Hurricane Erick strengthens to ‘extremely dangerous' Category 4: U.S. U.S. National Hurricane Centre
Southern Mexico's Pacific coast was braced for a Thursday (June 19, 2025) morning impact with the approach of Hurricane Erick, which was upgraded to an 'extremely dangerous' Category 4 early Thursday (June 19, 2025), the U.S. National Hurricane Centre said.
The major storm threatens to unleash destructive winds near where the eye crashes ashore, flash floods and a dangerous storm surge, forecasters said.
The Miami-based centre reported Erick was about 110 kilometres west-southwest of Puerto Angel, Mexico, and about 145 kilometres southeast of Punta Maldonado, Mexico.
The storm had maximum sustained winds of 230 kph and was moving northwest at 15 kph.
A hurricane is defined as Category 4 when wind speeds reach 209-251 kph.
Late Wednesday (June 18, 2025), Erick's projected path crept south, closer to the resort city of Puerto Escondido in Oaxaca state, and centred on a sparsely populated stretch of coastline between the Oaxacan resort and Acapulco to the northwest.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said in a video message Wednesday (June 18, 2025) night that all activities in the region were suspended and she urged people to stay in their homes or to move to shelters if they lived in low-lying areas.
Waves were crashing onto the esplanade in Puerto Escondido by nightfall, swamping wooden fishing boats that had been pulled up there for safety. The beach disappeared under pounding waves and the rising tide had already reached the interiors of some waterfront restaurants.
Last-minute purchases ended at nightfall as stores closed and the streets emptied.
Earlier in the day, fishermen in Puerto Escondido pulled their boats out of the water ahead of the storm's arrival. Some surfers continued to ride waves at the Zicatela beach, even with red flags up to warn people to stay out of the water.
The storm's course shift could be welcome relief for residents of storm-battered Acapulco.
The city of nearly 1 million was devastated in October 2023 by Hurricane Otis, a Category 5 hurricane that rapidly intensified and caught many unprepared. At least 52 people died in Otis and the storm severely damaged almost all of the resort's hotels.
Acapulco still 'scarred' by Otis
Acapulco residents said they were bracing for Erick's arrival with more preparation and trepidation because of the memory of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Otis two years earlier.
Guerrero state Gov. Evelyn Salgado said via X that all movement in Acapulco and other beach communities was to be suspended at 8 p.m. Schools across the state were to remain closed for a second day Thursday (June 19, 2025).
Carlos Ozuna Romero, 51, lost his restaurant at the edge of an Acapulco beach when Otis slammed the resort with devastating winds. On Wednesday, he directed workers storing tables and chairs.
'Authorities' warnings fill us with fear and obviously make us remember everything we've already been through,' Ozuna Romero said in reference to Otis.
Elsewhere, workers nailed sheets of plywood over shop windows and stacked sandbags outside doorways. Cars lined up to fill their tanks and shoppers made last-minute purchases before rushing home.
Verónica Gómez struggled through the streets of Acapulco with a large jug of water. 'We're all afraid because we think the same thing could happen,' said the 40-year-old employee of a shipping company.
But she said she and others learned a lot from Otis. 'Now it's not going to catch us by surprise," she said, holding out a bag of canned food as evidence.
Also read: 2024's record ocean heat revved up Atlantic hurricane wind speeds: study
In Acapulco on Wednesday (June 18, 2025), there was a strong presence of National Guard and police in the streets, but most visible were trucks from the national power company. Crews worked to clear drainage canals and brush.
Rain could be Erick's legacy
Forecasters said Erick was expected to lash Mexico's Pacific coast with heavy rain, strong winds and a fierce storm surge. Rains of up to 16 inches (40 centimetres) could fall across the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Guerrero, with lesser totals in Chiapas, Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco states, the centre's advisory said.
The rainfall threatened flooding and mudslides, especially in areas with steep terrain.
A hurricane warning was in effect from Acapulco to Puerto Ángel. A hurricane warning means hurricane conditions are expected in the area, and preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion, according to the hurricane centre advisory.
Laura Velázquez, Mexico's national civil defence coordinator, said Erick was forecast to bring 'torrential' rains to Guerrero, Oaxaca and Chiapas in southern Mexico. The mountainous region along the coast is especially prone to mudslides, with numerous rivers at risk of flooding.
Guerrero Gov. Evelyn Salgado said all schools would remain closed and the state had alerted all of the fishing and tourism operators to make their boats storm-ready. Acapulco's port closed Tuesday evening. Salgado said 582 shelters were set to receive people who might evacuate their homes.
Sheinbaum warned in her daily briefing that those in the hurricane's path should heed government instructions and wait out the storm in their homes or designated shelters.
Erick quickly doubled in strength
Having doubled in strength in less than a day, Erick was churning through an ideal environment for quick intensification. Last year, there were 34 incidents of rapid intensification — when a storm gains at least 35 mph in 24 hours — which is about twice as many as average and causes problems with forecasting, according to the hurricane centre.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Here's why Hurricane Erick is quickly strengthening into dangerous storm
Having doubled in strength in less than a day and still expected to grow further, Hurricane Erick on Wednesday chugged through the ideal environment to power up quickly as it approached Mexico's southern Pacific Coast. This type of rapid intensification has become more common in a warmer climate, especially in the Atlantic and near the United States, which is not where Erick is now, scientists said. Last year, there were 34 incidents of rapid intensification — when a storm gains at least 35 mph in 24 hours — which is about twice as many as average and causes problems with forecasting, according to the National Hurricane Center. Erick, an otherwise run-of-the-mill hurricane that's strong but not unusual, gained 50 mph in just 18 hours and was still powering up as it neared the coast. The only thing that's unusual so far is that this is the fifth eastern Pacific storm a month into the season there, which is a little more active than normal, said University of Miami hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy. And it's likely that when Erick hits, it will be the strongest storm to make landfall in that part of Mexico this early in the season, he said. On average, the fifth named storm first appears in the Eastern Pacific basin around July 23, according to the hurricane center. The Eastern Pacific hurricane season, which starts May 15 and runs through Nov. 30, averages 15 named storms, eight of which become hurricanes with four of those reaching major status of winds more than 110 mph (177 kph). In general, the eastern Pacific tends to have about one storm a year more than the Atlantic. But Atlantic storms tend to cause more destruction because they hit more populated areas. Because of where Erik is headed — nearing Acapulco — and its rapid intensification, the storm brings back bad memories of deadly Otis, which seemed to come from out of nowhere to smack Mexico with a top-of-the-scale Category 5 hurricane in 2023. But Erick is no Otis, especially because of their timing. Erick is an early-season storm and Otis hit in October. Forming in October, Otis grew stronger by churning up deeper and warmer water because it was later in the year. Erick is early in the year and the deep water it would churn up is cooler and doesn't fuel rapid intensification. Even so, the surface water is plenty hot enough, said MIT hurricane scientist Kerry Emanuel. All the ingredients are otherwise perfect for Erick's power-up, said University at Albany atmospheric scientist Kristen Corbosiero. Dry air often stops rapid intensification, but Erick hasn't run into dry air and the atmosphere around it is extremely moist, she said. It's got a good stormy eye forming and has what would be the ideal shape of a strengthening storm, she said. Studies have linked human-caused climate change in general to more bouts of rapid intensification, as well as wetter and slower storms, Corbosiero said. But it would take more study, usually after the storm hits, to find any potential link between global warming and Erick in particular, if there is one, she said.
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Hurricane Erick strengthens to Category 4, threatens Mexico with deadly floods
Hurricane Erick strengthened to an "extremely dangerous" Category 4 early Thursday as it barreled toward Mexico's Pacific coast, the US National Hurricane Center said, warning of potentially deadly floods. Erick is expected to make landfall on Thursday morning bringing "life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain", the center's latest bulletin said. Mexican authorities said they were also expecting heavy rain in Chiapas state. President Claudia Sheinbaum urged people to avoid going out and advised those living in low-lying areas or near rivers to move to shelters. Also read: Hurricane Erick path tracker: Warnings issued for these areas as storm nears Mexico's Pacific coast In Acapulco, a major port and resort city famous for its nightlife, police with bullhorns walked the beach and drove around town warning residents and holidaymakers of the storm's arrival. Some shops boarded up their windows and operators of tourist boats brought their vessels ashore. Rainfall began in the late afternoon after a sunny day. About 250 miles (400 kilometers) south of Acapulco, the city of Puerto Escondido and its 30,000 inhabitants braced for the hurricane's effects. Restaurants were already closed despite tourists unwilling to give up their vacations, an AFP journalist noted from the scene. "They say it's going to hit this side of the coast, so we're taking precautions to avoid having any regrets later," Adalberto Ruiz, a 55-year-old fisherman sheltering his boat, told AFP. Laura Velazquez, national coordinator of civil protection, said the government was using patrols and social media to warn people. Some 2,000 temporary shelters have been set up in Chiapas, Guerrero and Oaxaca, and hundreds of troops and electricity workers have been deployed to help with any clean-up efforts. Local authorities have suspended classes and closed ports along the coast, including the port of Acapulco, to shipping. Mexico sees major storms every year, usually between May and November, on both its Pacific and Atlantic coasts. In October 2023, Acapulco was pummeled by Hurricane Otis, a powerful Category 5 storm that killed at least 50 people. Hurricane John, another Category 3 storm that hit Acapulco in September last year, caused about 15 deaths.
The Hindu
5 hours ago
- The Hindu
Hurricane Erick strengthens to ‘extremely dangerous' Category 4: U.S. U.S. National Hurricane Centre
Southern Mexico's Pacific coast was braced for a Thursday (June 19, 2025) morning impact with the approach of Hurricane Erick, which was upgraded to an 'extremely dangerous' Category 4 early Thursday (June 19, 2025), the U.S. National Hurricane Centre said. The major storm threatens to unleash destructive winds near where the eye crashes ashore, flash floods and a dangerous storm surge, forecasters said. The Miami-based centre reported Erick was about 110 kilometres west-southwest of Puerto Angel, Mexico, and about 145 kilometres southeast of Punta Maldonado, Mexico. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 230 kph and was moving northwest at 15 kph. A hurricane is defined as Category 4 when wind speeds reach 209-251 kph. Late Wednesday (June 18, 2025), Erick's projected path crept south, closer to the resort city of Puerto Escondido in Oaxaca state, and centred on a sparsely populated stretch of coastline between the Oaxacan resort and Acapulco to the northwest. President Claudia Sheinbaum said in a video message Wednesday (June 18, 2025) night that all activities in the region were suspended and she urged people to stay in their homes or to move to shelters if they lived in low-lying areas. Waves were crashing onto the esplanade in Puerto Escondido by nightfall, swamping wooden fishing boats that had been pulled up there for safety. The beach disappeared under pounding waves and the rising tide had already reached the interiors of some waterfront restaurants. Last-minute purchases ended at nightfall as stores closed and the streets emptied. Earlier in the day, fishermen in Puerto Escondido pulled their boats out of the water ahead of the storm's arrival. Some surfers continued to ride waves at the Zicatela beach, even with red flags up to warn people to stay out of the water. The storm's course shift could be welcome relief for residents of storm-battered Acapulco. The city of nearly 1 million was devastated in October 2023 by Hurricane Otis, a Category 5 hurricane that rapidly intensified and caught many unprepared. At least 52 people died in Otis and the storm severely damaged almost all of the resort's hotels. Acapulco still 'scarred' by Otis Acapulco residents said they were bracing for Erick's arrival with more preparation and trepidation because of the memory of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Otis two years earlier. Guerrero state Gov. Evelyn Salgado said via X that all movement in Acapulco and other beach communities was to be suspended at 8 p.m. Schools across the state were to remain closed for a second day Thursday (June 19, 2025). Carlos Ozuna Romero, 51, lost his restaurant at the edge of an Acapulco beach when Otis slammed the resort with devastating winds. On Wednesday, he directed workers storing tables and chairs. 'Authorities' warnings fill us with fear and obviously make us remember everything we've already been through,' Ozuna Romero said in reference to Otis. Elsewhere, workers nailed sheets of plywood over shop windows and stacked sandbags outside doorways. Cars lined up to fill their tanks and shoppers made last-minute purchases before rushing home. Verónica Gómez struggled through the streets of Acapulco with a large jug of water. 'We're all afraid because we think the same thing could happen,' said the 40-year-old employee of a shipping company. But she said she and others learned a lot from Otis. 'Now it's not going to catch us by surprise," she said, holding out a bag of canned food as evidence. Also read: 2024's record ocean heat revved up Atlantic hurricane wind speeds: study In Acapulco on Wednesday (June 18, 2025), there was a strong presence of National Guard and police in the streets, but most visible were trucks from the national power company. Crews worked to clear drainage canals and brush. Rain could be Erick's legacy Forecasters said Erick was expected to lash Mexico's Pacific coast with heavy rain, strong winds and a fierce storm surge. Rains of up to 16 inches (40 centimetres) could fall across the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Guerrero, with lesser totals in Chiapas, Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco states, the centre's advisory said. The rainfall threatened flooding and mudslides, especially in areas with steep terrain. A hurricane warning was in effect from Acapulco to Puerto Ángel. A hurricane warning means hurricane conditions are expected in the area, and preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion, according to the hurricane centre advisory. Laura Velázquez, Mexico's national civil defence coordinator, said Erick was forecast to bring 'torrential' rains to Guerrero, Oaxaca and Chiapas in southern Mexico. The mountainous region along the coast is especially prone to mudslides, with numerous rivers at risk of flooding. Guerrero Gov. Evelyn Salgado said all schools would remain closed and the state had alerted all of the fishing and tourism operators to make their boats storm-ready. Acapulco's port closed Tuesday evening. Salgado said 582 shelters were set to receive people who might evacuate their homes. Sheinbaum warned in her daily briefing that those in the hurricane's path should heed government instructions and wait out the storm in their homes or designated shelters. Erick quickly doubled in strength Having doubled in strength in less than a day, Erick was churning through an ideal environment for quick intensification. Last year, there were 34 incidents of rapid intensification — when a storm gains at least 35 mph in 24 hours — which is about twice as many as average and causes problems with forecasting, according to the hurricane centre.
