Hurricane Lane (2006)

Hurricane Lane

Category 3 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS)
Hurricane Lane at peak intensity as a category 3 storm
Formed	September 13, 2006
Dissipated	September 17, 2006
Highest winds	1-minute sustained: 125 mph (205 km/h)
Lowest pressure	952 mbar (hPa); 28.11 inHg
Fatalities	4 direct
Damage	$203 million (2006 USD)
Areas affected	Southwestern Mexico, Western Mexico, Northwestern Mexico, Southwestern United States
Part of the 2006 Pacific hurricane season

Hurricane Lane was the thirteenth named storm, ninth hurricane, and sixth major hurricane of the 2006 Pacific hurricane season. The strongest Pacific hurricane to make landfall in Mexico since Hurricane Kenna of 2002, Lane developed on September 13 from a tropical wave to the south of Mexico. It moved northwestward, parallel to the coast of Mexico, and steadily intensified in an area conducive to further strengthening. After turning to the northeast, Lane attained peak winds of 125 mph (205 km/h), and made landfall in the state of Sinaloa at peak strength. It rapidly weakened and dissipated on September 17, and later brought precipitation to southern part of the U.S. state of Texas.

Throughout its path, Lane resulted in four deaths and moderate damage. Damage was heaviest in Sinaloa, where the hurricane made landfall, including reports of severe crop damage. Across Mexico, an estimated 4,320 homes were affected by the hurricane, with about 248,000 people affected. Moderate flooding was reported in Acapulco, resulting in mudslides in some areas. Damage across the country totaled $2.2 billion (2006 MXN), or $206 million (2006 USD, or $218 million in 2010 USD).

A tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa on August 31, 2006. It moved westward without development, and entered the eastern Pacific Ocean on September 10. An area of convection developed along the wave axis, several hundred miles south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec. It moved slowly westward and steadily organized. Convection and banding features organized around a developing center, and the system developed into Tropical Depression Thirteen-E on September 13. The system continued to organize and strengthened into Tropical Storm Lane early on September 14 about 90 miles (145 km) off the coast of Mexico. Based on a potentially developing anticyclone over the storm and a track over warm water temperatures, the Statistical Hurricane Intensity Prediction Scheme model issued a 46 percent probability for rapid intensification of the storm.