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Tropical Storm Fay
Status: Closed
| Type of posting | Posting date(EST): | Summary | Downloads |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landfall | 10/13/2014 2:00:00 PM |
|
Landfall | Summary
Posting Date: October 13, 2014, 2:00:00 PM
As of the National Hurricane Center’s 5:00 a.m. advisory, Tropical Storm Fay is moving east at a speed of 26 mph. The storm briefly reached hurricane status after impacting Bermuda over the weekend but has since weakened to a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds near 65 mph and occasional higher gusts. Fay poses no further threat to onshore properties as the storm is forecast to continue moving east through Tuesday morning followed by a turn toward the east-southeast Tuesday night. The storm is expected to gradually weaken and become an extratropical cyclone by Monday evening.
Track Map for Tropical Storm Fay (Source: National Weather Service)
Damage
Tropical storm Fay lashed Bermuda with strong tropical storm force winds early Sunday, leaving 27,000 residents without power and roads blocked with debris. Bermuda sustained a direct hit from the storm with the worst conditions occurring between 7:00 and 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning. At the time of impact, the storm had maximum sustained wind speeds of 61 mph and gusts as high as 82 mph. Fay also brought bands of heavy rain that caused flooding in parts of the island.
As the clean-up began late Sunday morning, Acting Premier Trevor G. Moniz advised residents to stay off the roads and let clean-up crews do their work. To assist with the effort, 100 soldiers were called into action. Of most pressing concern was clearing several impassable roads and restoring power. In addition, five specially-trained and equipped Immediate Response Teams (IRTs) were on stand-by to help clear roads and assist other agencies as required.
The storm caused downed trees and utility poles throughout the island. Some houses sustained roof damage and torn-off shutters, prompting some Bermuda residents to remark that the storm’s damage seemed almost hurricane-like. However, given that Bermuda has strict building code enforcement and good building practices, AIR does not expect insured losses from this storm to be significant. In the City of Hamilton, Reed Street was the focus of the clean-up efforts as the road was impassable near the junction with Court Street due to downed trees. In addition, some buildings along this street sustained major damage.
Flooded buildings and roads were sporadic throughout the island with major flooding reported at L.F. Wade International Airport’s terminal building. Though flights were delayed on Sunday, the airport’s runways remain open.
While Fay is no longer a threat to any landmasses, the AIR tropical cyclone team is monitoring the Atlantic very closely. In particular, the team is keeping a close eye on tropical storm Gonzalo, which is currently impacting the northern Leeward Islands and is forecast to pass just to the east of Puerto Rico Tuesday as either a strong tropical storm or weak hurricane. AIR will issue a NewsALERT for Gonzalo with additional information if conditions warrant it.
