Tropical Storm Priscilla's Short Life

Priscilla skipped the depression phase and went from a low pressure area to a full-blown tropical storm at 5 a.m. EDT/0900 UTC on Oct. 14. Priscilla formed near 14.3 north and 115.7 west, about 705 miles/1,135 km southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. Priscilla moved north-northeast and had maximum sustained winds near 40 mph/65 kph at birth.

On Oct. 15 Priscilla had already weakened to a depression because of wind shear and the arrival of more stable air into the environment around the tropical storm.

At 5 p.m. EDT/2100 UTC, Priscilla's maximum sustained winds dropped to 35 mph/55 kph. The center of tropical depression Priscilla was located near latitude 17.7 north and longitude 117.5, about 610 miles/980 km southwest of the southern tip of Baja California

Priscilla was moving toward the west-northwest near 8 mph/13 kph and this general motion is expected to continue through Oct. 16.

A GOES-West satellite visible image on Oct. 15 at 2215 UTC/6:15 p.m. EDT that showed the bulk of precipitation west of the center from wind shear.

By Oct. 17, Priscilla was a post-tropical cyclone. The last bulletin issued by the National Hurricane Center pinpointed the center near 18.7 north and 120.9 west, about 765 miles west-southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The post-tropical cyclone was fading fast as sustained winds dropped to 25 knots/28.7 mph/46.3 kph. The National Hurricane Center noted at 0300 UTC on Oct. 17/11 p.m. EDT Oct. 16, that Priscilla ceased to qualify as a tropical cyclone.

Text credit: Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center