Hurricane Andres (2009)
Hurricane Andres was the first named storm and hurricane of the 2009 Pacific hurricane season. Forming on June 21, Andres gradually intensified as it tracked along the Mexican coastline. Deep convection developed around the center of circulation and by June 23, the storm attained hurricane-status, peaking with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h). Upon attaining this intensity, the storm featured a developing eyewall within a central dense overcast. Within 36 hours, the storm rapidly degenerated, having most of the convection being displaced by high wind shear, becoming a non-tropical trough during the afternoon of June 24. Prior to becoming a tropical depression, Andres produced heavy rainfall in Oaxaca and Honduras, resulting in two deaths. Rough seas off the coast of Guerrero resulted in one fatality. Inland, flooding caused by heavy rains killed two additional people. An additional 20 people were injured. Several dozen structures were damaged and a few were destroyed. Total losses from the hurricane reached MXN 3 million ($231,000 USD) in Colima. Following the storm, roughly 350 people were left homeless. Meteorological history Hurricane Andres originated out of a tropical wave that entered the eastern Pacific basin on June 16 after crossing Central America. Over the following few days, showers and thunderstorms began to organize around the wave. At this time, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) remarked upon the possibility for tropical cyclogenesis. By June 20, the wave spawned an area of low pressure roughly 175 mi (280 km) south-southeast of Acapulco, Mexico. Around 1200 UTC the following day, the system had become sufficiently organized for the NHC to designate the low as Tropical Depression Two-E. The depression briefly track westward before turning towards the northwest, a track which it would maintain for the remained of its existence, due to a mid-tropospheric ridge located northeast of the system. It continued to organize throughout the day on June 21, developing banding features and increased convection. Several hours after being classified a depression, the system intensified into a tropical storm, at which time it received the name Andres. Upon being named, Andres marked latest date that the first named storm of a season developed since 1969 when Tropical Storm Ava developed on July 1 of that year. By the morning of June 22, very deep thunderstorm activity existed near the center, and the overall convective pattern had become more symmetric in nature. Favorable conditions, warm sea surface temperatures, allowed Andres to gradually intensify as it tracked near the Mexican coastline. However, strong wind shear, a factor that generally weakens tropical cyclones, had little effect on the developing storm. By the evening of June 22, satellite imagery indicated the formation of an eyewall; by this time Andres was near hurricane status. Early the next day, the center of circulation became embedded within a central dense overcast and Andres intensified into a hurricane, the first of the season, around 0600 UTC. At this time, the storm attained its peak intensity with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure