Hurricane Adrian (2005)

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This article is about the hurricane of 2005. For other storms of the same name, see Hurricane Adrian (disambiguation).

Hurricane Adrian

Category 1 hurricane (SSHS)

Hurricane Adrian on May 19, 2005 at 17:15 UTC.

Formed

May 17, 2005

Dissipated

May 21, 2005

Highest
winds

80 mph (1-minute sustained)

Lowest pressure

982 mbar (hPa)

Damage

Minimal

Fatalities

4+ direct

Areas
affected

El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua

Part of the
2005 Pacific hurricane season

Hurricane Adrian was a tropical cyclone that formed on May 17, 2005. It was the first storm of the 2005 Pacific hurricane season, forming two days after the season officially began. It made landfall in Honduras along the coast of the Gulf of Fonseca as a tropical depression late on May 19, then weakened rapidly, dissipating over Honduras on May 20, 2005.

1 Storm history
- 1.1 Unusual track
2 Preparations
3 Impact
- 3.1 Lack of retirement
4 See also
5 External links
6 References

[edit] Storm history

Storm path

A weak tropical disturbance moved west across South America from May 11 through May 13 and crossed Central America on May 15. It didn't begin to organize until it reached its area of tropical cyclone formation. It became Tropical Depression 01E on May 17, about 440 miles (710 km) west-southwest of El Salvador and began moving northeast, towards the Salvadorian capital of San Salvador. It attained tropical storm strength early the next day, and received the first name on the season list, Adrian.

Adrian continued intensifying until it briefly reached hurricane strength on the morning of May 19 with 80 mph winds and a pressure of 982 mbar. Operationally, the storm maintained its strength until it struck El Salvador as a minimal hurricane. But in post-analysis, it was revealed the system abruptly weakened before striking land, dropping down to only tropical depression strength only 30 miles from the shore. Late on May 19, it entered the Gulf of Fonseca and made landfall in Honduras, after which it began weakening rapidly.

El Salvador's National Service for Territorial Studies reported the hurricane's landfall at Acajutla, about 35 miles (55 kilometers) west of the capital, San Salvador; American forecasts placed the landfall closer to the Puerto la Libertad beach resort. However, the NHC's Monthly Tropical Weather Summary for May 2005 states that the official landfall of Adrian occurred in Honduras; since the storm weakened greatly before landfall, and turned east, its poorly-defined center never crossed the El Salvador shoreline.

[edit] Unusual track

The northeastern track of this storm was extremely unusual. Only 4 tropical systems had been recorded to have made landfall on the western coast of Guatemala or El Salvador since 1966, and none had ever before made landfall on the thin western coast of Honduras. The only named system ever to make landfall on the west coast of Guatemala or El Salvador was Tropical Storm Andres on June 7, 1997, near San Salvador. Considering the path this storm took, it was possible that it would cross into the Caribbean Sea and become Tropical Storm Ana, the first named storm of the Atlantic season over a week before that season officially began. One NHC discussion, however, stated that if it maintained tropical cyclone status, it would retain the name Adrian, although this would have counteracted the precedent set when Hurricane Joan crossed into the Pacific from the Atlantic in 1988 and was renamed Miriam.^[1] It was also a somewhat rare May hurricane, which only occurs about once every four years.

[edit] Preparations

Officials in El Salvador began evacuations and also closed public facilities as precautionary measures. Between 14,000 and 20,000 people were told to leave their homes and move to higher ground, leaving streets deserted. The local governments and citizens were mindful of the damages caused to the region by other hurricanes, namely the 9,000 deaths caused by Hurricane Mitch in 1998.^[2]

President Antonio Saca addressed the public on radio and television on May 19, and stated "the most important thing is for Salvadorans to remain calm, and be conscientious."^[3]

[edit] Impact

A single fatality was reported in El Salvador after a military pilot crashed his plane while flying during the storm. Whether it was direct or indirect is unknown.^[4] The SNET reported only minor damage, limited to downed trees and power outages. But media reports also stated scattered and minor building damage. An average of four inches of rain fell across two thirds of the country, while mountainous areas received up to 16 inches. All this rain caused widespread flooding with mudslides and washed out roads.^[5]

Media reports revealed that scattered and minor building damage occurred in the Honduras. Widespread flooding washed out numerous roads and caused mudslides.^[5]

At least two deaths were reported in the village of Caxaque, in Guatemala's San Marcos department, following a mudslide caused by the heavy rains that preceded Adrian's landfall.^[4] Localized flooding occurred in portions of the country,^[5] while a light rain fell upon Guatemala City.^[4]

Fortunately, only one direct casualty was caused from flooding in Nicaragua. Localized flooding occurred in portions of the country.^[5]