2000 Pacific hurricane season

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The 2000 Pacific hurricane season was an ongoing event in tropical cyclone meteorology. There are few notable storms this year. Tropical Storms Miriam, Norman, and Rosa all made landfall in Mexico with minimal impact. Hurricane Daniel briefly threatened Hawaii while weakening. Hurricane Carlotta was the strongest storm of the year and the second strongest June hurricane in recorded history. It killed 18 people when it sank a freighter.

Season Summary

The 2000 Pacific hurricane season officially started May 15, 2000 in the eastern Pacific, and June 1, 2000 in the central Pacific, and lasted until November 30, 2000. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northeastern Pacific Ocean.

This season had an above average number of storms. However, it had a below average number of hurricanes and major hurricanes. There were also two tropical depressions that did not reach storm strength. In the central Pacific, two tropical storms formed. The first storm formed on May 22 and the last storm dissipated on November 8.

Hurricane Aletta

Aletta satellite image and storm path.

A tropical wave slowly organized and finally became the first tropical depression of the season on May 22. It slowly intensified, reached tropical storm intensity on May 23, the first named storm in May since the 1996 season. After wind shear relaxed, Aletta intensified at a brisk rate and peaked as a Category 2 hurricane as it tracked slightly north of due west. Then, a trough eroded Aletta's steering ridge, and the cyclone stalled out, nearly stationary, over a small area of ocean for the remainder of its life. Directional wind shear, as well as upwelling caused by, weakened Aletta until the cyclone dissipated on May 28.

Aletta caused no known damages or casualties. Hurricane Aletta was the second-strongest May hurricane. As of the start of the 2006 season, it is the fourth-most intense.

Tropical Storm Bud

Bud satellite image and storm path.

A tropical wave that had spent several days organizing formed Tropical Depression Two-E on June 13. It quickly strengthened, was named Bud, and moved to the northwest. After peaking early on June 14, Bud turned slightly to the north. The cyclone spun down, drifted erratically, and dissipated into an area of low pressure on June 17.

Bud passed near Socorro Island and caused large waves along the coast of Mexico. However, no reports of damage or casualties were received.

Hurricane Carlotta

Carlotta satellite image and storm path.

A tropical wave that entered the Pacific Ocean acquired a closed circulation and became a depression on June 18. It strengthened into a storm June 19 and a hurricane the next day. Carlotta then began explosively deepening, and it strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane on June 21. It then began to reduce its forward speed and slowly weaken as its path paralleled the Pacific coast of Mexico. Carlotta weakened to a storm on June 24 and a depression June 25. The cyclone dissipated shortly thereafter.

Though it never made landfall, Carlotta killed 18 people when it sunk the Lithuanian freighter M/V Linkuva. It also was close enough to the coast of Mexico that tropical storm-force winds were reported. Damage in Mexico totaled to $5.8 million (2000 USD). [link] Carlotta is also the second most intense June tropical cyclone in the east Pacific. Only 1973's Ava was stronger.

Tropical Storm Upana-Chanchu

Upana satellite image and storm path.

A tropical wave organized into Tropical Depression One-C on July 20. It strengthened slowly and moved nearly due west. After reaching storm strength on July 21, it was named Upana, which is Hawaiian for "Urban". Despite a favourable environment, Upana never strengthened much, and it dissipated on July 23 for unexplained reasons. Upana's remnants continued moving to the west, and crossed the dateline. Upana is the first storm in the Central Pacific Hurricane Center's area of responsibility to be named in July.

The remnants of Upana encountered a favourable environment just west of the dateline, and they formed Tropical Depression 12W. The depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Chanchu. The name Chanchu, submitted by Macao, is a Chinese word for pearl. Chanchu moved north, and had dissipated by July 30.

There is good evidence Chanchu is actually a regeneration of Upana. The official policy is that dateline crossers keep their name. However, there was supposedly some doubt at the time. Also, since Upana had dissipated several days earlier, the Japan Meteorological Agency decided that renaming the cyclone was the best choice.

Hurricane Daniel

Daniel satellite image and storm path.

Hurricane Daniel reached Category 3 intensity and briefly threatened Hawaii as a tropical storm, but veered to the northwest as it approached the islands.

No casualties or damaged was reported in association with Hurricane Daniel, despite the system's passing close enough to Hawaii to require tropical storm warnings. It still produced heavy surf conditions along the northern shores of the Hawaiian Islands. Daniel was the first tropical cyclone to be a significant threat to Hawaii since 1994.

Tropical Storm Wene

Wene satellite image and storm path.

A tropical disturbance developed in the Western Pacific Ocean along the eastern periphery of the monsoon trough in mid-August. Located at 33º north, it steadily organized, and became Tropical Depression Sixteen-W on August 15 while located 1700 miles to the northwest of Honolulu, Hawaii. It moved eastward along the west- east oriented surface pressure trough, and crossed the International Date Line later on the 15th. Warmer than usual water temperatures allowed the system to intensify despite its unusually high latitude, and it became Tropical Storm Wene on the 16th. It quickly attained a peak intensity of 50 mph, but weakened due to cooler waters and wind shear. Wene continued to weaken, and dissipated when the storm merged with an extratropical cyclone.

As a depression, Wene was the first, and currently is the most recent western Pacific tropical cyclone to cross the dateline since the 1996 season. The name Wene is Hawaiian for "Wayne".

Tropical Storm Kristy

Kristy satellite image and storm path.

Part of the same tropical wave that spawned Tropical Storm Chris in the Atlantic uneventfully crossed the rest of the Atlantic and passed far out to sea into the Pacific before it organized into Tropical Depression Fourteen-E on August 31. Despite significant shear, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Kristy as it meandered far from land over the open ocean. The shear then destroyed the system on September 3 where it was at a place just 210 kilometers from where it first organized. There were no effects anywhere.

Hurricane Lane

Lane satellite image and storm path.

A tropical wave organized into Tropical Depression Fourteen-E on September 5. It moved westward and strengthened into Tropical Storm Lane later that day. On September 6, Lane then started increasing in size, perhaps due to a merger with a larger low-pressure area, and started doing a loop. Loops are rare in the eastern Pacific basin. During the loop, Lane passed over its own wake and weakened slightly.

When the loop was finished on September 8, Lane resumed its previous course and strengthened into a hurricane. Lane peaked on September 10 and then weakened steadily over cooler waters. A trough recurved the tropical storm. Lane dissipated on September 14, while located at 32°N, an unusually northerly location. Its remnant low made it to California.

Lane's large eye passed directly over Socorro Island. The hurricane's large circulation caused rains and gusty winds over parts of Mexico, and its remnant low hit California. At all locations, effects were minimal, with no reports of damage or casualties.

Tropical Storm Miriam

Miriam satellite image and storm path.

A tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa on August 29. It remained weak as it moved westward across the Atlantic Ocean, and entered the Eastern Pacific Ocean on September 9. As it moved west-northwestward, it organized, and developed into Tropical Depression 15-E on the 15th while 290 miles east-southeast of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Banding features became more pronouced, though convection remained intermittent. On September 16, the depression briefly became Tropical Storm Miriam, though quickly weakened back to a tropical depression as it continued north-northwestward. Miriam dissipated on the 17th while 70 miles northeast of Cabo San Lucas. Tropical storm force winds were never reported, and it is possible Miriam never attained tropical storm status. [link]

Because the storm was very weak, Miriam dropped only light rainfall, peaking at 2.2 inches (57 mm) in Cabo San Lucas. [link] Damage was relatively minimal from the storm, amounting to $770,000 (2000 USD) [link]

Tropical Storm Norman

Norman satellite image and storm path.

The same tropical wave that spawned Atlantic Hurricane Gordon organized into an area of low pressure in the Eastern Pacific Ocean on September 18. Its convection slowly organized while south of Mexico, and a tropical depression formed on September 20 while 205 miles south-southeast of Manzanillo. Weak steering currents forced the depression to drift slowly northward, and later on the 20th it strengthened into Tropical Storm Norman. Norman quickly reached peak winds of 50 mph before making landfall on southwestern Mexico. The storm rapidly weakened to a tropical depression over land, but Norman maintained its circulation and some deep convection as it turned to the northwest. It emerged over water on the 22nd, but turned to the northeast, made landfall again on Mexico, and dissipated late on the 22nd. [link]

Norman produced heavy rainfall across southwestern Mexico, peaking at 14 inches (355 mm) in the state of Colima. [link] In all, Norman caused $13.3 million (2000 USD) in damage. [link]

Tropical Storm Rosa

Rosa satellite image and storm path.

The origins of Tropical Storm Rosa can be traced to a tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa on October 18. It showed signs of development in the southwestern Caribbean Sea, though moved into the East Pacific Ocean on November 1 before being able to develop further. Favorable conditions allowed the system to quickly organize, and the wave formed into Tropical Depression 19-E on November 3 while 230 miles south of the El Salvador/Guatemala border. A ridge of high pressure to its north forced the depression westward, where it slowly organized into a tropical storm on the 5th. A mid-level trough eroded the high pressure system, allowing Rosa to turn more to the north. On the 6th, the storm reached a peak of 65 mph, though Rosa slowly weakened as it accellerated to the northeast. On November 8, the storm made landfall on the southern coast of Mexico with winds of 40 mph, and quickly dissipated. [link]

Rosa dropped moderate rainfall across Mexico, peaking at 4 inches (100 mm) in Puerto Angel. [link] Damage was minimal, totaling to only $15,000 (2000 USD). [link]

Rosa was the first November storm since Hurricane Rick in the 1997 season.

2000 storm names

The following names were used for named storms that formed in the eastern Pacific in 2000. No names were retired, so it will be used again in the 2006 Pacific hurricane season. This is the same list used for the 1994 season. Names that were not assigned are marked in gray.

Aletta Bud Carlotta Daniel Emilia Fabio Gilma Hector

Ileana John Kristy Lane Miriam Norman Olivia Paul

Rosa Sergio (unused) Tara (unused) Vicente (unused) Willa (unused) Xavier (unused) Yolanda (unused) Zeke (unused)

Two names were used from the Central Pacific list - Upana and Wene. This was the first usage for both names.

See also

1. redirect[[Template:Portal]]

• List of notable tropical cyclones
• 2000 Atlantic hurricane season
• 2000 Pacific typhoon season
• 1999-00 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone season
• 2000-01 Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone season
• 2000-2004 North Indian cyclone seasons

External links

• [NHC 2000 Pacific hurricane season archive]
• [Central Pacific Hurricane Center archive]

 

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