2010 Atlantic hurricane season
Jun 1, 2010 – Nov 30, 2010 · Season ended
The 2010 Atlantic hurricane season produced 18 named storms, 12 hurricanes and 5 major hurricanes, against a 1991–2020 average of 14.4, 7.2 and 3.2. Its accumulated cyclone energy was 164, 134% of the average.
2010 season at a glance
- Named storms: 18 (1991–2020 average 14.4).
- Hurricanes (64 kt+): 12 (average 7.2).
- Major, 96 kt+: 5 (average 3.2).
- Accumulated cyclone energy: 163.9, 134% of the 123 average.
- Named-storm days: 87.8, counting each six-hourly fix at 34 kt or more as a quarter day.
- First named storm: Alex, June 26.
- First hurricane: Alex, June 30.
- First major storm: Danielle, August 27.
- Last storm to dissipate: Tomas, November 10.
- All systems tracked: 20, including 2 that stayed below tropical-storm strength.
Counts use 1-minute best-track winds: named storms reached 34 kt (39 mph), the next column 64 kt (74 mph) and major storms 96 kt (111 mph).
Every storm of the 2010 season
| Storm | Dates | Peak | Min pressure | Landfall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex | – | C2 | 946 mb | Belize City, Belize |
| TD 2L | – | TD | 1005 mb | Port Isabel, United States |
| Bonnie | – | TS | 1005 mb | George Town, Bahamas |
| Colin | – | TS | 1005 mb | — |
| TD 5L | – | TD | 1007 mb | — |
| Danielle | – | C4 | 942 mb | — |
| Earl | – | C4 | 927 mb | Bridgewater, Canada |
| Fiona | – | TS | 998 mb | — |
| Gaston | – | TS | 1005 mb | — |
| Igor | – | C4 | 924 mb | Conception Bay South, Canada |
| Julia | – | C4 | 948 mb | — |
| Karl | – | C3 | 956 mb | Chetumal, Mexico |
| Lisa | – | C1 | 982 mb | — |
| Matthew | – | TS | 998 mb | Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua |
| Nicole | – | TS | 994 mb | — |
| Otto | – | C1 | 976 mb | — |
| Paula | – | C2 | 981 mb | Puerto Lempira, Honduras |
| Richard | – | C2 | 977 mb | Dangriga, Belize |
| Shary | – | C1 | 989 mb | — |
| Tomas | – | C2 | 982 mb | Bridgetown, Barbados |
- Alex: Alex formed in the Atlantic in June 2010 and peaked as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (175 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 946 mb. It made 2 landfalls, first near Belize City, Belize and last near Soto la Marina, Mexico. The system was tracked for 7 days.
- TD 2L: This system formed in the Atlantic in July 2010 and peaked as a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1005 mb. It made landfall near Port Isabel, United States. The system was tracked for 3 days.
- Bonnie: Bonnie formed in the Atlantic in July 2010 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1005 mb. It made 2 landfalls, first near George Town, Bahamas and last near Cutler Bay, United States. The system was tracked for 4 days.
- Colin: Colin formed in the Atlantic in August 2010 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1005 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 6 days.
- TD 5L: This system formed in the Atlantic in August 2010 and peaked as a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1007 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 8 days.
- Danielle: Danielle formed in the Atlantic in August 2010 and peaked as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 942 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 13 days.
- Earl: Earl formed in the Atlantic in August 2010 and peaked as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph (230 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 927 mb. It made 2 landfalls, first near Bridgewater, Canada and last near Three Rivers, Canada. The system was tracked for 13 days.
- Fiona: Fiona formed in the Atlantic in August 2010 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 998 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 6 days.
- Gaston: Gaston formed in the Atlantic in September 2010 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1005 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 7 days.
- Igor: Igor formed in the Atlantic in September 2010 and peaked as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph (250 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 924 mb. It made landfall near Conception Bay South, Canada. The system was tracked for 15 days.
- Julia: Julia formed in the Atlantic in September 2010 and peaked as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (220 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 948 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 13 days.
- Karl: Karl formed in the Atlantic in September 2010 and peaked as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph (205 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 956 mb. It made 2 landfalls, first near Chetumal, Mexico and last near Veracruz, Mexico. The system was tracked for 5 days.
- Lisa: Lisa formed in the Atlantic in September 2010 and peaked as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 982 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 9 days.
- Matthew: Matthew formed in the Atlantic in September 2010 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 998 mb. It made 2 landfalls, first near Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua and last near Bella Vista, Belize. The system was tracked for 3 days.
- Nicole: Nicole formed in the Atlantic in September 2010 and peaked as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 994 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 3 days.
- Otto: Otto formed in the Atlantic in October 2010 and peaked as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 976 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 12 days.
- Paula: Paula formed in the Atlantic in October 2010 and peaked as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (165 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 981 mb. It made 2 landfalls, first near Puerto Lempira, Honduras and last near Minas de Matahambre, Cuba. The system was tracked for 5 days.
- Richard: Richard formed in the Atlantic in October 2010 and peaked as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (155 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 977 mb. It made landfall near Dangriga, Belize. The system was tracked for 7 days.
- Shary: Shary formed in the Atlantic in October 2010 and peaked as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 989 mb. It did not make landfall. The system was tracked for 2 days.
- Tomas: Tomas formed in the Atlantic in October 2010 and peaked as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (155 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 982 mb. It made 3 landfalls, first near Bridgetown, Barbados and last near Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands. The system was tracked for 13 days.
Each summary is built from the storm’s best track.
Strongest storm of 2010
Hurricane Igor was the strongest storm of the season, peaking at 155 mph (250 km/h), with a lowest pressure of 924 mb, on September 15. That is Category 4 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
26 Atlantic storms since 1980 peaked higher, and 8 matched it. It produced 26% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.
Landfalls in 2010
10 of the season’s 20 systems made landfall, 6 of them at hurricane strength. Each landfall point is listed with the nearest town and the wind at that moment.
- June 27: Alex near Belize City, Belize, 65 mph (tropical storm)
- July 1: Alex near Soto la Marina, Mexico, 110 mph (Category 2)
- July 8: TD 2L near Port Isabel, United States, 35 mph (tropical depression)
- July 22: Bonnie near George Town, Bahamas, 40 mph (tropical storm)
- July 23: Bonnie, 45 mph (tropical storm)
- July 23: Bonnie near Cutler Bay, United States, 40 mph (tropical storm)
- September 4: Earl near Bridgewater, Canada, 75 mph (Category 1)
- September 4: Earl near Three Rivers, Canada, 70 mph (tropical storm)
- September 15: Karl near Chetumal, Mexico, 65 mph (tropical storm)
- September 17: Karl near Veracruz, Mexico, 115 mph (Category 3)
- September 21: Igor near Conception Bay South, Canada, 85 mph (Category 1)
- September 24: Matthew near Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, 60 mph (tropical storm)
- September 25: Matthew near Bella Vista, Belize, 40 mph (tropical storm)
- October 11: Paula near Puerto Lempira, Honduras, 50 mph (tropical storm)
- October 14: Paula near Minas de Matahambre, Cuba, 65 mph (tropical storm)
- October 25: Richard near Dangriga, Belize, 100 mph (Category 2)
- October 30: Tomas near Bridgetown, Barbados, 70 mph (tropical storm)
- October 30: Tomas near Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, 100 mph (Category 2)
- November 6: Tomas near Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 70 mph (tropical storm)
How 2010 ranks since 1980
The season ranks 9th of 47 Atlantic seasons since 1980 for named storms (tied with 2 other seasons), 3rd for hurricanes and 10th for accumulated cyclone energy.
The record since 1980 is 30 named storms, in 2020, and the highest ACE is 250, in 2005.
2010 storm names
The 2010 season used 18 names: Alex, Bonnie, Colin, Danielle, Earl, Fiona, Gaston, Igor, Julia, Karl, Lisa, Matthew, Nicole, Otto, Paula, Richard, Shary, Tomas.
2 systems were tracked without a name and are listed by number.
Atlantic and East Pacific lists repeat every six years. See how storms are named.
The WMO later retired the names Igor and Tomas, so they will not be used again.
2010 season FAQ
How many named storms were there in 2010?
The 2010 Atlantic hurricane season had 18 named storms, 12 hurricanes and 5 major hurricanes, from 20 systems tracked in all. The 1991–2020 average is 14.4 named storms, 7.2 at 64 kt or more and 3.2 major per season. The first to form was Alex and the last was Tomas.
What was the strongest storm of 2010?
Hurricane Igor. It peaked at 155 mph (250 km/h, 135 kt) with a lowest pressure of 924 mb on September 15. That is Category 4 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale. 26 Atlantic storms since 1980 peaked higher. It produced 26% of the season’s accumulated cyclone energy.
When did the 2010 season end?
The official season ended on November 30, 2010, as it does every year in the Atlantic, eastern Pacific and Central Pacific. The last system, Tomas, dissipated on November 10. Storms that form in December still count toward that year: 6 Atlantic storms since 1980 reached tropical-storm strength in December.