Hi I’m here to talk about Hurricane Patricia because its a very scary situation for those in Mexico, and I think that people aren’t talking about it as much as they should be.
Hurricane Patricia is a very big hurricane. Think about the biggest hurricane you’ve witnessed in your lifetime. Charlie? Katrina? They devastated thousands of homes across the east coast.
Here’s a picture of Katrina compared to Patricia, for reference
Hurricane Patricia is the largest hurricane ever recorded. Ever. It has the fastest winds ever measured, with sustained winds at 165-195 [1][2] and gusts up to 235 mph [2]. It has the lowest pressure of any hurricane, and has a diameter of 10 km [2]. The last hurricane to have this much power was recorded in 1979 in the Philippines. This hurricane, Typhoon Haiyan had sustainable winds at 195, and killed 6,000 people [2].
Patricia is expected to have rain from 8-12in and flash flooding up to 20in in localized areas [3]. They have also said that waves of up to 12 feet may flood the beaches as well [3]. It is also expected to remain a Cat 5 as it pushes through Mexico and towards the southern parts of the U.S. [2].
Please keep Mexico in your thoughts, and to anyone that’s in Mexico right now, please stay safe and stay inside.
