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Hurricane Adrian (2005)
Encyclopedia
Hurricane Adrian was an early season hurricane which took an unusual southwest to northeast track, bringing it closer to El Salvador
than any other hurricane
since reliable records began in 1949
. The first storm of the 2005 Pacific hurricane season
, Adrian developed on May 17, just two days after the official start of the season, several hundred miles south-southeast of Mexico. Tracking in an atypical northwestward direction, the storm gradually intensified. On May 19, the storm reached its peak strength as a minimal hurricane with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h). Not long after reaching this intensity, the storm abruptly weakened. By the morning of May 20, the system had weakened to a minimal tropical storm and turned due west. Later that day, the storm made landfall
along the Gulf of Fonseca
in Honduras
before dissipating several hours later.
that moved off the western coast of Africa
, near the Cape Verde Islands in early May 2005. Between May 10 and 14, several areas of disturbed weather moved across Central America
, contributing to the development of a broad area of low pressure
about 520 mi (835 km) south-southeast of Acapulco
, Mexico
. On May 15, another tropical wave interacted with the low, resulting in the consolidation of the system. The following day, the developing low was nearly stationary as convection
increased. Around 11:00 am PDT
(1800 UTC
) on May 17, the National Hurricane Center
(NHC) estimated that the system developed into a tropical depression, the first of the 2005 Pacific hurricane season
. Upon forming, the depression was situated just south of 10°N
, making it the 40th known tropical cyclone
to do so since 1949. Unlike most storms in the eastern Pacific, Tropical Depression One-E tracked towards the northwest in response to a trough
over Mexico
. Tropical cyclone forecast models at the time anticipated intensification as conditions ahead of the system favored tropical cyclone development
. Initially, the system moved at a slow pace of 5 mph (8 km/h); however this later increased to 9 mph (14.5 km/h). Within six hours of being declared a depression, the cyclone was classified as Tropical Storm Adrian.
Over the following days, gradual strengthening took place as Adrian moved through a region of moderate wind shear
. By May 18, deep convection consolidated around the center of circulation and feeder bands
developed along the periphery of the storm. Warm waters, around 30 °C (86 °F), ahead of the storm would allow for further strengthening despite wind shear and interaction with the high terrain of Central America. Additionally, some forecasts predicted that Adrian would survive the passage of Central America and enter the Caribbean Sea
, possibly becoming the third known storm to cross from the eastern Pacific into the Atlantic basin. By May 19, the storm became relatively disorganized and Adrian only maintained a small area of convection around its center. However, within hours of this disorganization, the system rapidly consolidated and satellite imagery depicted the precursor to an eye
forming. Following this, Adrian intensified to a minimal hurricane before attaining its peak intensity around 10:00 am PDT (1700 UTC) on May 19. At this time, the storm was situated about 85 mi (140 km) and had sustained winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) and a barometric pressure of 982 mbar (hPa; 29 inHg).
Not long after becoming a hurricane, Adrian suddenly succumbed to persistent wind shear off the coast of El Salvador
. Operationally, this weakening was not noticed by the NHC, leading to their assessment of the storm making landfall
in El Salvador around 11:00 pm PDT (0600 UTC on May 20) as a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale. In post-storm analysis, it was determined that the center of Adrian never actually crossed the coastline of El Salvador. Rather, convection associated with the system was sheared northward away from the center of circulation. Meteorologists at the NHC stated that Adrian's near-parallel track along the coast of El Salvador contributed to its rapid weakening as well as keeping the low offshore. Later on May 20, the system weakened to a tropical depression and made landfall in Honduras
, along the Gulf of Fonseca
, around 1:00 pm PDT (2100 UTC) with winds of 25 mph (35 km/h). Several hours later, Adrian dissipated over the mountains of Central America.
initiated the evacuations of about 3,500 families throughout 13 municipalities. Public facilities, as precautionary measures, were closed. The local governments and citizens were mindful of the damages caused to the region by other hurricanes, namely the 9,000 deaths caused by Hurricane Mitch
in 1998. According to President
Antonio Saca
, roughly 23,000 people evacuated by the storm's arrival. In fears of significant damage, a state of emergency
was declared for the entire country, home to roughly 6.5 million people.
In nearby Honduras, officials closed schools and public workers were given a half day as a precautionary measure. Small-scale evacuations also took place in parts of Guatemala and Nicaragua. Guatemala also declared a state of maximum alert as heavy rains from Adrian were expected to trigger flooding. Shelters were set up across the country to house roughly 400,000 people at-risk from the storm.
In El Salvador
, rains from Adrian led to numerous landslides and flash floods, mainly along coastal areas. Fallen trees were reported throughout the country. The floods prompted officials to shut down roads to keep people out of harms way. Heavy rains up to 16.4 inch
es (418.6 mm
) caused several landslides that damaged roads. Two people were also killed in a mudslide. Two more deaths took place, one due to a plane crash caused by strong winds, the other caused by flooding. In all, damages in El Salvador totaled to $12 million (2005 USD
; $13.2 million 2008 USD).
In Guatemala
, two people were killed after rains ahead of Adrian caused a ditch to cave in on them. One person was killed due to flooding in Nicaragua.
NHC Tropical Cyclone Report
NHC's public advisory archive on Hurricane Adrian
NHC's Monthly Tropical Weather Summary for May 2005
Photos
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
than any other hurricane
Tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
since reliable records began in 1949
1949 Pacific hurricane season
The 1949 Pacific hurricane season was the first hurricane season in the Eastern Pacific hurricane database. Six tropical cyclones were known to have existed during the season, of which the first formed on June 11 and the final dissipated on September 30...
. The first storm of the 2005 Pacific hurricane season
2005 Pacific hurricane season
The 2005 Pacific hurricane season officially began on May 15, 2005 in the eastern Pacific and on June 1, 2005 in the central Pacific, and lasted until November 30, 2005. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northeastern Pacific Ocean...
, Adrian developed on May 17, just two days after the official start of the season, several hundred miles south-southeast of Mexico. Tracking in an atypical northwestward direction, the storm gradually intensified. On May 19, the storm reached its peak strength as a minimal hurricane with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h). Not long after reaching this intensity, the storm abruptly weakened. By the morning of May 20, the system had weakened to a minimal tropical storm and turned due west. Later that day, the storm 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...
along the Gulf of Fonseca
Gulf of Fonseca
The Gulf of Fonseca , part of the Pacific Ocean, is a gulf in Central America, bordering El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua.-History:Fonseca Bay was discovered in 1522 by Gil Gonzalez de Avila, and named by him after his patron, Archbishop Juan Fonseca, the implacable enemy of Columbus.In 1849, E. G...
in Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
before dissipating several hours later.
Meteorological history
Hurricane Adrian originated from a tropical waveTropical wave
Tropical waves, easterly waves, or tropical easterly waves, also known as African easterly waves in the Atlantic region, are a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which move from east to west across the tropics causing areas of...
that moved off the western coast of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, near the Cape Verde Islands in early May 2005. Between May 10 and 14, several areas of disturbed weather moved across Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
, contributing to the development of a broad 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...
about 520 mi (835 km) south-southeast of 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...
, 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...
. On May 15, another tropical wave interacted with the low, resulting in the consolidation of the system. The following day, the developing low was nearly stationary as 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...
increased. Around 11:00 am PDT
Pacific Time Zone
The Pacific Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time . The clock time in this zone is based on the mean solar time of the 120th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory. During daylight saving time, its time offset is UTC-7.In the United States...
(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...
) on May 17, 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) estimated that the system developed into a tropical depression, the first of the 2005 Pacific hurricane season
2005 Pacific hurricane season
The 2005 Pacific hurricane season officially began on May 15, 2005 in the eastern Pacific and on June 1, 2005 in the central Pacific, and lasted until November 30, 2005. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northeastern Pacific Ocean...
. Upon forming, the depression was situated just south of 10°N
10th parallel north
The 10th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 10 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, the Indian Ocean, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Ocean, Central America, South America and the Atlantic Ocean....
, making it the 40th known tropical cyclone
Tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
to do so since 1949. Unlike most storms in the eastern Pacific, Tropical Depression One-E tracked towards the northwest in response to 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...
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...
. Tropical cyclone forecast models at the time anticipated intensification as conditions ahead of the system favored tropical cyclone development
Tropical cyclogenesis
Tropical cyclogenesis is the term that describes the development and strengthening of a tropical cyclone in the atmosphere. The mechanisms through which tropical cyclogenesis occurs are distinctly different from those through which mid-latitude cyclogenesis occurs...
. Initially, the system moved at a slow pace of 5 mph (8 km/h); however this later increased to 9 mph (14.5 km/h). Within six hours of being declared a depression, the cyclone was classified as Tropical Storm Adrian.
Over the following days, gradual strengthening took place as Adrian moved through a region of moderate 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...
. By May 18, deep convection consolidated around the center of circulation and feeder bands
Rainband
A rainband is a cloud and precipitation structure associated with an area of rainfall which is significantly elongated. Rainbands can be stratiform or convective, and are generated by differences in temperature. When noted on weather radar imagery, this precipitation elongation is referred to as...
developed along the periphery of the storm. Warm waters, around 30 °C (86 °F), ahead of the storm would allow for further strengthening despite wind shear and interaction with the high terrain of Central America. Additionally, some forecasts predicted that Adrian would survive the passage of Central America and enter the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
, possibly becoming the third known storm to cross from the eastern Pacific into the Atlantic basin. By May 19, the storm became relatively disorganized and Adrian only maintained a small area of convection around its center. However, within hours of this disorganization, the system rapidly consolidated and satellite imagery depicted the precursor to 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. Following this, Adrian intensified to a minimal hurricane before attaining its peak intensity around 10:00 am PDT (1700 UTC) on May 19. At this time, the storm was situated about 85 mi (140 km) and had sustained winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) and a barometric pressure of 982 mbar (hPa; 29 inHg).
Not long after becoming a hurricane, Adrian suddenly succumbed to persistent wind shear off the coast of El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
. Operationally, this weakening was not noticed by the NHC, leading to their assessment of the storm making 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...
in El Salvador around 11:00 pm PDT (0600 UTC on May 20) as a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale. In post-storm analysis, it was determined that the center of Adrian never actually crossed the coastline of El Salvador. Rather, convection associated with the system was sheared northward away from the center of circulation. Meteorologists at the NHC stated that Adrian's near-parallel track along the coast of El Salvador contributed to its rapid weakening as well as keeping the low offshore. Later on May 20, the system weakened to a tropical depression and made landfall in Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
, along the Gulf of Fonseca
Gulf of Fonseca
The Gulf of Fonseca , part of the Pacific Ocean, is a gulf in Central America, bordering El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua.-History:Fonseca Bay was discovered in 1522 by Gil Gonzalez de Avila, and named by him after his patron, Archbishop Juan Fonseca, the implacable enemy of Columbus.In 1849, E. G...
, around 1:00 pm PDT (2100 UTC) with winds of 25 mph (35 km/h). Several hours later, Adrian dissipated over the mountains of Central America.
Preparations
In response to the approaching hurricane, officials in El SalvadorEl Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
initiated the evacuations of about 3,500 families throughout 13 municipalities. Public facilities, as precautionary measures, were closed. The local governments and citizens were mindful of the damages caused to the region by other hurricanes, namely the 9,000 deaths caused by Hurricane Mitch
Hurricane Mitch
Hurricane Mitch was the most powerful hurricane and the most destructive of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season, with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph . The storm was the thirteenth tropical storm, ninth hurricane, and third major hurricane of the season. Along with Hurricane Georges, Mitch...
in 1998. According to President
President of El Salvador
This page contains a list of Presidents of El Salvador.-Heads of State of El Salvador within the Federal Republic of Central America :*Pedro Barriere : 21 September 1821 - 28 November 1821*José Matías Delgado : 28 Nov 1821 - 9 February 1823...
Antonio Saca
Antonio Saca
Elías Antonio Saca González is a Salvadoran politician and was the President of El Salvador. He was elected President in 2004 to serve a five-year term that ended in 2009....
, roughly 23,000 people evacuated by the storm's arrival. In fears of significant damage, a state of emergency
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
was declared for the entire country, home to roughly 6.5 million people.
In nearby Honduras, officials closed schools and public workers were given a half day as a precautionary measure. Small-scale evacuations also took place in parts of Guatemala and Nicaragua. Guatemala also declared a state of maximum alert as heavy rains from Adrian were expected to trigger flooding. Shelters were set up across the country to house roughly 400,000 people at-risk from the storm.
Impact
Adrian had minor effects in Honduras, only a few poorly constructed building were destroyed and minor floods were reported and there were no known fatalities associated with the storm.In El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, rains from Adrian led to numerous landslides and flash floods, mainly along coastal areas. Fallen trees were reported throughout the country. The floods prompted officials to shut down roads to keep people out of harms way. Heavy rains up to 16.4 inch
Inch
An inch is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including Imperial units, and United States customary units. There are 36 inches in a yard and 12 inches in a foot...
es (418.6 mm
Millimetre
The millimetre is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one thousandth of a metre, which is the SI base unit of length....
) caused several landslides that damaged roads. Two people were also killed in a mudslide. Two more deaths took place, one due to a plane crash caused by strong winds, the other caused by flooding. In all, damages in El Salvador totaled to $12 million (2005 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....
; $13.2 million 2008 USD).
In Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, two people were killed after rains ahead of Adrian caused a ditch to cave in on them. One person was killed due to flooding in Nicaragua.
See also
- Tropical cycloneTropical cycloneA tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
- List of tropical cyclones
- Timeline of the 2005 Pacific hurricane seasonTimeline of the 2005 Pacific hurricane seasonThe 2005 Pacific hurricane season was the least active season since the 2001 season, producing 16 tropical depressions; 15 of which became tropical storms or hurricanes...