Gordon (2012)

A tropical depression formed from a tropical wave about 600 nautical miles southeast of Bermuda at 1200 UTC on 15 August 2012. The system became Tropical Storm Gordon early on 16 August and turned northeast then east as it approached the mid-latitude westerlies. Gordon strengthened to a hurricane on 18 August, moved generally eastward across the North Atlantic toward the Azores, passed over Santa Maria Island on 20 August, became post-tropical that evening, and dissipated about 420 nautical miles east of the Azores on 21 August.

Gordon made a single landfall on Santa Maria Island in the central Azores at about 0530 UTC on 20 August. At landfall the storm’s maximum sustained winds were estimated near 65 kt (hurricane-force) with a reported 10-minute wind of 53 kt and gusts to 70 kt at the island’s Meteorological Institute site.

The storm’s peak intensity occurred around 0000 UTC 19 August, when Gordon reached maximum sustained winds of about 95 kt (approximately 110 mph) and a minimum central pressure of 965 mb, making it a Category 2 hurricane at its strongest. It weakened to Category 1 strength before reaching the Azores.

Storm surge and waves produced elevated sea levels and coastal flooding at several shore locations in the Azores. A buoy near the port of São Miguel recorded wave heights near 21 feet. Rainfall and specific total amounts are not detailed in the observations, but the elevated sea level caused minor flooding in several shore communities, and local weather stations on Santa Maria and São Miguel recorded strong winds—10-minute winds of 53 kt on Santa Maria and 35 kt with gusts to 54 kt at São Miguel airport.

There were no reported casualties associated with Gordon. Impacts in the Azores were limited to minor coastal flooding, some fallen trees, a few landslides, and power outages; no significant material losses were reported. Forecast track errors for Gordon were notably smaller than recent averages, with the official NHC track forecasts performing well (the GFS model also showed low track errors), while intensity forecasts were less accurate than typical for the previous five-year period and many intensity guidance models outperformed the official intensity forecasts.