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Hurricane Rosa (1994)
Encyclopedia
Hurricane Rosa was the only Pacific hurricane
to make landfall during the above-average 1994 Pacific hurricane season
. It killed at least 4 people in Mexico
. Moisture from the hurricane was a factor in widespread flooding in the U.S. state of Texas
that killed 22 people and caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage in October 1994. The pre-Rosa tropical depression formed on October 8 before degenerating the next day. It reformed on October 10 and steadily strengthened as it approached Mexico. Ultimately peaking as a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
right before landfall
, Rosa was the final hurricane, nineteenth tropical storm, and second-last tropical cyclone of the 1994 Pacific hurricane season
.
associated with an area of disturbed weather acquired convection
and was designated Tropical Depression Nineteen-E. Upon formation, the depression was forecast to dissipate because of strong wind shear
. Moving little, its development was constantly hindered by wind shear. The depression had difficulty organizing, and on October 9, it became so disorganized that advisories were discontinued.
The depression's remnants moved eastward and interacted with an area of disturbed weather. This regenerated the convection, and the depression regenerated on October 10, possibly with a new center of circulation. However, the National Hurricane Center
's preliminary report does not indicate that the depression ever dissipated or regenerated. Moving little in a favorable environment, the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Rosa on October 11, and to hurricane status a day later. At the time it was about 345 miles (555.2 km) south of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula
. Rosa continued drifting slowly for another day and a half. Then, a trough
caused Rosa to begin moving and accelerate north-northeastward. On October 14, Rosa peaked in intensity as a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
with winds of 100 mph (160.9 km/h) and a central pressure
of 974 mb. A few hours later, Rosa made landfall
near La Concepción
about 70 mi (112.7 km) south-southeast of Mazatlán
. Rosa's circulation weakened over the mountains, and it dissipated on October 15.
was issued for the coast from Culiacán
to Manzanillo
and the Baja California Peninsula
south of latitude 24°N
. At the same time, a tropical storm warning was issued from Manzanillo to Tepic
. On October 14, a hurricane warning was issued for the coast between Culiacán and Cabo Corrientes
, and a tropical storm warning south of Cabo Corrientes to Manzanillo. All watches and warnings were lifted later that day.
On October 13 and 14, two ships, the London Spirit and the Marie Maersk, encountered winds of tropical storm or hurricane force. The Marie Maersk was located especially close to the eye
, and its observations
were useful to forecasters.
In Nayarit
and Durango
, two people drowned, while in Sinaloa
, four people were pronounced missing. More than 100,000 people in Nayarit had their homes damaged. Rosa's winds damaged many telephone poles, power line
s, and houses in Sinaloa. Rainfall between 3 to 5 in (76.2 to 127 mm) caused many landslide
s in mountainous areas. Mudslides forced the evacuation of 400 people from two coastal villages in Jalisco
. Rosa dumped rain over parts of coastal and inland Mexico; the highest rainfall total was 14.09 in (357.9 mm) at Mesa de Pedro Pablo.
Rosa sent moisture into the United States, which, in combination with humidity drawn north from the Gulf of Mexico
, caused heavy thunderstorm
s and flooding in parts of thirty eight Texas
counties on October 15 to 19. The flooding was worst around the San Jacinto and Trinity River
basins, and in coastal areas. Rainfall totals ranged from 8 in (203.2 mm) to more than 28 in (711.2 mm). The rain levels caused 100-year flood
s at nineteen stations. Several records were broken, some of which had stood since 1940. In the case of the Lavaca River
near Edna
, it broke a record set in 1936. The flooding destroyed 3069 homes, heavily damaged 6560, and damaged 6148 others. Railbeds and roads sustained damage, while broken gas and oil pipelines caused spills and environmental damage in the Lower San Jacinto River and Galveston Bay
. Twenty-two people died due to effects from the storm. In total, the flooding in southeastern Texas caused 700 million (1995 USD
) in damage. On October 18, the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) declared the worst-affected areas a disaster area
. After the declaration, FEMA received 26,000 applications for disaster assistance and approved 54 million (1995 USD) in aid. After this season the name "Rosa" was not retired.
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...
to make landfall during the above-average 1994 Pacific hurricane season
1994 Pacific hurricane season
The 1994 Pacific hurricane season officially started on May 15, 1994 in the eastern Pacific, and on June 1, 1994 in the central Pacific, and lasted until November 30, 1994. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northeastern Pacific Ocean...
. It killed at least 4 people in 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...
. Moisture from the hurricane was a factor in widespread flooding in the U.S. state of 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...
that killed 22 people and caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage in October 1994. The pre-Rosa tropical depression formed on October 8 before degenerating the next day. It reformed on October 10 and steadily strengthened as it approached Mexico. Ultimately peaking as a Category 2 hurricane 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...
right before landfall
Landfall (meteorology)
Landfall is the event of a tropical cyclone or a waterspout coming onto land after being over water. When a waterspout makes landfall it is reclassified as a tornado, which can then cause damage inland...
, Rosa was the final hurricane, nineteenth tropical storm, and second-last tropical cyclone of the 1994 Pacific hurricane season
1994 Pacific hurricane season
The 1994 Pacific hurricane season officially started on May 15, 1994 in the eastern Pacific, and on June 1, 1994 in the central Pacific, and lasted until November 30, 1994. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northeastern Pacific Ocean...
.
Meteorological history
On October 8, a circulationAtmospheric 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....
associated with an area of disturbed weather acquired 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...
and was designated Tropical Depression Nineteen-E. Upon formation, the depression was forecast to dissipate because of 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...
. Moving little, its development was constantly hindered by wind shear. The depression had difficulty organizing, and on October 9, it became so disorganized that advisories were discontinued.
The depression's remnants moved eastward and interacted with an area of disturbed weather. This regenerated the convection, and the depression regenerated on October 10, possibly with a new center of circulation. However, 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 preliminary report does not indicate that the depression ever dissipated or regenerated. Moving little in a favorable environment, the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Rosa on October 11, and to hurricane status a day later. At the time it was about 345 miles (555.2 km) south 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...
. Rosa continued drifting slowly for another day and a half. Then, 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...
caused Rosa to begin moving and accelerate north-northeastward. On October 14, Rosa peaked in intensity as a Category 2 hurricane 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...
with winds of 100 mph (160.9 km/h) and a central pressure
Atmospheric pressure
Atmospheric pressure is the force per unit area exerted into a surface by the weight of air above that surface in the atmosphere of Earth . In most circumstances atmospheric pressure is closely approximated by the hydrostatic pressure caused by the weight of air above the measurement point...
of 974 mb. A few hours later, Rosa made landfall
Landfall (meteorology)
Landfall is the event of a tropical cyclone or a waterspout coming onto land after being over water. When a waterspout makes landfall it is reclassified as a tornado, which can then cause damage inland...
near La Concepción
La Concepción
La Concepción may refer to:* La Concepción, Veracruz * La Concepción, Masaya * La Concepción, Chiriquí * La Concepción, Zulia...
about 70 mi (112.7 km) south-southeast of 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...
. Rosa's circulation weakened over the mountains, and it dissipated on October 15.
Preparations, impact, and aftermath
On October 12, a hurricane watchTropical 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...
was issued for the coast from Culiacán
Culiacán
Culiacán is a city in northwestern Mexico, the largest city in the state of Sinaloa as well as its capital and capital of the municipality of Culiacán. With 675,773 inhabitants in the city , and 858,638 in the municipality, it is the largest city in the state of Sinaloa...
to 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...
and 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...
south of latitude 24°N
24th parallel north
The 24th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 24 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, North America and the Atlantic Ocean....
. At the same time, a tropical storm warning was issued from Manzanillo to Tepic
Tepic
Tepic is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of Nayarit.It is located in the central part of the state, at.It stands at an altitude above sea level of some 915 meters, on the banks of the Río Mololoa and the Río Tepic, approximately 225 kilometers north-west of Guadalajara, Jalisco....
. On October 14, a hurricane warning was issued for the coast between Culiacán and Cabo Corrientes
Cabo Corrientes
Cabo Corrientes is a cape on the Pacific coast of the Mexican state of Jalisco. It marks the southernmost point of the Bahía de Banderas, upon which the port and resort city of Puerto Vallarta stands. The municipality in which the cape lies is also called Cabo Corrientes.Cabo Corrientes is a...
, and a tropical storm warning south of Cabo Corrientes to Manzanillo. All watches and warnings were lifted later that day.
On October 13 and 14, two ships, the London Spirit and the Marie Maersk, encountered winds of tropical storm or hurricane force. The Marie Maersk was located especially close to the 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...
, and its observations
Surface weather observation
Surface weather observations are the fundamental data used for safety as well as climatological reasons to forecast weather and issue warnings worldwide. They can be taken manually, by a weather observer, by computer through the use of automated weather stations, or in a hybrid scheme using...
were useful to forecasters.
In Nayarit
Nayarit
Nayarit officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Nayarit is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 20 municipalities and its capital city is Tepic.It is located in Western Mexico...
and Durango
Durango
Durango officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Durango is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is located in Northwest Mexico. With a population of 1,632,934, it has Mexico's second-lowest population density, after Baja...
, two people drowned, while in Sinaloa
Sinaloa
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....
, four people were pronounced missing. More than 100,000 people in Nayarit had their homes damaged. Rosa's winds damaged many telephone poles, power line
Power Line
Power Line is an American political blog, providing news and commentary from a conservative point-of-view. It was originally written by three lawyers who attended Dartmouth College together: John H. Hinderaker, Scott W. Johnson, and Paul Mirengoff...
s, and houses in Sinaloa. Rainfall between 3 to 5 in (76.2 to 127 mm) caused many landslide
Landslide
A landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rockfalls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments...
s in mountainous areas. Mudslides forced the evacuation of 400 people from two coastal villages in 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...
. Rosa dumped rain over parts of coastal and inland Mexico; the highest rainfall total was 14.09 in (357.9 mm) at Mesa de Pedro Pablo.
Rosa sent moisture into the United States, which, in combination with humidity drawn north from 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 heavy thunderstorm
Thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...
s and flooding in parts of thirty eight 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...
counties on October 15 to 19. The flooding was worst around the San Jacinto and Trinity River
Trinity River (Texas)
The Trinity River is a long river that flows entirely within the U.S. state of Texas. It rises in extreme north Texas, a few miles south of the Red River. The headwaters are separated by the high bluffs on the south side of the Red River....
basins, and in coastal areas. Rainfall totals ranged from 8 in (203.2 mm) to more than 28 in (711.2 mm). The rain levels caused 100-year flood
100-year flood
A one-hundred-year flood is calculated to be the level of flood water expected to be equaled or exceeded every 100 years on average. The 100-year flood is more accurately referred to as the 1% annual exceedance probability flood, since it is a flood that has a 1% chance of being equaled or exceeded...
s at nineteen stations. Several records were broken, some of which had stood since 1940. In the case of the Lavaca River
Lavaca River
The Lavaca River is a river in the U.S. state of Texas. It begins in the northeastern part of Gonzales County, and travels generally southeast for 115 miles until it empties into Lavaca Bay, which is a component of Matagorda Bay.-History:...
near Edna
Edna, Texas
Edna is a city in Jackson County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,899 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Jackson County.Edna is the gateway to Lake Texana, which covers the site of Texana, Texas...
, it broke a record set in 1936. The flooding destroyed 3069 homes, heavily damaged 6560, and damaged 6148 others. Railbeds and roads sustained damage, while broken gas and oil pipelines caused spills and environmental damage in the Lower San Jacinto River and Galveston Bay
Galveston Bay
Galveston Bay is a large estuary located along the upper coast of Texas in the United States. It is connected to the Gulf of Mexico and is surrounded by sub-tropic marshes and prairies on the mainland. The water in the Bay is a complex mixture of sea water and fresh water which supports a wide...
. Twenty-two people died due to effects from the storm. In total, the flooding in southeastern Texas caused 700 million (1995 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....
) in damage. On October 18, the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
(FEMA) declared the worst-affected areas a disaster area
Disaster area
A disaster area is a region or a locale heavily damaged by either natural hazards, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, floods, earthquakes, technological hazards including nuclear and radiation accidents, or sociological hazards like riots, terrorism or war. The population living there often...
. After the declaration, FEMA received 26,000 applications for disaster assistance and approved 54 million (1995 USD) in aid. After this season the name "Rosa" was not retired.
See also
- Other hurricanes named Rosa
- List of Pacific hurricanes
