Hurricane Paul (1982)
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Hurricane Paul was a particularly deadly and destructive
Pacific hurricane A Pacific hurricane is a mature tropical cyclone that develops within the northeastern and central Pacific Ocean to the east of 180°W, north of the equator. For tropical cyclone warning purposes, the northern Pacific is divided into three regio ...
which killed a total of 1,625 people and caused
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520 million in damage. The sixteenth
named storm Tropical cyclones and subtropical cyclones are named by various warning centers to simplify communication between forecasters and the general public regarding forecasts, watches and warnings. The names are intended to reduce confusion in the ...
and tenth hurricane of the
1982 Pacific hurricane season The 1982 Pacific hurricane season, with 23 named storms, ranks as the fourth-most active Pacific hurricane season on record, tied with 2018. It was at that time the most active season in the basin until it was later surpassed by the 1985 season. I ...
, Paul developed as a
tropical depression A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...
just offshore Central America on September 18. The depression briefly moved inland two days later just before heading westward out to sea. The storm changed little in strength for several days until September 25, when it slowly intensified into a tropical storm. Two days later, Paul attained hurricane status, and further strengthened to Category 2 intensity after turning northward. The hurricane then accelerated toward the northeast, reaching peak winds of 110 mph (175 km/h). Paul made landfall over
Baja California Sur Baja California Sur (; 'South Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California Sur ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California Sur), is the least populated state and the 31st admitted state of the 32 federal ent ...
on September 29, and subsequently moved ashore in
Sinaloa Sinaloa (), officially the Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sinaloa), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is d ...
the next day. Prior to making landfall near the
El Salvador El Salvador (; , meaning " The Saviour"), officially the Republic of El Salvador ( es, República de El Salvador), is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south b ...
Guatemala Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico; to the northeast by Belize and the Caribbean; to the east by H ...
border as a tropical depression, the precursor disturbance dropped heavy rainfall over the region, which later continued after landfall. Many rivers in the region burst their banks after five days of rainfall, causing severe flooding and multiple mudslides. Throughout Central America, at least 1,363 people were killed, with most of the fatalities occurring in El Salvador, although some occurred in Guatemala. Another 225 deaths were attributed to floods from the depression in southern Mexico. In addition, Paul was responsible for 24 fatalities and moderate damage in northwestern Mexico, where it made landfall at hurricane strength. Despite the cataclysmic loss of life and major damage caused by the storm, the name ''Paul'' was not retired following the season and, although it went unused in
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due to a lack of activity, it was used in the 1994 Pacific hurricane season.


Meteorological history

The precursor disturbance to Paul originated from an area of low barometric pressure and disorganized
thunderstorm A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a storm characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere, known as thunder. Relatively weak thunderstorms are someti ...
s, which was first noted near the Pacific coast of Honduras on September 15. Several days later,
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indicated it had developed a center of cyclonic circulation; on 1800 UTC September 20, the
Eastern Pacific Hurricane Center The Eastern Pacific Hurricane Center was formerly the center responsible for forecasting Pacific hurricanes in the eastern north Pacific east of 140°W. It was part of the Weather Bureau Forecast Office San Francisco and was based in Redwood City. ...
initiated advisories on the system and classified it as Tropical Depression Twenty-Two. At that time, it was located southwest of Tegucigalpa,Honduras and supported winds of 35 mph (50 km/h). The depression turned northward in response to a weak steering flow between two
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systems—one near
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and the other west of Central America. It then moved inland near the El Salvador–Guatemala border, and dissipated overland. Under the influence of a persistent stationary
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 ...
near
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, the remains of the depression retraced westward back over the open waters of the Pacific. Advisories on the system were resumed late on September 20. Though it was reconsidered a tropical cyclone, its wind circulation was poorly defined; the depression again degenerated into an open trough at 0000 UTC September 22. Its forward motion remained relatively unchanged for several days, and by September 24 the system was reclassified as a
tropical cyclone A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...
. After briefly drifting northward, the system began tracking toward the west-northwest. It gradually organized into a tropical storm at 0000 UTC September 25. Since it was then situated over favorable
sea surface temperature Sea surface temperature (SST), or ocean surface temperature, is the ocean temperature close to the surface. The exact meaning of ''surface'' varies according to the measurement method used, but it is between and below the sea surface. Air mass ...
s between and , Paul underwent a phase of
rapid intensification In meteorology, rapid intensification is a situation where a tropical cyclone intensifies dramatically in a short period of time. The United States National Hurricane Center defines rapid intensification as an increase in the maximum sustained w ...
. This allowed it to reach
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strength on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS) just two days after its naming. Upon becoming a hurricane, Paul turned to the north and continued to develop. As the storm neared
Baja California Sur Baja California Sur (; 'South Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California Sur ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California Sur), is the least populated state and the 31st admitted state of the 32 federal ent ...
, it reached Category 2 intensity. An upper-level trough forced the hurricane to accelerate towards the northeast, at which point it had reached peak wind speeds of 110 mph (180 km/h). From 1800 to 2100 UTC on September 29, the eye of the hurricane made landfall along Baja California Sur, moving ashore less than south of
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near San José del Cabo. After weakening slightly inland, Paul briefly reemerged over water and subsequently made its final landfall near
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 ...
,
Sinaloa Sinaloa (), officially the Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sinaloa), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is d ...
with winds of 100 mph (165 km/h). Tropical cyclone advisories were discontinued shortly thereafter, though exact information on the storm after it moved inland is unavailable due to a lack of data completion in the hurricane database.


Preparations

An alert was issued for the Mexican states of
Sonora Sonora (), officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora ( en, Free and Sovereign State of 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 d ...
and Sinaloa and
Baja California Sur Baja California Sur (; 'South Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California Sur ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California Sur), is the least populated state and the 31st admitted state of the 32 federal ent ...
; army and navy units were on standby in case of an emergency. Roughly 50,000 people evacuated to storm shelters and thousands of others sought refuge in public buildings, such as schools and churches. Across
La Paz La Paz (), officially known as Nuestra Señora de La Paz (Spanish pronunciation: ), is the seat of government of the Bolivia, Plurinational State of Bolivia. With an estimated 816,044 residents as of 2020, La Paz is the List of Bolivian cities ...
, officials evacuated 3,000 families from hurricane-prone areas. In the towns of Altata and Guamúchil alone, army officials evacuated 5,000 coastal residents.


Impact


El Salvador

The tropical depression that later became Paul produced the worst
natural disaster A natural disaster is "the negative impact following an actual occurrence of natural hazard in the event that it significantly harms a community". A natural disaster can cause loss of life or damage property, and typically leaves some econ ...
in El Salvador history since 1965. Although the death toll was initially believed to be lower it rose to a final toll of 761 after new victims were confirmed on September 28. Of these deaths, 312 occurred in the capital city of
San Salvador San Salvador (; ) is the capital and the largest city of El Salvador and its eponymous department. It is the country's political, cultural, educational and financial center. The Metropolitan Area of San Salvador, which comprises the capital i ...
, which had also sustained the worst damage. Another 40 people perished in Actoo, a very small village located west of San Salvador. Rescue workers searched through
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s and
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to find missing victims. About 25,000–30,000 people were left homeless. Much of San Salvador was submerged by flood waters of up to high, and even after their recession hundreds of homes remained buried under trees, debris, and of mud. In all, property damage from the storm amounted to $100 million in the country; while crop damage amounted to $250 million.


Guatemala, and southern Mexico

In Guatemala, widespread catastrophic floods claimed 615 lives and left 668 others missing. More than 10,000 people were left homeless in the wake of the disaster. According to the highway department, the storm destroyed 16 bridges which left 200 communities isolated from surrounding areas. Overall, economic losses of $100 million (1982 USD) were reported in the country. Throughout southern Mexico, floods from the precursor depression to Paul killed another 225 people.


Baja California Sur

Hurricane Paul produced heavy rainfall along its path through Baja California Sur. At least 85 homes in
La Paz La Paz (), officially known as Nuestra Señora de La Paz (Spanish pronunciation: ), is the seat of government of the Bolivia, Plurinational State of Bolivia. With an estimated 816,044 residents as of 2020, La Paz is the List of Bolivian cities ...
sustained damage, and many telephone lines in the region were down at the height of the storm. Wind gusts estimated at 120 mph (195 km/h) swept through
San José del Cabo San José del Cabo (, ''Saint Joseph of the Cape'') is a city located in southern Baja California Sur state, Mexico. It is the seat of Los Cabos Municipality lying at a shallow bay northeast of Cabo San Lucas on the Gulf of California. The city h ...
, causing property damage and subsequently leaving 9,000 homeless. Despite the damage, no deaths were reported in the wake of Paul.


Northwest Mexico and southwest United States

Upon making its final landfall in
Sinaloa Sinaloa (), officially the Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sinaloa), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is d ...
, Paul produced hurricane-force winds recorded at 100 mph (160 km/h) in
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 ...
. The winds demolished numerous homes in the region, leaving 140,000 residents homeless and another 400,000 people isolated. The greatest damage occurred 70 miles (110 km) south of Los Mochis in the city of Guamuchil; some houses suffered total destruction, while many other had their roof blown off. A total of 24 people were killed by the storm, although it produced beneficial rains over the region. The worst flooding occurred near the Rio Sinaloa; to of rain fell in some locations. Over 25,000 homes were damaged. Agricultural damage was severe in the state of Sinaloa, with up to 40 percent of the
soybean The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean, which has numerous uses. Traditional unfermented food uses of soybeans include soy milk, from which tofu an ...
crop destroyed. Sugar cane, tomato, and rice crops also sustained damage from the hurricane, and in its wake the state's corn production was down by 26 percent from the previous year. Total storm damage in Mexico amounted to $4.5 billion (1982 MXN; $70 million
USD The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
). The remnants of Paul moved into the United States, producing heavy rainfall in southern
New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...
and extreme West
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. Inclement weather was observed as far inland as the
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. A combination of rain and snow moved into
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; of snow was expected in
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, thus
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s were required for parts of the state.


Aftermath

In the aftermath of the storm, the Government of El Salvador was criticized for failing to keep the public well informed. It provided over $300,000 in aid and declared a
state of emergency A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to be able to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state du ...
; additionally, a state of mourning was declared. The
United Nations World Food program The World Food Programme; it, Programma alimentare mondiale; es, Programa Mundial de Alimentos; ar, برنامج الأغذية العالمي, translit=barnamaj al'aghdhiat alealami; russian: Всемирная продовольствен ...
began distributing food set aside for victims of the
El Salvador Civil War The Salvadoran Civil War ( es, guerra civil de El Salvador) was a twelve year period of civil war in El Salvador that was fought between the government of El Salvador and the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN), a coalition or ...
. The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala provided $25,000 in aid for the country. Mexican authorities rushed to supply food and water to the homeless.


See also

* Other storms with the same name *
List of Category 2 Pacific hurricanes Category 2 is the fourth-highest classification on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale, and categorizes tropical cyclones with 1-minute maximum sustained winds between . Tropical cyclones that strengthen to Category 2 status and make ...
*
1959 Mexico hurricane The 1959 Mexico hurricane was the deadliest Pacific hurricane on record. First observed south of Mexico on October 23, the cyclone tracked northwestward. It intensified into a Category 3 hurricane on October 25 and reached Categor ...
– deadliest pacific hurricane on record, only ahead of Hurricane Paul.


References

{{1982 Pacific hurricane season buttons
Paul Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...
Paul 1982 Paul 1982 Paul 1982 Paul 1982 1982 meteorology 1982 in El Salvador
Paul Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...
Paul Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...