Hurricane Patricia: Record Breaking Strength

MOST POWERFUL TROPICAL CYCLONE

The strongest hurricane of the 2015 season (by far!) and the most powerful tropical cyclone on record for the western hemisphere is moving towards the Mexican coast Friday afternoon. 

RECORD BREAKING STORM 
Hurricane Patricia became the most powerful tropical cyclone ever measured in the Western Hemisphere on Friday morning as its maximum sustained winds reached an unprecedented 200mph. The estimated minimum central pressure is 880mb, the lowest ever recorded within the National Hurricane Center's Area of Responsibility (which includes the Atlantic and the eastern North Pacific basins).

To compare, here's a list of the top 4 strongest hurricanes in the pacific:

Hurricane Name:	YEAR	Date as a Category 5	Hours in Cat. 5 Status	Peak Winds; Sustained		Lowest Pressure
Rick	2009	October 18	24	180		906
Celia	2010	June 25	12	160		921
Marie	2014	August 24	6	160		918
Patricia	2015	October 23	12	200		880

In the Atlantic, Hurricane Wilma will now be considered the second most intense:

Hurricane Name:	YEAR	Date as a Category 5	Hours in Cat. 5 Status	Peak Winds; Sustained		Lowest Pressure
Wilma	2005	October 19	18	185		882

HURRICANE WARNING
As of Friday morning, a Hurricane Warning was in effect from San Blas to Punta San Telmo, Mexico.

A hurricane warning means that preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion. Hurricane conditions are expected within the warning area. 

Hurricane Patricia approaches the cities of Manzanillo, Sayula, Guadalajara, Aguascalientes, Durango and Torreon within the next few days. 

PATRICIA'S IMPACTS

Expected to make landfall today, Hurricane Patricia packs sustained winds in excess of 200mph.

Mexico's pacific coast is expected to be leveled with very little left behind after the storm makes landfall Friday evening. Western Mexico's rocky terrain near the coast may help to diminish the storm's relative strength over the next 36 hours, but landfall is expected to be catastrophic

Hurricane force winds extend outward from the center of the storm 30 miles in any direction. 
Tropical Storm force winds extend outward up to 175miles. 

Patricia is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 8 to 12 inches, with isolated maximum amounts of 20 inches by Saturday evening. These rains could produce life-threatening flash floods and mud slides. An extremely dangerous storm surge is expected to produce significant coastal flooding near and to the right of where the center makes landfall.  Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.