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By WeatherBug Meteorologists, John Benedict and Rob Miller
The Eastern Pacific hurricane basin ended the 2023 season with an above normal number of tropical systems despite the presence of El Nino. The season ended with 17 named storms, ten of which were hurricanes and eight of those became major hurricanes.
Hurricane Dora
Dora first developed as a tropical depression on July 31st after a tropical wave emerged off the west coast of Central America. Development continued swiftly over the next few days, first becoming a tropical storm on August 1st and rapidly intensifying into a Category 4 hurricane by August 3rd well to the southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. A brief period of weakening lowered Dora’s intensity to Category 3 before the storm regained Category 4 strength on August 4th. After another weakening period later on the 4th, Dora strengthened back into a Category 4 hurricane and reached its peak intensity on August 5th, with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph and central pressure of 942 millibars, or 27.82 inches of mercury.
Dora remained a powerful Category 4 hurricane over the next few days as it continued to move in a general westward direction. On August 6th, Dora crossed into the Central Pacific basin and eventually passed south of Hawaii on August 8th. On August 9th, Dora matched its peak intensity once again, with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph.
Dora continued to slowly weaken over the next few days as it continued its westward track. On August 11th, Dora weakened into a Category 2 hurricane as it passed about 900 miles south of Midway Island. By August 12th, Dora completed its journey through the Central Pacific basin and entered the Western Pacific basin. This made Dora only the second tropical cyclone on record to be at hurricane strength in the Eastern, Central and Western basins, the other being Hurricane John in 1994.
But Dora’s journey didn’t end when it moved into the Western Pacific basin. Dora would remain a tropical cyclone until August 15th when both the Japan Meteorological Agency and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center issued their final advisories on Dora. However, Dora became reclassified as a subtropical cyclone on August 18th as the system started tracking northward in the western Pacific Ocean. Eventually, Dora finally exited the stage on August 22nd over the northwest Pacific Ocean.
During its nearly month-long journey, Dora did not pose any direct threats to land and stayed over water. However, Dora is at least indirectly tied to the deadly wildfires that ravaged Maui in early August as its low pressure center, when combined with the strong high pressure north of the Islands, resulted in slightly stronger than normal winds across the state.
Hurricane Hilary
A robust tropical wave moving south of Mexico helped form Tropical Storm Hilary during the morning of August 16. Hilary quickly intensified into a Category 1 hurricane by the morning of August 17, and further intensified rapidly into a Category 4 hurricane by the early morning hours of August 18. Later on the 18th, Hilary reached peak intensity with 145 mph sustained winds and a central pressure of 939 millibars, or 27.73 inches of mercury, while tracking toward the northwest off the coast of Mexico. Eventually, Hilary turned more toward the north, with its eye briefly brushing over Punta Eugenia on the Baja California Sur Peninsula on the 19th as a Category 1 hurricane. Hilary made landfall near San Quintin, Baja California, during the morning hours of August 20th as a tropical storm. Hilary would continue to track toward the north-northwest at an accelerated pace. This brought the center of Tropical Storm Hilary near the coast of Los Angeles during the afternoon hours of the 20th into the morning hours of the 21st before dissipating over the southern San Joaquin Valley.
Hilary’s unusual track prompted the National Hurricane Center to issue its first-ever tropical storm warnings across southern California. Hilary produced 2.48 inches of rain in downtown Los Angeles and 1.82 inches of rain in San Diego, each of which were the wettest single summer day on record. Palm Springs also set a single summer day record with 3.18 inches of rain. The highest rainfall amounts in Southern California were recorded at Raymond Flats with 11.73 inches of rain and Mount San Jacinto with 11.74 inches of rain. Widespread flooding and rockslides forced Death Valley National Park to close for two months after all roadways were impacted.
In addition to California, records for the wettest (total rainfall) tropical cyclones and their remnants were broken in four other states. In Nevada, 9.20 inches of rain was recorded at Lee Canyon. In Oregon, Morgan Mountain recorded 3.29 inches of rain. Three inches of rain fell at Dollarhide Summit, Mont., while 2.30 inches of rain fell at Albro Lake and Carrot Basin, Mont.
Hurricane Lidia
Hurricane Lidia was one of four tropical cyclones to make landfall in Mexico during the month of October. Lidia was the 15th tropical depression, 12th named storm, eighth hurricane and sixth major hurricane of the Pacific season.
A broad area of low pressure associated with a tropical wave gradually strengthened during the first few days of October, and by the 3rd, thunderstorm activity was sufficiently organized and strong enough that Tropical Storm Lidia had developed. As a tropical storm, Lidia meandered over the open waters into the 9th before the storm finally overcame persistent wind shear and became a tropical storm late in the day.
Once Lidia became a hurricane, it quickly intensified as it tracked toward southwestern Mexico. By October 10th, Lidia became a Category 4 hurricane and had maximum sustained winds of 140 mph, with a central pressure of 942 millibars (27.82 inches of mercury) as it neared landfall. Landfall occurred near Las Peñitas in the state of Jalisco just as Lidia peaked in intensity. Once over land, Lidia quickly weakened, dissipating completely on October 11th.
At the time of its landfall, Lidia was the third-most intense Pacific hurricane to make landfall ever recorded. Lidia caused major disruptions and closures in the region, including throughout the resort town of Puerto Vallarta where nearly 1,000 trees were uprooted.
Tropical Storm Max
Tropical Storm Max was the second of four tropical cyclones to make landfall along the Pacific coast of Mexico in October 2023. Max’s origins can be traced back to a trough of low pressure that induced numerous shower and thunderstorms across Central America on October 4. This disturbance then slowly drifted off the coast of Nicaragua and Honduras before gradually becoming better organized near the Gulf of Tehuantepec on October 6th and 7th. Conditions off the southern coast of Mexico were growing more favorable for tropical cyclone development and the system was first designated Potential Tropical Cyclone Sixteen-E on the evening of October 7. The tropical system became better organized on October 8th and strengthened into Tropical Storm Max as it approached the southern coast of Mexico. Max made landfall near Puerto Vicente Guerro on October 9th as a strong tropical storm with sustained winds of 65 mph and a minimum central pressure of 991 mb. After making landfall Max rapidly weakened and dissipated in the mountainous terrain of southern Mexico.
Tropical Storm Max’s primary impact was heavy rain that produced widespread flooding in parts of Guerro and Oaxaca. Rain amounts close to 10 inches were reported which flooded numerous roads and homes. Heavy rain also caused several sinkholes to open which damaged roads and highways. Tropical Storm Max was responsible for two fatalities in Guerro while two others were seriously injured. Just 48 hours later, Hurricane Lidia would make landfall about 350 miles north of where Max made landfall, which worsened flooding across the region.
Hurricane Norma
Norma was the seventeenth tropical depression and fourteenth named storm of the Pacific hurricane season and would be the third of four tropical cyclones to make landfall in Mexico in October 2023. Norma’s genesis occurred near the Gulf of Tehuantepec on October 15, when a weak area of low pressure formed. This disturbance would track generally westward over the open waters of the Eastern Pacific before strengthening into Tropical Storm Norma on October 17. Norma would then take a hard turn to the north and was able to rapidly intensify within favorable environment. Norma went from a strong tropical storm to a very dangerous Category 4 Hurricane within just a 24 hour period. Increasing shear and dry air caused Norma to weaken as it approached the southern Baja Peninsula on October 21. Norma made landfall about 15 miles west-northwest of Cabo San Lucas on the afternoon of October 21st with sustained winds of 80 mph. Norma would cross the Gulf of California before making a final landfall near El Dorado, Sinaloa on October 23.
Norma produced extreme rain totals across Baja California Sur which led to flooding. Rain amounts as high as 19 inches were reported in the state. Several wind gusts over 90 mph were recorded with a peak gust of 107 mph near Cabo San Lucas. Numerous trees and powerlines were downed which lead to widespread power outages. Rain accumulations up to 12 inches were reported in Sinaloa where the storm was responsible for three fatalities. Estimated damages from Hurricane Norma stand around $23.3 million.
Hurricane Otis
Hurricane Otis was an extremely powerful hurricane that underwent rapid intensification prior to making landfall in the heavily populated city of Acapulco. The origins of Otis can be traced back to a broad area of low pressure that developed several hundred miles south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec on October 18. This disturbance disorganized for several days due to wind shear as it crawled northwestward toward southern Mexico. On October 22, the system was designated a tropical storm Otis around 520 miles south of Acapulco. Tropical Storm Otis would slightly accelerate and began silently undergoing substantial strengthening on October 24. By that afternoon Otis was upgraded to a hurricane by the NHC. Shortly after Otis was designated a hurricane, an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter mission was surprised to find Otis significantly stronger than satellite imagery suggested, and found winds of 125 mph, which now has Otis as a Major Category 3 storm. Otis was undergoing a period of rapid intensification while also accelerating toward southern Mexico. By the same evening, Otis had exploded into a Category 5 Hurricane, and now the storm was just 55 miles south of Acapulco and only 3 hours away from landfall, in what NHC forecasters described as a nightmare scenario for the city. Otis would make landfall just west of Acapulco at 1:25 am local time with sustained winds of 165 mph and a minimum central pressure of 923 mb, making it the strongest hurricane on record to make landfall in Mexico.
Otis delivered major damage to Acapulco and the surrounding state of Guerro. Over 500,000 customers lost power, numerous structures were destroyed, or heavily damaged, numerous boats sank, and the city lost drinking water. The airport and a nearby Air Force base were heavily damaged which complicated rescue and aid efforts. Before weather stations failed, a sustained winds of 114 mph were recorded along with a gust of 205 mph. Otis was responsible for at least 50 fatalities, but at least 30 people are still missing, and some local authorities dispute this number with some estimates as high as 350 casualties. Latest estimates have damage totals around $16 billion. Otis will go down in infamy as the strongest hurricane to make landfall in Mexico.