Oaxaca, Mexico — Early Wednesday morning, Erick strengthened to a category 1 hurricane from tropical storm status the night before. By mid-day Wednesday, the National Hurricane Centre out of Miami issued a warning that due to favorable conditions for rapid intensification, Erick could make landfall as a major hurricane, a category 3 or higher.
“At 6:00 a.m. Central Mexico time, its center was located approximately 255 kilometers south-southeast of Puerto Ángel, Oaxaca, and 440 kilometers (270 mi) southeast of Punta Maldonado, Guerrero, with maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour gusting to 140 km/h (87 mph), and moving northwest at 11 km/h (6 mph),” Mexico’s Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (SMN) reported.
According to the National Hurricane Centre (NOAA), at 12:00 p.m. CST, Hurricane Erick was located moving toward the northwest near 9 mph (15 km/h) and that a northwestward motion with a gradual increase in forward speed is expected later today or tonight. On the forecast track, the center of Erick is expected to approach the coast of southern Mexico late tonight and move inland on Thursday.
“Data from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds have increased to near 100 mph (155 km/h) with higher gusts,” they reported at noon.
“Rapid strengthening is expected to continue today, and Erick is forecast to reach major hurricane strength tonight or early Thursday as it approaches the coast of southern Mexico. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 15 miles (30 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles (165 km).”
The NOAA says Erick will produce rainfall totals of 8 to 16 inches, with maximum totals of 20 inches, across the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Guerrero. This rainfall will lead to life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain. Rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches, with maximum totals of 6 inches, are expected across Guatemala and the Mexican states of Chiapas, Michoacan, Colima, Jalisco and Mexico City.
Mexico’s SMN says a hurricane warning zone is in effect from Acapulco, Guerrero, to Puerto Ángel, Oaxaca, a hurricane watch zone is in effect from west of Acapulco to Técpan de Galeana, Guerrero, and from east of Puerto Ángel to Bahías de Huatulco, Oaxaca and a tropical storm warning zone is in effect from east of Puerto Ángel to Salina Cruz, Oaxaca.
“It is reiterated that due to favorable conditions for rapid intensification, Erick could reach major hurricane status (3 or higher) before making landfall,” the SMN said Wednesday. On Tuesday, a hurricane watch was put in effect for several Pacific coastal areas near and around the borders of Oaxaca and Guerrero.
