Hurricane Rick (2009)
Encyclopedia
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 declared a tropical depression. An eye
began to form during the afternoon of October 16; once fully formed, the storm underwent another period of rapid strengthening. During the afternoon of October 17, the storm attained Category 5 status on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale. Several hours later, Rick attained its peak intensity as the second-strongest Pacific hurricane
on record with winds of 180 mph (290 km/h; 148 kn) and the barometric pressure bottomed out at 906 mbar (906 hPa; 26.75 inHg).
After maintaining this intensity for several hours, Rick began to weaken in response to a combination of an eyewall replacement cycle
and increasing wind shear. By October 19, the storm was downgraded to a Category 3 hurricane and the following day to a tropical storm. The long-anticipated northeast turn took place near the end of this phase, also accompanied by a brief decrease in forward motion. On October 21, Rick quickly moved northeast, brushing the tip of Baja California Sur
before making landfall near Mazatlán
with winds of 55 mph (88.5 km/h; 45.2 kn). Several hours after moving inland, the final advisory from the NHC was issued as the storm weakened to a tropical depression and dissipated.
Prior to landfall, the National Hurricane Center
(NHC) initially forecast Rick to make landfall in southern Baja California as a high-end Category 2 hurricane, prompting hurricane watches. Officials ordered several hundred residents to evacuate from low-lying areas, although tropical storm warnings replaced the hurricane watches after the storm had weakened. Overall, the damage from Rick was significantly less than what was initially anticipated. Throughout Mexico, three people were killed by the storm, one in Oaxaca and two in Baja California Sur.
was initially sparse as the system tracked westward across the Atlantic Ocean
. By October 8, an area of low pressure
developed within the disturbance wave and convection increased. The low eventually moved over South America
and dissipated on October 11. The wave, however, remained well-defined and continued westward, entering the Pacific Ocean
on October 12. By the morning of October 15, the wave began to regain convection and eventually spawned a new area of low pressure roughly 475 mi (764 km; 413 nmi) south-southwest of Puerto Ángel, Mexico
. By the afternoon, the NHC reported that the system had become increasingly organized and was likely to develop into a tropical depression later that day. Around 11:00 am PDT (1800 UTC
), the NHC declared that the low had developed into a tropical depression, the 20th of the 2009 Pacific hurricane season
. The storm featured well-developed outflow
in all directions. Environmental conditions consisting of low wind shear
, high moisture content and above average sea surface temperature
s in the path of the system were exceptionally favorable for rapid development
. Additionally, the storm was being steered through this region by a low- to mid-level ridge
over Mexico
.
Six hours after being declared a depression, the system quickly intensified into a tropical storm, at which time it was given the name Rick. Deep convection, an early indication of an eye
forming, had begun wrapping around the center of the system. Early on October 16, a ragged eyewall
began to develop and several hours later, Rick intensified into a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 75 mph (121 km/h; 62 kn). The rapid intensification was fueled by waters of 30 °C (86 °F), several degrees above average. By the evening of October 16, microwave satellite imagery depicted a well-defined eye; however, this feature was not present on infrared images. Despite this, the NHC upgraded Rick to a Category 2 hurricane with winds now reaching 100 mph (161 km/h; 82 kn). Early the next morning, the storm intensified into a major hurricane, a storm that ranks as a Category 3 or higher on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale. The eye was clearly visible on satellite images and deep, very cold convection surrounded it, signifying a powerful cyclone. Less than 40 minutes after this upgrade, the NHC issued a special advisory stating that Rick had further strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane.
Continuing to gain strength, Rick attained winds of 145 mph (233 km/h; 119 kn) several hours later on October 17. A possible outer eyewall, a second eye larger than the first that often forms at the beginning of an eyewall replacement cycle, was noted at this time. The eye of the storm became very well-defined and nearly cloud free, measuring roughly 11.5 mi (18.5 km; 10 nmi) in diameter. In addition to the rapid intensification, Rick was also growing in size. By the afternoon hours, tropical storm-force winds extended up to 155 mi (249 km; 135 nmi) from the center of the storm, with a maximum gale diameter of 300300 mi (483 km; 261 nmi). At 3:10 pm PDT (2210 UTC), the NHC issued its second special advisory for Rick, this time stating that the storm had become a Category 5 hurricane, the first in the basin since Hurricane Kenna
in 2002
. Around 8:00 pm PDT (0300 UTC on October 18), Rick attained its peak intensity as the second-strongest Pacific hurricane on record. Maximum sustained winds in the eyewall reached 180 mph (290 km/h; 148 kn) and the barometric pressure is estimated to have bottomed out at 906 mbar (906 hPa; 26.75 inHg). The pressure was not directly measured as reconnaissance missions by Hurricane Hunter aircraft were not done because the storm was too far from land. Lixion Avila
, a senior hurricane specialist at the NHC, described Rick's satellite presentation at this time as "spectacular."
Rick maintained its peak intensity for roughly two hours between 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm PDT (0200 and 0400 UTC) on October 17, before it began to weaken in response to an eyewall replacement cycle and increasing wind shear. By the afternoon of October 18, the storm had weakened to a low-end Category 5 hurricane, with maximum winds of 160 mph (257 km/h; 131 kn). Deep convection around the eye warmed slightly and a combination of dry air and wind shear restrained the extent of the storms' outflow to the west. Later that day, Rick began to turn towards the northwest as the subtropical ridge north of the system began to weaken. Early on October 19, Rick was downgraded to a Category 3 hurricane as it began its approach to the southern end of the Baja California peninsula
. Wind shear and dry air quickly entered the core of the system, with the eye disappearing from satellite imagery later that morning.
During the evening of October 19, the center of Rick became devoid of convective activity, resulting in the NHC downgrading it to a tropical storm. According to meteorologists at the NHC, the weakening was "...almost as fast as it strengthened several days ago." The first Hurricane Hunter reconnaissance mission into the storm took place during the afternoon of October 20. During the mission, sustained winds of 65 mph (105 km/h; 53 kn) and a surface pressure of 990 mbar (990 hPa; 29.23 inHg)) were recorded. Several hours after this, convection rapidly increased, with a large area of deep convection developing northeast of the center of circulation; however, this was not associated with intensification. Around 7:00 am PDT (1400 UTC) on October 21. Tropical Storm Rick made landfall near Mazatlán
with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h). Following landfall, the storm rapidly weakened to a tropical depression and roughly seven hours after moving inland, the surface circulation of Rick dissipated over the high terrain of Mexico.
shut down beaches and warned people not to venture out into the water. Residents were advised of potentially heavy rainfall. Along coastal areas of Mexico, specifically around Acapulco
, officials closed ports to small crafts due to rough seas. Residents around the city were also warned about the possibility of mudslides from heavy rain associated with the cyclone's outer bands. Upon Rick's intensification to a Category 4 hurricane, officials in Mexico raised the alert level in Guerrero
, Jalisco
and Michoacán
to severe. In Sonora
, the local government placed 14 municipalities under a blue alert, the pre-storm phase; the alert was upgraded to a yellow alert for the municipalities of Álamos, Benito Juárez, Navojoa, Etchojoa and Huatabampo on October 18.
Early on October 19, the Government of Mexico issued a hurricane watch
for areas of Baja California Sur
between Santa Fe and San Evaristo. Following the issuance of the watch, authorities in the region began planning to open shelters and begin evacuating residents from low-lying areas. Later that day, the watch was replaced by a tropical storm warning as Rick weakened to a tropical storm. By October 20, a new tropical storm watch was issued for mainland Mexico for areas between El Roblito and Altata. Shortly after, officials had opened nine shelters in the region; however, schools remained open until further notice. Later in the day, the tropical storm warning for Baja California was discontinued while the watch for mainland Mexico was upgraded to a warning. This warning was later discontinued on October 21 as Rick dissipated over the mountains of Mexico. Several cruises were affected by the storm throughout southern Baja California. The Carnival Splendor
made a sudden docking as the storm formed and delayed its arrival in Cabo San Lucas by several days. The Carnival Spirit
, scheduled to dock in Acapulco on October 21, delayed its arrival until October 22. The Sapphire Princess
rescheduled its course, remaining near San Francisco, California
, for several additional days instead of traveling south. The Norwegian Star
skipped its planned docking in Cabo San Lucas and remained at sea until the passage of Rick. Other cruises affected by the storm include Radiance of the Seas
, Mariner of the Seas
, MS Veendam
and MS Statendam
.
were closed for two days beginning on October 21 due to the arrival of Tropical Storm Rick. Residents in low-lying areas were urged to evacuate due to both storm surge
and fresh water flooding from the anticipated 3 to 6 in (76.2 to 152.4 mm) of rain. Although several hundred miles from land, wind gusts up to 40 mph (65 km/h) were felt along coastal areas in Mazatlán
. Near the coast of Oaxaca
, large seas capsized a boat carrying three people. Two of the passengers were rescued; however, the third was found dead. Large swells
killed one person along the southern end of Baja California Sur
on October 19. Another fatality took place in the same region after a boy was swept away from an eroded beach. Roughly 320 people near Cabo San Lucas were evacuated due to the threat of flooding. Reports near the city also indicated that there was structural damage and significant traffic issues from rain-induced mudslides.
In Mazatlán, near where Rick made landfall, high winds downed trees and signs, leaving numerous residents without power. Heavy rain was also reported during the passage of the storm. Throughout Mexico, damage from Rick amounted to 192 million pesos
($14.6 million USD
). On December 29, the Government of Mexico allocated 381 million pesos ($29.6 million USD) to assist in recovery from both Hurricanes Jimena and Rick.
over the Great Plains
of the United States
. Severe thunderstorms occurred over parts of the southern states, with at least three tornadoes touching down in Louisiana. Further north, the complex brought heavy rainfall to the northeast and parts of southern Canada. In Louisiana
, the storm system spawned seven tornadoes, two of which were ranked as EF-1
. One of these tornadoes damaged more than 10 structures, destroyed a grain silo, flipped a tractor trailer and left numerous residents without power. In all, the tornadoes left nearly $1 million in losses and injured one person.
In Texas, the remnants of Rick produced torrential rainfall, peaking at 9.34 in (237.2 mm) within a concentrated area. Meteorologists did not anticipate the severity of the precipitation in this area. One person was killed after being swept away in her Jeep on a flooded roadway. Several homes were also flooded during the event and an estimated 300 homes were left without power. Following the floods, numerous roads were closed and some schools had delayed openings. Throughout the state, flood damage amounted to $690,000, with most of this being in Travis County
. Heavy rainfall in Louisiana contributed to widespread flooding that resulted in the closure of several major highways. In Union Parish
, rainfall exceeding 6 in (152.4 mm) led to flash flooding that inundated several homes and a local school, inflicting over $100,000 in damage.
since Hurricane Kenna
in 2002
and the first east of the International Date Line
since Hurricane Ioke
in 2006
. The storm also became the thirteenth cyclone of this intensity east of the International Date Line
since official records in the Eastern Pacific began in 1949. Shortly after being upgraded to Category 5, Rick attained its peak intensity with winds of 180 mph (290 km/h; 148 kn) and a barometric pressure of 906 mbar (906 hPa; 26.75 inHg), making it the second-strongest hurricane ever recorded in the East Pacific, surpassing Kenna. Only Hurricane Linda
of 1997
was stronger than Rick, with minimum pressure of 902 mbar (902 hPa; 26.6 inHg). It also became the second storm in the basin to have sustained winds of 180 mph (290 km/h; 148 kn) or higher, the other being Linda with 185 mph (298 km/h; 152 kn) winds.
Upon being declared a tropical depression on October 15, computer forecasting models already anticipated the likelihood of rapid intensification due to the unusually favorable environmental conditions ahead of the system. The Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting model
(HWRF) showed the storm attaining a minimum pressure below 900 mbar (hPa; 26.58 inHg), an intensity not attained by any Eastern Pacific hurricane on record. The Statistical Hurricane Intensity Prediction Scheme (SHIPS) rapid intensification index, a storm's probability of intensifying by 35 mph (56 km/h; 29 kn) or more within 24 hours, was set at 60%. This percentage quickly increased to 82% several hours later, 11 times higher than the sample mean. The official forecast from the NHC by their second advisory stated that Rick would become a Category 4 hurricane by October 19; however, they mentioned that due to the favorable environment, the storm could intensify faster than forecast. Once Rick had become a Category 2 storm on October 16, the NHC increased their forecast peak intensity to 145 mph (233 km/h; 119 kn), a mid-range Category 4 hurricane.
The first mention of Rick possibly becoming a Category 5 hurricane was in the seventh discussion released by the NHC on October 17. In their advisory, it was noted that the storm had a 10% chance of reaching this intensity within 36 hours. Several hours after this advisory was released, a special update advisory was issued. This new advisory placed the peak intensity of Rick just below Category 5 status, with maximum winds of 155 mph (249 km/h; 127 kn). It was not until the late morning hours of October 17 that the NHC officially anticipated the storm to attain Category 5 status. Upon attaining winds of 180 mph (290 km/h; 148 kn), Rick was forecast to peak with winds of 185 mph (298 km/h; 152 kn), which would have tied the record intensity set by Hurricane Linda.
Pacific hurricane
A Pacific hurricane or tropical storm is a tropical cyclone that develops in the northeastern part of the Pacific Ocean. For organizational purposes, the northern Pacific Ocean is divided into three regions: the eastern, , central , and western...
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
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...
, allowing it to become a hurricane within 24 hours of being declared a tropical depression. An 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...
began to form during the afternoon of October 16; once fully formed, the storm underwent another period of rapid strengthening. During the afternoon of October 17, the storm attained Category 5 status on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale. Several hours later, Rick attained its peak intensity as the second-strongest Pacific hurricane
Pacific hurricane
A Pacific hurricane or tropical storm is a tropical cyclone that develops in the northeastern part of the Pacific Ocean. For organizational purposes, the northern Pacific Ocean is divided into three regions: the eastern, , central , and western...
on record with winds of 180 mph (290 km/h; 148 kn) and the barometric pressure bottomed out at 906 mbar (906 hPa; 26.75 inHg).
After maintaining this intensity for several hours, Rick began to weaken in response to a combination of an eyewall replacement cycle
Eyewall replacement cycle
Eyewall replacement cycles, also called concentric eyewall cycles, naturally occur in intense tropical cyclones, generally with winds greater than 185 km/h , or major hurricanes...
and increasing wind shear. By October 19, the storm was downgraded to a Category 3 hurricane and the following day to a tropical storm. The long-anticipated northeast turn took place near the end of this phase, also accompanied by a brief decrease in forward motion. On October 21, Rick quickly moved northeast, brushing the 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...
before making landfall near 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...
with winds of 55 mph (88.5 km/h; 45.2 kn). Several hours after moving inland, the final advisory from the NHC was issued as the storm weakened to a tropical depression and dissipated.
Prior to landfall, 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) initially forecast Rick to make landfall in southern Baja California as a high-end Category 2 hurricane, prompting hurricane watches. Officials ordered several hundred residents to evacuate from low-lying areas, although tropical storm warnings replaced the hurricane watches after the storm had weakened. Overall, the damage from Rick was significantly less than what was initially anticipated. Throughout Mexico, three people were killed by the storm, one in Oaxaca and two in Baja California Sur.
Meteorological history
Hurricane Rick originated from a strong tropical disturbance wave that moved off the west coast of Africa on October 3, 2009. Convective activityAtmospheric 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...
was initially sparse as the system tracked westward across the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. By October 8, 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 disturbance wave and convection increased. The low eventually moved over South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and dissipated on October 11. The wave, however, remained well-defined and continued westward, entering the 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 October 12. By the morning of October 15, the wave began to regain convection and eventually spawned a new area of low pressure roughly 475 mi (764 km; 413 nmi) south-southwest of Puerto Ángel, Mexico
Puerto Ángel
Puerto Ángel is a small coastal town in the Mexican state of Oaxaca located in the municipality of San Pedro Pochutla. It, along with San Agustinillo and Playa Zipolite are known as the "Riviera Oaxaqueña. It is located 9 km south of city of Pochutla fifty km west of Huatulco and eighty km...
. By the afternoon, the NHC reported that the system had become increasingly organized and was likely to develop into a tropical depression later that day. Around 11:00 am PDT (1800 UTC
Coordinated Universal Time
Coordinated Universal Time is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is one of several closely related successors to Greenwich Mean Time. Computer servers, online services and other entities that rely on having a universally accepted time use UTC for that purpose...
), the NHC declared that the low had developed into a tropical depression, the 20th of the 2009 Pacific hurricane season
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...
. The storm featured well-developed outflow
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...
in all directions. Environmental conditions consisting of low 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...
, high moisture content and above average sea surface temperature
Sea surface temperature
Sea surface temperature is the water temperature close to the oceans surface. The exact meaning of surface varies according to the measurement method used, but it is between and below the sea surface. Air masses in the Earth's atmosphere are highly modified by sea surface temperatures within a...
s in the path of the system were exceptionally favorable for rapid development
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...
. Additionally, the storm was being steered through this region by a low- to mid-level ridge
Ridge (meteorology)
A ridge is an elongated region of relatively high atmospheric pressure, the opposite of a trough....
over 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...
.
Six hours after being declared a depression, the system quickly intensified into a tropical storm, at which time it was given the name Rick. Deep convection, an early indication of an 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...
forming, had begun wrapping around the center of the system. Early on October 16, a ragged eyewall
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...
began to develop and several hours later, Rick intensified into a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 75 mph (121 km/h; 62 kn). The rapid intensification was fueled by waters of 30 °C (86 °F), several degrees above average. By the evening of October 16, microwave satellite imagery depicted a well-defined eye; however, this feature was not present on infrared images. Despite this, the NHC upgraded Rick to a Category 2 hurricane with winds now reaching 100 mph (161 km/h; 82 kn). Early the next morning, the storm intensified into a major hurricane, a storm that ranks as a Category 3 or higher on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale. The eye was clearly visible on satellite images and deep, very cold convection surrounded it, signifying a powerful cyclone. Less than 40 minutes after this upgrade, the NHC issued a special advisory stating that Rick had further strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane.
Continuing to gain strength, Rick attained winds of 145 mph (233 km/h; 119 kn) several hours later on October 17. A possible outer eyewall, a second eye larger than the first that often forms at the beginning of an eyewall replacement cycle, was noted at this time. The eye of the storm became very well-defined and nearly cloud free, measuring roughly 11.5 mi (18.5 km; 10 nmi) in diameter. In addition to the rapid intensification, Rick was also growing in size. By the afternoon hours, tropical storm-force winds extended up to 155 mi (249 km; 135 nmi) from the center of the storm, with a maximum gale diameter of 300300 mi (483 km; 261 nmi). At 3:10 pm PDT (2210 UTC), the NHC issued its second special advisory for Rick, this time stating that the storm had become a Category 5 hurricane, the first in the basin since Hurricane Kenna
Hurricane Kenna
Hurricane Kenna was the second-most intense Pacific hurricane to strike the west coast of Mexico in recorded history. Kenna was the sixteenth tropical depression, thirteenth tropical storm, seventh hurricane, sixth major hurricane, and third Category 5 hurricane of the 2002 Pacific hurricane season...
in 2002
2002 Pacific hurricane season
The 2002 Pacific hurricane season was an event in tropical cyclone meteorology. The most notable storm that year was Hurricane Kenna, which reached Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. It made landfall near Puerto Vallarta, in the Mexican state of Jalisco, on October 25...
. Around 8:00 pm PDT (0300 UTC on October 18), Rick attained its peak intensity as the second-strongest Pacific hurricane on record. Maximum sustained winds in the eyewall reached 180 mph (290 km/h; 148 kn) and the barometric pressure is estimated to have bottomed out at 906 mbar (906 hPa; 26.75 inHg). The pressure was not directly measured as reconnaissance missions by Hurricane Hunter aircraft were not done because the storm was too far from land. Lixion Avila
Lixion Avila
Dr. Lixion Avila is a weather forecaster with the National Hurricane Center . He has been a senior hurricane specialist there since 1987 and is the longest-tenured senior specialist....
, a senior hurricane specialist at the NHC, described Rick's satellite presentation at this time as "spectacular."
Rick maintained its peak intensity for roughly two hours between 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm PDT (0200 and 0400 UTC) on October 17, before it began to weaken in response to an eyewall replacement cycle and increasing wind shear. By the afternoon of October 18, the storm had weakened to a low-end Category 5 hurricane, with maximum winds of 160 mph (257 km/h; 131 kn). Deep convection around the eye warmed slightly and a combination of dry air and wind shear restrained the extent of the storms' outflow to the west. Later that day, Rick began to turn towards the northwest as the subtropical ridge north of the system began to weaken. Early on October 19, Rick was downgraded to a Category 3 hurricane as it began its approach to the southern end 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...
. Wind shear and dry air quickly entered the core of the system, with the eye disappearing from satellite imagery later that morning.
During the evening of October 19, the center of Rick became devoid of convective activity, resulting in the NHC downgrading it to a tropical storm. According to meteorologists at the NHC, the weakening was "...almost as fast as it strengthened several days ago." The first Hurricane Hunter reconnaissance mission into the storm took place during the afternoon of October 20. During the mission, sustained winds of 65 mph (105 km/h; 53 kn) and a surface pressure of 990 mbar (990 hPa; 29.23 inHg)) were recorded. Several hours after this, convection rapidly increased, with a large area of deep convection developing northeast of the center of circulation; however, this was not associated with intensification. Around 7:00 am PDT (1400 UTC) on October 21. Tropical Storm Rick made landfall near 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...
with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h). Following landfall, the storm rapidly weakened to a tropical depression and roughly seven hours after moving inland, the surface circulation of Rick dissipated over the high terrain of Mexico.
Preparations
Officials in OaxacaOaxaca
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...
shut down beaches and warned people not to venture out into the water. Residents were advised of potentially heavy rainfall. Along coastal areas of Mexico, specifically around Acapulco
Acapulco
Acapulco is a city, municipality and major sea port in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific coast of Mexico, southwest from Mexico City. Acapulco is located on a deep, semi-circular bay and has been a port since the early colonial period of Mexico’s history...
, officials closed ports to small crafts due to rough seas. Residents around the city were also warned about the possibility of mudslides from heavy rain associated with the cyclone's outer bands. Upon Rick's intensification to a Category 4 hurricane, officials in Mexico raised the alert level in 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....
, 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...
and 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...
to severe. In Sonora
Sonora
Sonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....
, the local government placed 14 municipalities under a blue alert, the pre-storm phase; the alert was upgraded to a yellow alert for the municipalities of Álamos, Benito Juárez, Navojoa, Etchojoa and Huatabampo on October 18.
Early on October 19, the Government of Mexico issued a hurricane 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...
for areas 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...
between Santa Fe and San Evaristo. Following the issuance of the watch, authorities in the region began planning to open shelters and begin evacuating residents from low-lying areas. Later that day, the watch was replaced by a tropical storm warning as Rick weakened to a tropical storm. By October 20, a new tropical storm watch was issued for mainland Mexico for areas between El Roblito and Altata. Shortly after, officials had opened nine shelters in the region; however, schools remained open until further notice. Later in the day, the tropical storm warning for Baja California was discontinued while the watch for mainland Mexico was upgraded to a warning. This warning was later discontinued on October 21 as Rick dissipated over the mountains of Mexico. Several cruises were affected by the storm throughout southern Baja California. The Carnival Splendor
Carnival Splendor
Carnival Splendor is the sole ship of the Splendor class cruise ship, a smaller, modified version of the Concordia class cruise ship, operated by Costa, and is one of the latest of the Carnival Cruise ships to enter the fleet. She entered service on July 2, 2008. At , she was the largest ship in...
made a sudden docking as the storm formed and delayed its arrival in Cabo San Lucas by several days. The Carnival Spirit
Carnival Spirit
Carnival Spirit was the first Spirit class cruise ship for Carnival Cruise Lines. She was also the first new "Fun Ship" to sail to Alaska and Hawaii...
, scheduled to dock in Acapulco on October 21, delayed its arrival until October 22. The Sapphire Princess
Sapphire Princess
The Sapphire Princess is a cruise ship owned by Princess Cruises which entered service in 2004. It is one of the world's largest cruise ships, with a capacity of approximately 2670 passengers and is the sixth Gem Class ship built by Princess Cruises....
rescheduled its course, remaining near San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, for several additional days instead of traveling south. The Norwegian Star
Norwegian Star
Norwegian Star is a Libra-class cruise ship operated by Norwegian Cruise Line. She was built in 2001 by Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany.-History:The Norwegian Star entered service at the end of 2001...
skipped its planned docking in Cabo San Lucas and remained at sea until the passage of Rick. Other cruises affected by the storm include Radiance of the Seas
Radiance of the Seas
MS Radiance of the Seas is a cruise ship that is owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International. She is registered in Nassau, Bahamas, and is a gas-turbine vessel, the first built for Royal Caribbean. This system produces higher efficient speeds than other cruise ships, and emissions to the...
, Mariner of the Seas
Mariner of the Seas
MS Mariner of the Seas is one of five Voyager-class cruise ships from Royal Caribbean International; it is one of the largest in its fleet and among the largest passenger ships in the world. It was constructed at Aker Finnyards in Turku, Finland and had her maiden voyage in 2003. Currently the ship...
, MS Veendam
MS Veendam
MS Veendam is one of Holland America Line's Cruise ships and is named for the capital of Northern Netherlands's peat colonies. Features on the vessel include the two-tiered Rotterdam Dining Room, suites with private verandahs, multiple lounges, and a wide teak deck.-Signature of Excellence...
and MS Statendam
MS Statendam
MS Statendam is a cruise ship of the Holland America Line. She is the fifth ship to carry the name Statendam for NASM/Holland America Line...
.
Mexico
Schools throughout southern SinaloaSinaloa
Sinaloa officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 18 municipalities and its capital city is Culiacán Rosales....
were closed for two days beginning on October 21 due to the arrival of Tropical Storm Rick. Residents in low-lying areas were urged to evacuate due to both storm surge
Storm surge
A storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically tropical cyclones and strong extratropical cyclones. Storm surges are caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean's surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea...
and fresh water flooding from the anticipated 3 to 6 in (76.2 to 152.4 mm) of rain. Although several hundred miles from land, wind gusts up to 40 mph (65 km/h) were felt along coastal areas in 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...
. Near the coast 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...
, large seas capsized a boat carrying three people. Two of the passengers were rescued; however, the third was found dead. Large swells
Swell (ocean)
A swell, in the context of an ocean, sea or lake, is a series surface gravity waves that is not generated by the local wind. Swell waves often have a long wavelength but this varies with the size of the water body, e.g. rarely more than 150 m in the Mediterranean, and from event to event, with...
killed one person along the southern end 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...
on October 19. Another fatality took place in the same region after a boy was swept away from an eroded beach. Roughly 320 people near Cabo San Lucas were evacuated due to the threat of flooding. Reports near the city also indicated that there was structural damage and significant traffic issues from rain-induced mudslides.
In Mazatlán, near where Rick made landfall, high winds downed trees and signs, leaving numerous residents without power. Heavy rain was also reported during the passage of the storm. Throughout Mexico, damage from Rick amounted to 192 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...
($14.6 million USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
). On December 29, the Government of Mexico allocated 381 million pesos ($29.6 million USD) to assist in recovery from both Hurricanes Jimena and Rick.
United States
Although no longer a tropical cyclone, remnant moisture from Rick enhanced a strong cold frontWeather front
A weather front is a boundary separating two masses of air of different densities, and is the principal cause of meteorological phenomena. In surface weather analyses, fronts are depicted using various colored lines and symbols, depending on the type of front...
over the Great Plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Severe thunderstorms occurred over parts of the southern states, with at least three tornadoes touching down in Louisiana. Further north, the complex brought heavy rainfall to the northeast and parts of southern Canada. In Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, the storm system spawned seven tornadoes, two of which were ranked as EF-1
Enhanced Fujita Scale
The Enhanced Fujita Scale rates the strength of tornadoes in the United States based on the damage they cause.Implemented in place of the Fujita scale introduced in 1971 by Ted Fujita, it began operational use on February 1, 2007. The scale has the same basic design as the original Fujita scale:...
. One of these tornadoes damaged more than 10 structures, destroyed a grain silo, flipped a tractor trailer and left numerous residents without power. In all, the tornadoes left nearly $1 million in losses and injured one person.
In Texas, the remnants of Rick produced torrential rainfall, peaking at 9.34 in (237.2 mm) within a concentrated area. Meteorologists did not anticipate the severity of the precipitation in this area. One person was killed after being swept away in her Jeep on a flooded roadway. Several homes were also flooded during the event and an estimated 300 homes were left without power. Following the floods, numerous roads were closed and some schools had delayed openings. Throughout the state, flood damage amounted to $690,000, with most of this being in Travis County
Travis County, Texas
As of 2009, the U.S. census estimates there were 1,026,158 people, 320,766 households, and 183,798 families residing in the county. The population density was 821 people per square mile . There were 335,881 housing units at an average density of 340 per square mile...
. Heavy rainfall in Louisiana contributed to widespread flooding that resulted in the closure of several major highways. In Union Parish
Union Parish, Louisiana
Union Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Farmerville....
, rainfall exceeding 6 in (152.4 mm) led to flash flooding that inundated several homes and a local school, inflicting over $100,000 in damage.
Records and intensity forecasts
On October 17, Hurricane Rick was classified a Category 5 hurricane, becoming the first in the eastern Pacific basinPacific hurricane
A Pacific hurricane or tropical storm is a tropical cyclone that develops in the northeastern part of the Pacific Ocean. For organizational purposes, the northern Pacific Ocean is divided into three regions: the eastern, , central , and western...
since Hurricane Kenna
Hurricane Kenna
Hurricane Kenna was the second-most intense Pacific hurricane to strike the west coast of Mexico in recorded history. Kenna was the sixteenth tropical depression, thirteenth tropical storm, seventh hurricane, sixth major hurricane, and third Category 5 hurricane of the 2002 Pacific hurricane season...
in 2002
2002 Pacific hurricane season
The 2002 Pacific hurricane season was an event in tropical cyclone meteorology. The most notable storm that year was Hurricane Kenna, which reached Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. It made landfall near Puerto Vallarta, in the Mexican state of Jalisco, on October 25...
and the first east of the International Date Line
International Date Line
The International Date Line is a generally north-south imaginary line on the surface of the Earth, passing through the middle of the Pacific Ocean, that designates the place where each calendar day begins...
since Hurricane Ioke
Hurricane Ioke
Hurricane Ioke was the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Central Pacific...
in 2006
2006 Pacific hurricane season
The 2006 Pacific hurricane season was the most active Pacific hurricane season since 2000 producing 19 tropical storms or hurricanes. Eighteen developed within the National Hurricane Center area of warning responsibility, which is east of 140ºW, and one storm formed between 140ºW and the...
. The storm also became the thirteenth cyclone of this intensity east of the International Date Line
International Date Line
The International Date Line is a generally north-south imaginary line on the surface of the Earth, passing through the middle of the Pacific Ocean, that designates the place where each calendar day begins...
since official records in the Eastern Pacific began in 1949. Shortly after being upgraded to Category 5, Rick attained its peak intensity with winds of 180 mph (290 km/h; 148 kn) and a barometric pressure of 906 mbar (906 hPa; 26.75 inHg), making it the second-strongest hurricane ever recorded in the East Pacific, surpassing Kenna. Only Hurricane Linda
Hurricane Linda (1997)
Hurricane Linda was the strongest eastern Pacific hurricane on record. Forming from a tropical wave on September 9, 1997, Linda steadily intensified and reached hurricane status within 36 hours of developing. It rapidly intensified, reaching winds of and an estimated central pressure...
of 1997
1997 Pacific hurricane season
The 1997 Pacific hurricane season was a very active hurricane season. With hundreds of deaths and billions of dollars in damage, this season was the costliest and one of the deadliest Pacific hurricane seasons. This was due to a strong El Niño...
was stronger than Rick, with minimum pressure of 902 mbar (902 hPa; 26.6 inHg). It also became the second storm in the basin to have sustained winds of 180 mph (290 km/h; 148 kn) or higher, the other being Linda with 185 mph (298 km/h; 152 kn) winds.
Upon being declared a tropical depression on October 15, computer forecasting models already anticipated the likelihood of rapid intensification due to the unusually favorable environmental conditions ahead of the system. The Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting model
Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting model
The Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting model is a specialized version of the Weather Research and Forecasting model and is used to forecast the track and intensity of tropical cyclones. The model was developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , the U.S...
(HWRF) showed the storm attaining a minimum pressure below 900 mbar (hPa; 26.58 inHg), an intensity not attained by any Eastern Pacific hurricane on record. The Statistical Hurricane Intensity Prediction Scheme (SHIPS) rapid intensification index, a storm's probability of intensifying by 35 mph (56 km/h; 29 kn) or more within 24 hours, was set at 60%. This percentage quickly increased to 82% several hours later, 11 times higher than the sample mean. The official forecast from the NHC by their second advisory stated that Rick would become a Category 4 hurricane by October 19; however, they mentioned that due to the favorable environment, the storm could intensify faster than forecast. Once Rick had become a Category 2 storm on October 16, the NHC increased their forecast peak intensity to 145 mph (233 km/h; 119 kn), a mid-range Category 4 hurricane.
The first mention of Rick possibly becoming a Category 5 hurricane was in the seventh discussion released by the NHC on October 17. In their advisory, it was noted that the storm had a 10% chance of reaching this intensity within 36 hours. Several hours after this advisory was released, a special update advisory was issued. This new advisory placed the peak intensity of Rick just below Category 5 status, with maximum winds of 155 mph (249 km/h; 127 kn). It was not until the late morning hours of October 17 that the NHC officially anticipated the storm to attain Category 5 status. Upon attaining winds of 180 mph (290 km/h; 148 kn), Rick was forecast to peak with winds of 185 mph (298 km/h; 152 kn), which would have tied the record intensity set by Hurricane Linda.
See also
- Timeline of the 2009 Pacific hurricane seasonTimeline of the 2009 Pacific hurricane seasonBelow is the Timeline of the 2009 Pacific hurricane season, documenting all the storm formations, strengthening, weakening, landfalls, extratropical transitions, as well as dissipation. The 2009 Pacific hurricane season officially began on May 15, 2009, and will last until November 30. For...
- List of Category 5 Pacific hurricanes
- List of the most intense tropical cyclones
- Other tropical cyclones named RickTropical Storm RickThe name Rick has been used for three tropical cyclones in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and one tropical cyclone in the Western Pacific.It is used on the six-year lists in the Eastern Pacific:...