MEXICO CITY — Hurricane Trudy made landfall along Mexico’s Pacific coast on Sunday, bringing 4 to 8 inches of rain to states including Michoacán, Colima, and Jalisco, with isolated totals up to 12 inches near the coast. The storm, which had briefly strengthened to Category 3 before weakening to Category 1, was moving northwest at 10 mph as of early Sunday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Key developments:
- Hurricane warnings remained in effect from Manzanillo in Colima to Cabo Corrientes in Jalisco, with tropical storm warnings for Las Islas Marias.
- The Mexican Navy issued advisories warning of high waves, heavy rain, and rising rivers, particularly in areas with steep terrain.
Impact and preparedness:
Residents in Acapulco and Bahía de Banderas reported saturated ground from successive storms, including Hurricane Simon last week and Hurricane Polo in late September. Local officials in Colima stated risks remained low but cautioned that heavy rainfall could still cause damage due to prior saturation. The storm’s center was expected to remain near the coast through Sunday evening before moving south of the Baja California Peninsula.
Meteorological context:
Meteorologists attributed the record hurricane season in the eastern Pacific to warmer ocean temperatures and a strong El Niño, which have prolonged storm durations and increased wind intensity. Ten hurricanes have formed in the eastern Pacific this year, the most since 2018, with additional storms predicted.
Local responses:
In Bahía de Banderas, residents like Javier Soto, a travel agent, described the relentless cycle of cleanup and recovery. “We get through one storm only to face another,” Soto said. In Acapulco, Ricardo Trejo, a restaurant manager, noted the challenges of preparing for Trudy just days after Hurricane Simon. Authorities in Guerrero, Jalisco, Nayarit, Colima, and Baja California warned of major damage if the ground could not absorb additional rainfall.