Hurricane Flossie (2007)

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Hurricane Flossie
Category 4 hurricane (SSHS)
Hurricane Flossie on August 11

Hurricane Flossie on August 11
Formed August 8, 2007
Dissipated August 16, 2007
Highest
winds
140 mph (220 km/h) (1-minute sustained)
Lowest pressure 946 mbar (hPa; 27.95 inHg)
Fatalities None reported
Damage Unknown
Areas
affected		 Hawaiʻi
Part of the
2007 Pacific hurricane season
This article is about the major hurricane of 2007; For other storms of the same name, see Tropical Storm Flossie.

Hurricane Flossie was the sixth named storm, second hurricane and only major hurricane of the 2007 Pacific hurricane season. It passed just to the south of the Big Island of the U.S. state of Hawaii.

Contents

[edit] Storm history

Storm path
Storm path

The system developed from an area of disturbed weather that was first noted about 600 miles (970 km) south-southeast of Acapulco. The disturbance moved west-northwestward at 10 – 15 mph (15 – 25 km/h) in apparently favorable environmental conditions.[1] Nevertheless, interaction with the Intertropical Convergence Zone on August 3 disturbed its structure.[2] The system became better organized on August 4[3] but convection decreased again on August 5.[4] Upon encountering a small low pressure area the system began to develop again[5] and on August 6 the National Hurricane Center remarked the system could develop into a tropical depression that same night.[6] The system continued moving west-northwestward at 10 to 15 mph as thunderstorm activity continued to increase.[7]

Despite marginal upper-level conditions, the system acquired a sufficient amount of organized deep convection for it to be classified Tropical Depression Nine-E late on August 8 while located about 1260 miles (2025 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. Upon first being classified, the depression maintained two ragged hooking bands; situated to the south of a mid-level ridge, it tracked steadily westward.[8] Later that day the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Flossie.[9]

Early on the morning of August 9 the storm had well-defined cyclonically curved convective bands and fair outflow in all four quadrants.[10] The storm was expected to continue strengthening due to low wind shear and warm ocean temperatures.[10][11] The storm began to develop an eye later that day with good cirrus outflow in all quadrants. [12] On August 10 the eye became much better defined as the storm strengthened and was upgraded to a hurricane.[13][14] Hurricane Flossie underwent rapid intensification overnight and became a major hurricane on the morning of August 11[15] shortly before crossing into the Central Pacific.

Flossie nearing Hawaii
Flossie nearing Hawaii

In the Central Pacific, the storm continued to track westwards, moving closer to the Hawaiian islands.[16][17] On the afternoon of August 11 Flossie's wind speeds reached an initial peak of 140 mph (220 km/h),[18] but heading into August 12 increasing vertical shear began restricting outflow and the storm weakened slightly.[19] By that night outflow had been restored and, despite days of predictions to the contrary, the storm did not lose intensity,[20] leading a forecaster at the CPHC to remark that "Hurricane Flossie is not willing to give up."[21]

On the morning of August 13 Hurricane Flossie began to weaken[22] as wind shear, upper-level warming, and restricting outflow finally began to take their toll.[23] By that night the storm's central pressure had risen to 970 mb[24] and the persistent upper-level wind shear caused breaks in the southeast eyewall which preceded the eye's eventual collapse.[25] Although the eye had disappeared from satellite imagery, NEXRAD and reconnaissance data on August 14 showed a partial eyewall open to the southeast.[26] 25-knot southwesterly wind shear decimated the storm's structure and restricted outflow, further weakening it.[27] Satellite imagery showed portions of the eyewall uncovered again, and land-based radar showed an absence of deep convection in the southeast semicircle.[28] Under the effects of the negative environmental conditions, Flossie's eye disappeared again,[29] and Flossie weakened to a tropical storm late that night local time.[30] The last advisory was issued on August 16.[30]

[edit] Preparations and impact

The CPHC issued a hurricane watch on August 13 for the Big Island of Hawaiʻi as the storm neared the islands without weakening significantly.[31] Hawaiʻi has not had a hurricane landfall since Hurricane Iniki of 1992.[32] Later, as the hurricane tracked slightly further to the north and its wind radii expanded, a tropical storm warning was issued for the same areas as the hurricane warning.[31] Accordingly, the mayor of Hawaii County declared a state of emergency later that morning.[33] Governor of Hawaii Linda Lingle also signed an emergency declaration that activated the Hawaii Army National Guard before the storm.[34]

Punaluʻu Beach Park, Whittington Beach Park and South Point were closed on August 13,[35] with Hawaii County Civil Defense also ordering the closure of all schools, including the University of Hawaii at Hilo and Hawaii Community College, as well as all public parks, as of August 14.[36] The Port of Hilo was also closed.[37]

Punaluʻu Beach Park received 15-20 ft (4.6-6.1 m) of surf, while Pohoiki reported 10-20 ft (3.0-6.1 m). Sustained 40 mph (65 km/h) winds, with gusts to 48 mph (77 km/h), were recorded at South Point.[37]

[edit] See also

Tropical cyclones Portal

[edit] References

  1. ^ Brown (2007). August 2 Tropical Weather Outlook. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
  2. ^ Brown (2007). August 3 Tropical Weather Outlook. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
  3. ^ Brown (2007). August 4 Tropical Weather Outlook. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
  4. ^ Brown (2007). August 5 Tropical Weather Outlook. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
  5. ^ Knabb (2007). August 5 Tropical Weather Outlook (2). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
  6. ^ Brown (2007). August 6 Tropical Weather Outlook. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
  7. ^ Knabb (2007). August 6 Tropical Weather Outlook (2). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
  8. ^ Pasch (2007). Tropical Depression Nine-E Discussion One. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
  9. ^ Pasch (2007). Tropical Storm Flossie Discussion Two. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
  10. ^ a b Avila (2007). Tropical Storm Flossie Discussion Three. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
  11. ^ Franklin (2007). Tropical Storm Flossie Discussion Four. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
  12. ^ Franklin (2007). Tropical Storm Flossie Discussion Five. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
  13. ^ Roberts/Knabb (2007). Hurricane Flossie Discussion Eight. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
  14. ^ Knabb (2007). Hurricane Flossie Discussion Nine. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
  15. ^ Mainelli (2007). Hurricane Flossie Discussion Eleven. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
  16. ^ Kodama (2007). Hurricane Flossie Discussion Thirteen. Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-12.
  17. ^ Kodama (2007). Hurricane Flossie Forecast/Advisory Thirteen. Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-12.
  18. ^ Kodama/Birchard (2007). Hurricane Flossie Discussion Fourteen. Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-12.
  19. ^ Kodama (2007). Hurricane Flossie Discussion Seventeen. Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-12.
  20. ^ Houston (2007). Hurricane Flossie Discussion Nineteen. Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-13.
  21. ^ Houston (2007). Hurricane Flossie Discussion Twenty. Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-13.
  22. ^ Powell (2007). Hurricane Flossie Discussion Twenty One. Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
  23. ^ Powell (2007). Hurricane Flossie Discussion Twenty Two. Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
  24. ^ Donaldson (2007). Hurricane Flossie Forecast/Advisory Twenty Three. Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
  25. ^ Donaldson (2007). Hurricane Flossie Discussion Twenty Three. Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
  26. ^ Donaldson (2007). Hurricane Flossie Discussion Twenty Four. Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
  27. ^ Powell (2007). Hurricane Flossie Discussion Twenty Five. Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-15.
  28. ^ Powell (2007). Hurricane Flossie Discussion Twenty Six. Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-15.
  29. ^ Donaldson (2007). Hurricane Flossie Advisory Twenty Six A. Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-15.
  30. ^ a b Donaldson (2007). Hurricane Flossie Discussion Twenty Seven. Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-15.
  31. ^ a b Houston (2007). Hurricane Flossie Public Advisory Twenty. Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-13.
  32. ^ Jonathan Tirone (2007). Hawaiian Hurricane Watch Possible as Flossie Travels Faster. Bloomberg.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-13.
  33. ^ Kodama (2007). Hurricane Flossie Local Statement 08-13-0955. National Weather Service, Honolulu HI. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
  34. ^ "Hawaii island spared by hurricane", BBC News, 2007-08-15. Retrieved on 2007-08-15. 
  35. ^ Kodama (2007). Hurricane Flossie Local Statement 08-13-1742. National Weather Service, Honolulu HI. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
  36. ^ Kodama (2007). Hurricane Flossie Local Statement 08-13-1528. National Weather Service, Honolulu HI. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
  37. ^ a b http://www.prh.noaa.gov/data/HFO/HLSHFO.0708150658
Tropical cyclones of the 2007 Pacific hurricane season
F
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
TD TS 1 2 3 4 5


* Central Pacific system