| 2001 Atlantic Hurricane Season |
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The 2001 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1 , 2001 , and lasted until November 30 , 2001 . These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most Tropical Cyclone s form in the Atlantic Basin . This was the second year of a two-season stretch with no landfalling hurricanes in the United States, which is highly unusual; the previous instance involved the 1981 and 1982 hurricane seasons. Notable 2001 storms include Tropical Storm Allison , Hurricane Iris , and Hurricane Michelle . Allison caused billions of dollars of damages when it caused flooding in Houston, Texas . Iris caused widespread damage in Belize when it made landfall at Category 4 strength. Michelle was responsible for numerous deaths and large-scale damage in Jamaica , Cuba , Honduras , and Nicaragua . An unusual spree of named storms with interrupted tracks occurred in 2001, with four identified tropical cyclones degenerating below tropical depression strength and reforming. STORMS Tropical Storm Allison Tropical Storm Allison hit southern Texas in early June. It stalled over the state, moved southward, eastward, hit Louisiana , and continued through the northeast. Allison eventually became extratropical on the 18th, after causing heavy flooding throughout its path, especially in Texas and Louisiana. Although a minimal storm and barely tropical, Allison is one of the costliest and deadliest tropical cyclones to affect the United States, and the worst tropical storm on record in that nation. FEMA estimated damages at $5 billion, nearly all of it related to freshwater flooding in the Greater Houston region. There are 41 deaths directly attributable to Allison, 27 of them due to flooding. Tropical Storm Barry Barry formed from a tropical wave in the eastern Gulf of Mexico on August 2 . Moving westward, it weakened to a tropical depression, and was expected to continue to the west-northwest. Instead, the ridge to Barry's north degraded, allowing the system to turn northward and restrengthen to tropical storm strength on the 5th. It peaked that night at 70 mph, but some southwesterly shear prevented the storm from reaching hurricane strength. Barry made landfall near Santa Rosa Beach, Florida on August 6 as a strong tropical storm with a developing eyewall, leading to the possibility of Barry being a hurricane. After making landfall, the remnants of Barry continued inland, and dissipated over Missouri on the 8th. Tropical Storm Barry was responsible for two deaths in Florida, one due to a lightning strike. Another indirect death was also reported. Damage is estimated at $30 million. The tropical wave that eventually became Barry is blamed for capsizing a boat carrying Cuban refugees, and six of the passengers drowned. Tropical Storm Chantal Chantal was a poorly organized storm that formed as a depression on August 14 while well east of the Windward Islands. Sometime on the 16th, the depression degenerated into a tropical wave. This wave passed over the islands, and on the 17th, reformed at tropical storm strength. Tropical Storm Chantal continued west across the Caribbean Sea, and strengthened somewhat. It was near hurricane strength on August 21 , but made landfall at the border between Belize and Mexico before it could gain the necessary wind speed. Chantal continued into Mexico and dissipated on the 22nd. Chantal officially caused no deaths, but the tropical wave caused two deaths from lightning on Trinidad . Damage in Belize was estimated at $10-15 million. {Link without Title} No significant damages were reported in Mexico. Tropical Storm Dean Dean formed from a tropical wave that moved northwest across the Lesser Antilles in mid-August. On August 22 , as it approached the U.S. Virgin Islands , the wave was named Tropical Storm Dean. As Dean left the Caribbean, it weakened, and by the 23rd had degenerated to a tropical wave. The wave held together, and by the 27th had restrengthened back into a tropical storm. Dean approached hurricane strength, but moved over cool water and became extratropical. It was absorbed by a non-tropical low on August 29 . Heavy rainfall from Dean in Puerto Rico caused about $2 million in agricultural damage, as well as flooding homes and causing two bridges to collapse. Damage in the Virgin Islands was minimal. Hurricane Erin Tropical Storm Erin formed near 37W in the open Atlantic on September 2 . It moved west for several days, but weakened into an area of disturbed weather on the 5th. The storms regenerated, and on the 7th Erin regained tropical storm status. Erin continued to the northwest, and strengthened into a hurricane. On September 8 th, Erin came within 90 nm of Bermuda. After passing Bermuda, Erin continued northwest, but on the 11th its track turned sharply east. On the 13th, Erin began heading northeast and grazed Cape Race , Newfoundland on September 15 . It became extratropical and merged with another system over Greenland on the 17th. No damages or fatalities were reported in relation to Erin. Hurricane Felix A tropical wave off the coast of Africa organized into Tropical Depression Seven on September 7 while near the Cape Verde islands. It moved rapidly to the west, and degenerated to a tropical wave the next day. By September 10 , the wave had reorganized, and it was again named Tropical Depression Seven. The depression continued to strengthen, and became Hurricane Felix by September 13 . Now moving north, Felix intensified rapidly, reaching Category 3 status. Felix turned to the northeast and began to weaken. By September 17 , Felix had dropped to tropical storm strength, and it dissipated on the 19th. No damage was reported. Hurricane Gabrielle A cut-off low in the Gulf of Mexico was classified as a tropical depression on September 11 th. After performing a small loop in the gulf, the depression reached tropical storm strength and was designated Gabrielle. Tropical Storm Gabrielle headed northeast and made landfall near Venice, Florida on September 14 th just under hurricane strength. Eighteen hours later, Gabrielle moved offshore, still a tropical storm. It continued northeast, and strengthened to a minimal hurricane. On September 19 , while south of Newfoundland, Gabrielle was designated an extratropical storm. By the 21st, it had merged with another low. Gabrielle dropped torrential rainfall across Florida, amounting to a maximum of 13 inches in Pierson . The storm caused one drowning deaths and one indirect death in Florida, and damage totaled to about $230 million (2001 USD). Over six inches of rain were reported in parts of Newfoundland, with one station reporting a rainfall rate of nearly 2 inches/hour. {Link without Title} Hurricane Humberto Humberto formed from an area of low pressure generated by Hurricane Gabrielle. The low formed into a tropical depression on September 21 while 425 nm south of Bermuda. The low tracked northwest and was named Tropical Storm Humberto the next day. It began moving north, and then northeast as it passed Bermuda and strengthened into a hurricane. Humberto headed over the colder waters of the far north Atlantic Ocean, and dissipated quickly on September 27 . There were no reports of damage related to Humberto. Hurricane Iris Tropical Depression Eleven formed just southeast of Barbados on October 4 th. It travelled across the Windward Islands, and was named Tropical Storm Iris while south of Puerto Rico on the 5th. Iris continued to the west and intensified. After passing just south of Jamaica, Iris reached Category 4 hurricane strength. Iris made landfall near Monkey River Town , Belize on October 9 th at Category 4 strength, but weakened rapidly. It dissipated later that day. An exact death toll is unknown, but 31 are confirmed dead, 3 in the Dominican Republic , 8 in Guatemala , and 20 from the M/V ''Wave Dancer'', a ship that capsized off the Belize coast. Newspapers have reported an additional 30 deaths in Belize, but the government there has only confirm the 20 deaths from the ''Wave Dancer''. Damage in Belize is reported at $66.2 million. Tropical Storm Jerry A westward moving tropical wave organized into Tropical Depression Twelve on October 6 about 620 miles east-southeast of Barbados . Under weak vertical shear and with warm water temperatures, it strengthened into a tropical storm on the 7th, and reached a peak of 50 mph later that day. Jerry passed just south of Barbados on the 7th and 8th, where upper level shear disrupted the circulation, making it elongated and weaker. Just 6 hours before dissipating, Jerry was still forecasted to become a hurricane, but its rapid westward movement caused it to dissipate on October 8 in the Caribbean Sea 230 miles south of Puerto Rico . There were no reports of damage. Hurricane Karen On October 12 , an extratropical low just south of Bermuda was classified as Subtropical Storm One. After passing Bermuda, the storm took on enough tropical characteristics to be reclassified as Tropical Storm Karen. Karen continued north, strengthening into a hurricane, but slowly weakened and made landfall on Nova Scotia on October 15 as a tropical storm. Its remnants were absorbed by a larger system later that day. Karen was responsible for sinking several small ships in St. George Harbor, but no other damages were reported. Nova Scotia and New Brunswick actually benefited from the storm, as it helped relieve a drought that was occurring there. Tropical Storm Lorenzo A persistent tropical upper tropospheric trough in the eastern Atlantic Ocean developed a low-level circulation on October 26 , and organized into Tropical Depression Fourteen on the 27th while 860 miles southwest of the Azores . A strong ridge to its north caused a westward track, where upper level shear from an upper level low restricted further strengthening. After nearly dissipating on the night of the 28th, warm water temperatures allowed for the convection to develop closer to the center. A strong trough in the westerlies forced the depression northward, where upper level winds briefly became more favorable. The depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Lorenzo on October 30 , but upper level shear returned, preventing further strengthening. On October 31 , Lorenzo merged with an approaching frontal trough, after causing no reported damage. Hurricane Michelle Hurricane Michelle was a powerful storm that was first named on November 1 st near Cabo Gracias , Nicaragua . It headed north, and quickly strengthened, reaching Category 4 intensity by November 4 th. Michelle made landfall near the Bay Of Pigs shortly afterward. Weakened, but still a hurricane, Michelle continued on through the Bahamas, where it degenerated and was absorbed by a front on November 6 th. Michelle is officially responsible for 17 deaths, and 26 missing. Damage amounted to $1.8 billion (2001 USD). Hurricane Noel A non-tropical low that formed from a frontal low was first observed in the north Atlantic Ocean on November 2 . It moved westward and deepened, organizing into a subtropical storm on November 4 while well east of Bermuda . As it moved northward, convection organized into a ring near the center, and was classified as Hurricane Noel on the 5th, based on a ship report of 75 mph winds near the center. Westerly shear quickly weakened the hurricane, and on November 6 Noel became extratropical. The extratropical storm continued northward, and was absorbed by a larger system. Noel caused no reported damage. Hurricane Olga Olga was a late-season hurricane that formed out of a non-tropical system 780 nm east-southeast of Bermuda on November 24 . Initially a subtropical storm, Olga began taking on tropical characteristics and started on a winding southwestward track. Olga strengthened into a hurricane, but by early December had weakened, and dissipated by December 5 . The only damage report came from a single yacht, which passed through Olga's center on the 24th. ACCUMULATED CYCLONE ENERGY (ACE) RANKING The table on the right shows the ACE for each storm in the season. The ACE is, broadly speaking, a measure of the power of the hurricane multiplied by the length of time it existed for, so hurricanes that lasted a long time have higher ACEs. 2001 STORM NAMES The following names were used for named storms that formed in the north Atlantic in 2001. The names not retired from this list will be used again in the 2007 Season . This is the same list used for the 1995 Season except for Lorenzo, Michelle, Olga, and Rebekah, which replaced Luis , Marilyn , Opal , and Roxanne . Storms were named Lorenzo, Michelle, and Olga for the first time in 2001. Names that were allocated for the 2001 season but were not assigned are marked in . Retirement See Also: List of retired Atlantic hurricanes The World Meteorological Organization retired three names in the spring of 2002: Allison, Iris, and Michelle. They will be replaced in the by Andrea, Ingrid, and Melissa. Allison became the first tropical storm to have its name retired. SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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