Hurricane Juliette (1995)
Encyclopedia
Hurricane Juliette was the strongest hurricane and final tropical cyclone
of the inactive 1995 Pacific hurricane season
. The tenth named storm
of the season, Juliette formed on September 16 from a tropical wave
off the southwest coast of Mexico
. For the majority of its track, the storm moved toward the west-northwest, and Juliette quickly intensified to major hurricane status
. On September 20, the hurricane reached peak winds of 150 mph (240 km/h). Later it turned toward the northeast, briefly threatening the Baja California Peninsula
, although the hurricane never affected land.
moved off the coast of Africa
behind Hurricane Luis
on August 31. Strong outflow from Luis prevented development of the wave, and it continued westward until crossing into the eastern Pacific Ocean
on September 12. Convection increased as it moved through the Gulf of Tehuantepec
, and the cloud pattern organized sufficiently to warrant Dvorak classifications
for the system on September 15. Based on the development of a low-level circulation, it is estimated the system organized into Tropical Depression Eleven-E on September 16 while located around 290 miles (465 km) south of Manzanillo
, Mexico
. Due to the tropical depression moving over an area of warm water temperatures with favorable upper level outflow, the National Hurricane Center
forecast the tropical depression to slowly intensify to 70 mph (110 km/h) winds within 72 hours the forecast early on September 16.
The tropical depression was small in size, and moving to the west-northwest, intensified into a tropical storm on September 17. Juliette quickly organized with a well-defined band
of convection drawn into the circulation. The storm quickly intensified, and subsequent to the development of a small eye
Juliette attained hurricane status on September 18, just 42 hours after developing. The eye became better defined as the hurricane moved to the west-northwest, a motion caused by a weak ridge
to its north, and Juliette attained major hurricane status early on September 19. Possibly due to increased northeasterly wind shear
from an upper-level trough
, Juliette stopped its intensification trend, though as it turned to the west it again re-organized. On September 20, while located 420 miles (680 km) southwest of Cabo San Lucas
, Juliette attained a peak strength of 150 mph (240 km/h), the strongest tropical cyclone of the season and a Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
.
After maintaining its peak intensity for less than 12 hours, Juliette began to weaken due to an eyewall replacement cycle. After turning to the west-northwest, the winds of the hurricane dropped to 100 mi/h by September 22, and the eyewall expanded to about 80 miles (130 km) in diameter. The eyewall contracted to about 40 miles (65 km), and as a result Juliette re-strengthened to attain winds of 105 mph (170 km/h). An eastward moving trough of low pressure turned the hurricane to the north-northeast into an area of cooler water temperatures and increased wind shear
. Juliette quickly weakened to a tropical storm late on September 24. The eastward moving trough moved past the storm, resulting in the motion of Juliette turning to a southeast drift. The convection waned and disappeared on September 25, and on September 26 Juliette dissipated while located 450 miles (730 km) west of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula
.
predicted it to continue northeastward and strike Baja California Sur
. As a result, the government of Mexico
issued a tropical storm watch
as a precautionary measure for portions of the state. When the storm weakened rapidly and turned from the coast, the watch was canceled. Juliette remained away from land masses for its lifetime, and as a result there were no reports of damage or deaths. In southern California
, however, the hurricane produced high waves that created dangerous surfing conditions. These waves wiped out a fishing derby. The remnants of Hurricane Juliette moved into New Mexico
and western Texas
, producing scattered showers and thunderstorms.
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...
of the inactive 1995 Pacific hurricane season
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...
. The tenth named storm
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...
of the season, Juliette formed on September 16 from a tropical wave
Tropical 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...
off the southwest coast of 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...
. For the majority of its track, the storm moved toward the west-northwest, and Juliette quickly intensified to major hurricane status
Tropical cyclone scales
Tropical systems are officially ranked on one of several tropical cyclone scales according to their maximum sustained winds and in what oceanic basin they are located...
. On September 20, the hurricane reached peak winds of 150 mph (240 km/h). Later it turned toward the northeast, briefly threatening the Baja California Peninsula
Baja California Peninsula
The Baja California peninsula , is a peninsula in northwestern Mexico. Its land mass separates the Pacific Ocean from the Gulf of California. The Peninsula extends from Mexicali, Baja California in the north to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur in the south.The total area of the Baja California...
, although the hurricane never affected land.
Meteorological history
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 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...
behind Hurricane Luis
Hurricane Luis
Hurricane Luis was one of the deadliest and most destructive hurricanes of the 1995 Atlantic hurricane season, with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph . The storm was the twelfth tropical storm, sixth hurricane, and second major hurricane of the season...
on August 31. Strong outflow from Luis prevented development of the wave, and it continued westward until crossing into the eastern Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
on September 12. Convection increased as it moved through 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...
, and the cloud pattern organized sufficiently to warrant Dvorak classifications
Dvorak technique
The Dvorak technique is a widely used system to subjectively estimate tropical cyclone intensity based solely on visible and infrared satellite images. Several agencies issue Dvorak intensity numbers for cyclones of sufficient intensity...
for the system on September 15. Based on the development of a low-level circulation, it is estimated the system organized into Tropical Depression Eleven-E on September 16 while located around 290 miles (465 km) south of Manzanillo
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...
, 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...
. Due to the tropical depression moving over an area of warm water temperatures with favorable upper level outflow, 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...
forecast the tropical depression to slowly intensify to 70 mph (110 km/h) winds within 72 hours the forecast early on September 16.
The tropical depression was small in size, and moving to the west-northwest, intensified into a tropical storm on September 17. Juliette quickly organized with a well-defined band
Rainband
A rainband is a cloud and precipitation structure associated with an area of rainfall which is significantly elongated. Rainbands can be stratiform or convective, and are generated by differences in temperature. When noted on weather radar imagery, this precipitation elongation is referred to as...
of convection drawn into the circulation. The storm quickly intensified, and subsequent to the development of a small eye
Eye (cyclone)
The eye is a region of mostly calm weather found at the center of strong tropical cyclones. The eye of a storm is a roughly circular area and typically 30–65 km in diameter. It is surrounded by the eyewall, a ring of towering thunderstorms where the second most severe weather of a cyclone...
Juliette attained hurricane status on September 18, just 42 hours after developing. The eye became better defined as the hurricane moved to the west-northwest, a motion caused by a weak ridge
Ridge (meteorology)
A ridge is an elongated region of relatively high atmospheric pressure, the opposite of a trough....
to its north, and Juliette attained major hurricane status early on September 19. Possibly due to increased northeasterly 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...
from an upper-level 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...
, Juliette stopped its intensification trend, though as it turned to the west it again re-organized. On September 20, while located 420 miles (680 km) southwest of Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas , commonly called Cabo, is a city at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, in the municipality of Los Cabos in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. As of the 2010 census, the population was 68,463 people...
, Juliette attained a peak strength of 150 mph (240 km/h), the strongest tropical cyclone of the season and a Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
.
After maintaining its peak intensity for less than 12 hours, Juliette began to weaken due to an eyewall replacement cycle. After turning to the west-northwest, the winds of the hurricane dropped to 100 mi/h by September 22, and the eyewall expanded to about 80 miles (130 km) in diameter. The eyewall contracted to about 40 miles (65 km), and as a result Juliette re-strengthened to attain winds of 105 mph (170 km/h). An eastward moving trough of low pressure turned the hurricane to the north-northeast into an area of cooler water temperatures and 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...
. Juliette quickly weakened to a tropical storm late on September 24. The eastward moving trough moved past the storm, resulting in the motion of Juliette turning to a southeast drift. The convection waned and disappeared on September 25, and on September 26 Juliette dissipated while located 450 miles (730 km) west of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula
Baja California Peninsula
The Baja California peninsula , is a peninsula in northwestern Mexico. Its land mass separates the Pacific Ocean from the Gulf of California. The Peninsula extends from Mexicali, Baja California in the north to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur in the south.The total area of the Baja California...
.
Preparations and impact
When the motion of Juliette turned to the northeast, some computer modelsNumerical weather prediction
Numerical weather prediction uses mathematical models of the atmosphere and oceans to predict the weather based on current weather conditions. Though first attempted in the 1920s, it was not until the advent of computer simulation in the 1950s that numerical weather predictions produced realistic...
predicted it to continue northeastward and strike 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...
. As a result, the government of 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...
issued a tropical storm watch
Tropical cyclone warnings and watches
Warnings and watches are two levels of alert issued by national weather forecasting bodies to coastal areas threatened by the imminent approach of a tropical cyclone of tropical storm or hurricane intensity. They are notices to the local population and civil authorities to make appropriate...
as a precautionary measure for portions of the state. When the storm weakened rapidly and turned from the coast, the watch was canceled. Juliette remained away from land masses for its lifetime, and as a result there were no reports of damage or deaths. In southern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, however, the hurricane produced high waves that created dangerous surfing conditions. These waves wiped out a fishing derby. The remnants of Hurricane Juliette moved into New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
and western Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, producing scattered showers and thunderstorms.
See also
- Other hurricanes of the same name
- 1995 Pacific hurricane season1995 Pacific hurricane seasonThe 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...