Tropical Cyclone Weekly Summary #55 (August 16 - 23, 1992)
JACK
National Hurricane Center
Central Pacific Hurricane Center
Naval Western Oceanography Center
Fiji Meteorological Service
Joint Typhoon Warning Center
Japanese Meteorological Agency
Royal Observatory of Hong Kong
Indian Meteorological Department
Reunion Meteorological Service
Mauritius Meteorological Service
(others may be added as they become available)
Author' Note: Sorry this is so late, folks! I was doing co-op work at
NHC as Andrew approached, and I got sent hither, thither, and yon. Next
week's summary will have a detailed description of Andrew's strike, as well
as that of Typhoon Omar on Guam.
WEEKLY TROPICAL CYCLONE SUMMARY #55: AUGUST 16 - 23, 1992
North Atlantic Basin:
Hurricane Andrew: Tropical Depression 3 formed near 11N 38W on 17 Au-
gust. Moving rapidly west-northwest, the system became Tropical Storm An-
drew later that day. Andrew continued west-northwest and strengthened slow-
ly through 19 August. On 20 August, Andrew turned northwest and weakened
due to shearing. Reconaissance aircraft indicate that at one time this day
Andrew had a central pressure of 1015 mb! Andrew turned west-northwest on
21 August and west on 22 August as it started strenghtening in earnest.
Hurricane intensity was reached on 22 August, and rapid strengthening oc-
curred throughout that day and the next. The minimum central pressure ob-
served by aircraft late on 23 August was 922 mb, with maximum sustained
winds of 130 kt. Flight-level winds (10,000 ft) were measured as high as
170 kt. At the end of the summary period, Andrew was moving west towards
the Bahamas and south Florida with 130 kt winds.
Eastern North Pacific Basin (E of 140 Deg. W):
Tropical Storm Kay: Tropical Depression 13E formed near 19N 113W on 18
August. Moving west, it reached tropical storm strength later that day.
Kay followed a straight west track through it's lifetime as it reached a
peak intensity of 45 kt on 19 August. The system weakened to a depression
on 21 August and dissipated the next day near 18N 140W.
Hurricane Lester: Tropical Depression 14E formed on 16N 106W on 20 Au-
gust from a persistent low pressure system. Moving northwest, the system
became Tropical Storm Lester later that day. Lester passed near Socorro Is.
early on 21 August. The station reported 30 kt winds prior to the center
arriving, but it did not report when the storm was closest to the island.
Lester continued northwest and strengthened on 21 August, then it turned
north on 22 August as it reached hurricane strength. A peak intensity of 70
kt was reached later that same day. Lester turned northeast on 23 August
and made landfall on the Baja California peninsula as a 65 kt hurricane.
At the end of the summary period, Lester was crossing the Gulf of Cali-
fornia into northwest Mexico, moving northeast with 60 kt winds. There are
no reports of damage or casualties at this time.
Central North Pacific Basin (180 Deg. W to 140 Deg. W): No tropical cyclones.
Western North Pacific Basin (W of 180 Deg. W):
Tropical Storm Kent: At the start of the summary period, ex-typhoon Kent
was south of Japan moving west-northwest with 55 kt winds. Kent continued
west-northwest toward Japan on 17 August, then it turned north across Ky-
ushu and Honshu on 18 August. At 2027 UTC 17 August, Kanoya, Japan reported
northerly winds 34 kt with gusts to 62, with a minimum pressure of 988 mb
registered there at 0000 UTC 18 August. Kent weakened while over Japan, and
it moved north-northeast into the Sea of Japan on 19 August as a weak de-
pression. Dissipation followed the next day near 38N 133E. There are no
reports of damage or casualties at this time.
Tropical Storm Lois: At the start of the summary period, Lois was moving
northeast with 35 kt winds. Lois continued a generally northeast motion
through the rest of its life as it reached a peak intensity of 40 kt on
18 August. Lois maintained this intensity until it weakened to a depression
on 21 August. The system dissipated the next day near 38N 154E.
Tropical Storm Mark: At the start of the summary period, Tropical Storm
Mark was drifting erratically through the South China Sea with 40-45 kt
winds. Mark drifted slowly northward to north-northeastward into the Taiwan
Straits by 18 August with winds remaining about 45 kt. On 19 August, Mark
turned west and moved into the Chinese coast. This weakened the system to a
depression. Mark lingered near the Chinese coast through 20 August before
dissipating near 22N 114E on 21 August. Although tropical-storm force winds
affected parts of the Chinese coast, there are no reports of damage or cas-
ualties at this time.
Tropical Storm Nina: Tropical Depression 14W formed near 26N 160E on 18
August. Initially moving north-northwest, the system strengthened to Trop-
ical Storm Nina the next day. A peak intensity of 45 kt was reached on 20
August as Nina recurved northeast. Rapid weakening then followed, and Nina
dissipated the next day near 40N 172E.
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 by e-mail to:
Past copies of the Tropical Cyclone Weekly Summary can be obtained via e-
mail. Please send an e-mail message if you are interested.