Hurricane Lester (1992)
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Hurricane Lester was the first Pacific tropical cyclone to enter the
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as a tropical storm since 1967. The fourteenth named storm and eighth hurricane of the
1992 Pacific hurricane season The 1992 Pacific hurricane season was the most active Pacific Hurricane Season, Pacific hurricane season on record, featuring 27 named storms. The season also produced the second-highest Accumulated cyclone energy, ACE value on record in the b ...
, Lester formed on August 20 from 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 ...
southwest of
Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
. The tropical storm moved generally northwestward while steadily intensifying. After turning to the north, approaching the Mexican coast, Lester attained hurricane status. The hurricane reached peak winds of before making landfall on west-central
Baja California Baja California, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California, is a state in Mexico. It is the northwesternmost of the 32 federal entities of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1952, the area was known as the North Territory of B ...
. The system weakened while moving across the peninsula and then over northwestern Mexico. Not long after entering
Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...
, Lester weakened to a tropical depression, and degenerated into an extratropical low on August 24, 1992, over
New Mexico New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...
. The storm's remnants later merged with the remnants of
Hurricane Andrew Hurricane Andrew was a compact, but very powerful and devastating tropical cyclone that struck the Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana in August 1992. It was the most destructive hurricane to ever hit Florida in terms of structures dama ...
and another frontal system on August 29. In Mexico, the hurricane resulted in $3 million in damage (1992 USD, $4.7 million 2011 USD). It also left 5,000 people homeless, and was responsible for three fatalities. The remnants of Lester also produced moderate rainfall and minor flooding across southern
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
,
Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...
, Arizona, and New Mexico, as well as rare August snow in the
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.


Meteorological history

The origins of Hurricane Lester can be traced back to a tropical wave that moved off the coast of western Africa on August 7. Over the next week, the wave remained rather obscure as it moved across the Atlantic Ocean and the
Caribbean Sea The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere, located south of the Gulf of Mexico and southwest of the Sargasso Sea. It is bounded by the Greater Antilles to the north from Cuba ...
, before it appeared to split into two as it approached Cuba during August 16. The northern half of the wave dissipated over Cuba, while the southern half passed over Central America and moved into the Pacific Ocean on August 16. After the wave had moved into the Pacific, atmospheric convection increased over the system and it became better organized over the next few days. On August 20, the United States National Hurricane Center (NHC) stated that the system had probably developed into a depression, initiated advisories and designated the system as Tropical Depression Fourteen-E. The depression gradually tracked northwestward at . Although the center of the depression was initially uncertain, it slowly strengthened and steadily organized. The depression attained tropical storm status late on August 20, upon which the storm was named ''Lester''. The cyclone continued to the northwest, and passed directly over
Socorro Island Socorro Island () is a volcanic island in the Revillagigedo Islands, a Mexican possession lying off the country's western coast. The size is , with an area of . It is the largest of the four islands of the Revillagigedo Archipelago. The last e ...
on August 21. By early the next day, an eastward moving
trough Trough may refer to: In science * Trough (geology), a long depression less steep than a trench * Trough (meteorology), an elongated region of low atmospheric pressure * Trough (physics), the lowest point on a wave * Trough level (medicine), the l ...
weakened the
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to its north, resulting in a to turn to the north. Around this time, forecasters at 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 ...
predicted the storm would not strengthen to hurricane intensity before making landfall. Despite this, Lester intensified into a hurricane late on August 22 while located about west of
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in
Baja California Sur Baja California Sur, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California Sur, is a state in Mexico. It is the 31st and last state to be admitted, in 1974. It is also the second least populated Mexican state and the ninth-largest state by ...
. The hurricane continued to organize and banding-type
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 ...
soon formed. Early on August 23 it attained peak winds of with a minimum central pressure of . Lester weakened steadily as the storm turned to the northeast, and made landfall as a minimal hurricane near Punta Abreojos, Baja California Sur about ten hours after reaching peak intensity. It degenerated into a tropical storm while crossing the Baja California Peninsula. After passing through the northern
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, it made a second landfall near Isla Tiburon in the state of
Sonora Sonora (), officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora (), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is divided into Municipalities of Sonora, 72 ...
. Lester entered
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as a tropical storm on August 24, the first time since
Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a powerful, devastating and historic tropical cyclone that caused 1,392 fatalities and damages estimated at $125 billion in late August 2005, particularly in the city of New Orleans and its surrounding area. ...
in
1967 Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 6 – Vietnam War: United States Marine Corps and Army of ...
that an Eastern Pacific tropical cyclone entered the
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with winds of at least tropical storm intensity. Lester maintained tropical storm status until it weakened into a tropical depression near
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. Later that day, the low-level circulation dissipated over
New Mexico New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...
, and Lester ceased to exist as a tropical cyclone. The storm's remnants transitioned into an
extratropical cyclone Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are low-pressure areas which, along with the anticyclones of high-pressure areas, drive the weather over much of the Earth. Extratropical cyclones are capable of p ...
, as it continued to the north-northeast, ahead of an approaching
trough Trough may refer to: In science * Trough (geology), a long depression less steep than a trench * Trough (meteorology), an elongated region of low atmospheric pressure * Trough (physics), the lowest point on a wave * Trough level (medicine), the l ...
, and later merged with the remnants of
Hurricane Andrew Hurricane Andrew was a compact, but very powerful and devastating tropical cyclone that struck the Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana in August 1992. It was the most destructive hurricane to ever hit Florida in terms of structures dama ...
and another
frontal system A weather front is a boundary separating air masses for which several characteristics differ, such as air density, wind, temperature, and humidity. Disturbed and unstable weather due to these differences often arises along the boundary. For ins ...
on August 29, over
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.


Preparations and impact

Hurricane Lester impacted Mexicos's
Revillagigedo Islands The Revillagigedo Islands (, ) or Revillagigedo Archipelago are a group of four volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean, known for their unique ecosystem. They lie approximately from Socorro Island south and southwest of Cabo San Lucas, the sout ...
, Baja California peninsula and the states of Sinaloa and Sonora on the mainland, as well as parts of the Southwestern United States, including California, Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. No deaths were blamed on the system while at least in damages were attributed to the system. Hurricane Andrew's landfall in Florida overshadowed Lester's impacts to the United States.


Mexico

The threat of the hurricane prompted the evacuation of about 10,000 residents. No observations exist for the duration when Lester, as a tropical depression, moved over
Socorro Island Socorro Island () is a volcanic island in the Revillagigedo Islands, a Mexican possession lying off the country's western coast. The size is , with an area of . It is the largest of the four islands of the Revillagigedo Archipelago. The last e ...
, while winds were estimated to have reached . However, a station reported winds of six hours after Lester passed over Socorro Island. Several ships came in contact with Lester, with one in the
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 ...
reporting hurricane-force winds for 11 hours on August 22. The ship in the eye reported rough seas, causing it to roll 33° to each side and thus was responsible for a large amount of cargo to go overboard. Hurricane Lester produced heavy rainfall across its path through the Baja California Peninsula and
Sonora Sonora (), officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora (), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is divided into Municipalities of Sonora, 72 ...
. Peak rainfall occurred in Mulege with . A weather station in Presa Rodriguez reported of precipitation, with several other locations reporting over . The heavy rainfall caused extensive flood damage to the west of
Hermosillo Hermosillo (), formerly called Pitic (as in ''Santísima Trinidad del Pitic'' and ''Presidio del Pitic''), is a city in the center of the northwestern Mexican state of Sonora. It is the municipal seat of the Hermosillo municipality, the state's ...
, destroying some entire communities and flooding a large highway. Roads were washed out, and power lines were knocked out. Waves up to were recorded. Flash flooding from Lester caused 10,000 people to be evacuated from their homes. In addition, mudslides killed three people, and left 5,000 homeless. The storm resulted in $3 million (1992 
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), equivalent to $4.7 million (2011 USD). The
Mexican Army The Mexican Army () is the combined Army, land and Air Force, air branch and is the largest part of the Mexican Armed Forces; it is also known as the National Defense Army. The Army is under the authority of the Secretariat of National Defense o ...
provided relief efforts to residents after the storm.


Baja California

On August 21, the Mexican Government issued a tropical storm warning for the west coast of Baja California Del Sur from
Cabo San Lucas Cabo San Lucas (, "Luke the Evangelist, Saint Luke Cape (geography), Cape"), also known simply as Cabo, is a Resort town, resort city at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, in the Mexican Political divisions of Mexico, state of Baja ...
to Cabo San Lazaro and a tropical storm watch for both coasts from the border with Baja California Del Norte, Cabo San Lazaro on the west coast and Los Burros on the east coast. During the following day, after Lester had started to move northwards a tropical storm warning was issued for the whole of Baja California Del Sur, before a hurricane warning was issued between Punta Eugenia and Cabo San Lazaro.


Mainland

On August 22, the Mexican government issued a tropical storm warning for the Mexican mainland between Cabo Tepopa and
Los Mochis Los Mochis () is a coastal city in northern Sinaloa, Mexico. It serves as the municipal seat of the municipality of Ahome. As of the 2010 census, the population was 362,613, which was 61 percent of the municipality's population. Los Mochis is th ...
.


United States

The remnants of Lester produced heavy rainfall across the
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. In
Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...
, rainfall amounted to over near Phoenix and
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, with much of the rest of the state reporting over . Moderate rainfall was also reported in western
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and southern
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, while one location in southwestern
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reported over of precipitation. In the later location, rains caused flash flooding of
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and a mudslide along
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. Additional rainfall caused moderate flooding in
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. In addition to the rainfall, moisture from the remnants of Lester dropped of snow across portions of Colorado, causing traffic problems in mountainous areas. A weather station on Mt. Harvard recorded about of snow during Lester's passage through Colorado. Moisture enhanced from a cold front, the remnants Lester extended through the eastern
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, with
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reporting a peak of . In all, rain from Lester caused rainfall records in
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, Colorado, and
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, though some were later broken.


California


Arizona

Hurricane Lester was the seventh tropical cyclone and the fourth tropical storm on record to move into Arizona, since the start of the satellite era in 1965.


See also

* Other storms of the same name *
List of Baja California Peninsula hurricanes The list of Baja California Peninsula hurricanes includes all of the tropical cyclones that impacted the Baja California Peninsula, which includes the Mexican states of Baja California (state), Baja California and Baja California Sur. In the perio ...
*
List of Category 1 Pacific hurricanes Category 1 is the lowest classification on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale, and categorizes tropical cyclones with 1-minute maximum sustained winds between . Tropical cyclones that attain such winds and landfall, move over land whil ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lester 1992 1992 Pacific hurricane season Category 1 Pacific hurricanes Hurricanes in California Hurricanes in Arizona Hurricanes in New Mexico Hurricanes in Colorado Hurricanes in Illinois 1992 natural disasters in the United States Hurricanes in the Revillagigedo Islands Hurricanes in Baja California Hurricanes in Baja California Sur Hurricanes in Sonora Hurricanes in Sinaloa