| Timeline of the 2015 Atlantic hurricane season | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Season summary map | |||||
| Season boundaries | |||||
| First system formed | May 8, 2015 | ||||
| Last system dissipated | November 12, 2015 | ||||
| Strongest system | |||||
| Name | Joaquin | ||||
| Maximum winds | 155 mph (250 km/h) (1-minute sustained) | ||||
| Lowest pressure | 931 mbar (hPa; 27.49 inHg) | ||||
| Longest lasting system | |||||
| Name | Joaquin | ||||
| Duration | 10 days | ||||
| |||||
The 2015 Atlantic hurricane season was an event in the annual hurricane season in the north Atlantic ocean.(there were 15 different recorded hurricanes this year). It was the third consecutive year to feature below-average tropical cyclone activity,[nb 1] with eleven named storms. The season officially began on June 1, 2015 and ended on November 30, 2015. These dates, adopted by convention, historically describe the period in each year when most tropical systems form.[2] However, systems can and do form outside these dates, as did the season's first storm, Tropical Storm Ana, which developed on May 8; the season's final storm, Hurricane Kate, lost its tropical characteristics on November 11.
The year featured twelve tropical cyclones, of which eleven became tropical storms, including four hurricanes of which two intensified into major hurricanes.[nb 2] While no hurricanes made landfall on the United States mainland during the year, two tropical storms, Ana and Bill, struck the coastline of South Carolina and Texas respectively. Ana was earliest landfalling tropical storm on record in the United States and caused two fatalities, while Bill produced heavy rain and flooding and caused eight fatalities. Additionally, the precursor to Bill also caused significant flooding across Central America. In late August, Tropical Storm Erika brought heavy rainfall to several Leeward Islands, especially to Dominica. It caused widespread damage and 31 fatalities. In October, Hurricane Joaquin, a Category 4 hurricane, battered The Bahamas for two days, causing extensive devastation to that nation while also contributing to historic flooding across the Southeastern United States. Additionally, Joaquin was responsible sinking of the American cargo ship El Faro and for the deaths of its 33–member crew. Following the 2015 season, the names Erika and Joaquin were retired from reuse in the North Atlantic by the World Meteorological Organization.[4][5]
This timeline documents tropical cyclone formations, strengthening, weakening, landfalls, extratropical transitions, and dissipations during the season. It includes information that was not released throughout the season, meaning that data from post-storm reviews by the National Hurricane Center, such as a storm that was not initially warned upon, has been included.
By convention, meteorologists use one time zone when issuing forecasts and making observations: Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), and also use the 24-hour clock (where 00:00 = midnight UTC).[6] The National Hurricane Center uses both UTC and the time zone where the center of the tropical cyclone is currently located. The time zones utilized (east to west) prior to 2020 were: Atlantic, Eastern, and Central.[7] In this timeline, all information is listed by UTC first with the respective regional time included in parentheses. Additionally, figures for maximum sustained winds and position estimates are rounded to the nearest 5 units (knots, miles, or kilometers), following the convention used in the National Hurricane Center's products. Direct wind observations are rounded to the nearest whole number. Atmospheric pressures are listed to the nearest millibar and nearest hundredth of an inch of mercury.
- ^ "Background Information: North Atlantic Hurricane Season". College Park, Maryland: NOAA Climate Prediction Center. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
- ^ Dorst, Neal (June 1, 2018). "Hurricane Season Information". Frequently Asked Questions About Hurricanes. Miami, Florida: NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ "Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale". Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
- ^ "Tropical Cyclone Naming History and Retired Names". Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
- ^ "World Meteorological Organization retires storm names Erika, Joaquin and Patricia". Silver Spring, Maryland: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. April 25, 2016. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
- ^ "Understanding the Date/Time Stamps". Miami, Florida: NOAA National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- ^ "Update on National Hurricane Center Products and Services for 2020" (PDF). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. April 20, 2020. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
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