Hurricane Lorenzo (2019)

Hurricane Lorenzo, also known as Storm Lorenzo in Ireland and the United Kingdom while extratropical, was the easternmost Category 5 Atlantic hurricane on record. Lorenzo was the twelfth named storm, fifth hurricane, third major hurricane and second Category 5 hurricane of the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm formed from a tropical wave that moved off the west coast of Africa on 22 September, growing larger in size over the course of its development. It strengthened into a hurricane on 25 September, and rapidly intensified into a Category 4 hurricane the following day before weakening due to an eyewall replacement cycle. After completing the cycle, Lorenzo rapidly restrengthened, peaking at Category 5 intensity on 29 September with 1-minute sustained winds of 160 mph. Steady weakening followed as the storm moved through unfavorable atmospheric conditions. Accelerating northeastward, Lorenzo skirted the western Azores on 2 October, and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone. The extratropical cyclone moved quickly towards Ireland and the United Kingdom and became the first named storm of the 2019–20 European windstorm season, before eventually dissipating on 7 October. Through late September and early October, large swells were generated by the hurricane's massive wind field, impacting much of the Atlantic basin. The French ship Bourbon Rhode capsized amid the violent seas on 27 September; among its 14 crew members, three were rescued, four drowned, and the remaining seven are presumed dead. Four people drowned in rip currents along the coast of North Carolina, and two people were found dead after being swept away by large waves along the coast of New York. Dangerous sea conditions also spread to Bermuda and as far south as the Caribbean coasts of South America. On 2 October, Lorenzo passed near the western Azores, briefly bringing strong winds to much of the archipelago. Flores and Corvo endured the worst of these winds, with a maximum gust of 163 km/h (101 mph) recorded on the latter island. The extratropical remnants of Lorenzo then affected Ireland and the United Kingdom on 3 and 4 October, bringing gusty winds and heavy rains. Total damage from the storm was estimated at US$367 million, and 20 fatalities resulted from it.

Meteorological history

On 19 September, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) began to monitor a tropical wave that was forecast to emerge from the west coast of Africa; the tropical wave emerged into the Atlantic Ocean on 22 September. Due to favorable conditions, the system quickly organized, and at 00:00 UTC on the next day, the wave organized into Tropical Depression Thirteen. Six hours later, the system strengthened into a tropical storm and received the name Lorenzo, while south of Cape Verde. Lorenzo further intensified into a Category 1 hurricane early on 25 September and became a Category 2 hurricane the following day. Over the ensuing 48 hours, the storm underwent rapid intensification, reaching its initial peak intensity as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 145 miles per hour (230 km/h) and a central pressure of 937 mbar (hPa; 27.67 inHg) at 00:00 UTC on 27 September.

As Lorenzo began to turn slowly northward, the hurricane weakened with the onset of an eyewall replacement cycle and intrusions of dry air. The hurricane bottomed out as a low-end Category 3 hurricane on 28 September. Although restrengthening was not forecast due to moderate wind shear and low ocean heat content, Lorenzo defied expectations and rapidly reintensified into a Category 4 hurricane upon completing its eyewall replacement. Continuing to intensify, Lorenzo reached Category 5 strength at 03:00 UTC on 29 September, becoming the easternmost hurricane of such intensity recorded in the Atlantic basin, surpassing Hugo in 1989. Lorenzo's peak was short-lived because of increasing wind shear, cooler waters, and an intrusion of dry air; the hurricane lost its Category 5 status 3 hours after peak intensity, and weakened faster than it had strengthened. By 18:00 UTC, only 15 hours after peak intensity, it had weakened below major hurricane strength. The hurricane's large size caused it to upwell cool water. Early on 2 October, Lorenzo began extratropical transition, passing west of Flores Island. By this time, it had weakened to a Category 1 hurricane, but still brought hurricane-force winds to the islands. Lorenzo became fully extratropical by 12:00 UTC on 2 October. The extratropical cyclone continued moving quickly northeastward, maintaining an expansive wind field, which resulted in an extended period of gale-force winds for Ireland. On 4 October, Lorenzo's remnant made landfall on Ireland, and the low-level circulation center of the cyclone became ill-defined shortly thereafter. However, Lorenzo's extratropical remnant persisted for another few days, with the storm moving southeastward, moving over Germany on 5 October. Afterward, Lorenzo's remnant continued its southeastward motion while gradually weakening, before dissipating over Romania on 7 October.

Records In addition to being the easternmost Category 5 Atlantic hurricane on record, beating out 1989's Hurricane Hugo, Lorenzo featured the highest accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) index of any Atlantic tropical cyclone on record to the east of 45th meridian west. Additionally, Lorenzo spent more days as a major hurricane east of 45th meridian west than any previous cyclone on record, surpassing Carrie of 1957.

Preparations and impact

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