Hurricane Juan
Hurricane Juan was a category 2 hurricane that hit Halifax and the Nova Scotia area on September 29th, 2003, just after midnight. It caused hundreds of people to have to evacuate their homes as part of a local state of emergency, and there were hurricane warnings issued for the people of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
| Category 2 hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
.jpg) Hurricane Juan approaching Nova Scotia as a 100mph hurricane | |
| Formed | September 24, 2003 |
|---|---|
| Dissipated | September 29, 2003 |
| Highest winds | 1-minute sustained: 105 mph (170 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 969 mbar (hPa); 28.61 inHg |
| Fatalities | 4 direct, 4 indirect |
| Damage | $200 million (2003 USD) |
| Areas affected | Atlantic Canada (primarily Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island) |
| Part of the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season | |
How it formed
Hurricane Juan started out as a Tropical Depression near Bermuda. Around 6 hours later it was upgraded to a Tropical Storm. 18 hours after that, it became what we know as the devastating Hurricane Juan.
The cause of the hurricane was the temperature of the Atlantic Ocean. Normally, the cool waters of the Atlantic Ocean cause hurricanes to dissipate as they head north, but that day, the water had been 3°C warmer than the average temperature, causing the hurricane to instead, speed up and accelerate, which caused it to hit Halifax and other parts of Nova Scotia with unusually strong gusts of wind reaching over 185 km/h, heavy rain, and surf.
Damages
Hurricane Juan killed eight people (directly and indirectly), left over $200 million in damages, and had 800,000 - 900,000 people without power for just under 2 weeks. Point Pleasant Park lost roughly 70% of its trees due to the strong wind gusts that swept them away.
Retirement
Because of the damage that Juan caused, the name was retired. It was the first time Canada had put in a request to retire a storm name. In the 2009 storm season, Juan was replaced with Joaquin.
Resources
https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna3088270
https://www.ec.gc.ca/ouragans-hurricanes/default.asp?lang=en&n=B1A7B85A-1
Hurricane Juan Media
Hurricane Juan making landfall in Nova Scotia on September 29
Debris on the streets of Halifax following the hurricane
Damage to the Halifax Public Gardens after Hurricane Juan
Rainfall from Hurricane Juan
Halifax Waterfront after Hurricane Juan
