Hurricane Otis, a Category 5 storm, is expected to make landfall Wednesday morning near Acapulco in Mexico, threatening to lash the coastal region with destructive winds and potentially “catastrophic storm surge,” forecasters say. This would be the first Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the East Pacific, according to the NOAA Hurricane Database.
As of Tuesday night, Otis was packing winds of 160 mph with higher gusts while its core was about 55 miles south-southeast of Acapulco, moving north-northwest at 9 mph. Landfall is expected by early Wednesday near or just west of the city, a beach resort town on Mexico’s Pacific coast, the hurricane center said. A hurricane warning is in effect for coastal Punta Maldonado westward to Zihuatanejo, with a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning also active from Lagunas de Chacahua to Punta Maldonado.
The primary threats from Hurricane Otis are damaging winds, heavy rainfall, and dangerous storm surge. Strong winds of up to 73 mph were expected to reach Mexico’s Pacific coast Tuesday evening and then spread to other areas throughout Wednesday. The hurricane is also forecast to create life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the center while tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles.
Additionally, between 8 to 16 inches of rain totals are expected through the end of the week, with some areas potentially seeing up to 20 inches of rain. The heavy rainfall could lead to flash and urban flooding as well as mudslides in higher terrain areas, according to the hurricane center.
If Hurricane Otis makes landfall as a Category 5 hurricane, it would surpass the previous strongest landfall in the East Pacific, which was Hurricane Patricia in 2015.
Residents in the affected areas are advised to take necessary precautions and follow the guidance of local authorities.