page_title: Hurricane Fay
section_title: Preparations and impact
hierarchical_section_title: Hurricane Fay / Preparations and impact
caption_attribution_description: A yacht wrecked by Hurricane Fay (2014) in Bermuda. Original description: "Tropical Storm Fay did a lot of damage. We saw a bunch of wrecked boats like this one as we paddled around."
context_page_description: Hurricane Fay was the first hurricane to make landfall on Bermuda since Emily in 1987. The sixth named storm and fifth hurricane of the 2014 Atlantic hurricane season, Fay evolved from a broad weather disturbance several hundred miles northeast of the Lesser Antilles on October 10. Initially a subtropical cyclone with an expansive wind field and asymmetrical cloud field, the storm gradually attained tropical characteristics as it turned north, transitioning into a tropical storm early on October 11. Despite being plagued by disruptive wind shear for most of its duration, Tropical Storm Fay steadily intensified. Veering toward the east, Fay briefly achieved Category 1 hurricane status while making landfall on Bermuda early on October 12. Wind shear eventually took its toll on Fay, causing the hurricane to weaken to a tropical storm later that day and degenerate into an open trough early on October 13.
  A few tropical cyclone warnings and watches were issued in anticipation of Fay's impact on Bermuda. Despite its modest strength, Fay produced extensive damage on Bermuda.
context_section_description: In advance of Fay, a tropical storm watch was issued on October 10 and upgraded to a tropical storm warning the next day. Additionally, in response to the storm's unexpected strengthening, a hurricane watch was posted at 21:00 UTC on October 11. As it was a Sunday, all public schools on the island were closed. Bus and ferry services were canceled, and two cruise ships delayed their arrival into port to avoid the cyclone.
  Fay produced unexpectedly strong winds across Bermuda, especially over western and southern parts of the territory. L.F. Wade International Airport reported 10-minute sustained winds of 61 mph (98 km/h), with gusts to 82 mph (132 km/h). Several stations at higher elevations recorded gusts in excess of 115 mph (185 km/h), reaching 123 mph (198 km/h) at Commissioner's Point, about 150 ft (46 m) above sea level. The most intense winds occurred in a relatively quick burst on the backside of the storm, within a large band of thunderstorms that affected the island a couple hours after the official landfall. Local radar imagery indicated possible tornadic activity coinciding with the period of most damaging winds, though this could also have been an artifact of radar velocity folding. A gauge at St. George's recorded a 1.78 ft (0.54 m) storm surge, though higher water rises may have affected the southern and western sides of the island. Rainfall unofficially amounted to 3.70 in (94 mm) as reported by a member of the public, and the airport recorded 1.87 in (47 mm) of rain, though the observing equipment was compromised in both cases.
  The hurricane brought down thousands of trees and tree limbs, making streets impassable. The winds also toppled utility poles and inflicted roof damage on buildings. Over 27,000 of the Bermuda Electric Light Company's 36,000 customers lost power at the height of the storm. Several roads, including Front Street in Hamilton, were flooded. Many boats up to 60 ft (18 m) in length broke free from their moorings and were damaged or destroyed upon being driven aground. Hamilton city parks sustained considerable damage, and were closed due to safety hazards. The combined effects of Fay and Gonzalo forced the Botanical Gardens and Arboretum to stay closed until mid-November, while cleanup of vegetation damage was underway.
  Fay damaged the roof of the airport's terminal building, causing the sprinkler system to malfunction and inundate parts of the structure with water; the resultant flooding crippled computer systems crucial to processing passenger information. The airport's radar was also impacted by the storm. In response to the damage, the airport was closed to all flights, though it quickly reopened to emergency diversions and non-commercial flights. Including subsequent damage from Gonzalo, about $2 million was spent on airport repairs, and the storms were later cited as evidence of the need for a newer terminal in a more protected location.
  Overall, the cyclone's effects were greater than anticipated, with destruction at least partially facilitated by saturated soils from nearly 14 inches (360 mm) of rain in August and above-normal precipitation in September. Farmers reported that much of their autumn and winter crops had been lost, along with a few head of livestock. Fay and Gonzalo had a significant cumulative impact on Bermuda's agriculture and fishing industries, contributing to a slight GDP decline. By about a week after Fay's landfall, a local insurance company had received nearly 400 claims resulting from the storm, accounting for $3.8 million in damage. However, with several insurers on the island, the actual damage total was likely much higher; in a report to the World Meteorological Organization, the Bermuda Weather Service speculated that all insurance claims from Fay totaled "tens of millions of dollars". Ten people suffered minor storm-related injuries, but no fatalities were attributed to the storm.
caption: One of numerous yachts wrecked by Hurricane Fay
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