Hurricane Odile

Hurricane Warning: La Paz, San Juan de Cabo, and Loreto.

Courtesy of the Weather Channel

          Hurricane Odile is likely to become a record breaking hurricane. Currently a category 3, Hurricane Odile is predicted to become the strongest landfalling hurricane on record in Baja Californian history. Also, Odile is joining the list of the 15 lowest central pressure readings ever taken in the Eastern Pacific Basin. Hurricane hunters found a pressure reading of 922 millibars at Odile's eye. This is exceptional because lower pressure readings are associated with stronger winds and a larger wind field radius. This theory proves true with Odile because it's wind field has a 200 mile radius of tropical storm force winds and a 50 mile radius of hurricane force winds. 

        We are expecting to see Hurricane Odile make landfall between 1 am and 3 am Monday (9/15) morning. After making landfall, Odile is projected to continue moving north northwest over Baja California. By Tuesday, Odile's eye may have moved back over the bays along the coastline. But no need to worry about it strengthening over the bays, because once Odile makes landfall we are expected to see it weaken. The impacted areas should anticipate flash floods, high winds over 100 mph, and an impressive storm surge especially on the eastern side of the eye (which will be the eastern side of the southern peninsula). Excessive rainfall, up to 15 inches in some areas, could lead to potential mudslides.

            The National Hurricane Center announced the official time Odile made landfall was at 12:45am EST Monday morning. Odile came ashore near Cabo San Lucas as a category 3 hurricane with 125 mph sustained winds.

Courtesy of the Weather Channel

Quick Facts

Location: 45 miles SW of Loreto, Mexico 

Winds: 80 mph

Moving: NW at 13 mph

Pressure: 975 mb