourth named storm in the calendar year on record, behind only Tropical Storm Debby of 2012 and Tropical Storm Danielle of 2016.

Tropical Storm Edouard
On July 1, a cluster of thunderstorms known as a mesoscale convective vortex formed over the northern Tennessee Valley and slowly moved southeastwards. By July 2, the remnant low emerged off the coast of Georgia, and the NHC began monitoring the low around 00:00 UTC on July 4. Just four hours later, the circulation of the low subsequently became better defined and closed, and at 15:00 UTC on July 4 the NHC issued its first advisory on the system as Tropical Depression Five. The system gradually drifted north-northeast towards Bermuda while little change in intensity occurred as the storm passed just 70 miles (110 km) north of the island around 09:00 UTC on July 5. A large burst of convection as a result of baroclinic forces allowed the system into Tropical Storm Edouard at 03:00 UTC on July 6. This made Edouard the earliest fifth named storm on record in the North Atlantic Ocean, surpassing Hurricane Emily, which became a tropical storm on July 11, 2005. Edouard intensified further to a peak intensity of 1007 mb (29.74 inHg) and with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) at 18:00 UTC that same day. Three hours later, Edouard became extratropical while located about 450 miles southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland.

The Bermuda Weather Service issued a gale warning for the entirety of the island chain in advance of the system on July 4. Unsettled weather with thunderstorms later ensued, and the depression caused tropical storm-force wind gusts and moderate rainfall on the island early on July 5, but impacts were relatively minor.

Tropical Storm Fay
At 00:00 UTC July 5, shortly after the formation of Tropical Storm Edouard, the NHC began to track an area of disorganized cloudiness and showers in relation to a nearly stationary surface trough in the Gulf of Mexico. After meandering over the Gulf, the disturbance moved northeast towards the coast of the Florida Panhandle, and would subsequently move inland by 12:00 UTC July 6. Two days later, the system re-emerged over the coast of Georgia. Once offshore, the system began to organize as deep convection blossomed over the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. Three hours later, the center reformed near the edge of the primary convective mass, prompting the NHC to initiate advisories on Tropical Storm Fay at 21:00 UTC July 9, located just 40 miles east-northeast of Cape Hatteras. Fay intensified as it moved nearly due north, reaching its peak intensity of 60 mph winds and minimum barometric pressure of 999 mbar. Fay then made landfall east-northeast of Atlantic City, New Jersey at 21:00 UTC July 10. It quickly lost intensity inland, and by 06:00 UTC July 11, had weakened to a tropical depression while situated about 50 mi (80 km) north of New York City. The depression transitioned into a post-tropical cyclone three hours later while located roughly 30 mi (45 km) south of Albany, New York.

Immediately upon formation, tropical storm warnings were issued for the coasts of New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut, as the system moved north at 7 mph. Six people were directly killed due to rip currents and storm surge associated with Fay. Overall, damage from the storm on the US Eastern Coast was at least US$350 million, based on wind and storm surge damage on residential, commercial, and industrial properties. Fay's July 9 formation was the earliest for a sixth named storm in the Atlantic, surpassing the record set by Tropical Storm Franklin, which formed on July 21, 2005.

Tropical Storm Gonzalo
Early on July 20, the NHC began monitoring a tropical wave over the central tropical Atlantic for possible tropical cyclone development. Though in an area of only somewhat conducive conditions, the wave rapidly became better organized as it moved quickly westward. By 21:00 UTC July 21, satellite imagery and scatterometer data indicated that the small low pressure system had acquired a well-defined circulation as well as sufficiently organized convection to be designated Tropical Depression Seven. At 12:50 UTC on July 22, the NHC upgraded the depression to Tropical Storm Gonzalo. Gonzalo continued to intensify throughout the day, with an eyewall under a central dense overcast and hints of a developing eye becoming evident. Gonzalo would then reach its peak intensity with wind speeds of 65 mph and a minimum central pressure of 997 mbar at 09:00 UTC the next day. However, strengthening was halted as its central dense overcast was significantly disrupted when the storm entrained very dry air into its circulation from the Saharan Air Layer to its north. Convection soon redeveloped over Gonzalo's center as the system attempted to mix out the dry air from its circulation, but the tropical storm did not strengthen further due to the hostile conditions. After making landfall on the island of Trinidad as a weak tropical storm, Gonzalo weakened to a tropical depression at 18:00 UTC on July 25. Three hours later, Gonzalo opened up into a tropical wave as it made landfall in northern Venezuela.

Gonzalo was the earliest recorded seventh named storm in the Atlantic basin. The previous record holder was Tropical Storm Gert, which formed on July 24, 2005. On July 23, hurricane watches were issued for Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and a tropical storm watch was issued later that day for Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago. After Gonzalo failed to strengthen into a hurricane on July 24, the hurricane and tropical storm watches were replaced with tropical storm warnings. Tropical Storm Gonzalo brought squally weather to Trinidad and Tobago and parts of southern Grenada and northern Venezuela on July 25. However, the storm's impact ended up being significantly smaller than originally anticipated. The Tobago Emergency Management Agency only received two reports of damage on the island: a fallen tree on a health facility in Les Coteaux and a damaged bus stop roof in Argyle.

Hurricane Hanna
At 06:00 UTC July 19, the NHC noted a tropical wave over eastern Hispaniola and the nearby waters for possible development. In the Gulf of Mexico, where conditions were more favorable for development, the system began to steadily organize as a broad low pressure area formed within it. Surface observations along with data from an Air Force Hurricane Hunter Aircraft showed that the area of low pressure developed a closed circulation along with a well-defined center, prompting the NHC to issue advisories on Tropical Depression Eight at 03:00 UTC July 23. The depression continued to become better organized throughout the day, and 24 hours after forming, it strengthened into a tropical storm, receiving the name Hanna. With the system's intensification to a tropical storm on July 24, it broke the record for the earliest eighth named storm, being named 10 days earlier than the previous record of August 3, set by Tropical Storm Harvey in 2005. The system tracked westwards and steadily strengthened. Over the ensuing 24 hours, Hanna underwent rapid intensification as its inner core and convection became better organized. By 12:00 UTC July 25, radar and data from another Hurricane Hunter Aircraft showed that Hanna had intensified into the first hurricane of the season. Hanna continued to strengthen further, reaching its peak intensity with 90 mph winds by 21:00 UTC on July 25, before making landfall an hour later at Padre Island, Texas. After making a second landfall in Kenedy County, Texas at the same intensity at 23:15 UTC, the system then began to rapidly weaken, dropping to tropical depression status at 22:15 UTC the next day after crossing into Northeastern Mexico.

Immediately after the system was classified as a tropical depression, tropical storm watches were issued for much of the Texas shoreline. At 21:00 UTC on July 24, a hurricane warning was issued from Baffin Bay to Mesquite Bay, Texas, due to Hanna being forecast to become a hurricane before landfall. As the hurricane approached landfall, local officials underscored the reality of the coronavirus when warning residents living in flood-prone neighborhoods about the prospect of evacuation. Additionally, Texas governor Greg Abbott announced the deployment of 17 COVID-19 mobile testing teams focused on shelters and 100 medical personnel provided by the Texas National Guard. Hanna brought storm surge flooding, destructive winds, torrential rainfall, flash flooding and isolated tornadoes across South Texas and Northeastern Mexico; three fatalities were reported in Reynosa, Tamaulipas.

Hurricane Isaias
The National Hurricane Center first began tracking a vigorous tropical wave off the coast of Africa on July 23. The wave gradually organized and became better defined, developing a broad area of low pressure. Although the system lacked a well-defined center, its threat of tropical-storm-force winds to land areas prompted its designation as Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine at 15:00 UTC on July 28. The system moved just south of Dominica, and at 03:00 UTC on July 30, it organized into a tropical cyclone. Due to its precursor disturbance already having gale-force winds, it was immediately declared a tropical storm and given the name "Isaias". On the following day, Isaias passed south of Puerto Rico and made landfall on the Dominican Republic. At 03:40 UTC on July 31, Isaias strengthened into a hurricane as it pulled away from the Greater Antilles. The storm fluctuated in intensity afterwards, due to strong wind shear and dry air, with its winds peaking at 85 mph and its central pressure falling to 987 mbar. At 15:00 UTC on August 1, Isaias made landfall on North Andros, Bahamas with winds around 80 mph, and the system weakened to a tropical storm at 21:00 UTC. It then turned north-northwest, paralleling the east coast of Florida and Georgia while fluctuating between 65 - 70 mph wind speeds. As the storm accelerated northeastward and approached the Carolina coastline, wind shear relaxed, allowing the storm to quickly intensify back into a Category 1 hurricane at 00:00 UTC on August 4, and at 03:10 UTC, Isaias made landfall on Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, with 1-minute sustained winds of 85 mph. Following landfall, Isaias accelerated and only weakened slowly, dropping below hurricane status at 07:00 UTC over North Carolina. The storm passed over the Mid-Atlantic states and New England before transitioning into an extratropical cyclone near the American-Canadian border, and subsequently weakening progressing into Quebec.

When Isaias formed as a tropical storm, it became the earliest ninth named storm on record, breaking the record of Hurricane Irene of 2005 by eight days. With its landfall on August 4, it became the earliest fifth named storm to make landfall in the United States. The previous record for the earliest fifth storm to make a U.S. landfall was August 18, set during the 1916 season. Numerous tropical storm watches and warnings as well as hurricane watches and hurricane warnings were issued for the Lesser Antilles, Greater Antilles, Bahamas, Cuba, and the entire East Coast of the United States. Isaias caused devastating flooding and wind damage in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Several towns were left without electricity and drinking water in Puerto Rico, which prompted a disaster declaration by President Donald Trump. In the Dominican Republic, two people were killed by wind damage. A woman was killed in Puerto Rico after being swept away in flood waters. In the United States, Isaias triggered a large tornado outbreak that prompted the issuance of 109 tornado warnings across 12 states, including one for Hampton Roads and another for Dover, Delaware. A total of 39 tornadoes touched down with two people being killed by an EF3 tornado that struck a mobile home park in Windsor, North Carolina on August 4. This was the strongest tropical cyclone spawned tornado since Hurricane Rita produced an F3 tornado in Clayton, Louisiana on September 24, 2005. Five more fatalities occurred in St. Mary's County, Maryland; Milford, Delaware; Naugatuck, Connecticut; North Conway, New Hampshire; and New York City due to falling trees. One woman died when her vehicle was swept downstream in a flooded area of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, and a child was found dead in Lansdale, Pennsylvania after going missing during the height of the storm. One man drowned due to strong currents in Cape May, New Jersey. New York City's power utility said it saw more outages from Isaias than from any storm except Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Damage estimates in excess of US$4.725 billion also made Isaias the costliest tropical cyclone to strike the Northeastern U.S. since Sandy.

Tropical Depression Ten
At 09:00 UTC July 30, the NHC began to monitor a broad area of low pressure associated with a tropical wave moving off the west coast of Africa southeast of the Cabo Verde Islands. Throughout the day, thunderstorm activity increased in association with the system and became better organized, only to become disorganized again on the next day. Contrary to predictions, the system rapidly re-organized, and at 21:00 UTC on July 31, the NHC began issuing advisories on Tropical Depression Ten. The system showed signs of further organization, although it failed to achieve tropical storm status, as was previously predicted. However, the NHC noted that the system may have briefly attained tropical storm status as some data showed tropical storm-force winds. After maintaining its intensity for 12 hours, the cyclone began to weaken as it entered colder waters north of the Cabo Verde islands, and the system degenerated into a trough at 03:00 UTC on August 2.

Tropical Storm Josephine
On August 7, the NHC began monitoring a tropical wave over the tropical Atlantic. Slowly drifting westward, the wave initially struggled to become organized as it was placed within a relatively unfavorable environment. However, the wave's circulation slowly became more defined while signs of convective organization became evident on satellite imagery. Soon enough the circulation became no longer elongated and the system was designated a tropical depression at 21:00 UTC, August 11. Intensification was slow for the depression as dry air and wind shear prevented much development. After two days of little change in intensity, the depression moved into more favorable conditions and intensified into Tropical Storm Josephine at 15:00 UTC, August 13. Josephine became the earliest tenth named storm on record in the basin, exceeding Tropical Storm Jose of 2005 by nine days. Josephine fluctuated in intensity due to little change in vertical wind shear slightly displacing the circulation from the deep convection. Hurricane Hunter aircraft investigated the system later on August 14 and found that the storm's center had likely relocated further north in the afternoon hours. Nonetheless, Josephine continued to move into increasingly hostile conditions as it started to pass north of the Leeward Islands. As a result, the storm later weakened, becoming a tropical depression early on August 16, just north of the Virgin Islands. The weakening cyclone's circulation became increasingly ill-defined, and Josephine eventually degenerated into a trough of low pressure later that day.

Tropical Storm Kyle
On August 13, the NHC began to track an area of low pressure located over eastern North Carolina. Warm water temperatures in the Atlantic allowed the system to rapidly organize, and at 21:00 UTC on August 14, the NHC designated the system as Tropical Storm Kyle. It was the earliest eleventh named North Atlantic storm, beating the record of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 by 10 days. By mid-day on August 15, Kyle had reached its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and a minimum pressure of 1000 mb; meanwhile, the circulation quickly started to become elongated. As a result, the system began to rapidly lose its tropical characteristics with its circulation becoming asymmetric, ultimately leading to Kyle becoming a post-tropical cyclone early on August 16. On August 20, Kyle's remnants were absorbed by extratropical Storm Ellen, a European windstorm which brought severe gales to the British Isles.

Hurricane Laura
On August 16, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) began tracking a large tropical wave that had emerged off the West African coast, and began traversing across the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) toward the Windward Islands. En route to the Windward Islands, satellite imagery revealed that the system began to close off its low-level circulation center (LLCC) with convection firing up around it, and subsequently the NHC began issuing advisories on Tropical Depression Thirteen on August 20. On the next day, Thirteen strengthened into Tropical Storm Laura, but was unable to strengthen any further, due to congestion of upper-level dry air as well as land interaction. This made Laura the earliest twelfth named Atlantic storm, beating the previous record of Hurricane Luis of 1995 by eight days. As Laura moved just offshore of Puerto Rico, a possible center reformation occurred to the south of Puerto Rico allowing Laura to begin strengthening. That same day, a shift eastward in the forecast track for Tropical Storm Marco indicated that Laura and Marco could make back-to-back landfalls in the area around Louisiana. Early on August 23, Laura made landfall near San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic, with 45 mph (75 km/h) winds. On August 23, Laura attained large amounts of convection but still appeared ragged on satellite imagery, with the mountainous terrain of Hispaniola preventing it from strengthening. Later that day, however, Laura managed to resume strengthening. Early on August 25, Laura entered the Gulf of Mexico and became a Category 1 hurricane at 12:15 UTC on the same day. After its upgrade to hurricane status, Laura began explosively intensifying, reaching Category 2 status early the next morning. Laura's explosive intensification continued, and at 12:00 UTC on August 26, it became the first major hurricane of the season, with 1-minute sustained wind speeds of 115 mph (185 km/h). Six hours later, it was further upgraded to Category 4 status, boasting winds of 140 mph (220 km/h). Following its upgrade, Laura continued to rapidly strengthen due to favorable conditions, reaching a peak intensity with 1-minute sustained winds at 150 mph (240 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 937 mbars, at 02:00 UTC on August 27, as the storm was nearing landfall. At 06:00 UTC, Laura made landfall near Cameron, Louisiana, with 1-minute sustained winds of 150 mph (240 km/h) and a central pressure of 938 mbar (27.70 inHg), tying the 1856 Last Island hurricane as the strongest landfalling hurricane on record in the state of Louisiana since 1851. Laura quickly weakened after moving inland, dropping to tropical storm status that evening over Northern Louisiana, before weakening into a tropical depression over Arkansas early the next morning. Following its weakening to a depression, Laura turned eastwards, and by 09:00 UTC on August 29, Laura degenerated into a remnant low over northeastern Kentucky.

As Laura passed through the Leeward Islands, the storm brought heavy rainfall to the islands of Guadeloupe and Dominica, as captured on radar. The storm prompted the closing of all ports in the British Virgin Islands. In Puerto Rico, Laura caused downed trees and flooding in Salinas. Laura devastated southwestern Louisiana and southeastern Texas with Lake Charles, Louisiana being particularly hard hit. Laura killed 35 people in Hispaniola, including 4 in the Dominican Republic and 31 in Haiti, as well as 42 in the United States.