Hurricane Kyle (2002)
Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
![]() Hurricane Kyle on September 26, 2002 | |
Formed | September 20, 2002 |
---|---|
Dissipated | October 12, 2002 |
Highest winds | 1-minute sustained: 85 mph (140 km/h) |
Lowest pressure | 980 mbar (hPa); 28.94 inHg |
Fatalities | 1 indirect |
Damage | $5 million (2002 USD) |
Areas affected | Bermuda, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, British Isles |
Part of the 2002 Atlantic hurricane season |
Hurricane Kyle was the fourth longest-lived Atlantic tropical or subtropical cyclone on record. The eleventh named storm and third hurricane of the 2002 Atlantic hurricane season, Kyle developed as a subtropical cyclone on September 20 to the east-southeast of Bermuda. Looping westward, it transitioned into a tropical cyclone and became a hurricane on September 25. For the next two weeks, Kyle tracked generally westward, oscillating in strength several times due to fluctuations in environmental conditions. On October 11, the cyclone turned northeastward and made landfalls near Charleston, South Carolina and Long Beach, North Carolina at tropical storm status. After lasting as a cyclone for 22 days, Kyle dissipated on October 12 as it was absorbed by an approaching cold front.
The hurricane brought light precipitation to Bermuda, but no significant damage was reported there. Moderate rainfall accompanied its two landfalls in the United States, causing localized flash flooding and road closures. Floodwaters forced the evacuation of a nursing home and several mobile homes in South Carolina. Kyle spawned at least four tornadoes, the costliest of which struck Georgetown, South Carolina; it damaged 106 buildings and destroyed seven others, causing eight injuries. Overall damage totaled about $5 million (2002 USD, $6 million 2008 USD), and no direct deaths were reported. However, the remnants of Kyle contributed to one indirect death in the British Isles.
Meteorological history
![](/media/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5d/Kyle_2002_track.png/275px-Kyle_2002_track.png)
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
![triangle](/media/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/50/ArrowUp.svg/18px-ArrowUp.svg.png)
A cold front stalled and began weakening to the southeast of Bermuda on September 15, degenerating into a low pressure area by September 18. It gradually organized, developing into Subtropical Depression Twelve late on September 20 about 825 miles (1330 km) southeast of Bermuda; it was classified subtropical due to the distance of the convection from the center. Strengthening gradually, the depression was named Kyle by the National Hurricane Center on September 21 after attaining winds of 40 mph (75 km/h). The storm initially tracked north-northeastward, gradually executing a clockwise loop. Convection increased near the center on September 22, and Kyle transitioned into a tropical cyclone on September 22.[1]
After turning to the southwest, Kyle encountered generally favorable conditions for development. The storm attained hurricane status at 1200 UTC on September 25, and the next day it reached peak winds of 85 mph (130 km/h) about 490 miles (790 km/h) east-southeast of Bermuda.[1] Increased wind shear distorted the convection on September 27,[2] and the next day Kyle weakened to tropical storm status.[1] The center became dislocated from the convection,[3] and around the same time the motion became nearly stationary.[4] Continuing to weaken, Kyle deteriorated to tropical depression status on September 30,[1]
![](/media/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5d/TS_Kyle_02_landfall.jpg/150px-TS_Kyle_02_landfall.jpg)
On October 1, convection re-fired near the center, and Kyle re-intensified to tropical storm status.[5] Despite the presence of wind shear, the convection became better organized,[6] and the winds increased to about 65 mph (105 km/h).[1] However, the storm encountered further wind shear,[7] and Kyle weakened to tropical depression status on October 5.[1] A decrease in wind shear on October 6 allowed the cyclone to again reach tropical storm status,[8] though a return in the unfavorable conditions caused Kyle to weaken back to tropical depression status on October 8.[1] The system tracked southwestward and later turned to the west, gradually encountering warmer water temperatures as well as less shear.[9] As it approached the coast of Florida convection increased markedly,[10] and Kyle regained tropical storm status on October 11 about 35 miles (60 km) east of the border between Florida and Georgia.[1]
The cyclone turned north and northeastward parallel to the coastline. It made landfall near McClellanville, South Carolina, and later moved ashore near Long Beach, North Carolina.[1] Shear increased greatly as Kyle moved ahead of an approaching cold front,[11] and it weakened to tropical depression status over land.[1] However, convection redeveloped baroclinically with the approaching cold front, and Kyle attained tropical storm status for the fifth time over the eastern Pamlico Sound.[12] The restrengthening was short-lived, and late on October 12, Tropical Storm Kyle merged with the cold front.[1] Its remnants later impacted the Azores and the British Isles.[13]
Preparations
Due to uncertainties in its track, the government of Bermuda posted a tropical storm watch for the island on September 30; it was discontinued the following day.[1]
As Kyle approached the coast of Florida, a tropical storm watch was issued between Cocoa Beach, Florida and Brunswick, Georgia, and later was extended northward to Edisto Beach, South Carolina. Early on October 11, a tropical storm warning was put in place between Brunswick, Georgia and Cape Fear, North Carolina, which was later amended to include the Pamlico Sound and the coastline through Surf City, North Carolina.[1] Prior to it making landfall, the National Weather Service office in Wilmington, North Carolina issued a flood watch for much of the coastline that was ultimately impacted; in South Carolina, a flood warning was issued for the counties of Florence, Williamsburg, and Georgetown.[14] States of emergencies were declared for ten South Carolina counties.[15]
Impact
![](/media/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/Kyle_2002_rainfall.gif/220px-Kyle_2002_rainfall.gif)
On Bermuda, the combination of the storm and a cold front to its north produced 2.19 inches (55.6 mm) of rainfall in the first two days of October, which was about half of the monthly rainfall total.[16]
While passing near the northeast coast of Florida, Kyle produced a storm surge of 1.31 feet (0.4 m) in Fernandina Beach. Winds were light, with gusts peaking at 32 mph (52 km/h) in St. Augustine, and precipitation reached 2.05 inches (52 mm) in Fernandina Beach.[1] Along the Georgia coastline, the storm dropped moderate rainfall that peaked at 5.35 inches (136 mm) at Hunter Army Airfield.[1] Most of the precipitation fell in a 12 hour period, which flooded roads and low-lying areas; several roads were closed, and numerous vehicles stalled in the floodwaters.[17]
Moderate rainfall from Kyle in South Carolina peaked at 6.35 inches (161 mm) in Edisto Beach, with the precipitation resulting in minor urban flooding.[1] In and around St. Stephen, flooding reached several feet in depth in roads and buildings; there, a nursing home had to be evacuated due to flooding.[18] High waters in Manning severely damaged 17 mobile homes, forcing about 50 people to move to shelters.[19] Ten car accidents were reported in Florence.[20] The tropical storm spawned an F2 tornado in Georgetown that remained on the ground for about 1.25 miles (2 km). At its peak strength, the tornado overturned five mobile homes and a car.[21] The tornado destroyed seven homes and damaged 106 buildings, 28 severely. Eight people were injured by the tornado.[22]
![](/media/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/Kyle_2002_SC_tornado_damage.jpg/220px-Kyle_2002_SC_tornado_damage.jpg)
In North Carolina, above-normal tides caused minor beach erosion. Rainfall near the coastline reached 5.6 inches (142 mm) in Greenville.[1] Moisture from the storm led to increased rainfall further inland, peaking at 8.72 inches (221 mm) in Butner.[23] Raleigh-Durham recorded a two-day rainfall total of 5.79 inches (147 mm), which was the highest two-day total at the station since Hurricane Floyd in 1999.[24] Heavy rainfall caused flash flooding in Martin County, where several roads were closed.[25] Moderate winds were reported in the state, with gusts peaking at 49 mph (79 km/h) on Bald Head Island. The storm spawned at least three tornadoes in the state, including an F2 twister near Pantego that damaged two houses and a farm.[1]
Moisture from Kyle extended into the Mid-Atlantic states and southern New York. The precipitation alleviated rainfall deficits throughout the region.[24] Overall damage amounted to about $5 million (2002 USD, $6 million 2008 USD).[1] While no deaths were reported directly from Kyle, its remnants contributed to one death in stormy seas off the British Isles.[13]
Records and naming
Lasting for a total of 22 days, Hurricane Kyle was operationally considered the third longest-lived tropical cyclone in the Atlantic basin;[1] Kyle was behind Hurricane Ginger in the 1971 season with 27.25 days and Hurricane Inga in the 1969 season with 24.75 days.[26] However, an update to the Atlantic hurricane best track in 2004 led to the San Ciriaco Hurricane of 1899 to be re-analyzed as the longest-lived Atlantic tropical cyclone on record, and as a result Kyle was dropped to the fourth longest-lived. Kyle was the only Atlantic tropical cyclone on record to attain tropical storm status on five occasions.[27]
Despite its longevity, the World Meteorological Organization did not retire the name "Kyle", due to the lack of deaths and damage. Therefore, the name is was re-used for the 2008 season.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Stacy R. Stewart (2002). "Hurricane Kyle Tropical Cyclone Report". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
- ^ Avila & Cobb (2002). "Hurricane Kyle Discussion Twenty-Seven". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
- ^ Molleda & Lawrence (2002). "Tropical Storm Kyle Discussion Thirty-Four". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
- ^ Franklin (2002). "Tropical Storm Kyle Discussion Thirty-Five". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
- ^ Avila (2002). "Tropical Storm Kyle Discussion Forty-Four". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
- ^ Franklin (2002). "Tropical Storm Kyle Discussion Forty-Eight". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
- ^ Stewart (2002). "Tropical Storm Kyle Discussion Fifty-Four". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
- ^ Pasch & Mainelli (2002). "Tropical Storm Kyle Discussion Sixty-Four". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
- ^ Franklin (2002). "Tropical Depression Kyle Discussion Seventy-Eight". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-05-12.
- ^ Franklin (2002). "Tropical Depression Kyle Discussion Eighty-Two". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-05-12.
- ^ Franklin (2002). "Tropical Depression Kyle Discussion Eighty-Seven". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-05-12.
- ^ Stewart (2002). "Tropical Storm Kyle Discussion Eighty-Eight". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-05-12.
- ^ a b Kevin Boyle (2002). "October 2002 Worldwide Tropical Summary". Australian Severe Weather. Retrieved 2008-05-12.
- ^ Wilmington, North Carolina National Weather Service (2002). "Statistics for Tropical Storm Kyle". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2008-05-17.
- ^ South Carolina State Register (2002). "Executive Orders from the Governor's Office" (DOC). Retrieved 2008-05-19.
- ^ Bermuda Weather Service (2002-11-04). "Weather Summary for October 2002". Retrieved 2008-05-12.
- ^ National Climatic Data Center (2002). "Event Report for Georgia". Retrieved 2008-05-15.
- ^ National Climatic Data Center (2002). "Event Report for South Carolina". Retrieved 2008-05-17.
- ^ National Climatic Data Center (2002). "Event Report for South Carolina (2)". Retrieved 2008-05-17.
- ^ National Climatic Data Center (2002). "Event Report for South Carolina (3)". Retrieved 2008-05-17.
- ^ Wilmington, North Carolina National Weather Service (2002). "Preliminary Local Storm Report for Tornado Spawned by Tropical Storm Kyle". Retrieved 2008-05-17.
- ^ South Carolina State Climatology Office (2002). "Tropical Storm Kyle in South Carolina". Retrieved 2008-05-19.
- ^ David Roth (2006). "Rainfall Summary for Tropical Storm Kyle". Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
- ^ a b National Agricultural Statistics Service (United States Department of Agriculture) (2002-10-16). "National Weather Summary, Vol. 89, No. 42 - October 6-12, 2002". Retrieved 2008-05-19.
- ^ National Climatic Data Center (2002). "Event Report for North Carolina". Retrieved 2008-05-19.
- ^ Franklin & Blake (2002). "Tropical Storm Kyle Discussion Seventy". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-05-12.
- ^ Hurricane Research Division (2008). "Atlantic Hurricane Best Track (1851-2007)". Retrieved 2008-05-13.