Hurricane Huko (2002)

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Hurricane/Typhoon Huko
Type=hurricane
Year=2002
Basin=EPac
Image location=Hurricane Huko 2002.jpg


Formed=October 24 2002
Dissipated=November 7 2002
1-min winds=75
10-min winds=70
Pressure=965
Da

Inflated=0.027
Fatalities=None
Areas=Hawaiokinai, Johnston Atoll, Wake Island, California
Hurricane season=2002 Pacific hurricane season, 2002 Pacific typhoon season

Hurricane Huko (also known as Typhoon Huko, international designation: "0224", JTWC designation: "03C"), the Hawaiian equivalent of the name Hugo, was a Central Pacific tropical cyclone that had effects in all three north Pacific basins (east, central, and west). It formed on October 24, making it the third tropical cyclone to form in central Pacific that season. The depression reached tropical storm strength on October 26 and became a minimal hurricane on October 28, but it soon weakened. Eventually, Huko was able to regain Category 1 strength on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale and maintained it past the International Date Line, becoming the second storm this season to cross the line. In the west Pacific, the redesignated Typhoon Huko continued to hold Category 1 intensity until November 6, when it began weakening, ultimately recurving back into the central Pacific basin as an extratropical cyclone.

The hurricane caused high waves to hit Hawaii and caused heavy rains and wind gusts of convert|45|mph|km/h|abbr=on on Wake Island. Despite never entering the east Pacific while tropical, moisture from Huko merged with a trough which moved over California, causing record-breaking rains in the San Joaquin Valley. A small stream flood in Bakersfield resulted in damage, with the Tulare City Mountains reporting a winter storm caused by the trough. Ultimately, the remnants of Huko also reached California, causing more storms. Despite the damage, Huko was not responsible for any casualties.

Meteorological history

In late October, an active monsoon trough persisted south of Hawaii along 10°N latitude and stretching from 160°W to near the Mexican coast. An area of convection within the trough began developing on October 24 and later that day the disturbance was upgraded into Tropical Depression Three-C while convert|850|mi|km|abbr=on south-southeast of Honolulu.cite web|publisher=Joint Typhoon Warning Center|year=2002|title=2002 ATCR: Hurricane (HUR) 03C (Huko)
accessdate=2008-06-06|url=https://metocph.nmci.navy.mil/jtwc/atcr/2002atcr/ch1/chap1_page40.html] The depression was initially poorly organized as it moved to the north while steadily strengthening and organizing, becoming a tropical storm early on October 26 while making a turn to the northwest. Intensification continued, and late on October 28, the storm reached hurricane strength for the first time. However, since Tropical Storm Lowell was less than convert|900|mi|km|abbr=on east of Huko, combined with brief increase in wind shear caused by an upper-level trough to the northwest, Huko weakened into a tropical storm on October 30.cite web|publisher=Central Pacific Hurricane Center|year=2008|title=The 2002 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season
accessdate=2008-06-06|url=http://www.prh.noaa.gov/cphc/summaries/2002.php|author=Andy Nash, Hans Rosendal, Brooke Bingaman, Treena Loos, & Jeff Fournier] cite web|author=Gary Padgett|year=2002|title=Monthly Global Tropical Cyclone Summary: October 2002
accessdate=2008-06-06|url=http://www.weathermatrix.net/archive/tropical/summaries-2002/0017.html]

Shortly after making a turn to the west, conditions allowed for the storm to reach hurricane strength for the second time on October 31, passing around convert|140|mi|km|abbr=on south of Johnston Atoll, with a forecast calling for intensification to convert|80|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on before weakening due to wind shear. On November 2, the hurricane passed south of a high pressure area, which caused it to accelerate. On November 3, the hurricane passed the dateline into the west Pacific basin and was redesignated a typhoon, the predominant term for hurricane-strength cyclones there. The Japan Meteorological Agency gave Huko the identification number of TY 0224. After the crossover, the forward speed of the typhoon increased to convert|30|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on in response to a mid-latitude ridge. That speed is unusually high for a cyclone that didn't recurve in the Northern Hemisphere. Despite favorable inflow patterns and warm sea surface temperatures along with a light shear environment, upper-level conditions prevented the typhoon from strengthening beyond a peak of convert|85|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on. The estimated minimum pressure of the hurricane east of the Date Line was 980 mbar, although a JMA estimate puts the lowest central pressure of the typhoon at 965 mbar while west of the Date Line. The typhoon began to recurve to the northeast due to a weakness in the ridge on November 5, but wind shear began increasing, weakening the typhoon once more into a tropical storm on November 6 just before completing transition into an extratropical cyclone on November 7.cite web|publisher=National Hurricane Center|title=Eastern North Pacific Tracks File 1949-2007|accessdate=2008-09-14|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/tracks1949to2007_epa.txt|format=plaintext|date=2008-03-21] The extratropical Huko reentered the central Pacific south of Midway Island on November 9. Huko travelled roughly convert|2050|mi|km|abbr=on while active.cite web|author=Kitamoto Asanobu Labs|year=2008|title=Digital Typhoon: Typhoon 200224 (Huko) - Pressure and Track Charts|accessdate=2008-06-06|url=http://agora.ex.nii.ac.jp/digital-typhoon/summary/wnp/s/200224.html.en]

Impact, records, and naming

While in the Central Pacific, Huko was responsible for causing heavy waves to hit the southern beaches of Hawaii at the end of October.cite web|author=Penn State University|year=2002|title=October 2002 Weather Across the Nation
accessdate=2008-06-06|url=http://www.ems.psu.edu/WeatherWorld/summaries/sum10.02.html] While passing near Johnston Atoll, the hurricane caused convert|30|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on wind gusts and occasional heavy showers due to rainbands reaching the island. During its time in the west Pacific, the typhoon brought heavy rains and gusts between convert|40|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on to convert|45|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on to Wake Island,cite web|author=National Climatic Data Center|year=2002|title=Global Hazards and Significant Events: November 2002|accessdate=2008-06-06|url=http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/2002/nov/hazards.html] the only impact it would have in the West Pacific, despite some concern that Huko could possibly be a threat to the Northern Mariana Islands, The Philippines, and Taiwan.cite web|author=Nina Ridge|year=2002|title=Weather News: 11/2/02
accessdate=2008-06-06|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/ukweather/daily_review/news/02112002news.shtml]

Despite Huko never entering the east Pacific while active, the hurricane contributed tropical moisture to a trough that moved over California. This resulted in gusts and heavy rains and, in some locations, snow. A small stream flooded in Bakersfield, causing $23,000 (2002 USD) in damage. Several 24 hour rainfall records along the San Joaquin Valley were broken. The trough also caused 23 pole fires were reported in the area, which affected 102,000 residents. In the Sierra Nevada, convert|46|in|cm|abbr=on of snow were reported on Volcanic Knob and Upper Burnt Corral; the foothills reported rainfall totals of convert|5|in|cm|abbr=on to convert|10|in|cm|abbr=on of rain. More snow was reported at Chagoopa Plateau, totalling convert|80|in|cm|abbr=on in that location.cite web|author=NOAA|year=2002|title=Storm Data: November 2002|accessdate=2008-06-06|url=http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/hnx/stormdat/2002nov.pdf] The remnant circulation of the hurricane also reached northern California, where severe weather in the region was blamed on the storm.

The formation of Huko made the 2002 season the fifth year on record in which three or more tropical storms formed in the Central Pacific. The other years were 1984, 1992, 1994, and the record-holding 1982. This was the first time a Central Pacific hurricane was named Huko. The name was not retired following this storm, and it remains on the Central Pacific name lists.cite web|author=Dennis H. McCarthy|year=2007|title=National Weather Service Instruction Tropical Cyclone Names and Pronunciation Guide|accessdate=2007-12-29|url=http://www.weather.gov/directives/sym/pd01006006curr.pdf|format=PDF|date=2008-06-01] Due to inactivity in the basin, however, the name may not be used for a while, as an average of about one storm forming in the basin per year.

ee also

*List of Pacific hurricanes

References