Tropical cyclone season summary: 2020

The Canadian Hurricane Centre (CHC) tracked four storms in 2020. Hurricane Teddy produced the biggest impact and affected all four provinces of Atlantic Canada as well as eastern Quebec. Hurricanes Paulette and Epsilon tracked well offshore and did not affect land areas, except for large waves at the southern coastlines of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Hurricane Isaias produced heavy rain and gusty winds in southern Quebec.

Figure 1: Storms of tropical origin affecting Canadian territory in 2020

Hurricane Isaias

Hurricane Isaias formed from a tropical wave on July 30 south of Puerto Rico. The storm made landfall late on July 30 on the south coast of the Dominican Republic. After crossing the Dominican Republic, Isaias strengthened and became a hurricane on July 31. Later that day, Isaias reached its maximum intensity of 75 knots (140 km/h). At 11:00 am EDT on August 1, Hurricane Isaias made landfall on Northern Andros Island, Bahamas with an intensity of 70 knots (130 km/h). Later on August 1, wind shear and land interaction caused Isaias to weaken to a tropical storm. Tropical Storm Isaias tracked northward parallel to the coast of Florida and Georgia on August 2 and 3. The storm regained hurricane status at 00:00 UTC on August 4. At 11:10 pm EDT Hurricane Isaias made landfall for the final time near Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. Isaias weakened below hurricane strength later that morning then moved rapidly north-northeastward across the eastern United States while undergoing extratropical transition. Isaias became post-tropical on August 5 over Quebec.

Isaias caused 38,189 homes to lose power during the storm with nearly 75,000 customers without power at the height of the storm. Île d’Orleans, Quebec had wind gusts that reached 91 km/h. Trois Rivieres, Quebec received 100 millimetres of rainfall and Charlevoix, Quebec received 120 millimetres.

Figure 2: Track map of Hurricane Isaias

Hurricane Paulette

Hurricane Paulette formed from a tropical wave in the open Atlantic Ocean on September 7 and then tracked northwestward. After several cycles of strengthening and weakening, Paulette became a hurricane at 12:00 am ADT on September 13 as it continued to track northwestward towards Bermuda. Early on September 14, Paulette made landfall in Bermuda. After leaving Bermuda, Paulette intensified and became a category 2 storm with winds of 95 knots (165 km/h). On September 15, Paulette began extratropical transition as it tracked northeastward to the south of Atlantic Canada’s marine areas. Then on September 16, Paulette became post-tropical southeast of the Grand Banks.

Paulette produced minimal impact for Atlantic Canada. Gale force winds occurred on the southern Grand Banks. Swell waves of 1 to 2 metres occurred along the southern coastlines of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

The Canadian Hurricane Centre issued 4 bulletins on Hurricane Paulette. However, the storm tracked far enough offshore that the CHC decided not to issue track points for Paulette. The track map displayed is based on the final track points from the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida.

Figure 3: Track map of Hurricane Paulette

Hurricane Teddy

Hurricane Teddy formed from a tropical wave on September 14. Teddy then intensified rapidly and became a category 4 hurricane on September 17. Hurricane Teddy weakened to a category 1 storm as it approached Bermuda on September 21. Teddy restrengthened to a category 2 storm on September 22. Teddy weakened and became post-tropical on September 23 as it approached Nova Scotia. At 9 a.m. on September 23, Post-Tropical Storm Teddy made landfall in Nova Scotia just east of Spanish Ship Bay with winds of 110 km/h. Teddy then moved across eastern Nova Scotia. After leaving Nova Scotia, Teddy moved across the eastern Gulf of St. Lawrence during the late afternoon and evening of September 23.  After Teddy moved across the Strait of Belle Isle near midnight ADT, the storm merged with another low on September 24 in the Labrador Sea.

Teddy produced strong winds and heavy rain throughout much of Atlantic Canada. At noon on September 23, 18,000 Nova Scotia Power customers were without power. Large waves battered the south coasts of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. A buoy in Halifax Harbour recorded wind gusts of up to 71 km/h and waves of 3.8 metres. Very large waves and strong winds occurred offshore. The following were observations recorded by offshore buoys:

Lahave Bank: Wind gust: 110 km/h, Significant waves: 12.8 metres
East Scotian Slope: Wind gust: 110 km/h, Significant waves: 12.1 metres
Banquereau Bank: Wind gust: 81 km/h, Significant waves: 8.6 metres
Port aux Basques: Wind gust: 76 km/h, Significant waves: 7.8 metres

The following are some wind reports from Teddy:

Grand Etang, Nova Scotia: 145 km/h
Wreckhouse, Newfoundland and Labrador: 132 km/h
Eskasoni First Nation, Nova Scotia: 119 km/h
Hart Island, Nova Scotia: 109 km/h
Cape Whittle, Quebec: 100 km/h

The following are some rainfall totals from Teddy:

Ingonish Beach, Nova Scotia: 132 mm
Aspy Bay, Nova Scotia: 122 mm
South Harbour, Nova Scotia: 120 mm
Bedford Range, Nova Scotia: 110 mm
Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia: 109 mm

Figure 4: Track map of Hurricane Teddy

Hurricane Epsilon

Hurricane Epsilon formed from a non-tropical low in the open Atlantic Ocean on October 19. Epsilon gradually intensified and became a hurricane at 12:00 am ADT on October 21. Hurricane Epsilon intensified rapidly on October 21 to category 3 strength by 6:00 pm ADT. Epsilon then weakened on October 22 to a category 1 storm and tracked about 310 km east of Bermuda that night. Hurricane Epsilon continued to slowly weaken as it tracked northward over the next couple of days. Epsilon began extratropical transition early on October 25 as the storm tracked across the southern Grand Banks of Newfoundland. At 12:00 am ADT, Epsilon became post-tropical and then merged with a powerful extratropical low southwest of Iceland.

Hurricane Epsilon produced minimal impact to land areas of Atlantic Canada. Swell waves of 3 to 5 metres reached the south coast of Newfoundland and waves up to 6 metres likely reached the southern Avalon Peninsula. Waves of 3 to 4 metres reached the south coast of Nova Scotia. Storm to hurricane-force winds occurred over the southern Grand Banks and southern Laurentian Fan marines areas.

The Canadian Hurricane Centre issued 3 bulletins on Hurricane Epsilon. Similar to Hurricane Paulette, Epsilon tracked far enough offshore that the CHC decided not to issue track points for the storm. The track map displayed is based on the final track points from the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida.

Figure 5: Track map of Hurricane Epsilon