Hurricane Leslie (known as Storm Leslie or Cyclone Leslie while extratropical) was the strongest post-tropical cyclone to strike the Iberian Peninsula since 1842. A large, long-lived, and very erratic tropical cyclone, Leslie was the twelfth named storm and sixth hurricane of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm had a non-tropical origin, developing from an extratropical cyclone that was situated over the northern Atlantic on 22 September. The low quickly acquired subtropical characteristics and was classified as Subtropical Storm Leslie on the following day. The cyclone meandered over the northern Atlantic and gradually weakened, before merging with a frontal system on 25 September, which later intensified into a powerful hurricane-force extratropical low over the northern Atlantic. While Leslie began to weaken late on 27 September, the low began to re-acquire subtropical characteristics, and by 28 September, Leslie had completed the transition to a subtropical storm once again. Leslie became fully tropical and gradually intensified, becoming a Category 1 hurricane early on 3 October, and initially peaked with 1-minute sustained winds of 140 km/h (85 mph) later that day. Leslie gradually weakened, falling to tropical storm intensity late on 4 October. The cyclone continued to slowly weaken before beginning to re-intensify on 8 October. Two days later, Leslie reached hurricane status for the second time. Leslie continued to slowly strengthen, reaching peak intensity with sustained winds of 150 km/h (90 mph) and a minimum central pressure of 968 mbar (28.59 inHg), early on 12 October. Leslie then began to gradually weaken later that day, while accelerating towards the northeast and passed far south of the Azores. On 13 October, Leslie passed north of Madeira, before transitioning into an extratropical cyclone just off the Portuguese coast later that day. Leslie's remnants made landfall in central Portugal a few hours later. The low continued moving northeastward while rapidly weakening, passing over the Bay of Biscay, before dissipating by 16 October over Spain. The storm was responsible for 17 deaths in mainland Europe, including 2 direct deaths in Portugal and 15 indirect deaths in France. In November 2018, Aon estimated that Leslie's damage total exceeded €424 million (US$500 million). Hurricane Leslie prompted the issuance of tropical storm watches and warnings for Madeira Island. Leslie brought wind gusts up to 190 km/h (120 mph) to Portugal, felling thousands of trees, causing the collapse of hundreds of structures, and damaging hundreds of buildings, signs, and pieces of equipment. Over 300,000 citizens were left without power. Damage across the country was estimated to be €120 million (US$145 million). City, municipal, and the national government provided funds to repair damage to buildings as well as the local forests, and also launch cleanup efforts. Leslie brought strong winds and torrential rainfall to Spain, most notably the Catalonia region, causing a river to spill its banks, nearly four dozen landslides to occur, and damaging several structures and vehicles. The storm disrupted transportation and caused 14,000 power outages throughout the country. Leslie and a cold front, the latter of which was almost stationary, combined to cause record-breaking flooding in the Aude, France. The flooding in the department was considered to be the worst since 1891. Floodwaters damaged buildings, roads, and vehicles throughout several towns and cities, causing €220 million (US$254 million) in damage. Nearly 1,000 people were evacuated when a dam overflowed in Pezens Municipality, and over 8,000 people lost power nationwide.
Meteorological history
Origins, formation, and tropical transition
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