Out-Of-Area Fires

NEWS RELEASE

U.S. NATIONAL
HURRICANE CENTER

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JIMENA ALMOST A CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE.

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA FROM BAHIA MAGDALENA SOUTHWARD ON THE WEST COAST AND FROM SAN EVARISTO SOUTHWARD ON THE EAST COAST, INCLUDING CABO SAN LUCAS.

A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 24 HOURS.

PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.

A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA NORTH OF BAHIA MAGDALENA ON THE WEST COAST TO PUNTA ABREOJOS AND NORTH OF SAN EVARISTO TO MULEGE ON THE EAST COAST.

A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA, GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS.

INTERESTS ELSEWHERE IN THE CENTRAL BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA AND IN WESTERN MAINLAND MEXICO SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF JIMENA.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE.

AT 200 PM PDT THE CENTER OF HURRICANE JIMENA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 18.5 NORTH, LONGITUDE 109.2 WEST OR ABOUT 305 MILES (495 KM) SOUTH OF CABO SAN LUCAS MEXICO.

JIMENA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 10 MPH (17 KM/HR) AND A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST WITH A GRADUAL INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT DAY OR SO.

ON THE FORECAST TRACK JIMENA WILL BE APPROACHING THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA ON TUESDAY.

REPORTS FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT THE MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 155 MPH (250 KM/HR) WITH HIGHER GUSTS.

JIMENA IS A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE AND VERY NEAR THE THRESHOLD OF CATEGORY FIVE STATUS.

SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN STRENGTH ARE LIKELY DURING THE NEXT DAY OR SO BUT JIMENA IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN A MAJOR HURRICANE UNTIL LANDFALL.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES (75 KM) FROM THE CENTER AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 140 MILES (220 KM).

THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY THE AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER PLANE IS 931 MB (27.49 INCHES).

JIMENA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA AND PORTIONS OF WESTERN MEXICO DURING THE NEXT 2 DAYS WITH POSSIBLE ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 15 INCHES.

A DANGEROUS STORM SURGE ALONG WITH BATTERING WAVES WILL PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT COASTAL FLOODING ALONG THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA.

ok let's all do a rain dance folks. This would be the miracle we need!

I just checked the NOAA Hurricne web page -- it looks as if the hurricane will stall for several days half-way up the Baja penninsula -- too bad that it won't come up and drop some of its rain in the LA basin.