Hurricane Arlene was a long-lived tropical cyclone that moved eastward in an erratic fashion in the northern Atlantic Ocean in mid-August 1987. The first named storm of the 1987 Atlantic hurricane season, Arlene formed out of an area of low pressure associated with a decaying frontal system along the North Carolina coastline, Arlene tracked in a general eastward direction across the Atlantic Ocean, taking an erratic track with several curves. On August13, the storm brushed Bermuda as a weak tropical storm before continuing out to sea. On August20, the storm briefly stalled before becoming a hurricane two days later. Early on August24, the storm transitioned into an extratropical cyclone over the far north Atlantic before curving southeast and dissipating near the Iberian Peninsula on August26.
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Hurricane Arlene
Arlene at peak intensity in the North Atlantic Ocean on August 22
In Bermuda, Arlene produced winds up to 58mph (93km/h) and waves up to 12ft (3.7m); however, little damage resulted from the storm. Offshore, a blind man was undertaking a challenge to become the first blind man to cross the Atlantic alone; he encountered rough seas and high winds from the storm, causing US$8,000 in damages to his ship over a two-day span. Between August26 and 27, the remnants of the system produced heavy rains over portions of Western Europe.
Meteorological history
Hurricane Arlene originated out of an area of low pressure associated with a decaying frontal system along the North Carolina coastline on August8. Tracking towards the southeast in a gradual anticyclonic loop, the system slowly increased in organization and intensity. By August10, the low neared the Bahamas but remained disorganized. The following day, while located over Andros Island, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) upgraded the system to a tropical depression, the third of the season, based on its appearance on satellite imagery.[1]
Upon becoming a depression on August10, the forward movement of the storm shifted to the northwest in response to an approaching trough off the Eastern United States and an elongated subtropicalridge to the south.[1] The depression intensified into a tropical storm at 1800UTC on August11;[2] however, operationally it was not upgraded until a reconnaissance mission by the hurricane hunters found flight-level winds of 50mph (80km/h). The storm tracked towards Bermuda along a trough of low pressure in the Atlantic Ocean.[1]
Throughout August13, the proximity of Arlene to the trough prevented significant development. Around 1500UTC, the center of Arlene tracked about 55mi (89km) north of Bermuda. Several hours later, a ship near the center of the storm reported 75mph (121km/h) winds; however, due to the disorganized presentation of the storm, these winds were not considered to be representative of Arlene's true intensity. Over the following several days, the storm tracked around several low pressure systems.[1] By August15, Arlene traveled southeast before re-curving to the northeast on August18. The intensity of the storm also continuously fluctuated during this period peaking at 65mph (105km/h) and was as low as 40mph (64km/h).[2]
The northeast movement followed a passing short-wave trough on August18; the forward motion of the storm also increased due to the trough.[3] On August20, the steering currents around Arlene collapsed, leading to the storm nearly stalling for 24hours.[1] During this period, the storm developed excellent outflow and intensified.[3] Operationally, Arlene was upgraded to a hurricane at 2200UTC on August20 based on the appearance of an eye-feature on satellite imagery; however, post-storm analysis indicated that the storm did not attain hurricane-status until 0600UTC on August22.[4] This occurred 14.5 days after its formation.[2]
Upon attaining hurricane-status, Arlene rapidly tracked northward due to a strengthening area of high pressure near the Azores.[4] Shortly after, the storm attained its peak intensity with winds of 75mph (121km/h) and a barometric pressure of 987mbar (hPa).[2] Continuing rapidly northward, the hurricane began to interact with a baroclinic zone over the cold waters of the north Atlantic. This resulted in the storm undergoing an extratropical transition which it completed by 0000UTC on August24. The extratropical remnants of the storm continued to track around the periphery of the high pressure system, turning towards the southeast the following day. By August26, the storm became increasingly disorganized and hard to pinpoint on satellite imagery. The storm finally dissipated at 1800UTC off the coast of Portugal that day.[4]
Preparations and impact
As Tropical Storm Arlene tracked towards Bermuda, residents on the island were advised to take precautions and board up their homes. This followed the issuance of a tropical storm advisory for the island.[5] On August12, Arlene produced squally weather throughout Bermuda as the outer bands impacted the region.[6] Rainfall from the storm peaked at 1.65in (42mm).[7] A blind sailor was caught in the storm for two days while trying to become the first blind man to cross the Atlantic Ocean alone. On August14, he encountered the full-force of the storm, 12ft (3.7m) seas and 60mph (97km/h) winds battered his 36ft (11m) sloop called the Eye Opener while trying to dock in Bermuda.[8] The forced docking at Bermuda cost the sailor roughly US$8,000 due to damages from the storm.[9] On August14, Arlene brushed Bermuda, producing torrential rains, rough seas and gusty winds. The center of the storm remained far enough offshore that only minor damage occurred on the island.[10] On August26, the extratropical remnants of Arlene impacted Spain, bringing 1.25in (32mm) to Rota, surpassing the highest rainfall for the month of August set in 1971.[4] The remnant moisture from Arlene continued through the Mediterranean Sea and produced heavy rains across Italy on August27.[11]
J.G. Pinto; M. Klawa; U. Ulbrich; R. .Rudari; P. Speth (October 2001). "Extreme Precipitation Events Over Northwest Italy"(PDF). Centro di Ricerca Interuniversitario in Monitoraggio Ambientale. Archived from the original(PDF) on October 5, 2011. Retrieved July 3, 2009.