Timeline of the 2015 Atlantic hurricane season

The 2015 Atlantic hurricane season was an event in the annual hurricane season in the north Atlantic ocean.(there were 15 different recorded hurricanes this year). It was the third consecutive year to feature below-average tropical cyclone activity, with eleven named storms. The season officially began on June 1, 2015 and ended on November 30, 2015. These dates, adopted by convention, historically describe the period in each year when most tropical systems form. However, systems can and do form outside these dates, as did the season's first storm, Tropical Storm Ana, which developed on May 8; the season's final storm, Hurricane Kate, lost its tropical characteristics on November 11.

The year featured twelve tropical cyclones, of which eleven became tropical storms, including four hurricanes of which two intensified into major hurricanes. While no hurricanes made landfall on the United States mainland during the year, two tropical storms, Ana and Bill, struck the coastline of South Carolina and Texas respectively. Ana was earliest landfalling tropical storm on record in the United States and caused two fatalities, while Bill produced heavy rain and flooding and caused eight fatalities. Additionally, the precursor to Bill also caused significant flooding across Central America. In late August, Tropical Storm Erika brought heavy rainfall to several Leeward Islands, especially to Dominica. It caused widespread damage and 31 fatalities. In October, Hurricane Joaquin, a Category 4 hurricane, battered The Bahamas for two days, causing extensive devastation to that nation while also contributing to historic flooding across the Southeastern United States. Additionally, Joaquin was responsible sinking of the American cargo ship El Faro and for the deaths of its 33–member crew. Following the 2015 season, the names Erika and Joaquin were retired from reuse in the North Atlantic by the World Meteorological Organization.

This timeline documents tropical cyclone formations, strengthening, weakening, landfalls, extratropical transitions, and dissipations during the season. It includes information that was not released throughout the season, meaning that data from post-storm reviews by the National Hurricane Center, such as a storm that was not initially warned upon, has been included.

By convention, meteorologists use one time zone when issuing forecasts and making observations: Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), and also use the 24-hour clock (where 00:00 = midnight UTC). The National Hurricane Center uses both UTC and the time zone where the center of the tropical cyclone is currently located. The time zones utilized (east to west) prior to 2020 were: Atlantic, Eastern, and Central. In this timeline, all information is listed by UTC first with the respective regional time included in parentheses. Additionally, figures for maximum sustained winds and position estimates are rounded to the nearest 5 units (knots, miles, or kilometers), following the convention used in the National Hurricane Center's products. Direct wind observations are rounded to the nearest whole number. Atmospheric pressures are listed to the nearest millibar and nearest hundredth of an inch of mercury.

May
May 8
 * 00:00 UTC (8:00 p.m. EDT, May 7) at 31.4°N, -77.6°W – Subtropical Storm Ana forms from a non-tropical low about 150 nmi south-southeast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

May 9
 * 00:00 UTC (8:00 p.m. EDT, May 8) at 31.9°N, -77.3°W – Subtropical Storm Ana attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 50 kn and a minimum barometric pressure of 998 mbar, about 130 nmi southeast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
 * 06:00 UTC (2:00 a.m. EDT) at 32.2°N, -77.5°W – Subtropical Storm Ana transitions into a tropical storm about 115 nmi southeast of Myrtle Beach.

May 10
 * 10:00 UTC (6:00 a.m. EDT) at 33.8°N, -78.8°W – Tropical Storm Ana makes landfall about 8 nmi southwest of North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with winds of 40 kn.
 * 18:00 UTC (2:00 p.m. EDT) at 34.2°N, -78.7°W – Tropical Storm Ana weakens to a tropical depression about 25 nmi north of North Myrtle Beach.

May 12
 * 00:00 UTC (8:00 p.m. EDT, May 11) at 38.1°N, -75.1°W – Tropical Depression Ana degenerates into a remnant low as it moves off of the Delmarva Peninsula, and subsequently merges with a frontal system.

June
June 1
 * The 2015 Atlantic hurricane season officially begins.

June 16
 * 00:00 UTC (7:00 p.m. CDT, June 15) at 27°N, -94.3°W – Tropical Storm Bill develops as a result of the interaction of an upper-level trough and a broad area of low pressure about 175 nmi east-southeast of Corpus Christi, Texas.
 * 12:00 UTC (7:00 a.m. CDT) at 28°N, -96°W – Tropical Storm Bill attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 50 kn and a minimum pressure of 997 mbar, about 75 nmi east-northeast of Corpus Christi.
 * 16:45 UTC (11:45 a.m. CDT) at 28.2°N, -96.7°W – Tropical Storm Bill makes landfall on Matagorda Island, Texas, with winds of 50 kn.

June 17
 * 06:00 UTC (1:00 a.m. CDT) at 30.3°N, -97.1°W – Tropical Storm Bill weakens to a tropical depression about 30 nmi east of Austin, Texas.

June 18
 * 18:00 UTC (1:00 p.m. CDT) at 35.2°N, -95.5°W – Tropical Depression Bill degenerates into remnant low about 65 nmi south-southeast of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and subsequently dissipates.

July
July 13
 * 06:00 UTC (2:00 a.m. AST) at 36°N, -71.1°W – A tropical depression develops from a shortwave trough about 222 nmi east-northeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
 * 12:00 UTC (8:00 a.m. AST) at 36.8°N, -69.4°W – The tropical depression intensifies into Tropical Storm Claudette about 305 nmi east of Cape Hatteras.
 * 18:00 UTC (2:00 p.m. AST) at 37.6°N, -67.5°W – Tropical Storm Claudette attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 45 kn and a minimum pressure of 1,003 mbar, about 275 nmi south-southeast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

July 15
 * 00:00 UTC (8:00 p.m. AST, July 14) at 43.5°N, -58.2°W – Tropical Storm Claudette degenerates into a remnant low about 235 nmi southwest of Newfoundland, and is later absorbed by a frontal system.

August
August 18
 * 06:00 UTC (2:00 a.m. AST) at 10.4°N, -34.8°W – Tropical Depression Four develops from a tropical wave about 715 nmi west-southwest of Praia, Cape Verde.
 * 12:00 UTC (8:00 a.m. AST) at 10.5°N, -35.9°W – Tropical Depression Four intensifies into Tropical Storm Danny about 775 nmi west-southwest of Praia.

August 20
 * 12:00 UTC (8:00 a.m. AST) at 12.3°N, -44.4°W – Tropical Storm Danny intensifies into a Category 1 hurricane about 950 nmi east of the Windward Islands.

August 21
 * 00:00 UTC (8:00 p.m. AST, August 20) at 13.2°N, -46.2°W – Hurricane Danny intensifies into a Category 2 hurricane about 840 nmi east of the Windward Islands.
 * 12:00 UTC (8:00 a.m. AST) at 13.8°N, -47.8°W – Hurricane Danny intensifies into a Category 3 hurricane and simultaneously attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 110 kn and a minimum pressure of 960 mbar, about 745 nmi east of the Windward Islands.

August 22
 * 00:00 UTC (8:00 p.m. AST, August 21) at 14.7°N, -49.4°W – Hurricane Danny weakens to a Category 2 hurricane about 650 nmi east of the Windward Islands.
 * 12:00 UTC (8:00 a.m. AST) at 15.3°N, -51.4°W – Hurricane Danny weakens to a Category 1 hurricane about 540 nmi east of the Windward Islands.

August 23
 * 00:00 UTC (8:00 p.m. AST, August 22) at 15.6°N, -54°W – Hurricane Danny weakens to a tropical storm about 390 nmi east of the Windward Islands.

August 24
 * 12:00 UTC (8:00 a.m. AST) – at 15.8°N, -61.3°W – Tropical Storm Danny weakens to a tropical depression about 105 nmi east of the Windward Islands, and later degenerates into an open wave.
 * 18:00 UTC (2:00 p.m. AST) – at 14.3°N, -45.1°W – Tropical Storm Erika forms from a tropical wave about 900 nmi east of the Lesser Antilles.

August 27
 * 06:00 UTC (2:00 a.m. AST) at 16.5°N, -60.8°W – Tropical Storm Erika attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 45 kn and a minimum pressure of 1,001 mbar, about 40 nmi east of northern tip of Guadeloupe.

August 28
 * 12:00 UTC (9:30 a.m. EDT) at 17.6°N, -68.6°W – Tropical Storm Erika degenerates into a remnant low about 40 nmi south of the eastern tip of Hispaniola, and subsequently dissipates.

August 30
 * 00:00 UTC (8:00 p.m. AST, August 29) at 11.6°N, -17.5°W – Tropical Depression Six develops from a tropical wave about 260 nmi west-northwest of Conakry, Guinea.
 * 06:00 UTC (2:00 a.m. AST) at 12.2°N, -18.4°W – Tropical Depression Six intensifies into Tropical Storm Fred about 320 nmi northwest of Conakry.

August 31
 * 00:00 UTC (8:00 p.m. AST, August 30) at 14.6°N, -21.7°W – Tropical Storm Fred intensifies into a Category 1 hurricane about 145 nmi south-southeast of Sal, Cape Verde.
 * 12:00 UTC (8:00 a.m. AST) at 16.1°N, -23.3°W – Hurricane Fred attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 75 kn and a minimum pressure of 986 mbar, about 45 nmi south-southwest of Sal.

September
September 1
 * 06:00 UTC (2:00 a.m. AST) at 17.8°N, -25.7°W – Hurricane Fred weakens to a tropical storm about 170 nmi west of Sal.

September 4
 * 12:00 UTC (8:00 a.m. AST) at 22.2°N, -37.9°W – Tropical Storm Fred weakens to a tropical depression about 1,085 nmi southwest of the Azores.

September 5
 * 00:00 UTC (8:00 p.m. AST, September 4) at 22.7°N, -39.6°W – Tropical Depression Fred re-intensifies into a tropical storm about 1,100 nmi southwest of the Azores.
 * 06:00 UTC (2:00 a.m. AST) at 12°N, -23.1°W – Tropical Depression Seven develops from a tropical wave about 150 nmi south of the Cape Verde Islands.
 * 12:00 UTC (8:00 a.m. AST) at 23.3°N, -41.5°W – Tropical Storm Fred again weakens to a tropical depression, about 1,125 nmi southwest of the Azores, and later degenerates into a trough.
 * 18:00 UTC (2:00 p.m. AST) at 12.3°N, -25.7°W – Tropical Depression Seven intensifies into Tropical Storm Grace about 160 nmi south-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands.

September 6
 * 12:00 UTC (8:00 a.m. AST) at 12.7°N, -29.2°W – Tropical Storm Grace attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 50 kn and a minimum barometric pressure of 1,000 mbar, about 291 nmi southwest of the Cape Verde Islands.

September 8
 * 12:00 UTC (8:00 a.m. AST) at 14°N, -41.8°W – Tropical Storm Grace weakens to a tropical depression about 999 nmi west of the Cape Verde Islands, and later degenerates into a trough.
 * 18:00 UTC (2:00 p.m. AST) at 30.8°N, -61.6°W – Tropical Depression Eight develops from a non-tropical weather system about 187 nmi southeast of Bermuda.

September 9
 * 00:00 UTC (8:00 p.m. AST, September 8) at 30.8°N, -61.4°W – Tropical Depression Eight intensifies into Tropical Storm Henri about 191 nmi southeast of Bermuda.
 * 18:00 UTC (2:00 p.m. AST) at 30.9°N, -60.8°W – Tropical Storm Henri attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 45 kn and a minimum barometric pressure of 1,003 mbar, about 217 nmi east-southeast of Bermuda.

September 11
 * 06:00 UTC (2:00 a.m. AST) at 35.7°N, -60.3°W – Tropical Storm Henri degenerates into a trough, about 295 nmi northeast of Bermuda, and subsequently merges with a large extratropical cyclone.

September 16
 * 12:00 UTC (8:00 a.m. AST) at 14.5°N, -43.7°W – Tropical Depression Nine develops from a tropical wave about 1,100 nmi west of the Cape Verde Islands.

September 17
 * 06:00 UTC (2:00 a.m. AST) at 15.6°N, -45°W – Tropical Depression Nine attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 30 kn and a minimum barometric pressure of 1,006 mbar, about 925 nmi east of the Lesser Antilles.

September 18
 * 06:00 UTC (2:00 a.m. AST) at 12.9°N, -35.7°W – Tropical Depression Ten develops from a tropical wave about 650 nmi west of the southernmost Cape Verde Islands.

September 19
 * 00:00 UTC (8:00 p.m. AST, September 18) at 13.6°N, -37.4°W – Tropical Depression Ten intensifies into Tropical Storm Ida about 742 nmi west of the southernmost Cape Verde Islands.
 * 12:00 UTC (8 a.m. AST) at 18.5°N, -49.4°W – Tropical Depression Nine is assessed with a Dvorak classification of too weak to classify as a tropical depression; it dissipates a few hours later, about 700 nmi east of the northern Leeward Islands.

September 21
 * 12:00 UTC (8:00 a.m. AST) at 20.5°N, -48.1°W – Tropical Storm Ida attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 45 kn and a minimum barometric pressure of 1,001 mbar, about 860 nmi east of the northern Leeward Islands.

September 24
 * 06:00 UTC (2:00 a.m. AST) at 19.6°N, -45.6°W – Tropical Storm Ida weakens to a tropical depression about 995 nmi east of the northern Leeward Islands.

September 27
 * 12:00 UTC (8:00 a.m. AST) at 24.6°N, -48.1°W – Tropical Depression Ida degenerates into a remnant low about 920 nmi east of the northern Leeward Islands, and later degenerates into a trough.

September 28
 * 00:00 UTC (8:00 p.m. AST, September 27) at 27.4°N, -69°W – Tropical Depression Eleven develops from a weak mid- to upper-tropospheric low about 360 nmi northeast of San Salvador Island, Bahamas.

September 29
 * 00:00 UTC (8:00 p.m. EDT, September 28) at 26.9°N, -70.1°W – Tropical Depression Eleven intensifies into Tropical Storm Joaquin about 295 nmi northeast of San Salvador Island.

September 30
 * 06:00 UTC (2:00 a.m. EDT) at 25.4°N, -71.8°W – Tropical Storm Joaquin intensifies into a Category 1 hurricane about 170 nmi east-northeast of San Salvador Island.



October
October 1
 * 00:00 UTC (8:00 p.m. EDT, September 30) at 23.9°N, -72.9°W – Hurricane Joaquin intensifies into a Category 3 hurricane about 90 nmi east of San Salvador Island.
 * 12:00 UTC (8:00 a.m. EDT) at 23.1°N, -73.7°W – Hurricane Joaquin intensifies into a Category 4 hurricane and makes landfall on Samana Cay, Bahamas, with winds of 115 kn.

October 2
 * 00:00 UTC (8:00 p.m. EDT, October 1) at 22.9°N, -74.4°W – Hurricane Joaquin reach an initial peak windspeed of 120 kn and its overall minimum barometric pressure of 931 mbar when its eye was located about 13 nmi north-northwest of Crooked Island, Bahamas.
 * 16:00 UTC (12:00 p.m. EDT) at 23.6°N, -74.8°W – Hurricane Joaquin weakens to a Category 3 hurricane and makes landfall on Rum Cay, Bahamas, with winds of 110 kn.
 * 21:00 UTC (5:00 p.m. EDT) at 24.1°N, -74.5°W – Hurricane Joaquin makes landfall on San Salvador Island, with winds of 110 kn.

October 3
 * 00:00 UTC (8:00 p.m. EDT, October 2) at 24.3°N, -74.3°W – Hurricane Joaquin re-intensifies into a Category 4 hurricane about 15 nmi north-northeast of San Salvador Island.
 * 12:00 UTC (8:00 a.m. EDT) at 25.4°N, -72.6°W – Hurricane Joaquin attains its peak maximum sustained winds of 135 kn, about 130 nmi northeast of San Salvador Island.

October 4
 * 06:00 UTC (2:00 a.m. EDT) at 28.9°N, -68.3°W – Hurricane Joaquin weakens to a Category 3 hurricane about 273 nmi southwest of Bermuda.
 * 12:00 UTC (8:00 a.m. EDT) at 30.4°N, -67.2°W – Hurricane Joaquin weakens to a Category 2 hurricane about 168 nmi southwest of Bermuda.

October 5
 * 00:00 UTC (8:00 p.m. EDT, October 4) at 32.6°N, -66°W – Hurricane Joaquin weakens to a Category 1 hurricane about 63 nmi west-northwest of Bermuda.

October 7
 * 12:00 UTC (8:00 a.m. EDT) at 41°N, -47.5°W – Hurricane Joaquin weakens to a tropical storm about 420 nmi southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland.

October 8
 * 00:00 UTC (8:00 p.m. EDT, October 7) at 43.9°N, -24.1°W – Tropical Storm Joaquin transitions into an extratropical cyclone about 385 nmi west-northwest of the Azores, and subsequently dissipates.

November
November 8
 * 18:00 UTC (1:00 p.m. EST) at 22.2°N, -71.5°W – Tropical Depression Twelve develops from a tropical wave about 25 nmi north of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

November 9
 * 06:00 UTC (1:00 a.m. EST) at 23.4°N, -73.7°W – Tropical Depression Twelve intensifies into Tropical Storm Kate near the central Bahamas, about 80 mi (130 km) southeast of San Salvador Island, Bahamas.

November 11
 * 00:00 UTC (8:00 p.m. AST, November 10) at 33.1°N, -71.3°W – Tropical Storm Kate intensifies into a Category 1 hurricane about 340 nmi west of Bermuda.
 * 12:00 UTC (8:00 a.m. AST) at 36.2°N, -62.5°W – Hurricane Kate attains its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 75 kn and a minimum barometric pressure of 980 mbar, about 255 nmi northeast of Bermuda.

November 12
 * 00:00 UTC (8:00 p.m. AST, November 11) at 38.9°N, -55°W – Hurricane Kate transitions into an extratropical cyclone about 615 nmi northeast of Bermuda, and is subsequently absorbed by a larger extratropical cyclone.

November 30
 * The 2015 Atlantic hurricane season officially ends.