Hurricane Olga was a late season
category 1Category 1 can refer to:*Category 1 Tropical Cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale*Category 1 Pandemic on the Pandemic Severity Index...
Atlantic hurricaneNorth Atlantic tropical cyclones usually form in summer or fall. Tropical cyclones can be broken down by intensity. Tropical storms have one-minute maximum sustained winds of at least 39 mph , while hurricanes have one-minute maximum sustained exceeding 74 mph...
that formed during the
2001 Atlantic hurricane seasonThe 2001 Atlantic hurricane season was a fairly active Atlantic hurricane season that produced 17 tropical cyclones, 15 named storms, 9 hurricanes, and 4 major hurricanes. The season officially lasted from June 1, 2001, to November 30, 2001, dates which by convention limit the period of each year...
. The fifteenth named storm, ninth and final hurricane of the 2001 season, Olga formed as a
subtropical cycloneA subtropical cyclone is a weather system that has some characteristics of a tropical and an extratropical cyclone. As early as the 1950s, meteorologists were unclear whether they should be characterized as tropical or extratropical cyclones. They were officially recognized by the National...
on November 24 and meandered westward where it reached hurricane status on November 26. Olga’s winds peaked at 90 mph (150 km/h) before the storm turned southeastward and weakening back into a tropical storm. Olga then dissipated as a tropical cyclone on December 6 east of the Bahamas.
Hurricane Olga was a late season
category 1Category 1 can refer to:*Category 1 Tropical Cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale*Category 1 Pandemic on the Pandemic Severity Index...
Atlantic hurricaneNorth Atlantic tropical cyclones usually form in summer or fall. Tropical cyclones can be broken down by intensity. Tropical storms have one-minute maximum sustained winds of at least 39 mph , while hurricanes have one-minute maximum sustained exceeding 74 mph...
that formed during the
2001 Atlantic hurricane seasonThe 2001 Atlantic hurricane season was a fairly active Atlantic hurricane season that produced 17 tropical cyclones, 15 named storms, 9 hurricanes, and 4 major hurricanes. The season officially lasted from June 1, 2001, to November 30, 2001, dates which by convention limit the period of each year...
. The fifteenth named storm, ninth and final hurricane of the 2001 season, Olga formed as a
subtropical cycloneA subtropical cyclone is a weather system that has some characteristics of a tropical and an extratropical cyclone. As early as the 1950s, meteorologists were unclear whether they should be characterized as tropical or extratropical cyclones. They were officially recognized by the National...
on November 24 and meandered westward where it reached hurricane status on November 26. Olga’s winds peaked at 90 mph (150 km/h) before the storm turned southeastward and weakening back into a tropical storm. Olga then dissipated as a tropical cyclone on December 6 east of the Bahamas. Its damaging effects were limited to ships at sea. The cyclone's remnants produced heavy rainfall across the Bahamas and
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
.
Meteorological history
An extratropical low formed on November 22 between the
Leeward IslandsThe Leeward Islands are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain of islands, part of the West Indies. They are situated where the Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
and
BermudaBermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, it is situated around 1,770 kilometres northeast of Miami, Florida, and 1,350 kilometres south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada...
. The low strengthened and acquired characteristics of a
subtropical cycloneA subtropical cyclone is a weather system that has some characteristics of a tropical and an extratropical cyclone. As early as the 1950s, meteorologists were unclear whether they should be characterized as tropical or extratropical cyclones. They were officially recognized by the National...
on November 24. Embedded in a weak steering current, the subtropical cyclone moved slowly northwest as the winds reached 60 mph (97 km/h). By November 25 satellite imagery showed the structure of the storm becoming more tropical with the convection becoming more distinct at the center. Responding to a ridge of high pressure to the north, the storm moved westward. On November 26, satellite data showed the convection continuing to organize around the center and prompted meteorologists at the
National Hurricane CenterThe National Hurricane Center , located at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, is the division of National Weather Service's Tropical Prediction Center responsible for tracking and predicting the likely behavior of tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes.When tropical...
to upgrade the system to tropical storm status and named it
Olga from the 2001 list of hurricane names for the Atlantic basin.
Tropical Storm Olga then moved northwest where satellite imagery showed the storm developing an
eyeThe eye is a region of mostly calm weather found at the center of strong tropical cyclones. The eye of a storm is a roughly circular area and typically 30–65 km in diameter. It is surrounded by the eyewall, a ring of towering thunderstorms where the most severe weather of a cyclone occurs...
. At 1200 UTC, Olga was upgraded to hurricane status by the
National Hurricane CenterThe National Hurricane Center , located at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, is the division of National Weather Service's Tropical Prediction Center responsible for tracking and predicting the likely behavior of tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes.When tropical...
. Despite sea surface temperatures of 73-75°F (23-24°C), Olga’s winds continued to increase as the storm made a double loop in the central
Atlantic OceanThe Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about 106.4 million square kilometres , it covers approximately one-fifth of the Earth's surface and about one-quarter of its water surface area. The first part of its name refers to the Atlas of Greek...
. Olga’s winds peaked at 90 mph (150 km/h) and the barometric pressure dropped to 973 millibars (28.73 inches). After completing the second loop, the storm swung southwestward where it encountered increased amount of vertical
wind shearWind shear, sometimes referred to as windshear or wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere...
on November 28. The wind shear caused the center of Olga to become disorganized resulting the storm to weaken back to a minimal Category 1 hurricane. On November 29, Olga then weakened to a tropical storm as it continued southwestward. On November 30, increasing wind shear exposed much of the convection at the centercausing storm to weaken to a tropical depression by 1200 UTC. By 4 pm (EST), the storm maintained convection at the center of the storm although the overall circulation was distorted by the wind shear.
By 0300 UTC, Quickscat and TRMM satellite data showed deep convection returned to the center of the storm as it moved into an area of weaker
wind shearWind shear, sometimes referred to as windshear or wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere...
. At the same time, the ridge of high pressure to the north of Olga was beginning to weaken, which weakened steering near the cyclone causing it to slow down. The following day, Olga continued to maintain convection in its eastern quadrant as it continued southwestward. On December 1, satellite imagery revealed that the deep convection had redeveloped at the center, prompting forecasters at the
National Hurricane CenterThe National Hurricane Center , located at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, is the division of National Weather Service's Tropical Prediction Center responsible for tracking and predicting the likely behavior of tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes.When tropical...
to upgrade Olga back to tropical storm status. By that time, the storm turned northward as a result of the ridge of high pressure weakening to the north of the storm. Olga then reached its second peak intensity of 50 mph (80 km/h) as the storm continued northward. As the storm headed north, it encountered increasing vertical wind shear caused by a trough moving off the eastern
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
coast.
The resulting wind shear caused by the incoming trough from the west had caused much of the deep convection to be removed from the center, which forced the storm to weaken back to tropical depression status for a second time. In addition, the weakening storm made its second and final loop before it lost much of its circulation and deep convection. By December 5, the National Hurricane Center issued its final advisory on Olga as the storm dissipated 600 miles east of the Bahamas. The remnants of Olga then crossed the Bahamas and skirted northern
CubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island country in the Caribbean. It consists of the island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city. Cuba is home to over 11 million people and is...
before dissipating in the
Gulf of MexicoThe Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world. Considered a smaller part of the Atlantic Ocean, it is an ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United...
.
Preparations, impact and naming
Forecasters at the
National Hurricane CenterThe National Hurricane Center , located at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, is the division of National Weather Service's Tropical Prediction Center responsible for tracking and predicting the likely behavior of tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes.When tropical...
began issuing advisories on Olga on November 24 anticipating that the storm would threaten shipping lanes in the Atlantic. In
BermudaBermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, it is situated around 1,770 kilometres northeast of Miami, Florida, and 1,350 kilometres south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada...
, the
Bermuda Weather ServiceThe Bermuda Weather Service is Bermuda's national meteorological service. It provides public, marine, tropical and aviation weather forecasts as well as warnings and climatolological services. The service began operations under contract from the Department of Airport Operations, Ministry of...
issued gale warnings and local marine warnings for boats and other small water craft. The approach of Olga also forced cancellation of the World Yacht regatta. As Olga reached hurricane strength, meteorologists at the
National Hurricane CenterThe National Hurricane Center , located at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, is the division of National Weather Service's Tropical Prediction Center responsible for tracking and predicting the likely behavior of tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes.When tropical...
forecast the storm to bring rough seas to
BermudaBermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, it is situated around 1,770 kilometres northeast of Miami, Florida, and 1,350 kilometres south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada...
,
East Coast of the United StatesThe East Coast of the United States, also known as the "Eastern Seaboard" or "Atlantic Seaboard", refers to the easternmost coastal states in the central and northern United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada...
, the Bahamas and the northern
CaribbeanThe Caribbean is a region consisting of the Caribbean Sea, its islands , and the surrounding coasts...
.
Several ships and boats in the path of Olga reported seas 12 feet (3.7 meters) or higher. One boat the
Manana Tres reported a barometric pressure of 989 millibars and sustained structural damage. In
BermudaBermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, it is situated around 1,770 kilometres northeast of Miami, Florida, and 1,350 kilometres south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada...
, Olga brought winds of 35-45 mph (56-72 km/h) and waves 15-22 feet (3.7-6.7 meters) to the island for several days. Damage there if any was minimal. The remnants of Olga also produced heavy rainfall across the Bahamas,
CubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island country in the Caribbean. It consists of the island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city. Cuba is home to over 11 million people and is...
and south
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
.
This storm was the first to be named
Olga for the
Atlantic BasinAtlantic Basin may refer to:* Atlantic Ocean* Atlantic Basin in Brooklyn, site of:** Brooklyn Cruise Terminal** Atlantic Basin Iron Works...
. Olga was second name used in the Atlantic beginning with 'O' after
Hurricane OpalHurricane Opal was a major hurricane that formed in the Gulf of Mexico in September 1995.Opal was the 9th hurricane and the strongest of the abnormally active 1995 Atlantic hurricane season...
in 1995. The name Olga was not retired by the World Meteorological Organization and it was used again during the
2007 Atlantic hurricane seasonThe 2007 Atlantic hurricane season was an active Atlantic hurricane season that produced 17 tropical cyclones, 15 tropical storms, 6 hurricanes, and 2 major hurricanes. It officially started on June 1 and ended on November 30, dates which conventionally delimit the...
.