2019’s storms smash records
Lorenzo makes history as one of the biggest storms in the world
ORLANDO, FLA. — The 2019 hurricane season has been a year of tropical milestones.
First in August, meteorologists saw the slow development of hurricane Dorian. It is the strongest hurricane of the year so far, and also took the title of one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded to make landfall in the western Atlantic with maximum sustained winds of 300 km/h. Dorian matched the same strength observed in the devastating 1935 Labour Day hurricane.
There are 56 confirmed deaths due to hurricane Dorian and 600 people still missing after the storm, according to the International Medical Corps Sept. 30 report.
But 2019 saw another storm make history with hurricane Lorenzo before it began fading into obscurity.
The once-strong Category 5 storm developed quickly in the eastern Atlantic Ocean with maximum sustained wind speeds of 257 km/h, making it the strongest hurricane to develop in the eastern Atlantic, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Its strength didn’t last long, as Lorenzo soon began losing power while it approached the western Azores archipelago as a Category 1 hurricane and then becoming an extratropical storm eastbound to the United Kingdom.
The Portuguese government reported minimal storm damage with the exception of fallen trees and downed power lines, The Associated Press reported.
The hurricane season doesn’t end until Nov. 30 and more milestones are still possible.
Here’s a look back at some of the strongest tropical cyclones in history with respect to maximum sustained wind speed.
Strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded: 1979 typhoon Tip.
Typhoon Tip formed in the Northwest Pacific Ocean on Oct. 12, 1979, and was measured to have a central pressure of 870 millibars with estimated surface sustained winds of 305 km/h. It was also one of the largest storms in history with winds extending out 1,085 kilometres from its core and galeforce winds covering 2.4 million square miles. Some records measure the 1996 tropical cyclone Olivia as the strongest storm after it hit Australia. The winds were measured at 405 km/h. However, it has been noted that typhoons measured between 1940 and 1960 had increased recorded wind speeds, indicating a flaw in measurement as speeds were “too high,” according to the NOAA.
Strongest tropical cyclone to strike Canada.
On Oct. 16, 1963, a tropical depression formed in the southeast Bahamas. Six days later a warm core developed and formed hurricane Ginny. At its strongest, Ginny was classified as a Category 2 storm with winds of 165 km/h. The storm teased the East Coast of the United States and drifted toward North Carolina before looping around and heading north to Yarmouth, N.S., on Oct. 29. Ginny quickly became an extratropical storm upon landfall, NOAA said.
Strongest tropical cyclone to strike Europe.
While it rarely happens, there have been a number of strong storms from the tropics to take aim at Europe. Albeit many can be called strong by different measurements, it was hurricane Faith that travelled east across the Atlantic with Category 2 maximum sustained winds of165 km/h. As the storm approached Norway, Faith lost organization and developed into an extratropical storm shortly before making landfall.
Strongest hurricane to strike Florida: 1935 Labour Day hurricane.
On Sept. 2, 1935, an unnamed Category 5 storm made landfall in the Florida Keys. The storm had reached maximum sustained winds of 300 km/h. The storm was recorded as the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the Atlantic until 84 years later with the onset of hurricane Dorian on the Bahamas. The Labour Day storm was responsible for 408 deaths.