Hurricane Odile Recap: 5 Dead in Mexico | The Weather Channel
Search
Go ad-free with Premium.Start free trial

Latest Hurricane News

Hurricane Odile unleashed tremendous damage in Mexico.

October 4, 2014



Hurricane Odile was one of the strongest tropical cyclones on record to make landfall on Mexico's Baja California peninsula, and will likely go down as one of the most destructive on record in Mexico.

Weather in your inbox
By signing up you agree to the Terms & Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe at any time.

Tropical Depression Odile dissipated over the mountains of northwestern Mexico, about 125 miles southwest of Tucson, Arizona, on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 17.

Despite losing its status as a tropical cyclone, its remnants carried abundant tropical moisture into the southwestern U.S., leading to serious flash flooding in a number of locations across New Mexico and Texas in the days that followed.

Among the places hard hit by flash flooding were Austin, Texas, on Sept. 18, and Carlsbad, New Mexico, and El Paso, Texas on Sept. 22. At least two people died in the flash floods.

In Mexico, Odile killed five people, four of whom were foreigners. A British couple died on a sailboat and two South Korean citizens died attempting to cross a flooded arroyo. The other fatality was a 28-year-old native of Mexico who also died trying to cross a flooded road in his pickup truck, according to Mexican news website 24 Horas.

Recap: A Historic Landfall

Odile first formed as Tropical Depression Fifteen-E early Wednesday morning, Sept. 10. It was quickly upgraded to Tropical Storm Odile six hours later.

After gradually strengthening, Odile benefited from an environment of low wind shear and warm water three days after its birth. Odile strengthened quickly in that environment Saturday and Saturday night, Sept. 13. It grew from a tropical storm Friday night, Sept. 12, to a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale by Sunday morning, Sept. 14.

Hurricane Hunters from the U.S. Air Force flew into the storm Sunday afternoon, finding maximum winds slightly lower than satellite-based estimates, causing Odile's official wind speeds to be revised downward. However, they also found a much lower central pressure than previously thought; the 11 a.m. estimate was 941 millibars, but the Hurricane Hunters found that the pressure in Odile's eye was actually 922 millibars.

Lower central pressure in a hurricane is generally associated with stronger winds and/or a larger wind field, either of which can increase the storm surge threat.

For comparison, Hurricane Andrew made landfall in South Florida with a central pressure of 922 millibars on Aug. 24, 1992. In that case, Andrew's fury was concentrated in a tiny core of extreme winds, as high as 175 mph.

Odile's 922 millibars put it among the 15 lowest on record in the Eastern Pacific basin. A few weeks ago, Hurricane Marie joined those ranks with a minimum pressure of 918 millibars and became the first Category 5 hurricane in the basin since 2010.

Hurricane Odile made history by tying the strongest hurricane on record to make landfall on Mexico's Baja California peninsula (with Hurricane Olivia in 1967) in the satellite era.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Odile made landfall at about 10:45 p.m. MDT Sunday near Cabo San Lucas with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph, making it a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

An automated weather observation site near Cabo San Lucas recorded a gust to 116 mph shortly before 11 p.m. MDT Sunday. The Weather Underground observation site near San Jose Del Cabo reported a peak gust of 114 mph along with sustained hurricane-force winds late Sunday evening, shortly before midnight MDT.

Damage was widespread across the southern part of Baja California, including Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo, and La Paz. Thousands of tourists were stranded after airports were trashed by the storm's high winds. Dozens of people were injured by flying glass due to broken windows.

(MORE: Storm Timeline | Photos)

Hurricane Odile was downgraded to a tropical storm Monday evening, Sept. 15, as it continued to take an improbable track straight up the spine of Baja California after making landfall near Cabo San Lucas late Sunday night, causing widespread damage.

Odile's weakening trend slowed down briefly as it curved northeast and crossed the very warm waters of the northern Gulf of California.

Odile made its final landfall in northwestern mainland Mexico, in the state of Sonora, late Wednesday morning, Sept. 17, weakening to a depression at the same time. It dissipated a few hours later.

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Hurricane Odile


Slideshow

1/69

Hurricane Igor is featured in this Sept. 14, 2010, image photographed by an Expedition 24 crew member on the International Space Station. (NASA)


Loading comments...