5 Things to Know About Hurricane Patricia

Hurricane Patricia has made history after rapidly intensifying into a Category 5 hurricane Thursday into early Friday. The hurricane made landfall near Cuixmala, Mexico, or 55 miles west-northwest of Manzanillo, at 6:15 p.m. CDT Friday with maximum sustained winds of 165 mph. 

Here are five things you should know about the hurricane right now.

(FORECAST: Hurricane Patricia)

1.) Patricia is the Strongest Hurricane Ever Recorded in the Western Hemisphere

Maximum sustained winds had reached 200 mph as of Friday's 4 a.m. PDT advisory from the National Hurricane Center (NHC). This makes Patricia the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere, which includes the Atlantic and eastern/central Pacific ocean basins.

According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), this is just 15 mph shy of tying the all-time record strongest tropical cyclone for the globe based on maximum sustained winds. Typhoon Nancy holds that record with maximum sustained winds of 215 mph on Sept. 12, 1961.

Patricia's maximum sustained winds decreased slightly to 190 mph as of Friday 4 p.m. PDT as the hurricane neared landfall. The NHC says that Patricia officially made landfall with maximum sustained winds of 165 mph at 6:15 p.m. CDT Friday about 55 miles west-northwest of Manzanillo, Mexico.

2.) Patricia Breaks Lowest Pressure Record Set By Wilma 10 Years Ago

On Oct. 19, 2005, Hurricane Wilma went through an astonishing rapid intensification in the western Caribbean that set a record lowest atmospheric pressure for the Western Hemisphere at 882 millibars.

Patricia's pressure had bottomed out at 880 millibars as of Friday morning, breaking Wilma's record nearly 10 years to the date of when it was set in 2005.

In addition, Patricia may be in the running for the largest pressure drop ever observed in a tropical cyclone. The current record is a pressure fall of 100 millibars in just under 24 hours set by Typhoon Forrest Sept. 22-23, 1983. Patricia had a pressure drop of 100 millibars from 980 millibars at the 4 a.m. CDT advisory on Thursday to 880 millibars at the 4 a.m. CDT advisory on Friday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

At landfall Friday evening, the pressure was estimated to have risen to 920 millibars.

In general, a lower pressure means a more intense hurricane in terms of its winds and overall destructive potential, except for rainfall, which is independent of pressure and wind. Conversely, a higher pressure indicates a weaker system.

Note: This data will have to be verified by the World Meteorologial Organization before being considered official.

3.) Potentially Catastrophic Destruction Where Patricia Makes Landfall

Given its extreme winds of 165 mph at landfall, Hurricane Patricia could produce "potentially catastrophic" destruction near where the center moved inland, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

Note that hurricane-force winds (74+ mph) extend out 35 mph from the center of Patricia. This means that a small part of Jalisco's coast is seeing the most extreme winds at landfall. A destructive storm surge will also occur near and to the right of where the center makes landfall.

4.) Maximum Sustained Winds Similar to an EF5 Tornado

Patricia's 200 mph winds earlier Friday were nearly equal to the damage produced by an EF5-rated tornado on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. Tornadoes that produce damage that is rated EF5 are estimated to have winds of 201 mph or greater.

According to Dr. Jeff Masters of wunderground.com, the 2011 Joplin, Missouri, tornado produced a few small spots of EF5 damage where winds were estimated to be 201 mph or greater.

As mentioned before, Patricia's hurricane-force winds extend out 35 miles from its center. Its extreme winds are confined to a smaller area near the immediate eyewall. 

5.) Moisture and Energy From Hurricane Patricia Will Contribute to U.S. Flood Threat

Moisture and energy from Hurricane Patricia will add more fuel to a flood threat in south-central states.

Computer forecast models show that after Patricia makes landfall in Mexico, the mid-level remnants will get pulled northeastward into south Texas by an upper-level system moving through the southern Plains this weekend.

Patricia's remnants won't be the sole contributor to the heavy rains this weekend. An upper-level system and a frontal boundary would contribute to rainfall in the region whether Patricia was involved or not. Patricia is just enhancing mid-level moisture and energy.

(MORE: Southern Plains Flood Threat)

PHOTOS: Hurricane Patricia