Hurricane “John” rapidly intensifies before making landfall in Mexico
With maximum winds of 193 km/h (120 mph), Hurricane “John” struck Mexico’s Pacific coastline on Monday, September 23, 2024, triggering evacuations and widespread flash floods. Flash floods and mudslides are expected in Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Guerrero.
Featured image: 20 UTC on September 24, 2024. Credit: NOAA/GOES-West, RAMMB/CIRA, The Watchers
- Hurricane “John” made landfall on Mexico’s southern Pacific coast as a Category 3 storm on September 24 (UTC), with wind speeds reaching 195 km/h (120 mph), causing widespread evacuations and dangerous flash floods and mudslides.
- A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Punta Maldonado to Zihuatanejo, Mexico.
- The Mexican government is urging citizens in affected areas to stay alert as John continues to move inland, with the potential to impact tourist hubs such as Acapulco and Puerto Escondido.
- John is the 11th named storm of the 2024 Pacific hurricane season.
Hurricane “John” made landfall on Mexico’s southern Pacific coast, SSW of Marquelia, 03:20 UTC on September 24, 2024, as a Category 3 storm after rapidly intensifying into a major hurricane. Upon landfall, maximum wind speeds of 195 km/h (120 mph) were recorded.
A storm surge of around 1.8 – 3 meters (6 – 10 feet) was forecast near the shore of south-central Mexico, east of where the eye of the storm moved.
The storm brought “life-threatening” flash floods, expected to continue along the southern coast of Mexico for the next few days, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
As of 09:00 UTC, the hurricane was located 185 km (115 miles) NW of Punta Maldonado and about 45 km (30 miles) NNW of Acapulco. It had a minimum central pressure of 990 mb, with maximum sustained winds of 110 km/h (70 mph).
Hurricane “John” weakened to a Category 2 storm early on Tuesday, September 22, with maximum sustained winds of around 161 km/h (100 mph). It was expected to hit Punta Maldonado and the nearby tourist hubs Acapulco and Puerto Escondido before weakening over the high terrain inland.
According to the governor of Oaxaca, 3 000 people have been evacuated, 1 000 military personnel have been deployed to deal with the emergency, and 80 shelters have been set up for residents.
The cities of Puerto Ángel and Puerto Escondido are expected to be the hardest hit by John. While Acapulco may avoid the worst impact, it may still face wind gusts of 64 – 97 km/h (40 – 60 mph) as John continues to push inland.
The Mexican government has downgraded the Hurricane Warning to a Tropical Storm Warning for the coast from Acapulco to Lagunas de Chacahua. This means that storm-like conditions are expected in parts of the warning areas. Citizens are urged to stay updated on the latest warnings and advisories in their regions.
John has an estimated central pressure of 999 hPa and is currently moving to the NW at around 13 km/h (8 mph). Tropical storm-force winds extend outward from the center as far as 75 km (45 miles).
A slow westward motion is expected during the next few days. Continued rapid weakening is anticipated, and the system is expected to become a tropical depression later today.
The storm is expected to bring around 150 – 300 mm (6 – 12 inches) of rain, with isolated totals of 380 mm (15 inches) in the coastal parts of Chiapas through Thursday, September 26.
Rainfall of 250 – 510 mm (10 – 20 inches) with isolated totals of 760 mm (30 inches) is expected near the Oaxaca coast through Thursday.
The heavy rains are expected to cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides in Chiapas, Oaxaca, and southeastern Guerrero, especially in areas near the coast and uphill regions with higher terrain.
References:
1 Key messages for Tropical Storm John – NHC – September 24, 2024
2 Tropical Storm John Public Advisory – NHC – September 24, 2024
3 Hurricane John makes landfall, poised to blast southern Mexico with 50 inches of rain, high winds – AccuWeather – September 24, 2024
4 Hurricane John’s rapid intensification catches Mexico tourist hubs of Acapulco and Puerto Escondido off guard – CBS – September 24, 2024
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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