Hurricane Kenna
Template:Short description Template:About Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox weather eventTemplate:Infobox weather event/NWSTemplate:Infobox weather event/EffectsTemplate:Infobox weather event/Footer Hurricane Kenna was the fourth-most intense tropical cyclone on record in the Eastern Pacific basin, and at the time the third-most intense Pacific hurricane to strike the coast of Mexico.<ref name="Kenna 02 TCR">Template:Cite report</ref> Kenna was the sixteenth tropical depression, thirteenth tropical storm, seventh hurricane, sixth major hurricane, and third Category 5 hurricane of the 2002 Pacific hurricane season. After forming on October 22 to the south of Mexico from a tropical wave, forecasters consistently predicted the storm to strengthen much less than it actually did. Moving into an area of favorable upper-level conditions and warm sea surface temperatures, Kenna quickly strengthened to reach peak winds of Template:Convert as a Category 5 hurricane, on October 25, while located about Template:Convert southwest of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. Weakening as it turned to the northeast, the hurricane made landfall near San Blas, Nayarit as a Category 4 hurricane, with sustained winds of 140 mph (220 km/h), before dissipating on October 26 over the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains.
The name "Kenna" was retired from the list of Pacific hurricane names due to its effects on Mexico, which included US$101 million in damage and four deaths. The worst of the hurricane's effects occurred between San Blas in Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco, where over 100 people were injured and thousands of homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed. 95% of the buildings in San Blas were damaged, and hundreds of buildings were destroyed along coastal areas of Puerto Vallarta.
Meteorological history
Template:Storm path The origin of Hurricane Kenna can be traced to a tropical wave moving westward through the Caribbean Sea on October 16, possibly the same wave that passed near Barbados two days earlier. The wave entered the eastern Pacific Ocean on October 19, and a tropical disturbance along the wave axis gradually became better organized. Conditions favored continued development, and Dvorak classifications began late on October 20. Early on October 22, the system developed into Tropical Depression Fourteen-E while located about Template:Convert south of Manzanillo, Colima.<ref name="Kenna 02 TCR"/> Initially the depression was disorganized, with little inner convective structure and sporadic deep convection. Computer models predicted an increase in wind shear by 60 hours; as such the National Hurricane Center forecast the depression to strengthen to a peak strength of Template:Convert before weakening.<ref name="lawrence1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The depression quickly became better organized with a great increase in convection near the center, and six hours after forming it strengthened into Tropical Storm Kenna. Upper-level outflow and banding features improved in an organization, as well. With warm water temperatures of over Template:Convert and updated model forecasts anticipating light amounts of vertical wind shear, forecasters predicted Kenna to slowly intensify to reach winds of Template:Convert within 72 hours of October 22.<ref name="stewart2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The storm moved to the west-northwest around the periphery of a mid-level high-pressure system, and initially failed to strengthen further with much of its convection being associated with outer rainbands. On October 23, the outer rainbands dissipated and convection became more concentrated near the center, which coincided with a steady increase in strength. Late on October 23, Kenna intensified into a hurricane while located about Template:Convert southwest of Manzanillo.<ref name="Kenna 02 TCR"/>
Shortly after becoming a hurricane, Kenna began to rapidly intensify with a Template:Convert wide eye located within its well-defined central dense overcast.<ref name="beven9">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Early on October 24 Kenna became a major hurricane, and in a 24‑hour period the hurricane more than doubled its windspeed from Template:Convert winds to Template:Convert. After turning to the north and northeast in response to the flow ahead of a large mid to upper-level trough, Kenna attained peak winds of Template:Convert early on October 25 while located about Template:Convert southwest of Puerto Vallarta, the third Category 5 hurricane of the season. A Hurricane Hunter flight into the hurricane while it was near peak intensity recorded a pressure of 913 mbar (hPa),<ref name="Kenna 02 TCR"/> the fourth lowest recorded pressure for a Pacific hurricane.<ref name="Juliette 01 TCR">Template:Cite report</ref>Template:EPAC hurricane best track
Quickly after peaking, wind shear from the approaching trough weakened the hurricane, and by six hours after reaching peak intensity, the winds in Hurricane Kenna dropped to Template:Convert, after the eye nearly dissipated. Despite a 27 mbar increase in pressure in 12 hours, convective activity increased prior to Kenna making landfall. On October 25, Hurricane Kenna made landfall near San Blas in the state of Nayarit, as a Category 4 hurricane, with estimated sustained winds of 140 mph (220 km/h). Hurricane Kenna was at the time, the third most intense Pacific hurricane to strike Mexico. The hurricane rapidly weakened over the mountainous terrain of western Mexico, and the circulation dissipated on October 26 over the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains. The remnants continued northeastward into the Gulf of Mexico and the southeastern United States later that day, producing rainfall across the region.<ref name="Kenna 02 TCR"/>
Preparations
About 27 hours before landfall, Mexican officials issued a hurricane watch from Mazatlán to Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco, with a tropical storm watch issued further south to Manzanillo. Six hours later when its track became more apparent, the watch was upgraded to a hurricane warning from Mazatlán to La Fortuna, with a tropical storm warning southward to Manzanillo.<ref name="Kenna 02 TCR"/>
Roughly 8,800 of the 9,000 residents in the landfall location, San Blas, evacuated, which ultimately contributed to a low death toll.<ref name="Kenna 02 TCR"/> Officials ordered for the evacuation of 50,000 residents and fishermen along the southwest coast of Mexico, including 3,000 in the Islas Marías,<ref name="dpa">Template:Cite news</ref> 10,000 near Mazatlán, and 15,000 near flood-prone areas. Civil authorities closed all schools and docks in potentially affected areas. The Mexican Red Cross prepared for the storm by shipping 215 tonnes of relief supplies such as food, water, clothing, and medicine to the Red Cross branch in Jalisco. Assistance from the Yucatán Peninsula delivered 10 tonnes of food and water, as well.<ref name="sitr"/> The Mexican Red Cross prepared 20 emergency shelters in the state of Nayarit.<ref name="rrr">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Officials took security measures in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, where the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation was meeting during the passage of the hurricane. Early forecasts indicated a possible threat to the meeting, causing the government to prepare for a potential alternate site.<ref name="dpa"/> Officials recommended boats to stay at port due to severe conditions.<ref name="rq">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Impact
Template:Most intense landfalling Pacific hurricanes
Few official surface observations are available for the passage of the hurricane. Upon making landfall, Kenna was accompanied with an estimated Template:Convert storm surge in San Blas. The surge also affected Puerto Vallarta, with reports of Template:Convert waves rushing inland from the bay. The hurricane dropped about Template:Convert of precipitation while passing about Template:Convert east of the offshore archipelago, Islas Marías. There, sustained winds reached an estimated Template:Convert.<ref name="Kenna 02 TCR"/> On land, Kenna dropped heavy rainfall peaking at Template:Convert at San Ignacio, Sinaloa, and Template:Convert near Manzanillo, Colima.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The highest recorded sustained wind on land was about Template:Convert at Tepic, Nayarit, with wind gusts at Puerto Vallarta reaching Template:Convert.<ref name="Kenna 02 TCR"/> The hurricane also produced heavy rainfall in Guerrero, Michoacán, Colima, and Jalisco, and hit Baja California Sur with strong winds and rough seas.<ref name="rq"/>
In San Blas, strong winds from the hurricane damaged or destroyed 95% of the homes,<ref name="ncdc">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> with 1,540 houses damaged and 8,800 people affected.<ref name="situation">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> There, large commercial shrimp boats were swept up to Template:Convert inland from their docks. An elderly woman died in the city when the wall of her house collapsed on her.<ref name="Kenna 02 TCR"/> Large portions of the city were covered with building debris and sand washed from the ocean.<ref name="sitr">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Elsewhere in Nayarit, flying debris killed a person in Santiago Escuintla. There, two elderly men drowned, one by falling into a river. Both were believed to have been killed during the storm as they fled their homes.<ref name="Kenna 02 TCR"/> In Santiago Ixcuintla, the hurricane damaged 3,770 homes,<ref name="situation"/> and throughout Nayarit, strong winds from the hurricane destroyed the roofs of hundreds of houses.<ref name="prmh">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Federal authorities lost communications with at least 30 Indian villages due to the high winds of the hurricane.<ref name="sitr"/> Kenna destroyed the entire banana, tobacco, and tomato crops in the rural areas of San Blas, Tecuala, and Acaponeta, leaving more than 700 subsistence farmers and their families in need of water and food.<ref name="situation"/>
In Puerto Vallarta, about Template:Convert southeast of the landfall location, the storm surge resulted in an estimated damage total of US$5 million, primarily to hotels.<ref name="Kenna 02 TCR"/> The surge flooded the hotels and other waterfront areas, and extended up to Template:Convert inland. Waist-deep floodwaters swept away vans and cars,<ref name="dpaval">Template:Cite news</ref> ruining several vehicles. The passage of the hurricane destroyed 150 stores near the ocean and extensively damaged three hotels. Damage to the city's port was minor.<ref name="afp">Template:Cite news</ref>
The hurricane injured at least 52 in Puerto Vallarta<ref name="xna">Template:Cite news</ref> and dozens in San Blas from widespread flying glass and other forms of debris,<ref name="Kenna 02 TCR"/> with two people seriously injured due to the hurricane. Ten municipalities suffered substantial damage,<ref name="afp"/> with insured damage in Mexico totaling Template:Ntsp.<ref name="damage">Template:Cite report</ref> Rainfall from the hurricane spread across northern Mexico, causing minor flash floods and mudslides.<ref name="situation"/>
The remnants of Kenna entered the south-central United States on October 26, resulting in enhanced rainfall in various locations.<ref name="Kenna 02 TCR"/>
Aftermath
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The Mexican government declared the region in Nayarit near the landfall of Kenna as a disaster area, allowing for the usage of emergency funds.<ref name="sitr"/> Immediately after the passage of the hurricane, the Mexican Red Cross prepared 180 technical staff and volunteers from seven states to deliver 125 MT of food, medicine, and clothes to the areas most affected.<ref name="prmh"/> The Mexican government deployed the Mexican Army to the area to remove fallen trees and establish water treatment plants to assist the affected population. The Mexican Navy was sent to assist to support medical personnel in the San Blas area, and the government Department for Family Development assisted the Mexican Red Cross in delivering food. Grupo Modelo, brewers of Corona beer, sent 6,600 gallons (25,000 liters) of drinking water and 1000 food sets for the San Blas area.<ref name="situation"/>
Backhoes and dump trucks gradually removed the debris and sand from San Blas.<ref name="sitr"/> Dozens of storeowners, municipal employees, and volunteers in Puerto Vallarta worked to clear the debris caused by the storm. The remaining stores, bars, and shops placed signs on their windows describing they were open in an effort to attract the tourists still in the town.<ref name="afp"/> By about two months after the hurricane, most hotels, restaurants, and shops were reopened.<ref name="vallarta">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Retirement
In the spring of 2003, the World Meteorological Organization retired the name Kenna from its rotating eastern Pacific name lists due to the deaths and damage this hurricane caused, and it will never be used again for another tropical cyclone. Kenna was replaced with Karina for the 2008 season.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite report</ref>
See also
- List of Pacific hurricanes
- Hurricane Patricia – The strongest and most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere, took a nearly identical track in late October 2015.
- Hurricane Willa – A similarly intense Category 5 hurricane that took a nearly identical track in late October 2018.
- Hurricane Lidia (2023) - A powerful hurricane that make landfall at a similar intensity and a similar location.
- Hurricane Otis (2023) - A Category 5 hurricane that made landfall in Acapulco near peak intensity, also initially forecast to remain a tropical storm.
References
External links
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