Hurricane Rick (1985)

Hurricane Rick

Category 4 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS)
Hurricane Rick near peak intensity
Formed	September 1, 1985
Dissipated	September 12, 1985
Highest winds	1-minute sustained: 145 mph (230 km/h)
Lowest pressure	951 mbar (hPa); 28.08 inHg
Fatalities	None
Damage	Minimal
Areas affected	Hawaii
Part of the 1985 Pacific hurricane season

Hurricane Rick was a very powerful hurricane that threatened Hawaii during September 1985. Rick originated from a tropical wave moved slowly westward over the warm waters south of Salina Cruz. Moving westward, the EPHC upgraded the low into a tropical depression on 0000 UTC September 1. The depression was upgraded into Tropical Storm Rick midday on September 2. Initially, further intensification was slow to occur; the storm did not attain hurricane status until September 7, nearly a week after it first formed. After becoming a hurricane, Rick began to intensify more rapidly. Early the next day, the EPHC re-assessed the intensity of Rick to Category 4 status. Shortly thereafter, Rick reached its peak intensity of 145 mph (230 km/h). A weakening trend commenced on September 10; Hurricane Rick began to rapidly deteriorate while turning northwest. Within a few hours, the storm had weakened considerably. By September 11, Tropical Storm Rick merged with a trough. Early forecasts noted uncertainty in the storm's path; the hurricane approached the Hawaiian island group, coming close enough to require a high surf advisory. Even though Hurricane Rick turned north sooner than Pauline, the surf did rise slightly.

Hurricane Rick originated from a tropical wave that moved slowly westward south of Salina Cruz. Despite warm waters, the wave was slow to develop due to strong vertical wind shear in the vicinity of the system. It moved westward because a strong ridge that extended from the Hawaiian Islands to the Southwestern United States was north of the disturbance. Satellite imagery indicated that the thunderstorm activity had increased in the vicinity of the wave on August 31. A surface circulation began to form; subsequently, the Eastern Pacific Hurricane Center (EPHC) upgraded the low into Tropical Depression Eighteen at 0000 UTC on September 1. The depression continued west, and was upgraded into Tropical Storm Rick midday on September 2. Initially expected to turn north and approach the Baja California Peninsula, the system briefly slowed and turned southwest while the ridge dough southward, but the storm resumed a westerly course on September 4. Despite being situated over warm waters and in a low wind shear environment, further intensification was initially slow to occur since Rick was 800 mi (1,285 km) east of Hurricane Pauline. Rick did not attain hurricane status until the evening hours of September 6 while located over 1,000 mi (1,610 km) west-southwest of Cabo San Lucas.