Major Hurricane Larry

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Key Messages:

1. Large swells generated by Larry will continue to affect the
Leeward Islands, portions of the Greater Antilles, the Bahamas,
Bermuda, and the east coast of the United States and Atlantic
Canada through the end of the week. These swells will likely cause
life-threatening surf and rip current conditions, and beachgoers
and other interests along these coasts are urged to follow the
guidance of lifeguards and local officials this week.

2. The center of Larry is forecast to pass east of Bermuda later
today, Tropical storm conditions are expected today, along with a
risk of coastal flooding. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for
Bermuda, and interests there should closely monitor the latest
forecast updates.

3. Larry is forecast to move near or over portions of southeastern
Newfoundland Friday night, early Saturday morning as it undergoes
transition to a hurricane-force post-tropical cyclone. Hurricane
and Tropical Storm Watches are in effect for southeastern
Newfoundland. There is an increasing risk of impacts from high
winds, rainfall, and storm surge in portions of Newfoundland, and
interests there should monitor updates to the forecast.

Friday is the statistical peak of hurricane season, yet a monster named Larry is forecast to transform into a winter storm that will deliver feet of snow in Greenland.

Yes, you read that correctly. A hurricane producing feet of snow. It's been a crazy year for tropical systems already, so why not?

Hurricane Larry is forecast to slide up the east coast of Greenland this weekend. When it gets there, it will have sustained winds around 60 to 70 mph, with gusts as high as 85 mph. Larry's hurricane-force wind likely will produce blizzard conditions across Greenland, although Larry might lose the tropical aspects of a hurricane by then.

Larry should become an extratropical cyclone on Saturday, and is now forecast to be absorbed by a larger extratropical low near Greenland by the end of the weekend," the National Hurricane Center says.
The term extratropical has to do with the storm's core. A hurricane has a warm core, while an extratropical (or post-tropical) has a cold core.

Cold core systems produce weather features like cold fronts and warm fronts -- terms people are more familiar with. Warm core systems produce weather features such as eyes, eyewalls and outer-bands.

As Larry interacts with this other system, it will be able to pull in a tremendous amount of moisture leading to significant snowfall in Greenland.
Widespread totals of 12 to 18 inches are expected in the eastern half of the island nation. Higher elevations along the east coast could get 2 to 4 feet or higher.

While it is rare for tropical systems to help trigger snow, it's not unheard of. In fact, just last year Hurricane Zeta brought snow to the Northeast US, including several inches to Massachusetts.

What makes Larry a bit more unusual is the timing. Zeta hit in late October. So did Superstorm Sandy, which also helped produce snowfall in October 2012.

While Larry is expected to gradually weaken Friday as it moves through the colder waters of the northern Atlantic, it is still expected to retain hurricane strength until it passes Newfoundland.

Damaging winds, dangerous storm surge and heavy rainfall also are expected in Newfoundland.

"These winds will likely topple some trees (leading to downed utility lines), damage signs and cause some property damage to roofing materials, cladding, fences and exterior fixtures," the Canadian Hurricane Centre cautioned. "Secure loose objects on your property and anticipate power interruptions."

Hurricane Larry hit eastern Newfoundland overnight as a Category 1 storm, knocking out power throughout St. John's and the surrounding area in a short, sharp wallop of heavy winds, torrential rains and an unexpectedly high storm surge.

Hurricane warnings that had been in place for the Avalon Peninsula were ended at about 5 a.m. NT, though wind warnings were still in effect for some areas, including the capital.

As of 3:14 NT, the storm had maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h, with gusts surpassing 180km/h in exposed and elevated areas. Cape St. Mary's lighthouse reported a peak gust of 182 km/h on Friday evening.

"That is a huge, huge wind gust," CBC meteorologist Ryan Snoddon said Saturday morning.

About 60,000 customers lost their power in the midst of the storm. By noon, Newfoundland Power had restored electricity to nearly 31,000 customers.

Just a month after rainfall was recorded for the first time ever at Greenland's highest point, the island is expecting up to four feet of snow from the remnants of Hurricane Larry — the rare tropical storm to stay intact so far north.

Hurricane-force gusts topped 100 miles per hour at Kulusuk Airport near Greenland's southeast coast. At Tasiilaq, the largest town in the region, sustained winds reached 55 miles per hour, with gusts of over 90.

The snow reached blizzard conditions at Summit Camp, a weather station at the island's highest point more than 10,000 feet above sea level, with winds and snow so heavy that visibility was minimal.

"Ex-hurricane Larry is still haunting us," the Danish Meteorological Institute wrote.