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The 2000 Pacific hurricane season was an ongoing event in tropical cyclone meteorology. There were few notable storms this year. Tropical Storms Miriam, Norman, and Rosa all made landfall in Mexico with minimal impact. Hurricane Daniel briefly threatened the U.S. state of Hawaii while weakening. Hurricane Carlotta was the strongest storm of the year and the second strongest June hurricane in recorded history. It killed 18 people when it sank a freighter.
[edit] Season Summary
Hurricane Hector and Tropical Storm Ileana on
August 14, with Tropical Storm Beryl in the Gulf of Mexico also visible
The 2000 Pacific hurricane season officially started on May 15, 2000 in the eastern Pacific, and on June 1, 2000 in the central Pacific, and lasted until November 30, 2000. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northeastern Pacific Ocean.
This season had an above average number of storms. However, it had a below average number of hurricanes and major hurricanes. There were also two tropical depressions that did not reach storm strength. In the central Pacific, two tropical storms formed. The first storm formed on May 22 and the last storm dissipated on November 8.
[edit] Hurricane Aletta
A tropical wave was identified crossing Central America on May 18 and 19 and moved south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec on May 20. The wave did not increase in organization for the next couple of days, but on May 22, deep convection developed near its center, and became the first tropical depression of the season, while located south of Acapulco, Mexico.[1] A mid-level ridge kept the depression moving west northwestwards, preventing it from moving towards the Mexican coast.[2] It slowly intensified, reaching tropical storm intensity early on May 23, while located 220 mi (350 km) south of Zihuatanejo, Mexico. Aletta was the first tropical storm in May since the 1996 season, and the first named storm in May since the 1991 season, as the storm in 1996 was not given a name. When, Aletta was named, its motion changed from west northwestward to westward, as well as decreasing its speed. Aletta continued to intensify slowly, but it began to deepen more rapidly on May 24, as the wind shear that inhibited Aletta from intensifying eased off. The storm was upgraded to a hurricane on the same day and peaked as a Category 2 hurricane six hours later, with a 1-min sustained wind speed of 105 mph (165 km/h).[1] Its Category 2 intensity was unexpected, as it was forecast earlier that day only suggested Aletta to reach Category 1 intensity.[3] The hurricane was forecast to intensify further to 110 mph (175 km/h),[4] but this did not materialize. On May 25, Aletta begin to weaken due to increasing easterly shear. Also at this time, a trough eroded a ridge that was steering the movement of Aletta, causing the hurricane to remain almost stationary for the next two days. Directional wind shear, as well as the upwelling of cool ocean waters caused Aletta to weaken further.[1] On May 27, the cyclone was expected to maintain its intensity and possibly restrengthen,[5] but the storm continued to weaken rapidly and was downgraded to a tropical depression later that day dissipated on May 28 due to cool ocean waters, while located well south of Cabo San Lucas, slowly drifting northwards. Its remnants lingered in the same area for the next several days.[1]
Aletta caused no known damages or casualties.[1] However, the National Hurricane Center advised parts of Mexico of possible heavy rainfall from the storm's outer bands when the storm was developing on May 23.[6] Hurricane Aletta was the second-strongest May hurricane. As of the start of the 2006 season, it is the fourth-most intense.
[edit] Tropical Storm Bud
A tropical wave that will eventually become Tropical Storm Bud was first identified off the coast of Africa on May 22. It moved across the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, then into the eastern Pacific Ocean on June 6 with little development. The tropical wave remained disorganized until June 11 when a broad low pressure area developed southwest of Acapulco, Mexico. The wave was only intensifying slowly, and on June 13, it became strong enough to be designated as a tropical depression. It quickly strengthened to tropical storm intensity six hours later, and moved to the northwest.[7] It was forecast to strengthen to a strong tropical storm with winds reaching 70 mph (110 km/h),[8] but the storm only reached a peak intensity of 50 mph (85 km/h) early on June 14. Bud turned to the north-northwest, and slowly weakened from June 15 onwards, due to increasing vertical wind shear and cooler ocean water temperatures.[7] The storm's forward speed decreased and began to meander, as the ridge to the north of Bud weakens and a trough develops over the western United States.[9] It drifted erratically while located just north of Socorro Island, and was downgraded to a tropical depression on June 16. By the next day, it dissipated into an area of low pressure, however, it continued to exist until June 19.[7]
Bud passed near Socorro Island on June 15, with estimated 1-min winds of 45 mph (75 km/h), and caused large waves along the western coast of Mexico. However, no reports of damage or casualties were received.[7]
[edit] Hurricane Carlotta
- Main article: Hurricane Carlotta (2000)
A tropical wave that entered the Pacific Ocean acquired a closed circulation and became a depression on June 18. It strengthened into a storm June 19 and a hurricane the next day. Carlotta then began explosively deepening, and it strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane on June 21. It then began to reduce its forward speed and slowly weaken as its path paralleled the Pacific coast of Mexico. Carlotta weakened to a storm on June 24 and a depression June 25. The cyclone dissipated shortly thereafter.
Though it never made landfall, Carlotta killed 18 people when it sunk the Lithuanian freighter M/V Linkuva. Carlotta is also the second most intense June tropical cyclone in the east Pacific; only Ava of 1973 was stronger.
[edit] Tropical Depression Four-E
Tropical Depression Four-E was a short-lived storm that formed from the same tropical wave that spawned Tropical Depression Two in the Atlantic Ocean. The tropical wave crossed Central America between June 30 and July 1, continuing to move westward into the Pacific Ocean. The wave became more organized on July 6 and the National Hurricane Center started issuing advisories on the newly developed tropical depression later that day.[10] The hurricane center predicted that the depression will reach tropical storm intensity, as there was a lack of vertical wind shear around the system and sea surface temperatures were warm enough for intensification to occur.[11] The depression lacked any deep convection, however, and it began weakening on the next day.[12] It was dissipating late in the day as the storm moved into an area of stronger wind shear.[13]
[edit] Tropical Depression Five-E
The origins of Tropical Depression Five-E were first identified on July 8 when a tropical wave moved off the west African coast. It entered the eastern Pacific Ocean on July 16 after tracking over the Caribbean Sea. The wave developed to a tropical depression on July 22.[14] It lacked any deep convection and it was moving over cold waters, so it never intensified further to a tropical storm.[15] The depression dissipated late on July 23, one day after it formed to a depression.[16]
[edit] Tropical Storm Upana
A tropical wave organized into Tropical Depression One-C on July 20 while located southeast of the Hawaiian Islands. It strengthened slowly and moved nearly due west, before reaching storm strength later on July 20. The storm was named Upana, which is Hawaiian for "Urban". Despite a favourable environment, Upana strengthened little, reaching a peak intensity on July 21 with winds of 50 mph (85 km/h). The storm had no deep convection in its circulation on July 22, and was downgraded to a tropical depression in the afternoon. Late on July 23, deep convection flared up, briefly strengthening the storm, but failed to become a tropical storm again, as it remained poorly organized. It dissipated on July 24, despite a low shear environment favorable for development.[17]
Upana is the first storm in the Central Pacific Hurricane Center's area of responsibility to be named in July, and the first tropical storm to develop in the region since Tropical Storm Paka in the 1997 season. Upana's remnants continued moving to the west, and it crossed the International Date Line on July 26. The remnants encountered a favorable environment just west of the dateline, and they formed into Tropical Depression 12W. The depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Chanchu. The name Chanchu, submitted by Macau, is a Chinese word for pearl. Chanchu moved north, and had dissipated by July 30.[18]
There is good evidence Chanchu is actually a regeneration of Upana. The official policy is that dateline crossers keep their name. However, there was supposedly some doubt at the time. Also, since Upana had dissipated several days earlier, and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center had already assigned a new number for the system, the Japan Meteorological Agency decided that renaming the cyclone was the best choice.[18]
- CPHC archive for Upana.
- Monthly global tropical cyclone summary for July found at Typhoon2000 [1]
[edit] Hurricane Daniel
Hurricane Daniel reached Category 3 intensity and briefly threatened Hawaii as a tropical storm, but veered to the northwest as it approached the islands.
No casualties or damaged was reported in association with Hurricane Daniel, despite the system's passing close enough to Hawaii to require tropical storm warnings. It still produced heavy surf conditions along the northern shores of the Hawaiian Islands. Daniel was the first tropical cyclone to be a significant threat to Hawaii since 1994.
[edit] Tropical Storm Emilia
On July 11, a tropical wave moved off the African coast, and moved to the Lesser Antilles one week later. It passed over Central America near Panama on July 22 without any increase in organization. On July 25, the wave began to show curved banding, showing that it had become better organized. It intensified to a tropical depression on July 26 while located south southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, designated as Tropical Depression Seven-E. The depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Emilia later that day while moving northwest, steered by a mid-level ridge to its north.[19] During this time, Emilia was forecast to strengthen to a hurricane within two days, due to the system moving over warm waters.[20] However, late on July 27, the storm began to accelerate, meaning that it will move into cooler waters sooner than firstly anticipated, therefore, only allowing the storm to intensify within a few hours before weakening.[21] Emilia moved near Socorro Island and it's intensity peaked with wind speeds of 65 mph (100 km/h), with an eyewall beginning to form. A few hours later, the storm moved into cooler waters and drier air, and Emilia's deep convection dissipated, weakening the storm.[19] Late on July 28 deep convection redeveloped near the storm's center, but wind shear prevented Emilia from strengthening.[22] It turned to the west and weakened below tropical storm intensity on July 29,[19] as the deep convection in the storm diminished again.[23] It shortly dissipated while located several hundred miles west south-west of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.[19]
[edit] Tropical Storm Fabio
Fabio moved northwestard in the Eastern Pacific until it underwent a Fujiwhara interaction with the remains of Hurricane Gilma.
[edit] Hurricane Gilma
Gilma was a category 1 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale) that took a climatological west-northwesterly track over the open waters of the eastern North Pacific.
[edit] Hurricane Hector
In the middle of August, two tropical storms developed off the Mexican coastline. Hector became a hurricane and moved out to sea, and Ileana became a strong tropical storm that neared, but never made landfall on the Mexican coastline. Hector formed southwest of Mexico, moved westward and dissipated over colder water southwest of Baja California. The remnants of Hector passed over the Hawaiian Islands several days later, producing heavy rain over most of the island chain.
[edit] Tropical Storm Ileana
Ileana was a strong tropical storm that briefly threatened the southwest coast of mainland Mexico and the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula before abruptly turning away from Baja California and dissipating over open water.
[edit] Tropical Storm Wene
A tropical disturbance developed in the Western Pacific Ocean along the eastern periphery of the monsoon trough in mid-August. Located at 33º north, it steadily organized, and became Tropical Depression Sixteen-W on August 15 while located 1700 miles to the northwest of Honolulu, Hawaii. It moved eastward along the west- east oriented surface pressure trough, and crossed the International Date Line later on the 15th. Warmer than usual water temperatures allowed the system to intensify despite its unusually high latitude, and it became Tropical Storm Wene on the 16th. It quickly attained a peak intensity of 50 mph, but weakened due to cooler waters and wind shear. Wene continued to weaken, and dissipated when the storm merged with an extratropical cyclone.
As a depression, Wene was the first, and currently is the most recent Western Pacific tropical cyclone to cross the dateline since the 1996 season. The name Wene is Hawaiian for "Wayne".
- CPHC archive for Wene.
- Monthly global tropical cyclone tracks for August found at Typhoon2000 [2]
[edit] Tropical Storm John
John was a tropical storm for several days and moved from the eastern to the central Pacific basin. John did not affect land.
[edit] Tropical Storm Kristy
Part of the same tropical wave that spawned Tropical Storm Chris in the Atlantic uneventfully crossed the rest of the Atlantic and passed far out to sea into the Pacific before it organized into Tropical Depression Fourteen-E on August 31. Despite significant shear, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Kristy as it meandered far from land over the open ocean. The shear then destroyed the system on September 3 where it was at a place just 210 kilometers from where it first organized. There were no effects anywhere.
[edit] Hurricane Lane
A tropical wave organized into Tropical Depression Fourteen-E on September 5. It moved westward and strengthened into Tropical Storm Lane later that day. On September 6, Lane then started increasing in size, perhaps due to a merger with a larger low-pressure area, and started doing a loop. Loops are rare in the eastern Pacific basin. During the loop, Lane passed over its own wake and weakened slightly.
When the loop was finished on September 8, Lane resumed its previous course and strengthened into a hurricane. Lane peaked on September 10 and then weakened steadily over cooler waters. A trough recurved the tropical storm. Lane dissipated on September 14, while located at 32°N, an unusually northerly location. Its remnant low made it to California.
Lane's large eye passed directly over Socorro Island, where a weather station recorded a pressure of 973 millibars.[24]. The hurricane's large circulation caused rains and gusty winds over parts of Mexico, disrupting several ports.[25], and its remnant low hit California. At all locations, effects were minimal, with no reports of damage or casualties.
[edit] Tropical Storm Miriam
A tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa on August 29. It remained weak as it moved westward across the Atlantic Ocean, and entered the Eastern Pacific Ocean on September 9. As it moved west-northwestward, it organized, and developed into Tropical Depression 15-E on the 15th while 290 miles east-southeast of Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. Banding features became more pronounced, though convection remained intermittent. On September 16, the depression briefly became Tropical Storm Miriam, though quickly weakened back to a tropical depression as it continued north-northwestward. Miriam dissipated on the 17th while 70 miles northeast of Cabo San Lucas. Tropical storm force winds were never reported, and it is possible Miriam never attained tropical storm status. [3]
Miriam dropped lighter than average rainfall upon Mexico, peaking at 7.68 inches (195 mm) at La Cruz/Elota.[26] Damage was relatively minimal from the storm, amounting to $770,000 (2000 USD) [4]
[edit] Tropical Storm Norman
The same tropical wave that spawned Atlantic Hurricane Gordon organized into an area of low pressure in the Eastern Pacific Ocean on September 18. Its convection slowly organized while south of Mexico, and a tropical depression formed on September 20 while 205 miles south-southeast of Manzanillo, Colima. Weak steering currents forced the depression to drift slowly northward, and later on the 20th it strengthened into Tropical Storm Norman. Norman quickly reached peak winds of 50 mph before making landfall in western Mexico. The storm rapidly weakened to a tropical depression over land, but Norman maintained its circulation and some deep convection as it turned to the northwest. It emerged over water on the 22nd, but turned to the northeast, made landfall again in Mexico, and dissipated late on the 22nd.[27]
Norman produced heavy rainfall across western Mexico, peaking at nearly 16 inches (405 mm) in the state of Colima.[28] In all, Norman caused $13.3 million (2000 USD) in damage.[29]
[edit] Tropical Storm Olivia
Olivia was a tropical storm that formed off the southwest coast of mainland Mexico, and generally tracked west-northwestward and remained over open water. After dissipating as a tropical cyclone, the remnant low-level circulation tracked across central Baja California, northwest Mexico and the desert southwest United States.
[edit] Tropical Storm Paul
Paul was a tropical storm that moved mostly westward across the tropical eastern Pacific basin for several days.
[edit] Tropical Storm Rosa
The origins of Tropical Storm Rosa can be traced to a tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa on October 18. It showed signs of development in the southwestern Caribbean Sea, though moved into the East Pacific Ocean on November 1 before being able to develop further. Favorable conditions allowed the system to quickly organize, and the wave formed into Tropical Depression 19-E on November 3 while 230 miles south of the El Salvador – Guatemala border. A ridge of high pressure to its north forced the depression westward, where it slowly organized into a tropical storm on the 5th. A mid-level trough eroded the high pressure system, allowing Rosa to turn more to the north. On the 6th, the storm reached a peak of 65 mph, though Rosa slowly weakened as it accelerated to the northeast. On November 8, the storm made landfall on the southern coast of Mexico with winds of 40 mph, and quickly dissipated. [5]
Rosa dropped moderate rainfall across Mexico, peaking at 15.32 inches (389 mm) near the Mexico/Guatemala border.[30] Damage was minimal, totaling to only $15,000 (2000 USD).[31]
Rosa was the first November storm since Hurricane Rick in the 1997 season.
[edit] Storm names
The following names were used for named storms that formed in the eastern Pacific in 2000. Names that were not assigned are marked in gray. No names were retired, so it was used again in the 2006 Pacific hurricane season. This is the same list used for the 1994 season.
- Aletta
- Bud
- Carlotta
- Daniel
- Emilia
- Fabio
- Gilma
- Hector
|
- Ileana
- John
- Kristy
- Lane
- Miriam
- Norman
- Olivia
- Paul
|
- Rosa
-
Sergio (unused)
-
Tara (unused)
-
Vicente (unused)
-
Willa (unused)
-
Xavier (unused)
-
Yolanda (unused)
-
Zeke (unused)
|
Two names were used from the Central Pacific list - Upana and Wene. This was the first usage for both names.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
