Hurricane Blas (2022)
Category 1 Pacific hurricane in 2022
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Hurricane Blas was a Category 1 hurricane that brought winds and flooding to several Mexican states in June 2022. The second named storm and second hurricane of the 2022 Pacific hurricane season, Blas developed from a low-pressure area off the coast of southwestern Mexico. It became a tropical depression on June 14. and strengthened into a tropical storm later that same day. Blas became a hurricane the next day, while paralleling the coast. The system reached its peak intensity on June 16, at 00:00 UTC, with maximum sustained winds of 75 knots (85 mph; 140 km/h) and a central pressure of 978 mbar (28.88 inHg). Later, Blas turned to the west and weakened, becoming a tropical storm, before transitioning into a post-tropical cyclone on June 19.
Blas displaying an eye while intensifying off the Mexican coast on June 16 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | June 14, 2022 |
| Post-tropical | June 19, 2022 |
| Dissipated | June 23, 2022 |
| Category 1 hurricane | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
| Highest winds | 85 mph (140 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 978 mbar (hPa); 28.88 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 4 |
| Damage | Minimal |
| Areas affected | Southwestern Mexico, Revillagigedo Islands |
| IBTrACS | |
Part of the 2022 Pacific hurricane season | |
Damage from the hurricane was minor as it remained offshore.[1] All totaled, Blas was responsible for the deaths of four people in Mexico.[2]
Meteorological history
Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
Unknown
Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depressionOn June 7, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) began tracking a disturbance with potential for potential tropical development south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec.[3] Late on June 10, a broad low-pressure area formed off the coast of southwestern Mexico, producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms in an environment conducive for gradual development.[4] By 09:00 UTC on June 14, the low had become a tropical depression while it was situated about 395 mi (636 km) south-southeast of Manzanillo, Colima.[5] Six hours later, the depression strengthened into a tropical storm, and was assigned the name Blas.[6] The storm's convective organization continued to improve through the day according to satellite imagery,[7] maintaining a well-defined structure and developing prominent convective banding features,[8] as a circular central dense overcast overcast became embedded on the system.[9] On June 15, Blas began to rapidly intensify as it developed an inner core, and at 15:00 UTC that day, it became a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson scale.[10] Blas then developed a mid-level eye on the western portions of the cyclone,[11] then maintained its intensity due to very cold cloud tops near the center and a strong upper-level outflow in three of the storm's quadrants.[12]
Blas strengthened slightly on June 16, with its maximum sustained winds increasing to near 85 mph (137 km/h) and a minimum central barometric pressure of 978 mbar (28.88 inHg).[13] Soon after, the cyclone began to weaken as it moved westward.[14] At 06:00 UTC on June 18, Blas weakened to a tropical storm due to the mid-level center being sheared off to the southwestern side of the storm combined with colder sea surface temperatures as it moved north-west, with no deep convection near the surface center.[15] The storm continued to weaken that day, with satellite images showing a partially exposed low-level center with convection confined to the southeastern quadrant of its circulation.[16][17]
Despite persistent wind-shear and transiting over cool waters with temperatures below 79 °F (26 °C), Blas maintained limited convection on the eastern half into June 19.[18] However, by 18:00 UTC that same day, all convection collapsed. With no convection remaining in association with Blas, the NHC downgraded the storm to a post tropical cyclone. The remnant low later dissipated over the northern Pacific on June 23.[13]
Preparations and impact
On June 16, state authorities in Oaxaca placed 60 municipalities, all still recovering from the impacts of Hurricane Agatha, on alert as Blas neared.[19] Ports were also closed.[20] In the state of Guerrero, schools were closed across 21 municipalities, including: Costa Chica, Costa Grande, and Acapulco; classes were also suspended in Michoacán.[2] Blas was responsible for four deaths.[2] Two bodies were found at a beach in Acapulco with the cause of death unknown, but presumed to be storm-related. One Acapulco resident sustained injuries after a wall collapsed in her home.[21] In the state of Puebla, two people were killed by a landslide in Eloxochitlán.[2]
Blas caused only minor damage in Guerrero according to local authorities.[1] At Acapulco, winds and rains from Blas caused beach erosion of over 980 ft (300 m) in length from El Morro beach.[22] In Tecpán de Galeana, several acres (hectares) of banana crops were destroyed by strong winds.[23] Two streams overflowed in Acapulco, flooding eight neighborhoods. Flooding was also reported in Manzanillo and Villa de Álvarez in Colima.[2] Power outages were reported in Zihuatanejo and in Atoyac.[24][25]
Authorities in Nayarit said that at least 100 people had been displaced by flooding in that state in the aftermath of the hurricane.[26] Governor Miguel Ángel Navarro Quintero pledged that actions would be taken to rebuild the houses destroyed by the storm.[27] Soon after Blas passed, the National Guard was activated to help in the cleanup and removal of debris in Michoacán and Guerrero.[28]
