Hurricane Joyce (2000)

Hurricane Joyce

Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS/NWS)
Hurricane Joyce in the Atlantic Ocean
Formed	September 25, 2000
Dissipated	October 2, 2000
Highest winds	1-minute sustained: 90 mph (150 km/h)
Lowest pressure	975 mbar (hPa); 28.79 inHg
Fatalities	None reported
Areas affected	Trinidad and Tobago, Windward Islands, Leeward Antilles
Part of the 2000 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Joyce caused minor impact in the ABC and Windward islands during late September and early October 2000. The fourteenth tropical cyclone, tenth named storm, and sixth hurricane of the season, Joyce developed from a tropical wave located southwest of Cape Verde on September 25. Only twelve hours after becoming a cyclone, the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Joyce early on September 26. Joyce continued to strengthen and became a hurricane by September 27. On the following day, Joyce peaked with winds of 90 mph (150 km/h) on September 28. After peak intensity on September 28, unfavorable conditions caused Joyce to become disorganized and weaken.

Late on September 29, Joyce was downgraded to a tropical storm while centered well east of the Lesser Antilles. In contrast with predictions, Joyce continued to weaken and became a tropical depression on October 1 while crossing through the southern Windward Islands. Early on the following day, Joyce degenerated into a tropical wave over the southeast Caribbean Sea. The remnants were monitored for regeneration, but never developed back into a tropical cyclone. Overall, impact from Joyce was minimal, limited to mainly rainfall and near-tropical storm force winds in Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados. The remnants of Joyce also caused similar effects on the ABC islands and Dominican Republic, which resulted in minor damage.

Hurricane Joyce originated from a tropical wave that emerged from the coast of Africa on September 22. Influenced by a powerful ridge that had developed in the wake of Hurricane Isaac, the wave traveled a brisk and slightly undulating westward path at 14 to 18 mph (23 to 29 km/h). It would never change from that general path. While in the deep tropics of the open Atlantic, the wave began to show indications of a closed circulation. Satellite data was ambiguous, but the evidence favored the existence of a tropical cyclone, and the system was designated Tropical Depression Fourteen. At the next advisory, the cyclone was upgraded and named "", although satellite data was still ambiguous about whether Joyce even had a circulation.