1959 Mexico hurricane

1959 Mexico hurricane

Category 5 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS)
Surface weather analysis of the hurricane on October 27
Formed	October 23, 1959 (1959-10-23)
Dissipated	October 29, 1959 (1959-10-30)
Highest winds	1-minute sustained: 160 mph (260 km/h)
Lowest pressure	≤ 958 mbar (hPa); 28.29 inHg
Fatalities	1800 (deadliest East Pacific hurricane)
Damage	≥ $280 million (1959 USD)
Areas affected	Colima and Jalisco, much of western Mexico
Part of the 1959 Pacific hurricane season

The 1959 Mexico hurricane was a devastating tropical cyclone that was one of the worst ever Pacific hurricanes. It impacted the Pacific coast of Mexico in October 1959. The hurricane killed at least 1,000 people, and perhaps double that, a record that still stands, and caused at least $280 million in damage. The system's worst impact was in the states of Colima and Jalisco due to high winds and flooding. This hurricane was also a Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale and set several records, related to both impact and meteorological statistics.

Meteorological history

Map plotting the track and intensity of the storm according to the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale

The fifteenth known tropical cyclone of the 1959 season and twelfth storm in the Eastern North Pacific was first noticed on October 23 while south of Mexico. As it was already a Category 1 hurricane, it had most likely formed somewhat earlier than this date. It took the usual northwesterly track for hurricanes in the eastern Pacific. It steadily intensified, becoming a major hurricane on October 25 and reaching Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale the next day. This was followed by a turn to the northeast. It continued to intensify, and became a Category 5 on October 27. It smashed ashore close to Manzanillo, Colima. Weakened quickly by landfall, it dissipated over central Mexico on October 29.^[1]

This hurricane's lowest central pressure is 958 millibars. Its highest windspeed is 160 mph (260 km/h). The official "best track" data set indicates that this velocity was attained after landfall.^[1] However, a minor revision corrects this error, making it clear that the hurricane strengthened over water and confirming that the hurricane made landfall with strong winds due to a reading above 155 mph (250 km/h) in Manzanillo. The revision also indicates that the hurricane may have had higher winds than officially recorded.^[2]

Preparations and impact

Thousands of people were unprepared for the storm. Thus, the system was dubbed "a sneak hurricane". After passing well offshore from Acapulco, it was forecast to head out to sea. Instead, it recurved east and made landfall.^[12]

The hurricane had devastating effects on the places it hit. It killed at least 1,000 people directly, and a total of 1,800 people.^[13] At that time, it was Mexico's worst natural disaster in recent times.^[12] Most of the destruction was in Colima and Jalisco.^[14] A preliminary estimate of property damage was $280 million (1959 USD).^[15]

The storm sank three merchant ships,^[16] and two other vessels.^[17] On one ship, the Sinaloa,^[18] 21 of 38 hands went down.^[19] On another, the El Caribe, all hands were lost.^[18] As many as 150 total boats were sunk.^[14]

A quarter of the homes in Cihuatlán, Jalisco, were totally destroyed, leaving many homeless.^[16] In Manzanillo, Colima, 40 percent of all homes were destroyed, and four ships in the harbor were sunk.^[20] Large portions of Colima and Jalisco were isolated by flooding. Hundreds of people were stranded. Minatitlán, Colima, suffered especially, as 800 people out of its population of 1000 were dead or missing, according to a message sent to President Adolfo López Mateos.^[17] In Colima, all coconut plantations were blown down and thousands of people were left out of work. That state's economy was damaged enough that officials thought it would take years to recover.^[14]

The hurricane also dumped heavy rains along its path. This water-logged the hills near Minatitlán, and contributed to huge mudslide late on October 29 that claimed 800 victims. The slide uncovered hundreds of venomous scorpions and snakes, which killed tens more people in the aftermath.^[13] Additional hordes of scorpions were driven from their nests when the adobe walls crumbled away. The Governor of Colima, Rodolfo Chávez Carrillo and his wife issued a plea for venom inoculations afterwards.^[12] In some places, the mud was 10 feet (3.0 m) deep.^[21] Water supplies were badly polluted, both by debris and dead bodies.^[14]

Aftermath

In the aftermath, air rescue operations were conducted, but the destruction of roads in the area hindered convoys carrying aid.^[22] Planes also made supply drops, but rescue operations were hindered by broken roads and rails.^[17] Survivors were vaccinated against typhoid and tetanus.^[21] Part of Manzanillo was placed under quarantine.^[14]

Records

This hurricane holds several records: By windspeed, it is the strongest landfall of any known East Pacific hurricane.^[43] Of the five tropical cyclones to make landfall in Mexico at Category 5 intensity,^[44][45] this one was only one to do so on the Pacific coast of Mexico.^[44] The other four are hurricanes Janet, Anita, Gilbert,^[44] and Dean.^[45] Also, it is the only known Pacific hurricane to make landfall as a Category 5.^[1][2][43] Reaching Category 5 intensity on October 27, it holds the record for the latest date any Pacific hurricane has done that in a season.^[1] Similarly, it is the first known Pacific hurricane to reach Category 5 intensity in the eastern Pacific proper (between 140°W and North America); the only earlier system, Hurricane Patsy, was located in the Central Pacific (140°W to the dateline),^[1] although records before 1949 remain incomplete.

The cyclone was the deadliest east Pacific hurricane. Its death totals are higher than any other known Pacific hurricane,^[13][16][46] including Hurricanes Paul^[47] and Liza,^[13][48][49] the only other known systems to cause 1000 deaths. It was also one of the most intense landfalling Pacific Hurricanes.

See also

• List of tropical cyclones
• List of Category 5 Pacific hurricanes

References

Tropical cyclones of the 1959 Pacific hurricane season <div title="{{{strength}}} "Mexico"" > TS One TS Two TS Clara TS Four TS Five 4 Dot TS Seven TS Eight TS Nine 1 Ten 5 Patsy 1 Twelve TS Wanda TS Fourteen 5 "Mexico" Book Category Portal WikiProject Commons