ATLANTIC & PACIFIC HURRICANE ACTIVITY & PREDICTIONS 2014
Hurricanes Marie and Norbert both came up the Pacific bringing swells to the Baja California Peninsula
Major Hurricane Norbert West of Cabo San Lazaro Sept 06 at 1530 UTC
Norbert is forecast to move past Baja California as a hurricane
Personal Insights
Observations
Tropical Depression Fourteen-E about to become Tropical Storm Norbert on September 02 at 1330 UTC
Prelude to September 16 and 17.
On September 02 while the next tropical storm was taking shape I came to realize the importance of being Norbert. What Norbert is about to do looks very similar as to what was told would happen September 16 – 17, that a storm will go up the Pacific coast. The fact that Norbert is doing exactly that and no dates were given for this activity makes me believe that the middle of the month cyclone will traverse along a similar path but will be much more closer to the coast and therefore newsworthy. Also in line with the fact that Norbert is a male-named cyclone and the female ones are the stronger ones in the Pacific this season makes me worry a bit about the next one that will come up this way. Maire came close and was large enough to cause swells along the coastline; Norbert came even closer but wasn't as powerful; and soon Odile will be making an appearance, doing even more damage than her predecessors.
On September 02 at 0100 hrs PDT NOAA is already stating that just a slight increas in organization will make this low pressure area transform into a cyclone. Seven hours later Tropical Storm Norbert forms about 180 miles, 285 km SW of Manzanillo, Mexico. Then on September 03 at 1700 hrs PDT Norbert becomes a Category 1 Hurricane (0000 hrs UTC Sept 04)
There is mention of Norbert strengthening a bit more and I sense he will become a Major Hurricane as well, following in the steps of his predecessors. At 0200 hrs PDT on September 06 Norbert reaches maximum strength with sustained winds of 120 mph. Twenty-four hours later he starts to make a transgression back from a hurricane to a storm status but with all the wind in him causes large swells along the California peninsula.
Norbert - September 06 at 1845 UTC (11:45 a.m. PDT)
As a major hurricane, Norbert is causing swells along the Baja California Peninsula coastline and the Gulf of California. Credit: NASA/LANCE-MODIS
Flooding and high surf due to a weakening Norbert
As Norbert weakened it still caused flooding in areas along the California peninusla and some damage to structures along the coastline. Click on the image below to read a related article.