1986 Pacific hurricane season
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| First storm formed: | May 22, 1986 |
|---|---|
| Last storm dissipated: | October 22, 1986 |
| Strongest storm: | Roslyn - 125 kts |
| Total storms: | 17 |
| Major storms (Cat. 3+): | 3 |
| Total damage: | 2 million+ |
| Total fatalities: | 2+ |
| Pacific hurricane seasons 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 |
|
The 1986 Pacific hurricane season officially started May 15, 1986 in the eastern Pacific, and June 1, 1986 in the central Pacific, and lasted until November 30, 1986. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northeastern Pacific Ocean.
Contents |
[edit] Activity
The number of storms this season was slightly above average. There were seventeen tropical cyclones reaching tropical storm strength, and six hurricanes. However, the number of major hurricanes was below average with three.
[edit] Hurricane Agatha
On May 22, a tropical depression formed. It took an atypical southeast track. On May 24, the depression looped strengthened into Tropical Storm Agatha. Agatha briefly headed almost due north. On May 25, reached minimal hurricane strength and turned to the east-southeast. Agatha dropped to a storm and then a depression as it continued paralleling the coast of Mexico. Agatha restrengthened into a tropical storm for 12 hours on May 28 and 29 before dissipating for good that same day.
As Agatha passed very close to the Pacific coast of Mexico, it probably caused rainfall in that area. Its effects in the area are not available. Agatha's easterly track was highly unusual, matched recently by Adrian (2005).
[edit] Hurricane Estelle
 |
 |
| Estelle satellite image and storm path | |
|---|---|
At midday on July 16, a tropical depression formed, and within 12 hours it strengthened into a tropical storm. On July 18, Estelle intensified into a hurricane, and located in a favourable environment, Estelle continued strengthening to became the first major hurricane of the season on July 20. The hurricane entered the CPHC's Area of Responsibility near its peak strength of 135 mph. Estelle's forward motion increased to close to 20 knots, resulting in the path of a potential landfall on the Big Island. Due to a shearing environment from a trough, Estelle weakened as it continued approaching Hawaii. A possible recurve never materialized, and the cyclone continued its path towards the Hawaiian Islands. The hurricane veered to west and passed south of the islands. Estelle weakened to a tropical storm on July 23, and on the 25th it weakened to a depression. The storm dissipated two days later.
Due to its rapid motion, Estelle kept pace with a large swell of water that it generated. In combination with a high spring tide and peripheral winds generated by Estelle, huge waves crashed on the shores of the Big Island on the afternoon of July 22. The high waves washed away five beachfront homes and severely damaged dozens of others in Vacation Land. The total damage was around $2 million (1986 USD). On Maui, waves washed away a dirt road on the eastern part of the island between Kipahulu and Kaupo. After Estelle passed by the islands, moisture related to the tropical cyclone caused heavy rainfall in the Ka'u and Puna districts on the Big Island. After Estelle dissipated, its moisture became entraped in a trough over the islands, causing significant rainfall and thunderstorms over the archipelago. The only deaths reported were two drownings on Oahu that occurred on July 23. They mave been due to rough surf caused by Estelle.
Estelle was a well-observed storm, with Reconnaissance Aircraft flying into the hurricane to provide a fix on its location. It also passed near NOAA Buoy 51004 on July 22, providing valuable meteorological data for its future path.
[edit] Typhoon Georgette
On August 3, a tropical depression organized in the open ocean. Twelve hours later, it strengthened into Tropical Storm Georgette before weakening to a depression 6 hours later. It then accelerated to a very rapid speed of 20-39 knots. Due to its fast speed, Georgette couldn't maintain a closed circulation, and the tropical storm degenerated into a non-cyclonic disturbance. The disturbance kept up its rapid forward motion, crossed the dateline, and entered the western Pacific.
Five days later, Georgette reformed into a depression. As was customary, it kept its name. It eventually strengthened into a minimal typhoon. It began a Fujiwhara interaction with the larger and stronger Typhoon Tip and was eventually absorbed by it.
Georgette is properly a typhoon because it never strengthened into a hurricane east of the dateline. The dissipation of a storm in the central Pacific and a regeneration in the western Pacific is extremely uncommon. The next time this happened was with Enrique in 1991.
[edit] Hurricane Paine
The tropical disturbance that became the 23rd tropical cyclone of the season passed into the Pacific Ocean through Central America on the 27th of September. Moving westward south of a warm core ridge, the disturbance became a tropical depression late on the 27th roughly 200 miles southwest of Guatemala. Paralleling the Mexican coastline, the system became a tropical storm late on the 29th, about 350 miles west-southwest of Acapulco. By the afternoon of the 30th, reconnaissance aircraft observations revealed Paine's strengthening into a hurricane. Peaking as a low-end category 2 hurricane, Paine entered the mouth of the Sea of Cortez on the evening of the 1st. The hurricane accelerated north-northeast, crossing the coast near San Jose (Boca del Rio) while still a hurricane. The system moved rapidly across Mexico, bringing significant rains from west Texas across Oklahoma and Kansas into the Mid-Mississippi Valley. Flooding was reported due to recent rains, particularly near Oklahoma City. The storm total rainfall from Paine was constructed using data provided by the National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, NC.
[edit] Hurricane Roslyn
 |
 |
| Roslyn satellite image and storm path | |
|---|---|
Tropical Depression 24 originated as a tropical disturbance which moved westward offshore Nicaragua. During the early afternoon of the 15th, ship reports indicated the formation of a tropical depression near 10.2N 92.7W. The cyclone moved at a quick pace to the west- northwest south of a warm-core ridge. Early on the morning of the 16th, Roslyn became a tropical storm. By the morning of the 17th, it had developed into a hurricane south of Acapulco.
A virgorous upper trough was deepening offshore Baja California, and Roslyn began to recurve within a few hundred miles of Manzanillo. Striking Mazatlán as a marginal hurricane on the 20th, its upper level portion moved northeast thereafter spurring cyclogenesis in the western Gulf of Mexico along the frontal zone, causing heavy rains along the Middle Texas coast. The surface low occluded and moved northward through the Mississippi Valley, spreading light to moderate rains along its path. However, its upper level portion continued moving eastward, spreading rains across the Deep South. Click here for the storm total rainfall graphic for Roslyn.
[edit] Tropical Depressions
There were also at least three depressions that did not strengthen into named storms. Tropical Depression Ten-E formed in the open ocean and dissipated on July 28 after entering the CPHC's area of responsibility. Tropical Depression Eight-E dissipated sometime in July well within the east Pacific. One-C was possibly a regeneration of Eight-E. It passed south of the Hawaiian Islands without impact, and dissipated on July 28.
[edit] 1986 storm names
The following names were used for named storms that formed in the eastern Pacific in 1986. No names were retired, so it was used again in the 1992 season. This is the same list used for the 1980 season. Storms were named Orlene, Paine, and Roslyn for the first time in 1986, although Orlene had been used on the old four-year lists. No central Pacific names were used; the first name used would have been Oka. Names that were not assigned are marked in gray.
|
|
|
[edit] See also
- List of notable tropical cyclones
- 1986 Atlantic hurricane season
- 1986 Pacific typhoon season
- 1985-86 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone season
- 1986-87 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone season
- 1985-1989 North Indian cyclone seasons
