Norman Heads North into the Sea

When it comes to hurricanes off the coast of Mexico, September has been a model of regularity. For if you look at the tracks of Miriam, Kristy and Tropical Storm John, they’ve had remarkably similar tracks, starting well off the coast of mainland Mexico at about the latitude of Puerto Vallarta and then paralleling the coast to pass several hundred miles west of Cabo before petering out.

But now there is Tropical Storm Norman, which isn’t a threat so much because of wind — maximum speeds of just 40 knots — but rain. Pat and Carole McIntosh of the Roseville area, who had said they weren’t buying any more sailboats but who are nonetheless closing a deal on a "not a project" Cheoy Lee 35 in Barra de Navidad, report they had a "good old-fashioned gully washer" there last night. "Tell the folks up in the Sea of Cortez, where Norman is headed, to keep the scuppers clear because there is a lot of water headed their way." Based on the Unisys hurricane weather satellite site, it appears that Norman is sweeping up the mainland, not Baja, side of the Sea of Cortez.

Based on historical data, October can still be a busy month for hurricanes off the coast of Mexico, with the number suddenly plummeting toward the end of the month, particularly for storms in northern Mexico.