1940 Pacific hurricane season

Last updated
1940 Pacific hurricane season
Seasonal boundaries
First system formedJune 17, 1940
Last system dissipatedNovember 3, 1940
Strongest storm
NameThree
  Lowest pressure970 mbar (hPa; 28.64 inHg)
Seasonal statistics
Total storms10
Hurricanes2
Total fatalitiesUnknown
Total damageUnknown
Related articles
Pacific hurricane seasons
1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942–48

The 1940 Pacific hurricane season ran through the summer and fall of 1940. Before the satellite age started in the 1960s, data on east Pacific hurricanes was extremely unreliable. Most east Pacific storms were of no threat to land. During this season, there is a former typhoon that crossed into central north Pacific.

Contents

Systems

Hurricane One

Late on June 17, west-northwest of Acapulco and close to the coast of Mexico, an area of thunderstorms formed into a tropical cyclone. The system was very small, and eventually became a hurricane. It headed west-northwest or northwest, and was last detected early on June 18. A ship in the eye measured a pressure of 97.90 kPa (28.91 inHg). [1]

Tropical Storm Two

On July 20, a tropical depression was observed southwest of Acapulco. Historical Weather Maps show this depression near 17N 102W. It intensified into a tropical storm on July 21, tracked northwest, and dissipated on July 24. A depression/remnant low was tracked until July 26. The low was last seen near 24N 129W on the 27th. The lowest pressure reported by a ship was 100.66 kPa (29.72 inHg). [2]

Tropical Cyclone Three

On July 29, a tropical cyclone was noticed. It traveled west-northwest or northwest, and dissipated sometime after July 30. A ship reported a pressure of 96.95 kPa (28.63 inHg). [2]

Tropical Cyclone Four

South of Acapulco, a tropical cyclone was spotted on August 3. Historical Weather Maps (HWM) show a low on August 2 near 11N 109W. It rapidly tracked to the west-northwest, and was last seen on August 5. The low is carried on HMW until August 9 near 17N 135W. It is possible that this system retained tropical storm-force winds until approximately August 7. A ship reported a pressure of 100.54 kPa (29.69 inHg). [3]

Tropical Cyclone Five

On September 4, a tropical cyclone was reported. It moved westward, and was lost track of on or after September 5. The lowest reported pressure was 100.31 kPa (29.62 inHg). [4]

Hurricane Six

A tropical cyclone was detected on September 22. The next day, it had intensified into a hurricane. By September 24, the hurricane was close to the Revillagigedo Islands. After that, no further observations were reported. A ship reported a pressure of 98.34 kPa (29.04 inHg) in association with this hurricane. [4]

Tropical Cyclone Seven

A tropical cyclone existed well out to sea from October 6 to 11. It traveled northwesterly, and had a lowest recorded pressure of 29.25 inHg (99.1 kPa). [5]

Tropical Cyclone Eight

Another tropical cyclone existed from October 26 to 28 off the coast of Central America. A ship recorded a pressure reading of 98.27 kPa (29.02 inHg). [5]

Tropical Cyclone Nine

A tropical cyclone well southwest of Manzanillo was tracked from November 1 to 3. Due to a blocking area of high pressure, it took an unusual southwesterly track. Its lowest recorded pressure was 100.47 kPa (29.67 inHg). [6]

Other system

Around October 21, a former typhoon that had previously impacted Wake Island crossed into the central north Pacific. It headed eastwards north of Midway Island. It gradually wheeled around to the southwest. It dissipated just east of Midway around October 22. [5]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1940 Atlantic hurricane season</span> Hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean

The 1940 Atlantic hurricane season was a generally average period of tropical cyclogenesis in 1940. Though the season had no official bounds, most tropical cyclone activity occurred during August and September. Throughout the year, fourteen tropical cyclones formed, of which nine reached tropical storm intensity; six were hurricanes. None of the hurricanes reached major hurricane intensity. Tropical cyclones that did not approach populated areas or shipping lanes, especially if they were relatively weak and of short duration, may have remained undetected. Because technologies such as satellite monitoring were not available until the 1960s, historical data on tropical cyclones from this period are often not reliable. As a result of a reanalysis project which analyzed the season in 2012, an additional hurricane was added to HURDAT. The year's first tropical storm formed on May 19 off the northern coast of Hispaniola. At the time, this was a rare occurrence, as only four other tropical disturbances were known to have formed prior during this period; since then, reanalysis of previous seasons has concluded that there were more than four tropical cyclones in May before 1940. The season's final system was a tropical disturbance situated in the Greater Antilles, which dissipated on November 8.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1939 Pacific hurricane season</span> Hurricane season in the Pacific Ocean

The 1939 Pacific hurricane season ran through the summer and fall of 1939. Before the satellite age started in the 1960s, data on east Pacific hurricanes was extremely unreliable. Most east Pacific storms were of no threat to land. However, 1939 saw a large number of storms threaten California.

The 1941 Pacific hurricane season ran through the summer and fall of 1941. Before the satellite age started in the 1960s, data on east Pacific hurricanes was extremely unreliable. Most east Pacific storms were of no threat to land. 1941 season was the last season before Monthly Weather Review stopped publishing temporarily due to World War II.

The 1938 Pacific hurricane season ran through the summer and fall of 1938. Before the satellite age started in the 1960s, data on east Pacific hurricanes was extremely unreliable. Most east Pacific storms were of no threat to land. However, 1938 saw an unusually active season, with numerous tropical cyclones forming in January and a hurricane struck Northern California in February, killing five people. On August 18, Cyclone Mokapu caused record August rainfall, and a record low pressure when it struck Hawaiian Islands. It brought down power lines and damages into a plantation.

The 1937 Pacific hurricane season ran through the summer and fall of 1937. Before the satellite age started in the 1960s, data on east Pacific hurricanes was extremely unreliable. Most east Pacific storms were of no threat to land. 1937 season was mostly inactive season, as there is no known tropical cyclones in September during this season. In May, a tropical cyclone struck Acapulco, cutting that city off from the outside communication for four days, causing buildings in the city to be damaged, and caused a woman's death.

The 1936 Pacific hurricane season ran through the summer and fall of 1936. Before the satellite age started in the 1960s, data on east Pacific hurricanes was extremely unreliable. Most east Pacific storms were of no threat to land. There are numerous damaging tropical cyclones during the season, and half of tropical cyclones during the season became hurricanes.

The 1935 Pacific hurricane season ran through the summer and fall of 1935. Before the satellite age started in the 1960s, data on east Pacific hurricanes was extremely unreliable. Most east Pacific storms were of no threat to land. This season saw three tropical cyclones and ended early in August.

The 1934 Pacific hurricane season ran through the summer and fall of 1934. Before the satellite age started in the 1960s, data on east Pacific hurricanes was extremely unreliable. Most east Pacific storms were of no threat to land.

The 1933 Pacific hurricane season ran through the summer and fall of 1933. Before the satellite age started in the 1960s, data on east Pacific hurricanes was extremely unreliable. Most east Pacific storms were of no threat to land.

The 1932 Pacific hurricane season ran through the summer and fall of 1932. Before the satellite age started in the 1960s, data on east Pacific hurricanes was extremely unreliable. Most east Pacific storms were of no threat to land.

The 1931 Pacific hurricane season ran through the summer and fall of 1931. Before the satellite age started in the 1960s, data on east Pacific hurricanes was extremely unreliable. Most east Pacific storms were of no threat to land.

The 1930 Pacific hurricane season ran through the summer and fall of 1930. Before the satellite age started in the 1960s, data on east Pacific hurricanes was extremely unreliable. Most east Pacific storms were of no threat to land.

The 1929 Pacific hurricane season ran through the summer and fall of 1929. Before the satellite age started in the 1960s, data on east Pacific hurricanes was extremely unreliable. Most east Pacific storms were of no threat to land.

The 1927 Pacific hurricane season ran through the summer and fall of 1927. Before the satellite age started in the 1960s, data on east Pacific hurricanes was extremely unreliable. Most east Pacific storms were of no threat to land.

The 1928 Pacific hurricane season ran through the summer and fall of 1928. Before the satellite age started in the 1960s, data on east Pacific hurricanes was extremely unreliable. Most east Pacific storms were of no threat to land.

The 1926 Pacific hurricane season ran through the summer and fall of 1926. Before the satellite age started in the 1960s, data on east Pacific hurricanes was extremely unreliable. Most east Pacific storms were of no threat to land.

The 1925 Pacific hurricane season ran through the summer and fall of 1925. Before the satellite age started in the 1960s, data on east Pacific hurricanes was extremely unreliable. Most east Pacific storms were of no threat to land. 1925 season was the first Pacific hurricane season that was covered in detail by Monthly Weather Review, and this season included the most intense November Pacific hurricane on record until beaten by Hurricane Kenneth in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1975 Pacific Northwest hurricane</span> Category 1 Pacific hurricane in 1975

The 1975 Pacific Northwest hurricane was an unusual Pacific tropical cyclone that attained hurricane status farther north than any other Pacific hurricane. It was officially unnamed, with the cargo ship Transcolorado providing vital meteorological data in assessing the storm. The twelfth tropical cyclone of the 1975 Pacific hurricane season, it developed from a cold-core upper-level low merging with the remnants of a tropical cyclone on August 31, well to the northeast of Hawaii. Convection increased as the circulation became better defined, and by early on September 2, it became a tropical storm. Turning to the northeast through an area of warm water temperatures, the storm quickly strengthened, and, after developing an eye, it attained hurricane status late on September 3, while located about 1,200 miles (1,950 km) south of Alaska. After maintaining peak winds for about 18 hours, the storm rapidly weakened, as it interacted with an approaching Cold front. Early on September 5, it lost its identity near the coast of Alaska.

The 1942–48 Pacific hurricane seasons all began during late spring in the northeast Pacific Ocean and the central Pacific. They ended in late fall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1940 New England hurricane</span> Category 2 Atlantic hurricane in 1940

The 1940 New England hurricane moved off of the U.S. East Coast and Atlantic Canada in August and September 1940, producing strong winds and torrential rainfall. The fourth tropical cyclone and third hurricane of the season, the storm originated from a well-defined low-pressure area in the open Atlantic Ocean on August 26. Moving slowly in a general west-northwest motion, the disturbance intensified, reaching tropical storm strength on August 28 and subsequently hurricane intensity on August 30. The hurricane passed within 85 mi (135 km) of Cape Hatteras before recurving towards the northeast. The hurricane continued to intensify, and reached peak intensity as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (175 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 961 mbar, though these statistical peaks were achieved at different times on September 2. Afterwards, the hurricane began a weakening trend as it proceeded northeastward, and had degenerated into a tropical storm by the time it made its first landfall on Nova Scotia later that day. The storm transitioned into an extratropical cyclone the next day while making another landfall on New Brunswick. The extratropical remnants persisted into Quebec before merging with a larger extratropical system late on September 3.

References

  1. Hurd, Willis (June 1940). "Weather on the North Pacific Ocean" (PDF). Monthly Weather Review . 68 (9): 255–257. Bibcode:1940MWRv...68..255H. doi: 10.1175/1520-0493(1940)068<0255:WOTNPO>2.0.CO;2 . Retrieved 2011-01-18.
  2. 1 2 Hurd, Willis (July 1940). "Weather on the North Pacific Ocean" (PDF). Monthly Weather Review . 68 (9): 255–257. Bibcode:1940MWRv...68..255H. doi: 10.1175/1520-0493(1940)068<0255:WOTNPO>2.0.CO;2 . Retrieved 2011-01-18.
  3. Hurd, Willis (August 1940). "Weather on the North Pacific Ocean" (PDF). Monthly Weather Review . 68 (9): 255–257. Bibcode:1940MWRv...68..255H. doi: 10.1175/1520-0493(1940)068<0255:WOTNPO>2.0.CO;2 . Retrieved 2011-01-18.
  4. 1 2 Hurd, Willis (September 1940). "Weather on the North Pacific Ocean" (PDF). Monthly Weather Review . 68 (9): 255–257. Bibcode:1940MWRv...68..255H. doi: 10.1175/1520-0493(1940)068<0255:WOTNPO>2.0.CO;2 . Retrieved 2011-01-18.
  5. 1 2 3 Hurd, Willis (October 1940). "Weather on the North Pacific Ocean" (PDF). Monthly Weather Review . 68 (9): 255–257. Bibcode:1940MWRv...68..255H. doi: 10.1175/1520-0493(1940)068<0255:WOTNPO>2.0.CO;2 . Retrieved 2011-01-18.
  6. Hurd, Willis (November 1940). "Weather on the North Pacific Ocean" (PDF). Monthly Weather Review . 68 (9): 255–257. Bibcode:1940MWRv...68..255H. doi: 10.1175/1520-0493(1940)068<0255:WOTNPO>2.0.CO;2 . Retrieved 2011-01-18.