Hurricane Henriette (2007)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHS) | ||
|---|---|---|
 Henriette near the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula |
||
| Formed | August 30, 2007 | |
| Dissipated | September 6, 2007 | |
| Highest winds |
|
|
| Lowest pressure | 972 mbar (hPa; 28.71 inHg) | |
| Fatalities | 9 direct | |
| Damage | $25 million (2007 USD) | |
| Areas affected |
Southwest United States, Southwestern and northwestern Mexico, including the Baja California Peninsula | |
| Part of the 2007 Pacific hurricane season |
||
Hurricane Henriette was the eleventh tropical cyclone, eighth named storm and third hurricane of the 2007 Pacific hurricane season. It formed from an area of disturbed weather on August 30, 2007 and became a tropical storm the next day. It remained near the Mexican coast, making two landfalls. Nine people died as a result of Henriette, and damage totaled about $275 million (2007 MXN, $25 million 2007 USD). It hit Mexico on the same day Atlantic Hurricane Felix hit Nicaragua, only one of two occurrences in which an Atlantic and Pacific hurricane made landfall on the same day.
Contents |
[edit] Storm history
Henriette originated from a tropical wave that departed the west coast of Africa on August 20. [1] The wave produced some convection whilst in the Caribbean Sea but reached central America on August 28 before any significant development could occur. Early on August 30, the area of low pressure, now 400 miles (644 km) southsoutheast of Acapulco, Mexico, started to gain clusters of strong convection. By the afternoon of August 30 the system continued to show strong convection and had developed a broad but well defined area of low to mid level cyclonic turning.[2]
By 0600 UTC that day the system became a tropical depression about 360 miles (579 km) southeast of Acapulco and was designated as Tropical Depression Eleven-E. Convection continued but the cyclone was encountering extensive easterly to north-easterly wind shear which stinted the strengthening of this storm through out its history. [1][3] The cyclone initially headed toward the west-northwest around a subtropical ridge that was centered over the western Gulf of Mexico. The depression moved north west, parallel with the west coast of Mexico due to being steered by the mid/upper-level ridge.[1]
On 31 August, it strengthened to become Tropical Storm Henriette, 85 miles (137 km) south of Acapulco.[1][4] It continued to move along the Mexican coast bringing heavy rains. With continued strong convection, Henriette maintained its strengthening and was predicted to reach hurricane strength. However, despite the low wind shear and apparent warm waters. Henriette did not strengthen as expected. This is believed to be due to its close proximity to land and colds waters being brought up due to Henriette's slow movement. The convection and strengthening continued and maintained itself as it moved away from Jalisco. Henriette turned westward and away from the Pacific coast of Mexico late on September 1 as the subtropical ridge built westward over northern Mexico. [1]
The next day, Henriette had reached an intensity of 65 mph while centered about 95 miles (153 km) southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. Henriette continued to head towards Baja California, and reached hurricane strength on September 4 as it turned north-northwestward toward the Baja California peninsula, ahead of a mid-latitude trough approaching the west coast of the United States. The hurricane reached its peak intensity of 85 mph (135 km/hr) that morning while centered about 75 miles (121 km) south-southeast of Cabo San Lucas.[1]
The center of Henriette made landfall just east of Cabo San Lucas on the afternoon of September 4 with maximum winds near 80 mph. [5] It was over land for only about six hours before emerging into the Sea of Cortez. The brief interaction with land caused a slight weakening, but Henriette remained a Category 1 hurricane for most of that day. [6]. The next day it made final landfall near Guaymas in the state of Sonora.[7] Henriette weakened quickly over land and dissipated over the mountains of northwestern Mexico early on September 6.[1]
[edit] Preparations
The genesis of Henriette was not anticipated very well in NHC Tropical Weather Outlooks. The incipient system was first mentioned only about 31 hours before it became a tropical depression, and the potential for the formation of a depression was explicitly stated beginning only about 13 hours prior to genesis.[1]
On August 31 the National Meteorological Service in Mexico decreed zone of alert from Lagoons of Chacagua, Oaxaca to Cabo Current, Jalisco. It requested the public to take precautions before the possible coming of rains, intense winds and storm surges in the south and southwestern coasts of Mexico [8]. The Ministry of Education of Guerrero canceled classes at all schools in the evening and close the port navigation. Faced with the prospect of Henriette strengthening, The Head of the Harbor Bay in Acapulco stopped all travel for small craft and coastal fisheries. Also blue and yellow flags were raised as a preventive measure for bathers.[9]
In La Paz, the Municipal Direction of Civil defense informed that the first of 13 temporary refuges would be opened and anticipated the evacuation of more than 2000 people that live in zones of high risk. In some areas, the local police recommended to the population, mostly those living in areas of high risk, that they should take care not to leave their homes unless necessary and to locate evacuation routes and temporary shelters. [10]
[edit] Impact
Henriette struck hardest in the resort town of Acapulco. Though the storm never passed closer than 70 mi (110 km) to the town, heavy rains along the coast saturated the ground, leading to mudslides. Three were killed by a huge rock hitting their house, and the other three were killed when their dwelling partially collapsed.[11] One person died in the surf along the southern Baja California peninsula.
Two fishermen were reported killed off the Sonora coast. [12] Two people died after operating a fuel electric generator inside a house to provide electric electricity while waiting out Henriette.[13] On 5 September, the Interior Ministry issued through the General Coordination of Civil Defense, a declaration of emergency for 67 municipalities in the state due to the effects of Henriette. He also reported damage to the road connecting from Guaymas to Ciudad Obregón because of the overflow of the brook Cocoraque. It was also stated that according to their first reports, recorded rainfall of up to 121 millimetres (4.8 in) in the Adolfo Ruiz Cortines Dam, 106 millimetres (4.2 in) in Punta de Agua and 70 millimetres (2.8 in) in Angostura.[14]
The State Police announced that the most affected municipality was Lázaro Cárdenas, where as consequence of the heavy rain, the River Acalpican broke its banks. At least 50 houses located in the community of The Habillal, were hit with flooding of up to a meter high. The residents had to leave their houses and be relocated in provisional housing. Also, as consequence of the torrential downpours several sections of the coastal highway near Manzanillo, Colima wear either blocked or destroyed. Damage in Mexico totaled about $275 million (2007 MXN, $25 million 2007 USD).[15]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Richard D. Knabb (2007). Tropical Cyclone Report - Hurricane Henriette (pdf) (English). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on March 21, 2008.
- ^ CHRISTENSEN (2007-08-30). Tropical Weather Discussion. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-30.
- ^ Cangiolosi (2007-08-30). Tropical Weather Discussion. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-31.
- ^ Avila (2007-08-31). Tropical Depression 11-E Discussion Four. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-08-31.
- ^ NHC (2007-09-04). Monthly Tropical Weather Summery September. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-09-06.
- ^ Brown (2007-09-04). Tropical Depression 11-E Discussion Twenty-Two. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-09-06.
- ^ Brown (2007-09-05). Tropical Depression 11-E Discussion Twenty-Six. National Hurricane Center. Retrieved on 2007-09-06.
- ^ Alerta en Guerrero por tormenta tropical Henriette (html) (Spanish). El Universal (2007). Retrieved on May 16, 2008.
- ^ Alerta en Guerrero por tormenta tropical Henriette (html) (Spanish). El Universal (2007). Retrieved on 2008-03-21.
- ^ Gladys Rodríguez Navarro (2007). Evacuan a población en La Paz por Henriette (Spanish). El Universal. Retrieved on 2008-05-10.
- ^ Gerardo Torres (2007-09-01). Tropical storm Henriette kills 6 in Mexico resort. Washington Post. Reuters. Retrieved on 2007-09-02.
- ^ http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070906/wl_nm/storm_henriette_dc_2
- ^ DPA (6 September 2007). Aumenta a 11 muertos por huracán Henriette. Milenio. Retrieved on 2007-09-07.
- ^ Notimex (6 September 2007). Decretan alerta naranja en sur de Sonora tras paso de ‘Heriette’. Milenio. Retrieved on 2007-09-06.
- ^ La Journada (2007). El huracán Lorenzo amenaza a Veracruz (Spanish). Retrieved on 2007-09-29.
