Hurricane Trudy intensified to a major hurricane on Thursday night as it moved over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean south of Mexico. At 8:00 a.m. EDT on Friday the center of Hurricane Trudy was located at latitude 14.5°N and longitude 102.5°W which put the center about 240 miles (385 km) southwest of Acapulco, Mexico. Trudy was moving toward the northwest at 6 m.p.h. (15 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 120 m.p.h. (195 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 140 m.p.h. (225 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 956 mb.
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for the portion of the coast from Punta San Telmo to Cabo Corrientes, Mexico.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the portion of the coast from Manzanillo to Zihuatanejo, Mexico.
Hurricane Trudy intensified to a major hurricane on Thursday night.
A circular eye with a diameter of 17 miles (28 km) was at the center of Hurricane Trudy. The eye was surrounded by a ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Trudy’s circulation. Storms near the core of Trudy generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane. The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease.
Winds to hurricane force extended out 30 miles (50 km) from the center of Hurricane Trudy. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 140 miles (225 km) from the center of Trudy’ circulation.
The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Hurricane Trudy is 22.1. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) is 20.3 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) is 42.4. Hurricane Trudy is similar in intensity to Hurricane Milton when Milton hit Florida in 2024. Trudy is not quite as large as Milton was.
Hurricane Trudy will move through an environment that will be favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Trudy will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30°C. It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. Hurricane Trudy will intensify during the next 24 hours.
Hurricane Trudy will move around the western side of a high pressure system that is over Mexico. The high pressure system will steer Trudy toward the northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Trudy will move closer to the coast of southwestern Mexico.
Elsewhere over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Simon was weakening south of Baja California. At 5:00 a.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Simon was located at latitude 20.0°N and longitude 108.8°W which put the center about 210 miles (335 km) south-southeast of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Simon was moving toward the northwest at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1002 mb.