Tag Archives: Oaxaca

Hurricane Agatha Rapidly Intensifies to Cat. 2

Hurricane Agatha rapidly intensified to Category 2 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean south of Mexico on Sunday afternoon. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Hurricane Agatha was located at latitude 14.1°N and longitude 98.7°W which put it about 185 miles (290 km) southwest of Puerto Angel, Mexico. Agatha was moving toward the northeast at 1 m.p.h. (2 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 110 m.p.h. (175 km/h) and and there were wind gusts to 130 m.p.h. (210 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 964 mb.

A Hurricane Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Salina Cruz to Lagunas de Chacahua, Mexico. A Hurricane Watch was in effect for the portion of the coast from Salina Cruz to Barra de Tonala. Tropical Storm Warnings were in effect for the portions of the coast from Lagunas de Chacahua to Punta Maldonado and from Salina Cruz to Boca de Pijijiapan, Mexico.

A U.S. Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter reconnaissance plane found that Hurricane Agatha had rapidly intensified to a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale on Sunday afternoon. A small circular eye formed at the center of Hurricane Agatha. The eye was surrounded by a ring of strong thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Hurricane Agatha. Storms near the core generated strong upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane.

The circulation around Hurricane Agatha was small. Winds to hurricane force extended out 20 miles (30 km) from the center of Agatha’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 115 miles (175 km) from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Hurricane Agatha was 19.2. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 7.2 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 26.4.

Hurricane Agatha will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 18 hours. Agatha will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30˚C. It will move under the center of an upper level ridge over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean. The upper level winds are weak near the center of the ridge and there will be little vertical wind shear. Hurricane Agatha is likely to intensify during the next 18 hours. An upper level trough over Baja California will approach Hurricane Agatha on Monday. The upper level trough will produce westerly winds that will blow toward the top of Agatha’s circulation. Those winds will cause the vertical wind shear to increase. More wind shear will make the environment less favorable for intensification.

Hurricane Agatha will move around the northwestern part of a high pressure system over Central America and the Eastern North Pacific Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Agatha toward the northeast on Sunday night. The upper level trough over Baja California will steer Agatha toward the northeast more quickly on Monday. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Agatha will move approach the coast of Mexico near Puerto Escondido and Puerto Angel during the middle of Monday. Agatha could be a major hurricane when it nears the coast of Mexico. Hurricane Agatha will bring strong winds and locally heavy rain to Oaxaca. Heavy rain is likely to cause flash floods in some locations. Agatha could produce a storm surge of ten feet (three meters) along portions of the coast of Oaxaca. Hurricane Agatha could cause localized major damage.

Agatha Strengthens to a Hurricane South of Mexico

Former Tropical Storm Agatha strengthened to a hurricane over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean south of Mexico on Sunday morning. At 8:00 a.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Hurricane Agatha was located at latitude 14.1°N and longitude 99.0°W which put it about 200 miles (320 km) west-southwest of Puerto Angel, Mexico. Agatha was moving toward the north-northwest at 3 m.p.h. (5 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and and there were wind gusts to 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 987 mb.

A Hurricane Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Salina Cruz to Lagunas de Chacahua, Mexico. A Hurricane Watch was in effect for the portion of the coast from Salina Cruz to Barra de Tonala. Tropical Storm Warnings were in effect for the portions of the coast from Lagunas de Chacahua to Punta Maldonado and from Salina Cruz to Boca de Pijijiapan, Mexico.

The center of circulation at the surface of former Tropical Storm Agatha moved under the center of circulation in the middle troposphere early on Sunday. The improved vertical structure allowed Agatha to strengthen to a hurricane. Microwave satellite images indicated that a small eye was forming at the center of Hurricane Agatha. The developing eye was surrounded by a broken ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were in the southern and eastern parts of Agatha’s circulation. Bands in the northwestern part of Hurricane Agatha consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Storms near the center of Agatha generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane. Winds to hurricane force extended out 20 miles (30 km) from the center of Agatha. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 80 miles (130 km) from the center of circulation.

Hurricane Agatha will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Agatha will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30˚C. It will move under the center of an upper level ridge over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean. The upper level winds are weak near the center of the ridge and there will be little vertical wind shear. Hurricane Agatha will intensify during the next 24 hours. Agatha could undergo a period of rapid intensification once an inner core with an eye and an eyewall develop fully. An upper level trough over Baja California will approach Hurricane Agatha on Monday. The upper level trough will produce westerly winds that will blow toward the top of Agatha’s circulation. Those winds will cause the vertical wind shear to increase. More wind shear will make the environment less favorable for intensification.

Hurricane Agatha will move around the western part of a high pressure system over Central America and the Eastern North Pacific Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Agatha toward the north during the next few hours. Agatha will move toward the northeast on Sunday night when it moves around the northwestern part of the high pressure system. The upper level trough over Baja California will steer Agatha toward the northeast more quickly on Monday. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Agatha will move approach the coast of Mexico near Puerto Escondido and Puerto Angel during the middle of Monday. There is a chance Agatha could be a major hurricane when it nears the coast of Mexico. Hurricane Agatha will bring strong winds and locally heavy rain to Oaxaca. Heavy rain is likely to cause flash floods in some locations. Agatha could produce a storm surge of seven feet (two meters) along portions of the coast of Oaxaca.

Tropical Low Pressure System Will Drop Heavy Rain on Southern Mexico

A tropical low pressure system designated Potential Tropical Cyclone Seventeen-E by the National Hurricane Center will drop heavy rain on parts of southern Mexico.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Potential Tropical Cyclone Seventeen-E was located at latitude 13.7°N and longitude 93.4°W which put it about 210 miles (340 km) southeast of Salina Cruz, Mexico.  It was moving toward the west-northwest at 10 m.p.h. (16 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was1005 mb.

The government of Mexico issued a Tropical Storm Watch for the portion of the coast from Barra de Tonala to Puerto Escondido.

A large low pressure system moved slowly from the western Caribbean Sea into the extreme Eastern North Pacific Ocean west of Guatemala during the past few days.  The low pressure system dropped heavy rain over parts of Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Belize.  Several smaller centers of circulation developed within the larger low pressure system on Tuesday.  More thunderstorms developed around one of the smaller centers west of Guatemala on Tuesday evening and the sustained wind speed increased to 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h).  Some bands of showers and thunderstorms were beginning to develop around the low pressure system.  A potential primary rainband appeared to be wrapping around the western and southern portions of the center of circulation.

The low pressure system will move through an environment favorable for some intensification on Wednesday.  The low will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 29.5°C.  An upper level high over the eastern Gulf of Mexico will produce northeasterly winds which will blow toward the top of the low pressure system.  Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear which will inhibit intensification.  The low pressure system will be close to the coast of Mexico, which will also limit intensification.  The low pressure system could intensify while the center is over the warm water.  It is forecast to become a tropical storm on Wednesday, which is why the Tropical Storm Watch was issued.

A high pressure system over the eastern Gulf of Mexico and northwestern Caribbean Sea will steer Potential Tropical Cyclone Seventeen-E toward the northwest during the next several days.  On its anticipated track the low pressure system could make landfall on the coast of Mexico between Barra de Tonala and Puerto Escondido within 24 hours.  It will bring gusty winds to that portion of the coast.  The low pressure system will drop heavy rain on parts of Chiapas and Oaxaca.  It could cause flash floods in some locations.