Hurricane Ernesto (2006)

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This article is about the 2006 storm. For past storms, see Hurricane Ernesto.
Hurricane Ernesto
Category 1 hurricane (SSHS)
Hurricane Ernesto as a Category 1 hurricane south of Haiti

Hurricane Ernesto as a Category 1 hurricane south of Haiti
Formed August 24, 2006
Dissipated September 1, 2006
Highest
winds
75 mph (120 km/h) (1-minute sustained)
Lowest pressure 985 mbar (hPa; 29.1 inHg)
Fatalities At least 7 direct, 4 indirect
Damage $500 million (2006 USD)
Areas
affected		 Haiti, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Mid-Atlantic states, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, eastern Canada
Part of the
2006 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Ernesto was the sixth tropical storm and first hurricane of the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season. It affected the northern Caribbean and Florida before making landfall on the North Carolina coast at just under hurricane strength.

The death of at least eight people was attributed to Ernesto, which dumped heavy rains throughout its path, especially in the mid-Atlantic states. Damage in Virginia was estimated to have been $118 million (2006 USD), and total damage in the United States was estimated to be at least $500 million (2006 USD).[1]

Contents

[edit] Storm history

Storm path
Storm path
Radar image of Ernesto about to make landfall in South Florida on 29 August 2006.
Radar image of Ernesto about to make landfall in South Florida on 29 August 2006.

In the fourth week of August, a vigorous tropical wave tracked westward ahead of Tropical Storm Debby. The strong wind shear and the Saharan Air Layer prevented development in the early stages, but it became much more organized near the Windward Islands. It was declared Tropical Depression Five on August 24 after a Hurricane Hunter flight found a closed circulation.

The system continued to become more organized, and it was upgraded to a tropical storm on August 25 west of the Lesser Antilles after another reconnaissance flight. Organization continued through August 26 leading to a strengthening to a Category 1 hurricane in the early hours of August 27. Ernesto became the first hurricane of the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season with maximum sustained winds of about 75 miles per hour (120 km/h).[2] The 5 a.m. August 27 advisory noted that Ernesto was "likely undergoing rapid intensification". However, it interacted with the mountainous land mass of Hispaniola and rapidly weakened to tropical storm strength. It was expected to regain strength after traversing Cuba's rough terrain.[3] At 11 a.m. EDT August 28, Ernesto was about 35 miles (60 km) west of Guantanamo Bay, moving northwest near 10 mph (16 km/h). It dumped heavy rain in localized areas of eastern Cuba, but the storm's winds had diminished greatly as it started moving across land, as Cuban meteorologist Jose Rubiera said on state television.[2]

Radar image of Ernesto about to make landfall in Southern North Carolina on 31 August 2006.
Radar image of Ernesto about to make landfall in Southern North Carolina on 31 August 2006.

Ernesto then affected the Florida Keys, before making a third landfall in Miami-Dade County as a weak tropical storm. Retaining tropical storm strength over land, Ernesto moved northeastwards and emerged into the Atlantic on August 30, regaining tropical storm strength shortly thereafter. Some quick reintensification warranted the issuance of hurricane watches for parts of the Carolina coasts, but Ernesto made its final landfall as a 70-mph (110 km/h) tropical storm near Long Beach, North Carolina, on August 31.

After landfall, Ernesto moved generally northward across North Carolina and Virginia and evolved into an extratropical gale center late on September 1 as the motion slowed down considerably from a blocking high pressure area over far northern Ontario and Quebec, trapping the system in the Mid-Atlantic. The low moved just west of the Chesapeake Bay early on September 2, and moved northward into New York on September 3. The low dissipated in southeast Ontario on September 4, absorbed into a developing occluded cyclone in Maine.

[edit] Preparations

[edit] Haiti

In Haiti, emergency officers went on regional radio to warn those living in unstable buildings to evacuate to either schools or churches. "These people could be in great danger... flooding is the biggest concern because a lot of residents live along the rivers and the sea." said Adel Nazaire, a coordinator of the agency that protects Haiti.[4] Elisabeth Verluyten, a disaster management representative, said that some people would not evacuate "because they’re afraid of losing the little they have" and that they should be encouraged to be more aware.[5]

Local meteorologists forecast that about 20 inches (500 mm) of rain could fall in some mountain areas of Haiti, raising fears of flash floods in the heavily deforested country. Also, evacuations of low-lying areas in the northwestern city of Gonaïves, which was devastated by floods during Hurricane Jeanne in 2004, were ordered.[3]

[edit] Jamaica

Jamaican officials issued radio and television advisories for residents in low-lying areas, urging them to be ready and evacuate if it becomes necessary. Additionally, the Jamaican government opened all shelters on the island and placed its armed forces on standby.[4]

Long lines for storm supplies were reported at local businesses ahead of the storm as residents rushed to obtain supplies in preparation for Ernesto's onslaught.[4] When a tropical storm warning was put in effect for Jamaica and the central Bahamas, cruise ship companies indicated they were diverting several liners to avoid the storm.[3]

[edit] Cuba

Hurricane warnings were put in effect for the southeastern half of the island country, where significant precipitation ranging up to 20 inches (500 mm) across the mountainous south was expected as the center of Ernesto tracked slowly across Cuba. [6] Cuban officials evacuated 300,000 people[7] and brought its fishing fleet into harbors.[8] Ernesto then proceeded to land in Cuba west of the U.S. naval air base at Guantanamo early in the morning on August 28 as a tropical storm. Cuba ramped up emergency preparations before the fifth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season moved ashore about 20 miles (32 km) west of Guantanamo with top sustained winds dropping to 45 mph (70 km/h). The Cuban government issued a hurricane warning for six eastern provinces and Cuban state television broadcast extensive warnings about the storm, urging precautions. Cattle were moved to higher ground, tourists were evacuated from hotels in the southeastern province of Granma, and baseball games scheduled for the evening of August 27 in Havana were played earlier in the day.[3]

[edit] United States

National watch and warning map showing flash flood watches and coastal flood warnings throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States.
National watch and warning map showing flash flood watches and coastal flood warnings throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States.
Ernesto crossing the Florida Straits on August 29, 2006.
Ernesto crossing the Florida Straits on August 29, 2006.

[edit] Florida

In Florida, the Key West, Florida, National Weather Service issued a mandatory evacuation order for all visitors and non-residents in the Florida Keys, beginning at 1 p.m. EDT on August 29. Monroe County shelters opened on August 30, and an evacuation of special needs and mobile home residents began at 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. EDT, respectively.[9] A mandatory evacuation of all Miami-Dade and Broward County mobile home residents was put into effect. Miami-Dade and Monroe county schools were closed Tuesday August 29 and Wednesday August 30, while Broward was only scheduled to be closed on Tuesday with a decision to be made as to Wednesday.

The state activated its Emergency Operations Center, while the National Guard was placed on standby, following a "warning order" to its commanders on August 26.[10] At the same time, the Governor of Florida, Jeb Bush, issued a state of emergency because of the high risk of impact from Ernesto on the state. [11]

Forecasters issued a hurricane watch on August 28 for southern Florida. A hurricane watch remained in effect for all of the Florida Keys.[3] "I don't want anyone to overly focus on the downgrading. … It has a good chance to regain hurricane status," said Max Mayfield, director of the hurricane center. Governor Jeb Bush urged Florida residents to make preparations and not wait until the storm was upgraded. "My suggestion: Take this storm very seriously. A hurricane is a hurricane," said Bush, urging people to have 72 hours worth of supplies.[2]

[edit] Gulf Coast

Early uncertainty in track forecast led to preparations along the Gulf Coast. In New Orleans and Chalmette the United States Army Corps of Engineers declared that the levees repaired after their failures during Katrina may stop the storm surge from a hurricane, but that they would also block rainwater from leaving the city, because of delays in building the ancillary infrastructure to prevent flooding. New Orleans, which had already been devastated by Hurricane Katrina a year earlier, now had to worry about the threat of another potential major hurricane.[12] No evacuation orders were issued for Gulf Coast residents.

The forecast initially caused oil prices to rise in anticipation of possible impact in the central Gulf of Mexico.[13] The petroleum supermajor BP stated it would evacuate one-third of its 2,400 employees from their stations in the Gulf of Mexico as a precautionary measure.[4] Combined with uncertainty about a possible conflict with Iran, the cost of crude oil rose on August 25 by US$1.19 to US$73.55, and natural gas prices rose US$0.39 to US$7.47.[13] However, oil prices retreated by US$2 on August 28 to well below US$71, as the storm began its track toward Florida. [14]

[edit] South Carolina

FEMA prepartion in South Carolina.
FEMA prepartion in South Carolina.

South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford mobilized 250 National Guardsmen to direct traffic if evacuations were ordered.[15]


[edit] Mid-Atlantic

Ernesto strengthening along the Atlantic coast on August 31
Ernesto strengthening along the Atlantic coast on August 31

Virginia Governor Tim Kaine declared a state of emergency, putting the Virginia National Guard and state agencies on alert and opening the state's new Emergency Operations Center in suburban Richmond. North Carolina Governor Mike Easley activated 200 National Guard troops and had other emergency teams on standby. Washington D.C. and parts of Maryland and Delaware were put on a Coastal Flood Watch and Flash Flood Watch by the National Weather Service in preparation for Ernesto. [16]

[edit] Impact

[edit] Caribbean

Total rainfall in Puerto Rico from Ernesto
Total rainfall in Puerto Rico from Ernesto

Puerto Rico experienced peripheral rainfall from the cyclone as it tracked through the eastern Caribbean Sea. A two-day storm total of 4.69 inches (119.1 mm) of rainfall fell at the Sabana Grande ALERT station.[17]

In the Dominican Republic, heavy rainfall caused river flooding and mudslides, resulting in damage to several houses. The highest rainfall report noted was 6.99 inches/177.6 mm at Barahona..[18] The rainfall also downed trees, while the flooding entered over 400 houses near Santo Domingo[19], forcing the evacuation of over 1,600 people.[20]

In Haiti, the storm caused heavy rainfall of over 11 inches (300 mm) and strong winds,[21] causing flooding and destroying 13 homes on the island of La Gonave. One person was confirmed dead in Île à Vache as a result of the storm surge[22] and another was killed in central Artibonite valley.[23] The storm knocked down telephone lines in various parts of the country.[23] In Port-au-Prince, rainfall severely damaged a bridge, isolating the southern portion of the region.[19] In all, Ernesto caused five deaths, destroyed six homes, and damaged 53 homes in the country of Haiti.[24]

Ernesto produced heavy rainfall in eastern Cuba, with Guantanamo reporting 3 inches (75 mm) in 4 hours.[25] The Cuban Civil Aeronautics Institute remarked that flights throughout the country would be cancelled until further notice.[26] Gusty winds left some towns in the Camagüey Province without power, though overall damage was minor.[19]

There were no reports from Cuba of deaths, injuries, or major damage attributed to the storm. More than 700,000 people were evacuated. [27]

Ernesto Rainfall for United States
Ernesto Rainfall for United States

[edit] United States

The Space Shuttle Atlantis was being returned to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at Kennedy Space Center to avoid risking damage from Ernesto, but NASA changed its mind later on Tuesday. The mission, STS-115, had already been delayed twice because of a lightning strike to the launch pad's lightning rod on August 25.[28] On August 29, in light of the downgrade of Ernesto to a tropical storm and a reassessment of the risk it posed, NASA ceased the rollback to the VAB. A complete rollback would have likely guaranteed a delay in launch until late October, as NASA desired daytime launches as part of the Return to Flight after the STS-107 disaster. Atlantis ultimately launched on September 9.

Atlantis heads back to Launch Pad 39B to ride out Ernesto
Atlantis heads back to Launch Pad 39B to ride out Ernesto

Heavy rains fell across southwest Florida. The highest total rainfall measured in the state was at the Sourh Golden Gate Estates in Collier where 8.72 inches (221 mm) fell. [29] Two people were reported killed on the mainland in road traffic accidents apparently triggered by the rainfall from Ernesto. During the night approximately 6,800 Florida Power & Light residents lost power, but power was quickly restored. [30]

As Ernesto passed near central Florida, it dumped heavy rains, and wind gusts ranged from 20-35 mph (30-60 km/h). The wind knocked one boat over and it also caused a surfer in Volusia County to be thrashed hard by waves. He received cuts and scrapes and had to be rescued by the Beach Patrol. [31] The Orlando International Airport canceled 150 flights on 30 August. AirTran canceled 70 flights and Southwest Airlines canceled 80.[32]

Heavy rains fell across South Carolina with a total of 5.75 inches (146 mm) at Blythewood on Cedar Creek.[29]

The tropical storm made landfall just west of Cape Fear, North Carolina, near Long Beach, at 11 p.m. EDT on August 31. [33] Starting a day before landfall, moisture from Ernesto was intercepted by a frontal boundary stalled across the state, which led to prodigious rains. However, the maximum amount was 14.61 inches (371 mm) at Palmele Isle, in Wrightsville Beach, directly from the cyclone's core, and it fell mainly in one 24 hour period. [34] On the Outer Banks, standing water and waves shut down part of the main road in the area. Also, an approximately 12 mile (19 km) length of Interstate 40 was briefly closed early September 1 because of flooding. One traffic fatality in North Carolina was blamed on Ernesto.[35] Crop damage in North Carolina totaled to $76 million (2006 USD).[36]

Fallen tree branch in Richmond, Virginia, caused by winds from Ernesto
Fallen tree branch in Richmond, Virginia, caused by winds from Ernesto

Heavy rains from Ernesto then moved into Virginia. Wakefield, Virginia, netted 10.62 inches (258 mm) of rainfall during the cyclone's passage. [37] In Gloucester County, Ernesto's winds caused a large tree to fall on a modular home, killing the two people inside.[38] Damage in Virginia totaled to $118 million (2006 USD). [39] In St. Mary's County, Maryland, damage totaled to $4.4 million (2006 USD).[40]

Wind and rain from Ernesto cut power to over 600,000 utility customers from North Carolina to Connecticut [41] starting September 1, with Exelon's Pennsylvania unit, PECO, preparing for outages that evening. Dominion Resources's Tidewater Virginia area was among the most affected, requiring 2-3 days to restore all areas. [42] [43] During the outage, a woman died of carbon monoxide poisoning from a portable electricity generator. [44]In Pennsylvania, there were two deaths. A seven year-old boy died at a hospital, after a tree limb fell on him. A man was trying to rescue his golden retriever from a drainage steam, while he was sucked into an outflow pipe, and was found dead after being pulled out of a manhole.[45]

High tides caused by gale-force winds through September 2 swamped St. George Island in St. Mary's County, Maryland. Farther north, a general 2-4 inches (50-100 mm) of rain fell across Pennsylvania and New York. The rain in New York caused delays in the play at the 2006 U.S. Open, and washed out a whole day's play.[46]

[edit] Aftermath

On September 22, 2006, President George W. Bush declared 19 counties in Virginia as disaster areas, including the cities of Richmond and Poquoson. The declaration allowed for federal funding to assist in paying for rebuilding public facilities damaged by Ernesto's flooding.[47]

[edit] References

  1. ^ ftp://ftp.met.fsu.edu/pub/weather/tropical/Monthly/2006120114.ABNT30
  2. ^ a b c Anita Snow. "Ernesto Hits Cuba West of U.S. Air Base", abcnews, August 28, 2006. Retrieved on August 28, 2006.
  3. ^ a b c d e Anita Snow. "Ernesto Hits Cuba, on Track for Florida", argusleader, August 28, 2006. Retrieved on August 28, 2006.
  4. ^ a b c d Howard Campbell. "Ernesto Aims at Jamaica, May Hit Gulf", Associated Press, August 26, 2006. Retrieved on August 26, 2006.
  5. ^ "Ernesto threatens to be season's first hurricane", Associated Press, August 26, 2006. Retrieved on August 26, 2006.
  6. ^ James Franklin (August 27, 2006). Tropical Storm Ernesto Public Advisory 14, 1100 PM EDT. National Hurricane Center/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved on August 27, 2006.
  7. ^ Anthony Boadle. "Ernesto bears down on Cuba after killing 1 in Haiti", Reuters, August 28, 2006. Retrieved on August 28, 2006.
  8. ^ Jim Loney. "Ernesto weakens as it pounds Haiti", Reuters, August 27, 2006. Retrieved on August 28, 2006.
  9. ^ Key West NWS (2006). Hurricane Local Statement. Retrieved on August 29, 2006.
  10. ^ Martin Merzer, Phil Long and Shannon Pease. "Hurricane Ernesto could take aim at Florida", The Miami Herald, August 27, 2006. Retrieved on August 27, 2006.
  11. ^ Jessica Gresko. "State of Emergency Declared in Florida", Associated Press, August 27, 2006. Retrieved on August 27, 2006.
  12. ^ Peter Henderson. "Louisiana on alert for Tropical Storm Ernesto", Reuters, August 26, 2006. Retrieved on August 26, 2006.
  13. ^ a b Brad Foss. "Oil Rises As Traders Watch Iran, Storm", Associated Press, August 26, 2006. Retrieved on August 26, 2006.
  14. ^ Brad Foss. "Oil prices drop more than $2 a barrel", Yahoo!, August 28, 2006. Retrieved on August 28, 2006.
  15. ^ Adrian Sainz. "Weakened Ernesto touches down in Florida", Independent News & Media, 2006-08-30. Retrieved on September 2, 2006.
  16. ^ "Ernesto ebbs to tropical depression, drenches Virginia, Carolinas with rain", Ottawa Citizen/Associated Press, 2006-09-01. Retrieved on September 2, 2006.
  17. ^ Environmental Modeling Center (August 26, 2006). 24-hour precipitation reports ending 12Z on 2006-08-26. National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved on August 26, 2006.
  18. ^ DIRECCION GENERAL DE AERONAUTICA CIVIL OFICINA NACIONAL DE METEOROLOGIA. RESUMEN TEMPORADA CICLONICA 2006. Retrieved on 2007-01-29.
  19. ^ a b c San Martin, Nancy. "Mountains buffer Cuba from big blow", Miami Herald, 2006-08-29. Retrieved on September 2, 2006.
  20. ^ Andrea Rodriguez. "Ernesto kills at least 2 in Haiti", Houston Chronicle, 2006-08-29. Retrieved on September 2, 2006.
  21. ^ International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (2006). Haiti: Floods and Tropical Storm Ernesto DREF Bulletin MDRHT001 Update No.1. Retrieved on September 15, 2006.
  22. ^ Anthony Boadle (August 28, 2006). Ernesto weakens to storm, one dead in Haiti. Mail and Guardian. Retrieved on August 28, 2006.
  23. ^ a b Nancy San Martin. "Ernesto washes over eastern Cuba; 2 dead in Haiti", The Miami Herald, August 28, 2006. Retrieved on August 28, 2006.
  24. ^ Relief WebRelief Web's report on Ernesto Retrieved: September 22, 2006
  25. ^ Anthony Boadle. "UPDATE 4-Ernesto drenches Cuba on track to south Florida", Reuters, August 28, 2006. Retrieved on August 28, 2006.
  26. ^ "Cuba Suspends Domestic Flights", Presenta Latina, 2006-08-28. Retrieved on September 2, 2006.
  27. ^ "Ernesto kills at least 2 in Haiti", Toronto Star, 2006-08-29. Retrieved on September 2, 2006.
  28. ^ NASA scrubs Atlantis launch under storm threat. CNN. Retrieved on August 28, 2007.
  29. ^ a b NWS Miami FL. "Preliminary Storm Report", NWS, September 10, 2006.
  30. ^ "Ernesto causes power outages, flooding", MSNBC/Associated Press, 2006-09-01. Retrieved on September 2, 2006.
  31. ^ "Ernesto's Rains Drenching Central Florida", WESH, 2006-08-31. Retrieved on September 2, 2006.
  32. ^ "Ernesto Strands Passengers At OIA", WESH, 2006-08-31. Retrieved on September 2, 2006.
  33. ^ Jack Beven (2006-08-31). Tropical Storm Ernesto Public Advisory 30, 1100 PM EDT. National Hurricane Center/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved on September 2, 2006.
  34. ^ NWS Wilmington NC. "Tropical Storm Ernesto", NWS, September 10, 2006. Retrieved on September 10, 2006.
  35. ^ Mike Baker. "Ernesto knocks out power to thousands as it pushes through N.C.", The State (newspaper)/Associated Press, September 1, 2006. Retrieved on September 3, 2006.
  36. ^ WRAL-TVErnesto's impact on North Carolina Retrieved: September 22, 2006
  37. ^ NWS Wakefield VA. "POST TROPICAL CYCLONE REPORT FOR ERNESTO", NWS, September 2, 2006. Retrieved on September 1, 2006.
  38. ^ "2 killed by fallen tree in Gloucester", WAVY-TV. Retrieved on September 3, 2006.
  39. ^ Low-Interest Loans Available for Tropical Depression Ernesto URL Accessed: October 31, 2006
  40. ^ Overall estimates peg damage from Ernesto in excess of $4 million Retrieved: September 30, 2006
  41. ^ The Stamford (CT) Advocate: Heavy winds knock out power
  42. ^ "Ernesto power outages climb", Reuters, 2006-09-01
  43. ^ Press release: "Dominion To Restore Majority Of Customers Today, Virtually All Repairs To Be Complete By Sunday", Dominion Resources, 2006-09-02
  44. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/03/AR2006090301095.html
  45. ^ (Associated Press via WPVI)
  46. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/5318362.stm
  47. ^ http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=30198

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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