Hurricane Linda (1997)

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Hurricane Linda
Basin=EPac
Year=1997
Type=hurricane
Image location=Linda 12 sept 1997 2200Z.jpg


Formed=September 9, 1997
Dissipated=September 17, 1997
1-min winds=160
Pressure=902
Pressurepost=East Pacific record
Da

Inflated=1
Fatalities=None
Areas=Open Pacific Ocean waters, Socorro Island, California
Hurricane season=1997 Pacific hurricane season

Hurricane Linda was a tropical cyclone of the 1997 Pacific hurricane season. It was the strongest hurricane ever observed in the North Eastern Pacific Ocean, with sustained winds of 185 mph (295 km/h), gusts to 220 mph (355 km/h), and a central pressure of 902 mbar. Linda was part of an abnormally active season for both the Eastern and Western Pacific Basins. The powerful system had little impact on the mainland, although it did pass directly over Socorro Island.

Meteorological history

A tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa on August 24. It moved across the unfavorable Atlantic Ocean without development. As it crossed Central America convection increased, and a poorly-defined center developed early on September 9. Banding and convection increased, and it became a tropical depression that night, 460 miles (740 km) south of the Mexican port of Manzanillo, Colima. cite web|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/1997linda.html|title=Linda report|author=Max Mayfield|date=1997-10-25|accessdate=2006-03-22]

Tropical Depression 14-E continued northwestward, and became a tropical storm on September 10. Linda started to intensify more quickly, becoming a hurricane the next day, 545 miles (880 km) south-southeast of the southern tip of Baja California. After 30 hours of rapidly intensifying, Linda reached its peak with 185 mph (295 km/h) winds on September 12. Linda moved directly over Socorro Island that same day as a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. Over the next few days, cooler waters weakened the storm greatly, and Linda dissipated on September 17.

Preparations

At one point on September 13, some computer models were predicting that the hurricane would recurve and make landfall in California. A trough was located in the vicinity of the hurricane. Winds caused by that trough would have recurved the hurricane towards southern California.cite web|url=http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wlinda.htm|publisher=USA Today|date=2005-05-17|title=Hurricane Linda|accessdate=2006-03-22|author=Jack Williams] Due to the possible threat, some media sources indicated that hurricane conditions would affect southern California. However, the National Weather Service in Oxnard, California issued a statement that stressed the uncertainty of the hurricane's path. The statement also indicated the main threat to be rainfall and rough seas.cite web|author=National Weather Service|year=1997|title=Hurricane Linda NWS Statement|accessdate=2006-07-14|url=http://www.weathermatrix.net/tropical/1997/linda/]

The large waves caused by Hurricane Linda also resulted in flood warnings being issued for part of the Mexican coast.cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/WEATHER/9709/14/linda/index.html|publisher=CNN|title=Hurricane Linda rumbles off S. California coast|date=1997-09-14|accessdate=2006-03-22]

Impact

Hurricane Linda never came near mainland North America. It did pass over Socorro Island on September 12, where it cut power to meteorological instruments. Large waves caused by the system caused minor flooding in the Mexican states of Michoacán, Nayarit, Jalisco, and Sinaloa. Those waves also caused hotels and resorts to close in Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán, La Paz, San Carlos, and Puerto Vallarta.cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/WEATHER/9709/13/linda.pm/index.html|date=1997-09-13|publisher=CNN|title=Hurricane Linda weakens, may be headed for California|accessdate=2006-03-22]

The hurricane also produced strong waves of up to 15 feet (5 m) in height along the coast of California.cite web|author=National Weather Service|year=2004|title=A History of Significant Local Weather Effects for San Diego|accessdate=2006-07-14|url=http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sgx/research/Guide/weatherhistory.pdf] These waves swept five people off of a jetty in Newport Beach. The people were rescued and one was badly injured. Moisture from Linda, which contributed to hourly rates of 2.5 inches (63.5 mm) in Forest Falls, caused severe flooding and mudslides in southern California. One mudslide destroyed two houses and damaged 77. Damage totaled to $3.2 million (1997 USD, $3.8 million 2005 USD).

Because Linda did little or no damage due to it remaining over open waters, the name was not retired by the World Meteorological Organization. It was used again during the 2003 season. It is scheduled to be used again during the 2009 Pacific hurricane season.

ee also

* List of Category 5 Pacific hurricanes
* List of Pacific hurricanes

References

External links

* [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/1997linda.html NHC Linda report]
* [http://www.weather.unisys.com/hurricane/e_pacific/1997/LINDA/track.gifStorm Path]