Hurricane Elida (2002)

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Hurricane Elida
Type=hurricane
Year=2002
Basin=EPac
Image location=Hurricane Elida 24 july 2002.jpg


Formed=July 23, 2002
Dissipated=July 30, 2002
1-min winds=140
Pressure=921
Da

Damagespre=Unknown
Fatalities=None
Areas=Mexico
Hurricane season=2002 Pacific hurricane season

Hurricane Elida was the first hurricane of the 2002 Pacific hurricane season to reach Category 5 strength on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. Forming on July 23 from a tropical wave, the storm rapidly intensified from a tropical depression into a Category 5 in two days and lasted for only six hours at that intensity before weakening. It was one of only twelve known hurricanes in the East Pacific east of the International Date Line to have reached such an intensity. Although heavy waves were able to reach the Mexican coastline, no damages or casualties were reported in relation to the hurricane.

The hurricane moved westward due to a high pressure ridge while undergoing two eyewall replacement cycles: the first was around peak intensity and was completed when the hurricane moved over cooler waters, and the second was a brief cycle shortly after the hurricane began to weaken. The last advisory was issued while the hurricane was west of Mexico, but it was not until the remnants were west of Los Angeles, California that they finally dissipated. Elida's rapid intensification and unsteady weakening after reaching its peak intensity caused large errors in the intensity forecasting of the hurricane. Although the intensity forecasts were off, the track forecasts were better than usual compared to the ten-year period prior to that year.

Meteorological history

Elida formed from a tropical wave that left the coast of Africa on July 13. The wave moved uneventfully through the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, emerging over the Pacific Ocean on July 21. The wave began organizing the next day, becoming Tropical Depression Six-E on July 23 while convert|350|mi|km|abbr=on south-southeast of Puerto Escondido, Mexico.cite web|author=Jack Beven|year=2002|title=Hurricane Elida Tropical Cyclone Report|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2002elida.shtml] The depression was predicted to move westward due to the presence of a ridge of high pressure which was also controlling the movement of Hurricane Douglas.cite web|author=Avila|year=2002|title=Tropical Depression Six-E Discussion Number 1|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2002/dis/ep062002.discus.001.html] Due to low shear and warm ocean waters, it was predicted that the depression would reach hurricane strength in 48 hours.cite web|author=Avila|year=2002|title=Tropical Depression Six-E Discussion Number 1|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2002/dis/ep062002.discus.001.html] The depression began rapid intensification while moving westward,cite web|author=Jack Beven|year=2002|title=Hurricane Elida Tropical Cyclone Report|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2002elida.shtml] and only six hours after being recognized as a depression, the system was upgraded to Tropical Storm Elida while displaying banding features and a central dense overcast. The forecast was revised, now predicting the storm to attain hurricane strength the next day.cite web|author=Avila|year=2002|title=Tropical Storm Elida Discussion Number 2|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2002/dis/ep062002.discus.002.html]

The storm continued to rapidly intensify and gradually developed a banding eye feature and infrared satellite images showed a possible eyewall in the central dense overcast.cite web|author=Beven|year=2002|title=Tropical Storm Elida Discussion Number 3|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2002/dis/ep062002.discus.003.html] After six more hours, a small eye had formed and Elida was upgraded to a high-end Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale with convert|110|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on winds on July 24, only eighteen hours after having first been initiated as a convert|35|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on tropical depression.cite web|author=Franklin|year=2002|title=Hurricane Elida Discussion Number 4|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2002/dis/ep062002.discus.004.html] Elida continued to rapidly strengthen, breaking the Dvorak estimates and reaching convert|135|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on six hours afterward, making it a Category 4 hurricane and resulting in a rare forecast for the hurricane to reach Category 5.cite web|author=Avila|year=2002|title=Hurricane Elida Discussion Number 5|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2002/dis/ep062002.discus.005.html] The hurricane, moving at convert|16|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on, proceeded to make a west-northwestward turn while displaying an eye with an estimated diameter of convert|11|mi|km|abbr=on.cite web|author=Avila|year=2002|title=Hurricane Elida Discussion Number 6|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2002/dis/ep062002.discus.006.html] On July 25, Elida reached the highest winds of a Category 4 at convert|155|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on, though the possibility that Elida was briefly a Category 5 just prior to the advisory issuance was indicated.cite web|author=Franklin|year=2002|title=Hurricane Elida Discussion Number 8|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2002/dis/ep062002.discus.008.html] Even though a later discussion mentioned that Elida had Category 5 status,cite web|author=Franklin|year=2002|title=Hurricane Elida Discussion Number 9|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2002/dis/ep062002.discus.009.html] it was not until the Tropical Cyclone Report that it was finally analyzed that Elida had Category 5 strength for only six hours.cite web|author=Jack Beven|year=2002|title=Hurricane Elida Tropical Cyclone Report|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2002elida.shtml] At this time, Elida was observed to have formed concentric eyewalls, but it was not until the hurricane moved over cooler waters that the eyewall replacement cycle was completed.cite web|author=Jack Beven|year=2002|title=Hurricane Elida Tropical Cyclone Report|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2002elida.shtml]

Afterward, the hurricane began to weaken in an irregular fashion. After the inner eyewall dissolved, the intensity of the hurricane decreased to a low-level Category 3 with winds of convert|120|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on.cite web|author=Beven|year=2002|title=Hurricane Elida Discussion Number 11|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2002/dis/ep062002.discus.011.html] By this time, Elida had reached the edge of the ridge that kept the cyclone from turning northwest, and a turn to the northwest was beginning. The hurricane proceeded to undergo another eyewall replacement cycle, lowering its intensity to Category 2.cite web|author=Avila|year=2002|title=Hurricane Elida Discussion Number 14|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2002/dis/ep062002.discus.014.html] Late on July 26, the eye disappeared from satellite.cite web|author=Beven|year=2002|title=Hurricane Elida Discussion Number 15|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2002/dis/ep062002.discus.015.html] The weakening trend continued, and Elida weakened to a tropical storm on July 27.cite web|author=Jack Beven|year=2002|title=Hurricane Elida Tropical Cyclone Report|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2002elida.shtml] At this time, a weakness in the subtropical ridge allowed the storm to make a turn towards the north.cite web|author=Lawrence|year=2002|title=Tropical Storm Elida Discussion Number 19|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2002/dis/ep062002.discus.019.html] Early on July 28, Elida began redeveloping, regaining moderate convection and possibly reintensifying,cite web|author=Stewart|year=2002|title=Tropical Storm Elida Discussion Number 20|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2002/dis/ep062002.discus.020.html] but eventually, the storm weakened back into a depression early on July 29,cite web|author=Rappaport|year=2002|title=Tropical Depression Elida Discussion Number 25|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2002/dis/ep062002.discus.025.html] and the last advisory was issued while an area of convection was north of the center with convert|12|ft|m|sing=on seas in the area.cite web|author=Lawrence|year=2002|title=Tropical Depression Elida Discussion Number 27|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2002/dis/ep062002.discus.027.html] The center was convert|805|mi|km|abbr=on from Punta Eugenia, Mexico when the last advisory was issued.cite web|author=Beven, Franklin, Lawrence, Pasch, and Avila|year=2002|title=Monthly Tropical Weather Summary|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2002/tws/MIATWSEP_jul.html] The remnant low from Elida moved northeast and eventually dissipated convert|535|mi|km|abbr=on west of Los Angeles, California.cite web|author=Jack Beven|year=2002|title=Hurricane Elida Tropical Cyclone Report|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2002elida.shtml]

Impact, records, and naming

Although the winds and rains associated with the storm remained far offshore, the Tropical Cyclone Report issued by the National Hurricane Center mentioned the likeliness that Elida caused swells and waves to hit the Mexican shore, but no reports of damage or casualties linked to Elida were ever received and no land advisories were ever needed for the hurricane.cite web|author=Jack Beven|year=2002|title=Hurricane Elida Tropical Cyclone Report|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2002elida.shtml] The only report anywhere near the storm came from the "New Century 1" vehicle carrier ship (call sign "H9LA"), which was convert|230|mi|km|abbr=on from the center of the hurricane. The ship reported winds of convert|40|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on and a pressure of 1008.5.cite web|author=Jack Beven|year=2002|title=Hurricane Elida Tropical Cyclone Report|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2002elida.shtml]

While the track errors associated with forecasting the hurricane were lower than the errors in the period between 1992 and 2001, Elida's intensity proved to be hard to predict, leading to large errors in NHC forecasts. The errors in the forecast period except for the 72 hour period were worse than the long-term average. The large errors in intensity forecasts were blamed on the rapid intensification of the hurricane to convert|160|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on winds and the unsteady weakening after reaching peak intensity.cite web|author=Jack Beven|year=2002|title=Hurricane Elida Tropical Cyclone Report|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2002elida.shtml]

When the MERIS sensor aboard the European Space Agency's satellite Envisat observed and recorded Hurricane Elida at peak intensity, it was the first time that the sensor had observed a hurricane. The sensor was originally designed primarily for recording oceanic biology and water quality as well as land vegetation, clouds, and water vapor.cite web|author=European Space Agency|year=2002|title=Envisat's MERIS captures image of Hurricane Elida|accessdate=2007-01-13|url=http://www.esa.int/esaEO/ESATF676K3D_index_0.html]

The hurricane set many records for fast development. After first becoming a depression, it became a Category 3 hurricane in 30 hours; a Category 4 hurricane in 36 hours; and a Category 5 hurricane in 48 hours, all of which are records. Elida also set similar records for fast formation after being named, becoming a Category 3 in 24 hours; a Category 4 in 30 hours; and a Category 5 in 42 hours.cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|year=2008|title=NHC Best Track Data 1949-2007|accessdate=2007-12-29|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/tracks1949to2007_epa.txt]

Elida was the first of three Category 5 hurricanes to form in the East Pacific basin during 2002, making the 2002 season tied with the 1994 season for the most Category 5 hurricanes to form during one season since reliable records began in the basin in 1971, but Hurricanes John and Emilia in 1994 reached cat 5 in the central pacific, so 2002 had the most "East Pacific" Category 5's in one season.cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|year=2008|title=NHC Best Track Data 1949-2007|accessdate=2007-12-29|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/tracks1949to2007_epa.txt] The other two hurricanes to reach this intensity this year were Hernan and Kenna. Elida was the 2nd strongest July Pacific Hurricane on record, behind 1994's Gilma. Elida was also one of only twelve hurricanes in the Pacific east of the International Date Line to reach Category 5 intensity in total.cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|year=2008|title=NHC Best Track Data 1949-2007|accessdate=2007-12-29|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/tracks1949to2007_epa.txt] This was the fourth time that an East Pacific storm was named "Elida" and, also, the third time that the name was used for a cyclone that reached hurricane strength.cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|year=2008|title=NHC Best Track Data 1949-2007|accessdate=2007-12-29|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/tracks1949to2007_epa.txt] Because of a lack of noticeable effects, the name was not retired in 2003 and was re-used in 2008.

ee also

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

References