Hurricane Ekeka
| Category 3 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Hurricane Ekeka near peak intensity
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| Formed | January 28, 1992 |
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| Dissipated | February 8, 1992 |
| Highest winds |
1-minute sustained: 115 mph (185 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | ≤ 985 mbar (hPa); 29.09 inHg |
| Fatalities | None reported |
| Damage | Minimal |
| Areas affected | Marshall Islands, Chuuk |
| Part of the 1992 Pacific hurricane and typhoon seasons |
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Hurricane Ekeka was an unusual Pacific tropical cyclone that attained major hurricane status during the month of February. The first storm of the 1992 Pacific hurricane season, Ekeka developed on January 28 well to the south of Hawaii. It gradually intensified to reach major hurricane status on February 2, although it subsequently began to weaken due to unfavorable wind shear. It crossed the International Date Line as a weakened tropical storm, and shortly thereafter degraded to tropical depression status. Ekeka continued westward, passing through the Marshall Islands and later over Chuuk State, before dissipating on February 9 about 310 miles (500 km) off the north coast of Papua New Guinea. The storm did not cause any significant damage or deaths.
During the El Niño of 1991–92, as typical with other such events, the monsoon trough extended into the central north Pacific Ocean, which is the body of water between the International Date Line and 140°W. At the same time, sea surface temperatures near the equator were anomalously warm, and wind shear values were low. At the end of January, a large area of convection persisted for several days near the north side of the equator. By January 23, several ships reported squalls and strong southwesterly winds in the region. The Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) began monitoring the system on January 26, while it was located about 950 miles (1530 km) south of Ka Lae, the southernmost point in Hawaii. The disturbance organized further as it tracked westward, and on January 28 it developed into Tropical Depression One-C, located a short distance north of Kiritimati and east of Tabuaeran.
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