Hurricane Dot (1959)

On July 24, the SS Pacificus encountered a storm with maximum sustained winds meeting the threshold of tropical storm status roughly west of the Baja California Peninsula. Tracking west-northwestward, the tropical storm peaked with winds reported at 65 mph (105 km/h) shortly after its discovery; however, the JTWC discontinued its monitoring of the cyclone on July 27 due to a lack of ship reports confirming the location of the tropical storm. At 1800 UTC on August 1, an unidentified ship roughly 950 mi (1,550 km) southeast of Hilo, Hawaii reported 70 mph (110 km/h) winds within a storm, prompting the JTWC to initiate advisories on Tropical Storm Dot. Despite an apparent correlation between Dot and the preceding unnamed tropical cyclone, the lack of ship reports between July 27 and August 1 prevented the agency from confirming that the two systems were the same. Rapid intensification continued, and at 0000 UTC on August 3, reconnaissance aircraft found winds of 150 mph (240 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 952 mbar (hPa; 28.11 inHg), making Dot a Category 4 hurricane on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. Later analysis indicated that these figures constituted the hurricane's peak intensity. After peaking, Dot slightly weakened, but maintained its Category 4 status for more than two days; during that time it boasted an unusually large eye spanning as much as 40 mi (65 km) in diameter. Late on August 4, a fourth reconnaissance flight into the storm found surface winds of 160 mph (260 km/h), but this reading was discounted on the basis that pressures were unusually high for a storm of that intensity. On August 5, Dot passed 90 mi (145 km) south of Ka Lae before the storm curved sharply towards the northwest late that day. A more definite weakening phase began after this point, and during the night of August 6, Dot made landfall on Kauai with winds estimated at 85 mph (140 km/h), making the storm a Category 1-equivalent at the time of landfall. After traversing the island, Dot was downgraded to tropical storm intensity and curved back to the west, before eventually dissipating on August 8. ==Preparations, impact, and aftermath==

On August 3, the United States Weather Bureau issued a hurricane watch for coastal areas of the Big Island in Kau and Puna districts. As Dot swept by the Hawaiian islands, various gale warnings and small craft warnings shifted westward to reflect the hurricane's predicted path. Due to the storm's sudden northward shift in movement, hurricane warnings were issued for portions of Oahu and the Kauai channel before being issued for only the island of Kauai. All watches and warnings were discontinued on August 7 after Dot weakened below hurricane intensity. Disaster workers in Oahu and Kauai were warned by civil defense agencies and the American Red Cross to prepare for emergency. Roughly 400 people fled from the beaches of Kauai due to the threat of storm surge, with an additional 500 people being evacuated by authorities as the storm neared the island. Passing well to the south of the Big Island, Lanai, Maui, Molokai, and Oahu, damage from Dot on these islands was minor. Rainfall on the Big Island peaking at caused localized flooding in some areas, while wave damage occurred at Ka Lae and along the island's Kona coast. Damage on the Hawaiian islands outside of Kauai was estimated at $150,000. Pineapple plantations were inundated, with losses exceeding US$200,000. Infrastructure damage as a result of wave action was spotty but nonetheless amounted to US$100,000. The heavy rainfall caused rivers and streams to swell and inundate adjacent areas. With the exception of emergency radio transmitters, telecommunications on Kauai failed. The damage toll from Dot for the entirety of Hawaii totaled US$6 million, making the hurricane the costliest in Hawaiian history before it was surpassed by hurricanes Iwa, Iniki and Iselle in 1982, 1992 and 2014, respectively. Adjusted for inflation, Dot's damage figure nears US$50 million. Due to the damage wrought by Dot on Kauai, the island was declared a major disaster area. Stepping in for governor William F. Quinn, Hawaiian secretary Edward E. Johnston declared a state of emergency for Hawaii and allocated funds towards the repairing of roads and public property. The United States Weather Bureau awarded the SS Sonoma a public service award on October 7, 1959 for serving as reconnaissance for Hurricane Dot throughout its existence. ==See also==