1959 Mexico hurricane

Meteorological history

On October 22, a low pressure area was present south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec, having originated out of an area of disturbed weather in the region the day before. That day, two ships reported gale-force winds, suggesting that a tropical storm formed by 12:00 UTC. Moving west-northwestward parallel to the southwest coast of Mexico, the system steadily intensified, reaching hurricane status by late on October 23. The storm continued to intensify, although there were few ships in the path to record the intensity until October 26. During that time, interpolation of observations suggests that the storm attained major hurricane intensity – a Category 3 on the modern Saffir–Simpson scale – with winds of 115 mph on October 25.

On October 26, the hurricane turned abruptly to the northeast toward the Mexican coast. At 00:00 UTC on October 27, a nearby ship recorded winds of 130 km/h, confirming the increase in intensity. Six hours later, another ship recorded winds of 115 mph. At around 12:00 UTC on October 27, the hurricane made landfall just northwest of Manzanillo, Colima, with an eye 13 mi in diameter. The Mary Barbara – a ship in Manzanillo Harbor – estimated winds of 155 mph, which was the basis for the previous estimated landfall intensity of 160 mph, which was later determined to be an overestimate. The same ship reported a minimum barometric pressure of 958 mbar in the southeastern periphery of the eyewall; this, in conjunction with other nearby readings, suggested a minimum central pressure of 955 mbar. Based largely on the central pressure, the 2016 reanalysis concluded the hurricane's peak intensity at landfall was 140 mph (220 km/h), based on uncertainties in the wind estimates, the central pressure, as well as the storm's small size and slow movement. The hurricane rapidly weakened over the mountainous terrain of southwestern Mexico. Within 12 hours of landfall, the system weakened to tropical storm status, and on October 28, the storm dissipated.

Impact

Thousands of people were unprepared for the storm. Thus, the system was dubbed "a sneak hurricane". After passing well offshore from Acapulco, it was forecast to head out to sea. Instead, it recurved eastward and made landfall.

The hurricane had devastating effects on the places it hit. It killed at least 1,000 people directly, and a total of 1,800 people. At that time, it was Mexico's worst natural disaster in recent times. Most of the destruction was in Colima and Jalisco. A preliminary estimate of property damage was $280 million (1959 USD).

The storm sank three merchant ships, and two other vessels. On one ship, the Sinaloa, 21 of 38 hands went down. On another, the El Caribe, all hands were lost. As many as 150 total boats were sunk.

A quarter of the homes in Cihuatlán, Jalisco, were totally destroyed, leaving many homeless. In Manzanillo, Colima, 40 percent of all homes were destroyed, and four ships in the harbor were sunk. Large portions of Colima and Jalisco were isolated by flooding. Hundreds of people were stranded. Minatitlán, Colima, suffered especially, as 800 people out of its population of 1000 were dead or missing, according to a message sent to President Adolfo López Mateos. In Colima, all coconut plantations were blown down and thousands of people were left out of work. That state's economy was damaged enough that officials thought it would take years to recover.

The hurricane also dumped heavy rains along its path. This water-logged the hills near Minatitlán, and contributed to the huge mudslide late on October 29 that claimed 800 victims. The slide uncovered hundreds of venomous scorpions and snakes, which killed tens more people in the aftermath. Additional hordes of scorpions were driven from their nests when the adobe walls crumbled away. Governor of Colima Rodolfo Chávez Carrillo and his wife issued a plea for venom inoculations afterwards. In some places, the mud was 10 ft deep. Water supplies were badly polluted, both by debris and dead bodies.

Aftermath

In the aftermath, air rescue operations were conducted, but the destruction of roads in the area hindered convoys carrying aid. Planes also made supply drops, but rescue operations were hindered by broken roads and rails. Survivors were vaccinated against typhoid and tetanus. Part of Manzanillo was placed under quarantine.

References

References

1. Andrew Hagen. "Great Mexico Hurricane of 1959". iCyclone.
2. (March 4, 2008). "Eastern North Pacific Tracks File 1949–2007". [[National Hurricane Center]].
3. (October 30, 1959). "Scorpions Add To Storm Havoc". San Mateo Times.
4. (November 2, 1959). "Mexico Fights Threat of Epidemic After Hurricane That Killed 2,000". Ogden Standard-Examiner.
5. (November 1, 1959). "Toll Mounts as Mexico Gets Relief". Ogden Standard-Examiner.
6. (October 30, 1959}}{{dead link). "Toll of Over 1,000 Now Feared in Mexico Hurricane and Floods". Titusville Herald.
7. (October 31, 1959). "Mexico Hurricane Kills 800". Pacific Stars and Stripes.
8. Charles H. Guptill. (October 30, 1959). "Hurricane Kills 1000 in Mexico". Lowell Sun.
9. E. Jáuregui. (2003). "Climatology of landfalling hurricanes and tropical storms in Mexico". Atmósfera.
10. (October 29, 1959). "Mexico Hit by Killer Hurricane". Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune.
11. (November 1, 1959). ["1,452 Dead in Hurricane"](http://www.thehurricanearchive.com/Viewer.aspx?img=68585115_clean&firstvisit=true&src=search&currentResult=0&currentPage=0}}{{dead link). San Antonio Express and News.
12. Jimmie S. Payne. (September 2016). "Toll in Mexico Hurricane Now at 300". Helena Independent Record.