Tag Archives: Baja California

Hurricane Norbert a little stronger

An Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft found that Hurricane Norbert was little stronger than was estimated based on satellite imagery.  At 2:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Hurricane Norbert was located at latitude 20.8°N and longitude 110.6°W which put it about 150 miles south-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.  Norbert has been moving somewhat erratically, but the estimated motion was toward the northwest at 7 m.p.h.  The aircraft found that the maximum sustained wind speed was 90 m.p.h. and the minimum surface pressure was 970 mb.

Norbert is expected to move generally toward the northwest during the next several days and to move roughly parallel to the west coast of Baja California.  Although the center is expected to remain offshore, winds to tropical storm force may reach parts of Baja California.  For that reason a Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for the portion of the coast that extends from La Paz southward to the southern tip of Baja California and then northward to Cabo San Lazaro, Mexico.  Tropical Storm Watches have been issued for the portions of the coast from La Paz northward to San Evaristo and from Cabo San Lazaro northward to Puerto San Andresito.

The eye appears to be becoming more evident on visible satellite images.  There is some upper level shear from the northeast, but some additional intensification is possible during the next 24 hours.  When Norbert begins to move west of Baja California it will move over a very strong gradient of Sea Surface Temperatures (SSTs) toward colder water.  It will move from SSTs near 30°C to SSTs near 23°C.  The colder SSTs will greatly reduce the energy available to drive the circulation.  In addition, the atmosphere tends to be quite stable over the cooler SSTs, which will further inhibit convection and help to spin down the circulation.

Where the wind direction creates a flow up the slopes of mountains, locally heavy rainfall could occur and the potential for flooding exists in some locations.  Southerly flow around the eastern side of Norbert’s weakening circulation could transport moisture into portions of the southwestern U.S.

 

Tropical Storm Norbert Intensifying

Tropical Storm Norbert is becoming more organized as it moves in the general direction of Baja California.  At 8:00 a.m. EDT the center of Norbert was located at latitude 19.7°N and longitude 108.3°W which put it about 245 miles south-southeast of the southern tip of Baja California.  Norbert was moving toward the west-northwest at 8 m.p.h.  The maximum sustained wind speed was 60 m.p.h. and the minimum surface pressure was 999 mb.  The Tropical Storm Watch for the portion of the coast from La Paz to Sante Fe, Mexico has been upgraded to a Tropical Storm Warning.  A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for the portion of the coast from Sante Fe northward to Cabo San Lazaro.

Norbert is over warm Sea Surface Temperatures (SSTs) and the upper level wind shear appears to be decreasing.  Some satellite imagery is indicating that an eye could be forming in the mid-levels of the circulation.  Further intensification is likely and a period of more rapid intensification is possible.  Norbert could become a hurricane before it reaches cooler SSTs west of Baja California.

 

Tropical Storm Norbert Forms

A center of circulation developed within a trough of low pressure southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico and the National Hurricane Center classified it as Tropical Storm Norbert.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT the center of Tropical Storm Norbert was located at latitude 18.5°N and longitude 106.5°W which put it about 150 miles west-southwest of Manzanillo and about 375 miles south of the southern tip of Baja California.  Norbert was moving toward the north at 9 m.p.h.  The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. and the minimum surface pressure was 1004 mb.  The government of Mexico has issued a Tropical Storm Watch for Baja California Sur from La Paz, around the southern tip of Baja California to Santa Fe.

Although there is some northeasterly shear over Norbert, the tropical storm is expected to intensify and at least one numerical model is predicting that it will become a hurricane.  Since Norbert is still in the organization stage, the track forecast has a higher than normal degree of uncertainty.  Many models are predicting that Norbert will move toward Baja California, but turn west-northwest before the storm reaches the coast.  The government of Mexico issued a Tropical Storm Watch for a portion in the coast in case Norbert moves closer to the coast than is currently expected.