Hurricane Guillermo (1997)
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| Category 5 hurricane (SSHS) | ||
|---|---|---|
 Hurricane Guillermo at peak intensity |
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| Formed | July 30, 1997 | |
| Dissipated | August 24, 1997 (extratropical after August 15) |
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| Highest winds |
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| Lowest pressure | 919 mbar (hPa; 27.15 inHg) | |
| Fatalities | 3 direct | |
| Damage | Unknown | |
| Areas affected |
California | |
| Part of the 1997 Pacific hurricane season |
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Hurricane Guillermo was the ninth tropical depression, seventh tropical storm, fourth hurricane and second major hurricane of the active 1997 Pacific hurricane season. It formed as a wave on July 16 off the African coast and entered the Eastern Pacific eleven days later. Guillermo was absorbed by an extratropical low on August 24, over 1 month after forming in the Atlantic. Guillermo did not affect land except for some swells and heavy surf along California. Three people were killed directly by Guillermo.
Guillermo became one of 12 storms to reach Category-5 status in the Eastern Pacific basin. Its peak intensity of 919 millibars was the second strongest on record at the time (behind Hurricane Ava of 1973), but Hurricane Linda later that year and Hurricane Kenna in the 2002 season surpassed it.
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[edit] Storm History
Rawinsonde data from Dakar determined that a wave had formed off the coast of Africa on July 16. The wave moved westward with little change in convection, as strong westerly winds had made it difficult for the wave to strengthen.[1]Reasonable extrapolation would put the wave in an area of cloudiness off the Pacific coast of Mexico on July 27. Convection increased in amount and the wave strengthened into Tropical Depression Ten-E on July 30, 300 nautical miles south of Salina Cruz, Mexico. The depression strengthened quickly in the Pacific Ocean, become Tropical Storm Guillermo the very next day.[1]
A cloud circulation had appeared over Guillermo and the storm continued to strengthen, becoming a hurricane on August 1 near Acapulco, Mexico.[1] After upper-level outflow became well established, an eye started to appear in Guillermo, which strengthened into a Category 2-hurricane at 1200 UTC August 2. Guillermo strengthened into a 120 mph Category 3-storm within six hours of that and became a Category 4-storm six hours after that.[1]
As it continued to move across the Eastern Pacific, Guillermo fluctuated in strength. Finally on August 5, Guillermo reached Category 5-status and peaked at 160 mph winds with a minimal pressure of 919 millibars, one of the stronget storms in the Eastern Pacific. As quickly as Guillermo strengthened, the storm started weakening at a moderate pace, becoming a tropical storm just before entering the Central Pacific basin on August 10.[1]
The Central Pacific Hurricane Center took over duties of tracking Guillermo as the storm moved around the Central Pacific.[1][2] Guillermo weakened into a tropical depression, but quickly regained tropical storm strength. At this point, Guillermo turned temporarily to the west-northwest near Hawaii and weakened into a tropical depression on July 15. Tropical Depression Guillermo became extratropical the next day.[1] The remnants of Guillermo were tracked as north as Vancouver, British Columbia before turning south. Guillermo was finally absorbed by an extratropical low on August 24 off of California.[1]
[edit] Impact and records
| Category 5 Pacific hurricanes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Season | Name | Season |
| Patsy | 1959 | Guillermo | 1997 |
| "Mexico" | 1959 | Linda | 1997 |
| Ava | 1973 | Elida | 2002 |
| Emilia | 1994 | Hernan | 2002 |
| Gilma | 1994 | Kenna | 2002 |
| John | 1994 | Ioke | 2006 |
| Main article: List of Category 5 Pacific hurricanes | |||
Guillermo's size caused 8 foot-wide swells off of beaches in Los Angeles, which was at the time, 1500 miles away from the Guillermo's center. 12-foot surf was experienced for more than 600 miles from the storm center. The heavy surf kept master Cabo skippers in port in Los Cabos. From Cabo San Lucas to San Jose del Cabo, the force of the storm crashed waves from the Sea of Cortez over the grounds of beachside resorts. The heavy surf chased tourists off some of Cabo's most popular beaches. A moderate amount of condos and homes were flooded by Guillermo. Two people were killed when waves swept sightseers from normally high beaches.[3]
Hurricane Guillermo generated heavy surf across the beaches of Southern California. Average surf heights were 6 to 8 feet with local sets above 10 feet. Over 100 rescues were reported by local lifeguards.[4]Surf whipped up by Hurricane Guillermo pounded beaches in Orange County with waves from 6 to 12 feet high. Hundreds of people were rescued, but rip currents were blamed for three injuries and one death. On the fifth, a 19 year old man was swept away about a mile north of the Huntington Beach Pier. His body was recovered several days later. On the sixth, a teenage boy and girl were pummelled on a beach in Corona Del Mar. Another 18 year old was pulled ashore and sent to the hospital with neck injuries. In Newport Beach, lifeguards made nearly 300 rescues on the fifth and sixth alone.[5]
- Guillermo became the second strongest storm on record in the Eastern Pacific basin with a minimal pressure of 919 millibars.[1]
- Guillermo also became one of only twelve storms to reach Category 5-status.[1]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j B. Max Mayfield (1997). Hurricane Guillermo Prelimary Report. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on March 6, 2007.
- ^ National Hurricane Center (1997). Hurricane Guillermo Prelimary Report. Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Retrieved on March 7, 2007.
- ^ Cabo Bob (2007). Hurricanes in Cabo San Lucas. Unknown. Retrieved on March 6, 2007.
- ^ NCDC (1997). Event- Heavy Surf- 06 Aug 1997, 06:00:00 AM PST. NOAA. Retrieved on March 6, 2007.
- ^ NCDC (1997). Event- Rip Currents- 05 Aug 1997, 06:00:00 AM PST. NOAA. Retrieved on March 6, 2007.
[edit] External links
- NHC 1997 Pacific hurricane season archive
- HPC 1997 Tropical Cyclone Rainfall Pages
- Central Pacific Hurricane Center archive
