We explain what Hurricane Patricia was, how long it lasted and which areas were affected. Also, its general characteristics, damage and more.
What was Hurricane Patricia?
Hurricane Patricia was a tropical cyclone that originated in the Pacific Ocean, south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec, Mexico, in October 2015. It is considered he hurricane most intense recorded in the worldwith winds that reached 325 kilometers per hour.
Another well-studied characteristic of Hurricane Patricia was the speed with which it intensified. In just one hour it went from being a low intensity tropical storm to being a strong hurricane category 5, the highest on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
As with all tropical cyclones, upon reaching land near the city of Cuixmala, Mexico, Patricia quickly lost intensity and went from Category 5 to Category 2 in a few hours. In total, it lasted more than 72 hours.
Characteristics of Hurricane Patricia
Among the main characteristics of Hurricane Patricia, the following stand out:
- Duration. Hurricane Patricia lasted four days, from October 20, when it formed in the Pacific Ocean, to October 24, 2015, when it was last detected southwest of Monterrey.
- Affected areas. On its way from Central America to the north, Hurricane Patricia affected Guatemala and El Salvador, and when it reached Mexico it had the most devastating effects in the states of Jalisco, Colima, Nayarit and Michoacán.
- Intensity. During October 22 and 23, Hurricane Patricia experienced a rapid intensification process, which led it to become one of the most intense on record in the Pacific Ocean. In just 24 hours it went from being a Category 1 storm to becoming a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. During this period the winds increased by more than 110 kilometers per hour, an unprecedented increase in intensity since this type of phenomenon has been recorded.
- Meteorological effects. Like all hurricanes, Patricia was accompanied by intense rainfall and sustained winds that reached 345 km/h, with gusts of almost 400 km/h. The low pressure area generated by the hurricane was one of the most intense recorded in Western history, with about 872 hPa. Patricia's cloud cover diameter was approximately 480 kilometers, and it covered most of the west coast of Mexico, part of Guatemala and El Salvador.
- Surf. During the arrival of Hurricane Patricia to the Mexican coasts, waves of an average height of 12 meters were recorded.
- Name change. The hurricane committee of the World Meteorological Organizationonce the intensity of the cyclone and the magnitude of the damage caused had been verified, it removed the name Patricia from the list of hurricanes and replaced it with “Pamela” for the 2021 season. For this reason, as of that year there will no longer be any hurricanes. will receive the name “Patricia”.
Causes of Hurricane Patricia
The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon is a natural climate phenomenon that occurs in the Pacific Ocean. It refers to a cyclical pattern of changes in sea temperature, atmospheric pressure and wind patterns in the Pacific Ocean.
The El Niño and La Niña phenomena are directly related to the temperature of the Pacific Ocean. During El Niño, Pacific surface temperatures become warmer than normal, which can increase the likelihood of hurricane formation in the region. During La Niña, on the other hand, temperatures become colder than normal, reducing the chances of hurricanes forming.
Warm water provides the energy hurricanes need to intensify, and the warmer the water, the more it evaporates, the more moisture is loaded into the atmosphere, and the more energy the hurricane takes. That's why hurricanes form mainly in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, which have the warmest water. And if, due to El Niño, the water is even warmer, the conditions for an intense hurricane to form are greater.
In the case of Hurricane Patricia, it is believed that its rapid intensification could have occurred as a consequence of the unusually warm temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, which coincided with a fairly intense El Niño phenomenon that year.
Consequences of Hurricane Patricia
Given the imminent arrival of the hurricane, the total suspension of flights in the area was announced, as well as the evacuation of almost 30% of the tourists staying in Colima. Activities were also suspended and offices, businesses and banks closed.
The most significant damage to the infrastructure of cities and homes occurred in the states of Colima, Jalisco and Nayarit. According to the National Disaster Prevention Center (CENAPRED) of Mexico, Patricia caused material losses of approximately 460 million dollars.
Other hurricanes in the Pacific Ocean
Although the eastern Pacific area is characterized by the presence of hurricanes and tropical storms, none had the intensity of Patricia. However, there were some of similar intensity that impacted the region:
- Hurricane Linda (1997). It did not directly impact Mexico and reached maximum sustained winds of 295 kilometers per hour.
- Hurricane Kenna (2002). It impacted near the city of San Blas and reached maximum sustained winds of 260 kilometers per hour.
- Hurricane Willa (2018). It impacted near the city of Mazatlán and reached maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour.
References
- BBC News (2015). Hurricane Patricia and the most intense storms in the history of the Pacific Ocean. BBC
- El Comercio (2015). Hurricane Patricia makes landfall in the Mexican state of Jalisco. ElComercio
- World Meteorological Organization (WMO) (sf). Tropical cyclones. W.M.O.
