Hurricane Juan

Hurricane Juan

Hurricane Juan was a significant tropical cyclone that heavily damaged parts of Atlantic Canada in late September 2003. It was the tenth named storm and the sixth hurricane of the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season. Juan was the worst storm to hit Halifax since 1893 and caused over CA $300 million in damages. It is the only storm to be named after a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The name Juan has been retired by Canada’s Meteorological Services of Canada after it was deemed to be too long-lived.

About Hurricane Juan in brief

Summary Hurricane JuanHurricane Juan was a significant tropical cyclone that heavily damaged parts of Atlantic Canada in late September 2003. It was the tenth named storm and the sixth hurricane of the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season. Juan is also the first hurricane name and one of two to be requested to be retired by the Meteorological Service of Canada. The hurricane inflicted extensive damage across central Nova Scotia and into Prince Edward Island, with lesser damage east and west of the storm centre. Juan’s passage resulted in eight fatalities and over CA USD 300 million in damage. The storm was absorbed by a large extratropical low later on September 29 near Anticosti Island in the northern Gulf of Saint Lawrence. The first advisories were issued by the Canadian Hurricane Centre on September 26, although at that time they suggested the possibility for wind and rain across the Atlantic. Juan became a tropical depression on September 23, but was classified as a tropical storm by early September 25. On September 26, an eye feature developed, and very deep convection increased around the circulation. By September 27, Juan had attained a peak intensity of 105 mph while located 635 mi south of Halifax, Nova Scotia. It weakened quickly while moving rapidly across the southern Canadian Maritimes and crossing the Nova Scotia peninsula as a hurricane. Later that afternoon, the storm moved over PrinceEdward Island, where it weakened to a Category 1 storm as it moved over a large area of open water.

Juan was the worst storm to hit Halifax since 1893 and caused over CA $300 million in damages. It is the only storm to be named after a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The name Juan has been retired by Canada’s Meteorological Services of Canada after it was deemed to be too long-lived. It has been replaced by the name “Tropical Storm Juan” in the U.S. and by “Hurricane John” in Australia. The names “Juan” and “John” have been retired in the United States since Hurricane Ike in October 2008. The Hurricane Center has also retired the names “Tricia” and “Gloria” in recognition of their long-standing association with Hurricane Katrina. The National Weather Service has no plans to name a new hurricane after Hurricane Juan in the near future. The last hurricane to have been named by the NWS was “Geraldine” in September 19, when it was located about 345 miles southeast of Bermuda. The NWS did not issue advisories for Hurricane Juan until 27 hours after the time of its formation determined by post-hurricane season analysis. Juan developed into a hurricane on September 24, and reached Category 2 strength on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale on September 27. It moved northwestward at around 10 mph in response to a developing subtropical ridge to its east. Juan weakened slightly before making landfall between Shad Bay and Prospect in the Halifax Regional Municipality early on September 29 as a Category 1 hurricane.