User:Mitchazenia/Hurricane Emmy (1976)
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Hurricane Emmy was a Category 2 hurricane in the 1976 Atlantic hurricane season that affected the Azores in the open Atlantic Ocean. The storm's development is similiar to Hurricane Frances that same season. Emmy indirectly killed 68 when she downed an airplane.
| Category 2 hurricane (SSHS) | ||
|---|---|---|
 NOAA plane view of Hurricane Emmy. |
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| Formed | August 20, 1976 | |
| Dissipated | September 4, 1976 (Extratropical the same day) | |
| Highest winds |
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| Lowest pressure | 974 mbar (28.76 inHg) |
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| Damage | Minimal | |
| Fatalities | 68 indirect | |
| Areas affected |
Lesser Antilles,Azores | |
| Part of the 1976 Atlantic hurricane season |
||
Contents |
[edit] Storm History
Emmy originated as a tropical disturbance around August 15 that was moving westward from Africa. The tropical disturbance became Tropical Depression Five on August 20, located about 1000 miles east of the Windward Islands. On August 21st, a Reconnaissance aircraft found only 20 knot (25 mph) winds and a minimum pressure of 1012 mbar.
As Tropical Depression Five moved west-northwestward, the depression strengthened and was declared Tropical Storm Emmy on the 22nd, 300 nautical miles east of the Leeward Islands. On the 24th, Emmy recurved to the northeast, and strengthened to a minimal hurricane on the 25th. The storm's eastward movement so early in the year is almost unprecedented, as it occurred from the rapid development of a low pressure system to its northeast. The next day, August 26th, Emmy reached Category 2 status.
Emmy recurved back to the northwest on the 26th. A blocking ridge produced an anomalous belt around 35 degrees north lattitude forcing Emmy’s direction to move to the northeast on the 29th of August. The 29th was also the day when Emmy reached its peak of 105 mph and 974 mbar minimum pressure according to a Reconnaissance aircraft on that day. It gradually weakened, falling to Category 1 status a few days after and on September 4, a weakened extratropical Emmy was absorbed by the larger circulation of Hurricane Frances while located over the Azores.
[edit] Interaction with Hurricane Frances
During the storm's lifetime, Emmy had some strange interactions with the strong Hurricane Frances that year. On August 31st, Emmy and Frances had whats called a Fujiwhara interaction. The Fujiwhara effect or Fujiwhara interaction is a type of interaction between two nearby cyclonic vortices, causing them to appear to "orbit" each other. Two, mainly during Emmy's lifetime, the track of Emmy was followed by Frances in the same way. The third and final interaction, on September 4th, after Emmy became an extratropical storm, the stronger system of Frances absorbed Emmy. Frances & the absorbed Emmy lasted for three more days till Frances dissipated on September 7th.
[edit] Preparations
Since Emmy never made landfall or threatened any land mass, no warnings, watches or evacuation plans were issued in association with the storm. Emmy came close to making landfall in the Leeward Islands but turned away without having any effects.
[edit] Impact
Hurricane Emmy caused 68 indirect deaths when a Venezuelan Air Force plane carrying a school choir crashed on a landing attempt at Lajes Air Base in the Azores during the height of the storm. This makes Hurricane Emmy the fifth documented storm to have downed an airplane. The others were Hurricane Janet of 1955, Typhoon Emma of 1956, Hurricane Betsy of 1956 and Hurricane Esther of 1961. A bunch of ships reported damage from the Azores. Otherwise, most damage from Emmy was minimal. [1]
[edit] Lack of Retirement
Despite the deaths, the name Emmy was not retired. The name Emmy was never used again when the post-1978 list went into effect in 1979. This was the only use of the name and is not to be confused with Emily or Emma.
[edit] See also
- List of notable Atlantic hurricanes
- List of Atlantic hurricane seasons
- 1976 Atlantic hurricane season
[edit] References
- ^ Emmy Peliminary Report accessed August 31, 2006
