Meteorological history of Hurricane Patricia information
Hurricane Patricia
Track of Hurricane Patricia
Meteorological history
Formed
October 20, 2015 (October 20, 2015)
Dissipated
October 24, 2015 (October 24, 2015)
Category 5 major hurricane
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS)
Highest winds
215 mph (345 km/h)
Lowest pressure
872 mbar (hPa); 25.75 inHg (Record low in Western Hemisphere; second-lowest globally)
Overall effects
Areas affected
Central America
Mexico
Texas
Part of the 2015 Pacific hurricane season
Hurricane Patricia was the most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere and the second-most intense worldwide in terms of barometric pressure. It also featured the highest one-minute maximum sustained winds ever recorded in a tropical cyclone. Originating from a sprawling disturbance near the Gulf of Tehuantepec in mid-October 2015, Patricia was first classified a tropical depression on October 20. Initial development was slow, with only modest strengthening within the first day of its classification. The system later became a tropical storm and was named Patricia, the twenty-fourth named storm of the annual hurricane season. Exceptionally favorable environmental conditions fueled explosive intensification on October 22. A well-defined eye developed within an intense central dense overcast and Patricia grew from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane in just 24 hours—a near-record pace. The magnitude of intensification was poorly forecast and both forecast models and meteorologists suffered from record-high prediction errors.
On October 23, two Hurricane Hunter missions both revealed the storm to have acquired maximum sustained winds of 205 mph (335 km/h) and a pressure of 879 mbar (hPa; 25.96 inHg). Since the peak intensity was assessed to have occurred between the missions, the National Hurricane Center ultimately estimated Patricia to have acquired winds of 215 mph (345 km/h) and pressure of 872 mbar (hPa; 25.75 inHg). This ranked it just below Typhoon Tip of 1979 as the most intense tropical cyclone on record. Patricia's exceptional intensity prompted the retirement of its name in April 2016.[1] Late on October 23, Patricia made landfall in a significantly weakened state near Cuixmala, Jalisco. Despite weakening greatly, it was the strongest recorded landfalling Pacific hurricane with winds estimated at 150 mph (240 km/h). Interaction with the mountainous terrain of Mexico induced dramatic weakening, faster than the storm had intensified. Within 24 hours of moving ashore, Patricia degraded into a tropical depression and dissipated soon thereafter late on October 24.
^"World Meteorological Organization retires storm names Erika, Joaquin and Patricia" (Press release). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. April 25, 2016. Archived from the original on June 1, 2016. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
and 27 Related for: Meteorological history of Hurricane Patricia information
HurricanePatricia was the most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere and the second-most intense worldwide in terms of barometric...
HurricanePatricia was the most powerful tropical cyclone on record worldwide in terms of maximum sustained winds and the second-most intense on record...
Books: The Extraordinary Intensification ofHurricanePatricia (2015)". Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. 98 (10): 2, 091–2, 112. Bibcode:2017BAMS...
a Category 5 hurricane. Otis was the first Pacific hurricane to make landfall at Category 5 intensity and surpassed HurricanePatricia as the strongest...
Atlantic hurricane by wind speed. Until HurricanePatricia in 2015, these were also the highest sustained winds in the Western Hemisphere. Hurricane Allen...
States Central Pacific Hurricane Center – Central Pacific Japan Meteorological Agency – Western Pacific India Meteorological Department – Indian Ocean...
worldwide, the deadliest hurricane to strike the state of Florida since the 1935 Labor Day hurricane, and the strongest hurricane to make landfall in Florida...
considered to be one of the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centers for tropical cyclones, as defined by the World Meteorological Organization. Until...
A Pacific hurricane is a tropical cyclone that develops within the northeastern and central Pacific Ocean to the east of 180°W, north of the equator. For...
Typhoon Tip? (PDF). 26th Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology. Miami, Florida: American Meteorological Society. Archived (PDF) from the original...
surpassing Hurricane Edith of 1971. It was the sixth named storm, second hurricane, and second Category 5 hurricaneof the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season...
Hurricane Matthew was the first Category 5 Atlantic hurricane since Felix in 2007 and the southernmost Category 5 Atlantic hurricane on record. The system...
As of May 2024, there have been 1,727 tropical cyclones of at least tropical storm intensity, 960 at hurricane intensity, and 333 at major hurricane intensity...
extratropical transitions of eastern Pacific Hurricane Lester (1992) and Atlantic Hurricane Andrew (1992)". American Meteorological Society. Archived from...
in that it was not named by any hurricane-monitoring meteorological agency affiliated with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). (Tropical cyclone...
hurricane season was an active and destructive Pacific hurricane season. In the Eastern Pacific basin (east of 140°W), 17 named storms formed; 10 of those...
Atlantic hurricane to make landfall in the contiguous United States in terms of pressure, behind the 1935 Labor Day hurricane and Hurricane Camille in...
Hemisphere, after HurricanePatricia in 2015. Part of the record-breaking 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, which included three of the ten most intense...
(Report). World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved July 29, 2023. "Review of the Hurricane Operational Plan". World Meteorological Organization. British...
Typhoon Haiyan's meteorologicalhistory began with its origins as a tropical disturbance east-southeast of Pohnpei and lasted until its degeneration as...
available at the time. Recon flights were conducted and meteorological equipment was tested. The hurricane was also photographed from space by satellites and...
the World Meteorological Organization. On August 19, 2019, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) identified a tropical wave—an elongated trough of low air...
and destructive, such as Hurricane Nate in 2017. Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN) is the national meteorological agency of Costa Rica. December 5–12...
flooding from the slow motion of the storm. It was the deadliest hurricane in Central American history, surpassing Hurricane Fifi–Orlene, which killed slightly...
southwestern areas of the country by the morning of October 3. The Meteorological Service of Cuba raised hurricane watches for all of southeastern Cuba...
storm, second hurricane, and first major hurricaneof the season. Forming in July, the hurricane became the strongest Atlantic hurricane ever to form before...