Mexico
Extremely dangerous hurricane “Otis” reaches Acapulco
This satellite image provided by NOAA shows Hurricane Otis approaching Mexico’s Pacific coast near Acapulco. photo
© -/NOAA/dpa
The storm hits the Mexican Pacific coast with great force. There it brings back bad memories of another hurricane that brought death and destruction more than 25 years ago.
The Pacific storm “Otis” is a hurricane of the highest level 5 near the famous seaside resort of Acapulco Hit Mexico’s southwest coast. As the US Hurricane Center in Miami (NHC) and the Mexican Weather Service announced on Wednesday night, the storm reached sustained wind speeds of almost 270 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 330 kilometers per hour. In just twelve hours, Otis had developed from a tropical storm into an extremely dangerous hurricane.
Mexican Civil Defense reported power outages as a result of the storm in the state of Guerrero, which also includes Acapulco. He called on residents there to seek shelter and stay away from windows as they could break. To save cell phone batteries, people should better follow the news on battery-powered radios. The authorities also warned of very heavy rain and waves up to ten meters high at sea.
Flooding and fallen trees
Local media reported flooding in coastal areas, covered roofs and fallen trees. Nothing was initially known about any further impacts on land. When “Otis” hit the coast, it was still night in Mexico.
According to the NHC, the hurricane has the potential to cause “catastrophic” damage. Heavy and persistent rain often causes landslides and floods in southern Mexico, which can cause fatalities and significant damage.
Acapulco, around four hours’ drive south of Mexico City, has around 780,000 inhabitants and is one of the best-known and most traditional Mexican seaside resorts. However, in recent years he has suffered greatly from the violence of the drug cartels. When Hurricane “Pauline” (also known as “Paulina”) reached force four over the sea in October 1997, hundreds of people drowned in the rain in Acapulco and the surrounding area.
This is how tropical cyclones form
Tropical cyclones form over warm ocean water. Increasing global warming increases the likelihood of strong storms. A hurricane is defined as a wind speed of 119 kilometers per hour. Hurricane season begins on May 15th in the Pacific and June 1st in the Atlantic. It ends on November 30th in both regions.
The strength of hurricanes is measured according to a scale developed by meteorologists Herbert Saffir and Robert Simpson: A Category 1 hurricane reaches speeds of up to 153 kilometers per hour. Level 2 applies up to speeds of 177, level 3 up to 208 and level 4 up to 251. Devastating damage is threatened by a hurricane of the highest category 5, which rotates with a wind speed of more than 251 kilometers per hour. Hurricanes often gain strength as they move over the sea. They quickly lose their strength over land because there is no supply of warm, moist air masses.
Communication NHC Information NHC Predicted path Communication from the Mexican Meteorological Service Mexican Civil Defense Report “El Sol de Acapulco” Information from the US Weather Service on “Pauline” 1997