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Timeline of the 2002 Pacific hurricane season

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The 2002 Pacific hurricane season consisted of the events that occurred in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation over the Pacific Ocean north of the equator and east of the International Date Line. The official bounds of each Pacific hurricane season are dates that conventionally delineate the period each year during which tropical cyclones tend to form in the basin according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), beginning on May 15 in the Eastern Pacific proper (east of 140°W) and June 1 in the Central Pacific (140°W to the International Date Line), and ending on November 30 in both areas. However, tropical cyclogenesis is possible at any time of year.[1][2] The first tropical cyclone of the season, Hurricane Alma, developed on May 24; the final system, Tropical Depression Sixteen-E, dissipated on November 16.

First system formedMay 24, 2002
Last system dissipatedNovember 16, 2002
NameKenna
Maximum winds270 km/h (165 mph)
(1-minute sustained)
Quick facts Timeline of the 2002 Pacific hurricane season, Season boundaries ...
Timeline of the
2002 Pacific hurricane season
A map of all tropical cyclones during the 2002 Pacific hurricane season
Season summary map
Season boundaries
First system formedMay 24, 2002
Last system dissipatedNovember 16, 2002
Strongest system
NameKenna
Maximum winds270 km/h (165 mph)
(1-minute sustained)
Lowest pressure913 hPa (mbar)
Longest lasting system
NameFausto
Duration11.50 days
Storm articles
Other years
2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
Close

Nineteen tropical depressions developed during the 2002 season, with fifteen further strengthening into named tropical storms;[nb 1] eight became hurricanes, of which six attained major hurricane status.[nb 2][3][4]: 2379  Activity was generally near normal, with the number of tropical storms and hurricanes matching the respective 1991–2020 averages; however, the number of major hurricanes was above the average of four for the same period.[1][4]: 2379  Hurricanes Elida, Hernan, and Kenna achieved Category 5 strength on the Saffir–Simpson scale, tying a record set in 1994 for the most storms to do so in one season since reliable records began in 1971.[5]

Hurricane Kenna in late October was by far the most impactful storm of the season. After weakening from its peak intensity—which was marked by a minimum barometric pressure of 913 mbar (26.96 inHg), making it the fourth-most intense Pacific hurricane on record[6]—Kenna made landfall on the coast of western Mexico at Category 4 status with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (220 km/h). These winds, combined with a storm surge of up to 16 feet (4.9 m), devastated the area surrounding the fishing village of San Blas, Nayarit, where as many as 95% of homes were damaged or destroyed; four people were killed.[4]: 2390 [7] The name Kenna would later be retired on account of the hurricane's effects in Mexico.[8]

Aside from Kenna, effects on land were relatively light during the season. Tropical Storm Julio struck southern Mexico in late September, causing torrential rainfall; flash floods damaged structures, and slick roads contributed to a bus accident that killed three people.[9] Tropical Storms Boris and Iselle generated heavy rainfall in Mexico without coming ashore, while Tropical Depression Eleven-E prompted the issuance of a tropical storm warning and hurricane watch for portions of the Baja California peninsula but dissipated off the coast without impact.[10][11][12] Hurricanes Alma and Fausto were noted for unusual meteorological feats, though neither storm affected land; Alma followed 2001's Hurricane Adolph as only the second known Pacific major hurricane in the month of May,[13] while Fausto regenerated into a tropical storm far to the north of the Hawaiian Islands, where tropical cyclones are rarely observed.[3]

Prior to 2015, two time zones were utilized in the Eastern Pacific basin: Pacific east of 140°W, and Hawaii−Aleutian from 140°W to the International Date Line.[14][15] For convenience, each event is listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) first, using the 24-hour clock (where 00:00 = midnight UTC),[16] with the respective local time included in parentheses. Figures for maximum sustained winds and position estimates are rounded to the nearest five units (knots, miles, or kilometers) and averaged over one minute, following National Hurricane Center practice. Direct wind observations are rounded to the nearest whole number. Atmospheric pressures are listed to the nearest millibar and nearest hundredth of an inch of mercury. This timeline documents the formation of tropical cyclones as well as the strengthening, weakening, landfalls, extratropical transitions, and dissipations during the season. It also includes information that was not released while the storm was active, meaning that data from post-storm reviews by the National Hurricane Center and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center is included.

Timeline of events

Hurricane KennaSaffir–Simpson scale

May

May 15

  • The 2002 Eastern Pacific hurricane season officially begins.[1]

May 24

A track map of a hurricane over the Eastern Pacific Ocean; the system initially moves westward before turning northward midway through its life
Storm path of Hurricane Alma
  • 18:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. PDT) at 11.2°N 101.2°W / 11.2; -101.2 (Tropical Depression One-E develops.) – Tropical Depression One-E forms from an area of low pressure about 560 mi (900 km) south-southeast of Manzanillo, Colima.[17]

May 26

May 28

May 29

May 30

A satellite image of a hurricane over the Eastern Pacific Ocean
Satellite image of Hurricane Alma gaining strength on May 29

May 31

June

June 1

June 8

June 9

A satellite image of a tropical storm
Satellite image of Tropical Storm Boris off the southwest coast of Mexico on June 9

June 10

June 11

June 27

June 28

A track map of the path of a tropical depression over the Eastern Pacific basin; the system moves westward for its entire life
Storm path of Tropical Depression Three-E

June 29

July

July 9

July 12

A satellite image of a tropical storm
Satellite image of Tropical Storm Cristina on July 14

July 14

July 15

July 16

July 17

July 19

A track map of the path of a tropical depression over the Central and Western Pacific Ocean
Storm path of Tropical Storm Kalmaegi of the annual typhoon season; the system was unofficially a tropical depression in the Central Pacific basin

July 20

July 22

A satellite image of a hurricane well to the west of the Pacific coast of Mexico
Satellite image of Hurricane Douglas weakening late on July 23

July 23

July 24

A satellite image of a hurricane off the Pacific coast of Mexico
Satellite image of Hurricane Elida at peak intensity early on July 25

July 25

July 26

July 27

July 29

A track map of the path of a hurricane off the Pacific coast of Mexico; it initially moves westward, and then spends its entire life as a tropical cyclone curving gradually to the north
Storm path of Hurricane Elida

July 30

August

August 6

August 8

A track map of the path of a tropical depression well west of the Pacific coast of Mexico; the system moves northwestward for its entire life
Storm path of Tropical Depression Seven‑E

August 21

August 22

August 23

A satellite image of a powerful hurricane over the Eastern Pacific Ocean
Satellite image of Hurricane Fausto near peak intensity on August 24

August 24

August 25

August 26

A satellite image of a tropical storm over the Central Pacific Ocean
Satellite image of Tropical Storm Alika late on August 25

August 27

August 28

A satellite image of a tropical storm over the Eastern Pacific Ocean
Satellite image of Tropical Storm Genevieve late on August 28

August 29

August 30

A satellite image of a typhoon just outside of the Central Pacific basin limits
Satellite image of Typhoon Ele just west of the International Date Line on August 30

August 31

September

September 1

A satellite image of a powerful hurricane off the Pacific coast of Mexico
Satellite image of Hurricane Hernan near peak intensity late on September 1

September 2

September 3

September 4

A track map of the path of a hurricane over the Eastern Pacific Ocean; it generally moves west-northwestward, paralleling the Pacific coast of Mexico while remaining well offshore, though it turns northward near the end of its life
Storm path of Hurricane Hernan

September 5

September 6

September 7

A track map of the path of a tropical depression off the Pacific coast of Mexico; it takes an erratic trajectory, initially moving west-northwestward before turning to the west-southwest and then to the north, all while remaining fairly close to the coastline
Storm path of Tropical Depression Eleven-E

September 8

September 15

September 16

September 17

A satellite image of a tropical storm over the Eastern Pacific Ocean, off the coast of the southern Baja California peninsula
Satellite image of Tropical Storm Iselle near peak intensity on September 17

September 19

September 20

September 25

September 26

A satellite image of a tropical storm very near the Pacific coast of Mexico; much of the associated cloud cover is already over land
Satellite image of Tropical Storm Julio shortly before making landfall near peak intensity late on September 25

October

October 22

October 23

October 24

A satellite image of a Category 5 hurricane over the Eastern Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Mexico
Satellite image of Hurricane Kenna reaching Category 5 strength on October 24

October 25

A track map of the path of a hurricane near Mexico; it initially moves west-northwestward, paralleling the coast while remaining offshore, but then it turns to the north-northeast and makes landfall, dissipating over mountainous terrain inland
Storm path of Hurricane Kenna

October 26

October 27

A track map of the erratic but generally westward path of a tropical storm over the Eastern and Central Pacific Ocean
Storm path of Tropical Storm Lowell

October 28

October 29

October 30

A satellite image of a hurricane over the Central Pacific Ocean
Satellite image of Hurricane Huko early on November 3

October 31

November

November 1

November 3

November 14

A track map of the erratic but generally westward path of a tropical depression over the Eastern Pacific Ocean
Storm path of Tropical Depression Sixteen-E

November 15

November 16

November 30

  • The 2002 Pacific hurricane season officially ends.[1][2]

Notes

  1. [1]
    These totals exclude one tropical depression and one tropical storm that were tracked by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) and/or the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), but were not recognized as tropical cyclones by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) nor the Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC), and therefore are not officially counted towards the 2002 Pacific hurricane season.
  2. [2]
    A major hurricane is a Pacific or Atlantic hurricane that reaches Category 3 or higher on the five-level Saffir–Simpson scale, with maximum sustained winds of at least 111 mph (179 km/h).[1]
  3. [3]
    While the Northeast and North Central Pacific hurricane database (HURDAT) lists a formation time of 00:00 UTC on August 25 for Tropical Depression Two-C – which eventually became Hurricane Ele – the CPHC stated in their seasonal summary that the system did not develop until 48 hours later.[3]
  4. [4]
    While HURDAT lists a formation time of 18:00 UTC on October 23 for Tropical Depression Three-C – which eventually became Hurricane Huko – the CPHC stated in their seasonal summary that the system did not develop until 24 hours later.[3]
  5. [5]
    Both HURDAT and the CPHC's year-end report on tropical cyclone activity in the Central Pacific list 15.7°N 179.1°W / 15.7; -179.1 (Huko's final position in the Central Pacific according to HURDAT and the CPHC.) as Huko's final position east of the International Date Line without providing any best track data on the storm's tenure in the Western Pacific basin.[3][6] The JTWC and the International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship disagree with this assessment, listing Huko's final position east of the International Date Line as 15.5°N 178.6°W / 15.5; -178.6 (Huko's final position in the Central Pacific according to IBTrACS and the JTWC.); they also contradict the former two sources by providing a best track for Huko in the Western Pacific basin.[20]: 185 [34]
  6. [6]
    On October 27, daylight saving time ended in most areas of the basin, which resulted in the gap between UTC and local time widening by one hour. Hawaii was not affected; the state has not observed daylight saving time since 1945.[35][36]

See also

References

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