Erick becomes 'extremely dangerous' hurricane in Pacific Ocean
Erick intensified into a major hurricane on Wednesday and was projected to strike Mexico's western coast. Image courtesy of National Hurricane Center/ Website
June 19 (UPI) -- Erick became an "extremely dangerous" Category 4 hurricane early Thursday, as it crossed the Pacific Ocean en route to western Mexican two days after becoming a named storm.
In its 9 p.m. CST advisory, the National Hurricane Center said Erick had maximum sustained winds of 145 mph, a Category 4 storm, up 20 mph from just a few hours earlier.
Erick was about 70 miles west-southwest of Puerto Angel, Mexico, and about 90 miles southeast of Punta Maldonado, Mexico.
The storm, which was moving northwest at 9 mph, became a hurricane Wednesday morning. In the 2 p.m. advisory, maximum sustained winds were 110 mph, just 1 mph from becoming a Category 3.
Erick is forecast to remain a major hurricane when it reaches the coast of western Oaxaca or eastern Guerrero on Thursday morning, the NHC said.
After it makes landfall, Erick is expected to move inland over southern Mexico during the day.
"Erick is now an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane, and devastating wind damage is likely where the core moves onshore," the NHC said in a discussion on the storm.
"Weather conditions are already deteriorating in the warning area, and preparations to protect life and property should have been completed."
Erick will produce heavy rainfall across portions of Central America and southwest Mexico through this week with life-threatening flooding and mudslides likely, especially in steep terrain.
The region from Acapulco to Puerto Angel remains under a hurricane warning, while a hurricane watch has been issued for the area west of Acapulco to Tecpan de Galeana.
The area between Puerto Angel to Salina Cruz, and West of Acapulco to Tecpan de Galeana, is under a tropical storm warning.
Erick will produce 8 to 16 inches of rain across the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Guerrero, the NHC said.
Erick is the fifth named storm in the Pacific this year. No storms have formed in the Atlantic yet.
The hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
New area to watch for tropical development flagged in central Atlantic Ocean
The first three weeks of the Atlantic hurricane season have remained void of any tropical threats, but the National Hurricane Center is now watching an area of disturbed weather in the central subtropical Atlantic.
Business Insider
a day ago
- Business Insider
I've lived in Seattle for 22 years. If you want to have a good time in my city, there are 6 things you need to know.
Perched on the edge of the Puget Sound, surrounded by sparkling water, snow-capped mountains, and lush, evergreen forests, it's easy to see why Seattle is nicknamed the "Emerald City." It's also well-known for its diverse music scene, coffee culture, and thriving tech industry. After living in Seattle for more than two decades, I've learned a lot about how to enjoy the city and make the most of all it has to offer. If you want to have the best time on your trip, here are a few things I recommend keeping in mind. Seattle has 78 distinct neighborhoods To really experience the "Emerald City," I recommend expanding your travels beyond the downtown corridor and immersing yourself in some of the city's unique neighborhoods. For example, the Alki neighborhood in West Seattle is a great place for a walk on the beach on a nice day. In addition to the stunning views of the water, it's possible to spot some whales or other sea life depending on the time of year. Meanwhile, the historic Columbia City neighborhood is where you'll find plenty of diverse food choices, including Mexican, Caribbean, Ethiopian, and Vietnamese cuisines. There's also a farmers market every Wednesday from May to October. Other neighborhoods I recommend include Queen Anne, which is home to the Museum of Pop Culture, and Capitol Hill, which has a variety of LGBTQ+ bars, clubs, and community events. The weather probably isn't as bad as you think, but it's good to dress in layers Although Seattle's weather is best known for providing gray skies and plenty of rain, it's nice to know that this doesn't last all year long. In my experience, most of the city's heavy rain is concentrated between November and April. The spring and fall seasons can be gray and drizzly, but they're also filled with incredible sun breaks that seemingly come from nowhere. July and August are typically the sunniest, driest months of the year. The unpredictability of Seattle's weather has taught me it's best to dress in warm, water-resistant layers that can be easily removed, stored, and put on again whenever the weather changes. There are plenty of opportunities to get out on the water Instead of driving, I recommend taking a water taxi from downtown Seattle to West Seattle. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes and the fare costs just $5.75 for adults ages 19 to 64. There's also a 35-minute ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island and an hour-long ferry ride from Seattle to Bremerton. Both are perfect for taking a day trip to explore different parts of the state. In line with its "Emerald City" nickname, there are acres of parkland worth exploring Whatever you do in Seattle, don't miss Seward Park. With 300 acres of forest, a 2.4 mile bike and walking path, and miles of shoreline and beaches, I think it's one of the best parks in the area to connect with nature and learn about local wildlife. Another place I love is Seattle's expansive new Waterfront Park. Although it's not complete yet, the area has already been transformed to include public piers, a promenade, playgrounds, and artwork, with more to come. Speaking of artwork, there are thousands of pieces of public art in Seattle In the 70s, Seattle became one of the first cities in the US to mandate that 1% of eligible city capital improvement project funds be dedicated to art. As a result, the city has thousands of pieces of public artwork, including both permanent and temporary structures. You can see the work of local artists everywhere from libraries and parks to bridges and lampposts, and even while riding trains underground. There's always something to celebrate No matter what your interests are, Seattle offers dozens of festivals related to art, culture, food, film, and more. From the Northwest Folklife Festival to the Capitol Hill Block Party and the Seattle International Film Festival, be sure to consult an event calendar before planning your trip so you can book accommodations accordingly.
USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
The 2025 hurricane season is off to a perplexing start
The eastern Pacific Ocean has seen a historic run of activity as the Atlantic remains dormant. Forecasters point to perplexing planetary phenomenon. Hurricane Erick formed June 18 in the eastern Pacific Ocean, becoming the fifth named storm of the eastern Pacific season to date – a flurry of activity in sharp contrast with the tepid start to hurricane season in the Atlantic. By some counts, the Eastern Pacific has been on a historic run, recording five named storms before the third week of June for the first time on record, said WPLG-TV 10 meteorologist Michael Lowry via his email newsletter June 17. See photo gallery: Photos show impact of Hurricane Erick after landfall along Mexico Pacific coast The activity was due in part to a large-scale climate pattern known as the Madden-Julian Oscillation, which is an eastward-moving disturbance of clouds, rainfall, winds, and pressure. It traverses the planet in the tropics and returns to its initial starting point in 30 to 60 days, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It, along with other obscure patterns such as Rossby and Kelvin waves, influence weather, including hurricane formation, around the globe. What does the fast start in the Pacific mean for the Atlantic hurricane season? Although some storms can cross over Central America from one ocean to the other, there isn't really an overall connection in activity, AccuWeather hurricane expert Alex Da Silva told USA TODAY. Colorado State University meteorologist Phil Klotzbach agreed, noting in an email to USA TODAY that "there's not a lot that we can say tying in the fast start to the eastern North Pacific to what the season may portend for the Atlantic. "The relationship between Atlantic hurricane activity and eastern North Pacific hurricane activity just off of the west coast of Mexico (as we've seen this year), is fairly weak," he said. Thus, the early activity in the Pacific isn't likely a harbinger of storms to come in the Atlantic. DaSilva said the Madden-Julian Oscillation pulse made it to the eastern Pacific but fell apart before reaching the Atlantic. What led to all the storms in the eastern Pacific so far this season? The pulse of storminess that moves eastward around the globe's tropical regions – the Madden-Julian Oscillation – "helped to kick off a flurry of storm activity in the eastern Pacific," Lowry said. Specifically, the MJO's enhanced phase, which is characterized by increased rainfall and rising air, creates an environment more conducive for hurricane development, while the suppressed phase has the opposite effect. Atlantic remains quiet ‒ for now While the eastern Pacific is running about a month ahead of schedule with all of its activity, the Atlantic is on track for a typical to even slow start, Lowry said. "Models are muted on any development chances for the basin into at least the middle part of next week." The next chance of widespread storminess returning to the tropical Atlantic won't be until around the first week of July. Other planetary phenomena at play A Kelvin wave, formally known as a convectively coupled Kelvin wave, is thought to have interacted with a Rossby wave over the Americas, contributing to limited tropical development in the Atlantic basin, but creating a favorable pattern that helped spawn the formation of both Dalila and Erick to the south of Mexico, according to the Climate Prediction Center. Kelvin waves, which can extend up to 4,000 miles in length and be thousands of miles wide, move along the equator in the same direction as the Madden-Julian, only faster, said Quinton Lawton, a post-doctoral fellow at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado. Perturbations inside the waves can encourage thunderstorms and rainfall. Scientists have only recently begun to understand more about how planetary phenomena work together to spawn or suppress tropical storms and hurricanes. 'It turns out that these waves actually end up being really important for tropical cyclones,' Lawton said. Kelvin waves and Rossby waves originate from energy in the atmosphere and then move along the equator. As the Madden-Julian circumnavigates the globe, its interaction with these atmospheric waves can encourage storm formation.
