Fiona (2016)

A tropical wave that moved off Africa developed into Tropical Depression Six around 1800 UTC on 16 August 2016 about 485 nautical miles west‑southwest of the southernmost Cabo Verde Islands. It strengthened to Tropical Storm Fiona by about 1200 UTC 17 August and moved generally west‑northwestward across the eastern and central tropical Atlantic. Fiona remained a relatively small and short‑lived system, weakening to a remnant low by about 1200 UTC 23 August and dissipating a few hundred nautical miles south‑southwest of Bermuda around 24 August.

Fiona did not make landfall. It remained over open ocean for its entire lifespan and thus no coastal tropical cyclone watches or warnings were required.

The storm’s peak intensity was 45 knots (about 52 mph) on two occasions, with a minimum central pressure near 1004 mb. At its strongest (analyzed around 0000 UTC 19 August and again beginning about 1200 UTC 20 August), Fiona was a moderate tropical storm well below hurricane strength.

Because Fiona stayed at sea, there were no coastal storm surge reports associated with the system in the NHC report, and no significant rainfall totals tied to land locations were reported in the official record. No ship reports of tropical‑storm‑force winds were received.

There were no reported deaths or damage associated with Fiona. The storm’s primary impacts were limited to transient increases in winds and seas over the open Atlantic. Forecasts of Fiona’s genesis were reasonably accurate in the short range but gave limited lead time in the extended range; official track and intensity forecasts performed near or better than recent averages.