Hurricane Norma Headed to Cabo San Lucas

Hurricane Norma has been gathering steam and is now heading slowly north toward Cabo at 7 mph. It’s currently a Category 3 storm, meaning 111- to 129-mph winds, though it may weaken as it approaches Cabo. Current projections show it moving east to strike the mainland somewhere near Culiacán. The storm is projected to start hitting Cabo this evening, bringing heavy rains and flooding. The weather system’s slow movement means it has a chance to drop more rain and create more flooding. If the storm center stays to the south and east of Cabo, the town could be spared the most damaging winds, but as of now, they are battening down the hatches and getting prepared.

Norma is predicted to hang over Cabo through most of the weekend and slowly head to the mainland by sometime on Monday.

The last major hurricane to hit Cabo was Hurricane Odile in September 2014. It was the most costly hurricane to ever affect the region. After a direct hit on Cabo, Odile tore straight up the Baja peninsula with winds also ravaging La Paz and causing three deaths in the harbor. While wind and rain from Norma could be damaging in La Paz, a projected turn to the east will hopefully prevent severe damage.

The hurricane season is winding down, but it’s not over until it’s over. Hurricane Tammy is currently headed toward the Leeward Islands of the Caribbean, though it too may veer north, sparing the islands of Guadeloupe, Antigua and Barbuda a direct hit. While there have been a significant number of hurricanes in both the Atlantic and the Pacific, most have run their course over the ocean without making landfall.