Hurricane Lidia (1993)

A westward-moving tropical wave left the coast of Africa on August 24. Initially, shower activity along the wave axis was minimal, although it increased somewhat as the system approached the southern Lesser Antilles. It moved through the southwestern Caribbean Sea on September 3 and 4 without showing any signs of organization. The wave quickly emerged into the Pacific Ocean as it tracked just south of Central America. After September 7, shower activity began to increase and the cloud pattern became more organized. At this time, the disturbance was located about 200 mi (320 km) south of Salina Cruz. Following another drastic improvement in organization, the development well-defined banding features and a well-defined atmospheric circulation, the disturbance was upgraded into a tropical depression later on September 8.^[1] Based on ship reports of near gale-force winds far from its center, the depression was upgraded into Tropical Storm Lidia overnight, as it was presumed that stronger winds existed closer to the center.^[2]

At the time of the upgrade, Tropical Storm Lidia was moving to the northwest at around 10 mph (16 km/h) and was located about 300 mi (485 km) south-southwest of Salina Cruz. After briefly leveling off in intensity, Lidia resumed intensification later that day.^[1] The system developed very deep convection and a well-defined outflow, both signs of an incoming phase of rapid deepening;^[1] consequently, Lidia was forecast to reach Category 2 intensity on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS) within 48 hours,^[3] Shortly thereafter, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) upgraded Lidia into a hurricane; the basis of the upgrade being a ship reporting a pressure of 989 mbar (29.2 inHg) on the northeast portion of the circulation. At the time, Lidia was expected to parallel the Mexican Pacific coast before eventually decaying over cooler waters.^[4] Late on September 9, an eye became apparent in visible satellite imagery, which prompted the NHC to re-assess the intensity at 105 mph (169 km/h), despite Dvorak classifications suggesting that Lidia was significantly weaker.^[5] Six hours later, Lidia obtained major hurricane intensity (Category 3 or higher on the SSHS). It was also around this time in which Lidia's forecast track began to change, with the now expected to threaten the Baja California Peninsula due to an interaction with a cut-off low offshore the peninsula.^[6] Continuing to rapidly intensify, Hurricane Lidia reached its peak wind speed of 150 mph (240 km/h) at 12:00 UTC on September 11.^[1] At the time of peak intensity, Lidia exhibited a well-defined eye surrounded by very cold cloud top temperatures.^[7]

Cloud tops near the eye began to warm on the evening of September 11,^[8] and despite being located over ocean temperatures of 82 °F (28 °C) ocean temperatures, which typically is favorable for strengthening, Lidia began to lose strength.^[9] Because of two troughs, one over the northern Gulf of California and another over the Southwestern United States, Hurricane Lidia also began to recurve northeast on a trajectory towards mainland Mexico.^[1] The hurricane had begun to weaken significantly, and 24 hours following its peak, Lidia was only a mid-level Category 2 hurricane.^[10] Lidia made landfall near Culiacán in central Sinaloa at 18:00 UTC on September 13 with winds of 100 mph (160 km/h). Shortly after landfall, Hurricane Lidia began to accelerate northeastward. Lidia weakened to a depression just after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. The depression dissipated near Austin on September 14, although the remnants of the cyclone were absorbed by a cold front.^[9]