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'''Severe Tropical Storm Zelda''' was the last storm of the [[1991 Pacific typhoon season]]. A disturbance formed near the [[International Date Line]], and strengthened into a [[Tropical cyclone|tropical depression]] on November 27. The [[Joint Typhoon Warning Center|Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC)]] reported that the depression had reached tropical storm intensity near the [[Marshall Islands]] on November 28, thus naming it Zelda. Near the country on November 29, the storm quickly strengthened to {{convert|120|km/h|mph|abbr=on|round=5}} according to the JTWC, equivalent to a Category 1 [[typhoon]] on the [[Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale]]. It reached a peak of 150 km/h (90 mph) according to the JTWC, and {{convert|110|km/h|mph|abbr=on|round=5}} according to the [[Japanese Meteorological Agency|Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA)]], with a [[barometric pressure]] of {{convert|975|mbar|inHg|abbr=on}}. The tropical storm traveled northwest, then northeast. Zelda weakened into a tropical storm on December 2, and then a tropical depression two days later. The JTWC discontinued warnings late on December 4, while the JMA declared the storm to be [[extratropical cyclone|extratropical]] the next day and continued to track the storm, until it crossed the International Date Line again on December 7.
'''Severe Tropical Storm Zelda''' was the last storm of the [[1991 Pacific typhoon season]] and caused damage to the [[Marshall Islands]] on November 28. A disturbance formed near the [[International Date Line]], and strengthened into a [[Tropical cyclone|tropical depression]] on November 27. The [[Joint Typhoon Warning Center|Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC)]] reported that the depression had reached tropical storm intensity near the Marshall Islands on November 28, thus naming it Zelda. Near the country on November 29, the storm quickly strengthened to {{convert|120|km/h|mph|abbr=on|round=5}} according to the JTWC, equivalent to a Category 1 [[typhoon]] on the [[Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale]]. It reached a peak of 150 km/h (90 mph) according to the JTWC, and {{convert|110|km/h|mph|abbr=on|round=5}} according to the [[Japanese Meteorological Agency|Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA)]], with a [[barometric pressure]] of {{convert|975|mbar|inHg|abbr=on}}. The tropical storm traveled northwest, then northeast. Zelda weakened into a tropical storm on December 2, and then a tropical depression two days later. The JTWC discontinued warnings late on December 4, while the JMA declared the storm to be [[extratropical cyclone|extratropical]] the next day and continued to track the storm, until it crossed the International Date Line again on December 7.


Zelda caused significant damage to the Marshall Islands, and operations at [[Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site|Kwajalein Missile Range]] were disrupted severely. No deaths or injuries were reported. About 60 percent of homes were destroyed in [[Ebeye]], leaving 6,000 people without residence. Nearly all crops on the islands were destroyed, and food and other supplies were contaminated by salt. Later in December, [[President of the United States]] [[George H. W. Bush]] declared the storm to be a major disaster, allowing the [[Federal Emergency Management Agency|Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)]] to assist. The Marshall Islands also requested funds from other countries.
Zelda caused significant damage to the Marshall Islands, and operations at [[Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site|Kwajalein Missile Range]] were disrupted severely. No deaths or injuries were reported. About 60 percent of homes were destroyed in [[Ebeye]], leaving 6,000 people without residence. Nearly all crops on the islands were destroyed, and food and other supplies were contaminated by salt. Later in December, [[President of the United States]] [[George H. W. Bush]] declared the storm to be a major disaster, allowing the [[Federal Emergency Management Agency|Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)]] to assist. The Marshall Islands also requested funds from other countries.

Revision as of 22:48, 18 April 2020

For other storms of the same name, see Typhoon Zelda.
Severe Tropical Storm Zelda
Severe tropical storm (JMA scale)
Category 1 typhoon (SSHWS)
Zelda on November 29, 1991
FormedNovember 27, 1991 (1991-11-27)
DissipatedDecember 7, 1991 (1991-12-07)
(Extratropical after December 5, 1991 (1991-12-05))
Highest winds10-minute sustained: 110 km/h (70 mph)
1-minute sustained: 150 km/h (90 mph)
Lowest pressure975 hPa (mbar); 28.79 inHg
FatalitiesNone
Areas affectedMarshall Islands, Alaska, Canada
Part of the 1991 Pacific typhoon season

Severe Tropical Storm Zelda was the last storm of the 1991 Pacific typhoon season and caused damage to the Marshall Islands on November 28. A disturbance formed near the International Date Line, and strengthened into a tropical depression on November 27. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) reported that the depression had reached tropical storm intensity near the Marshall Islands on November 28, thus naming it Zelda. Near the country on November 29, the storm quickly strengthened to 120 km/h (75 mph) according to the JTWC, equivalent to a Category 1 typhoon on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. It reached a peak of 150 km/h (90 mph) according to the JTWC, and 110 km/h (70 mph) according to the Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA), with a barometric pressure of 975 mbar (28.8 inHg). The tropical storm traveled northwest, then northeast. Zelda weakened into a tropical storm on December 2, and then a tropical depression two days later. The JTWC discontinued warnings late on December 4, while the JMA declared the storm to be extratropical the next day and continued to track the storm, until it crossed the International Date Line again on December 7.

Zelda caused significant damage to the Marshall Islands, and operations at Kwajalein Missile Range were disrupted severely. No deaths or injuries were reported. About 60 percent of homes were destroyed in Ebeye, leaving 6,000 people without residence. Nearly all crops on the islands were destroyed, and food and other supplies were contaminated by salt. Later in December, President of the United States George H. W. Bush declared the storm to be a major disaster, allowing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist. The Marshall Islands also requested funds from other countries.

Meteorological history

Map of the western Pacific Ocean depicting the track of Tropical Storm Zelda, through the Marshall Islands and its re-curvature
Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
Map key
Saffir–Simpson scale
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown
Storm type
triangle Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

In late November, a circulation was generated near the International Date Line by westerly winds. It was included in the Significant Tropical Weather Advisory at 0600 UTC on November 25. Vertical wind shear prevented strengthening at first, but the disturbance continued to develop. A tropical cyclone formation alert from the JTWC soon followed.[1] JMA started tracking the disturbance at 0600 UTC on November 27,[2][nb 1] and JTWC issued their first warning 18 hours later on the depression, naming it 31W. The depression quickly intensified, and it was designated a tropical storm at 0000 UTC on November 28 by JTWC, with winds of 65 km/h (40 mph).[nb 2] Operationally, the storm was upgraded twenty-four hours later and given the name Zelda, after Kwajalein received stronger winds than expected. JTWC attributed the delay to the small size of the storm, the poorly organized outflow, and the lack of visible and infrared image pairs for analysis.[1] JMA upgraded the storm at 0300 UTC on November 29,[2] then to a severe tropical storm eighteen hours later.[2] Zelda intensified into a typhoon at 1200 UTC on November 29 near the Marshall Islands, with winds of 120 km/h (75 mph), equivalent to a Category 1 on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale.[1] At that time, JMA kept it as a tropical storm with winds of 80 km/h (50 mph), with a pressure reading of 990 mbar (29 inHg).[2]

Around 0600 UTC on November 30, JMA estimated Zelda had reached its peak at 110 km/h (70 mph), with a barometric pressure of 975 mbar (28.8 inHg).[2] Six hours later, JTWC reported the storm had strengthened to maximum sustained winds of 145 km/h (90 mph), west of Enewetak. Later, a trough created by Typhoon Yuri caused the subtropical ridge to weaken, allowing Zelda to move northward.[1] By December 1, the storm began to weaken and turned northeast. On December 2, JMA reported the storm's winds had decreased to 100 km/h (60 mph).[2] The storm weakened below typhoon strength on 1800 UTC of the same day, with winds of 110 km/h (70 mph).[5] Upper-level winds and westerlies soon increased,[1][6] and Zelda's central convection became sheared.[1] JMA downgraded Zelda to a tropical storm on December 3, and to a tropical depression later that day.[2] A few hours later, JTWC downgraded the storm to a tropical depression, as it turned slightly northwest, something they did not expect.[5] The low-level circulation of the storm detached from the cold front, and JTWC issued the last warning of the year.[1] The depression turned back northeast, JMA declared the storm to be extratropical on December 5, and the agency stopped tracking the cyclone just past the International Date Line on December 7.[2][7] Remnants of the storm moved inland into northern British Columbia by December 8.[8]

Impact and aftermath

Zelda was the first of three storms to strike the Marshall Islands within one calendar year, just before Axel and Gay in 1992.[9] The storm affected Marshall Islands on November 28, producing sustained winds ranging from 120–160 km/h (75–100 mph). The storm impacted islands of Kwajalein, Majuro, Lae, Wotho, and Eniwetok.[10] Kwajalein Missile Range, which was used in Strategic Defense Initiative testing,[11] caught stronger winds than expected from the storm, affecting operations at the missile range.[1] Zelda also produced a pressure of 990.1 hPa (29.24 inHg), which was the lowest pressure recorded on Kwajalein at that time.[12] In Ebeye, 60 percent of homes made of plywood and sheet-iron roofs were destroyed by the storm,[1][10] and 6,000 people were left homeless. Food and water supplies were contaminated from salt in storm surge, and the water desalination plant became inoperable.[10] Power lines were cut across the island. There were no deaths or significant injuries. Other islands in the nation had their water contaminated by saltwater, and 95 percent of the crops were destroyed by the storm surge.[10] Coral reefs were also damaged when the storm came nearby.[13] As an extratropical cyclone, Zelda caused heavy snow in Southeast Alaska,[14] northern British Columbia, and lesser amounts inland British Columbia and southern Yukon.[8]

The United States Army engaged in cleanup and repairing in the country. On December 6, the 834th Airlift Division sent six C-130s to Kwajalein with supplies.[15] On the same day, President of the United States George H. W. Bush, through the Compact of Free Association,[10] declared a major disaster,[16] allowing federal funding to be sent to Arno, Aur, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Namu and Ujae islands.[17][18] Despite already getting funding from the United States government, Marshall Islands requested for aid via United Nations Disaster Relief Organization (UNDRO) on December 18.[10]

By March 26, 1992, about $98,000 (1992 USD, equivalent to $212,779 in 2023) worth of relief goods were sent to the Marshall Islands from UNDRO, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and Australia. FEMA sent $1.518 million (1992 USD, equivalent to $3,295,899 in 2023) to affected families.[10] Critical infrastructure in Ebeye were repaired by the Kwajalein Atoll Development Authority by November 1992.[19]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The Japan Meteorological Agency is the official Regional Specialized Meteorological Center for the western Pacific Ocean.[3]
  2. ^ Wind estimates from the JMA and most other basins throughout the world are sustained over 10 minutes, while estimates from the United States-based Joint Typhoon Warning Center are sustained over 1 minute. 10 minute winds are about 1.14 times the amount of 1 minute winds.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Mundell, Dan B.; Wells, Frank H.; McDonald, Brian L.; Delanuez, Carlos A.; Belew, Ray O. 1991 Annual Tropical Cyclone Report (PDF) (Report). Guam: Joint Typhoon Warning Center. pp. 154–157. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 6, 2013. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "RSMC Best Track Data (Text)". Japan Meteorological Agency. 1990–1999. Archived from the original on January 22, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
  3. ^ Annual Report on Activities of the RSMC Tokyo – Typhoon Center 2000 (PDF) (Report). Japan Meteorological Agency. February 2001. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 31, 2015. Retrieved June 1, 2014.
  4. ^ Landsea, Chris (April 21, 2006). "Subject: D4) What does "maximum sustained wind" mean? How does it relate to gusts in tropical cyclones?". Frequently Asked Questions. Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  5. ^ a b "Typhoon Zelda (31W) Best Track". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Archived from the original on October 10, 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2014.
  6. ^ Darwin Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre (December 1991). "Typhoon Zelda" (PDF). Darwin Tropical Diagnostic Statement. 10 (12). Australian Bureau of Meteorology: 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  7. ^ Knapp, Kenneth R.; Kruk, Michael C.; Levinson, David H.; Diamond, Howard J.; Neumann, Charles J. (2010). 1991 ZELDA (1991329N04181). The International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS): Unifying tropical cyclone best track data (Report). Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  8. ^ a b "Weather". Whitehorse Daily Star. Whitehorse, Yukon. December 10, 1991. p. 3. Retrieved March 23, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  9. ^ "Country Risk Profile: Marshall Islands" (PDF). World Bank. September 2011. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 22, 2020. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g Marshall Islands - Typhoon Zelda Dec 1991 UNDRO Situation Reports 1-3 (Report). United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs. December 6, 1991. Archived from the original on June 1, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2014 – via ReliefWeb.
  11. ^ TenBruggencate, Jan (November 27, 1991). "Full study on STARS impact due". The Honolulu Advertiser. Honolulu, Hawaii. Advertiser Kauai Bureau. p. 47. Retrieved March 22, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  12. ^ "Pacific ENSO Update: 2nd Quarter 2015" (PDF). Pacific ENSO Update. 21 (2). United States Pacific El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Applications Climate Center. May 29, 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 19, 2016.
  13. ^ Coral Reef Informational System. Status of the Coral Reefs in the Pacific Freely Associated States (PDF) (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. p. 5. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
  14. ^ "Alaska Summary". Daily Sitka Sentinel. Sitka, Alaska. December 9, 1991. p. 2. Retrieved March 23, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  15. ^ Fredriksen, John C. (2011). The United States Air Force: a chronology. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO. p. 294. ISBN 978-1598846829. OCLC 720622621. Archived from the original on October 13, 2016. Retrieved 2020-04-12.
  16. ^ "Declaration Allows Typhoon Disaster Assistance". Associated Press. December 9, 1991. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  17. ^ "Republic of the Marshall Islands Typhoon Zelda (DR-925)". Federal Emergency Management Agency. Archived from the original on May 26, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
  18. ^ "Designated Areas: Republic of Marshall Islands Typhoon Zelda". Federal Emergency Management Agency. Archived from the original on June 1, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
  19. ^ Polhemus, David (November 22, 1992). "Oily Soil: Slick solution or a dirty deal?". The Honolulu Advertiser. Honolulu, Hawaii. p. 2. Retrieved March 23, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
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