Hurricane Genevieve (2020)

Hurricane Genevieve
Genevieve at peak intensity offshore Mexico on August 18
Meteorological history
FormedAugust 16, 2020
Remnant lowAugust 21, 2020
DissipatedAugust 24, 2020
Category 4 major hurricane
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS)
Highest winds130 mph (215 km/h)
Lowest pressure950 mbar (hPa); 28.05 inHg
Overall effects
Fatalities6
Damage$50 million
Areas affectedSouthwestern Mexico, Socorro Island, Baja California Peninsula, Southern California
IBTrACS / [1]

Part of the 2020 Pacific hurricane season

Hurricane Genevieve was a strong tropical cyclone that almost made landfall on the Baja California Peninsula in August 2020. Genevieve was the twelfth tropical cyclone, eighth named storm,[a] third hurricane, and second major hurricane of the 2020 Pacific hurricane season. The cyclone formed from a tropical wave that the National Hurricane Center (NHC) first started monitoring on August 10. The wave merged with a trough of low pressure on August 13, and favorable conditions allowed the wave to intensify into Tropical Depression Twelve-E at 15:00 UTC. Just six hours later, the depression became a tropical storm and was given the name Genevieve. Genevieve quickly became a hurricane by August 17, and Genevieve began explosive intensification the next day. By 12:00 UTC on August 18, Genevieve reached its peak intensity as a Category 4 hurricane, with maximum 1-minute sustained winds of 130 mph and a minimum central pressure of 950 millibars (28 inHg). Genevieve began to weaken on the next day, possibly due to cooler waters caused by Hurricane Elida earlier that month. Genevieve weakened below tropical storm status around 18:00 UTC on August 20, as it passed close to Baja California Sur. Soon afterward, Genevieve began to lose its deep convection and became a post-tropical cyclone by 21:00 UTC on August 21, eventually dissipating off the coast of Southern California late on August 24.

Hurricane-force gusts affected parts of Baja California as Genevieve passed close by. Several inches of rain caused flooding near Cabo San Lucas on August 20. A total of six deaths were attributed to Genevieve across Mexico. Total economic losses associated with Genevieve reached US$50 million in Mexico.[2]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference TCR was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Global Catastrophe Recap October 2020" (PDF). AON Benfield. November 11, 2020. p. 12. Retrieved November 12, 2020.


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