Hurricane Rick (1997) - Meteorological History

Meteorological History

Hurricane Rick's ultimate origin was a tropical wave that left Africa on October 15. While crossing the Atlantic, the wave was mainly tracked by continuity due to its lack or organization. After entering the Pacific, part of it developed cloudiness on November 5 when it was south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec. Organization and a circulation developed, and satellite tracking began on November 6. The disturbance became better organized and formed into Tropical Depression Nineteen-E on November 7.

At first moving northwest, the depression was turned north by a trough. Around noon on November 8, when it was about 375 miles (604 km) southwest of Acapulco, the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Rick. The storm developed a cold central dense overcast, turned northeast, and became a hurricane on November 9. An eye appeared that day, accompanied by a well-center visible on Acapulco radar. The hurricane reached its peak intensity of 100 mph (160 km/h) and 973 mbar, making it a low-end Category 2 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale; However, some sources disagree, saying that Rick was a Category 3 major hurricane at its peak. After weakening to 85 mph (137 km/h), it made landfall on Oaxaca on November 10. Around the time of landfall, hurricane force winds extended 35 miles (56 km) and tropical storm force winds extended 115 miles (185 km) from the center, respectively. Rick continued to weaken while moving parallel to Mexico's coast along the Gulf of Tehuantepec before dissipating into a convectionless swirl of clouds over Chiapas on November 11.