Тропический шторм Дебби (1994)

Atlantic tropical storm in 1994

Tropical Storm Debby was a weak but costly tropical cyclone that affected the Lesser Antilles in September 1994. It was the fourth named tropical storm of the 1994 Atlantic hurricane season; it developed on September 9 east of Barbados. Debby made landfall on Saint Lucia early on September 10, producing heavy rainfall and tropical storm force wind gusts. The rains caused flooding and landslides, damaging about half of the island's banana plantations. Several villages were isolated after roads and bridges were damaged. Damage totaled about $103 million (1994 USD). On nearby Dominica, Debby damaged crops and fisheries. While Debby was crossing Saint Lucia, its strongest thunderstorms were located north and east of the center due to wind shear. A station in Martinique reported hurricane force winds, and about 20,000 people on the island lost power. After entering the eastern Caribbean Sea, Debby attained peak winds of , although continued wind shear caused the storm to dissipate on September 11. In Puerto Rico, one person died due to high waves. The storm caused power outages and flooding in the Dominican Republic. Throughout its path, Debby killed nine people.

The origins of Tropical Storm Debby were from a tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa on September 4. By September 6, satellite images indicated a vigorous tropical wave with intense convection about midway between Africa and the Lesser Antilles. Encountering northwesterly vertical wind shear, convection markedly decreased and weakened on the following day, only to redevelop on September 8 after the shear dropped. Post analysis indicate that the sixth tropical depression of the season developed on September 9 at 1200 UTC, about 185 mi (300 km) east of Barbados; however, it was not operationally classified as Tropical Depression Six until almost 24 hours later. Early on September 10, satellite imagery indicated a surface circulation just north of Barbados, Such winds were not known while the storm was active, and around the time of Debby's peak intensity, the NHC operationally estimated winds of only The storm continued quickly to the west northwest, affected by strong wind shear while maintaining strong winds.

When the first advisory was issued for Debby, the governments of Barbados, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, and Dominica issued tropical storm warnings. In addition, the Saint Lucia Meteorological Service issued a flood warning before Debby developed. Debby first affected Barbados as it passed the island to the north, producing winds of After the storm, Windward Islands Crop Insurance (WINCROP) paid 2189 claims in the country, amounting to EC$1.6 million ($660,000 1994 USD). High rainfall totals wrecked houses on hillsides, Roadways were washed out or covered by landslides, The storm damaged about half of the banana plantations on the island. Damage on Saint Lucia was estimated at EC$250 million ($103 million 1994 USD). The Saint Lucia government responded to the damage from Debby by repairing damaged buildings and bridges, diversifying crops, and removing silt from major rivers. While Debby was moving across Saint Lucia, a station in Le Vauclin in southeastern Martinique reported 10 minute sustained winds of , with a gust to ; the observation provided the basis for Debby's peak intensity. About half of the island experienced of precipitation, and the highest rainfall total on the island was in Saint Joseph. As Debby moved into the Caribbean Sea, a tropical storm warning was issued for Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands. Later, a tropical storm warning was issued for the southern coasts of the Dominican Republic and Haiti.