1973 Pacific hurricane season
1973 Pacific hurricane season | |
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Seasonal boundaries | |
First system formed | June 2, 1973 |
Last system dissipated | October 9, 1973 |
Strongest storm | |
Name | Ava |
• Maximum winds | 160 mph (260 km/h) (1-minute sustained) |
• Lowest pressure | 915 mbar (hPa; 27.02 inHg) |
Seasonal statistics | |
Total depressions | 18 |
Total storms | 12 |
Hurricanes | 7 |
Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+) | 3 |
Total fatalities | 0 |
Total damage | Unknown |
Related articles | |
The 1973 Pacific hurricane season was a below average, with twelve
All tropical cyclones this season formed in the eastern north
Season summary
The season began with Hurricane Ava, which formed as a tropical depression on June 2, and ended with the dissipation of Tropical Lillian on October 9. The season lasted a total of 129 days. No named storms formed in May, three in June, four in July, one in August, three in September, one in October, and none in November.
Of the tropical cyclones that formed this year, were twelve tropical storms and seven were hurricanes. Of those hurricanes, three of them were major hurricanes because they reached Category 3 or higher on the
This season, all
Systems
Hurricane Ava
Category 5 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
Duration | June 2 – June 12 |
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Peak intensity | 160 mph (260 km/h) (1-min); 915 mbar (hPa) |
A tropical depression formed on June 2. It steadily strengthened and headed in a generally westerly direction. It moved slowly and became Hurricane Ava on June 4. Two days later, it became a major hurricane and it sped up. On June 7, it became a Category 5 hurricane. It then started weakening and slowed down until it dissipated on June 12.[3] No deaths or damages were attributed to Hurricane Ava.[2]
Ava's minimum central pressure was 915
Ava was also flown into by
Tropical Storm Bernice
Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
Duration | June 22 – June 23 |
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Peak intensity | 70 mph (110 km/h) (1-min); 990 mbar (hPa) |
A nearly stationary disturbance in the Intertropical Convergence Zone spent three days organizing and finally developed into a tropical depression on June 22. The cyclone started heading northwest.[2] After intensifying into a tropical storm, Bernice made landfall on June 23 at a location roughly 50 mi (80 km) southwest of Zihuatanejo. It dissipated later that day.[2] Bernice exposed two ships to gales, but otherwise neither deaths nor significant impact was reported.[2] At its peak, Tropical Storm Bernice had winds of 70 miles per hour (110 km/h).[3]
Tropical Storm Claudia
Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
Duration | June 26 – June 29 |
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Peak intensity | 65 mph (100 km/h) (1-min); 999 mbar (hPa) |
A tropical depression formed June 26 from a westward-moving area of disturbed weather. The next day, it developed gale-force winds and was named Claudia. Claudia headed northwesterly and then northwards and made landfall on June 28 approximately 30 mi (50 km) east of Acapulco. It dissipated inland the next day.[2] No deaths or casualties were reported due to this tropical cyclone.[2]
Hurricane Doreen
Category 4 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
Duration | July 18 – August 3 |
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Peak intensity | 140 mph (220 km/h) (1-min); 968 mbar (hPa) |
On July 18, a tropical storm formed from a disturbance in the Intertropical Convergence Zone and was named Doreen. It steadily intensified, and became a hurricane on July 19.[2] Doreen briefly reached Category 4 strength on July 21 with a relatively high central pressure of 972 mb (28.7 inHg). It then weakened steadily as its path carried it on a direct path to the Big Island of Hawaii. Doreen weakened to a tropical storm as it entered the Central Pacific Hurricane Center's area of responsibility on July 25.[3] A frontal system stuck between two high-pressure areas weakened as the two areas merged, creating a larger high pressure area that turned Doreen to the southwest on July 27. The hurricane then turned back to the northwest and strengthened back into a hurricane. It became a major hurricane again before weakening. Doreen dissipated August 3. Its remnant vortex continued westward until it dissipated under a trough near the dateline.[7] Doreen's sudden change of track and restrengthening was unusual.[2]
From formation to dissipation, Doreen lasted 16.25 days and traveled a distance of 4,200 mi (6,760 km).[3][2] This tied Hurricane Celeste's record for longest-lasting Pacific hurricane. Doreen was also the longest-lasting July tropical cyclone.[3] Hurricane Fico broke both of these records in the 1978 season.[3][12] Doreen remains the eighth-longest lasting Pacific tropical cyclone, tied with two other storms.[3] Several ships encountered Doreen. The most serious incident involved a Greek ship called Cornelia which lost its rudder in 35 ft (10 m) waves, but managed to escape and continue on its way to Panama. On the afternoon of July 29, 9 ft (2.7 m) swells and 3.5 ft (1.1 m) waves were seen from Kapoho.[7] Otherwise, no damages or deaths were blamed on this tropical cyclone.[2][7]
Hurricane Emily
Category 4 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
Duration | July 21 – July 28 |
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Peak intensity | 140 mph (220 km/h) (1-min); ≤972 mbar (hPa) |
A depression formed July 21 from squalls in the
Hurricane Florence
Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
Duration | July 25 – July 30 |
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Peak intensity | 90 mph (150 km/h) (1-min); ≤990 mbar (hPa) |
On July 25, a depression formed off the coast of Guatemala. The storm made a close approach to the Mexican coast as a depression, but did not make landfall. Just after that, it strengthened into a tropical storm. Florence headed west and then west-northwest. It became a hurricane on July 29. It began weakening thereafter. Florence dissipated on July 30.[2] No damages or deaths were reported.[2]
Tropical Storm Glenda
Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
Duration | July 30 – August 5 |
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Peak intensity | 60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min); 989 mbar (hPa) |
A depression that had formed on July 30 from a tropical disturbance quickly strengthened into a tropical storm and was named Glenda. It took a path similar to both Florence and Emily, but further from the shore. Glenda dissipated August 5. At the time it still had winds of 40 knots (70 km/h),[2] down from its peak of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h). No deaths, damage, or other impact was reported.[2]
Tropical Storm Heather
Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
Duration | August 31 – September 1 |
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Peak intensity | 50 mph (85 km/h) (1-min); ≤1004 mbar (hPa) |
The only storm to form in August this year formed on August 31 from an area of circulation in the ITCZ over the Gulf of Tehuantepec.[3][2] It became a tropical depression on August 30. After moving northwest for a bit, it became a tropical storm and headed almost due north towards Mexico. Heather dissipated September 1, just before making landfall.[2] Tropical Storm Heather caused no deaths or damage to any location in the coastal area of the Gulf of Tehuantepec.[2]
Hurricane Irah
Category 2 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
Duration | September 22 – September 26 |
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Peak intensity | 110 mph (175 km/h) (1-min); ≤955 mbar (hPa) |
A depression formed September 22. It became a tropical storm on September 23 and a hurricane on September 24. Irah took a northwesterly path and reached Category 2 strength on the
Irah blew over some
Tropical Storm Jennifer
Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
Duration | September 23 – September 27 |
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Peak intensity | 40 mph (65 km/h) (1-min); 1007 mbar (hPa) |
On September 23, another depression formed. It took a northeasterly path, rotating around the southern periphery of
Hurricane Katherine
Category 2 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
Duration | September 29 – October 9 |
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Peak intensity | 100 mph (155 km/h) (1-min); ≤978 mbar (hPa) |
Katherine became a tropical storm on September 29, just six hours after forming. It headed out to sea. On October 1, it became a Category 2 hurricane. It peaked in windspeed the next day. After weakening to storm strength, it crossed 140°W and entered the central Pacific.[2] Katherine continued its slightly south of westward track. It dropped to a depression on October 9, and dissipated shortly after that due to the influence of a cold trough[2][7]
Hurricane Lillian
Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
Duration | October 5 – October 9 |
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Peak intensity | 85 mph (140 km/h) (1-min); 990 mbar (hPa) |
A depression that formed October 5 reached storm strength the same day. It generally paralleled the coast of Mexico far offshore. Lillian reached minimal hurricane strength on October 7 and peaked the next day. The hurricane began to weaken immediately thereafter and dissipated on October 9. Through its life, Lillian at first traveled generally west-northwestward, and then westward.[2] Lillian never threatened land, causing no known impact.[2]
Storm names
The following list of names was used for named storms that formed in the North Pacific Ocean east of 140°W in 1973.[18] It was the same list used in the 1969 season.[19] No names were retired after this season,[20] thus the same list was used again for the 1977 season.[21]
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Had a named storm formed in the North Pacific between 140°W and the International Date Line in 1973 it would have been assigned a name from the west Pacific's typhoon name list by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center on Guam.[18][22] Named storms in the table above that crossed into the area during the season are noted (*).[7]
Season effects
This is a table of all of the storms that formed in the 1973 Pacific hurricane season. It includes their name, duration, peak classification and intensities, areas affected, damage, and death totals. Deaths in parentheses are additional and indirect (an example of an indirect death would be a traffic accident), but were still related to that storm. Damage and deaths include totals while the storm was extratropical, a wave, or a low, and all of the damage figures are in 1973 USD.
Saffir–Simpson scale | ||||||
TD | TS | C1 | C2 | C3 | C4 | C5 |
Storm name |
Dates active | Storm category at peak intensity |
Max 1-min wind mph (km/h) |
Min. press. (mbar) |
Areas affected | Damage (USD) |
Deaths | Ref(s) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ava
|
June 2 – 12 | Category 5 hurricane | 165 (270) | 915 | None | None | 0 | |||
Bernice | June 22 – 23 | Tropical storm | 70 (110) | 990 | Mexico | None | 0 | |||
Claudia | June 26 – 29 | Tropical storm | 65 (100) | 999 | Mexico | None | 0 | |||
Doreen | July 18 – August 3 | Category 4 hurricane | 140 (220) | 968 | None | None | 0 | |||
Emily | July 21 – 28 | Category 4 hurricane | 140 (220) | 972 | None | None | 0 | |||
Florence | July 25 – 30 | Category 1 hurricane | 90 (150) | 990 | None | None | 0 | |||
Glenda | July 30 – August 5 | Tropical storm | 60 (95) | 989 | None | None | 0 | |||
Heather | August 31 – September 1 | Tropical storm | 50 (85) | 1004 | Mexico | None | 0 | |||
Irah | September 22 – 26 | Category 2 hurricane | 110 (175) | 955 | Mexico | Unknown | 0 | |||
Jennifer | September 23 – 27 | Tropical storm | 40 (65) | 1007 | Mexico | 0 | ||||
Katherine | September 29 – October 9 | Category 2 hurricane | 100 (155) | 978 | None | None | 0 | |||
Lillian | October 5 – 9 | Category 1 hurricane | 85 (140) | 990 | None | None | 0 | |||
Season aggregates | ||||||||||
12 systems | June 2 – October 9 | 165 (270) | 915 | Mexico | Unknown | 0 |
See also
- List of Pacific hurricanes
- Pacific hurricane season
- 1973 Atlantic hurricane season
- 1973 Pacific typhoon season
- 1973 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
- Australian cyclone seasons: 1972–73, 1973–74
- South Pacific cyclone seasons: 1972–73, 1973–74
- South-West Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 1972–73, 1973–74
References
- ^ Neal Dorst. "Subject: G1) When is hurricane season ?". FAQ: Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Tropical Cyclones. Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. Archived from the original on 2009-05-06. Retrieved 2009-03-12.
- ^ (PDF) from the original on 2009-05-05. Retrieved 2009-03-09.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n National Hurricane Center; Hurricane Research Division; Central Pacific Hurricane Center (April 4, 2023). "The Northeast and North Central Pacific hurricane database 1949–2022". United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service. A guide on how to read the database is available here. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Climate Prediction Center, NOAA (2006-05-22). "Background Information: East Pacific Hurricane Season". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on 2009-05-09. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
- ^ "Previous Tropical Systems in the Central Pacific". Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Archived from the original on 2009-04-28. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
- ^ (PDF) from the original on 2009-05-28. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
- ^ a b c d e f g "The 1973 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season". Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Archived from the original on 2009-08-03. Retrieved 2009-03-10.. Retrieved 2009-05-20.
- JSTOR 2683013.
- ^ "About CPHC". Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Archived from the original on 2009-05-14. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
- ^ National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. Archivedfrom the original on 2009-05-05. Retrieved 2009-03-09.
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Archivedfrom the original on 4 April 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
- ^ Neal Dorst (2004-08-13). "Subject: E7) What is the farthest a tropical cyclone has traveled ?". FAQ: Hurricanes, Typhoons and Tropical Cyclones. Hurricane Research Division. Archived from the original on 2009-05-06. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
- Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
- Newark Advocate. Associated Press. 1973-09-26. p. 1. Archived from the originalon 2009-05-05. Retrieved 2009-03-11.
- ^ UPI (1973-09-26). "Hurricane Irah Zeroes on Baja". El Paso Herald-Post. Retrieved 2009-03-11. [dead link]
- ^ "Skylab". Danville Register. 1973-09-26. p. 2. Archived from the original on 2013-02-04. Retrieved 2009-03-11.
- Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
- ^ NOAAOffice of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research. May 1973. pp. 100, 102. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
- ^ National Hurricane Operations Plan (PDF) (Report). Washington, D.C.: Interdepartmental Committee for Meteorological Services. May 1969. p. 65. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ "Tropical Cyclone Naming History and Retired Names". Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
- NOAAOffice of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research. May 1977. p. 85. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
- ^ "Eastern North Pacific Tropical Cyclone Name History". Atlantic Tropical Weather Center. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved February 25, 2024.