2010 Atlantic hurricane season facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
2010 Atlantic hurricane season

Season summary map
First storm formed	June 25, 2010
Last storm dissipated	November 7, 2010
Strongest storm	Igor – 924 mbar (hPa) (27.3 inHg), 155 mph (250 km/h)
Total depressions	21
Total storms	19
Hurricanes	10
Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+)	5
Total fatalities	221
Total damage	$7.924 million (2010 USD)
Atlantic hurricane seasons 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

The 2010 Atlantic hurricane season was the time when tropical storms and hurricanes usually form in the Atlantic Ocean. It officially started on June 1, 2010, and ended on November 30, 2010. Unlike the previous three years, no storms formed before June in 2010.

Hurricane Season Predictions

Scientists make predictions about how many storms might form each hurricane season. On December 9, 2009, the Colorado State University (CSU) made their first prediction for the 2010 season. They thought there would be 11 to 16 named storms, with 6 to 8 becoming hurricanes. They also predicted 3 to 5 "major hurricanes." A major hurricane is a very strong storm, Category 3 or higher, on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale.

On April 7, 2010, CSU updated their forecast to 15 named storms, 8 hurricanes, and 4 major hurricanes. They believed the season would be busy because of things like warm ocean waters, which can make hurricanes stronger. North Carolina State University also predicted an active season, with 15 to 18 named storms and 8 to 11 hurricanes.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) made their forecast on May 27, 2010. They said the season would be "extremely active." They expected 14 to 23 named storms, 8 to 14 hurricanes, and 3 to 7 major hurricanes.

On June 2, 2010, CSU made another update, predicting 18 named storms, 10 hurricanes, and 5 major hurricanes. They said there was a 76 percent chance of a major hurricane hitting the United States. This was much higher than the usual 52 percent chance. The Met Office, another weather group, predicted 20 tropical storms on June 17. A normal season usually has about 10 named storms. These predictions suggested that 2010 would have many more storms than average.

The Storms of 2010

This section describes some of the storms that formed during the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season.

Hurricane Alex

Category 2 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	June 25 – July 2
Intensity	110 mph (175 km/h) (1-min),  946 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Depression One formed near Honduras on June 25. It quickly grew stronger and became Tropical Storm Alex the next morning. Alex hit central Belize with strong winds. It then weakened over the Yucatán Peninsula but regained strength as it moved into the Gulf of Mexico.

By June 29, Alex became a hurricane. It reached its strongest winds of 105 mph (169 km/h) before hitting the Mexican state of Tamaulipas on June 30. Hurricane Alex then faded away over Mexico. This storm caused 51 deaths and about $1.885 billion in damage.

Tropical Storm Bonnie

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration	July 22 – July 24
Intensity	45 mph (75 km/h) (1-min),  1005 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Depression Three formed southeast of the Bahamas on July 22. It quickly became Tropical Storm Bonnie. Bonnie moved fast and hit Cutler Bay, Florida the very next day. It weakened back to a tropical depression while crossing Florida and then died out in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. One person drowned in Puerto Rico due to the storm that became Bonnie.

Tropical Storm Colin

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration	August 2 – August 8
Intensity	60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min),  1005 mbar (hPa)

On August 2, a tropical wave from Africa started to organize into Tropical Depression Four. The next morning, it became Tropical Storm Colin. However, conditions in the atmosphere were not good for storms, so Colin quickly weakened and faded. By August 5, the storm reformed and was again Tropical Storm Colin, heading north. Colder ocean waters then caused Colin to die out again near Bermuda.

Hurricane Danielle

Category 4 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	August 21 – August 30
Intensity	135 mph (215 km/h) (1-min),  942 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Depression Six formed near Africa on August 19. It strengthened into Tropical Storm Danielle on August 22, and then became Hurricane Danielle (a Category 2 hurricane) the next day. Bad atmospheric conditions caused Danielle to weaken back to a tropical storm. But a few hours later, it became a hurricane again, reaching Category 4 strength. As Danielle moved over colder waters in the North Atlantic, it weakened and was no longer a hurricane east of Newfoundland. Danielle did not threaten any land areas.

Hurricane Earl

Category 4 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	August 25 – September 4
Intensity	145 mph (230 km/h) (1-min),  927 mbar (hPa)

A tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa on August 23. Two days later, Tropical Depression Seven formed east of Hurricane Danielle. It then became Tropical Storm Earl on the same day. On August 29, Earl strengthened into a hurricane. On August 30, Earl affected the northern Leeward Islands, including Antigua and Barbuda and the British Virgin Islands. At the same time, it became a Category 4 hurricane.

Earl weakened to a Category 3 hurricane but quickly became a Category 4 again. It passed Cape Hatteras in North Carolina on September 2, bringing heavy rain and strong winds. Buildings along the coast were built to withstand hurricanes, so damage was not severe. Earl traveled north along the U.S. coast, weakening to a tropical storm when it reached Nova Scotia in Canada. Damage from Earl was small in the U.S., but it caused $150 million in damage in the Caribbean.

Tropical Storm Fiona

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration	August 30 – September 4
Intensity	65 mph (100 km/h) (1-min),  998 mbar (hPa)

On August 30, an area of disturbed weather from Africa became Tropical Storm Fiona. It skipped the tropical depression stage. Fiona struggled to get stronger because it was close to the much more powerful Hurricane Earl. Fiona died out just south of Bermuda, but it did bring about an inch of rain to the island.

Tropical Storm Hermine

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration	Septmber 5 – September 9
Intensity	70 mph (110 km/h) (1-min),  989 mbar (hPa)

The remains of a storm from the Pacific Ocean (Tropical Depression Eleven-E) gained strength again over the Bay of Campeche. By August 5, it became a tropical depression. Later that day, it strengthened into Tropical Storm Hermine. The storm reached land in northeastern Mexico on September 7 as a tropical storm. Hermine knocked down trees and power lines in the Rio Grande valley. One person drowned in Texas due to a strong ocean current. Hermine also caused at least two tornadoes.

Hurricane Igor

Category 4 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	September 8 – September 21
Intensity	155 mph (250 km/h) (1-min),  924 mbar (hPa)

A tropical wave from Africa quickly strengthened on September 8, becoming a tropical depression. It then became Tropical Storm Igor south of the Cape Verde islands. Igor weakened for a short time but then strengthened again into a tropical storm, and then a hurricane on September 11. After becoming a hurricane, Igor rapidly grew stronger, reaching Category 4 hurricane status the next day. By September 17, it looked like Igor would affect Bermuda, which it did the following day. Bermuda only had minor effects from Igor, unlike Hurricane Fabian in 2003. From there, Igor moved north and then northeast toward Canada, weakening to a tropical storm on September 21 before dying out.

Hurricane Julia

Category 4 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	September 12 – September 20
Intensity	140 mph (220 km/h) (1-min),  948 mbar (hPa)

Another tropical depression formed from a tropical wave off Africa on September 12. It became Tropical Storm Julia early on September 13. Early on September 14, Julia strengthened into the season's fifth hurricane. The hurricane became very strong on September 15, reaching Category 3. Julia holds the record for the strongest storm to form farthest east in the Atlantic. However, just a day after becoming a Category 4, it weakened to a Category 2 hurricane.

Hurricane Karl

Category 3 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	September 14 – September 18
Intensity	125 mph (205 km/h) (1-min),  956 mbar (hPa)

An area of low pressure formed near the northern Venezuela coast on September 11. It moved north and then east, bringing bad weather to Hispaniola and Jamaica. On September 14, the storm strengthened and was named Tropical Storm Karl. Karl made landfall on the Yucatán Peninsula on September 15. Once in the Bay of Campeche, it became a hurricane. On September 17, Karl became a Category 3 hurricane. This was the first major hurricane to form in the Bay of Campeche. It reached land near Veracruz, Mexico, the next day and died out a few hours later.

Hurricane Lisa

Category 1 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	September 20 – September 26
Intensity	85 mph (140 km/h) (1-min),  982 mbar (hPa)

A tropical depression formed on September 20 from a tropical wave off the coast of West Africa. Six hours later, it became Tropical Storm Lisa. The storm moved very slowly around the ocean near the Cape Verde islands. On September 24, Lisa became a Category 1 hurricane. However, it quickly weakened back to a tropical depression the next day before dying out. Lisa did not threaten any land.

Tropical Storm Matthew

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration	September 23 – September 26
Intensity	60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min),  998 mbar (hPa)

Tropical Depression Fifteen formed on September 23 in the Caribbean Sea and strengthened into Tropical Storm Matthew. On September 24, Matthew reached land at the border of Honduras and Nicaragua as a tropical storm. It then hit Belize as a tropical depression. Matthew brought a lot of rain that caused floods in parts of southern Mexico.

Tropical Storm Nicole

Tropical storm (SSHS)
Duration	September 28 – September 29
Intensity	45 mph (75 km/h) (1-min),  995 mbar (hPa)

On September 28, Tropical Depression Sixteen formed from a tropical wave in the northern Caribbean Sea. The next day, it strengthened into Tropical Storm Nicole and reached land in Cuba soon after. After crossing Cuba, the National Hurricane Center could not find the storm's center and decided that Nicole was no longer a tropical storm.

Hurricane Otto

Category 1 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	October 6 – October 10
Intensity	85 mph (140 km/h) (1-min),  976 mbar (hPa)

On October 6, bad weather near the Leeward Islands formed into a subtropical depression. This is a storm that has some features of a tropical storm but also some features of a non-tropical storm. It then strengthened into Subtropical Storm Otto. A few hours later, the National Hurricane Center believed it was a fully tropical storm, and it became Tropical Storm Otto. On October 8, Otto strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane out in the Atlantic. Soon after, Otto began to weaken and was no longer a hurricane when it passed west of the Azores.

Hurricane Paula

Category 2 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	October 11 – October 15
Intensity	105 mph (165 km/h) (1-min),  981 mbar (hPa)

On October 11, an area of disturbed weather in the Caribbean Sea strengthened into Tropical Storm Paula. A day later, Paula became a hurricane and soon a Category 2 storm. Paula then weakened as it got closer to Cuba and hit the island as a tropical storm. Paula quickly died out after hitting Cuba.

Hurricane Richard

Category 2 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	October 20 – October 26
Intensity	100 mph (155 km/h) (1-min),  977 mbar (hPa)

On October 20, an area of disturbed weather strengthened into Tropical Depression Nineteen. The next day, it became Tropical Storm Richard. Richard is one of only three storms to have a name beginning with the letter 'R'. The others were Hurricane Roxanne from 1995 and Hurricane Rita from 2005. On October 24, Richard strengthened into a hurricane and reached land at Belize. Richard faded away in the Bay of Campeche on October 26.

Hurricane Shary

Category 1 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	October 28 – October 30
Intensity	75 mph (120 km/h) (1-min),  989 mbar (hPa)

On October 28, an area of disturbed weather south of Bermuda became Tropical Storm Shary. On October 30, while west of Bermuda, Shary became a Category 1 hurricane. On the same day, Shary changed into a non-tropical storm and was no longer called a hurricane.

Hurricane Tomas

Category 2 hurricane (SSHS)
Duration	October 29 – November 7
Intensity	100 mph (155 km/h) (1-min),  982 mbar (hPa)

On October 29, an area of bad weather north of Guyana became Tropical Storm Tomas. The storm moved west and became a hurricane over the Windward Islands on October 30 before moving into the Caribbean Sea. Hurricane Tomas weakened into Tropical Storm Tomas on October 31. On November 3, it weakened even more into Tropical Depression Tomas. However, Tomas turned back into a tropical storm later on November 3 and became a hurricane again on November 5. The hurricane went north between Cuba and Haiti. It then hit the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands before moving into the Atlantic Ocean. Tomas died out in the Atlantic Ocean on November 7.

Storm Names Used in 2010

These are the names that were used for storms in the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season. This list is similar to the one used in the 2004 season. However, the names Colin, Fiona, Igor, and Julia were new. In 2004, the names that started with those letters were Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne. Those names were removed because the storms caused a lot of damage.

Names Retired After 2010

On March 16, 2011, the World Meteorological Organization decided to stop using the names Igor and Tomas for future storms. These names were removed from their rotating name lists because of the serious damage and impact these hurricanes caused. The names Ian and Tobias will be used instead in future seasons.

Related Pages

• 2010 Pacific hurricane season
• List of Atlantic hurricane seasons
• Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale

Images for kids

• 

  Satellite image of three hurricanes on September 16, 2010. From left to right: Karl, Igor, and Julia.

See also

In Spanish: Temporada de huracanes en el Atlántico de 2010 para niños