Hurricane Juliette (2001)

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Hurricane Juliette

Category 4 hurricane (SSHS)

Hurricane Juliette off the coast of Mexico

Formed

September 21, 2001

Dissipated

October 3, 2001

Highest
winds

145 mph (1-minute sustained)

Lowest pressure

923 mbar (hPa)

Damage

$19 million (2001 USD)
$20.5 million (2005 USD) [1]

Fatalities

7 direct

Areas
affected

Baja California, Northwestern Mexico

Part of the
2001 Pacific hurricane season

Hurricane Juliette was a long lasting Category 4 hurricane in the 2001 Pacific hurricane season. It caused 7 deaths and $20.5 million (2005 USD) in damage when it hit Baja California in late September.

1 Storm history
2 Impact
- 2.1 Lack of retirement
3 See also
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Storm history

Storm path

Atlantic Ocean Tropical Depression Nine hit Honduras on September 21. It moved quickly across Central America, losing its circulation but maintaining intense convection while crossing. Upon reaching the eastern Pacific Ocean, it reorganized and became Tropical Depression Eleven-E on September 21. Though it was located only 100 miles off the coast of Guatemala, its small size allowed it to strengthen into Tropical Storm Juliette later on the 21st.

Juliette paralleled the Mexican coastline, steadily organizing under a state of low vertical shear and warm water temperatures. On September 23, it was upgraded to a hurricane, and Juliette rapidly intensified to reach Category 4 status just 18 hours later. A small pinhole eye aided in the rapid strengthening, but an eyewall replacement cycle weakened Juliette to a 110 mph hurricane late on September 24. As its outer eyewall contracted, Juliette again rapidly intensified to a peak of 145 mph on the 25th. At its peak, Reconnaissance Aircraft reported a minimum central pressure of 923 mbar, the third lowest measured pressure in Eastern Pacific history behind Hurricanes Ava and Kenna; other hurricanes such as Hurricane Linda have had lower pressures estimated from satellite imagery however.

A strong trough of low pressure brought Hurricane Juliette northward, where cooler water temperatures and another eyewall replacement cycle caused the hurricane to weaken. Juliette slowed its forward motion as it continued north-northwestward, and weakened to a tropical storm on September 28. A small area of warm waters near the Baja California peninsula allowed the storm to re-strengthen into a hurricane on the 29th. Increased vertical shear again weakened Juliette, and the storm hit Baja California near Cabo San Lucas as a 45 mph tropical storm. Officially, Juliette dissipated on the 30th, but the low level circulation remained as it crossed the peninsula, and it restrengthened into a 35 mph tropical depression in the Gulf of California. Under weak steering currents, it drifted westward, where, after hitting northeastern Baja California, it finally dissipated on October 3.

[edit] Impact

While paralleling the Mexican coastline, Juliette's outer rain bands brought torrential rains to the coast of Oaxaca. There, 2 bridges and 20 homes were destroyed. Further up the coast in Michoacán, 1,000 homes were destroyed from flooding. Five people were reported killed prior to Juliette's Baja California landfall. Throughout Mexico, damage totaled to $20.5 million (2005 USD). ^[1]

Hurricane Juliette brought heavy rain to Baja California, amounting to 449.6 mm/17.7" in Cabo San Lucas ^[2], and as much as 1011 mm/39.80" at Caudaño. ^[3] The heavy rains caused mudslides, especially in Cabo San Lucas. Downed power lines and beach erosion were also noted in that city. A positive aspect of the storm was in its aftermath, fishing was seen as incredible, possibly due to upwelled waters on the Mexican coastline. During the storm 23 boats were knocked over in La Paz.

Two other deaths can be attributed to Juliette. One surfer drowned off the Baja California coast in the high seas, and a fisherman died when his boat capsized off the Mexican coastline. The Mexican government declared southern Baja California a Disaster Zone, and provided assistance to 3,000 people who were affected by the storm.

Late in Juliette's life and in its aftermath, the remnants brought strong thunderstorm activity to the American Southwest, knocking down trees and power lines in southern California. Rainfall in the United States peaked at 0.9 inches in Patagonia, Arizona. ^[4]