page_title: Hurricane Debby (2000)
section_title: Meteorological history
hierarchical_section_title: Hurricane Debby (2000) / Meteorological history
caption_attribution_description: English: Track map of Hurricane Debby of the 2000 Atlantic hurricane season. The points show the location of the storm at 6-hour intervals. The colour represents the storm's maximum sustained wind speeds as classified in the Saffir–Simpson scale (see below), and the shape of the data points represent the nature of the storm, according to the legend below. Saffir–Simpson scale Tropical depression≤38 mph≤62 km/h Category 3111–129 mph178–208 km/h Tropical storm39–73 mph63–118 km/h Category 4130–156 mph209–251 km/h Category 174–95 mph119–153 km/h Category 5≥157 mph≥252 km/h Category 296–110 mph154–177 km/h Unknown Storm type Tropical cyclone Subtropical cyclone Extratropical cyclone / Remnant low / Tropical disturbance
context_page_description: Hurricane Debby caused minor damage in the Greater and Lesser Antilles in August 2000. The seventh tropical cyclone, fourth named storm, and second hurricane of the annual season, Debby developed from a tropical wave east of the Lesser Antilles on August 19. Favorable conditions allowed the depression to become Tropical Storm Debby early on August 20, and further strengthening into a hurricane occurred 24 hours later. Sustained winds peaked at 85 mph on August 21. Debby made three landfalls on August 22, in Barbuda, Saint Barthélemy, and Virgin Gorda, before re-entering the Atlantic north of Puerto Rico. As Debby moved parallel to the north coast of Hispaniola late on August 23, it weakened back to a tropical storm. The storm tracked westward and weakened further, instead of approaching Florida and strengthening into a major hurricane. While south of eastern Cuba on August 24, Debby was downgraded to a tropical depression, six hours before completely dissipating.
  Light rainfall and gusty winds caused minor damage in Barbuda, Saint Martin, and Trinidad and Tobago. In the United States Virgin Islands, brief blackouts and damage reaching $200,000 was reported.
context_section_description: A strong tropical wave emerged into the Atlantic Ocean from the west coast of Africa on August 16. By the following day, an area of low pressure was noted near 10°N 30°W. However, Dvorak classifications were not be initiated due to insignificant convective banding. At 0000 UTC on August 18, the National Hurricane Center's Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch (TAFB) indicated a low-level circulation, though the system was still considered "too weak to classify". The TAFB released an initial classification later that day at 1145 UTC. Convective banding had increased, though the system as a whole was poorly organized. It then began to gradually organize while moving westward at approximately 17 mph (27 km/h). By late on August 19, convection had consolidated around a well-defined center of circulation. As a result, it is estimated that Tropical Depression Seven developed at 1800 UTC, while located about 1,035 miles (1,665 km) east of the Windward Islands. In the initial advisory by the National Hurricane Center, the agency noted a large area of convection, weak vertical wind shear, warm sea surface temperatures (SSTs), all of which produced a favorable environment for intensification.
  The depression strengthened and became Tropical Storm Debby at 0000 UTC on August 20. Operationally, it was not upgraded to a tropical storm until 15 hours later. After classification, the center of circulation was difficult to locate due to the re-organization of convection. Although the circulation remained relatively disorganized, the central dense overcast (CDO) associated with Debby was large, symmetrical, and had cold cloud tops. By 0600 UTC on August 21, Debby had strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane. Despite reconnaissance aircraft flight reports of sustained winds ranging from 92 to 101 mph (148 to 163 km/h), Debby was not upgraded to a hurricane. Six hours later, the storm reached its maximum sustained wind speed of 85 mph (140 km/h). Additionally, Debby attained its minimum barometric pressure of 991 mbar (29.3 inHg) early on August 22. It was operationally not upgraded to a hurricane until 0900 UTC on August 22, due to a poorly defined circulation. Hurricane-force winds were very concentrated, extending only 25 miles (40 km) from the storm's center of circulation. 
  At 0600 UTC on August 22, Debby made landfall in Barbuda with winds of 75 mph (120 km/h). A few hours later, the storm also struck Saint Barthélemy at the same intensity. It made a third landfall in Virgin Gorda with winds of 75 mph (120 km/h), at 1500 UTC on August 22. In an advisory issued later that day, the National Hurricane Center noted that although the agency anticipated further strengthening, it would not be "significant" in the short-term, due to Debby's rapid movement west-northwestward and potential land interaction with Hispaniola. Late on August 22, the storm passed about 35 miles (56 km) north of Puerto Rico. Early on August 23, computer models varied extensively with the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GDFL) model, regarded by the National Hurricane Center as an "extreme outlier", depicting a 926 mbar (27.3 inHg) low pressure area over the Florida Keys on August 26. Due to increasing southwesterly wind shear, Debby began to weaken and was downgraded to a tropical storm at 1200 UTC on August 23, while situated north of Dominican Republic.
  Beginning late on August 23, it was predicted that Debby would re-strengthen, as SSTs were between 84 and 86 °F (29 and 30 °C) and the storm was anticipated to resume the original west-northwest movement, reducing land interaction. However, Debby curved westward and continued to become increasingly disorganized, with the low-level circulation being displaced well west of the main, deep convective area. Early on August 24, the storm entered the Windward Passage and began passing south of Cuba. The National Hurricane Center continued to predict re-intensification, but noted the potential for degeneration into a tropical wave during the next few days in its advisory at 0900 UTC on August 24, due to persistent win
caption: Map plotting the track and the intensity of the storm, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
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