Author Archives: Valerie Mills

Tropical Storm Watches in Caribbean as new storm develops

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With two weeks left in the 2023 hurricane season, the tropics are still spinning up areas of interest.

Tropical Storm Watches are in effect for Jamaica, eastern Cuba, Haiti, Turks and Caicos and the southern Bahamas. The storm is expected to strengthen as it approaches these areas, bringing impacts mainly Friday – Saturday.

Potential Tropical Cyclone Twenty-Two has been gaining strength in the southern Caribbean the last few days. As of Thursday evening, it became an area of interest with sustained winds of 35mph.

Potential Tropical Cyclone Twenty-Two could become our next named storm of the season Friday, taking on the name Vince if it reaches tropical storm strength.

The storm’s track takes it right over Jamaica Friday, before moving into southeastern Cuba early Saturday, and across the Turks and Caicos Islands Saturday night.

Jamaica and parts of Cuba will start feeling impacts from this storm later on Friday with tropical downpours and tropical-storm-force winds into the weekend. Heavy rains and damaging winds will move through Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas Saturday.

This storm could produce rainfall of 5-10″, with locally higher amounts up to 16″. Coastal flooding and dangerous storm surge is possible along the southeastern coast of Cuba, Bahamas and Turks and Caicos over the weekend.

Currently, Potential Tropical Cyclone Twenty-Two is just off the coast of Central America moving north-northeast at about 10mph. The storm will likely pick up some speed tonight as it approaches Jamaica.

Hurricane Otis makes historical landfall

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Hurricane Otis exploded in strength just hours before making landfall as a historically strong Category 5.

Hurricane Otis made landfall 5 miles south of Acapulco, with 165mph winds, around 1:30am Wednesday morning.

Otis’ winds increased from 65mph to 145mph in just a 12-hour window as the storm approached Mexico’s Pacific Coast.

A hurricane specialist with Colorado State University said, “That’s the fastest 12-hour intensification rate in the eastern North Pacific in the satellite era, breaking the old record of 75mph/12hr set by Patricia in 2015.”

Otis is the strongest hurricane to make landfall on Mexico’s Pacific side and the first Eastern Pacific hurricane to make landfall as a Category 5.

Not only did the storm rapidly intensify, it happened overnight and caught many in southern Mexico off-guard as the forecast changed so quickly.

The National Hurricane Center said Tuesday night, “A nightmare scenario is unfolding for southern Mexico this evening with rapidly intensifying Otis approaching the coastline….. There are no hurricanes on record even close to this intensity for this part of Mexico.”

Hurricane Otis is now down to a Category 1 hurricane with 80mph sustained winds on Wednesday morning. Hurricane Otis is currently spinning about 100 miles northwest of Acapulco, moving north-northwest at 10mph.

Otis will continue to weaken as it moves inland over Mexico’s higher terrain areas and eventually dissipate. This storm will still produce heavy rain and damaging winds through Thursday across southern Mexico.