Hurricane Hunter making the rounds

May 15th is the start of the Pacific season

They are in Cabo right now and should be in Vallarta next week. Shortly after that they'll be at the Manzanillo airport (ZLO). They have an open house in each city they visit .... but we went a few years ago and the line was a mile long and mostly in the sun. 

That plane flew through the heart of Hurricane Patricia last year and recorded it as the most powerful on record. Just over a month for the Pacific season to start and Atlantic starts the 1st of June.

Hurricane Patricia claims a ship on Isla Navidad

Patricia claimed a whole lot of palapa and lamina roofs, almost all outside signage including businesses and highway, many ramadas and awnings and some lessor buildings. This ship is definitely the largest object moved by the wind.

Barra de Navidad

The 215 meter / 705 foot long, 71665 dwt (dead weight tons or metric tons or 2200 pounds) bulk carrier Los Llanitos ran aground in Pacific Ocean near Barra de Navidad, Mexico. The Los Llanitos had left Manzanillo one day before Hurricane Patricia approached, but had been blown ashore unable to withstand the strong winds by the hurricane. The bulker went ashore and sustained severe hull damage as it’s hull dragged along the rocky shoreline. The engine room and several sections of the hold suffered water ingress. Fuel tanks were also ruptured releasing pollution along the shore. Authorities were alerted and a Mexican Navy helicopter was dispatched to the scene. The helicopter rescued 19 of the 27 crew on board with the remaining crew voluntarily staying. No reports of injuries. Reports state the vessel was directed by port authorities to depart rather be in port when the hurricane made landfall. Later reports state the Los Llanitos has suffered a large crack in the hull which may result in the vessel being scrapped.

Will the wind blow it down

My crazy neighbor snowbird Canadian built this monstrosity saying he wanted a Canadian looking home, not a Mexican one. That also includes sloping roofs that slant toward the neighbor on the other side and this year he wants to slant one toward my property. I complained to Obras Publicas and they never came out to look. He also has windows opening directly onto two properties. Part of the problem is engineers only worry about foundations and not roofs or windows.

Anyway the only thing that monstrosity did for me was block my view of sunsets. We haven't had a storm this year to test his aerodynamics and with hurricane Patricia on our doorstep we might find out if his wing flies away. I just hope it stay in his yard and doesn't damage other people properties

The monster next door

Hurricane Patricia expected to be a CAT 4 on our doorstep

Friday update ...

...PATRICIA...
...THE STRONGEST EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC HURRICANE ON RECORD...
...HEADING FOR POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC LANDFALL IN SOUTHWESTERN
MEXICO LATER TODAY...