WeatherFanatics: Hurricane Carlos Swirling Off the Mexican Pacific Coast

Saturday, June 13, 2015

Hurricane Carlos Swirling Off the Mexican Pacific Coast

June 13,2015

Highlights

Hurricane Carlos is slowly strengthening about 100 miles south of Acapulco, Mexico.
Carlos was upgraded from a tropical storm to a hurricane on Saturday morning.
Hurricane Carlos is forecast to strengthen a bit more, but will likely remain a Category 1 hurricane.
A hurricane warning is in effect for Lazaro Cardenas to Tecpan de Galeana. A hurricane watch is in effect for the Pacific coast of Mexico west of Lazaro Cardenas to Manzanillo, while a tropical storm warning has been issued for areas east of Tecpan de Galeana to Punta Maldonado.
This system is currently moving very slowly and will continue its slow movement into Sunday, then move northwest roughly parallel to the coast early next week.
Rainbands have already spread over portions of the southern coast of Mexico. While the center will likely remain offshore, Carlos is close enough to bring periods of heavy rainfall to much of the Mexican Riviera at times through this weekend.
Rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches are expected across the southwestern coast of Mexico through Tuesday, with locally higher amounts ranging as much as 6-10 inches; isolated regions may receive as much as 15 inches or more. As a result, the heavy rain may cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.
Swells generated by the slowly strengthening system will generate high surf and rip currents along the Mexican Riviera coast into early next week.
Carlos was named Thursday morning after first forming as Tropical Depression Three-E on Wednesday afternoon.
According to hurricane specialist Michael Lowry of The Weather Channel, only four other eastern Pacific hurricane seasons have recorded their third named storm by June 11.
This is also the second earliest occurrence of the third hurricane in the eastern Pacific on record.