| Category 2 hurricane (SSHS) | |
|---|---|
| Hurricane Odile off the coast of Mexico | |
| Formed | September 17, 1984 |
| Dissipated | September 23, 1984 |
| Highest winds | 1-minute sustained: 105 mph (165 km/h) |
| Fatalities | 6 dead, 2 missing |
| Damage | Minimal |
| Areas affected | Mexico |
| Part of the 1984 Pacific hurricane season | |
Hurricane Odile was a Category 2 hurricane that took an unusual track before making landfall in Mexico. The 15th named storm and 12th hurricane of the active 1984 Pacific hurricane season. It developed as a tropical disturbance about 297 kilometers (185 miles) south of Acapulco on September 16th. It was upgraded to Tropical Depression Nineteen-E on September 17. It curved towards the north west of a narrow ridge located over southern Mexico. Odile became a Category 1 hurricane on September 19. Odile reached its peak intensity as a Category 2 hurricane on September 21. Hurricane Odile began weakening, and was downgraded to a tropical storm before landfall. The cyclone struck Mexico as a tropical storm on September 22. Six deaths were reported, and two were reported missing. The storm caused significant rain accumulations of over 24.73 inches (628.1 milimeters) in southern Mexico.
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A tropical disturbance was noted about 297 kilometres (185 mi) south of Acapulco on September 16th. It was upgraded to a depression on September 17. The cyclone began to curve more towards the north to the west of a narrow ridge located over southern Mexico and south of an upper cyclone over northern Mexico. By the afternoon of September 19, Odile became a hurricane while turning east.
Late on September 21, Hurricane Odile reached its peak intensity as it approached Acapulco. As an upper level trough dug southward over the Baja California Peninsula, Odile turned back to the west-northwest just offshore mainland Mexico. The hurricane maintained peak intensity for the next day, when it began to turn more northwestward in response to the high-pressure weakening to its north and eventually began to weaken. Odile continued to weaken, as it began to move over cooler waters. It weakened to a 92 mph hurricane early on September 22 while to the south of Mexico City. [1]
The hurricane weakened to tropical storm status just before its landfall. Hurricane Odile made landfall 50 miles northwest of Zihuatanejo, as a weak tropical storm, on the morning of September 22.[2] While its surface circulation rapidly weakened over the mountains, its cloud pattern moved northwest to the east of Manzanillo before weakening as it recurved towards Texas.[3]
In an area that already faced destruction from storms earlier in the year,[4] flooding forced the evacuation of over 40,000 people in Acapulco, and already 11 people died when they were washed away in their homes during storms before Odile. The storm killed six people, left two missing, and left dozens homeless. However, the reports were not confirmed because telephone circuits between Acapulco and Mexico City were down.[5]
Press reports in Mexico City warned that possible outbreaks of illness caused by overflooded sewers and a serious shortage of drinking water could occur. The storm caused damage to about 900 homes, flooded about 30 miles (48 km) of the highways, triggered an evacuation of 7,000 people, and did leave 20,000 families without any water service. [4]
About eighty percent of the crops in the state of Guerrero was damaged. Commercial flights in Acapulco halted for two whole days. The flights were resumed on September 23, but the airline terminal remained flooded by more than 3 feet (910 mm) of flood water. Zihuatanejo and other towns along the coast had no electricity, because the hurricane had knocked down two high-tension towers.[4]
The tourism resorts in Acapulco and Ixtapa-Zihuatenejo suffered severe damage. The tourism resorts in these areas were also affected by Hurricane Norbert just a week after Odile hit. [6]
Hurricane Odile caused one of the highest rainfall totals in Mexico. The highest rainfall was recorded in Costa Azul and Acapulco, where it caused over 628.1 millimeters (24.73 inches) of rainfall. [3]