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Hurricane Tina (1992)
Encyclopedia
Hurricane Tina was the strongest storm of the 1992 Pacific hurricane season
and threatened land for a brief period of time. The twenty-fourth tropical cyclone
, twenty-second tropical storm, fourteenth hurricane, and eighth major hurricane of the record breaking season, Tina formed from a tropical wave on September 17. It moved glacially towards the west and strengthened into a hurricane. A breakdown in a ridge
and to the north and a trough
then re-curved Tina to the northeast and towards land, still moving slowly and gradually slowing down. The trough broke down and was replaced by a strong ridge. Tina then changed direction again and headed out to sea. It intensified into a Category 4 storm with a central pressure
of 932 millibars. Tina then slowly weakened as it turned to the north. Tropical Depression Tina dissipated on October 11, shortly after entering the Central Pacific Hurricane Center
's area of responsibility
. Although the tropical cyclone
never made landfall, heavy rains were recorded across western Mexico
.
. The wave did generate disorganized fare-ups while entering the Caribbean Sea
, but due to strong wind shear
further development failed to occur. On September 16, while about 300 mi (482.8 km) west of Acapulco, Mexico. By tha time, the wave had entered the East Pacific basin. The system began to become more organized and on 1200 UTC September 7, the NHC upgraded the disturbance into a tropical depression, the twenty-second of the season. as the disturbance had changed dramatically in organization. The depression became Tropical Storm Tina the next day. The system began an intensification trend, and Tina strengthened a moderate storm 24 hours after attaining tropical storm status. and the NHC forecasted Tina to become a hurricane.
As forecasted, Tina reached hurricane status at 1800 UTC September 20. Tina reached a secondary peak of 85 mph (140 km/h) the next day. By September 21, shear began to take a toll on the hurricane, as deep convection decreased. Tina briefly weakened back into a tropical storm, but regained hurricane intensity for another two days. However, data from a Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicted that Tina had weakened back to tropical storm status, thus ending the first of three strengthening trend of Hurricane Tina. By September 24, Tropical Storm Tina took a sharp turn north-northeast towards the west coast of Mexico
, due a combination of a weakness in a subtropical ridge
and a mid-level to low-level trough passing north of the tropical cyclone
. Shortly thereafter, an anticyclone
that developed west of the Baja California
Coast.
By September 27, steering flow moved Tina away from the coast of Mexico, where there was little wind shear
. the tropical storm then began to re-intensify. Tina regained hurricane status on September as it accelerated. On September 28, Tina had reached major hurricane intensity. The next day, Tina intensified some more, becoming a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale
. Late on September 29, the storms pressure had fallen to 944 mb and winds had increased to of 145 mph (230 km/h) while Tina was located 90 mi (144.8 km) away from the Mexican coast. Overnight on September 30 Tina peaked with winds of 150 mph (240 km/h) and a pressure of 930 mb. On October 1, the hurricane underwent fluctuations in intensity.
Tina began to change its path over the next days due to an approaching trough which allowed Tina to turn northbound into cooler sea surface temperatures as well as into an area of increasing wind shear. The eye
became very large, peaking in size on Ocotber 4. However, the less favorable environment caused Tina to slowly weaken;the system weakened back to tropical storm status late on October 4. Tina's motion decreased due to weak steering currents. As such, Tina continued to weaken, and was downgraded into a tropical depression. At this time, only a swirl of clouds remained, with limited deep convection. The next day Tina moved into the Central Pacific Hurricane Center
's area of responsibility and six hours later, the winds had dropped to 30 mph (45 mm/h). Tina still maintained a small area of deep convection despite decreasing seas surface temperatures until dissipation on October 11.
Lasting 22 days, Hurricane Tina surpassed Hurricane Fico
as the longest lived storm in the Eastern Pacific.
1992 Pacific hurricane season
The 1992 Pacific hurricane season was the most active Pacific hurricane season on record. The most notable storm was Hurricane Iniki, which caused billions of dollars of damage to the Hawaiian Islands. Hurricanes Lester, Virgil, Winifred, and Orlene also made landfall and killed several people, but...
and threatened land for a brief period of time. The twenty-fourth 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...
, twenty-second tropical storm, fourteenth hurricane, and eighth major hurricane of the record breaking season, Tina formed from a tropical wave on September 17. It moved glacially towards the west and strengthened into a hurricane. A breakdown in a ridge
Ridge (meteorology)
A ridge is an elongated region of relatively high atmospheric pressure, the opposite of a trough....
and to the north and 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...
then re-curved Tina to the northeast and towards land, still moving slowly and gradually slowing down. The trough broke down and was replaced by a strong ridge. Tina then changed direction again and headed out to sea. It intensified into a Category 4 storm with a central 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...
of 932 millibars. Tina then slowly weakened as it turned to the north. Tropical Depression Tina dissipated on October 11, shortly after entering the Central Pacific Hurricane Center
Central Pacific Hurricane Center
The Central Pacific Hurricane Center of the United States National Weather Service is the official body responsible for tracking and issuing tropical cyclone warnings, watches, advisories, discussions, and statements for the Central North Pacific Basin...
's area of responsibility
Area of responsibility
Area Of Responsibility is a pre-defined geographic region assigned to a Combatant commanders of the Unified Command Plan , that are used to define an area with specific geographic boundaries where they have the authority to plan and conduct operations; for which a force, or component commander...
. Although the 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...
never made landfall, heavy rains were recorded across western 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...
.
Meteorological history
Tina originated from a tropical wave that left the African coast on September 5. Six days ater, the wave moved through the Lesser AntillesLesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles are a long, partly volcanic island arc in the Western Hemisphere. Most of its islands form the eastern boundary of the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, with the remainder located in the southern Caribbean just north of South America...
. The wave did generate disorganized fare-ups while entering 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....
, but due to strong 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...
further development failed to occur. On September 16, while about 300 mi (482.8 km) west of Acapulco, Mexico. By tha time, the wave had entered the East Pacific basin. The system began to become more organized and on 1200 UTC September 7, the NHC upgraded the disturbance into a tropical depression, the twenty-second of the season. as the disturbance had changed dramatically in organization. The depression became Tropical Storm Tina the next day. The system began an intensification trend, and Tina strengthened a moderate storm 24 hours after attaining tropical storm status. and the NHC forecasted Tina to become a hurricane.
As forecasted, Tina reached hurricane status at 1800 UTC September 20. Tina reached a secondary peak of 85 mph (140 km/h) the next day. By September 21, shear began to take a toll on the hurricane, as deep convection decreased. Tina briefly weakened back into a tropical storm, but regained hurricane intensity for another two days. However, data from a Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicted that Tina had weakened back to tropical storm status, thus ending the first of three strengthening trend of Hurricane Tina. By September 24, Tropical Storm Tina took a sharp turn north-northeast towards the west coast of 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...
, due a combination of a weakness in a subtropical ridge
Subtropical ridge
The subtropical ridge is a significant belt of high pressure situated around the latitudes of 30°N in the Northern Hemisphere and 30°S in the Southern Hemisphere. It is characterized by mostly calm winds, which acts to reduce air quality under its axis by causing fog overnight, and haze during...
and a mid-level to low-level trough passing north of the 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...
. Shortly thereafter, an anticyclone
Anticyclone
An anticyclone is a weather phenomenon defined by the United States' National Weather Service's glossary as "[a] large-scale circulation of winds around a central region of high atmospheric pressure, clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere, counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere"...
that developed west of the 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...
Coast.
By September 27, steering flow moved Tina away from the coast of Mexico, where there was little 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...
. the tropical storm then began to re-intensify. Tina regained hurricane status on September as it accelerated. On September 28, Tina had reached major hurricane intensity. The next day, Tina intensified some more, becoming a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane 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...
. Late on September 29, the storms pressure had fallen to 944 mb and winds had increased to of 145 mph (230 km/h) while Tina was located 90 mi (144.8 km) away from the Mexican coast. Overnight on September 30 Tina peaked with winds of 150 mph (240 km/h) and a pressure of 930 mb. On October 1, the hurricane underwent fluctuations in intensity.
Tina began to change its path over the next days due to an approaching trough which allowed Tina to turn northbound into cooler sea surface temperatures as well as into an area of increasing wind shear. The 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...
became very large, peaking in size on Ocotber 4. However, the less favorable environment caused Tina to slowly weaken;the system weakened back to tropical storm status late on October 4. Tina's motion decreased due to weak steering currents. As such, Tina continued to weaken, and was downgraded into a tropical depression. At this time, only a swirl of clouds remained, with limited deep convection. The next day Tina moved into the Central Pacific Hurricane Center
Central Pacific Hurricane Center
The Central Pacific Hurricane Center of the United States National Weather Service is the official body responsible for tracking and issuing tropical cyclone warnings, watches, advisories, discussions, and statements for the Central North Pacific Basin...
's area of responsibility and six hours later, the winds had dropped to 30 mph (45 mm/h). Tina still maintained a small area of deep convection despite decreasing seas surface temperatures until dissipation on October 11.
Records, preparations, and impact
When Tropical Storm Tina was tracking northeastward toward Mexico, the National Hurricane Center noted the possibility of landfall, although all of the tropical cyclone forecast models correctly indicated a westward turn would occur. While passing the region, Tina dropped heavy rainfall that produced flooding along the west coast of Mexico.Lasting 22 days, Hurricane Tina surpassed Hurricane Fico
Hurricane Fico
Hurricane Fico was the longest-lived hurricane of the 1978 Pacific hurricane season and at the time was the longest-lasting Pacific hurricane on record, the record being held today by Hurricane John of 1994. The sixth tropical storm, fourth hurricane, and third major hurricane, Fico developed from...
as the longest lived storm in the Eastern Pacific.