Simon, another major hurricane in the eastern Pacific

Hurricane Simon became the sixth category four hurricane in the eastern Pacific this season. While the Atlantic has been quiet again this year the eastern Pacific has been very busy. Thankfully Simon has tracked in the more common area that tropical cyclones follow – west of Cabo San Lucas.

Hurricane Simon

The resort area of Cabo San Lucas is still recovering from Hurricane Odile from a few weeks ago. Odile came onshore as a category three hurricane. This time around the Baja of Mexico has only had to deal with rain bands and higher than normal surf on their west facing beaches. Hurricane season does not end until November 30th.

Hurricane Odile – One for the Record Books

Hurricane Odile formed off of the west central coast of Mexico several days ago. Weather forecast models showed Odile moving west of the Baja for several days. As the storm approached the models shifted eastward…..bad news for the resort area of Los Cabos on the southern tip of Baja California.





Hurricane Odile made landfall near Cabo San Lucas just before 10 pm local time on September 14th. It tied hurricane Olivia (1967) as the strongest hurricane to hit the southern Baja on record. Top sustained winds were estimated at 125 mph. Huge surf, high winds and heavy rainfall have battered the region since last night. Later today reports of the damage will be realized. Heavy rainfall may make its way into the southwestern U.S. Last week severe flooding washed out a major roadway north of Las Vegas. The southwest would welcome more rainfall in general, but not the flash flooding.

For a complete history of this hurricane check and its history. You can always get a quick hurricane update at my twitter account –

Beryl now gone, Atlantic hurricane season begins…..

Beryl rainfall

Even before the official start of the Atlantic 2012 hurricane season, we have seen two tropical storms. Many years there is no activity up to this point. Tropical storms Alberto and Beryl both formed off of the Southeastern U.S. coast before eventually moving northeast into the Atlantic.

Is this a sign of a very busy season? Probably not, but the extended tropical prognositcations have been wrong before. Season forecasts suggest a “normal” amount of tropical cyclones in the Atlantic basin compared with what has been observed over the past few decades.

I will be doing something a little different this year. I have a iphone / ipad app called The Global Travel Forecast. I produce 3 day video forecasts for different regions around the globe. One of the regions is the Caribbean where I cover tropical weather. You can also get that same forecast on my tropicalweather.net site. Please tell your friends to stop by. Thanks!

Rich Johnson – Tropicalweather.net

First day of the 2012 eastern Pacific hurricane season

The eastern Pacific hurricane season is starting out quickly with a tropical storm well west of Mexico. Tropical storm Aletta actually jumped the gun and formed before the first offical day of the season! I have started my tropical updates as of this morning.

If you recall the Atlantic 2012 hurricane season is supposed to be close to “normal” What is normal? Well, it really depends on what time frame you look at….. more on that at a different time. The point I would like to make is that even if El Niño shows up and decreases activity in the Atlantic; the eastern Pacific still could be busy.

Have a safe vacation season and tell your friends to check out tropicalweather.net for tropical updates! Thanks!

Rich Johnson – Tropicalweather.net

Hurricane Adrian starts the eastern Pacific hurricane season strong

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Hurricane Adrian started the eastern Pacific hurricane season with a bang. It strengthened into a category 4 hurricane west of Mexico to 140 mph late Thursday into early Friday. It ran the “typical” route for a hurricane in the eastern Pacific basin where it formed in the monsoon trough south of Mexico and moved on a west northwesterly course. It encounted colder water which robbed its energy source and weakened rapidly. The slideshow shows different satellite perspectives of Adrian: Visible, I.R. and Rainbow enhancement.

Rich Johnson – Tropicalweather.net
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Atlantic Hurricane season starts June 1

Greg Long, Jamie Sterling Surfing

The Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1.

NOAA predicts as many as 23 named storms during the Atlantic hurricane season, with three to seven becoming serious enough to be classified as major hurricanes. The agency worries that as many as 14 could turn into hurricanes.

On average, 10 storms are named of which 6 become hurricanes,, of those 2-3 become major hurricanes which is a category 3,4 or 5. Since 1997, the averages have increased to about 15 named storms of which 8 become hurricanes and of those 4 major hurricanes.

The reasoning behind the forecast is due to the fact that El Nino has weakened and a La Nina may be forming. There is a slight correlation between a La Nina event and upswing in activity.

Check my website on the latest hurricane forecasts. We simply do not copy the National Hurricane Center’s forecasts. We make our own forecasts and add expert opinion to the Hurricane Center’s forecast also. Check Tropicalweather.net’s forecasts before traveling to the tropics during hurricane season!

Rich Johnson – Tropicalweather.net

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Eastern Pacific Hurricane Season Starts Saturday

Caribbean Beach

That’s right, hurricane season is almost here….for the eastern Pacific. Saturday, May 15 is the start of the hurricane season for places like, Acalpulco, Cabo San Lucas and many other Mexican Resorts on the west coast. Check my hurricane updates on the central and eastern Pacific hurricane season. And just a reminder, the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season starts in two weeks. Make sure you start your preseason preparations now!

Rich Johnson – Tropicalweather.net

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Caribbean weather during the winter

Lazy Shelties

With winter hurricanes and tropical storms becoming an extreme rarity in the Caribbean, what kind of weather can you expect? Usually winter and early spring is the driest time of year in the Caribbean. Rainfall drops from possibly 8-10 inches in the rainy season each month to about an inch or two. Cold fronts can venture well into the Caribbean and bring cooler weather with showers and storms.

Needless to say, with almost no chance of a hurricane and drier weather, the Caribbean is an excellent tourist destination. Why lay around the house like a couple of lazy dogs? Take a trip to the Caribbean.

Rich Johnson – Tropicalweather.net

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Tropical weather picks up for mid October

Hurricane Rick

Eastern Pacific Hurricane Rick at this time is in the eastern Pacific, just far enough off of the coast to not cause any major problems. Top sustained winds are estimated at 180 mph. That makes it the second strongest hurricane on record in the eastern Pacific. Down the road a few days Los Cabos will need to deal with Rick, very possibly still a hurricane. Residents and visitors to Cabo San Lucas and the southern Baja in general should watch Rick closely. Rick is forecast to be in the area by Wednesday. For more on the Hurricane Rick check my Pacific hurricane update.

Caribbean A growing area of unsettled weather is in the western Caribbean Sea this Sunday morning. Some forecast models try to develop this tropical weather feature into the middle of next week. Check my Atlantic tropical weather update for the lastest on this system.

Rich Johnson – Tropicalweather.net

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Hurricane Jimena takes aim at the southern Baja

Hurricane Jimena south of Baja

The great majority of eastern north Pacific hurricanes curn their way harmlessly out to sea. Only fringe effects of rough surf or heavy rain bands venture onshore. Hurricane Jimena will be different. It was a strong category four on the Saffir-Simpson Scale, capable of doing extensive damage especially to substandard buildings.

Jimena is expected to make landfall Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning. It still may be a major hurricane before making landfall. Check my Pacific update for the latest on Jimena.

Rich Johnson – Tropicalweather.net

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