Norma, a Category 3 storm, could bring hurricane-force winds to Cabo San Lucas as early as Saturday morning.
Major Hurricane Norma is plowing towards Baja California, Mexico and Cabo San Lucas. Early next week it will bring rain to moisture starved areas across the South.
Hurricane Norma is a major hurricane, a strong Category 3. It rapidly strengthened into a major hurricane Wednesday night and reached Category 4 status Thursday morning but is slowly weakening. It continues to track northward toward Mexico, promising heavy rainfall and flooding across the southern portions of Baja California Sur through the weekend, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.
Where the systems end up could mean impacts for the U.S. in the form of heavy rain over the Plains and the South in the long term.
Where is Hurricane Norma?
Norma, now a Category 3 storm, is expected to continue to weaken. As of the latest advisory, the hurricane’s maximum sustained winds are 120 mph with higher gusts.
Norma is located about 365 miles south-southeast of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. NHC forecasters expect the hurricane to be near the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula, home to Cabo San Lucas, for the weekend.
What is the forecast for Hurricane Norma?
Norma is moving toward the north 6 mph. A northward to north-northwestward motion at a similar forward speed is anticipated for the next couple of days, the NHC said.
The NHC expects some weakening before it makes landfall, likely on the Baja coast, as a hurricane. On the forecast track, Norma’s hurricane-force winds will arrive in Baja California early Saturday.
After landfall, computer forecast models suggest tropical moisture could infiltrate the U.S. next week in combination with tropical rains from another Pacific disturbance.
Where are watches and warnings in effect for Hurricane Norma
The government of Mexico has upgraded the Hurricane Watch into a Hurricane Warning for or the Baja California Peninsula from Todos Santos to Los Barriles, including Cabo San Lucas.
A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane-force winds are expected withing 36-hours.
A Hurricane Watch is in effect from Los Barriles to La Paz and Todos Santos to Santa Fe. Las Islas Marias are also in the watch.
A Hurricane Watch means hurricane-force winds (74-plus mph) are possible within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds (39-plus mph), conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous, the NHC said.
A look at the current watches and warnings issued for Hurricane Norma.
