Hurricane Darby (2016)
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Hurricane Darby was a strong
tropical cyclone A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its locat ...
which affected Hawaii as a tropical storm. The fifth named storm of the busy
2016 Pacific hurricane season The 2016 Pacific hurricane season was tied as the fifth-most active Pacific hurricane season on record, alongside the 2014 season. Throughout the course of the year, a total of 22 named storms, 13 hurricanes and six major hurricanes were observe ...
, Darby originated from a
low pressure area In meteorology, a low-pressure area (LPA), low area or low is a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of surrounding locations. It is the opposite of a high-pressure area. Low-pressure areas are commonly associated with inclem ...
that developed in the
Eastern Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is bounded by the conti ...
well southwest of Mexico during July 2016. It gained sufficient organization to be declared a tropical depression on July 11, and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Darby the next day. Further intensification ensued, and Darby became a hurricane on July 13. Over the next three days, Darby slowly strengthened to Category 3 status on the
Saffir–Simpson scale The Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS) is a tropical cyclone intensity scale that classifies hurricanes—which in the Western Hemisphere are tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical sto ...
, becoming a
major hurricane Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...
. Cool waters and dry air caused Darby to weaken over the next three days, although Darby managed to restrengthen slightly on July 21 before weakening once again as the storm neared Hawaii. Just after midnight on July 24 (
UTC Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the primary time standard globally used to regulate clocks and time. It establishes a reference for the current time, forming the basis for civil time and time zones. UTC facilitates international communica ...
; 2:00 p.m. on July 23 HST), Darby made
landfall Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...
on the Big Island. Darby weakened into a
remnant low Remnant or remnants may refer to: Religion * Remnant (Bible), a recurring theme in the Bible * Remnant (Seventh-day Adventist belief), the remnant theme in the Seventh-day Adventist Church * ''The Remnant'' (newspaper), a traditional Catholic n ...
two days later. Darby was the second tropical storm to make landfall in Hawaii in two years. Before landfall, tropical storm watches and warnings were issued for all of Hawaii, and were only discontinued after Darby weakened to a tropical depression on July 25. Over the period of July 23 to July 25, Darby brought heavy rain and widespread flash floods to the windward sides of the Hawaiian Islands, with storm rainfall totals exceeding on the Big Island and in
Oahu Oahu (, , sometimes written Oahu) is the third-largest and most populated island of the Hawaiian Islands and of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital, Honolulu, is on Oahu's southeast coast. The island of Oahu and the uninhabited Northwe ...
. This resulted in some road closures, sewage spills, numerous flight cancellations, and minor property damage. Overall, no fatalities occurred during the passage of Darby.


Meteorological history

In the first two weeks of July, a series of
low pressure area In meteorology, a low-pressure area (LPA), low area or low is a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of surrounding locations. It is the opposite of a high-pressure area. Low-pressure areas are commonly associated with inclem ...
s formed off the coast of Mexico. The fourth of these was spawned by a
tropical wave A tropical wave (also called easterly wave, tropical easterly wave, and African easterly wave), in and around the Atlantic Ocean, is a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which ...
several hundred miles south-southeast of
Acapulco, Mexico Acapulco de Juárez (), commonly called Acapulco ( , ; ), is a city and major seaport in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, south of Mexico City. Located on a deep, semicircular bay, Acapulco has been a port since the ear ...
, first noted by the
National Hurricane Center The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is the division of the United States' NOAA/National Weather Service responsible for tracking and predicting tropical weather systems between the IERS Reference Meridian, Prime Meridian and the 140th meridian ...
(NHC) on July 9. Amid favorable conditions,
convection Convection is single or Multiphase flow, multiphase fluid flow that occurs Spontaneous process, spontaneously through the combined effects of material property heterogeneity and body forces on a fluid, most commonly density and gravity (see buoy ...
associated with the low developed and increased in organization, and a tropical depression formed on the afternoon of July 11 centered south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. Despite moving over
sea surface temperature Sea surface temperature (or ocean surface temperature) is the ocean temperature, temperature of ocean water close to the surface. The exact meaning of ''surface'' varies in the literature and in practice. It is usually between and below the sea ...
s of at least , moderate northeasterly
wind shear Wind shear (; also written windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical ...
hindered development; however, the depression soon obtained sufficient organization to be upgraded to a tropical storm and given the name ''Darby''. On July 13, the shear decreased, and as a result Darby began to intensify quickly, strengthening into a hurricane 30 hours after becoming a tropical storm. At that time, Darby was located about south-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula. Tracking steadily west-northwestward along the southern periphery of a
subtropical ridge The horse latitudes are the latitudes about 30 degrees north and south of the Equator. They are characterized by sunny skies, calm winds, and very little precipitation. They are also known as subtropical ridges or highs. It is a high-pressur ...
, Darby continued to intensify albeit at a slower rate due to its proximity to dry air. On July 15, Darby became a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. Despite decreasing ocean temperatures, Darby intensified further to attain winds of . Strengthening was no longer expected as Darby moved over sea temperatures of less than , but on July 16, Darby managed to develop an annular structure. Convection became more symmetric, outer
rainband A rainband is a cloud and precipitation structure associated with an area of rainfall which is significantly elongated. Rainbands in tropical cyclones can be either stratiform or convective and are curved in shape. They consist of showers and th ...
s dissipated, and the 25 mile-wide (35 km)
eye An eye is a sensory organ that allows an organism to perceive visual information. It detects light and converts it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons (neurones). It is part of an organism's visual system. In higher organisms, the ey ...
became increasingly well defined. Darby reached its peak intensity as a Category 3 hurricane with winds of and a minimum pressure of . However, twelve hours later, Darby weakened back to a Category 2 hurricane as convection deteriorated. Embedded in cool sinking air and moving over decreasing sea surface temperatures, Darby began a gradual weakening trend, degrading to a Category 1 hurricane by July 18. Despite warming cloud tops, Darby exhibited a well-defined circulation and a ragged eye feature, remaining a minimal hurricane through the rest of the day. However, Darby finally weakened to a tropical storm on July 19. Darby continued to degrade as it crossed 140°W into the Central Pacific, and entered the jurisdiction of the
Central Pacific Hurricane Center The Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) of the United States National Weather Service is the official body responsible for tracking and issuing tropical cyclone warnings, watches, advisories, discussions, and statements for the Central Pacif ...
(CPHC) on July 20 with winds of . Soon after, Darby turned west-southwestwards as it continued to weaken, but the shear diminished slightly on July 21, allowing Darby to restrengthen to winds of . The reprieve was short-lived, however, as an approaching upper-level low once again increased shear over the system the next day. Darby began to curve back to the west on July 23 as it approached a weakness in the aforementioned subtropical ridge, all the while weakening slowly. Just after 00:00 UTC on July 24 (2:00 p.m. HST on July 23), Darby made
landfall Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...
on the Big Island near the village of Pahala in the Kaʻū District, with winds of . This marked one of only six occurrences of a tropical cyclone of tropical storm intensity or higher making landfall on one of the major islands in the state of Hawaii since record keeping began in 1949. The others were an unnamed tropical storm in 1958, Hurricane Dot in
1959 Events January * January 1 – Cuba: Fulgencio Batista flees Havana when the forces of Fidel Castro advance. * January 2 – Soviet lunar probe Luna 1 is the first human-made object to attain escape velocity from Earth. It reaches the ...
,
Hurricane Iniki Hurricane Iniki ( ; Hawaiian: ''iniki'' meaning "strong and piercing wind") was a hurricane that struck the island of Kauai on September 11, 1992. It was the most powerful hurricane to strike Hawaii in recorded history, and the only hurricane to ...
in
1992 1992 was designated as International Space Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 – Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General. * January 6 ** The Republ ...
, Tropical Storm Iselle in
2014 The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
, and Tropical Storm Olivia in
2018 Events January * January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency. * January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...
. After crossing the Big Island, Darby began to accelerate northwestwards in earnest while maintaining as a minimal tropical storm. On July 25, Darby weakened into a depression, and degenerated into a remnant low on the next day west-northwest of
Honolulu Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...
.


Preparations and impact

As Darby approached Hawaii on July 21, a tropical storm watch was issued for
Hawaii County Hawaiʻi County (; officially known as the County of Hawaiʻi) is a county in the U.S. state of Hawaii in the Hawaiian Islands. It is coextensive with the Island of Hawaiʻi, often called the "Big Island" to distinguish it from the state as a wh ...
and
Maui County Maui County (), officially the County of Maui, is a county in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It consists of the islands of Maui, Lānai, Molokai (except for a portion of Molokai that comprises Kalawao County), Kahoolawe, and Molokini. The latter ...
. These were modified to tropical storm warnings by noon the next day. A tropical storm watch was issued for
Oahu Oahu (, , sometimes written Oahu) is the third-largest and most populated island of the Hawaiian Islands and of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital, Honolulu, is on Oahu's southeast coast. The island of Oahu and the uninhabited Northwe ...
late on July 22 as Darby continued to move closer to Hawaii, and was modified to a tropical storm warning the next morning. Eventually, after Darby made
landfall Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...
in Kaʻū District in the afternoon of July 23, the tropical storm warning was extended to all islands in the state of Hawaii. The watches and warnings were gradually discontinued as Darby weakened and moved away from the islands, with none remaining by July 25. In advance of the storm, Governor of Hawaii
David Ige David Yutaka Ige (; 伊芸 豊, ''Ige Yutaka'', born January 15, 1957) is an American politician and engineer who served as the eighth governor of Hawaii from 2014 to 2022. A Democrat, he served in the Hawaii State Senate from 1994 to 2014 and ...
declared a state of emergency, calling for people to "follow emergency instructions, prepare for the storm and take steps to protect your families, employees and property". Flights to and from the region were delayed or cancelled; Island Air,
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,
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,
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, and
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waived change fees for affected customers. The Oahu Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association cancelled its championship due to be held on July 24. Both the Hawaii and Maui campuses of the
Kamehameha Schools Kamehameha Schools, formerly called Kamehameha Schools Bishop Estate (KSBE), is a private school system in Hawaii established by the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate, under the terms of the will of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, who was a formal membe ...
were closed over the weekend, and athletic events due to be held there were cancelled or postponed. In Hawaii County and Oahu, all state parks and campgrounds were closed until July 25; Maui and
Kauai Kauai (), anglicized as Kauai ( or ), is one of the main Hawaiian Islands. It has an area of 562.3 square miles (1,456.4 km2), making it the fourth-largest of the islands and the 21st-largest island in the United States. Kauai lies 73 m ...
counties suffered partial closures instead. Despite not being hit by a named storm in decades, the Big Island was directly hit twice in a three-year period with Tropical Storm Iselle making landfall 23 months prior to Darby, doing so in almost the exact location. Heavy rainfall occurred along the windward slopes within the range of , peaking at near the Kawai Nui Marsh. Flash flooding occurred in the South Kohala, Kau, and Hamakua districts which forced the closure of numerous roads. However,
Hilo Hilo () is the largest settlement in and the county seat of Hawaii County, Hawaiʻi, United States, which encompasses the Island of Hawaiʻi, and is a census-designated place (CDP). The population was 44,186 according to the 2020 census. I ...
, located between these heavily impacted districts, recorded a relatively modest 1.77 inches of rain on July 23 and 24. After passing over the Big Island, Darby proceeded northwestward via the Kauai Channel, while resulting in heavy rains over southern slope of Haleakala on Maui. These rains forced the closure of Highway 11, as well as parts of
Interstate H-1 Interstate H-1 (H-1) is the longest (27.16 miles = 43.71km) and busiest Interstate Highway in the US state of Hawaii. The highway is located on the island of Oʻahu. Despite the number, this is an east–west highway; the 'H'-series (for H ...
and the
Kamehameha Highway Kamehameha Highway is one of the main highways serving suburban and rural O‘ahu in the U.S. state of Hawai‘i. Informally known as Kam Highway, it begins at Hawaii Route 92, Nimitz Highway near Pearl Harbor and Hickam Air Force Base in Honolu ...
. Island-wide, a peak 24-hour rainfall total, , was measured in Wailuaiki. In
Oahu Oahu (, , sometimes written Oahu) is the third-largest and most populated island of the Hawaiian Islands and of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital, Honolulu, is on Oahu's southeast coast. The island of Oahu and the uninhabited Northwe ...
, rainfall, sometimes at rates of per hour, caused flash flooding in several areas within the urban core of Honolulu and along windward slopes. A stream in
Kalihi Kalihi is a neighborhood of Honolulu on the island of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi, United States. Split by Likelike Highway (Route 63), it is flanked by Liliha, Chinatown, and Downtown Honolulu to the east and Mapunapuna, Moanalua, and Salt Lake t ...
inundated several properties and spilled over a bridge located further downstream. Several sewage spills occurred on Oahu due to the heavy rain, including 42,000 gallons (160,000 litres) at the Kailua Wastewater Treatment Plant and 4,100 gallons (15,500 litres) from a private residence on Liliha Street. This resulted in the issuance of a brown water advisory. In all, peak storm totals on Oahu during the night of July 24 exceeded , including in
Kaneohe Kāneohe () is a census-designated place (CDP) included in the City and County of Honolulu and in Hawaii state District of Koolaupoko on the island of Oahu. In the Hawaiian language, ''kāne ohe'' means "bamboo man". According to an ancient ...
. Across the entire state of Hawaii, there was no loss of life during the passage of Tropical Storm Darby, and overall the islands experienced only minimal impacts from the storm.


See also

* Weather of 2016 *
Tropical cyclones in 2016 During 2016, tropical cyclones formed within seven different tropical cyclone basins, located within various parts of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. During the year, 140 tropical cyclones formed in bodies of water known as tropical ...
* List of Category 3 Pacific hurricanes * Other tropical cyclones named Darby *
List of Hawaii hurricanes A Hawaiian hurricane is a tropical cyclone that forms in the Pacific Ocean and affects the Hawaii, Hawaiian Islands. Hawaii lies in the central Pacific, where about four or five tropical cyclones appear each year, although as many as fifteen ha ...
* Hurricane Gil (1983) – moved just north of the Hawaiian Islands * Hurricane Dalilia (1989) – missed the Hawaiian Islands to the south, but set a rainfall record for the month of July in Honolulu * Tropical Storm Flossie (2013) – narrowly brushed the Hawaiian Islands, sparking the issuance of tropical storm warnings


References


External links


The NHC's advisory archive for Hurricane DarbyThe CPHC's advisory archive for Hurricane Darby
{{DEFAULTSORT:Darby (2016) 2016 Pacific hurricane season Hurricanes in Hawaii Category 3 Pacific hurricanes 2016 in Hawaii July 2016 in the United States Darby