Tropical Storm Franklin (2005)
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| Tropical storm ( SSHS) | ||
|---|---|---|
 Picture of Tropical Storm Franklin on July 23 |
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| Formed | July 21, 2005 | |
| Dissipated | July 29, 2005 | |
| Highest winds |
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| Lowest pressure | 997 mbar ( hPa) | |
| Damage | None reported | |
| Fatalities | None reported | |
| Areas affected |
Bahamas, Bermuda, Newfoundland | |
| Part of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season |
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Tropical Storm Franklin was a tropical storm over the western Atlantic Ocean during July of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. It was the sixth named storm of the season and twice approached hurricane strength.
The storm formed over the Bahamas on July 21 then moved north erratically, approaching Bermuda on July 26. Franklin eventually became extratropical near Newfoundland on July 30, before being absorbed by a larger system. The National Hurricane Centre struggled to predict Tropical Storm Franklin mainly due difficulties in predicting the effects of wind shear. There were only minor effects on land from Tropical Storm Franklin and no damages were caused.
Storm history
A tropical wave emerged from the African coast late on July 10. The wave entered the Bahamas on July 21 and organized into Tropical Depression Six while 70 miles (110 km) east of Eleuthera. Initially the storm was predicted to execute a clockwise loop and drift to the west in response to a high pressure system. Several models indicated the possibility of the storm to drift westward into central Florida. Soon after the depression formed, it strengthened into Tropical Storm Franklin.
Tropical Storm Franklin suffered high levels of wind shear associated with the development of Tropical Storm Gert, which led the forecasters at the National Hurricane Centre to say that Franklin could be torn apart in the next few days. However the shear abated as Franklin moved to the northeast allowing the storm to strengthen. The forecasters now said that Franklin could "attain and maintain hurricane strength" and make a close approach to Bermuda. Shortly after on July 23, Tropical Storm Franklin reached its peak strength with 70 mph (110 km/h) winds.
Franklin moved erratically to the east weakening as shear increased again. The NHC predicted that would dissipate, but the weakening trend stopped on July 25 with Franklin a minimal tropical storm. The storm passed to 200 miles (325 km) to the west of Bermuda on July 26 and moved slowly northwards into the warmer waters of the Gulf Stream. The shear also reduced once again allowing Franklin to re-strengthen somewhat, with winds reaching 60 mph (95 km/h) on July 28. Franklin began to accelerate to the northeast becoming extratropical on July 30 to the south of Newfoundland. The extratropical storm passed just south of the Avalon Peninsula later that day and was absorbed by a larger system on July 31.
Impact
As Tropical Storm Franklin was forming, a tropical storm warning was issued for the northwest Bahamas, but it was cancelled as Franklin moved north and away from the islands. A tropical storm watch was issued for Bermuda on July 25 but was cancelled a day later when Franklin turned away.
Tropical Storm Franklin developed very close to land in the Bahamas and passed near Bermuda, but there were no reports of tropical storm force winds overland, with the strongest gust recorded on Bermuda being 37 mph (60 km/h). After Franklin became extratropical, it brushed southeastern Newfoundland, bringing about 1 inch (25 mm) of rain to the area. There were no damages or fatalities as a result of Tropical Storm Franklin.
Naming and records
When Franklin formed on July 21, it was the earliest ever in a season that the sixth tropical storm formed, beating the previous record held by storm 6 of the 1936 season by 14 days. This was the first use of Franklin to name a tropical storm following the retirement of Hurricane Floyd of the 1999 season. Due to the lack of any major impact from Tropical Storm Franklin, the name was not retired by the World Meteorological Organization and will be on the list of names for the 2011 Season.