Genevieve forecast to become major hurricane off coast of Mexico
By
Courtney Travis, AccuWeather senior meteorologist &
Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Aug 16, 2020 3:44 PM EDT
Heavy monsoon rains triggered flash flooding in Jaipur, India, on Aug. 14, causing floodwaters to race through the city.
Meteorologists expect Genevieve to become the Eastern Pacific's next major hurricane following Douglas, and the storm could be the most powerful of the season thus far as it brushes the southwest coast of Mexico.
After a brief pause, the East Pacific Ocean Basin began to see more tropical activity in the last week. Tropical Depression 10-E came to life for a brief time, before dissipating on Sunday evening.
This image, taken early Monday morning, August 17, 2020, shows Genevieve near the southern coast of Mexico (lower right) and Fausto well west of the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico (upper left of center). (NOAA/GOES-West)
Late Saturday, Tropical Depression 11-E sprang to life in the open waters of the Pacific and then strengthened to Tropical Storm Fausto Sunday morning.
Fausto was downgraded to a tropical depression during Sunday night and continued to dissipate over cool waters on Monday.
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Another organized tropical system also emerged in the East Pacific Ocean this past weekend, this time closer to land.
Tropical Depression 12-E emerged in the warm waters just off the coast of El Salvador and Nicaragua on Sunday morning. By Sunday evening, it had been upgraded to Tropical Storm Genevieve. On Monday morning, Genevieve had strengthened to a hurricane.
This close up of Genevieve near the southwest coast of Mexico over the Pacific Ocean was taken on Monday morning, August 17, 2020. (NOAA-GOES-West)
Genevieve has the potential to reach Category 4 strength with sustained winds of 130-156 mph. A major hurricane, or Category 3 storm, has winds of 111 to 129 mph.
"Current information suggests the tropical cyclone will undergo rapid intensification and become a major Category 4 hurricane Tuesday night or Wednesday morning," AccuWeather's top hurricane expert Dan Kottlowski said.
During the second half of July, Douglas ramped up to Category 4 status with 130-mph sustained winds. Douglas weakened prior to reaching Hawaii, but maintained Category 1 hurricane to strong tropical storm strength as it passed just north of the islands.
"Genevieve poses the greatest threat to land of the existing tropical systems in the East Pacific," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty.
The storm is forecast to take a path that parallels the southwestern coast of Mexico this week.
"Current indications are that the core of the heaviest rain and strongest winds will remain offshore, but the track of the tropical low will play a leading role in how impactful this system is to those on land," warned Douty.
A track mostly parallel the coastline is currently expected; however, should a stronger tropical system form, and track closer to land, more widespread damaging wind gusts may also be of a concern for the beaches.
No matter the ultimate strength of Genevieve, the outer reaches of the storm will bring even more tropical moisture to this region. Therefore, the greatest threat from this system will be for flooding tropical downpours as they spread from southeast to northwest along the coast into the middle of the week. While some rain will make it inland, the heaviest rainfall is likely to stay at the coast and the mountainous terrain nearest to the southwestern shores.
Fishing, boating and shipping interests should closely monitor the path and strength of Genevieve. Dangerous surf conditions with powerful waves and strong rip currents are expected along much of the southwestern coast of Mexico this week. Wave action along and offshore are the greatest threats from the storm at this point.
This same area along the coast from El Salvador and Guatemala to far-southern Mexico was already directly impacted by a tropical system this season.
Tropical Storm Amanda, the first named tropical system in the basin for the 2020 season, made landfall in southeastern Guatemala on May 31. The storm, while short-lived brought heavy tropical rainfall to the region, triggering flooding and mudslides, and killing at least one person.
Amanda fell apart, but a tropical depression later emerged in the Bay of Campeche before becoming Cristobal in the Atlantic Ocean Basin and making landfall in Louisiana.
There is a remote chance that some moisture reaches as far to the north as the southwestern United States later this weekend to early next. However, an area of high pressure over the Southwest U.S. is not likely to give ground. Some high clouds may reach overhead, but the chance of any shower activity reaching the U.S. at this point seems slim.
In the Central Pacific Ocean, there is another area of warm water that may spawn a more organized tropical system well south of Hawaii in the coming days. AccuWeather Meteorologists will continue to monitor this area.
Any organized tropical system looks to continue generally westward into early week, keeping any impacts from the system over open waters and away from Hawaii.
Even through the past weekend, the Atlantic Ocean Basin was bustling with record-breaking tropical systems Josephine and Kyle, before they were reduced to remnant low pressure systems.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
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News / Hurricane
Genevieve forecast to become major hurricane off coast of Mexico
By Courtney Travis, AccuWeather senior meteorologist & Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Aug 16, 2020 3:44 PM EDT
Heavy monsoon rains triggered flash flooding in Jaipur, India, on Aug. 14, causing floodwaters to race through the city.
Meteorologists expect Genevieve to become the Eastern Pacific's next major hurricane following Douglas, and the storm could be the most powerful of the season thus far as it brushes the southwest coast of Mexico.
After a brief pause, the East Pacific Ocean Basin began to see more tropical activity in the last week. Tropical Depression 10-E came to life for a brief time, before dissipating on Sunday evening.
This image, taken early Monday morning, August 17, 2020, shows Genevieve near the southern coast of Mexico (lower right) and Fausto well west of the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico (upper left of center). (NOAA/GOES-West)
Late Saturday, Tropical Depression 11-E sprang to life in the open waters of the Pacific and then strengthened to Tropical Storm Fausto Sunday morning.
Fausto was downgraded to a tropical depression during Sunday night and continued to dissipate over cool waters on Monday.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Another organized tropical system also emerged in the East Pacific Ocean this past weekend, this time closer to land.
Tropical Depression 12-E emerged in the warm waters just off the coast of El Salvador and Nicaragua on Sunday morning. By Sunday evening, it had been upgraded to Tropical Storm Genevieve. On Monday morning, Genevieve had strengthened to a hurricane.
This close up of Genevieve near the southwest coast of Mexico over the Pacific Ocean was taken on Monday morning, August 17, 2020. (NOAA-GOES-West)
Genevieve has the potential to reach Category 4 strength with sustained winds of 130-156 mph. A major hurricane, or Category 3 storm, has winds of 111 to 129 mph.
"Current information suggests the tropical cyclone will undergo rapid intensification and become a major Category 4 hurricane Tuesday night or Wednesday morning," AccuWeather's top hurricane expert Dan Kottlowski said.
During the second half of July, Douglas ramped up to Category 4 status with 130-mph sustained winds. Douglas weakened prior to reaching Hawaii, but maintained Category 1 hurricane to strong tropical storm strength as it passed just north of the islands.
"Genevieve poses the greatest threat to land of the existing tropical systems in the East Pacific," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty.
The storm is forecast to take a path that parallels the southwestern coast of Mexico this week.
"Current indications are that the core of the heaviest rain and strongest winds will remain offshore, but the track of the tropical low will play a leading role in how impactful this system is to those on land," warned Douty.
A track mostly parallel the coastline is currently expected; however, should a stronger tropical system form, and track closer to land, more widespread damaging wind gusts may also be of a concern for the beaches.
No matter the ultimate strength of Genevieve, the outer reaches of the storm will bring even more tropical moisture to this region. Therefore, the greatest threat from this system will be for flooding tropical downpours as they spread from southeast to northwest along the coast into the middle of the week. While some rain will make it inland, the heaviest rainfall is likely to stay at the coast and the mountainous terrain nearest to the southwestern shores.
Fishing, boating and shipping interests should closely monitor the path and strength of Genevieve. Dangerous surf conditions with powerful waves and strong rip currents are expected along much of the southwestern coast of Mexico this week. Wave action along and offshore are the greatest threats from the storm at this point.
This same area along the coast from El Salvador and Guatemala to far-southern Mexico was already directly impacted by a tropical system this season.
Related:
Tropical Storm Amanda, the first named tropical system in the basin for the 2020 season, made landfall in southeastern Guatemala on May 31. The storm, while short-lived brought heavy tropical rainfall to the region, triggering flooding and mudslides, and killing at least one person.
Amanda fell apart, but a tropical depression later emerged in the Bay of Campeche before becoming Cristobal in the Atlantic Ocean Basin and making landfall in Louisiana.
There is a remote chance that some moisture reaches as far to the north as the southwestern United States later this weekend to early next. However, an area of high pressure over the Southwest U.S. is not likely to give ground. Some high clouds may reach overhead, but the chance of any shower activity reaching the U.S. at this point seems slim.
In the Central Pacific Ocean, there is another area of warm water that may spawn a more organized tropical system well south of Hawaii in the coming days. AccuWeather Meteorologists will continue to monitor this area.
Any organized tropical system looks to continue generally westward into early week, keeping any impacts from the system over open waters and away from Hawaii.
Even through the past weekend, the Atlantic Ocean Basin was bustling with record-breaking tropical systems Josephine and Kyle, before they were reduced to remnant low pressure systems.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo