Hurricane Debby (1982)

Hurricane Debby

Debby at peak intensity south of Nova Scotia on September 18, 1982
Meteorological history
Formed	September 13, 1982
Dissipated	September 20, 1982
Category 4 major hurricane
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS)
Highest winds	130 mph (215 km/h)
Lowest pressure	950 mbar (hPa); 28.05 inHg
Overall effects
Fatalities	None
Areas affected	Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, Turks and Caicos Islands, Bermuda, Eastern United States, Eastern Canada, Europe
IBTrACS
Part of the 1982 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Debby was the strongest tropical cyclone of the 1982 Atlantic hurricane season, with winds peaking at 130 mph (210 km/h).^[1] The fourth named storm, second hurricane, and the only major hurricane of the season, Debby developed near the north coast of Hispaniola from a westward moving tropical wave on September 13, 1982. Forming as a tropical depression, it headed northwestward, and eventually strengthened into Tropical Storm Debby the following day. Thereafter, Debby rapidly intensified into a hurricane early on September 15. The hurricane then curved northeastward and grazed Bermuda as a Category 2 hurricane on September 16. It continued to strengthen, and by September 18, Debby briefly peaked as a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale, with winds at 130 mph (210 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 950 mbar (hPa; 28.05 inHg).

After reaching peak intensity, Debby slowly weakened, and was between Category 2 and 1 when it passed south of Newfoundland early on September 19. Thereafter, the storm accelerated and was moving at roughly 60 mph (97 km/h) towards the east. Debby was rapidly approaching the British Isles on September 20, shortly before it transitioned into an extratropical cyclone. Overall, impact was minor in the Lesser Antilles, with only light to moderate rainfall in Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands. On Bermuda, high winds caused some power outages and knocked over trees, though damage on the island was minimal. In addition, Debby dropped rainfall and produced moderately strong winds on Newfoundland.