2008 Pacific hurricane season
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article or section contains information about an ongoing meteorological event or phenomenon. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses. |
 |
| First storm formed: | May 29, 2008 |
|---|---|
| Last storm dissipated: | Season currently active |
| Strongest storm: | Alma - 994 mbar (hPa) (29.36 inHg), 65 mph (100 km/h) |
| Total depressions: | 1 |
| Total storms: | 1 |
| Hurricanes: | N/A |
| Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+): | N/A |
| Total fatalities: | 1 direct, 8 indirect |
| Total damage: | Unknown |
| Pacific hurricane seasons 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, Post-2009 |
|
The 2008 Pacific hurricane season is an ongoing event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. It officially started May 15, 2008 in the eastern Pacific, will start on June 1, 2008 in the central Pacific, and will last until November 30, 2008.
Contents |
[edit] Seasonal forecasts
| Source | Date | Named storms |
Hurricanes | Major hurricanes |
| NOAA | Average[1] | 15.3 | 8.8 | 4.2 |
| NOAA[2] | 22 May 2008 | 11 – 16 | 5 – 8 | 1 – 3 |
| Record high activity | 27 | 16 | 9 | |
| Record low activity | 8 | 4 | 0 | |
| –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– | ||||
| Actual activity | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
On May 22, 2008, NOAA released their forecast for the 2008 Eastern Pacific and Central Pacific hurricane seasons. They predicted a below-normal level of activity in the Eastern Pacific, with 11 to 16 named storms, of which 5 to 8 were expected to become hurricanes, and 1 to 3 expected to become major hurricanes.[2]
The Central Pacific basin was also expected to be slightly below average, with three to four tropical cyclones expected to form or cross into the area.[3]
[edit] Storms
[edit] Tropical Storm Alma
| Tropical storm (SSHS) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|||
| Duration | May 29—May 30 | ||
| Intensity | 65 mph (100 km/h) (1-min), 994 mbar (hPa) | ||
- Main article: Tropical Storm Alma (2008)
A tropical wave developed south of Central America in the last week of May. The wave developed gradually, and by late on May 28 the system became the first tropical depression of the 2008 season. It strengthened into a tropical storm on May 29, and then rapidly strengthened that morning into a strong tropical storm. Alma reached her peak of 65 mph early on May 29. Around 12 PM PDT, Alma made landfall on the Northwestern coast of Nicaragua near León at peak strength.
León lost electricity and telephone services as the storm impacted the area, and trees were toppled and some houses lost roofs. Seven people were killed.[4] The remnants of Alma would later reemerge into the Gulf of Honduras and reorganize on May 31 to become Tropical Storm Arthur.
[edit] Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) Rating
| ACE (104kt²) (Source) — Storm: | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.62 | Alma | |||||||||||
| Total: 0.623 | |||||||||||||
The table on the right shows the ACE for each storm in the season. ACE is, broadly speaking, a measure of the power of the hurricane multiplied by the length of time it existed, so storms that last a long time, as well as particularly strong hurricanes, have high ACEs. ACE is only calculated for full advisories on tropical systems at or exceeding 34 knots (39 mph, 63 km/h) or tropical storm strength.
The figures in parenthesis are for storms in the Central Pacific basin west of 140°W; those not in parenthesis are for the Eastern Pacific basin.
[edit] Timeline of events
- Main article: Timeline of the 2008 Pacific hurricane season
[edit] May
- May 15
-
- The Eastern Pacific hurricane season officially begins.
- May 28
-
- 8 p.m. PDT (0300 UTC May 29): Tropical Depression One-E forms off the coast of Costa Rica. [5]
- May 30
-
- 8 a.m. PDT (1500 UTC): The NHC issues the final advisory on Tropical Depression Alma.[8]
[edit] Storm names
The following names will be used for named storms that form in the northeast Pacific in 2008. This is the same list that was used in the 2002 season, except for Karina, which replaced Kenna.
|
|
|
For the central Pacific Ocean, four consecutive lists are used, with the names used sequentially until exhausted, rather than until the end of the year, due to the low number of storms each year.
- Kika (unused)
- Lana (unused)
- Maka (unused)
[edit] Retirement
Retired names, if any, will be announced by the WMO in the spring of 2009.
[edit] See also
- List of Pacific hurricanes
- List of Pacific hurricane seasons
- 2008 Atlantic hurricane season
- 2008 Pacific typhoon season
- 2008 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
- South-West Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 2007-08, 2008-09
- Australian region cyclone seasons: 2007-08, 2008-09
- South Pacific cyclone seasons: 2007-08, 2008-09
[edit] References
- ^ Climate Prediction Center, NOAA (2006-05-22). Background Information: East Pacific Hurricane Season. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved on 2007-05-22.
- ^ a b Climate Prediction Center, NOAA (2008-05-22). NOAA: 2008 Tropical Eastern North Pacific Hurricane Outlook. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved on 2008-05-26.
- ^ Central Pacific Hurricane Center, NOAA (2008-05-22). NOAA Expects Slightly Below Average Central Pacific Hurricane Season. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved on 2008-05-26.
- ^ http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N29370559.htm
- ^ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2008/ep01/ep012008.discus.001.shtml?
- ^ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2008/ep01/ep012008.discus.003.shtml?
- ^ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2008/ep01/ep012008.public.005.shtml?
- ^ http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2008/ep01/ep012008.public.008.shtml?
[edit] External links
- National Hurricane Center's Eastern Pacific Tropical Weather Outlook - updated four times daily
- National Hurricane Center
- National Hurricane Center's 2007 Advisory Archive
- Central Pacific Hurricane Center
- NRL hurricane page - Naval Research Laboratory page with extensive archives on individual storms
|
|||||
