Tropical Cyclone Weekly Summary #165 (September 25 - October 2, 1994)
JACK
National Hurricane Center Central Pacific Hurricane Center
Naval Western Oceanography Center Fiji Meteorological Service
Meteorological Service of New Zealand Joint Typhoon Warning Center
Japanese Meteorological Agency Bureau of Meteorology, Australia
Philippine Meteorological Service Royal Observatory of Hong Kong
Indian Meteorological Department Reunion Meteorological Service
Mauritius Meteorological Service
(others may be added as they become available)
WEEKLY TROPICAL CYCLONE SUMMARY #165 SEPTEMBER 25 - OCTOBER 2, 1994
North Atlantic Basin:
Tropical Depression Eight: At the start of the summary period, Tropical
Depression Eight was over land near the Belize-Guatemala border, moving west
with 25 kt winds. The system dissipated over land on 26 September. There are
no reports of damage or casualties at this time.
Tropical Depression Nine: Tropical Depression Nine formed near 15N 21W on
27 September. Initially moving northwest, the system turned north later that
day. The depression drifted northward on 28 September, and it dissipated the
next day near 17N 22W. Maximum sustained winds in this system were estimated
at 30 kt. The remains of T.D. 9 have turned west and are still traceable in
the eastern Tropical Atlantic as of this writing.
Tropical Depression Ten: Tropical Depression Ten formed near 22N 85W on
29 September. The system moved slowly north and dissipated the next day near
26N 85W. Maximum sustained winds in this short-lived system were estimated at
30 kt. The remnants of the system were absorbed into the broad Gulf Of Mexico
low the next day. The depression produced heavy rains over Cuba, with one
station reporting 12 in (300 mm) in 24 hr. There are no reports of damage or
casualties at this time.
Gulf of Mexico Cyclone: A low pressure system formed over the central Gulf
of Mexico near 24N 88W on 30 September. Initially moving northwest, the low
turned north the next day. The low moved northeast to the mouth of the
Mississippi River on 2 October, then it moved east-northeast to a landfall
near Pensacola, Florida. At the end of the summary period, the low was over
southeast Alabama moving east-northeastward.
This system had an unusual structure. Rawinsonde data indicated that the
low had a warm core at low levels similar to a tropical cyclone, but there
was little circulation in the upper troposphere. The system featured persis-
tent strong convection at large distances from the center, but it was never
able to form persistent or organized convection near the center. The low
also lacked a tightly-wound low level circulation. Aircraft and surface data
indicated the radius of maximum winds was 160 nm on 2 October. This is more
typical of a subtropical or monsoon cyclone than of a tropical cyclone. The
low also featured troughs that somewhat resembled fronts, although there was
little or no temperature gradient along them. This system seems to have been
a hybrid low with features of both tropical cyclones and frontal lows.
This cyclone affected the southeastern United States. The minimum reported
pressure was 996-997 mb over the western Florida Panhandle. The automated
station at Cape San Blas, Florida reported maximum sustained winds of 39 kt
with gusts to 53 kt between 1700-1800 UTC 2 October. Tallahassee, Florida
reported a gust of 50 kt in a severe thunderstorm at 1923 UTC the same day.
Reconnaissance aircraft reported a band of 50-60 kt winds at 1500 ft flight
level south of the Florida Panhandle on 2 October. Based on all available
data, maximum sustained winds are estimated at 40-45 kt. Flood-producing rains
occurred along the track, with a storm total of 7.68 in (195 mm) at Talla-
hassee and 7.30 in (185 mm) at Dauphin Island, Alabama. Several tornadoes
occurred over northern Florida and southeast Georgia with some damage
reported. Coastal flooding was also reported in southeast Louisiana. There
are no reports of casualties at this time.
No tropical cyclone advisories were written on this system, and it never
acquired a typical tropical storm structure. Nevertheless, the effects and
the partial tropical characteristics warrant its inclusion in the summary. The
next summary will have further details on this system and its continued track
into the Atlantic.
Eastern North Pacific Basin (E of 140 Deg. W):
Hurricane Olivia: At the start of the summary period, Olivia was moving
north with 130 kt winds. Olivia stalled on 26 September near 21N 119W, then
it moved west-northwest on 27 September as it weakened to a tropical storm.
Olivia drifted north-northwest on 28 September as it weakened to a depression,
and it dissipated the next day near 22N 126W.
Additional data from the NOAA research aircraft indicates that the minimum
observed central pressure was 925 mb at 2033 UTC 25 September instead of the
previously reported 927 mb.
Tropical Storm Paul: At the start of the summary period, Paul was nearly
stationary near 15N 129W with 35 kt winds. (The 40 kt reported in last week's
summary was a misprint.) This turned out to be the peak intensity of the
system. Paul drifted northeast on 26-27 September, then it turned east on 28
September as it weakened to a depression. (The unusual eastward motion was
due to interaction with Hurricane Olivia.) Paul drifted east-southeast on 20
September, and it dissipated the next day near 15N 122W.
Central North Pacific Basin (180 Deg. W to 140 Deg. W): No tropical cyclones.
Western North Pacific Basin (W of 180 Deg. W):
Typhoon Orchid: At the start of the summary period, Orchid was south of
Japan with 125 kt winds. Orchid turned northwest on 26 September while
maintaining 125-130 kt winds, then it turned north the next day. Orchid
turned north-northeast on 28 September, and this track continued as the
storm moved across Japan and into the Sea of Japan on 29-30 September.
The system weakened to a tropical storm on 29 September, and it became
extratropical later the next day near 42N 133E.
Orchid affected much of Japan. Muruotomisaki reported 64 kt sustained winds
and a pressure of 979.7 mb at 0600 UTC 29 September. Owase reported a minimum
pressure of 972.7 mb at 1200 UTC, while Nagoya reported a peak gust of 69 kt
at 1400 UTC. Press reports indicate three people were killed with 32 hurt due
to Orchid's passage. However, the storm appears to have brought welcome rain
to Japan, which was suffering from a summer drought.
Tropical Storm Pat and Tropical Storm Ruth: At the start of the summary
period, Pat and Ruth were southeast of Japan rotating around each other.
Both systems had 45 kt winds. The two systems merged into one storm near
31N 150E on 26 September. Which of the two centers actually absorbed the
other is uncertain, as the Japanese Meteorological Agency called the merged
system Pat while the Joint Typhoon Warning Center called it Ruth. The
combined Pat/Ruth turned northeast on 27 September with 40-45 kt winds, and
the system became extratropical the next day near 40N 159E.
This merger of two tropical cyclones is unusual. The last such recorded
occurrence in the Western North Pacific was in 1986, when Typhoon Tip absorbed
the remains of Typhoon Georgette.
Tropical Depression 31W: Tropical Depression 31W formed near 28N 161E on
29 September. Initially moving west-northwest, the system became nearly
stationary the next day near 30N 159E. The depression started a general
northwestward drift on 1 October and continued this track through the end of
the summary period. Maximum sustained winds in this system were estimated at
30 kt.
Tropical Depression 32W: Tropical Depression 32W formed on 2 October near
9N 157E. At the end of the summary period, it was moving west-northwest with
30 kt winds.
North Indian Ocean Basin: No tropical cyclones.
South Indian Ocean Basin (W of 135 Deg. E): No tropical cyclones.
South Pacific Ocean Basin (E of 135 Deg. E): No tropical cyclones.
Disclaimer: While an effort has been made to make sure this information is
accurate as possible, it was drawn from operational warnings that may not
always agree with the best track information published after the storm is
over. Please address any questions or comments on the information this
week to Jack Beven at Internet address:
be...@hrd-tardis.nhc.noaa.gov (preferable)
or
jbe...@delphi.com (new address)
Please address any questions or comments on the digitized version or the
associated satellite imagery to Greg Deuel at the DMSP satellite archive at
Internet address:
Past text copies of the Tropical Cyclone Weekly Summary can be obtained via e-
mail. Please send an e-mail message to Jack Beven if you are interested.
Special Announcement: A digitized version of the weekly summary with DMSP
polar orbiting satellite imagery is now available via the World Wide Web (http
protocol) using Mosaic. This is courtesy of Greg Deuel at the DMSP satellite
archive. It can be retrieved by:
1. Open the Open URL window (under File) in Mosaic, then typing:
http://web.ngdc.noaa.gov.
2. Find the Home Page for the DMSP satellite archive
3. Click on Weekly Updated Items, then click on the dates given on the next
page.
4. The imagery links will be color-coded inside the summary text.
For more information on the imagery and how the digitized summary and
images can be retrieved by ftp, gopher, etc., please contact Greg Deuel
(Internet: g...@po-box.ngdc.noaa.gov).