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Tropical Storm Edouard was the first of eight named storms to form in September 2002, the most such storms for any month at the time. The fifth tropical storm of the 2002 Atlantic hurricane season, Edouard developed into a tropical cyclone on September 1 from an area of convection associated with a cold front east of Florida. Under weak steering currents, Edouard drifted to the north and executed a clockwise loop to the west. Despite moderate to strong levels of wind shear, the storm reached a peak intensity of 65 mph (100 km/h) on September 3, but quickly weakened as it tracked westward. Edouard made landfall on northeastern Florida on September 5, and after crossing the state it dissipated on September 6 while becoming absorbed into the larger circulation of Tropical Storm Fay.〔 Tropical Storm Edouard dropped moderate rainfall across Florida, exceeding 7 inches (175 mm) in the western portion of the state. Though Edouard was a tropical storm at landfall, wind speeds along the storm's path over land were light. The rain flooded several roads; however, there were no casualties, and damage was minimal. ==Meteorological history== An area of cloudiness and rainshowers developed several hundred miles east-southeast of Bermuda on August 25, likely in association with a low-level disturbance that formed along a cold front. For several days, it moved southwestward, and, while located on the southwestern end of an upper-level trough to the north of Puerto Rico, deep convection throughout the system increased. The system tracked westward, and initially remained disorganized while surface pressures remained high. The system turned to a northwest drift, and began to slowly organize on August 30 while located a few hundred miles northeast of the Bahamas. A broad low pressure area developed on August 31 though convection remained disorganized as winds of 20 to 25 mph (32 to 40 km/h) were reported in squalls. Conditions remained favorable for continued organization, and convection increased and persisted across the system. The system developed into Tropical Depression Five on September 1 after developing a low-level circulation while located about 140 miles (225 km) east of Daytona Beach, Florida.〔 Upon first forming, the tropical depression was located in an area of light to moderate westerly wind shear. With a ridge to the north and west of the depression, the system moved to the northwest under weak steering currents. The depression slowly strengthened and intensified into Tropical Storm Edouard on September 2 while located about 120 miles (190 km) east of Jacksonville, Florida. The storm remained disorganized with wind shear displacing most of the deep convection from the low-level circulation. Upon becoming a tropical storm, forecasters initially predicted Edouard to gradually turn to the northeast, and within three days be located a short distance off the coast of South Carolina with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h). However, forecasters admitted little confidence in the prediction, and later forecasts predicted the storm to execute a loop and track westward into northern Florida or southern Georgia. Shortly after the tropical cyclogenesis of Edouard, steering currents became weak, resulting in the storm to turn sharply eastward.〔 Late on September 2 deep convection developed over the center, though the center quickly became exposed again. The environment appeared to become more hostile on September 2 and 3 with increasing shear and dry air overspreading the center.〔 Despite the conditions, the storm maintained vigorous convection over the eastern portion of the circulation, and it quickly intensified on September 3 to reach peak winds of 55 mph (90 km/h). A Reconnaissance Aircraft flight into the system estimated surface winds of up to 60 mph (95 km/h) and reported flight level winds of 82 mph (132 km/h). Shortly after peaking in intensity, Tropical Storm Edouard began to weaken as convection diminished from vertical shear and dry air, and later on September 3 the center was exposed from the steadily decreasing convection. The development of a weak and narrow mid-level ridge turned the storm to the west-southwest towards northeastern Florida.〔 Despite strong levels of wind shear, Edouard remained a tropical storm while producing sporadic amounts of deep convection, and on September 4 the banding structure improved. Early on September 5, Edouard made landfall near Ormond Beach, Florida as a minimal tropical storm, and almost immediately weakened to a tropical depression over land. It tracked across the state for about 13 hours and entered the Gulf of Mexico near Crystal River.〔 Initial forecasts predicted Edouard to restrengthen to a tropical storm over the northeastern Gulf of Mexico,〔 though uncertainty was noted due to the development of Tropical Storm Fay in the northwestern portion of the gulf. Upon entering the Gulf of Mexico, the depression encountered strong wind shear from the outflow of Tropical Storm Fay.〔 Edouard generated minimal amounts of intermittent convection along the southeastern portion of its circulation, enough for it to remain a tropical cyclone. By September 6 the remaining convection dissipated, and Edouard dissipated while becoming absorbed into the larger circulation of Tropical Storm Fay.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Tropical Storm Edouard (2002)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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