Hurricane Norbert was the most powerful tropical cyclone to make landfall in Baja since Category 2 Hurricane John on 2006. We are awaiting final data, it may also exceed Hurricanes John, Marty and Ignacio. Hurricane Norbert was the most powerful hurricane generated in the Eastern Pacific in 2008, attaining Category 4 status with winds in excess of 117kts while at sea, beating out Hurricane Hernan, which never made landfall and attained Category 3 status.

The hardest hit areas include Lopez Mateo, Puerto San Carlos, Constitucion and Loreto. We will be looking for details as available from our readers.

10/13/2008 11:19 AM MDT– Norbert is now dissipated over northern Mexico and brought rain onto western Texas. No further updates will be posted to this page until historical data is available.

Previously on the BajaInsider...

9PM MDT 10/11/08 Hurricane Norbert is currently located near near 26.5N 109.5W and motion is 40° at 15kts. Central barometric pressure is estimated at 961Mb and winds are 75kts with gusts to 90kts. Norbert is now expected to make landfall as a Category 1Hurricane just south of Guaymas later tonight and dissipate rapidly over land by Monday morning.

Hurricane force winds extend out 45 miles. Tropical storm force winds extend out as much as 110 miles. Norbert's eye is approximately 30 miles in diameter.

As a strong Category 2 Hurricane, Norbert has been the the most powerful hurricane to make landfall on Baja Sur since Hurricane John tore up East Cape in 2006.

Norbert came ashore south of Magdalena Bay and moved across the peninsula through the Comondu region to entered the Sea of Cortez near Loreto. Early data indicates that Norbert maintained Category 2 Hurricane intensity all the way across the peninsula.

Although forecast models have had difficulty with the varying intensity of Norbert, our hats are off to the NHC on the track forecast which has been right on the money since last Sunday evening, 10/6 within a matter of 30 miles!

We have not received any official reports yet from the most affected regions, it is likely that power and communications will take time to restore. Local news reports indicate that some homes have been severally damaged or destroyed in the region and some flooding has taken place. We will be looking for our reader reports from the region.

La Paz was about 100 miles from the storm track and tropical storm force conditions peaked about 2PM Saturday as the NE quadrant moved west of the city. This usually is the quadrant bearing the strongest winds, but less rain. In CostaBaja we had wind gusts to 30kts and only received about 0.6" of rain. Our minimum barometric pressure recorded today was 999Mb.

We understand the power in La Paz was shut down at the thermoelectric plant for unknown reasons. Power has been restored to most parts of the city at 6PM MDT.

Currently La Paz is experiencing wind gusts to 25kts and clearing skies. The Los Cabos area saw some rain and moderate winds but had begun to clear by mid day.

The ports from Cabo to Guaymas on the mainland side of the Sea of Cortez have been ordered closed by authorities in Mexico City, without exception until Monday at 8AM.

Email your Baja storm reports and photos to Norbert@BajaInsider.com
Please be sure to tell us a little about your photos.

Drivers should refrain from crossing flooded roadways, even those that they are familiar with. I personally have witnessed a bus moved laterally when attempting to cross a flooded area during Hurricane John in 2006.

Norbert became the most powerful hurricane of the 2008 Eastern Pacific Hurricane Season on October 8th, with sustained winds of 115kts, surpassing Hurricane Hernan. Hernan formed in the first week of August and moved off into the Pacific without ever making landfall with maximum winds of 105kts.

Tropical Depression 15E developed on the evening of 10/3, from a large area of disturbed weather that has been under scrutiny for several days some 230 miles south of Acapulco. Mexico. TD 15E was upgraded to Tropical Storm Norbert on the evening of 10/4.Norbert achieved Category 1 Hurricane status on the evening of 10/6. Hurricane Norbert was upgraded to a Category 2 Hurricane on the evening of 10/7. Norbert became a major Hurricane at Category 3 on the morning of 10/8 and achieved Category 4 status in the afternoon release from the NHC on the same day. Norbert was down graded to a Category 3 Hurricane in the early morning release from the NHC on 10/9. Norbert was reduced to a Category 1 Hurricane on the afternoon of 10/09. Initial Watches were issued by the Mexican Government at 9PM on 10/09 and Warnings for the Pacific coastal areas of Baja California Sur were issued at 3AM on 10/10. Norbert was upgraded to a Category 2 storm on the morning of 10/10 as it gathered energy from the warm waters SW of Baja Sur. Norbert regained Category 3 status in the early morning hours of 10/11, before making landfall. Norbert diminished to a Category 2 status in the interim update at 6AM MDT. Norbert made landfall between 10 and 11AM near Magdalena Bay and moved across the Baja peninsula throughout the day today to enter the Sea of Cortez around 7PM MDT near Loreto.

No further updates will be issued to this page until historical data is available.

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Automated Information from the NHC

This information will be updated automatically and instantly from the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida as it becomes available.

Storm Specific Information for Norbert