The 2010 Atlantic hurricane season was a hyperactive season, mostly as a result of a strong La Nina, forming in the summer. This season featured a total of 21 tropical cyclones, 19 named storms, 12 hurricanes, and 5 major hurricanes. This season is tied for third most active along with, 1887, 1995, 2011, and 2012. The strongest storm was high-end Category 4 Hurricane Igor, a Cape Verde-type hurricane that caused $200 Million in damage to Newfoundland.
Alex, one of the most intense June tropical cyclones in the Atlantic basin record, made landfall in northeastern Mexico as a strong Category 2 hurricane.[1]
Tropical Depression Five was a short-lived tropical cyclone that formed in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and dissipated before its remnants moved inland, bringing rainfall to portions of the central Gulf Coast.[4]
Danielle was a Cape Verde hurricane that reached category 4 strength (on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale) over the central North Atlantic and recurved to the southeast of Bermuda[5]
Earl was a Cape Verde hurricane that caused damage in the northern Leeward Islands and made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale) in Nova Scotia, Canada. It reached its peak intensity as a Category 4 hurricane over the western Atlantic.[6]
Fiona became a tropical storm over the central tropical Atlantic Ocean and threatened the northern Leeward Islands before recurving over the western Atlantic and degenerating into a post-tropical cyclone near Bermuda.[7]
Tropical Storm Hermine made landfall on the northeastern coast of Mexico. It brought tropical-storm-force winds and very heavy rains to a large portion of southern Texas.[9]
Igor, the strongest tropical cyclone of the 2010 Atlantic season, was a very large and intense Cape Verde hurricane that struck Bermuda with category 1 intensity. Later it hit Newfoundland and was the most damaging hurricane in recent history for that island.[10]
Julia was a category 4 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale) over the eastern Atlantic Ocean that threatened the Cape Verde Islands as a tropical storm.[11]
Karl was a strong Category 3 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale) that formed over the northwestern Caribbean Sea and made landfall as a tropical storm along the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Karl then emerged over the Bay of Campeche and made a second landfall along the mainland coast of Mexico northwest of Veracruz as a major hurricane, causing significant damage in the region.[12]
Lisa was a small tropical cyclone that became a category one hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale) over the far eastern Atlantic Ocean.[13]
Matthew was a tropical storm that formed in the central Caribbean Sea and made landfall in extreme northern Nicaragua, moved across northern Honduras and made a final landfall in Belize. Matthew produced heavy rainfall across portions of northern Central America and eastern Mexico.[14]
Nicole was an unusually large tropical cyclone over the northwestern Caribbean Sea. It bought gusty winds and heavy rains to eastern Cuba, Jamaica and southeastern Florida.[15]
Otto was a category 1 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale) that produced heavy rainfall over portions of the northeastern Caribbean islands.[16]
Paula was a small category 2 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale) that formed over the western Caribbean Sea and moved northward through the Yucatan Channel. It made landfalls as a tropical cyclone along the Honduras/Nicaragua border and in Cuba.[17]
Richard was a late season tropical cyclone that formed in the western Caribbean Sea and struck Belize as a category 2 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale).[18]
Shary was a short-lived category 1 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale) that formed in the central Atlantic. It did not affect land.[19]
Tomas, which reached category 2 intensity, was the latest hurricane on record (1851-present) in the calendar year to strike the Windward Islands. It caused significant damage and 8 fatalities in those islands. It later passed near Haiti and was responsible for 35 deaths in that country.[20]
Storm names[]
Alex
Bonnie
Colin
Danielle
Earl
Fiona
Gaston
Hermine
Igor
Julia
Karl
Lisa
Matthew
Nicole
Otto
Paula
Richard
Shary
Tomas
Virginie (unused)
Walter (unused)
Retirement[]
On March 16, 2011, at the 33rd Session of the World Meteorological Organization's Regional Association Hurricane Committee, the WMO retired two names, Igor and Tomas from its rotating name lists. They were replaced with Ian and Tobias, respectively, for the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season.