Hurricane Dot (1959)

] Six hours later, the same ship reported 55-knot winds and the storm was then forecast to move west-northwest at 12 knots. However, there were no further reports until the last warning released on July 27 at 0000 UTC, and advisories were discontinued due to a lack of data.

Tropical Storm Dot was discovered on August 1 after an unidentified ship reported surface winds of 60 knots at 15.7°N 141.2°W. This would be around where the unnamed storm would have been had it tracked west-southwestward at 6 knots, contrary to its earlier advisories. As there was no data available from the "Pacificus"'s second report to when Dot was identified, it is impossible to tell if Dot was the same storm, or if the earlier unnamed storm had dissipated and Dot was a new system.

Dot tracked west-northwest, and on August 5 passed within 90 miles of South Point as a Category 4 hurricane. It then turned northwest, making landfall on the island of Kauaokinai as a Category 1 hurricane on the night of August 6. It then continued further out to sea, with the last advisory being issued on August 8 with 25 knot winds, indicating possible dissipation or extratropical changes.

Throughout its path, Dot maintained an unusually large eye diameter of 35 – 40 miles, but the eye never grew in size in the direction of the hurricane's movement, even when close to dissipation.

Impact

Dot caused storm damage to the islands of Hawaiokinai, Ookinaahu and Kauaokinai, where the storm damage was the most severe. On Hawaiokinai and Ookinaahu, damage was limited to flood and wave damage. However, on Kauaokinai, many houses had their roofs blown off, while trees were uprooted. Cars were badly damaged by flying objects, and power and telephone lines were knocked down. Flood alerts were raised, and Kauaokinai was declared a disaster zone.

While damage on the Big Island and Ookinaahu were estimated to be not more than $150,000 ($950,000 in 2005 USD), Kauaokinai suffered damage to agriculture estimated to be between $5.5 – $6 million ($35 – $40 million in 2005 USD). Flooding cost about $200,000 ($1.3 million in 2005 USD) in damage, while wind damage was not more than $100,000 ($650,000 in 2005 USD). Despite the ferocity of the storm, no deaths or serious injuries due to Dot were reported.

ee also

* List of Pacific hurricanes

References