1975 Pacific hurricane season
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| First storm formed: | June 2, 1975 |
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| Last storm dissipated: | November 7, 1975 |
| Strongest storm: | Denise - 120 knots (222 km/h) |
| Total storms: | 17 |
| Major storms (Cat. 3+): | 4 |
| Total damage: | unknown |
| Total fatalities: | ~30 |
| Pacific hurricane seasons 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 |
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The 1975 Pacific hurricane season officially started May 15, 1975 in the eastern Pacific, and June 1, 1975 in the central Pacific, and lasted until November 30, 1975. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northeast Pacific Ocean.
The 1975 Pacific hurricane season was near average, with 17 tropical storms forming. Of these, 9 became hurricanes, and 4 became major hurricanes by reaching Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. The only notable storms are Hurricane Olivia, which killed 30 people and left thousands homeless when it made landfall in October; and an unnamed hurricane that developed at very high latitude.
| Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale | ||||||
| TD | TS | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Contents |
[edit] Storms
[edit] Hurricane Denise
Denise was the most intense storm of the season, but it had no effect on land. It was the strongest July storm since the 1971 season. Denise peaked on July 9, and dissipated July 15.
[edit] Tropical Storm Eleanor
A tropical depression formed on July 10 south of Mexico. It moved northwestward, and after reaching a peak 40 mph (60 km/h), Tropical Storm Eleanor hit southwestern Mexico as a tropical depression. It quickly dissipated.
[edit] Hurricane Ilsa
On August 18, a tropical depression formed south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec. It moved westward, and after four days, Ilsa reached its peak of 90 mph (140 km/h) over the open Eastern Pacific. It continued west-northwestward, and was absorbed by a cold core upper level. That triggered the development of an unnamed hurricane.
[edit] Unnamed Hurricane
- Main article: Unnamed Hurricane (1975)
A cold core low absorbed the remnant circulation of Hurricane Ilsa on September 2. Convection increased rapidly, and by the 5th, it had enough convection to be called a tropical depression. This system was located 800 miles (1,290 km) northeast of Honolulu, Hawaii. It moved westward, reaching tropical storm strength the next day. It began to move rapidly northeastward. An eye was evident at this time, but it was not until it reached 40° north on the 4th did it become a hurricane. On September 4, a ship reported hurricane-force winds. The storm weakened to a tropical storm on the 5th, and became extratropical that night, located less than 300 nautical miles (560 km) southwest of Juneau, Alaska. The extratropical low moved southeastward, retaining its identity until it reached Montana, where it was absorbed by a front.
It is not known why this hurricane went unnamed. Any statement about why is purely speculative at this point. The hurricane is the furthest north a tropical cyclone existed in the Eastern Pacific, and is also the northernmost existence for a Pacific hurricane.
[edit] Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was the second strongest hurricane of the season, reaching top winds of 135 mph (217 km/h) winds on September 3 without affecting land.
[edit] Hurricane Olivia
Hurricane Olivia was the strongest landfall of the season. A tropical storm formed on October 22 south of Mexico. It moved northwestward initially, followed by a northeast turn. Olivia then intensified steadily. It reached Category 3 intensity and a peak of 115 mph (185 km/h) winds just before landfall. Late on October 24, Olivia smashed ashore close to Mazatlán. Olivia was the strongest landfall since 1959.
Mazatlán was extensively damaged. Near 30000 people were left homeless as 7000 houses were totally destroyed in Mazatlán and fourteen nearby villages. Olivia was Mazatlán's worst hurricane since an unnamed Category 4 came ashore in almost exactly the same place in 1957. Hurricane Olivia killed thirty people and injured 500. Ten of the deaths and all of the injuries occurred in Mazatlán and the surrounding region. Twenty other people were killed when three shrimp boats went down in the storm.[1]
Massive evacuations were started ahead of the hurricane. A total of 50000 people were evacuated.[2]
[edit] 1975 storm names
These names were used for storms in 1975. It is the same list used in the 1971 season. This is the last time this list was used, as modern naming began in 1978.
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The central Pacific used names and numbers from the west Pacific's typhoon list. No names were used, as the one storm that formed in this area went unnamed.
[edit] See also
- List of tropical cyclones
- 1975 Atlantic hurricane season
- 1975 Pacific typhoon season
- Pre-1980 North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons
[edit] References
- Unisys archive accessed November 8, 2005
- CPHC 1975 report on the Unnamed Hurricane accessed November 8, 2005
- Monthly Weather Review article on the Unnamed Hurricane accessed June 3, 2006
- USA Today: West Mexico Hurricanes accessed November 8, 2005
- Monthly Weather Review accessed April 30, 2007
[edit] External links
| 1970-79 Pacific hurricane seasons | |
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| Previous: 1969 | 1970s: 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | Next: 1980 | |
