Timeline of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season

A map of the Atlantic Ocean depicting the tracks of 20 tropical cyclones.
Track map of all Atlantic tropical cyclones in 2011.

The 2011 Atlantic hurricane season was well above average in the number of tropical cyclones that formed, at nineteen.[nb 1] It was also the first time that the first eight tropical cyclones of the season failed to attain hurricane status. Although Tropical Storm Arlene formed on June 28, the season officially began on June 1 and ended on November 30, dates that conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones develop in the Atlantic basin.[2] The season's final storm, Tropical Storm Sean, dissipated on November 11.

The season produced twenty tropical depressions, of which nineteen further intensified into tropical storms; seven strengthened hurricanes, and four hurricanes ultimately intensified into major hurricanes.[nb 2] This makes 2011 the third most active hurricane season on record, along with 1887, 1995, and 2010.[4] The two most significant storms, in terms of loss of life and damage, were Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. Hurricane Irene was a powerful and unusually large storm that made several landfalls along the East Coast of the United States after peaking with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 km/h).[5] Tropical Storm Lee was a disorganized tropical cyclone that moved ashore the coastline of Louisiana before producing historic flooding in the Northeast United States as an extratropical cyclone.[6]

This timeline includes information that was not operationally released, meaning that data from post-storm reviews by the National Hurricane Center, such as a storm that was not operationally warned upon, has been included. This timeline documents tropical cyclone formations, strengthening, weakening, landfalls, extratropical transitions, and dissipations during the season.

Timeline of events

Hurricane Rina Hurricane Ophelia (2011) Hurricane Nate (2011) Hurricane Maria (2011) Tropical Storm Lee (2011) Hurricane Irene Tropical Storm Harvey (2011) Tropical Storm Emily (2011) Tropical Storm Don (2011) Tropical Storm Bret (2011) Tropical Storm Arlene (2011)

June

A satellite image of a large, swirling mass of clouds making landfall in Mexico.
Tropical Storm Arlene making landfall near Cabo Rojo, Veracruz, as a strong tropical storm.
June 1
June 28
June 30

July

July 1
July 17
July 18
July 20
Storm track of a tropical storm that formed east of Florida and moved northeast out to sea.
Storm path of Tropical Storm Bret
July 21
July 22
July 23
July 27
July 29
July 30

August

August 2
Satellite imagery of a disorganized tropical cyclone in the Caribbean Sea.
Tropical Storm Emily crossing the Windward Islands on August 2.
August 3
August 4
August 6
August 7
August 12
August 13
A satellite imagery of a swirling mass of clouds over the open Atlantic.
Tropical Storm Gert spinning over the open Atlantic.
August 14
August 15
August 16
August 19
August 20
August 21
A satellite image of the first hurricane of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season.
Irene shortly after being classified as a Category 1 hurricane.
August 22
August 24
August 25
August 26
Storm track for a short-lived tropical depression in the Eastern Atlantic.
Storm track of Tropical Depression Ten
August 27
August 28
August 29
August 30

September

September 1
September 2
A satellite image depicting a subtropical cyclone prior to making landfall in Louisiana.
Satellite imagery of Subtropical Storm Lee shortly before landfall.
September 3
September 4
September 5
September 6
September 7
A satellite image depicting a Category 1 hurricane moving towards Newfoundland.
Satellite imagery of Maria as a Category 1 hurricane.
September 8
September 9
September 10
September 11
September 12
September 15
September 16
September 20
September 21
September 24
A satellite image depicting a well-developed hurricane with a clear eye visible.
Hurricane Ophelia as a major hurricane on October 1.
September 25
September 27
September 28
September 29
September 30

October

October 2
October 3
Storm track of a hurricane in the Eastern Atlantic.
Storm track of Hurricane Philippe.
October 4
October 6
October 7
October 8
October 23
October 24
A satellite image showing Hurricane Rina at peak intensity on October 25.
Hurricane Rina at peak intensity.
October 25
October 26
October 27
October 28

November

Satellite imagery of Sean as a Tropical Storm.
November 8
November 12
November 30

See also

Notes

  1. An average season, as defined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has twelve tropical storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes.[1]
  2. A major hurricane is a storm that ranks as Category 3 or higher on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale.[3]
  3. The figures for maximum sustained winds and position estimates are rounded to the nearest 5 units (knots, miles, or kilometers), following the convention used in the National Hurricane Center's operational products for each storm.[7] All other units are rounded to the nearest digit.

References

  1. Climate Prediction Center Internet Team (August 4, 2011). "Background Information: The North Atlantic Hurricane Season". Climate Prediction Center. Retrieved December 5, 2011.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Chris Landsea; Neal Dorst (ed.) (June 2, 2011). "G: Tropical Cyclone Climatology". Hurricane Research Division: Frequently Asked Questions. Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. G1) When is hurricane season ?. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
  3. Chris Landsea; Neal Dorst (ed.) (June 2, 2011). "A: Basic Definitions". Hurricane Research Division: Frequently Asked Questions. Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. A3) What is a super-typhoon? What is a major hurricane ? What is an intense hurricane ?. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
  4. "Active 2011 hurricane season breaks 'Hurricane Amnesia'". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. November 28, 2011. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 Lixion A. Avila; John Cangialosi (December 14, 2011). Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irene (PDF) (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Daniel P. Brown (December 15, 2011). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Lee (PDF) (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  7. 2011 Tropical Cyclone Advisory Archive (Archive). National Hurricane Center. February 7, 2009. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 John L. Beven (December 7, 2011). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Arlene (PDF) (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Stacy R. Stewart (December 5, 2011). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Bret (PDF) (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Daniel P. Brown (September 16, 2011). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Cindy (PDF) (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 Michael J. Brennan (October 28, 2011). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Don (PDF) (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 Todd B. Kimberlain; John P. Cangialosi (January 13, 2012). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Emily (PDF) (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 John P. Cangialosi (October 27, 2011). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Franklin (PDF) (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Robbie Berg (October 26, 2011). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Gert (PDF) (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 15.7 15.8 Eric S. Blake (November 30, 2011). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Harvey (PDF) (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  16. 16.0 16.1 Richard J. Pasch (January 4, 2012). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Depression Ten (PDF) (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 John L. Beven (January 4, 2012). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Jose (PDF) (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 18.6 18.7 18.8 18.9 Stacy R. Stewart (January 16, 2012). Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Katia (PDF) (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 Eric S. Blake; Todd B. Kimberlain (December 2, 2011). Tropical Cyclone Report: Unnamed Tropical Storm (PDF) (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 20.6 20.7 20.8 Michael J. Brennan (January 11, 2012). Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Maria (PDF) (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 21.5 Todd B. Kimberlain (November 11, 2011). Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Nate (PDF) (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 22.6 22.7 22.8 22.9 22.10 22.11 22.12 22.13 John P. Cangialosi (December 8, 2011). Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Ophelia (PDF) (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 23.5 23.6 23.7 23.8 23.9 Robbie Berg (January 3, 2012). Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Philippe (PDF) (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 24.5 24.6 24.7 24.8 24.9 24.10 Eric S. Blake (January 26, 2012). Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Rina (PDF) (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  25. 25.0 25.1 25.2 Lixion A. Avila (January 12, 2012). Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Sean (PDF) (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 22, 2012.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2011 Atlantic hurricane season.
Preceded by
2010
Atlantic hurricane season timelines
2011
Succeeded by
2012