1973 Pacific hurricane season

Infobox hurricane season
Basin=EPac
Year=1973
Track=1973 Pacific hurricane season map.png First storm formed=June 2, 1973
Last storm dissipated=October 9, 1973
Strongest storm name=Ava
Strongest storm pressure=915
Strongest storm winds=140
Average wind speed=1
Total depressions=18
Total storms=12
Total hurricanes=7
Total intense=3
Fatalities=
Da

Inflated=
five seasons=1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975The 1973 Pacific hurricane season officially started May 15, 1973 in the eastern Pacific, and June 1, 1973 in the central Pacific, and lasted until November 30, 1973. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the northeastern Pacific Ocean.

This season had a quick start but a slow end. Overall activity was below average, with twelve named systems in total. Of these, five were tropical storms, four were hurricanes, and three were major (Category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale). The reason for the low activity is a strong and long La Niña that started building early in this year. Just one storm formed in August, one of the least active Augusts ever in the east Pacific.

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torms

Hurricane Ava

Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=EPac


Track=Ava 1973 track.pngFormed=June 2
Dissipated=June 12
1-min winds=140
Pressure=915A tropical depression formed on June 2. It steadily strengthened and headed in a generally westerly direction. It moved slowly and became Hurricane Ava on June 4. Two days later, it became a major hurricane and it sped up. On June 7, it became a Category 5 hurricane. It then started weakening and slowed down until it dissipated on June 12.

Ava's minimum central pressure was 915 millibars, and its winds reached a phenomenal 140 knots. This made Ava the most intense recorded east Pacific hurricane at the time. Ava reached Category 5 intensity on June 7, the earliest date in an east Pacific season that a hurricane has done so. It was also the third known Category 5 storm in the east Pacific; (behind two storms in 1959). Ava is the strongest June storm, the third most intense east Pacific hurricane, and the only June Category 5. It is also somewhat remarkable as it reached Category 5 intensity during a La Niña year, the only known east Pacific hurricane to do so.

Ava was also flown into by hurricane hunter aircraft, which was the first penetration of a Pacific hurricane by NOAA aircraft. Radars and other devices were tested during the flights, and wind speed, pressure, and wave heights were measured. This is why Ava's pressure is measured instead of estimated. Ava was also photographed from Skylab because it developed during one of the missions.

Tropical Storm Bernice

Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=EPac

---

Formed=June 22
Dissipated=June 23
1-min winds=60Bernice formed on June 22. It moved northwest and made landfall along the coast of Mexico on June 23. It dissipated later that day.

Tropical Storm Claudia

Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=EPac

---

Formed=June 26
Dissipated=June 29
1-min winds=55
Pressure=999A depression formed June 26. Late the next day, it developed gale-force winds. Claudia made landfall on June 28, and dissipated early June 30.

Hurricane Doreen

Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=EPac

---

Formed=July 18
Dissipated=August 3
1-min winds=120
Pressure=968On July 18, a tropical depression formed, quickly strengthening into Tropical Storm Doreen. It steadily intensified, and briefly reached Category 4 strength on July 21. It then weakened steadily as its path carried it on a direct path to the Big Island of Hawaii. Doreen weakened to a tropical storm just as it entered the Central Pacific Hurricane Center's area of responsibility.

On July 27, Doreen suddenly turned to the southwest and strengthened back into a hurricane. It became a major hurricane again before weakening. Doreen dissipated August 3.

Hurricane Emily

Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=EPac

---

Formed=July 21
Dissipated=July 28
1-min winds=120
Prepressure=≤
Pressure=972A depression formed July 21 and headed west-northwest. It became a tropical storm and steadily strengthened into a hurricane. Emily reached Category 4 intensity. The storm then weakened and dissipated on July 28.

Hurricane Florence

Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=EPac

---

Formed=July 25
Dissipated=July 30
1-min winds=80
Prepressure=≤
Pressure=995On July 25, a depression formed. Over two days later, it strengthened into a tropical storm. Florence dissipated on July 30. The storm made a close approach to the Mexican coast as a depression, but never made landfall.

Tropical Storm Glenda

Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=EPac

---

Formed=July 30
Dissipated=August 5
1-min winds=50A depression that had formed July 30 quickly strengthened into a tropical storm. It took a path similar to both Florence and Emily. Glenda dissipated August 5.

Tropical Storm Heather

Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=EPac

---

Formed=August 31
Dissipated=September 1
1-min winds=45The only storm to form in August this year formed on August 31. It became a tropical storm and headed almost due north towards Mexico. Heather dissipated September 1, just before making landfall.

Hurricane Irah

Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=EPac

---

Formed=September 22
Dissipated=September 26
1-min winds=95
Prepressure=≤
Pressure=955Irah was the strongest landfall of the season. A depression formed September 22. It became a tropical storm on September 23 and a hurricane on September 24. Irah took a northwesterly path and reached Category 2 strength, and then dropped back down to a 1 as it recurved. It made landfall on Baja California and entered the Gulf of California as a tropical storm, making landfall again on in northwestern Mexico. Irah dissipated on September 27. [David M. Roth. [http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/irah1973.html Hurricane Irah - September 23-27, 1973.] Retrieved on 2008-08-11.]

Tropical Storm Jennifer

Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=EPac

---

Formed=September 23
Dissipated=September 27
1-min winds=35On September 23, another depression formed. It took a very atypical northeasterly path, rotating around the southern periphery of Hurricane Irah as part of a fujiwara interaction. It strengthened into a tropical storm late on September 24. Jennifer then weakened to a depression and turned to the north-northeast. The cyclone made landfall near Mazatlán and dissipated September 27. [David M. Roth. [http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/jennifer1973.html Hurricane Jennifer - September 24-28, 1973.] Retrieved on 2008-08-11.]

Hurricane Katherine

Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=EPac

---

Formed=September 29
Dissipated=October 9
1-min winds=85
Prepressure=≤
Pressure=978Katherine became a tropical storm on September 29, just six hours after forming. It headed out to sea and eventually became a hurricane. After weakening to storm strength, it crossed 140W and entered the Central Pacific. After dropping to a depression on October 9, Katherine dissipated. The storm never threatened land.

Hurricane Lillian

Infobox Hurricane Small
Basin=EPac

---

Formed=October 5
Dissipated=October 9
1-min winds=75
Pressure=990A depression that formed October 5 reached storm strength that same day and headed far out to sea. Lillian reached minimal hurricane strength and dissipated on October 9.

1973 Storm Names

These names were used for storms that formed in the eastern Pacific during this season. It is the same list used in the 1969 season. Storms were named Katherine and Lillian for the first time this year. No names were retired, so this list was used again in the 1977 season. Names that weren't assigned are colored gray.

The Central Pacific used names and numbers from the Western Pacific's typhoon list. No systems formed in the area, and thus no names were required.

ee also

*List of Pacific hurricanes
*List of Pacific hurricane seasons
*1973 Atlantic hurricane season
*1973 Pacific typhoon season
*1973 North Indian Ocean cyclone season
*Southern Hemisphere tropical cyclone seasons: 1972–73, 1973–74

References

* [http://www.prh.noaa.gov/cphc/summaries/1973.php CPHC season summary] accessed October 8 2005
* [http://www.weather.unisys.com/hurricane/e_pacific/1973/index.html Unisys Archive] accessed October 8 2005

External links

* [http://ams.allenpress.com/archive/1520-0493/102/4/pdf/i1520-0493-102-4-296.pdf Eastern North Pacific Hurricane Season of 1973]
* [http://www.prh.noaa.gov/cphc/summaries/1973.php CPHC season summary]
* [http://metocph.nmci.navy.mil/jtwc/atcr/1973atcr/pdf/annexa.pdf ATCR Eastern Pacific summary]
* [http://www.weather.unisys.com/hurricane/e_pacific/1973/index.html Unisys Archive]