 Hurricane Rick nearing landfall nearLázaro Cárdenas on October 24 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | October 22, 2021 |
| Dissipated | October 25, 2021 |
| Category 2 hurricane | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
| Highest winds | 105 mph (165 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 977mbar (hPa); 28.85 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 1 total |
| Damage | $25.8 million |
| Areas affected | Southwestern and WesternMexico |
| IBTrACS | |
Part of the2021 Pacific hurricane season | |
Hurricane Rick was strongtropical cyclone that struck the southwestern coast of Mexico in late October 2021. Rick was the overall seventeenth named system and the eighth hurricane of the2021 Pacific hurricane season, as well as the fifthnamed storm and fourth hurricane to makelandfall along the Pacific coast of Mexico in 2021.[1]
Rick developed from alow-pressure area off the southern coast of Mexico that initially formed on October 21, 2021. The system organized into a tropical depression at 12:00UTC the next day, and strengthened to a tropical storm six hours later,receiving the nameRick. In an environment of lowwind shear and highsea surface temperatures, Rickrapidly intensified into a hurricane early on October 23. After briefly weakening the next day, Rick resumed intensifying and achieved its peak intensity on October 25 as aCategory 2 hurricane withmaximum sustained winds of 105 mph (170 km/h) and a minimumbarometric pressure of 977 mbar (28.9 inHg). Rick made landfall at peak intensity later that day on the Mexican state ofGuerrero. Rick quickly weakened as it moved inland, first to a tropical storm over the state ofMichoacán before dissipating entirely late that day overJalisco.
A total of 2,260 shelters were set up across five states in preparation for Rick's landfall. Floodwaters from the hurricane stranded cars, cut off and destroyed roads, and uprooted trees. A man was confirmed dead after being swept away in the floods triggered by Rick. In all, Rick had caused $25.8 million (2021USD) in damage.
Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depressionOn October 18, theNational Hurricane Center (NHC) started highlighting the chances of development of alow pressure area offshore the Pacific coast ofMexico.[2] An area of disturbed weather became identifiable south of the coasts ofGuatemala andEl Salvador on the next day.[3] Shower and thunderstorm activity was initially scattered,[4] and only gradual development was expected, although the NHC noted that the system would likely become a tropical depression by October 24.[5] On the afternoon of October 21, a broad area of low pressure developed just south of theGulf of Tehuantepec.[6] Shower activity gradually became better organized,[7] although anadvanced scatterometer pass early on October 22 revealed that the system had not developed a closed wind circulation.[8] However, a rapid increase in organization soon occurred, and following aDvorak classification of T2.0/35 mph (55 km/h), the NHC upgraded the low pressure system into a tropical depression at 15:00 UTC on October 21.[9]
At the time of genesis, the depression was moving briskly to the west under the influence of aridge to its north. Situated within an environment of little verticalwind shear, high moisture, and of warmsea surface temperatures near 86 °F (30 °C),[9] the depression was upgraded into a tropical storm that evening after an increase incurved band features andupper-level outflow in all directions.[10] Acentral dense overcast subsequently developed, and microwave imagery indicated the development of a ring of deep convection, which is often a precursor to aneye,[11] which prompted the NHC to re-assess the intensity of Rick at 70 mph (110 km/h) and forecastrapid deepening at 09:00 UTC on October 23.[12] That afternoon, Rick attained hurricane status as the cyclone began to curve north-northwestward in response to a weakness in the ridge.[13] An eye briefly became apparent in visiblesatellite imagery[14] and following measurements from aHurricane Hunter aircraft, the NHC set the intensity of the storm at 90 mph (150 km/h). During the next 18 to 24 hours, the hurricane weakened slightly as it tracked north;[15] the cause of this arrested development phase was 15 to 25 mph (30 to 35 km/h) of wind shear and an environment of less than 50% relative humidity.[16] However, microwave imagery showed a 25 mi (35 km) wide closed eyewall had re-developed by the evening of October 23, a sign that Rick had resumed intensification.[17] Based on wind measurements from a Hurricane Hunter aircraft, Rick was upgraded into a Category 2 hurricane on theSaffir-Simpson scale at 06:00 UTC on October 25. The storm also attained its peak intensity of 105 mph (165 km/h) at the same time along with a minimum barometric pressure of 977 mbar (28.9 inHg).[18] At 10:00 UTC, Rick madelandfall betweenLázaro Cárdenas andZihuatanejo while at its peak intensity.[1][19] The system then rapidly weakened while it moved further inland, towards the mountainous terrain of Mexico.[20] Early on October 26, Rick dissipated over west-central Mexico.[21]
Under the anticipation that Rick would make landfall along the southwestern coast of Mexico, ahurricane watch was issued on the afternoon of October 22 from Zihuatanejo,Guerrero, to Punta San Telmo,Michoacán, with tropical storm watches posted east and west of the hurricane watch area.[10] Within 18 hours, these watches were upgraded to warnings.[13] TheServicio Meteorológico Nacional warned that the states ofJalisco,Morelos,Puebla,Mexico City,Nayarit and theState of Mexico could see heavy rainfall, with the potential of flooding.[22] Four reservoirs inColima and Guererro, along with four rivers in the latter, as well as three rivers and dams in Michoacán, four rivers and three dams inOaxaca were monitored for flooding.[23] A total of 2,260 temporary shelters were set up for possible evacuees across five states.[24] Three ports in Guerrero,Acapulco,Puerto Marqués and Zihuatanejo along with Lázaro Cárdenas in Michoacán were closed on October 23.[25] In Colima, a blue alert was issued.[26]
While still at sea, Rick was responsible for 3 m (9.8 ft) waves along coastal areas of Guerrero while winds from the outer fringes of the storm's circulation uprooted trees, although there was no major damage across the state.[26] A 35-year-old man was killed after he was swept away in the municipality ofTepoztlán.[27] AcrossGuerrero, 37 homes were flooded, including 30 in the municipality ofTecpan de Galeana and 5 inAcapulco, which resulted in 42 families seeking shelter. Two rivers overflowed their banks inZihuatanejo and two more overflowed their banks in the municipality of Tecpan de Galeana. Statewide, seventy-five trees were uprooted and six roads were destroyed.[28] Across Zihuatanejo and Acapulco, cars were seen stranded in floodwaters and the Acapulco-Zihuatanejo highway was cut off by floodwaters in the municipality ofPetatlán. Blackouts were reported in theCosta Chica andCosta Grande regions of Guerrero and extended as far east as in Acapulco. However, no injuries were reported.[29] The hurricane caused a damage valued 521 millionpesos (US$25.8 million) in Guerrero.[30]
