Tropical Storm Gonzalo Archive – 2020 Hurricane Season

Tropical Storm Gonzalo (SSHWS)
Duration	July 21 – July 25
Peak intensity	65 mph (100 km/h) (1-min)  997 mbar (hPa)

Early on July 20, the NHC began monitoring a tropical wave over the central tropical Atlantic for possible tropical cyclone development.^[122] Though in an area of only somewhat conducive conditions,^[123] the wave rapidly became better organized as it moved quickly westward. By 21:00 UTC July 21, satellite imagery and scatterometer data indicated that the small low pressure system had acquired a well-defined circulation as well as sufficiently organized convection to be designated Tropical Depression Seven.^[124] At 12:50 UTC on July 22, the NHC upgraded the depression to Tropical Storm Gonzalo.^[125] Gonzalo continued to intensify throughout the day, with an eyewall under a central dense overcast and hints of a developing eye becoming evident.^[126] Gonzalo would then reach its peak intensity with wind speeds of 65 mph and a minimum central pressure of 997 mbar at 09:00 UTC the next day.^[127] However, strengthening was halted as its central dense overcast was significantly disrupted when the storm entrained very dry air into its circulation from the Saharan Air Layer to its north.^[128] Convection soon redeveloped over Gonzalo's center as the system attempted to mix out the dry air from its' circulation,^[129] but the tropical storm did not strengthen further due to the hostile conditions. After making landfall on the island of Trinidad as a weak tropical storm, Gonzalo weakened to a tropical depression at 18:00 UTC on July 25. Three hours later, Gonzalo opened up into a tropical wave as it made landfall in northern Venezuela.^[130]

Gonzalo was the earliest recorded seventh named storm in the Atlantic basin. The previous record holder was Tropical Storm Gert, which formed on July 24, 2005.^[131] On July 23, hurricane watches were issued for Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and a tropical storm watch was issued later that day for Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago.^[132] After Gonzalo failed to strengthen into a hurricane on July 24, the hurricane and tropical storm watches were replaced with tropical storm warnings.^[133] Tropical Storm Gonzalo brought squally weather to Trinidad and Tobago and parts of southern Grenada and northern Venezuela on July 25.^[134] However, the storm's impact ended up being significantly smaller than originally anticipated.^[135] The Tobago Emergency Management Agency only received two reports of damage on the island: a fallen tree on a health facility in Les Coteaux and a damaged bus stop roof in Argyle.^[136]