Hurricane Larry was a strong and long-lived tropical cyclone that became the first hurricane to make landfall in Newfoundland since Igor in 2010. The twelfth named storm, fifth hurricane, and third major hurricane of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season, Larry originated from a tropical wave that emerged off the coast of Africa and organized into a tropical depression on August 31. The next day, the depression developed into a tropical storm, receiving the nameLarry. The storm moved quickly across the far eastern tropical Atlantic, where it strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane the morning of September 2. Then, after undergoing a period of rapid intensification, Larry became a major Category 3 hurricane early on September 4. After churning for several days as a strong hurricane in the open ocean, Larry made landfall in Newfoundland on September 11, as a Category 1 hurricane. Later that day, Larry became an extratropical cyclone. Finally, on September 13, Larry was absorbed by a larger extratropical cyclone near Greenland.
Larry passed to the east of Bermuda as a Category 1 hurricane, causing minimal damage. Swells generated by Larry's powerful and expansive wind field killed three people offshore the East Coast of the United States, one off the coast of Puerto Rico, and another in the U.S. Virgin Islands.[1] In Newfoundland, Larry caused over 60,000 power outages and damaged buildings. The powerful extratropical remnants of Larry paralleled the eastern coast of Greenland on September 12, resulting in over 3 ft (0.91 m) of snow and hurricane-force wind gusts across much of the interior of eastern Greenland. Larry killed five people and caused an estimated CAD 25 million in damages.[2]
Meteorological history
Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
On August 26, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) was monitoring a tropical wave that was going to emerge off the coast of West Africa.[3] The tropical wave exited Africa on August 30, surrounded by an area of low pressure that had generally westward movement.[1] In the following 24 hours, the system's deep convection increased enough for it to be designated as a tropical depression at 18:00 on August 31, while it was situated 320 miles (520 kilometres) south-southeast of the Cape Verde Islands.[1] Six hours later,[1] the depression became a tropical storm, receiving the name Larry. Larry moved generally westward over the next few days, steadily strengthening due to favorable conditions such as low wind shear, high moisture levels, and high sea surface temperatures.[1] The storm underwent some strengthening on September 1, with a small inner-core forming that afternoon.[1][4]
At 06:00 UTC on September 2, Larry developed a well-defined mid-level eye, and strengthened to winds of 75 mph (120 km/h) with a pressure of 991 hPa (29.26 inHg), sufficient for the NHC to classify Larry as a hurricane.[5][1] Later on September 2, Larry encountered wind shear and dry mid-level air, and its intensification paused briefly.[1] But Larry quickly recovered from this,[1] and early the next day it underwent a period of rapid intensification, the fourth hurricane of the season to do so, intensifying by 45 mph (70 km/h) in a 24-hour period.[6] At 12:00 UTC, Larry developed a well-defined eye that was visible on satellite imagery,[1] and at 00:00 UTC the next day, Larry became a Category 3 major hurricane. Six hours later, Larry reached its peak intensity of 125 mph (205 km/h), while located 1,000 mi (1,610 km) east of the Leeward Islands.[1]
On the afternoon of September 4, Larry underwent an eyewall replacement cycle, and decreased slightly in intensity, though remaining at Category 3 strength. By the morning of September 5, the storm had gained annular characteristics,[7] specifically an eye that had doubled in size, from 20 mi (30 km) in diameter to 50 mi (80 km).[1] Overnight, Larry had also strengthened back to 125 mph (205 km/h), its second peak intensity, located 835 miles (1,345 kilometres) east of the Leeward Islands.[1] Early on September 6, Larry weakened again, while maintaining annular features. At 12:00 UTC on September 7, Larry weakened to 110 mph (175 km/h), leading reconnaissance aircraft to designate it as a Category 2 hurricane.[1][8][9] It had also reached the western extent of the subtropical ridge by then, and started moving more sharply to the north, over the central Atlantic.[1] By September 8, Larry had grown to a large size; with a tropical-storm-force wind radius of 230 miles (370 kilometres).[1] Larry would maintain Category 2 status until it got downgraded to a Category 1 hurricane on September 9,[10] with winds of 90 mph (150 km/h), due to slowly decreasing sea surface temperatures.[1] Turning north-northwestward, late on 9 September, Larry reached its westernmost point 150 miles (240 kilometres) east-northeast of Bermuda.[1]
Early on September 10, Larry started moving north, and began to accelerate due to the presence of a mid-latitude trough.[1] Increasing wind shear and decreasing sea surface temperatures caused Larry to weaken further, and at 12:00 UTC on September 10, Larry reached 80 mph (130 km/h).[1] Then Larry turned to the north-northeast and its forward speed increased to 35 mph (55 km/h) as it passed within 230 miles (370 kilometres) of Nova Scotia.[nb 1][1] By 00:00 UTC on September 11, Larry's speed had increased to 45 mph (75 km/h) as it approached the southeastern coast of Newfoundland, moving over Marticut Island.[1] At 03:30 UTC on September 11, Larry made landfall in Newfoundland as a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 960 millibars (28 inHg).[11] Once Larry made landfall, it further weakened to 75 mph (120 km/h) at 06:00 UTC on September 11, while over Newfoundland.[1] By 12:00 UTC, Larry had passed Newfoundland and transitioned into a large 70 mph (110 km/h) extratropical cyclone 370 miles (590 kilometres) north-northeast of St. John's, Newfoundland.[1][12] Extratropical Cyclone Larry weakened slightly before, at 00:00 UTC on September 12, it was absorbed by another extratropical cyclone moving east in the Labrador Sea.[1] This storm caused hurricane-force winds and over 4 feet (120 centimetres) of snow in Greenland.[1]
Preparations and impact
Bermuda
Hurricane Larry passing to the east of Bermuda on September 9
At 15:00 UTC on September 7, the Bermuda Weather Service issued a tropical storm watch as tropical storm conditions were possible.[13] The following day at 12:00 UTC, the watch was upgraded to a warning.[14] At 00:00 UTC, September 9, the Bermuda Weather Service discontinued the warning.[15] The island experienced winds gusting to about 46 mph (74 km/h), and a storm surge of 0.67 feet (0.20 m) was recorded at Ferry Reach. No power outages were recorded.[16]
United States
Although Larry remained far away from the United States and its territories, large swells from the hurricane reached the East Coast, as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Rip currents killed a woman in Saint Croix on September 8 and a man in Puerto Rico on September 11.[1] In Florida, the National Weather Service issued a rip current warning for beach areas. In Cape Canaveral, a 69-year-old man drowned due to rip currents.[17] On September 8, a 68-year-old man drowned offshore a beach in South Carolina.[18] A 23-year-old man was caught in a rip current off the Virginia coast and died.[1]
Canada
Larry making landfall in Newfoundland on September 11 at 3 UTC
Larry passed south of Nova Scotia on the way to Newfoundland/Labrador. On the evening of September 10, an emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) from a sailboat stolen earlier in the week in Halifax was activated more than 600 km (370 mi) southeast of Halifax. Resources were dispatched from the United States Coast Guard rescue co-ordination centre in Boston and the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Halifax. Flares were seen but no trace was ever found of the vessel or the person believed to have been on board.[19][20] Wind gusts of over 70 mph (110 km/h) and seas of up to 50 ft (15 m) were reported in the area at the time.
In Newfoundland, St. John's International Airport recorded sustained winds of 96 km/h (60 mph) and a gust of 145 km/h (90 mph) just after 5.30 a.m. UTC, while Cape St. Mary's Lighthouse reported a gust of 182 km/h (113 mph) before ceasing transmission.[21][22][23] The waves reached heights of 3.6 m (12 ft) in Argentia and the tide gauge showed a maximum water level about 150 centimeters higher than normal.[21][22][23] The storm surge coincided with a high tide, exacerbating coastal flooding.[24] It rained from 25 to 35 mm (0.98 to 1.38 in) in a very short time over southeastern Newfoundland.[21]
In the eastern part of the province, 60,000 people were without power after Larry passed through.[1][23] Trees were uprooted and branches were littered across the ground.[25] The Mary Queen of Peace Elementary School in St. John's was severely damaged.[1][22] The performance tent near Quidi Vidi Lake, set up for the Iceberg Alley concert festival, suffered significant damage, and a show scheduled for September 10 was cancelled in advance of Larry.[23] Mayor Danny Breen confirmed that the hurricane caused a significant amount of damage around the city. The Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Transportation and Infrastructure has asked motorists to avoid the area of Highway 90 in the southern Avalon Peninsula because a section was damaged.[23] Numerous activities in the affected area and some flights at St. John's International Airport have been canceled or postponed.[26] St. Clare's Mercy Hospital lost power during the storm, leading them to temporarily stop visitations.[27] Advance polls for the 2021 Canadian federal election were suspended in parts of St. John's.[28]
In Lord's Cove, near Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, damage was caused to the infrastructures, including to the wharf, the seawall, and the causeway.[29] At North Harbour, a kilometre-long stretch of the main road was washed out by large waves and storm surge.[30] Over 90,000 salmon at an aquaculture facility off the south coast of Newfoundland died after concentrations of dissolved oxygen fell significantly while Larry passed over the area.[31] A report by the Catastrophe Indices and Quantification(CATIQ)[32] stated that the damage in Canada was about 25 million Canadian dollars.[1]
Greenland
In Greenland, the snowfall forecast for ex-Larry, one of the few storms from the remnants of a tropical cyclone to pass so far north, was up to 4 feet of snow (120 cm) with some places along the coast receiving a rainfall equivalent. On September 12, gusts of 161 km/h (100 mph) were reported at Kulusuk airport, near the southeast coast of the island. In Tasiilaq, sustained winds reached 89 km/h (55 mph) and gusts of over 145 km/h (90 mph). Wind and snow caused a blizzard at Summit Camp, a weather station located on the ice sheet over 10,000 ft (3,000 m) above sea level.[33][34]
^Richard Pasch (September 7, 2021). Hurricane Larry Advisory Number 28 (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
^Lucero II, Louis; Medina, Eduardo; Mele, Christopher; Paybarah, Azi; Stanford, Chris; Paz, Isabella Grullón; Taylor, Derrick Tyson (September 11, 2021). "Hurricane Larry to Bring Heavy Snow to Greenland". The New York Times. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
