User:Yellow Evan/Pauline

Hurricane Pauline threatened Hawaii in early September 1985. Hurricane Pauline caused heavy surf along the Big Island, which washed debris up onto roads. There was no damage reported. It threatened the islands enough to prompt a hurricane watch being issued, but the hurricane turned away.

Meteorological history
A westward moving small area of thunderstorm activty become the 17th cyclone of the season. Turning southwest between an upper-level high over Baja California and a low near the southern coast of Mexico, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Pauline Over the next couple of day, the cyclone turned west, and then west-northwest. Slowly strengthening despite underneath warm waters, Pauline attained hurricane intensity on September 7. Subsequently, Pauline turned towards the south while its forward speed increased. After peaking in intensity as a moderate Category 1 hurricane, the system crossed into the CPHC's area of responsibility.

It remained at hurricane intensity for three days. Shortly thereafter, Pauline began to weaken and turn northwest away from Hawaii. A trough moving southeast toward the hurricane caused it to veer to the north into an environment of strong wind shear. The result was rapid weakening of low level circulation. Hurricane Pauline was downgraded to a tropical storm late on September 8 and a tropical depression well north of the islands the next day. Pauline ceased to exist as a tropical cyclone by late on September 9. However, the remnants of Pauline moved northwest into an area of low pressure of of the Gulf of Alaska. A recognizable circulation in the low level flow was visible for several days as it drifted westward far to the north of the Islands.

Preparations and impact
Hurricane Pauline threatened the islands enough to prompt a hurricane watch being issued on September 6. Around this time, officials drew plans to evacuate coastal residents and 100,000 people were asked to make emergency preparations. Instead, Pauline turned away from the islands and the watch was cancelled. However, Pauline did cause high surf along the east facing shores of all the Islands. 10 ft to 15 ft surf was measured along the Big Island, Puna, and Kau coastlines. As a result, some roads were temporarily closed due to washed debris. There was no damage reported.