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Hurricane Hector (2006)
Encyclopedia
Hurricane Hector was the ninth tropical cyclone
of the 2006 Pacific hurricane season
. Hector originated from a tropical wave that emerged from the western coast of Africa
on July 31. The wave was ill-defined, while traversing the Atlantic Ocean
, but became more active as it entered the Caribbean Sea
. On August 10, the wave crossed Central America
an entered the Eastern Pacific basin. The shower and thunderstorm activity within the wave began to increase, strengthening the wave into a low-pressure system on August 13. Dvorak classifications
were initiated on August 15 as the system became more convective
. The low-pressure system was designated Tropical Depression Nine-E on August 15. It moved west-northwestward to the south of a mid-level ridge, and the depression quickly intensified into Tropical Storm Hector on August 16. Wind shear was moderate in the area, but Hector was able to strengthen into a hurricane on August 17. Hector reached its peak intensity of 95.5 knots (116.3 mph) on August 18 at 0600 UTC. Hector maintained Category 2 status for 24 hours, encountering cooler sea temperatures soon after. Along with wind shear, the cooler temperatures caused Hector to weaken. Hector fell below hurricane strength on August 20, as convection became limited to the northeast corner of the storm.
that exited the west coast of Africa
on July 31. The wave was rather ill-defined as it moved over the eastern Atlantic
, but became more active in terms of thunderstorm activity
and easier to track after entering the eastern Caribbean Sea
. On August 10, the wave moved across Central America and entered the northeastern Pacific Ocean. Shower and thunderstorm activity gradually increased as the wave passed south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec
and a broad low pressure area
developed about 375 miles (605 km) south of Acapulco, Mexico
on August 13. The system continued to become organized on August 4 and Dvorak classifications
were initiated early on August 15. Additional development resulted in the formation of a tropical depression around 1800 UTC
later that day about 650 mi (1,045 km) south-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California
.
Moving west-northwestward to the south of a mid-level ridge
of high pressure
that extended from northern Mexico westward into the northeastern Pacific Ocean
, the depression quickly strengthened and became a tropical storm at 0000 UTC on August 16. At this time, the National Hurricane Center
gave it the name Hector. At its second advisory Hector was forecasted to reach a peak of 45 mph (75 km/h). Despite initially being in an environment of moderate north-northeasterly wind shear
, Hector was able to steadily strengthen, reaching hurricane status at 0600 UTC on August 17. While continuing west-northwestward, the hurricane quickly intensified, and it is estimated that Hector reached its peak intensity of 110 mph (175 km/h) at 0600 UTC on August 18, while centered about 1,035 mi (1,665 km) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
Hector remained a Category 2 hurricane for about 24 hours. Shortly thereafter, it began to encounter cooler sea surface temperatures and some westerly shear, which initiated weakening. Hector weakened below hurricane strength by 1200 UTC August 20. Shortly after this time, Hector approached a weakness in the subtropical
ridge near 135°W longitude
, which produced a considerable reduction in its forward speed and a turn toward the northwest. On August 21, deep convection became confined to the northeast portion of the circulation, due to southwesterly shear from a small upper-level low to the northwest of Hector. The shear was not strong enough to completely weaken the tropical cyclone and Hector remained a tropical storm with 50 mph (85 km/h) winds for about 24 hours. After the remaining shower and thunderstorm activity dissipated on August 22, the cyclone turned westward in response to the low-level easterly wind flow. Hector weakened to a tropical depression at 0000 UTC on August 23, and to a remnant low-pressure area
six hours later. The remnant circulation of Hector dissipated on August 24 about 750 mi (1,210 km) east of the Hawaiian Islands
.
were issued.
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...
of the 2006 Pacific hurricane season
2006 Pacific hurricane season
The 2006 Pacific hurricane season was the most active Pacific hurricane season since 2000 producing 19 tropical storms or hurricanes. Eighteen developed within the National Hurricane Center area of warning responsibility, which is east of 140ºW, and one storm formed between 140ºW and the...
. Hector originated from a tropical wave that emerged from 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...
on July 31. The wave was ill-defined, while traversing the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, but became more active as it entered 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....
. On August 10, the wave crossed 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...
an entered the Eastern Pacific basin. The shower and thunderstorm activity within the wave began to increase, strengthening the wave into a low-pressure system on August 13. Dvorak classifications
Dvorak technique
The Dvorak technique is a widely used system to subjectively estimate tropical cyclone intensity based solely on visible and infrared satellite images. Several agencies issue Dvorak intensity numbers for cyclones of sufficient intensity...
were initiated on August 15 as the system became more convective
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...
. The low-pressure system was designated Tropical Depression Nine-E on August 15. It moved west-northwestward to the south of a mid-level ridge, and the depression quickly intensified into Tropical Storm Hector on August 16. Wind shear was moderate in the area, but Hector was able to strengthen into a hurricane on August 17. Hector reached its peak intensity of 95.5 knots (116.3 mph) on August 18 at 0600 UTC. Hector maintained Category 2 status for 24 hours, encountering cooler sea temperatures soon after. Along with wind shear, the cooler temperatures caused Hector to weaken. Hector fell below hurricane strength on August 20, as convection became limited to the northeast corner of the storm.
Meteorological history
Hector formed 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 exited the west 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...
on July 31. The wave was rather ill-defined as it moved over the eastern Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, but became more active in terms of thunderstorm activity
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 easier to track after entering the eastern 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....
. On August 10, the wave moved across Central America and entered the northeastern Pacific Ocean. Shower and thunderstorm activity gradually increased as the wave passed south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec
Gulf of Tehuantepec
Gulf of Tehuantepec is a large body of water on the Pacific coast of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, southeastern Mexico, at . Most of the hurricanes that form in the Eastern Pacific organize in or near this body of water...
and a broad low pressure area
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...
developed about 375 miles (605 km) south of Acapulco, Mexico
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...
on August 13. The system continued to become organized on August 4 and Dvorak classifications
Dvorak technique
The Dvorak technique is a widely used system to subjectively estimate tropical cyclone intensity based solely on visible and infrared satellite images. Several agencies issue Dvorak intensity numbers for cyclones of sufficient intensity...
were initiated early on August 15. Additional development resulted in the formation of a tropical depression around 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...
later that day about 650 mi (1,045 km) south-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
.
Moving west-northwestward to the south of a mid-level ridge
Ridge (meteorology)
A ridge is an elongated region of relatively high atmospheric pressure, the opposite of a trough....
of high pressure
High pressure area
A high-pressure area is a region where the atmospheric pressure at the surface of the planet is greater than its surrounding environment. Winds within high-pressure areas flow outward due to the higher density air near their center and friction with land...
that extended from northern Mexico westward into the northeastern Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, the depression quickly strengthened and became a tropical storm at 0000 UTC on August 16. At this time, 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...
gave it the name Hector. At its second advisory Hector was forecasted to reach a peak of 45 mph (75 km/h). Despite initially being in an environment of moderate north-northeasterly 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...
, Hector was able to steadily strengthen, reaching hurricane status at 0600 UTC on August 17. While continuing west-northwestward, the hurricane quickly intensified, and it is estimated that Hector reached its peak intensity of 110 mph (175 km/h) at 0600 UTC on August 18, while centered about 1,035 mi (1,665 km) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
Hector remained a Category 2 hurricane for about 24 hours. Shortly thereafter, it began to encounter cooler sea surface temperatures and some westerly shear, which initiated weakening. Hector weakened below hurricane strength by 1200 UTC August 20. Shortly after this time, Hector approached a weakness in the subtropical
Subtropical cyclone
A subtropical cyclone is a weather system that has some characteristics of a tropical and an extratropical cyclone. As early as the 1950s, meteorologists were unclear whether they should be characterized as tropical or extratropical cyclones. They were officially recognized by the National...
ridge near 135°W longitude
135th meridian west
The meridian 135° west of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, North America, the Pacific Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
, which produced a considerable reduction in its forward speed and a turn toward the northwest. On August 21, deep convection became confined to the northeast portion of the circulation, due to southwesterly shear from a small upper-level low to the northwest of Hector. The shear was not strong enough to completely weaken the tropical cyclone and Hector remained a tropical storm with 50 mph (85 km/h) winds for about 24 hours. After the remaining shower and thunderstorm activity dissipated on August 22, the cyclone turned westward in response to the low-level easterly wind flow. Hector weakened to a tropical depression at 0000 UTC on August 23, and to a remnant low-pressure area
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...
six hours later. The remnant circulation of Hector dissipated on August 24 about 750 mi (1,210 km) east of the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
.
Impact
Because Hector remained away from land, no property damage or fatalities were reported. No ships were affected, and no tropical cyclone warnings and watchesTropical 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...
were issued.
See also
- List of storms in the 2006 Pacific hurricane season
- List of Pacific hurricanes
- Timeline of the 2006 Pacific hurricane seasonTimeline of the 2006 Pacific hurricane seasonThe 2006 Pacific hurricane season was the most active since the 2000 season, producing produced 21 tropical depressions; 19 of which became tropical storms or hurricanes...