Tropical cyclone season summary: 2018

The 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season generally had little impact on Canadian territory. The Canadian Hurricane Centre (CHC) tracked two storms, which were Beryl and Chris. Sub-Tropical Storm Beryl had little impact on Canada. However, Post-Tropical Storm Chris had significant impact to the offshore marine areas as well as wind and rain over southeastern Newfoundland.

The following is a summary of the two events of tropical origin that were tracked by the CHC in 2018.

Figure 1: Storms of tropical origin affecting Canadian territory in 2018

Tropical Storm Beryl

Tropical Storm Beryl formed from a tropical wave in the central Atlantic Ocean on July 5. The storm continued to intensify and became a hurricane early on July 6. However, Beryl weakened on July 7, due to increasing vertical wind shear, and by 9:00 am ADT on July 8 had degenerated into a tropical wave. The wave continued to move west-northwestward and by July 10 moved over the southeastern Bahamas without redeveloping. The remnants of Beryl then moved northward and northeastward. Then on July 13, a surface low formed about 300 nautical miles (555 km) west-northwest of Bermuda. Beryl regenerated by 9:00 am ADT on July 14 as a subtropical storm. On July 15, Beryl moved northeastward over cooler water and became post-tropical by 9:00 pm ADT on July 15. During the morning of July 17, Beryl lost a closed circulation and became a trough just south of Newfoundland.

Beryl weakened enough prior to entering Canadian marine areas that winds stayed below gale-force. In addition, tropical moisture directly related to Beryl didn’t affect southeastern Newfoundland. Therefore, impacts to Canadian territory were very minimal from Beryl. Due to the lack of impact, a separate track map was not produced for this storm.

The CHC issued only 3 bulletins on Beryl.

Hurricane Chris

Tropical Depression Three formed from a non-tropical low pressure system off the coast of North Carolina on July 6. Tropical Depression Three was slow to strengthen as the circulation was elongated. On July 8, the system was upgraded to Tropical Storm Chris, while remaining nearly stationary off the coast of North Carolina. Gradual intensification continued and late on July 10, Chris reached hurricane strength and began to move in a general northeastward direction. The storm reached its maximum strength early on July 11 as a category 2 hurricane. However, the storm began to weaken as it tracked northeastward later that day and by 6:00 am ADT on July 12, the storm weakened below hurricane strength and began extratropical transition. Later on July 12, Chris became post-tropical and made landfall on the southern Avalon Peninsula early that evening. Post-Tropical Storm Chris moved rapidly off to the northeast on the morning of July 13 and impacts from the storm rapidly ended.

Hurricane Chris caused significant impact to the marine areas southeast of Nova Scotia and south of Newfoundland. Hurricane-force and storm-force winds were forecast and likely occurred over portions of the offshore waters. Strong winds and large waves were measured by offshore buoys south of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. In addition, heavy rain and strong winds affected southeastern Newfoundland.

Summary of wave heights and winds offshore:

• Banquereau Bank: Maximum wind 114 km/h, waves 9.1 m with a peak wave of 15.7 m
• Placentia Bay Buoy: waves 7.3 m with a peak wave of 11.0 m
• Red Island Buoy: waves 4.5 m with a peak wave of 7.0 m.

Summary of land based wind gusts in km/h:

• Cape Pine: 105 km/h
• Bonavista: 102 km/h
• Pools Island: 102 km/h
• Ferryland: 96 km/h
• Sable Island: 91 km/h
• St. Pierre and Miquelon: 80 km/h
• Burgeo: 76 km/h

Summary of rainfall amounts in millimetres:

• Sable island: 113.6 mm
• Gander Airport: 76.4 mm
• Bonavista: 62.1 mm
• St. Lawrence: 30.5 mm
• St. Pierre and Miquelon: 29.4 mm

The CHC issued 20 bulletins on Chris.

Figure 2: Track map of Hurricane Chris