Lidia, a very dangerous storm, has hit the Pacific coast of Mexico with great force. When it hit land, it was a Category 4 hurricane with speeds of up to 140 mph (220 km/h).
Weakening After Hurricane Touching Down
As Hurricane Lidia moved inland, it lost some of its strength. The National Hurricane Centre (NHC) in the US downgraded it to a Category 2 storm. After the first hit, this lessening of intensity is nice.
Terrible Casualty
Sad to say, the storm has already killed someone. The driver of a van in Nayarit died when a tree fell on it and hit it.
Where and what kind of landfall it was
Near the small beach town of Las Penitas, the storm hit just before 18:00 local time (00:00 GMT). The Saffir-Simpson storm Wind Scale, which goes from one to five, says it was a Category 4 storm.
Moving and Weakening
The NHC said that Lidia’s steady winds had dropped to 105 mph (165 km/h) by 21:00 (03:00 GMT) as it moved towards the town of Mascota in the state of Jalisco. The hurricane is moving 17 mph (28 km/h) east to northeast. It will likely get weaker as it hits high ground in west-central Mexico.
Possible Risks Ahead after Hurricane
It was warned by the NHC that “life-threatening hurricane-force winds are expected along the path of the storm overnight.” Concerns have also been raised about dangerous water levels, flash floods, and waves along the Pacific coast.
What the government did
Before the storm hit, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico said that 6,000 members of the military had been sent to help people in the affected areas. People who live between Nayarit and Jalisco were told to be careful and stay away from rivers, slopes, and low-lying places.
Getting ready for Puerto Vallarta
People in the vacation city of Puerto Vallarta hid as the storm got closer. In case of floods, shop owners protected their businesses by blocking windows and putting down sandbags. From 16:00 local time (22:00 GMT) until 08:00 the next morning, the city’s airport was closed for a short time.
Mexico has been flooding lately
Tropical Storm Max had already caused a lot of floods along parts of Mexico’s Pacific coast earlier this week. Two people were killed in the state of Guerrero because of the storm, according to local news sources.
Every year, hurricane season
Mexico often has hurricanes, and every year they hit both the Pacific and Atlantic shores. The official hurricane season in the United States lasts from May to November, with the most storms happening between July and October.
Climate Change and the Strength of Hurricane
There is still some confusion about the link between climate change and the number and severity of storms. But higher sea surface temperatures are thought to make hurricane, cyclones, and typhoons stronger by giving these weather events more energy. Because of this, they are likely to bring more heavy rain.
The World Is Warming and Cutting Emissions
Since the beginning of the industrial age, temperatures around the world have already gone up by about 1.1°C (33.98°F). To stop the warming from getting worse, countries around the world need to cut emissions by a lot.