Category 4 Blanca Moves North

After the pounding that the Baja Peninsula took last fall thanks to Hurricane Odile, we can probably all agree that it’s somewhere else’s turn. Unfortunately, though, a powerful new threat is poised to pounce. 

Although stalled roughly 450 miles south of Manzanillo, Hurricane Blanca is currently packing winds of 130 mph — making it a Category 4 — and is expected to strengthen in the next 48 hours.

NOAA computer models show Blanca passing far offshore of Puerto Vallarta Saturday, and making landfall on the outside of the Baja Peninsula Sunday or Monday. But there is no guarantee, of course, that it will follow the projected track shown above. 

Although there are no official hurricane watches in effect today, needless to say, boaters in the Southern Baja region should be making preparations. It’s worth noting that during Odile, the worst damage was to boats that were anchored out, rather than in marinas. You can follow Blanca’s progress at the NOAA Hurricane Center website.