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Hurricane Arthur

Hurricane Arthur was the earliest known hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. state of North Carolina in 2014. It was also the first hurricane to make landfall in the United States since Hurricane Isaac in 2012. The first named storm of the 2014 Atlantic hurricane season, Arthur developed from an initially non-tropical area of low-pressure over the Southeastern United States that emerged into the western Atlantic Ocean on June 28. After sufficiently organizing, developing a well-defined circulation and deep convection amid a favorable environment, it was classified as a tropical depression on July 1. The system continued to strengthen and was declared a tropical storm later that day. Drifting northward, the storm reached hurricane status early on July 3 and curved toward the north-northeast. Further structural organization resulted in additional intensification, and by 01:00 UTC on July 4, the system attained its peak winds of 100 mph (160 km/h) as a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. Arthur made landfall at 03:15 UTC over North Carolina's Shackleford Banks, positioned between Cape Lookout and Beaufort, and intensified slightly further, with a minimum atmospheric pressure of 973 mbar. The storm then trekked swiftly northeast, weakening as it passed by Cape Cod and Nantucket, before transitioning into an extratropical cyclone and coming ashore at Weymouth, Nova Scotia, on July 5. The remnants continued generally northeastward through Atlantic Canada before ultimately dissipating on July 9 over the Labrador Sea.

Meteorological history
On June 25, 2014, an area of showers and thunderstorms developed over the northern Gulf of Mexico ahead of a shortwave trough in Texas. An area of low-level vorticity consolidated within the system on June 26 as it moved northeast across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. The following day it became intertwined with a frontal boundary over Georgia and South Carolina before emerging over the far western Atlantic Ocean early on June 28. An area of low-pressure soon formed within the system just off the coast of South Carolina. though convection remained minimal for several days. During the latter half of June 30, a United States Air Force weather reconnaissance mission into the system confirmed the presence of a well-organized circulation; however, displacement of showers and thunderstorms from its center delayed its classification. Subsequent organization of convection into a banding feature along the system's southern flank, as depicted by radar imagery, prompted the NHC to designate the low as Tropical Depression One at 00:00 UTC on July 1. Situated east-southeast of Fort Pierce, Florida, the newly christened depression moved slowly westward within an area of weak steering currents. A turn northward was forecast as a mid-level ridge built over the Atlantic. on July 1 Throughout July 1, steady structural organization ensued. Around 15:00 UTC winds of were measured at Settlement Point on Grand Bahama, prompting the NHC to upgrade the depression to a tropical storm and assign it the name Arthur. Though environmental conditions surrounding the cyclone favored development, moderate wind shear and intrusions of dry air into the circulation prolonged organization. The effects of the shear showed clearly on WSR-88D radar imagery from Melbourne, Florida which depicted a mid-level eye feature displaced from the low-level center. By July 2, Arthur acquired a steady northward track as previously forecast. Throughout the day, convection consolidated around a developing eye as wind shear abated and the storm neared hurricane strength, with winds reaching . Early on July 3, data from hurricane hunters flying in the storm indicated that Arthur attained hurricane-status about south-southwest of Cape Fear, North Carolina. At this time, the hurricane began turning slightly to the north-northeast as it approached a weakness in the subtropical ridge ahead of a deep-layer trough over the Eastern United States. Continued improvement of the storm's convective structure fostered intensification as the storm neared the North Carolina coastline. At 00:00 UTC on July 4, Arthur reached its peak winds of 100 mph, ranking it as a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. It was the first hurricane to reach such strength since Hurricane Sandy in the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm featured a well-defined wide eye at this time. Thereafter, the hurricane made landfall at 03:15 UTC over the Shackleford Banks of North Carolina, located between Cape Lookout and Beaufort. Upon doing so, it became the earliest instance of a hurricane making landfall in the state during a calendar year, surpassing the previous record of July 11 set by an unnamed hurricane in 1901. Continuing across Pamlico Sound, Arthur's eye brushed the coastline of Dare County before striking just north of Oregon Inlet at 07:00 and 08:00 UTC, respectively. satellite data After re-emerging over the Atlantic Ocean on July 4 Arthur began to weaken. Though its eye remained well-defined, winds aloft in the storm failed to effectively mix down to the surface. Traversing decreasing sea surface temperatures and amid increasing shear, Arthur began transitioning into an extratropical cyclone later that day. Cloud tops associated with the system warmed and its structure became asymmetric. Reconnaissance continued to indicate strong flight-level winds of but surface winds at the time did not exceed . Accelerating ahead of the trough over the East Coast, Arthur's eye dissipated early on July 5; Convection became increasingly displaced to the northeast as dry air entrained into the western portions of the circulation. Surface winds decreased below hurricane-force by 06:00 UTC, and Arthur completed its conversion to an extratropical system at 12:00 UTC as it moved over the Bay of Fundy. The remnants of Arthur re-intensified somewhat as it traversed The Maritimes; a sting jet with gusts of developed along the storm's backside. The former hurricane made an additional landfall in the region near Fundy National Park by 18:00 UTC. By July 6, the sting jet had dissipated, and steady weakening of the cyclone resumed as only a split jet provided upper-level support to the storm. Turning back to the northeast, Arthur moved through Labrador later that day. Once over the Labrador Sea, Arthur turned northwest while weakening before doubling back to the southeast. After weakening below gale-force strength, the extratropical system dissipated late on July 9. ==Preparations==
Preparations
Multiple tropical cyclone warnings and watches were posted along the East Coast of the United States in advance of Arthur's impacts in Florida, the Carolinas, New England, and Atlantic Canada. Upon developing into a tropical cyclone early on July 1, a tropical storm watch was issued in Florida from Fort Pierce to Flagler Beach. At 09:00 UTC the next day, the tropical storm watch was discontinued south of Sebastian Inlet, while another one was posted from the Santee River in South Carolina to Bogue Banks in North Carolina. Additionally, a hurricane watch was issued for Oregon Inlet to the North Carolina–Virginia state line. Later on July 2, a tropical storm warning became in effect from the North Carolina side of the Little River Inlet to the state line with Virginia. Simultaneously, the tropical storm watch in Florida was removed. Fourteen shelters were opened, and the deteriorating North Carolina Highway 12 Bonner Bridge was closed as a precaution. Mandatory evacuations were declared for Hatteras Island and Richland Township in Beaufort County while voluntary evacuations were announced for Ocracoke Island, Aurora, Pamlico Beach, and Belhaven. Approximately 4,300 individuals fled from Ocracoke Island via ferry despite only being under a voluntary evacuation, and while a mandatory evacuation had been encouraged by Hyde County's emergency management director, other officials turned down the request. Tornado watches were issued for 10 North Carolina counties. In preparation for the possibility that Arthur's storm surge would make North Carolina Highway 12 and Hatteras Island inaccessible, local officials deployed heavy equipment capable of removing sand and other debris. caused by Arthur To assist in storm preparations, 105 North Carolina National Guard members and 400 state highway patrol officers helped facilitate evacuations and storm preparations along the state's coastline. National Weather Service and Coast Guard officials warned of the potential for rip currents along the East Coast resulting from Arthur. The National Park Service-operated Wright Brothers National Memorial and Cape Lookout National Seashore were closed in anticipation of the storm. Several airlines waived change fees for travelers in areas affected by Arthur. Officials at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base sent more than 54 aircraft to Dayton, Ohio to prevent the occurrence of potential wind damage. In Nantucket, Massachusetts, a school was converted to a temporary shelter in anticipation of Arthur's arrival. In anticipation of Arthur's arrival, Nova Scotia Power prepared and collected resources in case of power outages and other impacts in the region. Numerous weekend events were called off throughout the Canadian Maritimes, including the Stan Rogers Folk Festival. Multiple boat-owners and fisherman took extra precautions by battening down hatches and tying extra lines to wharves to keep ships and boats from coming loose in the storm. Environment Canada officials issued high wind warnings in addition to earlier tropical storm warnings for the Maritimes and considered imposing rainfall warnings for western portions of Prince Edward Island as well. Province-managed parks in Nova Scotia, including beaches and camping grounds, were shut down prior to Arthur's arrival, and several airlines waived transfer fees. Officials in Moncton stated that city personnel would be prepared to respond to potential issues caused by Arthur, such as flooding or fallen trees, while the Canadian Red Cross readied volunteers in case of the need for emergency assistance. The Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station took precautionary measures against the storm, with Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission employees deployed to the site. ==Impact==
Impact
Bahamas on Hatteras Island following the passage of Hurricane Arthur. Between June 30 and July 1, the outer bands of Arthur produced light rain over the northwestern Bahamas, with measured in Freeport. Winds at Settlement Point on Grand Bahama peaked at with gusts to . Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina Although Arthur remained offshore, large scale northerly flow from the west side of the cyclone sparked scattered severe thunderstorms across Florida for several days. Effects from these storms were generally minor with damage amounting to only $23,000. On July 3 however, one storm produced straight-line winds estimated at and caused two barns to collapse near Elkton. Similar effects were felt in coastal Georgia with scattered thunderstorms causing minor damage. Farther north in South Carolina, Arthur produced wind gusts up to along coastal areas, Heavy rains also fell in and around Myrtle Beach, North Carolina on July 4 Hurricane Arthur was the earliest recorded landfalling North Carolina hurricane, coming onshore at 03:15 UTC on July 4. At Cape Lookout, a peak wind gust of and 1-minute maximum sustained winds of were recorded. A United States Coast Guard station in Cape Hatteras observed a peak gust of . Another EF1 tornado was reported in Martin County, which knocked a tree onto a house. The highest rainfall total measured as a result of Arthur in North Carolina, , was recorded at Kinston. High tides were reported along the coast, with a peak storm surge of at Oregon Inlet. damaged by Arthur's high winds Arthur caused power outages impacting at least 44,000 customers, of which 16,500 were in Carteret County; another 1,000 outages each occurred in Craven and New Hanover counties. and flooding occurred just south of downtown Wilmington, North Carolina. Meanwhile, at Wrightsville Beach, the hurricane tore off shingles and partially defoliated palm trees, After experiencing a "communication failure" with Ocracoke Island officials, a generator and communication equipment were delivered via ferry there. North Carolina Highway 12, the only road linking Hatteras Island to the mainland, remained closed after Arthur's passage, covered under water and sand. The repair cost for the road was less than $1 million. and northern portions of the North Carolina coastline also experienced significant flooding. Few flight cancellations were made necessary by Arthur's approach along the East Coast, as the storm's impacts were primarily offshore, and damage was limited to strewn debris and inundated roads. Damage in North Carolina amounted to $2.35 million, almost entirely in Dare County alone. The low damage across the state was largely due to the storm's fast motion. Mid-Atlantic and New England Owing to Arthur's somewhat large size, strong winds and light rains impacted portions of the Delmarva Peninsula. In Virginia, sustained winds peaked at at Rappahannock Light with gusts up to . Tropical storm force winds were mostly confined to coastal areas of Delaware and Maryland. Maximum storm surge was in Money Point, Virginia and in Lewes, Delaware. Notable storm tides also occurred in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York, peaking at in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The accumulation at New Bedford ranked Arthur as the ninth wettest tropical cyclone on record in the state. Massachusetts State Police shut down access to parts of Interstate 195, Massachusetts Route 18, and U.S. Route 6 as a precaution. Nearby in Fairhaven, Adams Street was inundated and inaccessible, Minor flooding also led to road closures around Boston, including the Interstate 93 tunnel near Leverett Circle. The New Bedford Whaling Museum was also flooded, inundated under of water. Several boats were beached, and some flooding occurred at Cape Cod. NSTAR reported 8,451 outages, 7,500 of them on Cape Cod, while National Grid recorded 1,900, of which 1,400 affected customers in Middlesex County. Moisture from Arthur also aided in the development of damaging thunderstorms across western Massachusetts. Total losses in the state amounted to $889,000. Heavy rain forced a postponement of a game between the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles. In Maine, tropical storm-force wind gusts downed numerous trees and power lines across eastern portions of the state. Winds on the mainland gusted to while Machias Seal Island observed . Outages in Maine affected 20,000–25,000 residences, primarily in Hancock and Washington counties. Locally significant damage took place in Aroostook County where heavy rains enabled winds aloft to mix down to the surface. Atlantic Canada and Quebec on July 5 Powerful winds gusted up to across much of Nova Scotia, with a confirmed peak value of in Greenwood and an unconfirmed value of in Yarmouth. Arthur knocked out power to more than 290,000 individuals in the Maritimes; 144,000 of those were customers of Nova Scotia Power (NSP), and 1,500 of Maritime Electric on Prince Edward Island. In New Brunswick, power outages affected upwards of 140,000 individuals, of which 52,000 were situated near Fredericton, forcing the closure of the local University of New Brunswick campus. The hurricane forced temporary suspension of the MV Nova Star ferry service between Yarmouth, Nova Scotia and Portland, Maine. In Stratford, Prince Edward Island, a woman died after being struck by a door that was caught by a gust of wind, and in Woodstock, New Brunswick, a man died when his oxygen support was cut off during a power outage. In some parts of Nova Scotia, damage to the electrical grid was reported to be the worst since Hurricane Juan in 2003. Damage throughout New Brunswick amounted to at least C$12.6 million (US$11.8 million). Effects from Arthur extended as far away as Quebec, where topographic wind enhancement occurred. Gusts of affected the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine region. The heaviest damage took place along the Chaleur Bay. Severe flooding impacted Mont-Louis, with 40 homes affected, culverts washed away, and roads rendered impassable. A portion of Quebec Route 198 near the area was washed away. In nearby Marsoui, water and sewer service was disrupted with damage estimated in excess of C$4 million (US$3.75 million). ==Aftermath==
Aftermath
, New Brunswick where officials estimated a loss of about 10,000 trees in "The City of Stately Elms" . Power outages across Nova Scotia lasted for a week after the storm's passage. By July 11, 2,400 customers remained without electricity with 187 crews working to restore it. The delay in restoration prompted numerous complaints from residents and Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil condemned NSP's response as "inexcusable." McNeil ordered a review of the company to be made by provincial regulators. He and Energy Minister Andrew Younger agreed that there was a total failure of communication, namely through their website, between NSP and residents. One resident in Annapolis Valley stated that the company continuously told her power would be restored soon, when it ultimately took five days for it to return. NSP stated that in the four years prior to Arthur, C$70 million (US$65.7 million) had been spent on improving the electrical infrastructure; however, the storm was of a severity beyond any other since Hurricane Juan. Similar issues occurred in New Brunswick where 18,000 customers remained without power through July 11. More than 310 crews remained deployed throughout the province with electricity expected to be fully restored by the following week. Costs to repair the power grid were estimated in excess of C$12 million (US$11.3 million). There was criticism that New Brunswick Power did not appropriately prepare for the storm and actually requested assistance from other public power companies and private contractors after the storm had struck. Two public buildings in Fredericton were utilized as recharging centers for residents to charge their phones and shower. An estimated 6,000 people took advantage of this through July 10. Shaved ice was later distributed from the Grant-Harvey Centre in the city while several waste disposal sites were opened for residents to get rid of spoiled food from power outages. Gaëtan Thomas, president and chief executive officer of NB Power, likened the effects of Arthur in the region to Hurricane Katrina along the United States Gulf Coast in August 2005. He referenced that during Katrina, 50 percent of the affected region lost power, while in the wake of Arthur 57 percent of New Brunswick was in the dark over a similar geographic area. Earlier cuts to the company's tree-trimming budget were cited as a possible cause in the scale of damage. As such, their budget for trimming in 2015 was increased from C$6 million to C$8 million. and Maine (in French) Emergency management officials in Fredericton stated that it could be years before the city fully recovered from the storm. Power restoration in the province reached over 99 percent on July 16 with only 750 customers still out. However, a thunderstorm that evening revealed the weak nature of the power grid as outages jumped back over 4,000. The following week, Energy Minister Craig Leonard rebutted claims that a public review of NB Power was necessary, despite the longevity and severity of the power outages. New Brunswick's Liberal and Green parties both supported an independent review of the company, while Leonard claimed only an internal review was necessary. The total cost to restore and repair damage to the power grid wrought by the storm amounted to C$8.4 million (US$7.9 million). This ranked it as the second-costliest event for Nova Scotia Power from a tropical cyclone, only behind Hurricane Juan. New Brunswick Power reported even greater losses from Arthur with damage amounting to C$23 million (US$21.6 million). This marked the costliest disaster in the company's history, surpassing the December 2013 ice storm. In light of the severe damage, NB Power allocated an extra C$5.1 million (US$4.8 million) for tree trimming during the 2014–2014 fiscal year. By July 9, 11 municipalities across Quebec were declared disaster areas and made eligible for federal funding. A few weeks after the storm, a severe outbreak of fire blight, a bacterial infection, occurred in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia, affecting as many as 80 percent of the Valley's apple orchards. The storm was blamed for causing microscopic cracks in leaves, which allowed airborne bacteria to enter the plants. ==See also==
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