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Hurricane Linda (1997)
Encyclopedia
Hurricane Linda was the strongest eastern Pacific hurricane
on record. Forming from a tropical wave
on September 9, 1997, Linda steadily intensified and reached hurricane status within 36 hours of developing. It rapidly intensified
, reaching winds of 185 miles per hour (297.7 km/h) and an estimated central pressure falling to 902 millibars (26.6 inHg). The hurricane was briefly forecast to move toward southern California, but instead, it turned out to sea and dissipated on September 17. It was the fifteenth tropical cyclone
, thirteenth named storm, seventh hurricane, and fifth major hurricane
of the 1997 Pacific hurricane season
.
While near peak intensity, Hurricane Linda passed near Socorro Island
, where it damaged meteorological instruments. The hurricane produced high waves along the southwestern Mexican coastline, forcing the closure of five ports. If Linda had made landfall
on California as predicted, it would have been the strongest storm to do so since a storm in 1939. Though it did not hit the state, the hurricane produced light to moderate rainfall across the region, causing mudslides and flooding in the San Gorgonio Wilderness
; two houses were destroyed and 77 others were damaged, and damage totaled $3.2 million (1997 USD
, $4.3 million 2008 USD). Despite the intensity, the name was not retired.
that moved off the coast of Africa on August 24. The wave tracked westward across the Atlantic Ocean
and Caribbean Sea
without development
. An area of convection developed to the west of Panama
in the Pacific Ocean
on September 6, which is believed to have been related to the tropical wave. The system continued westward, and within three days of entering the basin, a poorly defined circulation
formed. Banding features began to develop, and at around 1200 UTC
on September 9, the system organized into Tropical Depression Fourteen-E. At the time, it was approximately 460 miles (740.3 km) south of the Mexican city of Manzanillo
.
On becoming a tropical cyclone, the depression moved northwestward at 6 and 12 mph (9.7 and 19.3 km/h), partially under the influence of a mid- to upper-level low
near the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula
. Deep convection and banding features increased, and the depression intensified into a tropical storm early on September 10. Upon being designated, the cyclone was named Linda by the National Hurricane Center
(NHC). As upper-level outflow
became well-established, the storm began to strengthen quickly. By September 11, an intermittent eye
appeared, by which time the NHC estimated that Linda reached hurricane status. The storm began to rapidly intensify
; its small eye became well-defined and surrounded by very cold convection. In a 24 hour period, the minimum pressure
dropped 81 millibars (2.4 inHg), or an average drop of 3.38 millibar (0.0998113034824695 inHg) per hour. Such intensification met the criterion for explosive deepening
, an average hourly pressure decrease of at least 2.5 millibar (0.073824928611294 inHg). By early September 12, Hurricane Linda reached Category 5 status on the Saffir-Simpson scale
, and around 0600 UTC, Linda attained estimated peak winds of 185 mph (295 km/h) about 145 mi (235 km) southeast of Socorro Island
. Its maximum sustained wind
s were estimated from 180 and 195 mph (289.7 and 313.8 km/h), based on the Dvorak technique
, and gusts were estimated to have reached 218 miles per hour (350.8 km/h). The hurricane's pressure is estimated at 902 millibars (26.6 inHg), making Linda the most intense Pacific hurricane on record. When the storm was active, its pressure was estimated to have been slightly lower, at 900 millibars (26.6 inHg).
Shortly after reaching peak intensity, Hurricane Linda passed near Socorro Island as a Category 5 hurricane. Around that time, tropical cyclone forecast models suggested that the hurricane would turn toward southern California due to an approaching upper-level trough. Had Linda struck the state, it would have been much weaker at that time, possibly moving ashore as a tropical storm. Instead, Hurricane Linda turned west-northwestward away from land in response to a building ridge
to the north of the hurricane. Despite remaining away from land, moisture from the storm reached southern California to produce rainfall. On September 14, the Hurricane Hunters
and airplanes from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
investigated the hurricane to provide better data on the powerful hurricane. Hurricane Linda quickly deteriorated as it tracked toward cooler waters, weakening to tropical storm status on September 15. Two days later, when located about 1105 miles (1,778.3 km) west of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, it weakened to tropical depression status. Linda no longer met the criteria for a tropical cyclone by September 18, although a circulation persisted for a few days before dissipating.
Forecasters and computer models did not anticipate how quickly Linda would strengthen; in one advisory, the NHC under-forecast how strong the winds would be in 72 hours by 115 miles per hour (185.1 km/h). The maximum potential intensity for Linda was 880 millibars (26 inHg), 22 millibar (0.649659371779387 inHg) lower than its actual intensity. The 1997 season was affected by the El Niño
event of 1997–98, which brought warmer than normal water temperatures
and contributed to the high intensity of several storms. Hurricane Linda occurred about a month after the similarly powerful Hurricane Guillermo
, which also reached Category 5 status. The passage of Linda cooled the waters in the region, causing Hurricane Nora
to weaken when it passed through the area on September 21.
Although the eye of Hurricane Linda did not make landfall
, the hurricane passed near Socorro Island
while near peak intensity. The hurricane cut power to wind and pressure instruments. A station on the island recorded a pressure of 986 millibars (29.1 inHg) before it stopped producing data. No tropical cyclone warnings or watches
were issued for the hurricane. However, the threat for high tides and strong winds in Mexico prompted officials to issue coastal flood warnings and to close five ports. Waves of up to 7.8 feet (2.4 m) were reported along the coastline, causing flooding in the states of Michoacán
, Jalisco
, Nayarit
, and Sinaloa
.
When Linda was predicted to turn towards the northeast, it was forecast to move ashore in Southern California
as a weak tropical storm, which would have made Linda the first to do so since a tropical storm in 1939. The Oxnard, California
National Weather Service
office issued public information and special weather statements that discussed the possible impact of Linda on southern California. The advisories mentioned forecasting uncertainty, and advised the media not to exaggerate the storm. The office noted a threat for significant rainfall—possibly causing flash flood
ing—as well as high surf. To prepare for possible flooding, workers cleaned storm drains and prepared sandbags for coastal properties.
Although the storm did not make the turn, 15 and 18 ft (4.6 and 5.5 m) waves reached southern California. In Newport Beach
, a wave swept five people off a jetty
and carried them 900 feet (274.3 m) out to sea, although all were rescued by a passing boat. Moisture from the hurricane moved across the state, producing heavy rainfall and golfball-sized hail
. A station in Forrest Falls, located within the San Gorgonio Wilderness
, recorded rainfall rates of 2.5 inches (63.5 mm) per hour. The rainfall caused severe flooding and mudslides which destroyed two houses, damaged 77 others, and inflicted $3.2 million in damage (1997 USD
, $4.3 million 2008 USD). San Diego recorded 0.05 inches (1.3 mm) of rain, the first measurable precipitation in 164 days; this tied the record for the longest duration without rainfall at the station, previously set in 1915 and 1924. Moisture from Linda extended into the Upper Midwest
, contributing to a record daily rainfall total of 1.97 inches (50 mm) in Minneapolis, Minnesota
.
. Linda is also believed to have been the strongest since overall records began in the basin in 1949. The previous most intense hurricane was Hurricane Ava
in 1973, which contained a confirmed pressure of 915 millibars (27 inHg). Since no observations recorded the pressure during Linda's peak, its peak intensity was estimated. As such, Ava remains the strongest measured hurricane in the basin.
Pacific hurricane
A Pacific hurricane or tropical storm is a tropical cyclone that develops in the northeastern part of the Pacific Ocean. For organizational purposes, the northern Pacific Ocean is divided into three regions: the eastern, , central , and western...
on record. Forming from a tropical wave
Tropical 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...
on September 9, 1997, Linda steadily intensified and reached hurricane status within 36 hours of developing. It rapidly intensified
Rapid deepening
Rapid deepening, also known as rapid intensification, is a meteorological condition that occurs when the minimum sea-level atmospheric pressure of a tropical cyclone decreases drastically in a short period of time. The National Weather Service describes rapid deepening as a decrease of...
, reaching winds of 185 miles per hour (297.7 km/h) and an estimated central pressure falling to 902 millibars (26.6 inHg). The hurricane was briefly forecast to move toward southern California, but instead, it turned out to sea and dissipated on September 17. It was the fifteenth 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...
, thirteenth named storm, seventh hurricane, and fifth major hurricane
Tropical cyclone scales
Tropical systems are officially ranked on one of several tropical cyclone scales according to their maximum sustained winds and in what oceanic basin they are located...
of the 1997 Pacific hurricane season
1997 Pacific hurricane season
The 1997 Pacific hurricane season was a very active hurricane season. With hundreds of deaths and billions of dollars in damage, this season was the costliest and one of the deadliest Pacific hurricane seasons. This was due to a strong El Niño...
.
While near peak intensity, Hurricane Linda passed near Socorro Island
Socorro Island
Socorro Island is a small volcanic island in the Revillagigedo Islands, a Mexican possession lying some 600 kilometers off the country's western coast at 18°48'N, 110°59'W. The size is 16.5 by 11.5 km, with an area of 132 km².- Geology :...
, where it damaged meteorological instruments. The hurricane produced high waves along the southwestern Mexican coastline, forcing the closure of five ports. If Linda had 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...
on California as predicted, it would have been the strongest storm to do so since a storm in 1939. Though it did not hit the state, the hurricane produced light to moderate rainfall across the region, causing mudslides and flooding in the San Gorgonio Wilderness
San Gorgonio Wilderness
San Gorgonio Wilderness is located in the San Bernardino Mountains, north of Morongo Valley and approximately northwest of Palm Springs, California...
; two houses were destroyed and 77 others were damaged, and damage totaled $3.2 million (1997 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....
, $4.3 million 2008 USD). Despite the intensity, the name was not retired.
Meteorological history
The origins of Hurricane Linda are believed to have been in 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 coast of Africa on August 24. The wave tracked westward across 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...
and 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....
without 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...
. An area of convection developed to the west of Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
in the 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...
on September 6, which is believed to have been related to the tropical wave. The system continued westward, and within three days of entering the basin, a poorly defined circulation
Atmospheric circulation
Atmospheric circulation is the large-scale movement of air, and the means by which thermal energy is distributed on the surface of the Earth....
formed. Banding features began to develop, and at around 1200 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 September 9, the system organized into Tropical Depression Fourteen-E. At the time, it was approximately 460 miles (740.3 km) south of the Mexican city of Manzanillo
Manzanillo, Colima
The name Manzanillo refers to the city as well as its surrounding municipality in the Mexican state of Colima. The city, located on the Pacific Ocean, contains Mexico's busiest port. Manzanillo was the third port created by the Spanish in the Pacific during the New Spain period...
.
On becoming a tropical cyclone, the depression moved northwestward at 6 and 12 mph (9.7 and 19.3 km/h), partially under the influence of a mid- to upper-level low
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...
near the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula
Baja California Peninsula
The Baja California peninsula , is a peninsula in northwestern Mexico. Its land mass separates the Pacific Ocean from the Gulf of California. The Peninsula extends from Mexicali, Baja California in the north to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur in the south.The total area of the Baja California...
. Deep convection and banding features increased, and the depression intensified into a tropical storm early on September 10. Upon being designated, the cyclone was named Linda by 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). As upper-level outflow
Outflow (meteorology)
Outflow, in meteorology, is air that flows outwards from a storm system. It is associated with ridging, or anticyclonic flow. In the low levels of the troposphere, outflow radiates from thunderstorms in the form of a wedge of rain-cooled air, which is visible as a thin rope-like cloud on weather...
became well-established, the storm began to strengthen quickly. By September 11, an intermittent 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...
appeared, by which time the NHC estimated that Linda reached hurricane status. The storm began to rapidly intensify
Rapid deepening
Rapid deepening, also known as rapid intensification, is a meteorological condition that occurs when the minimum sea-level atmospheric pressure of a tropical cyclone decreases drastically in a short period of time. The National Weather Service describes rapid deepening as a decrease of...
; its small eye became well-defined and surrounded by very cold convection. In a 24 hour period, the minimum pressure
Atmospheric pressure
Atmospheric pressure is the force per unit area exerted into a surface by the weight of air above that surface in the atmosphere of Earth . In most circumstances atmospheric pressure is closely approximated by the hydrostatic pressure caused by the weight of air above the measurement point...
dropped 81 millibars (2.4 inHg), or an average drop of 3.38 millibar (0.0998113034824695 inHg) per hour. Such intensification met the criterion for explosive deepening
Rapid deepening
Rapid deepening, also known as rapid intensification, is a meteorological condition that occurs when the minimum sea-level atmospheric pressure of a tropical cyclone decreases drastically in a short period of time. The National Weather Service describes rapid deepening as a decrease of...
, an average hourly pressure decrease of at least 2.5 millibar (0.073824928611294 inHg). By early September 12, Hurricane Linda reached Category 5 status on the Saffir-Simpson scale
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
, and around 0600 UTC, Linda attained estimated peak winds of 185 mph (295 km/h) about 145 mi (235 km) southeast of Socorro Island
Socorro Island
Socorro Island is a small volcanic island in the Revillagigedo Islands, a Mexican possession lying some 600 kilometers off the country's western coast at 18°48'N, 110°59'W. The size is 16.5 by 11.5 km, with an area of 132 km².- Geology :...
. Its maximum sustained wind
Maximum sustained wind
The maximum sustained winds associated with a tropical cyclone are a common indicator of the intensity of the storm. Within a mature tropical cyclone, they are found within the eyewall at a distance defined as the radius of maximum wind, or RMW. Unlike gusts, the value of these winds are...
s were estimated from 180 and 195 mph (289.7 and 313.8 km/h), based on the Dvorak technique
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...
, and gusts were estimated to have reached 218 miles per hour (350.8 km/h). The hurricane's pressure is estimated at 902 millibars (26.6 inHg), making Linda the most intense Pacific hurricane on record. When the storm was active, its pressure was estimated to have been slightly lower, at 900 millibars (26.6 inHg).
Ridge (meteorology)
A ridge is an elongated region of relatively high atmospheric pressure, the opposite of a trough....
to the north of the hurricane. Despite remaining away from land, moisture from the storm reached southern California to produce rainfall. On September 14, the Hurricane Hunters
Hurricane Hunters
The Hurricane Hunters are aircraft that fly into tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic Ocean and Northeastern Pacific Ocean for the specific purpose of directly measuring weather data in and around those storms. In the United States, the Air Force, Navy, and NOAA units have all participated in...
and airplanes from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
investigated the hurricane to provide better data on the powerful hurricane. Hurricane Linda quickly deteriorated as it tracked toward cooler waters, weakening to tropical storm status on September 15. Two days later, when located about 1105 miles (1,778.3 km) west of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, it weakened to tropical depression status. Linda no longer met the criteria for a tropical cyclone by September 18, although a circulation persisted for a few days before dissipating.
Forecasters and computer models did not anticipate how quickly Linda would strengthen; in one advisory, the NHC under-forecast how strong the winds would be in 72 hours by 115 miles per hour (185.1 km/h). The maximum potential intensity for Linda was 880 millibars (26 inHg), 22 millibar (0.649659371779387 inHg) lower than its actual intensity. The 1997 season was affected by the El Niño
El Niño-Southern Oscillation
El Niño/La Niña-Southern Oscillation, or ENSO, is a quasiperiodic climate pattern that occurs across the tropical Pacific Ocean roughly every five years...
event of 1997–98, which brought warmer than normal water temperatures
Sea surface temperature
Sea surface temperature is the water temperature close to the oceans surface. The exact meaning of surface varies according to the measurement method used, but it is between and below the sea surface. Air masses in the Earth's atmosphere are highly modified by sea surface temperatures within a...
and contributed to the high intensity of several storms. Hurricane Linda occurred about a month after the similarly powerful Hurricane Guillermo
Hurricane Guillermo (1997)
Hurricane Guillermo was the sixth strongest Pacific hurricane on record, attaining peak winds of 160 mph and a barometric pressure of 919 mbar . Forming out of a tropical wave on July 30, 1997, roughly 345 mi south of Salina Cruz, Mexico, Guillermo tracked in a steady...
, which also reached Category 5 status. The passage of Linda cooled the waters in the region, causing Hurricane Nora
Hurricane Nora (1997)
Hurricane Nora was only the third tropical cyclone on record to reach Arizona as a tropical storm. Nora was the fourteenth named tropical cyclone and seventh hurricane of the 1997 Pacific hurricane season...
to weaken when it passed through the area on September 21.
Preparations and impact
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...
, the hurricane passed near Socorro Island
Socorro Island
Socorro Island is a small volcanic island in the Revillagigedo Islands, a Mexican possession lying some 600 kilometers off the country's western coast at 18°48'N, 110°59'W. The size is 16.5 by 11.5 km, with an area of 132 km².- Geology :...
while near peak intensity. The hurricane cut power to wind and pressure instruments. A station on the island recorded a pressure of 986 millibars (29.1 inHg) before it stopped producing data. No tropical cyclone warnings or watches
Tropical 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 for the hurricane. However, the threat for high tides and strong winds in Mexico prompted officials to issue coastal flood warnings and to close five ports. Waves of up to 7.8 feet (2.4 m) were reported along the coastline, causing flooding in the states of Michoacán
Michoacán
Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...
, Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
, Nayarit
Nayarit
Nayarit officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Nayarit is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 20 municipalities and its capital city is Tepic.It is located in Western Mexico...
, and Sinaloa
Sinaloa
Sinaloa officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 18 municipalities and its capital city is Culiacán Rosales....
.
When Linda was predicted to turn towards the northeast, it was forecast to move ashore in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
as a weak tropical storm, which would have made Linda the first to do so since a tropical storm in 1939. The Oxnard, California
Oxnard, California
Oxnard is the 113th largest city in the United States, 19th largest city in California and largest city in Ventura County, California, by way of population. It is located at the western edge of the fertile Oxnard Plain, and is an important agricultural center, with its distinction as the...
National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
office issued public information and special weather statements that discussed the possible impact of Linda on southern California. The advisories mentioned forecasting uncertainty, and advised the media not to exaggerate the storm. The office noted a threat for significant rainfall—possibly causing flash flood
Flash flood
A flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas—washes, rivers, dry lakes and basins. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a storm, hurricane, or tropical storm or meltwater from ice or snow flowing over ice sheets or snowfields...
ing—as well as high surf. To prepare for possible flooding, workers cleaned storm drains and prepared sandbags for coastal properties.
Although the storm did not make the turn, 15 and 18 ft (4.6 and 5.5 m) waves reached southern California. In Newport Beach
Newport Beach, California
Newport Beach, incorporated in 1906, is a city in Orange County, California, south of downtown Santa Ana. The population was 85,186 at the 2010 census.The city's median family income and property values consistently place high in national rankings...
, a wave swept five people off a jetty
Jetty
A jetty is any of a variety of structures used in river, dock, and maritime works that are generally carried out in pairs from river banks, or in continuation of river channels at their outlets into deep water; or out into docks, and outside their entrances; or for forming basins along the...
and carried them 900 feet (274.3 m) out to sea, although all were rescued by a passing boat. Moisture from the hurricane moved across the state, producing heavy rainfall and golfball-sized hail
Hail
Hail is a form of solid precipitation. It consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, each of which is referred to as a hail stone. Hail stones on Earth consist mostly of water ice and measure between and in diameter, with the larger stones coming from severe thunderstorms...
. A station in Forrest Falls, located within the San Gorgonio Wilderness
San Gorgonio Wilderness
San Gorgonio Wilderness is located in the San Bernardino Mountains, north of Morongo Valley and approximately northwest of Palm Springs, California...
, recorded rainfall rates of 2.5 inches (63.5 mm) per hour. The rainfall caused severe flooding and mudslides which destroyed two houses, damaged 77 others, and inflicted $3.2 million in damage (1997 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....
, $4.3 million 2008 USD). San Diego recorded 0.05 inches (1.3 mm) of rain, the first measurable precipitation in 164 days; this tied the record for the longest duration without rainfall at the station, previously set in 1915 and 1924. Moisture from Linda extended into the Upper Midwest
Upper Midwest
The Upper Midwest is a region in the northern portion of the U.S. Census Bureau's Midwestern United States. It is largely a sub-region of the midwest. Although there are no uniformly agreed-upon boundaries, the region is most commonly used to refer to the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and...
, contributing to a record daily rainfall total of 1.97 inches (50 mm) in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
.
Records
With an estimated pressure of 902 millibars (26.6 inHg), Hurricane Linda became the most intense Pacific hurricane since reliable records began in the 1966 season1966 Pacific hurricane season
The 1966 Pacific hurricane season started on May 15, 1966 and ended November 30, 1966. The season was of little note. Hurricane Blanca traveled 4,300 miles, setting a new record. During September and October of the year, Hurricane Helga and Tropical Storms Kirsten, Lorraine, and Maggie hitting Mexico...
. Linda is also believed to have been the strongest since overall records began in the basin in 1949. The previous most intense hurricane was Hurricane Ava
Hurricane Ava (1973)
Hurricane Ava was one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. It was the first named storm of the 1973 Pacific hurricane season. Forming in early June, Hurricane Ava eventually reached Category 5 intensity on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, the...
in 1973, which contained a confirmed pressure of 915 millibars (27 inHg). Since no observations recorded the pressure during Linda's peak, its peak intensity was estimated. As such, Ava remains the strongest measured hurricane in the basin.
See also
- List of California hurricanes
- List of Category 5 Pacific hurricanes
- List of Pacific hurricanes
- Timeline of the 1997 Pacific hurricane seasonTimeline of the 1997 Pacific hurricane seasonThe 1997 Pacific hurricane season was the most active season since the 1994 season, producing 24 tropical depressions, 19 of which became tropical storms or hurricanes. The season officially started on May 15, 1997 in the Eastern Pacific—designated as the area east of 140°W—and on June 1, 1997...