Hurricane Paul (1982)

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Hurricane Paul
Type=hurricane
Year=1982
Basin=EPac
Image location=Hurricane Paul (1982).jpg


Formed=September 18, 1982
Dissipated=September 30, 1982
1-min winds=95
Pressure=
Da

Fatalities=1008+ direct
Areas=Guatemala, El Salvador, Baja California, Northwest Mexico
Hurricane season=1982 Pacific hurricane season

Hurricane Paul was the sixteenth tropical storm and tenth hurricane in the 1982 Pacific hurricane season. Making landfall on Central America as a tropical depression, it unleashed torrential rainfall across the mountainous region, causing deadly mudslides that killed over 1,000. Paul later struck the Baja California Peninsula, where it caused moderate damage as a Category 2 hurricane. The hurricane was the second deadliest Eastern Pacific tropical cyclone of all time, only behind the 1959 Mexico Hurricane.

Meteorological history

A large tropical disturbance moved across Nicaragua from September 15 to the 17th. Convection continued to build, and upon reaching a position convert|200|mi|km offshore of Managua on the 18th, the Eastern Pacific Hurricane Center declared it Tropical Depression Twenty-Two after a circulation developed. Rather than taking the typical Eastern Pacific tropical cyclone track to the west, it drifted northward, a movement caused by its centering between two high pressure cells. Early on the 20th, the depression made landfall in western Guatemala near the El Salvador border.E. B. Gunther, R. L. Cross, and R. A. Wagoner. [http://ams.allenpress.com/archive/1520-0493/111/5/pdf/i1520-0493-111-5-1080.pdf Eastern Pacific Tropical Cyclones of 1982.] Retrieved on 2008-06-22.]

Advisories ceased as the depression remained near the coastline, and in response to a weakening of a high pressure system, it turned westward to reach the Pacific Ocean late on September 20. Advisories were re-issued, but the circulation was so disrupted by the mountains of Central America that it lost its circulation on the 22nd just off the coast of Mexico. The remnants continued westward, and the depression reformed on the 24th.E. B. Gunther, R. L. Cross, and R. A. Wagoner. [http://ams.allenpress.com/archive/1520-0493/111/5/pdf/i1520-0493-111-5-1080.pdf Eastern Pacific Tropical Cyclones of 1982.] Retrieved on 2008-06-22.]

Warm water temperatures of 28-29°C allowed the depression to quickly intensify, and on September 26 it strengthened into Tropical Storm Paul. Paul continued to strengthen as it moved to the northwest, and attained hurricane status late on the 27th. An upper level trough caused the hurricane to accelerate to the north-northeast, resulting in Paul to reach a peak intensity of convert|110|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on while just south of Baja California on the 29th. Shortly thereafter, it moved over the southeastern tip of the peninsula, and after crossing the Gulf of California it struck near Los Mochis, in the Mexican state of Sinaloa on the 30th as a convert|100|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on hurricane. Paul rapidly weakened over land, and dissipated later on September 30.E. B. Gunther, R. L. Cross, and R. A. Wagoner. [http://ams.allenpress.com/archive/1520-0493/111/5/pdf/i1520-0493-111-5-1080.pdf Eastern Pacific Tropical Cyclones of 1982.] Retrieved on 2008-06-22.] The remnants of Paul passed through the Trans-Pecos region of the U.S. state of Texas later that day. [Sartor O. Williams III. [http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/wb/v18n02/p0123-p0124.pdf A Northern Jacana in Trans-Pecos Texas.] Retrieved on 2008-06-22.]

Impact

Prior to hitting Central America as a tropical depression, the precursor wave dropped heavy rainfall over the area. After five days of rainfall, rivers greatly overflooded, and resulted in severe mudslides. Through all of Central America, over 1,000 people perished.

El Salvador

One such incident occurred in a suburb of San Salvador, where an eight-foot high wall of water covered the town with trees, debris, and ten feet of mud. In addition, hundreds of houses were buried, resulting in a death toll of 300 in the area. In El Salvador, it was the worst disaster since an earthquake in 1965.E. B. Gunther, R. L. Cross, and R. A. Wagoner. [http://ams.allenpress.com/archive/1520-0493/111/5/pdf/i1520-0493-111-5-1080.pdf Eastern Pacific Tropical Cyclones of 1982.] Retrieved on 2008-06-22.]

Mexico

On the Baja California peninsula, wind gusts of up to 120 mph (195 km/h) were estimated in San José del Cabo, while Los Mochis on the mainland reported winds of 100 mph (160 km/h). Strong winds destroyed numerous houses in northwestern Mexico, leaving 9,000 in Baja California and 24,000 in Sinaloa homeless. The greatest damage occurred 70 miles (110 km) south of Los Mochis in the city of Guamuchil, where eight people died when the roof of a building collapsed on them. Crop damage was severe in the state of Sinaloa, where 40% of the soybean crop was destroyed. Corn production was down 26% from the previous year. Sugar cane, tomato, and rice crops were damaged. Total damage in Mexico amounted to $4.5 billion Mexican pesos (1982 pesos). [ [http://www.eclac.cl/mexico/publicaciones/sinsigla/xml/5/8385/doc2.pdf Reseña del Impacto de los Principales Desastres.] Retrieved on 2007-02-11.]

The name Paul was not retired after this storm, possibly due to the fact it was only a tropical depression when it caused its damage. Thus, the name Paul was reused in 1994, 2000 and 2006.

Unusual track

Paul formed unusually far east in the Eastern Pacific at only 90° W. Only three storms since have formed further east than Paul; Cristina from 1996, Rosa from 2000, and Alma from 2008. [National Hurricane Center. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/tracks1949to2007_epa.txt Eastern Pacific Hurricane Database.] Retrieved on 2008-06-22.]

ee also

* List of tropical cyclones

References

External links

* [http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/almanac/arc2003/alm03aug.htm Effects]
* [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-EP012005_Adrian.pdf 4 Central America landfalling tropical cyclones]
* [http://www.weather.unisys.com/hurricane/e_pacific/1982/PAUL/track.dat Paul Best Track]