Hurricane Fefa

Category 3 Pacific hurricane in 1991

Hurricane Fefa was the only tropical cyclone during the 1991 Pacific hurricane season to directly impact the Hawaiian Islands. The sixth tropical storm, fourth hurricane, and second major hurricane of the season, the storm developed from a tropical wave on July 29 about 975 mile (1569 km) south southeast of Cabo San Lucas. It moved west northwestward, and under generally favorable conditions it strengthened to attain peak winds of on August 2. Fefa turned to the west towards Hawaii, and slowly weakened until dissipating near the island of Hawaii. The system produced rough surf, moderate wind gusts, and locally heavy rainfall during its passage over Hawaii. No damages or deaths were reported. Two people were injured in the island of Hawaii due to lightning strikes from the storm.

A westward moving tropical wave exited the coast of Africa on July 17. It tracked across the unfavorable Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea without development, and after crossing Central America, it entered the eastern Pacific Ocean on July 25. The cloud pattern and convection began to become better organized on July 28, and shortly thereafter a mid level circulation developed. It continued to organize, and subsequent to the development of a low level circulation it formed into Tropical Depression Seven E while located about 975 mile (1569 km) south southeast of Cabo San Lucas on July 29. Operationally, tropical cyclone advisories were not initiated until visible satellite images confirmed the low level circulation twelve hours after the depression formed. Located over warm waters with fair upper level outflow, Fefa initially strengthened slowly; on the day after it became a tropical storm the center was located on the western edge of the deep convection. On July 31, convection began increasing over the center, and it is estimated it intensified into a hurricane later that day while located about 710 mile (1143 km) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. However, it quickly intensified after a large, ragged eye developed early on August 1. On August 2, the eye organized further, and Fefa strengthened to attain a peak intensity of while located about 940 mile (1513 km) west southwest of Cabo San Lucas. Fefa encountered cooler waters shortly after peaking in intensity, and subsequently began to weaken. The hurricane gradually weakened as it turned more to the west, a change in motion due to building high pressures to its north, and on August 3 the winds of Fefa dropped to

As Fefa turned more to the west, it paralleled the cooler waters, allowing the eye to remain distinct as the hurricane remained well organized. Despite moving over marginally warm sea surface temperatures and becoming involved with the Stratocumulus cloud field to its north, the hurricane restrengthened on August 4 to reach a secondary peak intensity of while located about east southeast of Hilo, Hawai'i. After maintaining winds for about 18 hours, Fefa weakened slightly due to increasing wind shear from a cold core trough as it entered the Central Pacific Hurricane Center area of responsibility. As the shear increased, the cyclone weakened more rapidly, and on August 6 it weakened to a tropical storm while located about 650 mile (1046 km) east of the island of Hawaii.

The prolonged westward track of Hurricane Fefa produced swells of up to 15 feet (5 m) in height. The swells hit eastward facing beaches along the island of Hawaii. The swells washed debris and sea water onto coastal roads near Punaluu Black Sand Beach, resulting in the roads being closed following the storm. Despite being a weak tropical depression and a tropical wave while moving through the Hawaiian Islands, Fefa produced locally strong wind gusts of up to in the islands of Hawaii and Maui. Even so, the name was retired by the World Meteorological Organization in the spring of 1992 from future use in the eastern Pacific. It was replaced with Felicia for the 1997 season.