Hurricane Boris (2008)

Hurricane Boris was a weak hurricane that followed an typical early summer path remaining far away from Cobo San Lucas. Boris was the second tropical storm and the first hurricane of the 2008 Pacific hurricane season. The Category 1 hurricane originated form a tropical wave that left Africa in mid-June. Entering the Eastern Pacific basin on June 22 and became a tropical cyclone five days later, With warm waters and low wind shear, its local area was conducive for development and slight strengthening occurred. At 8 a.m PDT (1500 UTC) Tropical Depression Two E was upgraded to Tropical Storm Boris. With warm waters and low wind shear, its local area was deemed to be conducive for development and slight strengthening was predicted. After holding steady for about 48 hours, Boris intensified to a strong tropical storm late on June 29, and to a hurricane on July 1. Boris held hurricane status for most of the day before briefly weakening to a tropical storm. Boris reached its peak the next day as an 80 mph hurricane. Shortly after its peak, Boris moved over cooler waters and began to weaken. Boris was downgraded to a tropical storm late on July 2, and continued to weaken to a tropical depression on July 3. It dissipated on July 4 over cool waters. The remnant low dissipated July 6 while crossing into the Central Pacific.

Meteorological history
Boris originated from a tropical wave that left Africa on June 14. The wave moved across the Atlantic in a week showing little signs for development. It entered the East Pacific basin and became a surface low the next day. Five days later, thunderstorm activity appeared and thus the National Hurricane Center classified the system as a tropical cyclone.

Upon becoming a tropical cyclone, the brand new Tropical Depression Two-E was over warm water, though only slight intensification was possible, even though forecast models predicted little change in intensity and then weakening. However, the cloud tops of the tropical depression became better organized around the center. Satellite estimates were of tropical storm force winds and thus the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Boris. Initially, Boris was under low to moderate wind shear which allowed for only slight strengthening. It was then anticipated that an upper level low in the Gulf of Mexico and cooler waters would weaken the system, Even though the shear would decrease soon. Despite this, the National Hurricane Center forecasted Boris to become a stronger tropical storm. Boris intensified rather quickly and attained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h) at 2100 UTC time (2 PM PST) as the tropical storm became more organized. Boris intensified slightly over the next six hours, despite little change in organization.

During the overnight hours, Boris became disorganized, as the center was somewhat separated from the deep convection and some experts thought that Boris had already peaked at 50 mph (85 km/h). However, in the final report it was noted Boris briefly intensified to winds of 60 mph (95 km/h), which defied the predictions from the tropical cyclone models. Increased wind shear postponed strengthening and thus it was forecasted to weaken slightly during the next 24 to 36 hours. However, the GDFL model forcasted Boris to become a hurricane.

Boris changed little in organization during the afternoon hours of June 28 and through the overnight hours. That morning Boris continued to get disorganized do to shear, and intensification was no longer forcasted by the National Hurricane Center. Although Boris was still getting torn apart by wind shear, it became better organized later that day. Around this time, some Global Computer Models predicted Boris to move eastbound and get absorbed by Tropical Storm Douglas. By the afternoon hours it seemed to be that Boris was beginning to weaken, however this did not occur.

Instead, Boris took advantage of the favorable conditions and it was a strong tropical storm in only three hours as an eye formed and winds of 70 mph (110 km/h). Boris remained well organized throughout the night and into the early morning hours of the 30th. Despite weakening slightly later that morning, the GDFL model forecasted Boris to reintensify before weakening. Boris's strength remained the same throughout the afternoon hours. However, Boris developed an eye that night and was forcasted to become a weak hurricane. This forecast held true and early on July 1, Boris became a hurricane. In re-analysis, data showed Boris became a hurricane six hours earlier.

Upon becoming a hurricane, its was noted that its eye became better defined. It also became possible that Boris could become an Annular hurricane, however this did not occur. It was also noted that Boris had been defying predictions. Boris was expected to weaken to a strong tropical storm soon, then weaken further in 24 hours. However, Boris slowed down its orgainzation during the afternoon, even though Boris still was a hurricane. Later that afternoon, Boris was downgraded to a tropical storm after its eye collapsed.

However, this was brief and Boris quickly intensified back into a hurricane. Initially, Boris remained a tropical storm, however, and Boris was not upgraded to a hurricane until early on July 2. At this time Boris attained peak winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) and a pressure of 985 millibars. The initial peak was slightly weaker, however. That morning, Boris was forcasted to possibly become a Category 2 hurricane in the next 24 hours before weakening, while other forecasted dissipation in 24 hours. At that time, Boris was 1943 kilometers or 1210 miles away from land. At this time, Boris was forecasted to weaken very shorty as it moved over colder waters. Boris was forecasted to dissipate in two to three days.

That afternoon, Boris began to weaken. In the evening it was no longer a hurricane. By the morning hours of June 3, Boris was only a moderate tropical storm. Boris continued to weaken and was downgraded to tropical depression status that day. Boris dissipated the next day as it had lost convection for 18 hours. The remnant low dissipated July 6 while crossing into the Central Pacific.

Impact
Since Boris remained out over open waters for the duration of its existence, there were no reports of impact on any land masses. The storm was never forecast to impact land, thus no tropical storm watches or warnings were issued. There were also no ship reports of sustained tropical storm-force winds.