Hurricane Henriette (2007)
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
 Henriette near the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula | |
| Formed | August 30, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Dissipated | September 6, 2007 |
| Highest winds | 1-minute sustained: 85 mph (140 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 972 mbar (hPa); 28.7 inHg |
| Fatalities | 9 direct |
| Damage | $25 million (2007 USD) |
| Areas affected | Southwest United States, Southwestern and northwestern Mexico, including the Baja California Peninsula |
| Part of the 2007 Pacific hurricane season | |
 | This article needs to be updated. |
Hurricane Henriette was the eleventh tropical cyclone, eighth named storm and third hurricane of the 2007 Pacific hurricane season. It formed from an area of disturbed weather on August 30 and became a tropical storm the next day. It remained near the Mexican coast, making two landfalls. Nine people died as a result of Henriette, and damage totaled about $275 million (2007 MXN, $25 million 2007 USD).
Storm history
Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
Unknown
Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depressionHenriette originated from a tropical wave that moved off the coast of central America on August 28. The wave produced some convection whilst in the Caribbean Sea but reached Central America on 28 August before any significant development could occur. Early on August 30, 2007, the area of low pressure, now 600 kilometers (400 miles) southsoutheast of Acapulco, Mexico started to gain clusters of strong convection. By the afternoon of August 30 the system continued to show strong convection and had developed a broad but well defined area of low to mid level cyclonic turning.[1]
By 0600 UTC that day the system became a tropical depression about 315 n mi southeast of Acapulco and was designated as Tropical Depression Eleven-E. Convection continued but the cyclone was encountering extensive easterly to north-easterly windshear which stinted the strengthening of this storm through out its history. [2] The cyclone initially headed toward the west-northwest around a subtropical ridge that was centered over the western Gulf of Mexico. The depression moved north west, parallel with the west coast of Mexico due to being steered by the mid/upper-level ridge.
On 31 August, 1200 UTC it strengthened to become Tropical Storm Henriette [3], 75 n mi south of Acapulco. It continued to move along the Mexican coast bringing heavy rains. With continued strong convection, Henriette maintained its strengthening and was predicted to reach hurricane strength. However, despite the low wind shear and apparent warm waters. Henriette did not strengthen as expected. This is believed to be due it its close proximity to land and colds waters being brought up due to Henriettes slow movement. The convection and strengthening continued and maintained itself as it moved away from Jalisco Henriette turned westward and away from the Pacific coast of Mexico late on 1 September as the subtropical ridge built westward over northern Mexico. By 0600 UTC the next day, Henriette had reached an intensity of 55 kt while centered about 95 n mi southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. Henriette continued to head towards Baja California, and reached hurricane strength on September 4 as it turned north-northwestward toward the Baja California peninsula, ahead of a mid-latitude trough approaching the west coast of the United States. The hurricane reached its peak intensity of 75 kt that morning while centered about 75 nm south-southeast of Cabo San Lucas.
The center of Henriette made landfall just east of Cabo San Lucas on the Afternoon of September 4 with maximum winds near 70 kt. [4]. It was over land for only about six hours before emeging into the Sea of Cortez. The brief interaction with land caused a slight weakening, but Henriette remained a category 1 hurricane for most of that day. [5]. The next day it made final landfall near Guaymas in the state of Sonora[6].Henriette weakened quickly over land and dissapated over the mountains of northwestern Mexico early on September 6.
Preparations
The genesis of Henriette was not anticipated very well in NHC Tropical Weather Outlooks. The incipient system was first mentioned only about 31 hours before it became a tropical depression, and the potential for the formation of a depression was explicitly stated beginning only about 13 hours prior to genesis.
Guerrero
The first advisory was issued on August 30 at 2100 UTC whilst Henriette was still a Tropical Depression. A tropical storm warning stretched from De Chacahua westward to Acapulco with a tropical storm watch stretching west of Acapulco to Zihuatanejo. By 0300 UTC on August 31 the Mexican government had extended the tropical storm warning westward to Tecpan de Galeana with a tropical storm watch in effect from Tecpan de Galeana to Manzanillo.
On August 31 The Ministry of Education of Guerrero canceled classes at all schools in the evening and close the port navigation. Faced with the prospect of Henriette strengthening, The Head of the Harbor Bay closed to navigation for small craft and coastal fisheries, also placed the blue and yellow flag as a preventive measure for bathers.
The local police recommended to the population, mostly those living in areas of high risk, that they should take care not to leave their homes unless necessary and to locate evacuation routes and temporary shelters.
Impact
Guerrero
Henriette struck hardest in the resort town of Acapulco. Though the storm never passed closer than 70 miles to the town, heavy rains along the coast saturated the ground, leading to mudslides. Three were killed by a huge rock hitting their house, and the other three were killed when their dwelling partially collapsed.[7]
Baja California Sur
In Baja California Sur, the threat of the hurricane prompted the evacuations of about 300 people.[8] One person died in the surf along the southern Baja California peninsula.
Sonora
Two fishermen were reported killed off the Sonora coast. [9]
Michoacán
The State Police announced that the most affected municipality was Lázaro Cárdenas, where as consequence of the heavy rain, the river Acalpican broke its banks. At least 50 houses located in the community of The Habillal, were hit with flooding of up to a meter high. The residents had to leave thiers houses and be relocated in provisional housing. Also, as consequence of the torrential downpours several sections of the costal highway near Manzanllino wear either blocked or destroyed.
Damage in Mexico totaled about $275 million (2007 MXN, $25 million 2007 USD).[10]
See also
References
- ^ CHRISTENSEN (2007-08-30). "Tropical Weather Discussion". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2007-08-30.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Cangiolosi (2007-08-30). "Tropical Weather Discussion". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Avila (2007-08-31). "Tropical Depression 11-E Discussion Four". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ NHC (2007-09-04). "Monthly Tropical Weather Summery September". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2007-09-06.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Brown (2007-09-04). "Tropical Depression 11-E Discussion Twenty-Two". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2007-09-06.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Brown (2007-09-05). "Tropical Depression 11-E Discussion Twenty-Six". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2007-09-06.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Gerardo Torres (2007-09-01). "Tropical storm Henriette kills 6 in Mexico resort". Washington Post. Reuters. Retrieved 2007-09-02.
- ^ http://www.forbes.com/afxnewslimited/feeds/afx/2007/09/04/afx4079360.html
- ^ http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070906/wl_nm/storm_henriette_dc_2
- ^ La Journada (2007). "El huracán Lorenzo amenaza a Veracruz" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2007-09-29.
External links
Tropical cyclones of the 2007 Pacific hurricane season | ||
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