Lisa (2016)

A tropical depression formed from a tropical wave on 19 September 2016 about 195 nautical miles west-southwest of the southern Cabo Verde Islands. The system became Tropical Storm Lisa on 20 September and moved generally northwestward across the eastern and central tropical Atlantic. Lisa persisted as a tropical cyclone through 24 September, weakened to a depression early on 25 September, became a remnant low later that day, and its remnants turned north-northeast before degenerating to a trough by 26 September about 700 nautical miles west-southwest of the western Azores.

Lisa remained well offshore for its entire life; no coastal watches or warnings were issued. There were no landfalls associated with Lisa as a tropical cyclone, and no impacts were reported on land.

Maximum sustained winds reached an estimated 45 knots (about 52 mph) with a minimum central pressure of 999 mb. This intensity corresponds to a moderate tropical storm rather than a hurricane; Lisa had two brief peaks near this intensity on 21–22 September.

There were no reports of storm surge or rainfall impacts from Lisa, and no specific surge heights or rainfall totals were recorded at named cities or counties in association with this system.

No deaths or damage were reported. Regions most affected were limited to the open Atlantic where the storm existed; there were no confirmed direct or indirect casualties.

Notable points: Lisa’s development from the African wave was reasonably well forecast several days in advance. Forecast track errors were larger than recent averages early on because initial forecasts tended to move the system too far west, while intensity forecasts were relatively accurate with small errors.