2002 Pacific hurricane season

The 2002 Pacific hurricane season was an average season which produced fifteen named storms. Eight hurricanes formed, including a record-tying three Category 5 hurricanes, a record it shares with the 1994 and 2018 seasons. It was also a near-average season in terms of accumulated cyclone energy (ACE), having an ACE of 125. The season officially began on May 15, 2002 in the East Pacific Ocean, and on June 1, 2002 in the Central Pacific; both ended on November 30. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclone formation occurs in these regions of the Pacific. The first system of the 2002 season, Hurricane Alma, formed on May 24, and the last, Tropical Depression Sixteen-E, dissipated on November 16.

The strongest hurricane of the season, Kenna, formed on October 22 and peaked as a Category 5 hurricane two days later. Land impact was relatively significant. Kenna made landfall near Puerto Vallarta, located in the Mexican state of Jalisco on October 25, killing four people. Kenna was, at the time, the second-most powerful hurricane to ever strike the western coast of Mexico, hitting with winds of 140 mph (220 km/h), as well as the strongest landfall in terms of windspeed until Hurricane Patricia in 2015. Elsewhere, Tropical Storm Julio made landfall in Mexico, and Tropical Storm Boris dumped torrential rain along the Mexican coast, despite remaining offshore. Hurricanes Elida and Hernan also reached Category 5 intensity, but neither caused any damage. Damage across the basin reached $101.23 million (2002 USD), while 7 people were killed by Julio and Kenna.

Seasonal summary

The season officially began on May 15 in Eastern Pacific and on June 1 in Central Pacific; both ended on November 30. In the eastern Pacific, the season saw below average activity in terms of the number of total storms and hurricanes, but about average activity in terms of major hurricanes. There were 16 tropical storms in the eastern Pacific Ocean in the season. Of those, eight became hurricanes, of which six became major hurricanes by reaching Category 3 or higher on the Saffir–Simpson scale. Three reached Category 5 intensity, Additionally, four tropical depressions formed and dissipated before reaching the intensity of a tropical storm. Three tropical storms formed in the Central Pacific Hurricane Center's area of responsibility, where overall activity was near normal. Two of the storms strengthened into hurricanes, with one of them intensifying into a major hurricane. Two additional systems tracked into the area from the eastern Pacific.

Activity commenced on May 24, with the formation of the first tropical depression, which became Hurricane Alma, and intensified into a rare May major hurricane. June was extremely quiet with only one named storm developing, Tropical Storm Boris. Though it remained offshore, Boris was able to dump torrential rain along the coast of southwestern Mexico.

August was active with five systems developing, of which three became hurricanes. Fausto peaked as a strong Category 4 hurricane in the eastern Pacific, before crossing into the central Pacific as a depression. Then, after degenerating into a remnant low well northeast of Hawaii Fausto regenerated into a weak tropical storm at an unusually high latitude. Late that month, Ele became the first of two central Pacific hurricanes to cross the International Date Line into the western Pacific where they became typhoons; the other was Huko in late October. as well as reduced activity in the Atlantic. Also of note was an unusual gap in storm formation during the first three weeks of August in this season,

Systems

Hurricane Alma

A tropical wave emerged off the west coast of Africa on May 8. Generally failing to produce convection while in the Atlantic basin, the wave moved westward over the tropical Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, entering the eastern Pacific basin on May 18. Upon doing so, the wave began to generate convection, and it developed a lowpressure area south of Guatemala on May 19. The system underwent a complex interaction with a gale over the Gulf of Tehuantepec while moving slowly westward. Gradually becoming better organized, it developed into Tropical Depression OneE on May 24. The pace of further development was initially languid, with OneE taking two days to strengthen into a tropical storm. Now named Alma, the storm turned first to the west-northwest, then to the northwest, and finally to the north as it rounded the western periphery of a subtropical ridge that was located over Mexico.

Alma strengthened at a steadier rate as it gained latitude, becoming a hurricane on May 28. Two days later, Alma reached its peak intensity as a low-end Category 3 major hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 km/h). Operationally, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) assessed Alma to have been slightly weaker – with peak winds of 110 mph (175 km/h), at the upper bound of Category 2 strength – but the agency retroactively upgraded it about two months later. Shortly after peaking, Alma entered a region of cooler sea surface temperatures and southwesterly wind shear. These unfavorable conditions caused the hurricane to rapidly weaken into a tropical storm on May 31. Meanwhile, steering currents decayed to the point where Alma became nearly stationary. Alma weakened into a tropical depression early on June 1, and degenerated into a lowpressure area without convection later that day without having ever impacted land.

Boris dumped heavy rains on sections of the Mexican coast. The maximum amount was at San Felipe Usila. These rains damaged several homes at an unspecified location. In addition, rainfall damaged several homes in Tequila, Jalisco, but the National Hurricane Center believes that Boris likely did not cause the rain. No deaths were attributed to this storm. Contrary to forecasts, the depression did not strengthen further because of strong wind shear. By June 29, the depression had become a remnant low, which was observed as a swirl of clouds for a few more days before dissipating.

Hurricane Douglas

A tropical wave exited the west coast of Africa on July 8 and crossed the Atlantic without much development. In the Caribbean, showers increased, but wind shear prevented development. The wave crossed into the eastern Pacific on July 16, and wind shear decreased to allow the convection to organize. Tropical Depression Five-E developed on July 20 about south of Manzanillo, Mexico. The depression quickly intensified into Tropical Storm Douglas. Around that time, most of the deep convection was situated south of the atmospheric circulation. Initially expected to become a hurricane only briefly, late on July 21, the NHC reported that Douglas had become a hurricane. Upon becoming a hurricane, Douglas was situated in low wind shear environment; however, Hurricane Douglas was expected to reach cold waters in 36 hours, and thus was not predicted to become a major hurricane. Douglas became a Category 2 hurricane on July 22, reaching peak winds of . Douglas held this intensity for 18 hours as it traveled westward. The weakening briefly stopped after Douglas went through an eyewall replacement cycle, but Douglas was downgraded to a tropical storm late on July 24 as the storm only had a small area of deep convection left. The storm was downgraded to a tropical depression early on July 26, The remnant low dissipated the next day. The depression was predicted to move westward due to the presence of a ridge of high pressure which was also controlling the movement of Hurricane Douglas. Due to low shear and warm ocean waters, it was predicted that the depression would reach hurricane strength in 48 hours.

The storm continued to rapidly intensify and gradually developed a banding eye feature and infrared satellite images showed a possible eyewall in the central dense overcast. After six more hours, a small eye had formed and Elida was upgraded to a high-end Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale with winds on July 24, only eighteen hours after having first been initiated as a tropical depression. Elida continued to rapidly strengthen, breaking the Dvorak estimates and reaching six hours afterward, making it a Category 4 hurricane and resulting in a rare forecast for the hurricane to reach Category 5 intensity. The hurricane, moving at , proceeded to make a west-northwestward turn while displaying an eye with an estimated diameter of . On July 25, Elida attained peak winds of 160 mph (260 km/h), making it a Category 5 hurricane. At the time, the NHC assessed a slightly lower peak as a high end Category 4.

Due to its strong intensity, Elida produced high waves that affected the Mexican coastline. By this time, Elida had reached the edge of the ridge that kept the cyclone from turning northwest, and a turn to the northwest was beginning. The hurricane proceeded to undergo another eyewall replacement cycle, lowering its intensity to Category 2 intensity. Late on July 26, the eye disappeared from satellite. The weakening trend continued, and Elida weakened to a tropical storm on July 27. Early on July 28, Elida began redeveloping, regaining moderate convection and possibly reintensifying, but eventually, the storm weakened back into a depression early on July 29. On the next day, Elida degenerated into a remnant low, and the last advisory was issued while an area of convection was displaced to the north of the center, with seas in the area. The center was from Punta Eugenia, Mexico when the last advisory was issued. The remnant low of Elida moved northeast and eventually dissipated on July 31, west of Los Angeles, California. Like Tropical Depression Three-E, this cyclone was forecast to reach tropical storm intensity, but it never did.

Hurricane Fausto

A tropical wave exited the west coast of Africa on August 11 and moved across the Atlantic without developing, entering the eastern Pacific on August 17. The system developed a broad circulation, eventually organizing into Tropical Depression Eight-E on August 21 to the southwest of Mexico. The system quickly intensified into Tropical Storm Fausto after developing rainbands. Located south of a ridge, Fausto moved west-northwestward through an area of warm waters, and it continued intensifying as its outflow increased. On August 22, the storm intensified into a hurricane, On August 24, Fausto reached a peak intensity with estimated peak winds of and a minimum barometric pressure of , making it a Category 4 hurricane.

Around when it reached peak intensity, Fausto encountered an area of cooler water temperatures. The hurricane quickly weakened, degrading to a tropical storm on August 26, by which time the convection had diminished. On the next day, Fausto crossed 140˚W and entered the central Pacific. The CPHC downgraded Fausto to a remnant low on August 28 while the system was located over north of Hilo, Hawaii on August 28 at 1200 UTC. The remnants turned more to the west, toward an area of warmer waters and a tropical upper tropospheric trough. The interaction caused thunderstorms to reform, and Fausto regenerated into a tropical depression on August 30 about north of Oahu. On September 1, Fausto briefly reintensified into a tropical storm as it curved northward, steered by an approaching trough. On September 3, the front absorbed Fausto, and soon after the system moved across the Aleutian Islands of Alaska.

Tropical Storm Alika

An area of convection acquired a closed circulation and became Tropical Depression One-C on August 22. It stayed disorganized for the next several days. It organized more fully and intensified into a tropical storm on August 25 and was named Alika. After peaking as a moderately strong tropical storm on August 25, wind shear caused by the pre-Ele tropical depression and an upper-level low near Hawaii weakened the storm to a depression on August 27. Alika dissipated the next day, having never threatened land.

Hurricane Ele

An eastern extension of the monsoon trough south of Hawaii organized into Tropical Depression Two-C on August 27 and strengthened into Tropical Storm Ele six hours later. Despite the nearby presence of Alika, Ele developed rapidly and strengthened into a hurricane on August 28. After contributing to the dissipation of Alika, Ele continued intensifying. It reached Category 2 intensity late on August 28 and quickly became a major hurricane six hours later. The hurricane then crossed the International Date Line and became a typhoon in the 2002 Pacific typhoon season. Typhoon Ele turned to the northwest after crossing the dateline and continued to strengthen. It reached Category 4 before turning north and weakening again. After briefly restrengthening back into a Category 4, the typhoon weakened and turned to the northwest. Ele was downgraded to a tropical storm on September 7, a depression on September 9, and then dissipated shortly afterwards. Ele did not affect land. The depression produced persistent strong thunderstorms, primarily in two areas of deep convection located to the northeast and west of the center of circulation. On the afternoon of August 30, banding features became evident, and the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Hernan with sustained winds of . Further organization occurred, On August 31, the storm was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane as it moved northwestward about southwest of Acapulco.

Light wind shear and favorable ocean temperatures led to steady intensification of the storm, and satellite images indicated that an eye had developed late on August 31. The storm quickly reached Category 3 hurricane intensity on the Saffir–Simpson scale. while its lateral movement to the northwest rose to 17 mph around the southern periphery of a strong deep-layer ridge over the United States.

On September 2, Hernan began weakening after its cloud tops had warmed slightly. Soon after, an eyewall replacement cycle began, causing the storm to be downgraded to Category 3 status, just before it turned slightly to the west later in the day. The storm underwent another eyewall replacement cycle as winds decreased further. As the storm entered cooler waters, it quickly weakened below major hurricane intensity. On September 5, Hernan was downgraded to a tropical storm Later in the day, the system was downgraded to a tropical depression as it began to lose its tropical characteristics. On September 6, the system degenerated into a remnant low-pressure system, Rough surf caused minor impact; in the open waters near the center of Hernan, waves generated by the storm were unofficially estimated to exceed . However, official buoys reported swells of . Along the coast of Mexico, waves reached , causing minor beach erosion. Other than the aforementioned regions, Hernan had no significant impact on land.

Tropical Storm Iselle

Part of the same tropical wave that formed Tropical Depression Seven in the Atlantic basin organized into Tropical Depression Twelve-E on September 15. It strengthened further into Tropical Storm Iselle the next day. The storm headed northwest and paralleled the coast of Mexico, nearly strengthening into a hurricane late on September 17. While near its peak intensity, a trough abruptly recurved the system to the northeast. Wind shear also increased, and Iselle consequently fell apart on satellite imagery. It weakened to a depression on September 19. Iselle then degenerated into a remnant low the next day and rapidly degenerated, dissipating on September 20. Iselle never made landfall.

Iselle threatened parts of southwestern Mexico and warnings and watches were issued for that area. Heavy rains were reported over parts of the Baja California Peninsula. There were no reports of damage or casualties. The depression intensified into Tropical Storm Julio, which attained peak winds of early on September 26. At peak, the storm was centered just west-northwest of Lázaro Cárdenas. Soon after, Julio made landfall along the coast of Southwestern Mexico, and it rapidly deteriorated over the mountainous terrain. At 1200 UTC September 26, the storm was downgraded into a tropical depression. Julio dissipated near Manzanillo later that day instead. While the storm was making landfall, Zihuatanejo reported winds, with gusts up to at 2042 UTC September 25. Tropical Storm Julio was responsible for heavy rains to Zihuatanejo, where 100 homes were damaged or destroyed. Meanwhile, in Acapulco, heavy rains triggered flash flooding that damaged another 100 houses. Throughout Colima, many rivers overflowed its banks. Furthermore, 2,000 homes were flooded. Roughly 100 families were evacuated to shelters in Michoacán. In addition, many small shacks lost their roof due to the storm's high winds. On the outskirts of the Taxco, situated inland, a school bus carrying 40 kids flipped over, killing three and injuring 18 others. An estimated 2700 acres (700 ha) of crops were lost because of the storm. Parts of Guerrero were later declared a disaster area. However, the city of Zihuaranejo was quickly cleaned up proceeding the storm.

Hurricane Kenna was the third-strongest Pacific hurricane to make landfall on record. which was 80% to 90% of houses in the town.

Kenna killed four people in Mexico and injured over a hundred. The low death toll is likely due to massive evacuations in San Blas, Nayarit, and elsewhere ahead of the hurricane.

Hurricane Huko

In late October, an active monsoon trough persisted south of Hawaii along 10°N latitude, developing an area of convection on October 24. Later that day, the disturbance was classified as Tropical Depression Three-C about south-southeast of Honolulu. Initially poorly organized, it moved to the north and steadily intensified, becoming Tropical Storm Huko early on October 26 while turning northwestward. Late on October 28, Huko reached hurricane strength, but its close proximity to Tropical Storm Lowell and a brief increase in wind shear weakened it back to a tropical storm on October 30. Shortly after turning to the west, conditions allowed for Huko to re-attain hurricane strength on October 31 while it was passing around south of Johnston Atoll. On November 2, a ridge caused the hurricane to accelerate, and the next day it crossed the International Date Line into the Western Pacific, becoming a typhoon.

While passing near Johnston Atoll, the outer rainbands of the hurricane produced wind gusts up to and locally heavy rainfall.

Tropical Depression Sixteen-E

Tropical Depression Sixteen-E formed from a disturbance in the Intertropical Convergence Zone. Despite being located in a hostile environment, it managed to organize into a tropical depression on November 14. It was briefly forecast to strengthen into a tropical storm. However, wind shear prevented that from occurring. Consequently, the depression degenerated into a remnant low on November 16 and dissipated soon after that. Although not classified by the CPHC, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) remarked that a tropical depression had developed by early on July 20, just east of the International Date Line. Soon after, it crossed into the western Pacific and briefly intensified into Tropical Storm Kalmaegi. Also on October 30, the JMA indicated that Tropical Storm Maysak moved into the basin and became extratropical few hours later.

Storm names

The following list of names was used for named storms that formed in the North Pacific east of 140°W during 2002. This was the same list used for the 1996 season, as no names were retired from it afterwards.

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Alma
Boris
Cristina
Douglas
Elida
Fausto*
Genevieve
Hernan

Iselle
Julio
Kenna
Lowell*

For storms that form in the North Pacific between 140°W and the International Date Line, the names come from a series of four rotating lists. Names are used one after the other without regard to year, and when the bottom of one list is reached, the next named storm receives the name at the top of the next list.

Season effects

This is a table of all of the tropical cyclones that formed in the 2002 Pacific hurricane season. It includes their name, duration (within the basin), peak classification and intensities, areas affected, damage, and death totals. Deaths in parentheses are additional and indirect (an example of an indirect death would be a traffic accident), but were still related to that storm. Damage and deaths include totals while the storm was extratropical, a wave, or a low, and all of the damage figures are in 2002 USD.

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References

External links

National Hurricane Center Website
Servicio Meteorológico Nacional Website
Joint Typhoon Warning Center
CPHC 2002 season archive
HPC 2002 Tropical Cyclone Rainfall Pages
Unisys archive