Weather Report for Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico

WEATHER REPORT FOR LORETO, B.C.S. MEXICO
updated on: August 11, 2010

COMMENTS ON THE SEAS OFF LORETO

Seas have been calm for the most part of the last two weeks with the exception of the weekend of August 6 and 7 when a squall formed East of us and caused winds and rain East of Isla Carmen. The squall, called torito by the locals, was felt in Loreto at about 02:00 on Friday Aug 6th and produced only winds. Further out at sea there was rain but no precipitation was felt near Loreto. The winds generated waves and the currents in the deep water were strong. The seas were fully recovered by Monday Aug 9.

Today we are feeling effects of another torito that formed off Guaymas, Sonora on the Eastern shore of the Sea of Cortez. Although our shoreline is calm it is rough seas further out and boats are not venturing out too far. Storms like this are common in the month of August and September when our Sea Surface Temperatures are peaking. Quite often they will form in the evening and strengthen at night and they will stay on the Eastern side of the SOC. Occasionally if conditions are right these storms will grow and reach our side of the pond, or they will form just off the coast of Sonora and Sinaloa and move our way as they grow. Generally once the sun comes up they dissapate.

Late July 2010: This is my office and once in awhile I can slow down and enjoy coffee and conversation at my desk.

Current Sea Surface Temperatures (based on the Terrafin Sea Surface Satellite image of the Loreto Area taken at 03:57 August 10, 2010 with five stars):

Inshore 80 - 84 F (27 - 29 C)
Offshore 80 - 87 (27 - 31 C)

CURRENT AMBIENT CONDITIONS

This summer can probably go down in history as the coolest summer Loreto has experienced in a long time. I am sure there's paback due and today may be the start of it. Above I mentioned the torito or low pressure center that formed to our East. The radius of cloudcover appears to be about 120 nautical miles (NM). When our offshore sea surface temperatures are high which they are right now, this heat sink coupled by the cloudcover results in high humidity. And that's exactly what we're experiencing right now, three to four shower days.

The high SST's of August and September help to create unstable atmospheric conditions and this is where centers of low pressure can organize into storms. Once the storm throws off enough energy it dissapates. This energy comes in the form of rain, wind, lightning and movement.

Typically in late July the heat will rise over the Sierra de la Giganta mountains to the west of us and where it meets the cool Pacific air it will condense. This condensation forms large vertically building Cumulonimbus clouds that may bring precipitation to the mountains. This percipitation rarely reaches Loreto due to a rain shadow effect the mountains have on these thunderstroms. There have been very few of these so far this season. When our air tempertures rise we will see these storms form over the Sierra again and conform to the classic late summer weather we're used to.

LORETO, B.C.S.: SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS OF THE PAST

NEW! Hurricane Jimena (29 August - 4 September, 2009): Hurricane Jimena traveled over the baja peninsula from Magdelena Bay to the Sea of Cortez destroying several cities in its path; San Carlos, Lopez Mateos, Santo Domingo valley, Villa Insurgentes, Ciudad Constitucion, San Ignacio, Santa Rosalia and Mulege were all affected by the high winds and flood waters of this powerful storm. Loreto was spared and experienced very little damage.

Hurricane Jimena from the Space Shuttle

archived: Hurricane Henriette (3 September, 2007): Hurricane Henriette's eye got within 60 miles to the south of Loreto on Wednesday September 3, 2007. No damages were reported.

archived: Hurricane John (28 August - 5 September, 2006): Hurricane John brushed by the West side of Loreto on Saturday September 2, 2006. The town of Loreto was spared from major damage and loss of life. Loreto has recovered from the damages of the hurricane and its actually difficult to tell that we had a storm of this size here.

Wikipedia link: Hurricane Marty (18 - 22 September, 2003): The next time a timeshare agent mis-informs you about Loreto not being at risk for major tropical cyclones, this one was the most destructive storm in recent memory for Loreto. Marty was borderline category 2 when it passed by Loreto on its way North right up the Sea of Cortez. The eye of the storm was within 30 miles of town. The winds were extremely strong and the rains created torrents of water throughout town. I was fool enough to go out in it right when it was approaching and after that experience (where I almost lost my life) I will NEVER go out in a storm again. I have photos in the archives taken the following day of the damage that was done around town and the marina and will repost these soon. I have never written about my experience in Hurricane Marty because just thinking of what almost happened during that storm scares the crap outta me!

Wikipedia link: Hurricane Liza (25 September - 1 October, 2003): This destructive and deadly storm formed in the Eastern Pacific ocean about 450 miles South of Acapulco. It intensified into a category 4 storm and slowly made its way North eventually making landfall near Guaymas, Sonora. Although Loreto didn't receive a direct hit we did experience major flooding from rains, in fact the estero in front of Hotel Oasis was formed by this storm. In La Paz it is reported that thousands died when a levy broke. Unofficial reports from witnesses say thousands of people were washed into the sea then eaten by sharks. This is the result of a category 4 coming into the Sea of Cortez and careless building in areas that are prone deluge rainfall.

Wikipedia link: The Hurricane of 1959 (mid September, 1959): After Hurricane Jimena (2009) spared us but devistated surrounding towns, the old timers started to discuss past storms that affected Loreto. Wikipedia does not have much information but I will investigate this more. From what I gather, Loreto was virtually wiped out from flooding and high winds. The Wiki link does not go into detail on this storm but likely this was not the famous "Mexico" storm that hit near Manzanillo as a category 5 in the same year. The image shows the path of the 1959 storms and the one that appears to have made landfall near Cabo San Lucas is probably the "hurricane of '59" that the old timers are referring to. From the map is appears to have stayed to the East of the Sierra de la Giganta mountains which is why the storm produced so much rain. The effect the "hurricane of '59" had on Loreto was likely very much like Hurricane John in 2006.