Tropical Storm Dora (2005)

Tropical Storm Dora was the forth tropical storm of 2005 season. It was one of the two tropical cyclones to make landfall the other being Hurricane Adrian which made landfall in El Salvador in May. Tropical Depression Four-E formed on July 3 from a tropical wave south of the Mexican port of Acapulco, Guerrero. Watches and warnings were issued as it neared the Mexican coast. On the afternoon of July 4, the depression strengthened into a tropical storm while located about 45 miles (75 km) west-southwest of Acapulco. It came within miles of the coast, moving somewhat parallel to the coast on July 4, dropping heavy rainfall on the region. As it moved away from the coast, all watches were cancelled as it dropped to a tropical depression midday on July 5, finally dissipating early on July 6.Infobox Hurricane
Name=Tropical Storm Dora
Type=Tropical Storm
Year=2005
Basin=Epac
Image location=TS Dora 2005.jpg


Formed=July 3, 2005
Dissipated=July 6, 2005
1-min winds=40
Pressure=1003
Da

Fatalities=None Reported
Areas=Mexican Rivera
Hurricane season=2005 Pacific hurricane season

Meteorological History

A tropical wave left Africa on June 14. It moved westward without any deep convection. It continued through the Caribbean and crossed Central America on July 1 and entered the Eastern pacific Ocean shortly thereafter. The wave turned north as it began to organize. Finally on July 3 the NHC classified the wave as Tropical Depression Four-E and Tropical cyclone watches and warnings were issued. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/pub/ep042005.public.001.shtml?]

Upon becoming a tropical cyclone, land interaction was in the way which could have weakened the cyclone. Instead, it became better organized was upgraded to 35 mph depression six hours later. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/pub/ep042005.public_a.001.shtml?] It took a while to become a tropical storm , but became one at 2PM July 4. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/pub/ep042005.public.004.shtml?] That evening Dora reached a peak of 45 mph. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-EP042005_Dora.pdf]

Twelve hours after its peak, it became a 40 mph tropical storm while effecting Mexican states like Guerrero [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-EP042005_Dora.pdf] . On July 5 Dora made it closest approach to Mexico, coming within 45 miles of Guerrero. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-EP042005_Dora.pdf] It regained peak intensity later that day. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-EP042005_Dora.pdf] It was downgraded to a 35 mph tropical depression and all warnings and watches were discontinued. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/pub/ep042005.public.008.shtml?]

It dissipated on July 6. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/mar/ep042005.fstadv.010.shtml?] As it dissipated the NHC noted that convection had been gone for 18 hours. The last advisory was issued by JTWC that afternoon.

Impact

Dora brought heavy rains over the Mexican Riviera washing out roadways, but no damage was reported. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-EP042005_Dora.pdf]

Many watches and warnings were issued from Acapulco to La Fortuna. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-EP042005_Dora.pdf] On July 4 a 45 mph wind report from ship H9UY (Nikkei Phoenix) located 20 miles east of the center was useful in determining the peak intensity of Dora. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-EP042005_Dora.pdf] A 35 mph wind report on July 2 from ship 4XFQ located 35 miles southeast of the center was helpful in estimating the extent of tropical storm-force winds. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-EP042005_Dora.pdf]

After Dora began to interact with the mountainous terrain of coastal Mexico on July 5,satellite-based automated objective Dvorak T-numbers from the University of Wisconsin’sCooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (UW-CIMSS) produced overestimatedintensity values of 40-50 kt. These inflated values were likely due to enhanced convective developmentcaused by the southerly upslope flow on the east side of Dora. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-EP042005_Dora.pdf]

External inks

* The NHC's [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/DORA.shtml archive on Tropical Storm Dora] .
* The NHC's [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-EP042005_Dora.pdf Tropical Cyclone Report on Tropical Storm Dora] .

ea also

*Hurricane Dora

References