Tropical Storm Rick forms in eastern Pacific
U.S. impacts from back-to-back tropical cyclones in the eastern Pacific is a rarity during La Niña events.
Tropical Storm Rick in the eastern Pacific could become the season’s next hurricane before impacting Mexico and spreading moisture towards the United States.
The developing cyclone is about 200 miles south of Acapulco, Mexico, and has winds of around 40 mph.
The National Hurricane Center expects the system to quickly strengthen into a category one hurricane before coming ashore near Manzanillo, Mexico, on Monday.
Meteorologists expect heavy rains to be the main impact, as some areas of Mexico could see a foot of rain.
The flooding rains could cause significant issues and lead to mudslides in the mountainous regions.
Meteorologists say the system will quickly weaken as it makes its way inland, but similar to Hurricane Pamela, its remnants could help drive moisture into the South.
Pacific cyclones impact U.S. mainland
For the second time in a month, the remnants of a Pacific hurricane will impact parts of the United States.
Similar to Pamela in mid-October, forecast models show moisture from Rick streaming northward into parts of the western Gulf of Mexico during the early part of the workweek.
Meteorologists don’t anticipate the rains associated with Rick’s remnants to produce as many problems as what Texans saw during the previous system.
Forecast models show as much as two inches of rain impacting isolated spots along the Gulf Coast through Wednesday.
Meteorologists say seeing back-to-back impacts from Pacific cyclones in the U.S. mainland is a rare event, especially during a La Niña year.
Despite La Niña, Pacific remains active
During a La Niña year, typically, moisture is absent in the eastern Pacific, which leads to fewer tropical cyclones.
But the steady development of systems in 2021 means that the basin will finish the season near average.
A normal year in the eastern Pacific sees 15 named storms, eight hurricanes and four major hurricanes.
So far in 2021, 17 named storms have formed, seven have gone on to become hurricanes, and only two have strengthened to major hurricane status with winds of at least 115 mph.
Similar to the Atlantic, the eastern Pacific’s hurricane season will run through November 30.