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Hurricane Otis

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For other storms of the same name, see List of storms named Otis.
Hurricane Otis
Otis near peak intensity off the coast of Guerrero early on October 25
Meteorological history
FormedOctober 22, 2023
DissipatedOctober 25, 2023
Category 5 major hurricane
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS)
Highest winds165 mph (270 km/h)
Lowest pressure923 mbar (hPa); 27.26 inHg
Overall effects
Fatalities>27[1]
Missing>4
DamageUnknown
Areas affectedSouthern Mexico
Part of the 2023 Pacific hurricane season

Hurricane Otis was a small but very powerful tropical cyclone which made landfall near Acapulco as a Category 5 hurricane. Otis was the first Pacific hurricane to make landfall at Category 5 intensity and surpassed Hurricane Patricia as the strongest landfalling Pacific hurricane on record. The fifteenth tropical storm, tenth hurricane, eighth major hurricane,[nb 1] and second Category 5 hurricane of the 2023 Pacific hurricane season, Otis originated from a disturbance several hundred miles south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec. Initially forecast to only be a weak tropical storm at peak intensity, Otis instead underwent explosive intensification to reach peak winds of 165 mph (270 km/h) and made landfall at peak intensity. Once inland, the hurricane quickly weakened, before dissipating the following day. The hurricane caused at least 27 deaths.[3]

Meteorological history

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
Map key
Saffir–Simpson scale
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown
Storm type
triangle Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) first noted on October 15 that an area of low pressure was expected to form south of Guatemala and El Salvador by the middle of the week.[4] A broad low-pressure area formed several hundred miles south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec on October 18 and was generating disorganized thunderstorms.[5] The system increased in organization over the next few days, becoming a tropical depression at 15:00 UTC on October 22. At that time, the depression had strong, increasing convective activity near its well-defined center.[6] Six hours later, the depression became a tropical storm and received the name Otis following a slight increase in organization. The nascent storm was moving slowly northward as it was located within a light steering flow between a low-pressure trough to its northwest and a high-pressure ridge to its northeast.[7] Overnight, deep convection pulsed on the northwestern portion of the circulation with the center becoming more embedded in the colder cloud tops.[8] However, this convective trend plateaued in the early hours of October 23 due to easterly wind shear, which hindered further organization and left the center partially exposed.[9] By 03:00 UTC on October 24, microwave satellite imagery depicted a low-level ring structure in the 37 GHz channel, despite the overall sheared appearance of the system. The NHC noted the imagery as possible evidence for an imminent rapid intensification event.[10]

By the morning of October 24, Otis was organizing with an uptick in convective vigor and expansion of cirrus outflow. Explosive intensification commenced, enabled by lessening of southeasterly wind shear and warm ocean surface temperatures of 29–31 °C (84–88 °F).[11] On visible satellite imagery an eye became apparent, and Otis reached Category 3 status by 21:00 UTC October 24. This upgrade was based on measurements by a Air Force Reserve Unit Hurricane Hunter mission. These measurements revealed that Otis was considerably stronger than the satellite imagery-based Dvorak technique suggested and that Otis was undergoing explosive intensification, with the central surface pressure dropping 10 millibars (0.30 inHg) between passes.[12] The NHC continued to observe increasing organization of the hurricane on satellite imagery throughout the day, with no signs of the intensification abating. At 03:00 UTC October 25, the NHC upgraded Otis to a Category 5 hurricane. In 24 hours, Otis had intensified from a 50 mph (85 km/h) tropical storm to a 160 mph (260 km/h) Category 5 hurricane, an increase of 110 mph (175 km/h), second only to Hurricane Patricia as the largest 24-hour increase on record in the Eastern Pacific. Despite its extreme intensity, Otis was a relatively small hurricane with gale force winds extending outwards only up to 70 miles (110 km) from its center.[13]

Pacific hurricanes with a wind speed of 140 mph (220 km/h) or higher at landfall
Hurricane Season Wind speed Ref.
Otis 2023 160 mph (260 km/h) [14]
Patricia 2015 150 mph (240 km/h) [15]
Madeline 1976 145 mph (230 km/h) [16]
Iniki 1992 [17]
Twelve 1957 140 mph (220 km/h) [18]
"Mexico" 1959 [18]
Kenna 2002 [19]
Lidia 2023 [20]

After becoming a Category 5 hurricane, Otis strengthened slightly more, and at 06:25 UTC on October 25, the hurricane made landfall near Acapulco at peak intensity, with winds of 165 mph (270 km/h) and a central pressure of 923 mb (27.26 inHg),[21] becoming the first Pacific hurricane on record to make landfall at Category 5 intensity, thus surpassing Patricia as the strongest landfalling Pacific hurricane.[22] Otis quickly weakened after landfall, weakening to a tropical storm by 18:00 UTC[23] and dissipating within the following three hours.[24]

Forecast errors

Otis's peak intensity and final track were well beyond what had been forecast by the NHC. When the tropical cyclone formed, three days before its landfall, the track forecast did not show Otis coming ashore, rather curving to the west as a weak tropical storm;[6] two days later, just 24 hours before the hurricane reached Category 5 intensity, the NHC forecast a peak intensity of only 70 mph (110 km/h).[10] The forecast track later shifted to showing Otis making landfall, but even only 16 hours before landfall, the NHC predicted that Otis would peak as a Category 1 hurricane with 90 mph (150 km/h) winds. This forecast also had Otis making landfall between 6:00 am and 6:00 pm local time (12:00 UTC and 00:00 UTC the following day) on October 25, nearly a day after it would actually come inland. Numerical weather prediction models failed to capture the magnitude of explosive intensification that occurred, in part due to a dearth of data (only a single Hurricane Hunters flight was flown and there is no Doppler radar in the landfall area). Some model runs did not predict landfall at all.[25]

Preparations and impacts

Enhanced infrared imagery of Otis making landfall near Acapulco, Guerrero, on October 25

In response to the approach of Hurricane Otis, the government of Guerrero (one of the 32 states of Mexico) began preparing 396 shelters to accommodate residents displaced by the heavy wind and storm surge damage. Mexico's army and navy sent 8,000 troops to support aid and rescue operations. Authorities in Guerrero closed Acapulco's main port.[26] Schools across Guerrero were to be closed ahead of Otis’ anticipated landfall.[27] All flights in and out of Acapulco International Airport were cancelled.[28][29][30]

More than 500,000 outages occurred across the state,[31] and hospitals and hotels were affected, with flooding and collapsed ceilings reported inside hotels.[32][33][34] Several buildings were also heavily damaged or collapsed.[35] 18 radio stations in Acapulco were down, and communication was cut off in the city.[36] A shopping center in Acapulco was destroyed, and a section of a highway leading into the city was closed after a landslide.[37][38] Additionally, a military airport near Acapulco was damaged, which made it difficult for rescue operations.[34] A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather station near Acapulco recorded a wind gust of 135 miles per hour (217 km/h) while the eyewall was passing through the city.[39] As a result of the impacts, temporary shelters were opened in Acapulco, Tecpán de Galeana, and Coyuca de Benítez.[31] Several airlines were impacted by Otis, with service on Aeroméxico, Volaris, and Viva Aerobus affected and suspended at Acapulco and Zihuatanejo.[40] Acapulco International Airport, which was closed to all flights, was inaccessible.[41] On October 26, Mexico's Federal Security Secretary Rosa Icela Rodríguez reported 27 deaths from Hurricane Otis and a further four missing.[3] Otis's passage knocked offline a significant part of the seismic network in Guerrero owned by SkyAlert, an earthquake warning app used widely in Mexico[40], as well as the SASMEX Network, another network owned by CIRES, responsible of broadcasting alerts through public speakers and radio signals. 27 sensors were affected throughout Guerrero and parts of neighboring states Michoacan and Oaxaca, as well as 2 broadcast towers in Acapulco and Chilpancingo cities, hindering the ability to notify major cities both close and farther away prone to damages in case an earthquake occurs along the coasts of those 3 states.[42]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ A major hurricane is one that ranks at Category 3 or higher on the Saffir–Simpson scale.[2]

References

  1. ^ Wolfe, Elizabeth (October 26, 2023). "Hurricane Otis kills at least 27 in Acapulco, Mexico, after dealing devastating blow to city". CNN. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  2. ^ "Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale". National Hurricane Center. Archived from the original on June 20, 2020. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Stevenson, Mark; Verza, MarÍa (2023-10-26). "Mexican authorities report 27 people killed by Hurricane Otis". Washington Post. Associated Press. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  4. ^ Zelinsky, David. Eastern Pacific Tropical Weather Outlook [500 PM PDT Sat Oct 14 2023] (Report). National Hurricane Center. Archived from the original on 25 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  5. ^ Berg, Robbie. Eastern Pacific Tropical Weather Outlook [500 AM PDT Wed Oct 18 2023] (Report). National Hurricane Center. Archived from the original on 24 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  6. ^ a b Cangialosi, John; Bucci, Lisa. Tropical Depression Eighteen-E Discussion Number 1 (Report). National Hurricane Center. Archived from the original on 22 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  7. ^ Cangialosi, John; Bucci, Lisa. Tropical Storm Otis Discussion Number 2 (Report). National Hurricane Center. Archived from the original on 22 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  8. ^ Brown, Daniel. Tropical Storm Otis Discussion Number 4 (Report). National Hurricane Center. Archived from the original on 25 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  9. ^ Cangialosi, John; Delgado, Sandy. Tropical Storm Otis Discussion Number 5 (Report). National Hurricane Center. Archived from the original on 25 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  10. ^ a b Blake, Eric. Tropical Storm Otis Discussion Number 7 (Report). National Hurricane Center. Archived from the original on 25 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  11. ^ Brown, Daniel. Tropical Storm Otis Discussion Number 8 (Report). National Hurricane Center. Archived from the original on 25 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  12. ^ Pasch, Richard. Hurricane Otis Discussion Number 10 (Report). National Hurricane Center. Archived from the original on 25 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  13. ^ Blake, Eric (October 24, 2023). Hurricane Otis Advisory Number 12 (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Archived from the original on October 25, 2023. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
  14. ^ Brown, Daniel; Kelly, Larry (October 25, 2023). Hurricane Otis Tropical Cyclone Update (Report). Miami, Florida. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
  15. ^ Kimberlain, Todd B.; Blake, Eric S.; Cangialosi, John P. (February 1, 2016). Hurricane Patricia (PDF) (Report). Tropical Cyclone Report. Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
  16. ^ Gunther, Emil B. (April 1977). "Eastern North Pacific Tropical Cyclones of 1976". Monthly Weather Review. 105 (4). Eastern Pacific Hurricane Center: 508–522. Bibcode:1977MWRv..105..508G. doi:10.1175/1520-0493(1977)105<0508:EPTCO>2.0.CO;2. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
  17. ^ The 1992 Central Pacific Tropical Cyclone Season (PDF) (Report). Honolulu, Hawaii: Central Pacific Hurricane Center. 1993. Retrieved November 24, 2003.
  18. ^ a b Blake, Eric S; Gibney, Ethan J; Brown, Daniel P; Mainelli, Michelle; Franklin, James L; Kimberlain, Todd B; Hammer, Gregory R (2009). Tropical Cyclones of the Eastern North Pacific Basin, 1949-2006 (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on April 11, 2024. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  19. ^ Franklin, James L. (December 26, 2002). Hurricane Kenna (PDF) (Report). Tropical Cyclone Report. Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
  20. ^ Bucci, Lisa; Brown, Daniel (October 10, 2023). Hurricane Lidia Intermediate Advisory Number 31A (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  21. ^ Brown, Daniel; Kelly, Larry (October 25, 2023). Hurricane Otis Tropical Cyclone Update (Report). Miami, Florida. Archived from the original on October 25, 2023. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
  22. ^ Wolfe, Elizabeth; Elamroussi, Aya (October 25, 2023). "Hurricane Otis' Category 5 'nightmare scenario' knocks out all communications in Acapulco, Mexico". CNN. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  23. ^ Pasch, Richard (October 25, 2023). "Tropical Storm Otis Intermediate Advisory Number 14A". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  24. ^ Pasch, Richard (October 25, 2023). Remnants of Otis Discussion Number 15 (Report). Miami, Florida. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  25. ^ Masters, Jeff; Henson, Bob (October 25, 2023). "Nightmare scenario: Category 5 Hurricane Otis devastates Acapulco". Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  26. ^ Rivera, Jose (2023-10-24). "Hurricane Otis rapidly grows into Category 4 storm off Mexico's Pacific coast heading for Acapulco". The Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2023-10-25. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  27. ^ Verdin, Javier (2023-10-24). "Hurricane Otis set to hit Mexico's Acapulco as Category 5 storm". Reuters. Thomson Reuters. Archived from the original on 2023-10-25. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  28. ^ Verdin, Javier (October 25, 2023). "Hurricane Otis batters Mexico's Acapulco after hitting as Category 5 storm". Reuters. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  29. ^ Wesner Childs, Jan; Breslin, Sean (October 25, 2023). "Hurricane Otis Slams Acapulco: Live Updates". The Weather Channel. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  30. ^ McCarthy, Daniel (October 25, 2023). "Hurricane Otis Slams Into Mexico as a Category 5 Storm". Travel Market Report. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  31. ^ a b Wolfe, Elizabeth; Elamroussi, Aya; Shackelford, Robert; Gilbert, Mary (October 25, 2023). "Hurricane Otis' Category 5 'nightmare scenario' strike knocks out all communications in Acapulco, Mexico". CNN. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  32. ^ Herrera, Olivia Vázquez; Tinoco Morales, Omar; Tapia Sandoval, Anayeli (October 23, 2023). "Huracán Otis se degrada a categoría 4 aún sobre Acapulco, Guerrero | EN VIVO". infobae (in European Spanish). Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  33. ^ Armstrong, Kathryn (October 25, 2023). "Hurricane Otis makes landfall in Mexico". BBC News. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  34. ^ a b Antonio Rivera, José; Verza, María (October 25, 2023). "Hurricane Otis batters Acapulco before weakening over southern Mexico". Associated Press. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  35. ^ Vargas, Octavio (October 25, 2023). "Éste es el antes y después tras paso del huracán 'Otis' en Acapulco; estos son los daños que ocasionó". infobae (in European Spanish). Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  36. ^ Taylor, Derrick Bryson (October 25, 2023). "Hurricane Otis: Otis Makes Landfall Near Acapulco as 'Catastrophic' Hurricane". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  37. ^ Boyle, Louise; McHardy, Martha; Muzaffar, Maroosha (October 25, 2023). "Hurricane Otis cuts off all of Acapulco: Live updates". The Independent. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  38. ^ "Communication down in Acapulco after Otis slams region". NBC News. October 25, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  39. ^ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; National Weather Service (25 October 2023). "ISLA ROQUETA NEAR ACAPULCO". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on 25 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  40. ^ a b Mega, Emiliano Rodríguez (October 25, 2023). "Hurricane Otis: Update from Emiliano Rodríguez Mega". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  41. ^ IV, Antonio Pequeño (October 25, 2023). "Hurricane Otis Wipes Out Communications And Highway In Acapulco After Rapid Intensification Into Category 5". Forbes. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  42. ^ https://twitter.com/cires_ac/status/1717259323116515515

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hurricane_Otis&oldid=1182003945"