Hurricane Barbara becomes first storm of the 2025 Eastern Pacific season
Two tropical storms formed off the coast of Mexico this weekend, with Barbara strengthening and becoming the season's first hurricane on Monday.
Forecasters are tracking both Hurricane Barbara and Tropical Storm Cosme as they swirl west of Mexico. Periods of heavy rain could lead to flooding and mudslides around some major tourist destinations.
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Hurricane season is in full swing across the eastern Pacific, and a favourable environment off the western coast of Mexico allowed two tropical storms to form this weekend.
Hurricane Barbara strengthened southwest of Mexico on Monday morning, marking the first hurricane of the 2025 season.
#Barbara is now a #hurricane - the first hurricane-strength tropical cyclone of the 2025 Northern Hemisphere season. Barbara is the latest 1st Northern Hemisphere hurricane since 1993. pic.twitter.com/zBtuNgxjEi
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) June 9, 2025
According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC), Barbara's maximum sustained winds reached 120 km/h, meeting the threshold for hurricane classification.
There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect, but swells generated by Barbara will affect portions of the coast of southwestern Mexico during the next few days.
"These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions," the NHC warns. "Please consult products from your local weather office."
The NHC calls for widespread rainfall totals of 25-50 mm throughout the region, with totals of 50-100 mm possible toward Acapulco. Locally higher totals are possible, bringing along the risk for flash flooding and mudslides.
While the system is close enough to spread rain over land, the centre of the storm should remain safely out to sea. The NHC expects Barbara to strengthen slightly on Monday before gradually weakening through the middle of the week.
Cosme formed to Barbara's west on Sunday afternoon.
Forecasters predict that the small system could reach hurricane strength on Monday before encountering cooler waters and drier air by the middle of the week, forcing the system to quickly weaken and fall apart.
Hurricane season in the eastern Pacific basin runs through the end of November.
NOAA's seasonal outlook called for 12-18 named storms, with 5-10 of those systems growing into hurricanes, and 2-5 of those hurricanes achieving Category 3 status or stronger. This is close to the eastern Pacific's seasonal average of 15 named storms, 8 hurricanes, and 4 major hurricanes.
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This season's activity is influenced by the lack of El Niño and La Niña, as well as a negative phase of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), a pattern that can lead to cooler-than-normal ocean temperatures. Cooler waters can suppress tropical cyclone development.
Most storms in the eastern Pacific head out to sea and don't affect land. Those that do affect land frequently hit the mountainous communities of western Mexico, often triggering widespread flooding and mudslides.
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