Hurricane Amanda
| Category 4 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Hurricane Amanda at peak intensity in the open Pacific Ocean on May 25
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| Formed | May 22, 2014 |
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| Dissipated | May 29, 2014 |
| Highest winds |
1-minute sustained: 155 mph (250 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 932 mbar (hPa); 27.52 inHg |
| Fatalities | 3 confirmed |
| Damage | Minimal |
| Areas affected | Southwestern and Western Mexico |
| Part of the 2014 Pacific hurricane season | |
Hurricane Amanda was the strongest Eastern Pacific tropical cyclone ever recorded in the month of May. The first named storm, hurricane and major hurricane of the 2014 Pacific hurricane season, Amanda originated from a tropical wave that had entered the Eastern Pacific on May 16. Slow development occurred as it tracked westward, and development into a tropical depression occurred on May 22. The depression later strengthened into a tropical storm on May 23. Amid very favorable conditions, Amanda then rapidly intensified late on May 23, eventually reaching its peak intensity on May 25 as a high-end Category 4 hurricane. Afterwards, steady weakening occurred due to upwelling beneath the storm, and Amanda fell below major hurricane intensity on May 26. Rapid weakening occurred and the cyclone eventually dissipated on May 29.
The tropical cyclone did not directly impact landmasses, however it had indirect impacts along the coast of Mexico. Heavy rains caused flooding in the towns of Guerrero and Manzanillo, Mexico, resulting in 2 fatalities. A third occurred after a tree fell on a car in Acapulco. Landslides and high surf were also reported along the Mexican coastline, causing minor damage.
On May 16, a tropical wave emerged into the Eastern Pacific. Moving westward, the wave changed little in organization until May 19, when a broad surface low formed about 500 mi (805 km) south of Acapulco. The system failed to organize further over the next two days as thunderstorm activity oscillated as it continued to track westward and eventually west-northwestward. By May 22, however, scatterometer data began to indicate that the system was becoming better defined, with deep convection persisting near the center, which was getting better organized. Based on this data, the National Hurricane Center upgraded the disturbance to Tropical Depression One-E at 18:00 UTC that day while located about 550 miles (890 km) south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, although it was not operationally classified until three hours later. The depression gradually organized, with banding features developing near the center, and eventually was upgraded to a tropical storm on May 23, being assigned the name Amanda.
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Wikipedia