Hurricane Hilary (2011)
| Category 4 hurricane ( SSHWS ) | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
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| Emergence | 21st September | |
| resolution | 30. September | |
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Peak wind speed |
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| Lowest air pressure | 942 mbar ( hPa ; 27.8 inHg ) | |
| dead | No | |
| Property damage | Unknown | |
|
Affected areas |
Southwest Mexico | |
| Season overview: Pacific hurricane season 2011 |
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The Hurricane Hilary was a Pacific hurricane. The eighth storm, seventh hurricane, and fourth major hurricane of the 2011 Pacific hurricane season , Hilary is a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale . Its rain bands have caused flooding across much of Mexico .
Storm course
The origins of Hurricane Hilary date back to an area of disturbed weather that formed near Central America. On September 19, the associated thunderstorm activity began to show signs of organization. According to radar data, the disturbance had become sufficiently organized to be classified as a tropical depression on September 21 in the Gulf of Tehuantepec. With a favorable upper air regime, the National Hurricane Center predicted the system would attain hurricane status in two days. The low pressure area still reached squalls on the same day, which resulted in an update to the tropical storm. It got the name Hilary.
As Hilary continued to gain strength and develop an eye, it was promoted to a hurricane. Hilary quickly developed a well-defined inner core surrounded by deep convection. The hurricane then entered a phase of rapid intensification; Hilary achieved Category 2 intensity on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale within a few hours. Hilary quickly achieved severe hurricane status, upgrading it to Category 4 storm, as satellite imagery showed a clear eye surrounded by extreme thunderstorm activity. The storm reached a maximum wind speed of 230 km / h and a minimum air pressure of 942 hPa . After its peak, the storm weakened to 205 km / h and was eventually downgraded to Category 3. In the late afternoon of September 26th Hilary had briefly intensified into a Category 4 hurricane with a wind speed of 215 km / h. Before weakening again to a Category 3 hurricane 6 hours later. The hurricane continued to weaken until it was just a tropical depression on September 30th and later dissolved.