Tropical Storm Axel (1992)
{{Short description|Pacific tropical storm in 1992}}
{{good article}}
{{For|other storms of the same name|List of storms named Axel}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox weather event
| name = Severe Tropical Storm Axel
| image = Axel jan 9 1992 0343Z.jpg
| caption = Axel near peak intensity on January 9
| formed = January 4, 1992
| dissipated = January 15, 1992
}}{{Infobox weather event/JMA
| winds = 55
| pressure = 980
}}{{Infobox weather event/JTWC
| winds = 70
| pressure = 972
| basin = WPac
}}{{Infobox weather event/Effects
| year = 1992
| fatalities = None
| injuries = Unknown
| areas = Marshall Islands, Caroline Islands, Mariana Islands
}}{{Infobox weather event/Footer
| season = 1992 Pacific typhoon season
}}
Severe Tropical Storm Axel was a moderate tropical storm which affected the Marshall, Caroline, and Mariana islands in January 1992. The first tropical depression and storm of the 1992 Pacific typhoon season, Axel developed from a significant equatorial westerly wind burst east of New Guinea, alongside two other cyclones, Betsy and Mark, in the Southern Hemisphere, intensifying at an abnormally low latitude. By January 9, Axel had peaked as a high-end tropical storm, passing near Kosrae and Pingelap in the eastern Caroline Islands. Soon after, Axel began steadily weakening due to increased wind shear. As a result, just prior of passing south of Guam, Axel weakened into a tropical depression. Recurving northwards soon after, on January 15, Axel transitioned into an extratropical low, dissipating just a few hours later.
The worst cyclone to affect the Marshall Islands in over 70 years, Axel caused extensive damage, causing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide over $2 million in aid to more than 1,300 people. The storm destroyed airport runways, water reservoirs, crops, and vegetation, leaving many residents homeless. Majuro was severely impacted as high surf and flooding contaminated its primary water source and damaged infrastructure. Jaluit Atoll also suffered, with widespread flooding and destroyed sanitation facilities. In the eastern Caroline Islands, Axel caused significant crop loss and infrastructure damage, particularly to airstrips on Pingelap and Mokil atolls. The storm caused power outages and flooding on Pohnpei, but left Guam relatively unscathed as it weakened.
Meteorological history
{{Storm path|Axel 1992 track.png|colors=old}}
On January 2, stronger-than-normal low-level westerlies were observed east of New Guinea. As a result of these increased winds and an area of cloudiness, two areas of convection formed: the predecessor to Axel, which was north of the Equator, and the predecessor to Betsy, which was south of the Equator. The next day, both areas of convection were coalescing as the westerly winds died down.{{Cite report |url=https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/products/atcr/1992atcr.pdf |title=1992 Annual Tropical Cyclone Report |date=1993 |publisher=Joint Typhoon Warning Center |location=Guam, Mariana Islands |page=44-48 |access-date=August 24, 2024 |archive-date=September 15, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120915165323/http://www.usno.navy.mil/NOOC/nmfc-ph/RSS/jtwc/atcr/1992atcr.pdf |url-status=live }} As a result, on 12:00 UTC on January 4, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) noted that the northern area of convection had developed into a tropical depression.{{Cite report |title=RSMC Best Track Data – 1990–1999 |date= |url=https://www.jma.go.jp/jma/jma-eng/jma-center/rsmc-hp-pub-eg/Besttracks/bst9099.txt |access-date=August 24, 2024 |url-status= |publisher=Japan Meteorological Agency |location=Tokyo, Japan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723110113/https://www.jma.go.jp/jma/jma-eng/jma-center/rsmc-hp-pub-eg/Besttracks/bst9099.txt |archive-date=July 23, 2011}} This was at an abnormally low latitude, forming at 4.9°N.{{cite web|url=https://ncics.org/ibtracs/index.php?name=v04r01-1992003N03176|title=1992 Typhoon Axel (1992003N03176)|publisher=International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship|access-date=April 2, 2024|archive-date=August 24, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240824145713/https://ncics.org/ibtracs/index.php?name=v04r01-1992003N03176|url-status=live}} Several hours later, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), an American military organization, issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) on the depression, issuing their first warning on the cyclone later that day. Early on January 6, both the JTWC and JMA had noted that the tropical depression had intensified into a tropical storm, causing the former agency to name it Axel.
As a result of favorable upper-level divergence, Axel was able to significantly intensify, with the JMA noting that the cyclone had developed into a severe tropical storm the next day. Despite the JMA stating that Axel did not develop further until January 9, the JTWC noted that Axel had intensified into a typhoon just a few hours after being a tropical storm. Soon after, they noted that Axel had peaked with 1-minute sustained winds of {{cvt|55|knot|mph km/h|order=out|round=5}} while the JMA stated that Axel had peaked with 10-minute sustained winds of {{cvt|70|knot|mph km/h|order=out|round=5}}. However, on January 10, Axel tracked into an environment with high wind shear, causing it to weaken. As a result, three days later, both the JMA and JTWC noted that Axel had weakened into a tropical depression. Two days later, Axel had transitioned into a weak extratropical low, causing both agencies to stop tracking it.
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Preparations and impact
Majuro experienced peak wind gusts of {{cvt|46|knot|km/h mph|order=out}} as Axel passed {{convert|75|NM|km mi|order=out|abbr=on}} to the south. This coincided with high tide, causing a storm surge of {{cvt|13-16|ft|m|order=flip|abbr=on}}. This broke pipes and washed sand, coral rock, and debris onto the island, causing the Majuro's water supply to be contaminated. Almost {{cvt|10|in|mm|order=flip}} of rain from Axel fell in the island in a day. The worst typhoon to affect the Marshall Islands in over 70 years, waves produced by Axel flooded homes and cars while gusts amounting to {{Convert|100|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} destroyed scores of houses, submerging houses and cars in knee-deep water and leaving hundreds homeless.{{Cite web |last=Archives |first=L. A. Times |date=January 9, 1992 |title=Typhoon Batters Marshall Islands |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-01-09-mn-2045-story.html |access-date=August 24, 2024 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US |archive-date=August 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240824114305/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-01-09-mn-2045-story.html |url-status=live }} This caused many coral off the coast of the capital to be scoured, causing heavy coral debris alongside rubble to be seen in the island, including the Marshall Islands International Airport.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=41nwVeUmXBAC&dq=Tropical+Storm+Axel+%281992%29+-wikipedia&pg=PT39 |title=The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems of The United States and Pacific Freely Associated States: 2002 |date=2002 |publisher=U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service |language=en |access-date=August 27, 2024 |archive-date=September 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927192017/https://books.google.com/books?id=41nwVeUmXBAC&dq=Tropical+Storm+Axel+%281992%29+-wikipedia&pg=PT39#v=onepage&q=Tropical%20Storm%20Axel%20(1992)%20-wikipedia&f=false |url-status=live }} After passing Majuro, Axel passed across Jaluit Atoll, causing over {{cvt|4|ft|m|order=flip|abbr=on}} of water to cover most of the main
islands. As a result of Axel's winds, a majority of the outhouses were destroyed, resulting in serious health concerns for the islanders. Farther north, a weakening Axel affected Kwajalein Atoll and Guam, only producing near-gales.
In the eastern Caroline Islands, Kosrae experienced gusts of {{cvt|65-80|knot|km/h mph|order=out|abbr=on}} resulting in severe crop losses, damaged fauna, and several structures being destroyed. In nearby Pingelap and Mokil, the airstrips suffered significant damage, causing the runways to be closed for months afterward for repairs. Some wood and tin roofed structures were destroyed, and an estimated 50-60% of the small vegetation, such as bananas, were lost. As Axel passed just north of Pohnpei, the island’s electrical power was knocked out for several hours and many buildings in low-lying areas flooded. In those islands, a storm surge of fifteen feet was recorded, with a daily total of {{cvt|9.73|in|mm|order=flip}} of rain seen. In the Federated States of Micronesia, at least $1 million in damages occurred.
Aftermath
Following Axel's passage across the islands, the islands and atolls of Kili, Ailinglaplap, Arno, Jaluit, Majuro, Mili, Pohnpei, Kosrae, Mwoakilloa, and Pingelap were declared as disaster areas.{{cite book |title=Internal Revenue Bulletin |date=July 1992 |publisher=United States Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jOzLsUKQ4R8C&pg=RA25-PA12 |access-date=August 27, 2024 |archive-date=September 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927192018/https://books.google.com/books?id=jOzLsUKQ4R8C&pg=RA25-PA12#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }} The President of the United States at the time, George H. W. Bush, issued an Emergency Disaster Proclamation for the Marshall Islands due to Axel's extensive damage.{{cite book |title=Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations for 1993 - Hearings Before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, One Hundred Second Congress, Second Session |date=1992 |publisher=United States. Congress. House. Committee on Appropriations. Subcommittee on Department of the Interior and Related Agencies |isbn=978-0-16-038731-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0p4q84Mz9VkC&dq=%22typhoon+axel%22+1992&pg=PA858 |access-date=August 27, 2024 |archive-date=September 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927192138/https://books.google.com/books?id=0p4q84Mz9VkC&dq=%22typhoon+axel%22+1992&pg=PA858#v=onepage&q=%22typhoon%20axel%22%201992&f=false |url-status=live }} On February 11, around a month after Axel struck the islands, Bush authorized extra federal aid for portions of Micronesia to recover from Axel.{{Cite news |title=Funds for Typhoon DIsaster Authorized |url=https://evols.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/1f8276bc-5cc9-4c52-a65b-b6f50901f013/content |date=February 11, 1992 |pages=8 |access-date=August 24, 2024 |work=Marianas Variety |issue=94 |volume=20 |archive-date=August 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240824143852/https://evols.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/1f8276bc-5cc9-4c52-a65b-b6f50901f013/content |url-status=live }} In Majuro, a severe drought of freshwater occurred, causing many imported plants in the island to die off.{{cite web |last1=Velde |first1=Nancy Vander |title=THE VASCULAR PLANTS OF MAJURO ATOLL, REPUBLIC OF THE MARSHALL ISLANDS |url=https://repository.si.edu/bitstream/handle/10088/5922/00503.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |website=Smithsonian Library and Archives |publisher=DSpace Repository |page=8 |date=August 2003 |access-date=August 23, 2024 |archive-date=September 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927192016/https://repository.si.edu/bitstream/handle/10088/5922/00503.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |url-status=live }} Church humanitarian services from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints donated 1,000 pounds of clothing and 20 tents for people who had suffered during the storm.{{cite web |title=Global Histories - Marshall Islands - Places of Refuge |url=https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/global-histories/marshall-islands/stories-of-faith/mh-02-places-of-refuge?lang=eng |website=Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints |access-date=August 24, 2024 |archive-date=August 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240824141007/https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/global-histories/marshall-islands/stories-of-faith/mh-02-places-of-refuge?lang=eng |url-status=live }}
See also
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Axel (1992)}}
Category:1992 Pacific typhoon season
Category:Western Pacific severe tropical storms
Category:Typhoons in the Northern Mariana Islands
Category:Typhoons in the Federated States of Micronesia
Category:Typhoons in the Marshall Islands
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