2019 Lucarius Pacific Hurricane Season

The 2019 Lucarius Pacific Cyclone Season is an ongoing event in the annual cycle of Tropical Cyclone formation in the Lucarius Pacific Ocean. The season runs year round in 2019 despite most systems forming between the months of May throughout November. The season became the 3rd consecutive to have it's first named storm in the month of January and became the first season since 2012 to feature a Tropical Cyclone in that month. The season had it's first Intense Tropical Cyclone in April with Cyclone Catalina.

Names are assigned to systems that have reached 1-minute sustained winds of 40 mph by the Lucarius Cyclonic Agency (LCA). Storms that enter an area surrounding the Hawaiian Islands are given a second name, surrounded by parenthesis in this article. Tropical Depressions being monitored by the LCA are given a prefix of "L" and a suffix of P.

Subtropical Cyclone Palkia
Main Article: Cyclone PalkiaOn January 2, an upper level low branched off a deteriorating Extratropical Cyclone. It began to acquire Subtropical characteristics and was designated Subtropical Storm Palkia on January 3, south of Alaska. With abnormally favorable conditions, the system began strengthening as it moved ENE, while gradually travelling more to the North. The same Extratropical Cyclone began to interact with a Storm Complex over Alaska, causing Palkia to slow movement. During this, Palkia became a Category 1 Subtropical Cyclone. Shortly after, the Cyclone made an abrupt turn West and barreled towards Alaska. It soon made landfall at peak intensity of 85 mph with a pressure of 980 mbar. An intermediate advisory 3 hours later said that that the storm had transitioned to a Subpolar Cyclone and handed the HTMC advisories on Palkia on January 9.

Severe Tropical Storm Pichu
On February 8, a Tropical Wave moved off the coast of Africa. It entered the Eastern Lucarius Pacific on February 16, as it was highlighted for possible development. The wave began to interact with an incoming Monsoon chain, producing adequate convection especially with the presence of the LRO. The storm gradually coalesced into Tropical Depression L-One-E on February 20. Initial forecasts were split due to the presence of the LRO's convective cyclonic nature spouting Dry Air into surrounding areas. However, the system managed to wash out the Dry Air as it was named Pichu the next day. The storm continued on a West track while nearing the Mexican-Amos Islands. Pichu peaked on February 25 at 60 mph and 992 mbar. Due to an uptick in shear, the storm began to weaken from there forward. A Subtropical Ridge to the Northeast began to take the storm on a more northward track. Pichu was downgraded to a Tropical Depression, late February 27 while making landfall on the northernmost Mexican-Amos Island. Later the next day, it was declared a Remnant Low. It's remnants were reported to have drifted Northeast only to have been contributed to the Bomb Cyclone; Winter Storm Ulmer. Damages were reported to have been minimal and no fatalities were present.

Severe Tropical Storm Dialga
A Monsoon Trough, accompanied by a large cyclone like gyre was highlighted for possible development on February 19. Over the course of the next day, the storm began to enter the LCA's area of responsibility. Late on February 22, it was declared as Potential Tropical Storm L-Two-C, only lacking an evident complete circulation. On February 23, it presented a circulation which resulted in the name Dialga. It began a Southward motion as a result of a High Pressure system to it's Northeast over Hawaii. Despite favorable conditions of around 29-30C(84.2-86.0F) SSTs and minimal shear, strengthening was slow due to the large size and influence of the monsoonal band. It peaked on February 24 at 55 mph and 991 mbar. It held this intensity for 18 hours before showing signs of weakening, due to the lack of Cyclonic Vorcity near the Equator. Weakening accelerated, as did the storm's movement. The LCA noted that the storm could cross the Equator and regenerate in the LAUS region over the course of the next few days. Dialga detached from it's monsoonal band before being declared a Remnant Low on February 27. It would cross the equator that night.

Subtropical Depression Five
An Extratropical Cyclone began interacting with an Upper-Level Low before acquiring Subtropical characteristics on March 11. The next day it was designated as Subtropical Depression Two. The possibility to gain Gale Force winds was present before the system moved over unfavorable conditions to the North. The Depression stalled over the course of March 12 before accelerating North. It attained peak intensity of 35 mph and 1006 mbar on March 14 before becoming Extratropical that afternoon.

Tropical Cyclone Popplio
Main Article: Cyclone PopplioOn April 14, a gyre like area of disturbed weather began to interact with a monsoonal type system of Nicaragua. The two produced a mass of convective activity that produced twin circulations. The two broke off and one died over Cuba on April 17. The second of which would move west and develop into a Tropical Depression. At 12:00 am MDT on April 17, it was named Popplio by the LCA as it had attained Gale force winds. A very brief period of rapid intensification occured, signified by deep convection and a present outflow. It was only 24 hours after naming in which it became the 2nd Cyclone of the season to reach Tropical Cyclone status of 70 mph or higher. However, the storm’s intensification was suppressed thought to be due to decreasing proximity to land. Despite this, Popplio continued gradual intensification until it’s first landfall at an initial peak intensity of 95 mph. Forecasts predicted this to cause weakening of around 15 mph. Instead, the storm sustained Category 2 status and only weakened to 90 mph. Popplio resurfaced and stalled as most storms in this area do. Conflicting conditions of Dry Air and Abnormally warm Sea Surface Temperatures caused moderate strengthening to a peak intensity of 100 mph and 967 mbar. Shortly after, Popplio would be the 7th Cyclone in the past 4 years to make landfall in Colima at Tropical Cyclone status. Steady weakening ensued despite it holding as a Tropical system for 2 whole days over the mountainous terrain of Mexico. On April 24, the cyclone lost most of it’s convection and it’s circulation became very partial, subsequently being classified as a Remnant Low as a result. The Douglas Hurricane Center(DHC) tracked the remnants for over 24 hours for possible redevelopment. However a combination of jigh wind shear and a frontal system caused Popplio’s demise on April 26.

Intense Tropical Cyclone Catalina
On April 18, a Tropical Wave-like feature South of Baja California Sur began to develop convection and quickly organized into a Tropical Depression on April 20. The system would receive the name Catalina as a result of attaining Gale Force winds. Westward movement ensued, accompanied by a steady strengthening.trend. Early on April 26, Catalina reached Tropical Cyclone status and began to move slightly slower resulting in a short phase of Rapid Intensification from Category 1 to Category 3 status in 18 hours. However, Catalina would begin to falter as a result of 2 subsequent eyewall replacement cycles, causing intensity fluctuations between Categories 2 and 3 on the Lucarius Cyclonic Classification Scale. Finally, Catalina reached a peak intensity of 115 mph and 961 mbar on April 29 while simultaneously switching to a Northward direction. Lower Sea Surface Temperatures and Higher Wind Shear caused gradual weakening starting on April 30 and on May 3, the Cyclone would complete an Extratropical Transition. No damages or fatalities were observed.

Severe Tropical Storm Incineroar
On April 16, a Monsoonal Disturbance began to develop south of Mexico while moving on a generally westward path. The system began to decelerate and a broad area of low pressure formed, accompanied by a marginally well-defined center of circulation causing the designation of a Tropical Depression on April 24, being named Incineroar the same day. The system would begin to strengthen steadily before crossing 155W, therefore recieving a second name; Cosmog. On April 29, Incineroar reached peak intensity of 55 mph and a minimum central pressure of 996. Shortly after, an uptick in wind shear caused deterioration of the storm and subsequently being labeled as a Remnant Low on May 1.

Tropical Cyclone Cece
On April 28, an area of disturbed weather began to develop well Southeast of Hawaii. A reconnaissance plane found a complete circulation accompanied by a surface low, causing the eventual designation of Tropical Depression L-Nine-P on May 1. 12 hours following, the storm achieved gale force winds within the bounds of 155 and 180W, causing the designation of two names; Cece and Necrozma. Cece continued a Northwestward path throughout the next week; strengthening to Severe Tropical Storm status on May 7 before slowing and achieving Tropical Cyclone status on May 10. The cyclone began a North-northeastward motion causing Tropical Cyclone Warnings for several of the Hawaiian Islands. Subsequently, Cece made a landfall in O'ahu on May 12 at peak intensity of 80 mph and 983 mbar. Influence from a front caused the storm to accelerate. A combination of this and more hostile conditions caused weakening before completing an Extratropical transition on May 16. Damages were totalled to $2.31 million(2019 USD). A death toll of of 4 was reported, all of which in O'ahu.

Intense Tropical Cyclone Pia
Main Article: Cyclone Pia

Intense Tropical Cyclone Armaldo
Main Article: Cyclone Armaldo

Other Systems
A frontal system deteriorated over the Western United States on March 10. It was classified as Invest L93P and tracked for a few days for potential development of Tropical or Subtropical Cyclogenesis in the Northeastern Lucarius Pacific. The invest did attain gale force winds despite only maintaining a loosely held circulation and moderate convection. It was accompanied by a a closed low pressure area for 3-6 hours. Shortly thereafter; the cyclone became attached to a frontal system on March 14, the same one that absorbed Subtropical Depression Four 2 days earlier.

On May 28, the remnants of Tropical Storm Bob were tracked for regeneration over the California Peninsula. The remnants split into two areas of convection, the first would develop into Cyclone Armaldo in the next week or so. The second of which resurfaced over the California Peninsula. Interaction with the dominant area of convection caused weakening of convective activity and moved it North. A circulation appeared on June 2 despite this despite not attaining gale force winds. The next day, the convection was sheared away and the loosely held circulation was last identified over Southern Arizona on June 3.

An extratropical cyclone crossed the International Date line on June 30. The cyclone deteriorated and branched off in two. The first and dominant of which that came from the frontal boundary developed into Subtropical Storm Mazin on July 2. The second ended up moving northeast. It was not designated as an Invest for potential development. Despite this, the cyclone gained 35 mph winds and a loosely held circulation associated with convection(despite being minimal)and a closed Low Pressure area on July 1. It peaked around 35 mph and 1012 mbar before moving over Alaska and transitioning into a frontal system on July 3.