 Fico at its secondary peak intensity on July 14 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | July 9, 1978 |
| Extratropical | July 28, 1978 |
| Dissipated | July 31, 1978 |
| Category 4 major hurricane | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
| Highest winds | 140 mph (220 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | ≤955 mbar (hPa); ≤28.20 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | None |
| Damage | $200,000 (1978 USD) |
| Areas affected | Hawaii, Aleutian Islands |
| IBTrACS | |
Part of the 1978 Pacific hurricane season | |
Hurricane Fico was the longest-lived tropical cyclone of the 1978 Pacific hurricane season and became the longest-lasting Pacific hurricane on record, a record broken by Hurricane Tina fourteen years later. The sixth tropical storm, fourth hurricane, and third major hurricane, Fico developed from a tropical disturbance off the Pacific coast of Mexico on July 9. It moved northwestward and then westward, quickly reaching peak winds of 140 mph (230 km/h) on July 12. Moving nearly due westward, the intensity of Fico fluctuated from Category 1 to Category 4 status on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale for the following days, and it passed about 170 miles (270 km) south of Hawaii on July 20 with winds of 115 mph (185 km/h). Fico slowly weakened as it turned to the northwest over cooler waters, and became an extratropical cyclone on July 28 to the northeast of Midway Island.
Swells from Fico, combined with swells from a storm in the Southern Hemisphere, produced rough surf throughout the Hawaiian islands. The surf destroyed one house and resulted in considerable damage along the southern coast of the island of Hawaii. No deaths were reported, and damage totaled $200,000 (1978 USD, $619,000 2006 USD).[1]
- ^ The State of Hawaii Data Book (2000). "Geography and Environment of Hawaii" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2012-11-05. Retrieved 2006-12-10.