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This article is about the Atlantic tropical storm of 2004; for other storms of the same name, see Hurricane Bonnie.
Tropical Storm Bonnie
tropical storm
FormedAugust 3, 2004
DissipatedAugust 14, 2004

Tropical Storm Bonnie was a small tropical storm that moved through the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico before hitting Florida in August of 2004. Bonnie, the second storm of the season, was the first of five storms to make landfall on Florida in the season. The storm was also the second of a record eight systems to reach tropical storm strength in the month of August. [1] Bonnie is most notable for hitting Florida the day before Hurricane Charley struck.

Bonnie's impact throughout its path was minimal. Throughout the Caribbean Sea, the storm mainly caused light rainfall. In Florida, rainfall caused flooding and minor damage. Bonnie caused a tornado outbreak across the southeast United States, killing three and causing over $1 million (2004 USD) in damage.

Storm history

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
Map key
Saffir–Simpson scale
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown
Storm type
triangle Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

A tropical wave exited the coast of Africa on July 29. It moved westward, attaining convection and a mid-level circulation. Convection steadily concentrated, and, upon the development of a low-level circulation center, the system organized into Tropical Depression Two on August 3 while 415 miles (670 km) east of Barbados. It moved rapidly westward at speeds of up to 23 mph (37 km/h), and after crossing through the Lesser Antilles on the 4th it degenerated into a tropical wave. [2]

The tropical wave continued to move rapidly to the west-northwest until reaching the western Caribbean Sea. While south of Cuba, the system slowed down, regenerated convection, and re-developed into a tropical depression on August 8. [2] Operationally, the system remained a tropical wave until a day later. [3]The depression moved through the Yucatan Channel, and intensified into Tropical Storm Bonnie on August 9 while just 70 miles (115 km) north of the Yucatán Peninsula. [2]

Bonnie and Charley on August 12

Bonnie continued to the west-northwest, and late on August 9 the storm exhibited a 9 mile (15 km) wide eye wall, a very unusual occurrence in weak tropical storms. [4] Bonnie, a very small tropical storm, quickly strengthened while turning more to the north. The change in motion was due to a break in the mid-level ridge. [5] The storm briefly weakened late on the 10th, though again re-strengthened on the 11th to attain a peak of 65 mph (105 km/h). Soon after, strong southwesterly wind shear disrupted the storm, causing Bonnie to weaken again. On August 12, Bonnie made landfall just south of Apalachicola as a 45 mph (70 km/h) tropical storm. It quickly weakened to a tropical depression, and accellerated northeastward through the southeastern United States. After paralleling the Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina coastlines, Bonnie lost its tropical characteristics on August 14 to the east of New Jersey, though its renmant low continued to the northeast. [2]

Preparations

About 16 hours prior to moving through the Lesser Antilles, the government of Saint Lucia issued a tropical storm warning, while several other islands issued tropical storm watches. [2]

In combination with the threat of Hurricane Charley, Bonnie forced the evacuation of 154 oil platforms and 32 oil rigs. The lack of production was the equivalent to over 1.2 million barrels, or .2% of the annual oil production in the Gulf of Mexico. Gas production was limited, as well. [6]

Early forecasts for Bonnie indicated the possibility of the storm making landfall as an 80 mph (130 km/h) hurricane. [5] In response to the threat, fifteen shelters in seven northwestern Florida counties were put on standby. [7] In the hours before landfall, two shelters were open, while four were on standby. Health and cleanup teams were deployed to the area, as well. [8] Parts of Gadsden, Wakulla, and Levy Counties issued voluntary evacuations. Numerous schools were closed, as well. In anticipation of the threat, Florida Governor Jeb Bush issued a state of emergency. [9]

Impact

Bonnie was a weak storm through much of its path, dropping only light rainfall and causing only light damage. South Carolina and North Carolina experienced the worst of the relatively minimal tropical storm, where a tornado outbreak killed three people and caused moderate damage.

Caribbean Sea

While moving through the Lesser Antilles as a tropical depression, Bonnie was moving very rapidly. Because of this, most islands only experienced minor effects. For example, Saint Lucia received light and sporadic rainshowers, with sustained winds of 20 to 25 mph (32 to 40 km/h) and gusts to 35 mph (55 km/h). [10] This was not the case in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. There, the depression dropped up to 9.2 inches (235 mm) of rain in 24 hours. The rainfall blocked storm drains, including near the airport where it was forced to close. In addition, the rainfall caused debris to collect roads throughout the island. [11]

Though the storm passed only 70 miles (110 km) north of the Yucatán Peninsula, Bonnie caused little effects due to its small size. Rainfall totaled to only .6 inches (15 mm). [12]

North America

File:Bonnie Tornado Damage.jpg
Tornado damage from Bonnie

In Florida, Bonnie produced up to 4.1 inches (104 mm) of rainfall in Pace and peak wind gusts of 42 mph. Bonnie was accompianed by a four foot storm surge, while moderate wave action caused slight beach erosion. Rainfall and storm surge flooded several roads, forcing around 2,000 residents to evacuate in Taylor County. The winds downed trees and caused scattered power outages. [13] A tornado in Jacksonville damaged several businesses and houses. [14]

Rainfall totals of Tropical Storm Bonnie.

Bonnie spawned a tornado outbreak across the Mid-Atlantic. One such tornado in Pender County, North Carolina destroyed 17 homes and damaged 59 houses, causing three deaths and $1.27 million in damage. [15] In Stella, Bonnie spawned a waterspout that struck a campground. The waterspout damaged nine trailers and wrecked several small boats. [16] A tornado in Richlands damaged several houses, as well. [17] In South Carolina, tornadoes across the state damaged nine homes. A suspected tornado in Danville, Virginia took off the roofs of several businesses. [14] In South Carolina, rainfall, peaking at 6.07 inches (154 mm) in Loris, [18] caused flooding across the state. The flooding, including a one foot depth along U.S. Route 501, washed away a road and a bridge in Greenville County. In addition, 600 people across the state were left without electricity. [19]

In Pennsylvania, the remnants of the storm dropped up to 8 inches (203 mm) of rain in Tannersville. The rainfall caused the Schuylkill River to reach a crest peak of 12.89 feet (4 m) at Berne. The flooding blocked several roads across eastern Pennsylvania. In addition, Bonnie produced gusty winds, leaving thousands without power from downed power lines. [20] In Delaware, the storm dropped up to 4 inches (102 mm) of rain, forcing 100 to evacuate from the floodwaters. The flooding closed part of U.S. Route 13, and an overflown creek in New Castle County caused moderate to damage from flooded stores. [13] In Maine, moisture from the remnants of Bonnie produced heavy rainfall, with localized totals of up to 10 inches (254 mm). The rainfall flooded or washed several roads across the eastern portion of the state. In Aroostook, the rainfall caused a mudslide, narrowing a county road to one lane. [21]

Bonnie, as an extratropical low combined with a frontal system, continued to produce moderate rainfall through Canada, peaking at 3.5 inches (90 mm) in Edmundston, New Brunswick. The rainfall resulted in basement flooding and road washouts. Slick roads caused a traffic fatality in Edmunston. [22]

Aftermath

Just 22 hours after Bonnie struck Florida, Hurricane Charley passed over the Dry Tortugas. This was the first time in recorded history that two tropical storms struck Florida in a one day period. Prior to Bonnie and Charley, the most recent example of two tropical storms hitting the state in short amount of time was Hurricane Gordon and Tropical Storm Helene in September of 2000, which hit five days apart. Originally, it was thought that two storms in the 1906 season hit the state within 12 hours. [23] However, the suspected tropical storm was downgraded to a tropical depression in post-analysis. [24]

Because Bonnie hit Florida just before Charley, damage between the two storms were, in places, difficult to differentiate. In response to the damage from the storms, President George W. Bush declared much of Florida a Federal Disaster Area on August 13, 2004. [25]

Because the damage was minimal, the name Bonnie was not retired and it will be used again in 2010.

See also

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External Links

Sources

  1. ^ National Hurricane Center (2004). "August 2004 Monthly Tropical Weather Summary". Retrieved May 18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ a b c d e National Hurricane Center (2004). "Tropical Storm Bonnie Tropical Cyclone Report". Retrieved May 18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ National Hurricane Center (2004). "Tropical Storm Bonnie Tropical Discussion #7". Retrieved May 18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ National Hurricane Center (2004). "Tropical Storm Bonnie Tropical Discussion #8". Retrieved May 18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ a b National Hurricane Center (2004). "Tropical Storm Bonnie Tropical Discussion #10". Retrieved May 18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ United States Department of the Interior (2004). "Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley Evacuation and Production Shut-in Statistics". Retrieved May 18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ Capital City Area Red Cross (2004). "Tropical Storm Bonnie Situation Report #1" (PDF). Retrieved May 18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ Capital City Area Red Cross (2004). "Tropical Storm Bonnie Situation Report #1" (PDF). Retrieved May 18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ Florida State Emergency Response Team (2004). "Situation Report #1" (PDF). Retrieved May 18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ Mike Davis (2004). "Unofficial Reports from St. Lucia". Retrieved May 18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ National Emergency Office, St Vincent (2004). "Airport in St Vincent temporarily closed due to flooding". Retrieved May 18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ Template:Es iconDir. Gral. Adj. de Oceanografia, Hidrografia y Meteorología (2004). "Tormenta Tropical Bonnie". Retrieved May 18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ a b World Meteorolgical Organization (2004). "Storm data and unusual weather phenomena, August 2004 (Alabama-Florida)". Retrieved May 18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ a b Insurance Journal (2004). "Storm Bonnie Spawns Tornadoes from Fla. to Va". Retrieved May 18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ Wilmington National Weather Service (2004). "Final Pender County Tornado Damage Assessment". Retrieved 2006-05-22.
  16. ^ Timmi Toler (2004). "Waterspout damages Stella campground". Jacksonville Daily News. Retrieved May 18. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ Roselee Papandrea (2004). "Bonnie makes presence felt". Jacksonville Daily News. Retrieved May 18. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ Hydrometeorological Prediction Center (2006). "Rainfall Summary for Tropical Storm Bonnie". Retrieved May 18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ Associated Press (2004). "Bonnie brings high winds, tornadoes around SC". Retrieved May 18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ World Meteorological Organization (2004). "Storm data and unusual weather phenomena, August 2004 (New York-Pennsylvania)". Retrieved May 19. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ World Meteorological Organization (2004). "Storm data and unusual weather phenomena, August 2004 (Kansas-Michigan)". Retrieved May 18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ Canadian Hurricane Centre (2004). "2004 Tropical Cyclone Season Summary". Retrieved May 18. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  23. ^ David Royse (2004). "How Rare is Tropical Storm Double Trouble?". Associated Press. Retrieved May 18. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ HURDAT (2004). "HURDAT Re-Analysis (1901-1910)". Retrieved May 18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  25. ^ FEMA (2004). "Florida Hurricane Charley and Tropical Storm Bonnie". Retrieved May 18. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tropical_Storm_Bonnie_(2004)&oldid=56318445

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