1959 Mexico hurricane
| Category 4 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Surface weather analysis of the hurricane on October 27
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| Formed | October 22, 1959 |
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| Dissipated | October 28, 1959 |
| Highest winds |
1-minute sustained: 140 mph (220 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 955 mbar (hPa); 28.2 inHg |
| Fatalities | 1,800 total (deadliest East Pacific hurricane) |
| Damage | ≥ $280 million (1959 USD) |
| Areas affected | Colima and Jalisco, much of western Mexico |
| Part of the 1959 Pacific hurricane season | |
The 1959 Mexico hurricane is the deadliest eastern Pacific tropical cyclone on record. First observed south of Mexico on October 23, the cyclone tracked northwest. It intensified into a Category 3 hurricane on October 25 and reached Category 4 intensity the following day. After turning toward the northeast, the hurricane maintained Category 4 status and made landfall near Manzanillo, Mexico. The system continued on that trajectory prior to dissipating the next day.
Impact from the hurricane was severe and widespread. Initially forecast to remain offshore, the system curved northeast and moved ashore, becoming one of Mexico's worst natural disasters at the time. Up to 150 boats were submerged. Countless homes in Colima and Jalisco were damaged or destroyed, large portions of the states were inaccessible by flash flooding, and hundreds of residents were stranded. All coconut plantations were blown down during the storm, leaving thousands without work and instating fear that it would take the economy years to recover. Torrential rainfall across mountain terrain contributed to numerous mudslides that caused hundreds of fatalities. In the aftermath of the cyclone, convoys delivering aid were hindered by the destruction. Residents were vaccinated to prevent the spread of disease. Overall, the hurricane inflicted at least $280 million (1959 USD) in damage.
On October 22, a low pressure area was present south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec, having originated out of an area of disturbed weather in the region the day before. That day, two ships reported gale-force winds, suggesting that a tropical storm formed by 12:00 UTC. Moving west-northwestward parallel to the southwest coast of Mexico, the system steadily intensified, reaching hurricane status by late on October 23. The storm continued to intensify, although there were few ships in the path to record the intensity until October 26. During that time, interpolation of observations suggests that the storm attained major hurricane intensity – a Category 3 on the modern Saffir-Simpson scale – with winds of 115 mph (185 km/h) on October 25.
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