Tag Archives: Michoacan

Hurricane Rick Moves Toward Mexico

Hurricane Rick moved slowly toward the west coast of Mexico on Sunday afternoon. At 2:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Hurricane Rick was located at latitude 16.4°N and longitude 101.7°W which put it about 85 miles (135 km) south of Zihuatenajo, Mexico. Rick was moving toward the north at 6 m.p.h. (10 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 85 m.p.h. (135 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 980 mb.

A Hurricane Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Tecpan De Galeana to Punta San Telmo, Mexico. Tropical Storm Warnings were in effect for the portions of the coast from Punta San Telmo to Manzanillo and from Tecpan de Galeana to Acapulco, Mexico.

The intensity of Hurricane Rick was steady during the past few hours. The inner core of Rick’s circulation was not as well organized as it was on Saturday afternoon. There were breaks in the ring of thunderstorms surrounding the center of Hurricane Rick. Storms near the center of circulation continued to generate upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane. Bands of showers and thunderstorms revolved around the center of Rick. The circulation around Hurricane Rick was small. Winds to hurricane force extended out 15 miles (25 km) from the center of Rick. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 60 miles (95 km) from the center of circulation.

Hurricane Rick will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 12 hours. Rick 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 Rick could intensify during the next 12 hours. However, the less organized core of Rick will limit intensification. An upper level trough near the west coast of the U.S. will produce strong southwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Rick’s circulation on Monday. Those winds will cause vertical wind shear and the shear could cause Hurricane Rick to weaken as it nears the coast of Mexico.

Hurricane Rick will move around the western part of a high pressure system over Mexico during the next 24 hours. A large upper level trough near the west coast of the U.S. will cause the high pressure system to weaken. As the high pressure system weakens, the southern part of the upper level trough will steer Rick toward the north. On its anticipated track Hurricane Rick could make landfall on the west coast of Mexico on Sunday night. Hurricane Rick will bring strong winds and locally heavy rain to the portion of the coast near Zihuatanejo. Heavy rain could cause flash floods in parts of Guerrero and Michoacan on Sunday night and Monday.

Rick Rapidly Intensifies to a Hurricane South of Mexico

Former Tropical Storm Rick rapidly intensified to a hurricane south of Mexico early on Saturday. At 8:00 a.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Hurricane Rick was located at latitude 14.3°N and longitude 101.5°W which put it about 235 miles (380 km) south of Zihuatenajo, Mexico. Rick was moving toward the north-northwest at 6 m.p.h. (10 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 990 mb.

A Hurricane Watch was in effect for the portion of the coast from Tecpan De Galeana to Punta San Telmo, Mexico. Tropical Storm Watches were in effect for the portions of the coast from Punta San Telmo to Manzanillo and from Tecpan de Galeana to Acapulco, Mexico.

Former Tropical Storm Rick intensified rapidly during Friday night and it strengthened to a hurricane early on Saturday. A small eye formed at the center of Hurricane Rick. 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 Rick’s circulation. Storms near the core generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane. The removal of mass allowed the surface pressure to decrease quickly. The circulation around Hurricane Rick was small. Winds to hurricane force extended out 15 miles (25 km) from the center of Rick. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 60 miles (95 km) from the center of circulation.

Hurricane Rick will move through an environment very favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Rick 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 Rick will likely continue to intensify rapidly during the next 24 hours. Rick could strengthen to a major hurricane on Sunday.

Hurricane Rick will move around the western part of a high pressure system over Mexico during the next 24 hours. A large upper level trough approaching the west coast of the U.S. will cause the high pressure system to weaken during the weekend. As the high pressure system weakens, the southern part of the upper level trough will steer Rick toward the north. On its anticipated track Hurricane Rick could approach the west coast of Mexico by later on Sunday. Rick could be a major hurricane when it approaches the coast of Mexico. The Hurricane and Tropical Storm Watches are likely to be changed to warnings later today. Hurricane Rick could bring strong winds and heavy rain to Guerrero and Michoacan on Sunday night and Monday.

Enrique Strengthens to a Hurricane

Former Tropical Storm Enrique strengthened to a hurricane south of Mexico on Saturday morning. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Hurricane Enrique was located at latitude 17.1°N and longitude 105.3°W which put it about 230 miles (370 km) south of Cabo Corrietnes, Mexico. Enrique was moving toward the west-northwest at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 85 m.p.h. (135 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 982 mb.

A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Zihuatanejo to Cabo Corrientes, Mexico. A Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for the portion of the coast from Cabo Corrientes to San Blas, Mexico.

The circulation around Hurricane Enrique exhibited much more organization on Saturday morning. The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the western and southern sides of the center of Enrique. Other bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Hurricane Enrique. Storms near the core generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane. Winds to hurricane force extended out 25 miles (40 km) from the center of Enrique. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 140 miles (220 km) from the center of circulation.

Hurricane Enrique will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Enrique will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C. It will move southeast of an upper level ridge centered over the southwestern U.S. The ridge will produce northeasterly winds that will blow toward the top of the tropical storm. Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear, but the shear will not be strong enough to prevent intensification. A small upper level low south of Baja California will enhance upper level divergence to the northwest of Hurricane Enrique. Enrique will intensify continue to during the next 24 hours.

Hurricane Enrique will move around the southwestern side of a surface high pressure system over Mexico. The high will steer Enrique toward the northwest during the next few days. On its anticipated track the center of Hurricane Enrique is forecast to be southwest of Cabo Corrientes by Sunday evening. Bands on the eastern side of Enrique could bring gusty winds and locally heavy rain to parts of the west coast of Mexico. Heavy rain could cause flash floods in Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco.

Tropical Storm Dolores Drops Heavy Rain over Western Mexico

Tropical Storm Dolores dropped heavy rain over western Mexico on Saturday. Dolores weakened to a tropical depression on Saturday evening when the center moved inland. At 8:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Depression Dolores was located at latitude 21.3°N and longitude 104.2°W which put it about 80 miles (130 km) northeast of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Dolores was moving toward the north-northwest at 20 m.p.h. (32 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 was 1001 mb.

Tropical Storm Dolores made landfall on the coast of Mexico southeast of Manzanillo on Saturday afternoon. The maximum sustained wind speed was 70 m.p.h. (110 km/h) at the time of landfall. Dolores moved steadily toward the north-northwest after it made landfall. The lower part of the circulation around Tropical Storm Dolores weakened quickly when it moved inland over the mountains in west central Mexico. Even though it was weakening, rising motion in portions of the circulation around Dolores was enhanced in places where the air moved up the sides of mountains. Tropical Storm Dolores dropped heavy rain over parts of Michoacan, Colima, Jalisco and Nayarit.

Tropical Storm Narda Forms South of Mexico

Tropical Storm Narda formed south of Mexico late on Saturday.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Storm Narda was located at latitude 15.4°N and longitude 100.6°W which put it about 115 miles south-southwest of Acapulco, Mexico.  Narda was moving toward the northwest at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (15 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1000 mb.

A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Acapulco to Cabo Corrientes, Mexico.

An area of low pressure exhibited more organization late on Saturday and the National Hurricane Center designated the system as Tropical Storm Narda.  A low level center of circulation formed within the area of low pressure.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms developed and began to revolve around the center of circulation.  Many of the stronger thunderstorms were in bands in the western half of the circulation.  Bands in the eastern half of the circulation contained more showers and lower clouds.  An area of winds to tropical storm force was occurring about 120 miles (195 km) southeast of the center of circulation.

Tropical Storm Narda will move through an environment only marginally favorable for intensification on Sunday.  Narda will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 29°C.  However, an upper level ridge over Mexico will produce northeasterly winds which will blow toward the top of the circulation.  Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear which will inhibit intensification.  In addition, the circulation could draw drier air into the northern portion of the tropical storm.  Tropical Storm Narda is not likely to strengthen much during the next 12 to 24 hours.

The ridge over Mexico will steer Tropical Storm Narda toward the northwest during the next several days.  On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Narda will approach the coast of Mexico near Lazaro Cardenas in about 12 hours.  Narda will move along the coast toward Cabo Corrientes.  Tropical Storm Narda could drop locally heavy rain in parts of Guerrero, Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco.  The rain could cause flash floods in some locations.