2010 Pacific hurricane season
Encyclopedia
The 2010 Pacific hurricane season was the least active Pacific hurricane season, in terms of the number of named storms and hurricanes
, on record, due to a moderate La Niña, unlike the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season
, which was one of the most active on record. It officially started on May 15, 2010 for the eastern Pacific, and June 1, 2010 for the central Pacific, and officially ended on November 30, 2010. Unlike the 2009 season, the first storm of the 2010 season, Agatha
, formed during the month of May. It developed on May 29 near the coast of Guatemala. In the second week of June, a sudden spree of tropical cyclones developed, and between June 16 and 22, four cyclones formed, including the first two major hurricanes of the season, Celia and Darby. However, following the record active June, July saw zero name storms. In August and September only 2 tropical storms and one hurricane formed. Tropical Depression Eleven-E caused a great deal of flooding in southern Mexico, causing millions of dollars in damage and causing over 50 deaths and $500 million in damage in areas of Oaxaca
and Guatemala
. Tropical Storm Omeka
was a rare off-season storm.
On May 19, 2010, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) released their forecast for the 2010 Central Pacific hurricane season, which would start on June 1. They expected two or three cyclones to form in or enter the region throughout the season, below the average of four or five storms. The below-average activity forecast was based on two factors: the first was the continuance of a period of decreased activity in the central Pacific; and second, the effects of a Neutral El Niño-Southern Oscillation
(ENSO) or La Niña
, both of which reduce cyclone activity in the region. However, in light of the near-miss of Hurricane Felicia
the previous year, forecasters at the Central Pacific Hurricane Center
gave the public a basic message for the 2010 season, "Prepare! Watch! Act!".
On May 27, 12 days after the official start of the 2010 eastern Pacific hurricane season, NOAA released their forecast for the basin. Similar to the forecast for the central Pacific, below-average activity was expected, with nine to fifteen named storms
forming, four to eight of which would become hurricanes and a further one to three would become major hurricanes. This lessened activity was based on the same two factors as the central Pacific, decreased activity since 1995
and the ENSO event. Overall, NOAA stated there was a 75% chance of below-average activity, 20% of near-normal and only a 5% chance of above-average.
Coinciding with pre-season forecasts, the 2010 season was unusually quiet. However, it was less active than predicted as well, with a record low of eight named storms forming. There was also a record-late December system, Tropical Storm Omeka, in the Central Pacific Hurricane Center
's (CPHC) area of responsibility
, though it was not factored in to the National Hurricane Center
's (NHC) area of responsibly total. Initially, the season began with record-high activity, featuring two major hurricanes in June. Accumulated Cyclone Energy
(ACE)Accumulated Cyclone Energy, broadly speaking, is a measure of the power of a hurricane multiplied by the length of time it existed, so storms that last a long time, as well as particularly strong hurricanes, have high ACEs. values exceeded 300% of the long-term mean, though most was due to Category 5 Hurricane Celia
. Hurricane Celia was also the second-earliest forming storm of that intensity during the course of a season, surpassed only by Hurricane Ava
in 1973
. The month featured an ACE value of 37.22, eclipsing the previous record set in 1984
. However, this activity abruptly halted and languished throughout the month of July. During that month, only one tropical depression formed; this marked the first time since 1966 that no named storms formed in the basin during the month of July. However, due to the activity in June, the ACE value for the season by the start of August remained slightly above normal, roughly 107% the yearly mean. From July 1 to the end of the season, the basin observed record low activity, with only three named storms developing.
There were four tropical cyclones that impacted land in this season. The first was Tropical Storm Agatha
, which brought catastrophic rainfall and flooding to Central America
, especially Guatemala
. Tens of thousands of structures were destroyed across four countries, leaving roughly $1.1 billion (2010 USD) in property damage and 317 fatalities. Tropical Depression Two-E caused only minor effects on land, bringing moderate rains and gusty winds to the Mexican state of Oaxaca
. Tropical Depression 11-E caused a great deal of flooding in southern Mexico, causing millions of dollars in damage and causing over 50 deaths in areas of Oaxaca
. And Tropical Storm Georgette
made landfall in southern Baja California and Mainland Mexico, causing minor damage. Hurricane Celia
became the first Category 5 hurricane of the season, and marked the first occasion when consecutive Pacific hurricane seasons had hurricanes of that intensity, following 2009
's Hurricane Rick
, and became only the second June Category 5 hurricane in the Eastern Pacific, after 1973's Ava
. Hurricane Darby was the second major hurricane of the season, reaching Category 3 strength on June 25. This made Darby the earliest second major hurricane of a season, eclipsing 1978's Hurricane Daniel, which reached major hurricane status on June 30. However, after the very active June, there was a period of inactivity between July and early September, with only 2 named storms forming in the two-month period. September was the least active September since reliable records began in 1971 with the formation of only one tropical storm, Tropical Storm Georgette
, which was partly due to the ongoing La Niña
. There was a record low level of hurricanes and tropical storms. Initially, By the end of the season, the Central Pacific experienced no tropical cyclones; the last time this happened was in 1979.
By the official end of the season, the Pacific had produced a record low of eight named storm, tying the previous in 1977
. In terms of ACE, the season was the third-quietest, only surpassed by the 2007
and 1977 seasons. Of this, roughly 70% was attributable to Hurricanes Celia and Darby.
The record inactivity experienced in the Northeastern Pacific also took place in the Northwestern Pacific. Since reliable records began in the 1970s, there has been no precedent for both basins experiencing exceptionally low tropical cyclone formation. Moreover, this general lack of storm formation was reflected in all cyclone basins except the Atlantic. On average, the Northeastern Pacific accounts for 16 percent of the world's storms; however, during 2010, it accounted for roughly 10 percent (7 out of 67 cyclones).
. At the time, there was a trough
in the region that extended into the southwestern Caribbean Sea
, associated with the Intertropical Convergence Zone
. The system drifted northwestward, and conditions favored further development
. On May 25, the convection became more concentrated, and the National Hurricane Center
(NHC) noted the potential for a tropical depression to develop. The next day, it briefly became disorganized, as its circulation
was broad and elongated; however, the disturbance was in a very moist environment, and multiple low level centers gradually organized into one. The low continued to get better organized; however, there was a lack of a well-defined circulation. On May 29, after further organization of the circulation and convection, the NHC initiated advisories on Tropical Depression One-E while the system was located about 295 miles (475 km) west of San Salvador
, El Salvador
. Later that morning, the depression strengthened into a tropical storm and was named Agatha. Agatha made landfall that afternoon near Champerico
, Guatemala
with winds of 45 mph (75 km/h). Agatha then weakened into a tropical depression during that evening. Early on the morning of May 30, Agatha degenerated into a remnant low before dissipating hours later. The following day, the remnants of Agatha may have redeveloped a surface low in the northwestern Caribbean Sea
; however, this feature was short-lived.
Although a weak tropical cyclone, Agatha brought torrential rainfall to much of Central America. According to Guatemala's president, Álvaro Colom
, some areas received more than 1 m (3.3 ft) of rain. Throughout Guatemala, a total of 287 people were killed by the storm. Additionally, damage amounted to $982 million, making it one of the costliest eastern Pacific tropical cyclones on record. In El Salvador, 11 people were killed and damage from the storm reached $112.1 million. Honduras also suffered significant losses from the storm. Throughout the country, 18 people were killed and damage was estimated at $530 million. One person was also killed in Nicaragua.
A burst of convection re-emerged east of Belize
, in the Atlantic basin, on May 31. On June 1, the National Hurricane Center stated that the remnants of Tropical Storm Agatha had only a low chance of regeneration in the western Caribbean Sea. By the next day, the thunderstorm activity associated with Agatha in the western Caribbean had dissipated. However, the remnans of Tropical Storm Agatha persisted until June 6, causing death and destruction over Central America. On June 6, the remnants of Tropical Storm Agatha dissipated completely, after ravaging the Honduras
and El Salvador
.
In all, Agatha caused 317 fatalities, and roughly $1.1 billion in damage throughout Central America.
moved off the west coast of Africa and entered the Atlantic Ocean. Tracking westward, the system eventually reached the eastern Pacific on June 13. As it approached the Gulf of Tehuantepec
, convection
increased, despite strong wind shear
. Early on June 16, sufficient development had taken place for the NHC to classify the wave as a tropical depression, at which time the depression was situated roughly 110 mi (175 km) south of Salina Cruz
, Mexico
. After attaining its peak intensity with winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) and a pressure 1007 mbar (hPa; 29.74 inHg). The next day, organization decreased as strong wind shear took its toll on the system. However, the NHC was still predicting the system to become a tropical storm. According to satellite imagery, the depression dissipated early on June 17; however, operationally, the NHC continued advisories on the depression for an additional 15 hours.
Due to its proximity to land, tropical storm watches and warnings were issued in advance of the storm when the system was first classified. This was discontinued when the system dissipated. The NHC also noted the possibility of 4 in (101.6 mm) to 12 in (304.8 mm) of rain over the high mountains of Mexico. The Civil Protection, a part of the local government, issued a high alert late on June 16 for the Oaxaca
coast. In addition, the public was urged to take precautions. Extreme caution was recommended for shipping vessels. Rainfall associated with the depression extended as far north as Oaxaca
. In San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec
, 82 homes were damaged by flood waters and 40 others were affected in the town of Zimatlán de Alvarez. Some homes lost their roofs and a few trees were downed as a result of high winds.
developed within the wave and slowly developed a surface circulation over the following 48 hours as it remained nearly stationary over open waters. Early on June 17, deep convection was able to maintain itself over the system, prompting the NHC to classify the low as Tropical Depression Three-E; at this time, the depression was situated 305 mi (490 km) south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico
. Within hours of becoming a tropical depression, a ship in the region reported sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h), indicating that the system had developed into a tropical storm. The newly upgraded storm, now named Blas by the NHC, began to track slowly to the northwest, and later nearly due west, in response to a strengthening ridge over Mexico.
Strong wind shear
prevented Blas from strengthening further over the following day; however, by June 19, the system entered a region of weaker shear. This allowed convection to develop over the center of circulation and that afternoon, the storm attained its peak intensity with winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a pressure of 992 mbar (hPa; 29.29 inHg). Shortly thereafter, cooler sea surface temperatures took their toll on Blas, causing the storm to gradually weaken. By June 21, the system weakened to a tropical depression as convection diminished. Hours later, it degenerated into a non-convective remnant low while situated about 715 mi (1,150 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California Sur
. The remnants of Blas persisted through June 23 as they continued westward before it dissipated to a weak upper-level low.
on June 18, quickly organized into a tropical storm, and later into a hurricane the following day as deep convection
consolidated around the center. On June 21, the storm further intensified into a Category 2 hurricane; however, over the following days, Celia's winds fluctuated. The system briefly attained major hurricane status on June 23 before temporarily succumbing to wind shear
. Once this shear lightened the next day, Celia rapidly intensified
to attain its peak intensity with winds of 160 mph (260 km/h) and an estimated barometric pressure of 921 mbar
(hPa
; 27.20 inHg).
Not long after reaching this strength, wind shear increased and the system entered a dry, stable environment. Over the following 42 hours, sustained winds decreased to tropical storm force and the system began to stall over the open ocean by June 27. Despite highly unfavorable conditions, the storm managed to retain tropical storm status through June 28 and degenerated into a non-convective remnant low that evening. The remnants of Celia continued to drift towards the north before finally dissipating on June 30, about 990 mi (1,590 km) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California Sur
.
that moved off the west coast of Africa on June 8. Initially well-organized, the wave rapidly deteriorated within 24 hours; it continued westward without redevelopment and entered the Eastern Pacific on June 19. The following day, an area of low pressure
developed within the system as it slowed and turned towards the west-northwest. Gradually organizing, the low strengthened into a tropical depression on June 23 while situated roughly 380 mi (610 km) south-southeast of Salina Cruz
, Mexico
. Over the following two days, Darby underwent two periods of rapid intensification. At the end of the second phase on June 25, the storm attained its peak intensity as a Category 3 hurricane with winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) and a pressure of 959 mbar (hPa; 28.32 inHg). Though a strong strom, Darby was unusually small with tropical storm force winds extending only 70 mi (110 km) from its center.
Not long after peaking, a large area of westerly winds, produced by Hurricane Alex over the Gulf of Mexico
, caused Darby to stall offshore before turning to the east, being drawn into the circulation of the larger storm. Increased wind shear
produced by the "massive outlfow
of Alex" caused the small storm to rapidly weaken. By June 28, Darby had diminished to a tropical depression and later to a remnant low off the coast of Mexico. The low persisted for another day before fully dissipating offshore.
While offshore, authorities in Mexico advised residents to be cautious of heavy rains from Darby. Alerts were issued for several areas; however, the storm dissipated before reaching land. The combined effects of Hurricanes Alex and Darby resulted in heavy rains over much of Chiapas
, amounting to 12 to 16 in (304.8 to 406.4 mm) in some areas. Flash flooding damaged 43 homes and affected 60,000 people.
Though relatively far from land, the depression's outer bands brought locally heavy rains to portions of Colima
and Jalisco
.
Though the center of Estelle remained offshore, its outer bands brought moderate to heavy rains and increased surf to coastal areas of Guerrero
, Michoacán
, Colima
, and Jalisco
on August 7. The following day, a detachment of clouds associated with the storm brought locally heavy rains to Mazatlán
, resulting in localized street flooding.
, Mexico. Tracking northwestward in response to a mid-level ridge over northwestern Mexico, the depression moved through a region of moderate wind shear, preventing further development. Once over cooler waters on August 21, convection began to wane and the system degenerated into a remnant low later that day. Continuing along the same path, the remnants of the depression dissipated early on August 23 over open waters.
. Tropical Depression Nine-E formed on August 21 south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec
. It developed into a tropical storm the following morning. On August 23, Frank continued to intensify, but later faced shear and entered a period of weakening. However, on August 24, as shear decreased, it began to reorganize and strengthen again, becoming a hurricane on August 25. Frank also formed an eye feature that persisted for about a day. Two days later, Frank weakened back into a tropical storm. Frank encountered unfavorable conditions of high shear and cool waters, causing it to rapidly weakening overnight. Frank became a remnant low on August 28.
In Mexico, six deaths were reported. A total 30 homes were destroyed with 26 others damaged. Two major roads were damaged with another road blocked due to a landslides. Several rivers overflowed their banks as well. In the wake of the storm, 110 communities requested assistance from the government. By September 14, an estimated 200,000 food packages were distributed to the region. Losses from Hurricane Frank exceeded 100 million pesos
($8.3 million USD).
that moved off the west coast of Africa on August 14. Tracking westward, the wave eventually crossed Central America and entered the Pacific Ocean on August 26. Gradual organization took place by early September as deepening convection
. During September 3, a low-level circulation developed within the system and the NHC classified it as a tropical depression. At this time, the depression was situated roughly 255 mi (410 km) south-southeast of the southern tip of Baja California Sur
. Located between a strong ridge
over Mexico and trough
over the north Pacific Ocean, the system tracked northwestward throughout the remainder of its existence. Maximum sustained wind
s never exceeded 35 mph (55 km/h) before moving into a region cooler waters and moderate wind shear
. The combination of these two factors caused convection to diminish; the depression degenerated into a non-convective remnant low on September 4 before dissipating the following day.
. The southern portion of this system continued its track and later entered the Eastern Pacific on August 29. By September 2, convection consolidated over the Gulf of Tehuantepec and a low-level circulation
developed as it moved in a general northward direction. Classified a tropical depression the following day, the National Hurricane Center initially expected it to attain tropical storm status before moving over land. A ship in the region measued gale-force winds, supporting this forecast but later analysis revealed that these winds were associated with a broad monsoon trough
which the depression was embedded within. Failing to intensify, the system made landfall near Salina Cruz
, Mexico and rapidly weakened. Maintaining its circulation, the depression survived its crossing of Mexico and regenerated into Atlantic Tropical Storm Hermine. The crossover of this storm is regarded as an uncommon occurrence, taking place only a handful of times since reliable records in the Atlantic began in 1851.
Due to the depression's proximity to land, tropical storm warnings were issued for southern Mexico. Little damage is directly attributed to the system but the overall trough which it was embedded within produced torrential rains over Guatemala and Costa Rica. At least 44 people were killed throughout the country, mainly from a series of landslides along the Inter-American Highway
. Damage is estimated to be at least $500 million. Additionally, three people were killed in Costa Rica.
that moved off the west coast of Africa
on September 1. Tracking westward across the Atlantic, the wave eventually spawned an area of low pressure, which developed into Hurricane Karl on September 14. The wave itself continued through the Caribbean Sea, and entered the Eastern Pacific on September 17, but signification development was not anticipated. Tracking northwestward, the low gradually organized into a tropical depression by September 20, at which time it was situated south of Baja California Sur
. Shortly thereafter, it intensified into a tropical storm and was named Georgette. On September 21, Georgette attained its peak intensity with winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 999 mbar (hPa; 29.50 inHg). The storm struck Baja California Sur later that day before weakening to a tropical depression. It continued north as a depression and made landfall on mainland Mexico on September 22. The system dissipated over northern Mexico early on September 23.
over the Northern Pacific Ocean began showing signs of tropical cyclogenesis
. Drifting southeastward around the International Dateline, the system developed into a subtropical depression within the Central Pacific basin on December 18, becoming the latest-forming system east of 180° and north of the equator
in the Pacific Ocean on record. Turning southwest, the system intensified into a subtropical storm later that day before crossing into the Western Pacific. While west of the dateline, the system attained its peak intensity with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h). Gaining more tropical characteristics, the storm transitioned into a fully tropical system a few hours after crossing the dateline for a third time. Upon doing so, it was recognized by the Central Pacific Hurricane Center and given the name Omeka. Turning to the northeast, gradual weakening took place over the following days, before Omeka dissipated north of the Hawaiian Islands
, on December 22.
in the spring of 2011. This is the same list used in the 2004 season
. In March 2011, the World Meteorological Organization
announced that it would not retire any names. This list will be re-used during the 2016 Pacific hurricane season.
For the central Pacific Ocean, four consecutive lists are used, with the names used sequentially until exhausted, rather than until the end of the year, due to the low number of storms each year. Only one name, Omeka
, was used during the course of the year.
Tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
, on record, due to a moderate La Niña, unlike the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season
2010 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2010 Atlantic hurricane season was the third most active Atlantic hurricane season on record, tying with the 1887 Atlantic hurricane season, 1995 Atlantic hurricane season and the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season. It had the most number of named storms since the 2005 season and also ties with the...
, which was one of the most active on record. It officially started on May 15, 2010 for the eastern Pacific, and June 1, 2010 for the central Pacific, and officially ended on November 30, 2010. Unlike the 2009 season, the first storm of the 2010 season, Agatha
Tropical Storm Agatha (2010)
Tropical Storm Agatha was a weak, but catastrophic tropical cyclone that brought widespread floods to much of Central America and was the deadliest tropical cyclone in the eastern Pacific since Hurricane Pauline in 1997. The first storm of the 2010 Pacific hurricane season, Agatha originated from...
, formed during the month of May. It developed on May 29 near the coast of Guatemala. In the second week of June, a sudden spree of tropical cyclones developed, and between June 16 and 22, four cyclones formed, including the first two major hurricanes of the season, Celia and Darby. However, following the record active June, July saw zero name storms. In August and September only 2 tropical storms and one hurricane formed. Tropical Depression Eleven-E caused a great deal of flooding in southern Mexico, causing millions of dollars in damage and causing over 50 deaths and $500 million in damage in areas of Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
and Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
. Tropical Storm Omeka
Tropical Storm Omeka
Tropical Storm Omeka was the latest forming Eastern Pacific tropical storm since reliable records began in 1949. On December 18, 2010, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center began monitoring a subtropical cyclone near the International Dateline for possible tropical cyclogenesis...
was a rare off-season storm.
Seasonal forecasts
| Source | Date | b>Named storms |
b>Hurricanes | b>Major hurricanes |
| Record high activity | 27 1992 Pacific hurricane season The 1992 Pacific hurricane season was the most active Pacific hurricane season on record. The most notable storm was Hurricane Iniki, which caused billions of dollars of damage to the Hawaiian Islands. Hurricanes Lester, Virgil, Winifred, and Orlene also made landfall and killed several people, but... |
16 1990 Pacific hurricane season The 1990 Pacific hurricane season is the fifth most active season on record. The 1990 season officially started on May 15 in the eastern Pacific, and on June 1 in the central Pacific, and lasted until November 30. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical... (Tie 1992 Pacific hurricane season The 1992 Pacific hurricane season was the most active Pacific hurricane season on record. The most notable storm was Hurricane Iniki, which caused billions of dollars of damage to the Hawaiian Islands. Hurricanes Lester, Virgil, Winifred, and Orlene also made landfall and killed several people, but... ) |
10 1992 Pacific hurricane season The 1992 Pacific hurricane season was the most active Pacific hurricane season on record. The most notable storm was Hurricane Iniki, which caused billions of dollars of damage to the Hawaiian Islands. Hurricanes Lester, Virgil, Winifred, and Orlene also made landfall and killed several people, but... |
|
| Record low activity | 8 1977 Pacific hurricane season The 1977 Pacific hurricane season was, at the time, the least active in recorded history. Only eight tropical storms formed, and four hurricanes; they would be tied and surpassed, respectively, by the 2010 Pacific hurricane season. There were no major hurricanes; the next time this happened would... (Tie) |
3 | 0 1977 Pacific hurricane season The 1977 Pacific hurricane season was, at the time, the least active in recorded history. Only eight tropical storms formed, and four hurricanes; they would be tied and surpassed, respectively, by the 2010 Pacific hurricane season. There were no major hurricanes; the next time this happened would... (Tie 2003 Pacific hurricane season The 2003 Pacific hurricane season produced an unusually large number of tropical cyclones which affected Mexico. The most notable cyclones the year were Hurricanes Ignacio and Marty, which killed 2 and 12 people in Mexico, respectively, and were collectively responsible for about... ) |
|
| –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– | ||||
| NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere... |
Average | 15.3 | 8.8 | 4.2 |
| NOAA | 1995-2008 average | 14 | 7 | 3 |
| NOAA | 27 May 2010 | 9 - 15 | 4 - 8 | 1 - 3 |
On May 19, 2010, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
(NOAA) released their forecast for the 2010 Central Pacific hurricane season, which would start on June 1. They expected two or three cyclones to form in or enter the region throughout the season, below the average of four or five storms. The below-average activity forecast was based on two factors: the first was the continuance of a period of decreased activity in the central Pacific; and second, the effects of a Neutral El Niño-Southern Oscillation
El Niño-Southern Oscillation
El Niño/La Niña-Southern Oscillation, or ENSO, is a quasiperiodic climate pattern that occurs across the tropical Pacific Ocean roughly every five years...
(ENSO) or La Niña
La Niña
La Niña is a coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenon that is the counterpart of El Niño as part of the broader El Niño-Southern Oscillation climate pattern. During a period of La Niña, the sea surface temperature across the equatorial Eastern Central Pacific Ocean will be lower than normal by 3–5 °C...
, both of which reduce cyclone activity in the region. However, in light of the near-miss of Hurricane Felicia
Hurricane Felicia (2009)
Hurricane Felicia was the third strongest tropical cyclone of the 2009 Pacific hurricane season, as well as the strongest storm to exist in the eastern Pacific at the time since Hurricane Daniel in 2006. Forming as a tropical depression on August 3, the storm supported strong thunderstorm...
the previous year, forecasters at the Central Pacific Hurricane Center
Central Pacific Hurricane Center
The Central Pacific Hurricane Center of the United States National Weather Service is the official body responsible for tracking and issuing tropical cyclone warnings, watches, advisories, discussions, and statements for the Central North Pacific Basin...
gave the public a basic message for the 2010 season, "Prepare! Watch! Act!".
On May 27, 12 days after the official start of the 2010 eastern Pacific hurricane season, NOAA released their forecast for the basin. Similar to the forecast for the central Pacific, below-average activity was expected, with nine to fifteen named storms
Tropical cyclone naming
Tropical cyclones have officially been named since 1945 and are named for a variety of reasons, which include to facilitate communications between forecasters and the public when forecasts, watches, and warnings are issued. Names also reduce confusion about what storm is being described, as more...
forming, four to eight of which would become hurricanes and a further one to three would become major hurricanes. This lessened activity was based on the same two factors as the central Pacific, decreased activity since 1995
1995 Pacific hurricane season
The 1995 Pacific hurricane season was the least active Pacific hurricane season since 1979. Of the eleven tropical cyclones that formed during the season, four affected land, with the most notable storm of the season being Hurricane Ismael, which killed at least 116 people in Mexico...
and the ENSO event. Overall, NOAA stated there was a 75% chance of below-average activity, 20% of near-normal and only a 5% chance of above-average.
Seasonal summary
| Month | Averages/ActualStorm averages are those in parenthesis. | ACEPercentage of average ACE through the end of the month | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Storms | Hurricanes | Major | Month | Year | |
| May | 1 (0-1) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | - | - |
| June | 3 (2) | 2 (1) | 2 (0-1) | ~300% | >300% |
| July | 0 (3-4) | 0 (2) | 0 (1) | 0% | 107% |
| August | 2 (4) | 1 (2) | 0 (1) | 40% | 75% |
| September | 1 (3) | 0 (2) | 0 (1) | <5% | 46% |
| October | 0 (2) | 0 (1) | 0 (0-1) | 0% | 46% |
| November | 0 (0-1) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0% | ~46% |
| Total | 7 (15) | 3 (9) | 2 (4) | - | ~46% |
Coinciding with pre-season forecasts, the 2010 season was unusually quiet. However, it was less active than predicted as well, with a record low of eight named storms forming. There was also a record-late December system, Tropical Storm Omeka, in the Central Pacific Hurricane Center
Central Pacific Hurricane Center
The Central Pacific Hurricane Center of the United States National Weather Service is the official body responsible for tracking and issuing tropical cyclone warnings, watches, advisories, discussions, and statements for the Central North Pacific Basin...
's (CPHC) area of responsibility
Area of responsibility
Area Of Responsibility is a pre-defined geographic region assigned to a Combatant commanders of the Unified Command Plan , that are used to define an area with specific geographic boundaries where they have the authority to plan and conduct operations; for which a force, or component commander...
, though it was not factored in to the National Hurricane Center
National Hurricane Center
The National Hurricane Center , located at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, is the division of the National Weather Service responsible for tracking and predicting weather systems within the tropics between the Prime Meridian and the 140th meridian west poleward to the 30th...
's (NHC) area of responsibly total. Initially, the season began with record-high activity, featuring two major hurricanes in June. Accumulated Cyclone Energy
Accumulated cyclone energy
Accumulated cyclone energy is a measure used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to express the activity of individual tropical cyclones and entire tropical cyclone seasons, particularly the North Atlantic hurricane season. It uses an approximation of the energy used by a...
(ACE)Accumulated Cyclone Energy, broadly speaking, is a measure of the power of a hurricane multiplied by the length of time it existed, so storms that last a long time, as well as particularly strong hurricanes, have high ACEs. values exceeded 300% of the long-term mean, though most was due to Category 5 Hurricane Celia
Hurricane Celia (2010)
Hurricane Celia was a powerful, early-season Category 5 tropical cyclone that existed over the open waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean during late June 2010...
. Hurricane Celia was also the second-earliest forming storm of that intensity during the course of a season, surpassed only by Hurricane Ava
Hurricane Ava (1973)
Hurricane Ava was one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. It was the first named storm of the 1973 Pacific hurricane season. Forming in early June, Hurricane Ava eventually reached Category 5 intensity on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, the...
in 1973
1973 Pacific hurricane season
The 1973 Pacific hurricane season was an event in tropical cyclone meteorology. The most important system this year was Hurricane Ava, which was the most intense Pacific hurricane known at the time. Several other much weaker tropical cyclones came close to, or made landfall on, the Pacific coast of...
. The month featured an ACE value of 37.22, eclipsing the previous record set in 1984
1984 Pacific hurricane season
The 1984 Pacific hurricane season officially started May 15, 1984 in the eastern Pacific, and June 1, 1984 in the central Pacific, and lasted until November 30, 1984. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northeastern Pacific...
. However, this activity abruptly halted and languished throughout the month of July. During that month, only one tropical depression formed; this marked the first time since 1966 that no named storms formed in the basin during the month of July. However, due to the activity in June, the ACE value for the season by the start of August remained slightly above normal, roughly 107% the yearly mean. From July 1 to the end of the season, the basin observed record low activity, with only three named storms developing.
There were four tropical cyclones that impacted land in this season. The first was Tropical Storm Agatha
Tropical Storm Agatha (2010)
Tropical Storm Agatha was a weak, but catastrophic tropical cyclone that brought widespread floods to much of Central America and was the deadliest tropical cyclone in the eastern Pacific since Hurricane Pauline in 1997. The first storm of the 2010 Pacific hurricane season, Agatha originated from...
, which brought catastrophic rainfall and flooding to Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
, especially Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
. Tens of thousands of structures were destroyed across four countries, leaving roughly $1.1 billion (2010 USD) in property damage and 317 fatalities. Tropical Depression Two-E caused only minor effects on land, bringing moderate rains and gusty winds to the Mexican state of Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
. Tropical Depression 11-E caused a great deal of flooding in southern Mexico, causing millions of dollars in damage and causing over 50 deaths in areas of Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
. And Tropical Storm Georgette
Tropical Storm Georgette (2010)
Tropical Storm Georgette was a short-lived tropical storm that struck the Baja California Sur in September 2010. Georgette originated from an area of disturbed weather over the eastern Pacific on September 20. The next day, the system was upgraded into a tropical storm a short distance south...
made landfall in southern Baja California and Mainland Mexico, causing minor damage. Hurricane Celia
Hurricane Celia (2010)
Hurricane Celia was a powerful, early-season Category 5 tropical cyclone that existed over the open waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean during late June 2010...
became the first Category 5 hurricane of the season, and marked the first occasion when consecutive Pacific hurricane seasons had hurricanes of that intensity, following 2009
2009 Pacific hurricane season
The 2009 Pacific hurricane season was an active event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation, due to a moderate El Niño, unlike the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season, which was relatively quiet. The season officially started on May 15 in the eastern Pacific, and on June 1 for the central...
's Hurricane Rick
Hurricane Rick (2009)
Hurricane Rick was the second-most intense Pacific hurricane on record and the strongest ever to form during October. Developing south of Mexico on October 15, 2009, Hurricane Rick traversed an area favoring rapid intensification, allowing it to become a hurricane within 24 hours of being...
, and became only the second June Category 5 hurricane in the Eastern Pacific, after 1973's Ava
Hurricane Ava (1973)
Hurricane Ava was one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. It was the first named storm of the 1973 Pacific hurricane season. Forming in early June, Hurricane Ava eventually reached Category 5 intensity on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, the...
. Hurricane Darby was the second major hurricane of the season, reaching Category 3 strength on June 25. This made Darby the earliest second major hurricane of a season, eclipsing 1978's Hurricane Daniel, which reached major hurricane status on June 30. However, after the very active June, there was a period of inactivity between July and early September, with only 2 named storms forming in the two-month period. September was the least active September since reliable records began in 1971 with the formation of only one tropical storm, Tropical Storm Georgette
Tropical Storm Georgette (2010)
Tropical Storm Georgette was a short-lived tropical storm that struck the Baja California Sur in September 2010. Georgette originated from an area of disturbed weather over the eastern Pacific on September 20. The next day, the system was upgraded into a tropical storm a short distance south...
, which was partly due to the ongoing La Niña
La Niña
La Niña is a coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenon that is the counterpart of El Niño as part of the broader El Niño-Southern Oscillation climate pattern. During a period of La Niña, the sea surface temperature across the equatorial Eastern Central Pacific Ocean will be lower than normal by 3–5 °C...
. There was a record low level of hurricanes and tropical storms. Initially, By the end of the season, the Central Pacific experienced no tropical cyclones; the last time this happened was in 1979.
By the official end of the season, the Pacific had produced a record low of eight named storm, tying the previous in 1977
1977 Pacific hurricane season
The 1977 Pacific hurricane season was, at the time, the least active in recorded history. Only eight tropical storms formed, and four hurricanes; they would be tied and surpassed, respectively, by the 2010 Pacific hurricane season. There were no major hurricanes; the next time this happened would...
. In terms of ACE, the season was the third-quietest, only surpassed by the 2007
2007 Pacific hurricane season
The 2007 Pacific hurricane season was an event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. It officially started on May 15, 2007 in the eastern Pacific, designated as the area east of 140°W, and on June 1, 2007 in the central Pacific, which is between the International Date Line and 140°W,...
and 1977 seasons. Of this, roughly 70% was attributable to Hurricanes Celia and Darby.
The record inactivity experienced in the Northeastern Pacific also took place in the Northwestern Pacific. Since reliable records began in the 1970s, there has been no precedent for both basins experiencing exceptionally low tropical cyclone formation. Moreover, this general lack of storm formation was reflected in all cyclone basins except the Atlantic. On average, the Northeastern Pacific accounts for 16 percent of the world's storms; however, during 2010, it accounted for roughly 10 percent (7 out of 67 cyclones).
Tropical Storm Agatha
Tropical Storm Agatha originated from an area of convection, or thunderstorms, that developed on May 24, off the west coast of Costa RicaCosta Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
. At the time, there was a trough
Trough (meteorology)
A trough is an elongated region of relatively low atmospheric pressure, often associated with fronts.Unlike fronts, there is not a universal symbol for a trough on a weather chart. The weather charts in some countries or regions mark troughs by a line. In the United States, a trough may be marked...
in the region that extended into the southwestern Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
, associated with the Intertropical Convergence Zone
Intertropical Convergence Zone
The Intertropical Convergence Zone , known by sailors as The Doldrums, is the area encircling the earth near the equator where winds originating in the northern and southern hemispheres come together....
. The system drifted northwestward, and conditions favored further development
Tropical cyclogenesis
Tropical cyclogenesis is the term that describes the development and strengthening of a tropical cyclone in the atmosphere. The mechanisms through which tropical cyclogenesis occurs are distinctly different from those through which mid-latitude cyclogenesis occurs...
. On May 25, the convection became more concentrated, and the National Hurricane Center
National Hurricane Center
The National Hurricane Center , located at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, is the division of the National Weather Service responsible for tracking and predicting weather systems within the tropics between the Prime Meridian and the 140th meridian west poleward to the 30th...
(NHC) noted the potential for a tropical depression to develop. The next day, it briefly became disorganized, as its circulation
Atmospheric circulation
Atmospheric circulation is the large-scale movement of air, and the means by which thermal energy is distributed on the surface of the Earth....
was broad and elongated; however, the disturbance was in a very moist environment, and multiple low level centers gradually organized into one. The low continued to get better organized; however, there was a lack of a well-defined circulation. On May 29, after further organization of the circulation and convection, the NHC initiated advisories on Tropical Depression One-E while the system was located about 295 miles (475 km) west of San Salvador
San Salvador
The city of San Salvador the capital and largest city of El Salvador, which has been designated a Gamma World City. Its complete name is La Ciudad de Gran San Salvador...
, El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
. Later that morning, the depression strengthened into a tropical storm and was named Agatha. Agatha made landfall that afternoon near Champerico
Champerico
Champerico is a municipality in the Retalhuleu department in southwestern Guatemala. It is a popular vacation spot for Guatemalans in the region. The picturesque beach town was founded on the Pacific Ocean in 1872 and the paved road to Retalhuleu makes Champerico one of the most important ports...
, Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
with winds of 45 mph (75 km/h). Agatha then weakened into a tropical depression during that evening. Early on the morning of May 30, Agatha degenerated into a remnant low before dissipating hours later. The following day, the remnants of Agatha may have redeveloped a surface low in the northwestern Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
; however, this feature was short-lived.
Although a weak tropical cyclone, Agatha brought torrential rainfall to much of Central America. According to Guatemala's president, Álvaro Colom
Álvaro Colom
Álvaro Colom Caballeros is the President of Guatemala for the 2008–2012 term and leader of the social-democratic National Unity of Hope .-Early years:...
, some areas received more than 1 m (3.3 ft) of rain. Throughout Guatemala, a total of 287 people were killed by the storm. Additionally, damage amounted to $982 million, making it one of the costliest eastern Pacific tropical cyclones on record. In El Salvador, 11 people were killed and damage from the storm reached $112.1 million. Honduras also suffered significant losses from the storm. Throughout the country, 18 people were killed and damage was estimated at $530 million. One person was also killed in Nicaragua.
A burst of convection re-emerged east of Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
, in the Atlantic basin, on May 31. On June 1, the National Hurricane Center stated that the remnants of Tropical Storm Agatha had only a low chance of regeneration in the western Caribbean Sea. By the next day, the thunderstorm activity associated with Agatha in the western Caribbean had dissipated. However, the remnans of Tropical Storm Agatha persisted until June 6, causing death and destruction over Central America. On June 6, the remnants of Tropical Storm Agatha dissipated completely, after ravaging the Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
and El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
.
In all, Agatha caused 317 fatalities, and roughly $1.1 billion in damage throughout Central America.
Tropical Depression Two-E
During early June, a tropical waveTropical wave
Tropical waves, easterly waves, or tropical easterly waves, also known as African easterly waves in the Atlantic region, are a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which move from east to west across the tropics causing areas of...
moved off the west coast of Africa and entered the Atlantic Ocean. Tracking westward, the system eventually reached the eastern Pacific on June 13. As it approached the Gulf of Tehuantepec
Gulf of Tehuantepec
Gulf of Tehuantepec is a large body of water on the Pacific coast of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, southeastern Mexico, at . Most of the hurricanes that form in the Eastern Pacific organize in or near this body of water...
, convection
Atmospheric convection
Atmospheric convection is the result of a parcel-environment instability, or temperature difference, layer in the atmosphere. Different lapse rates within dry and moist air lead to instability. Mixing of air during the day which expands the height of the planetary boundary layer leads to...
increased, despite strong wind shear
Wind shear
Wind shear, sometimes referred to as windshear or wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere...
. Early on June 16, sufficient development had taken place for the NHC to classify the wave as a tropical depression, at which time the depression was situated roughly 110 mi (175 km) south of Salina Cruz
Salina Cruz
Salina Cruz is a major seaport on the Pacific coast of the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It is the state's third-largest city and is municipal seat of the municipality of the same name.It is part of the Tehuantepec District in the west of the Istmo Region....
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. After attaining its peak intensity with winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) and a pressure 1007 mbar (hPa; 29.74 inHg). The next day, organization decreased as strong wind shear took its toll on the system. However, the NHC was still predicting the system to become a tropical storm. According to satellite imagery, the depression dissipated early on June 17; however, operationally, the NHC continued advisories on the depression for an additional 15 hours.
Due to its proximity to land, tropical storm watches and warnings were issued in advance of the storm when the system was first classified. This was discontinued when the system dissipated. The NHC also noted the possibility of 4 in (101.6 mm) to 12 in (304.8 mm) of rain over the high mountains of Mexico. The Civil Protection, a part of the local government, issued a high alert late on June 16 for the Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
coast. In addition, the public was urged to take precautions. Extreme caution was recommended for shipping vessels. Rainfall associated with the depression extended as far north as Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
. In San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec
San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec
San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec , or simply referred to as Tuxtepec, is the head of the municipality by the same name and is the second most populous city of the Mexican state of Oaxaca....
, 82 homes were damaged by flood waters and 40 others were affected in the town of Zimatlán de Alvarez. Some homes lost their roofs and a few trees were downed as a result of high winds.
Tropical Storm Blas
On May 30, a new tropical wave moved off the west coast of Africa and entered the Atlantic Ocean. Little convective development took place as it traversed the region; however, as it crossed Central America between June 9 and 10, it began to show signs of strengthening. By June 13, an area of low pressureLow pressure area
A low-pressure area, or "low", is a region where the atmospheric pressure at sea level is below that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure systems form under areas of wind divergence which occur in upper levels of the troposphere. The formation process of a low-pressure area is known as...
developed within the wave and slowly developed a surface circulation over the following 48 hours as it remained nearly stationary over open waters. Early on June 17, deep convection was able to maintain itself over the system, prompting the NHC to classify the low as Tropical Depression Three-E; at this time, the depression was situated 305 mi (490 km) south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico
Manzanillo, Colima
The name Manzanillo refers to the city as well as its surrounding municipality in the Mexican state of Colima. The city, located on the Pacific Ocean, contains Mexico's busiest port. Manzanillo was the third port created by the Spanish in the Pacific during the New Spain period...
. Within hours of becoming a tropical depression, a ship in the region reported sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h), indicating that the system had developed into a tropical storm. The newly upgraded storm, now named Blas by the NHC, began to track slowly to the northwest, and later nearly due west, in response to a strengthening ridge over Mexico.
Strong wind shear
Wind shear
Wind shear, sometimes referred to as windshear or wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere...
prevented Blas from strengthening further over the following day; however, by June 19, the system entered a region of weaker shear. This allowed convection to develop over the center of circulation and that afternoon, the storm attained its peak intensity with winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a pressure of 992 mbar (hPa; 29.29 inHg). Shortly thereafter, cooler sea surface temperatures took their toll on Blas, causing the storm to gradually weaken. By June 21, the system weakened to a tropical depression as convection diminished. Hours later, it degenerated into a non-convective remnant low while situated about 715 mi (1,150 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California Sur
Baja California Sur
Baja California Sur , is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Before becoming a state on October 8, 1974, the area was known as the South Territory of Baja California. It has an area of , or 3.57% of the land mass of Mexico and comprises...
. The remnants of Blas persisted through June 23 as they continued westward before it dissipated to a weak upper-level low.
Hurricane Celia
Celia formed out of a tropical waveTropical wave
Tropical waves, easterly waves, or tropical easterly waves, also known as African easterly waves in the Atlantic region, are a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which move from east to west across the tropics causing areas of...
on June 18, quickly organized into a tropical storm, and later into a hurricane the following day as deep convection
Atmospheric convection
Atmospheric convection is the result of a parcel-environment instability, or temperature difference, layer in the atmosphere. Different lapse rates within dry and moist air lead to instability. Mixing of air during the day which expands the height of the planetary boundary layer leads to...
consolidated around the center. On June 21, the storm further intensified into a Category 2 hurricane; however, over the following days, Celia's winds fluctuated. The system briefly attained major hurricane status on June 23 before temporarily succumbing to wind shear
Wind shear
Wind shear, sometimes referred to as windshear or wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere...
. Once this shear lightened the next day, Celia rapidly intensified
Rapid deepening
Rapid deepening, also known as rapid intensification, is a meteorological condition that occurs when the minimum sea-level atmospheric pressure of a tropical cyclone decreases drastically in a short period of time. The National Weather Service describes rapid deepening as a decrease of...
to attain its peak intensity with winds of 160 mph (260 km/h) and an estimated barometric pressure of 921 mbar
Bar (unit)
The bar is a unit of pressure equal to 100 kilopascals, and roughly equal to the atmospheric pressure on Earth at sea level. Other units derived from the bar are the megabar , kilobar , decibar , centibar , and millibar...
(hPa
Pascal (unit)
The pascal is the SI derived unit of pressure, internal pressure, stress, Young's modulus and tensile strength, named after the French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer, and philosopher Blaise Pascal. It is a measure of force per unit area, defined as one newton per square metre...
; 27.20 inHg).
Not long after reaching this strength, wind shear increased and the system entered a dry, stable environment. Over the following 42 hours, sustained winds decreased to tropical storm force and the system began to stall over the open ocean by June 27. Despite highly unfavorable conditions, the storm managed to retain tropical storm status through June 28 and degenerated into a non-convective remnant low that evening. The remnants of Celia continued to drift towards the north before finally dissipating on June 30, about 990 mi (1,590 km) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California Sur
Baja California Sur
Baja California Sur , is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Before becoming a state on October 8, 1974, the area was known as the South Territory of Baja California. It has an area of , or 3.57% of the land mass of Mexico and comprises...
.
Hurricane Darby
The second, and final, major hurricane of the season, Hurricane Darby originated from a vigorous tropical waveTropical wave
Tropical waves, easterly waves, or tropical easterly waves, also known as African easterly waves in the Atlantic region, are a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which move from east to west across the tropics causing areas of...
that moved off the west coast of Africa on June 8. Initially well-organized, the wave rapidly deteriorated within 24 hours; it continued westward without redevelopment and entered the Eastern Pacific on June 19. The following day, an area of low pressure
Low pressure area
A low-pressure area, or "low", is a region where the atmospheric pressure at sea level is below that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure systems form under areas of wind divergence which occur in upper levels of the troposphere. The formation process of a low-pressure area is known as...
developed within the system as it slowed and turned towards the west-northwest. Gradually organizing, the low strengthened into a tropical depression on June 23 while situated roughly 380 mi (610 km) south-southeast of Salina Cruz
Salina Cruz
Salina Cruz is a major seaport on the Pacific coast of the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It is the state's third-largest city and is municipal seat of the municipality of the same name.It is part of the Tehuantepec District in the west of the Istmo Region....
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Over the following two days, Darby underwent two periods of rapid intensification. At the end of the second phase on June 25, the storm attained its peak intensity as a Category 3 hurricane with winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) and a pressure of 959 mbar (hPa; 28.32 inHg). Though a strong strom, Darby was unusually small with tropical storm force winds extending only 70 mi (110 km) from its center.
Not long after peaking, a large area of westerly winds, produced by Hurricane Alex over the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
, caused Darby to stall offshore before turning to the east, being drawn into the circulation of the larger storm. Increased wind shear
Wind shear
Wind shear, sometimes referred to as windshear or wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere...
produced by the "massive outlfow
Outflow (meteorology)
Outflow, in meteorology, is air that flows outwards from a storm system. It is associated with ridging, or anticyclonic flow. In the low levels of the troposphere, outflow radiates from thunderstorms in the form of a wedge of rain-cooled air, which is visible as a thin rope-like cloud on weather...
of Alex" caused the small storm to rapidly weaken. By June 28, Darby had diminished to a tropical depression and later to a remnant low off the coast of Mexico. The low persisted for another day before fully dissipating offshore.
While offshore, authorities in Mexico advised residents to be cautious of heavy rains from Darby. Alerts were issued for several areas; however, the storm dissipated before reaching land. The combined effects of Hurricanes Alex and Darby resulted in heavy rains over much of Chiapas
Chiapas
Chiapas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Chiapas is one of the 31 states that, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 118 municipalities and its capital city is Tuxtla Gutierrez. Other important cites in Chiapas include San Cristóbal de las...
, amounting to 12 to 16 in (304.8 to 406.4 mm) in some areas. Flash flooding damaged 43 homes and affected 60,000 people.
Tropical Depression Six-E
On July 11, a low pressure formed southwest of Central America. The next day, the system began to organize. After a decrease in convection, the system became more concentrated. After additional development, the NHC upgraded the disturbance into Tropical Depression Six-E on July 14. Six-E slowed down forward momentum, and slowly turned north. The depression did not develop further and degenerated into an area of low pressure on July 16.Though relatively far from land, the depression's outer bands brought locally heavy rains to portions of Colima
Colima
Colima is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It shares its name with its capital and main city, Colima....
and Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
.
Tropical Storm Estelle
After an unusual, record inactive July, an area of disturbed weather formed off the south coast of Mexico, on August 4 from a tropical wave that left Africa 13 days earlier. The system became better organized throughout the next day, and was upgraded into a tropical depression on August 6, 138 mi (222.1 km) southwest of Acapulco, Mexico. Initially, there was uncertainty regarding the storm's path. It reached tropical storm status on the same day. On August 8, the storm showed signs of weakening. It was downgraded into a tropical depression the next day. Estelle became a remnant low on August 10, dissipating shortly thereafter.Though the center of Estelle remained offshore, its outer bands brought moderate to heavy rains and increased surf to coastal areas of Guerrero
Guerrero
Guerrero officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guerrero is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 81 municipalities and its capital city is Chilpancingo....
, Michoacán
Michoacán
Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...
, Colima
Colima
Colima is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It shares its name with its capital and main city, Colima....
, and Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
on August 7. The following day, a detachment of clouds associated with the storm brought locally heavy rains to Mazatlán
Mazatlán
Mazatlán is a city in the Mexican state of Sinaloa; the surrounding municipio for which the city serves as the municipal seat is Mazatlán Municipality. It is located at on the Pacific coast, across from the southernmost tip of the Baja California peninsula.Mazatlán is a Nahuatl word meaning...
, resulting in localized street flooding.
Tropical Depression Eight-E
On August 3, a tropical wave moved off the west coast of Africa and tracked westward across the Atlantic Ocean. By August 15, the wave crossed Central America and entered the Eastern Pacific. Over the following five days, development was relatively slow at first, resulting in forecasters at the NHC not predicting the system to become a tropical cyclone. However, on August 20, a low pressure area formed and quickly became a tropical depression. At this time, the system was situated roughly 185 mi (295 km) west-southwest of ManzanilloManzanillo, Colima
The name Manzanillo refers to the city as well as its surrounding municipality in the Mexican state of Colima. The city, located on the Pacific Ocean, contains Mexico's busiest port. Manzanillo was the third port created by the Spanish in the Pacific during the New Spain period...
, Mexico. Tracking northwestward in response to a mid-level ridge over northwestern Mexico, the depression moved through a region of moderate wind shear, preventing further development. Once over cooler waters on August 21, convection began to wane and the system degenerated into a remnant low later that day. Continuing along the same path, the remnants of the depression dissipated early on August 23 over open waters.
Hurricane Frank
The wave that became Frank was first noticed on August 15 south of the Windward IslandsWindward Islands
The Windward Islands are the southern islands of the Lesser Antilles, within the West Indies.-Name and geography:The Windward Islands are called such because they were more windward to sailing ships arriving in the New World than the Leeward Islands, given that the prevailing trade winds in the...
. Tropical Depression Nine-E formed on August 21 south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec
Gulf of Tehuantepec
Gulf of Tehuantepec is a large body of water on the Pacific coast of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, southeastern Mexico, at . Most of the hurricanes that form in the Eastern Pacific organize in or near this body of water...
. It developed into a tropical storm the following morning. On August 23, Frank continued to intensify, but later faced shear and entered a period of weakening. However, on August 24, as shear decreased, it began to reorganize and strengthen again, becoming a hurricane on August 25. Frank also formed an eye feature that persisted for about a day. Two days later, Frank weakened back into a tropical storm. Frank encountered unfavorable conditions of high shear and cool waters, causing it to rapidly weakening overnight. Frank became a remnant low on August 28.
In Mexico, six deaths were reported. A total 30 homes were destroyed with 26 others damaged. Two major roads were damaged with another road blocked due to a landslides. Several rivers overflowed their banks as well. In the wake of the storm, 110 communities requested assistance from the government. By September 14, an estimated 200,000 food packages were distributed to the region. Losses from Hurricane Frank exceeded 100 million pesos
Mexican peso
The peso is the currency of Mexico. Modern peso and dollar currencies have a common origin in the 15th–19th century Spanish dollar, most continuing to use its sign, "$". The Mexican peso is the 12th most traded currency in the world, the third most traded in the Americas, and by far the most...
($8.3 million USD).
Tropical Depression Ten-E
Tropical Depression Ten-E originated from a tropical waveTropical wave
Tropical waves, easterly waves, or tropical easterly waves, also known as African easterly waves in the Atlantic region, are a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which move from east to west across the tropics causing areas of...
that moved off the west coast of Africa on August 14. Tracking westward, the wave eventually crossed Central America and entered the Pacific Ocean on August 26. Gradual organization took place by early September as deepening convection
Atmospheric convection
Atmospheric convection is the result of a parcel-environment instability, or temperature difference, layer in the atmosphere. Different lapse rates within dry and moist air lead to instability. Mixing of air during the day which expands the height of the planetary boundary layer leads to...
. During September 3, a low-level circulation developed within the system and the NHC classified it as a tropical depression. At this time, the depression was situated roughly 255 mi (410 km) south-southeast of the southern tip of Baja California Sur
Baja California Sur
Baja California Sur , is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Before becoming a state on October 8, 1974, the area was known as the South Territory of Baja California. It has an area of , or 3.57% of the land mass of Mexico and comprises...
. Located between a strong ridge
Ridge (meteorology)
A ridge is an elongated region of relatively high atmospheric pressure, the opposite of a trough....
over Mexico and trough
Trough (meteorology)
A trough is an elongated region of relatively low atmospheric pressure, often associated with fronts.Unlike fronts, there is not a universal symbol for a trough on a weather chart. The weather charts in some countries or regions mark troughs by a line. In the United States, a trough may be marked...
over the north Pacific Ocean, the system tracked northwestward throughout the remainder of its existence. Maximum sustained wind
Maximum sustained wind
The maximum sustained winds associated with a tropical cyclone are a common indicator of the intensity of the storm. Within a mature tropical cyclone, they are found within the eyewall at a distance defined as the radius of maximum wind, or RMW. Unlike gusts, the value of these winds are...
s never exceeded 35 mph (55 km/h) before moving into a region cooler waters and moderate wind shear
Wind shear
Wind shear, sometimes referred to as windshear or wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere...
. The combination of these two factors caused convection to diminish; the depression degenerated into a non-convective remnant low on September 4 before dissipating the following day.
Tropical Depression Eleven-E (Hermine)
During mid-August, a westward moving tropical wave in the Atlantic Ocean spawned Hurricane DanielleHurricane Danielle (2010)
Hurricane Danielle was the first of four Category 4 hurricanes during the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season. The sixth tropical depression, fourth named storm, second hurricane, and first major hurricane of the season, Danielle developed as a typical Cape Verde-type hurricane from a tropical wave on...
. The southern portion of this system continued its track and later entered the Eastern Pacific on August 29. By September 2, convection consolidated over the Gulf of Tehuantepec and a low-level circulation
Low pressure area
A low-pressure area, or "low", is a region where the atmospheric pressure at sea level is below that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure systems form under areas of wind divergence which occur in upper levels of the troposphere. The formation process of a low-pressure area is known as...
developed as it moved in a general northward direction. Classified a tropical depression the following day, the National Hurricane Center initially expected it to attain tropical storm status before moving over land. A ship in the region measued gale-force winds, supporting this forecast but later analysis revealed that these winds were associated with a broad monsoon trough
Monsoon trough
The monsoon trough is that portion of the Intertropical Convergence Zone which extends into or through a monsoon circulation, as depicted by a line on a weather map showing the locations of minimum sea level pressure, and as such, is a convergence zone between the wind patterns of the southern and...
which the depression was embedded within. Failing to intensify, the system made landfall near Salina Cruz
Salina Cruz
Salina Cruz is a major seaport on the Pacific coast of the Mexican state of Oaxaca. It is the state's third-largest city and is municipal seat of the municipality of the same name.It is part of the Tehuantepec District in the west of the Istmo Region....
, Mexico and rapidly weakened. Maintaining its circulation, the depression survived its crossing of Mexico and regenerated into Atlantic Tropical Storm Hermine. The crossover of this storm is regarded as an uncommon occurrence, taking place only a handful of times since reliable records in the Atlantic began in 1851.
Due to the depression's proximity to land, tropical storm warnings were issued for southern Mexico. Little damage is directly attributed to the system but the overall trough which it was embedded within produced torrential rains over Guatemala and Costa Rica. At least 44 people were killed throughout the country, mainly from a series of landslides along the Inter-American Highway
Inter-American Highway
The Inter-American Highway is the Central American section of the Pan-American Highway and spans 3,400 miles between Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, and Panama City, Panama....
. Damage is estimated to be at least $500 million. Additionally, three people were killed in Costa Rica.
Tropical Storm Georgette
Georgette originated from a tropical waveTropical wave
Tropical waves, easterly waves, or tropical easterly waves, also known as African easterly waves in the Atlantic region, are a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which move from east to west across the tropics causing areas of...
that moved off the west coast of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
on September 1. Tracking westward across the Atlantic, the wave eventually spawned an area of low pressure, which developed into Hurricane Karl on September 14. The wave itself continued through the Caribbean Sea, and entered the Eastern Pacific on September 17, but signification development was not anticipated. Tracking northwestward, the low gradually organized into a tropical depression by September 20, at which time it was situated south of Baja California Sur
Baja California Sur
Baja California Sur , is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Before becoming a state on October 8, 1974, the area was known as the South Territory of Baja California. It has an area of , or 3.57% of the land mass of Mexico and comprises...
. Shortly thereafter, it intensified into a tropical storm and was named Georgette. On September 21, Georgette attained its peak intensity with winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 999 mbar (hPa; 29.50 inHg). The storm struck Baja California Sur later that day before weakening to a tropical depression. It continued north as a depression and made landfall on mainland Mexico on September 22. The system dissipated over northern Mexico early on September 23.
Tropical Storm Omeka
On December 16, an extratropical cycloneExtratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are a group of cyclones defined as synoptic scale low pressure weather systems that occur in the middle latitudes of the Earth having neither tropical nor polar characteristics, and are connected with fronts and...
over the Northern Pacific Ocean began showing signs of tropical cyclogenesis
Tropical cyclogenesis
Tropical cyclogenesis is the term that describes the development and strengthening of a tropical cyclone in the atmosphere. The mechanisms through which tropical cyclogenesis occurs are distinctly different from those through which mid-latitude cyclogenesis occurs...
. Drifting southeastward around the International Dateline, the system developed into a subtropical depression within the Central Pacific basin on December 18, becoming the latest-forming system east of 180° and north of the equator
Equator
An equator is the intersection of a sphere's surface with the plane perpendicular to the sphere's axis of rotation and containing the sphere's center of mass....
in the Pacific Ocean on record. Turning southwest, the system intensified into a subtropical storm later that day before crossing into the Western Pacific. While west of the dateline, the system attained its peak intensity with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h). Gaining more tropical characteristics, the storm transitioned into a fully tropical system a few hours after crossing the dateline for a third time. Upon doing so, it was recognized by the Central Pacific Hurricane Center and given the name Omeka. Turning to the northeast, gradual weakening took place over the following days, before Omeka dissipated north of the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
, on December 22.
Storm names
The following names were used for named storms that formed in East Pacific in 2010. Retired names, if any, will be announced by the World Meteorological OrganizationWorld Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 189 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873...
in the spring of 2011. This is the same list used in the 2004 season
2004 Pacific hurricane season
The 2004 Pacific hurricane season officially started on May 15, 2004 in the eastern Pacific, and on June 1, 2004 in the central Pacific, and lasted until November 30, 2004...
. In March 2011, the World Meteorological Organization
World Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 189 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873...
announced that it would not retire any names. This list will be re-used during the 2016 Pacific hurricane season.
|
For the central Pacific Ocean, four consecutive lists are used, with the names used sequentially until exhausted, rather than until the end of the year, due to the low number of storms each year. Only one name, Omeka
Tropical Storm Omeka
Tropical Storm Omeka was the latest forming Eastern Pacific tropical storm since reliable records began in 1949. On December 18, 2010, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center began monitoring a subtropical cyclone near the International Dateline for possible tropical cyclogenesis...
, was used during the course of the year.
Season effects
This is a table of the storms and their effects in the 2010 Pacific hurricane season. This table includes the storm's names, duration, peak intensity, Areas affected (bold indicates made landfall in that region at least once), damages, and death totals. Deaths in parentheses are additional and indirect (an example of an indirect death would be a traffic accident), but are still storm-related. Damage and deaths include totals while the storm was extratropical, a wave or a low. All of the damage figures are in 2010 USD.See also
- List of Pacific hurricanes
- List of Pacific hurricane seasons
- 2010 Atlantic hurricane season2010 Atlantic hurricane seasonThe 2010 Atlantic hurricane season was the third most active Atlantic hurricane season on record, tying with the 1887 Atlantic hurricane season, 1995 Atlantic hurricane season and the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season. It had the most number of named storms since the 2005 season and also ties with the...
- 2010 Pacific typhoon season2010 Pacific typhoon seasonThe 2010 Pacific typhoon season was the least active Pacific typhoon season, in terms of the number of named storms and typhoons, on record, due to a moderate La Niña event...
- 2010 North Indian Ocean cyclone season2010 North Indian Ocean cyclone seasonThe 2010 North Indian Ocean cyclone season was a very active event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation with some 8 depressions and 6 named storms, nearly above the average of 4-6 storms in the region due to a moderate La Niña...
- South-West Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 2009-10, 2010–112010–11 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone seasonThe 2010–11 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season was the least active tropical cyclone season in the South-West Indian Ocean on record. It began on November 1, 2010 and ended on April 30, 2011, dates which conventionally delimit the year in which most tropical cyclones form in the basin...
- Australian region cyclone seasons: 2009-10, 2010–112010–11 Australian region cyclone seasonThe 2010–11 Australian region cyclone season was a near average tropical cyclone season, with eleven tropical cyclones forming compared to an average of 12. The season began on 1 November 2010 and ended on 30 April 2011. The Australian region is defined as being to south of the equator, between the...
- South Pacific cyclone seasons: 2009-10, 2010–112010–11 South Pacific cyclone seasonThe 2010–11 South Pacific cyclone season is a period of the year when tropical cyclones formed within the South Pacific Ocean to the east of 160°E...