Southwestern Mexico braces for Hurricane Dora

NEWS RELEASE

U.S. NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTRE

****************************** A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR:

- MEXICO FROM LAZARO CARDENAS TO CABO CORRIENTES

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA, IN THIS CASE WITHIN 24 TO 36 HOURS.

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

AT 800 PM PDT, 0300 UTC, THE EYE OF HURRICANE DORA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 16.0 NORTH, LONGITUDE 105.4 WEST.

DORA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH, 24 KM/H.

A TURN TOWARD THE NORTHWEST AND A DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED ARE EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS.

ON THE FORECAST TRACK THE CENTER OF DORA IS EXPECTED TO MOVE NEARLY PARALLEL TO THE COAST OF SOUTHWESTERN MEXICO THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 135 MPH, 215 KM/H, WITH HIGHER GUSTS.

DORA IS A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE.

SOME ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

WEAKENING IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN BY FRIDAY.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 40 MILES, 65 KM, FROM THE CENTER AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 150 MILES, 240 KM.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 948 MB, 27.99 INCHES.

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

WIND: TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA TONIGHT AND EARLY THURSDAY.

SURF: LARGE SWELLS GENERATED BY DORA WILL AFFECT THE COAST OF SOUTHERN AND SOUTHWESTERN MEXICO DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

SWELLS WILL BEGIN AFFECTING THE COAST OF THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA ON THURSDAY.

THESE SWELLS ARE LIKELY TO CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING SURF AND RIP CURRENT CONDITIONS.

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