Hurricane Marty (2003)

Hurricane Marty

Category 2 hurricane (SSHWS/NWS)
Hurricane Marty over the Gulf of California on September 22, 2003
Formed	September 18, 2003
Dissipated	September 24, 2003
Highest winds	1-minute sustained: 100 mph (155 km/h)
Lowest pressure	970 mbar (hPa); 28.64 inHg
Fatalities	12 direct
Damage	$100 million (2003 USD)
Areas affected	Baja California Peninsula, Sonora, Sinaloa, Arizona
Part of the 2003 Pacific hurricane season

Hurricane Marty was the deadliest tropical cyclone of the 2003 Pacific hurricane season. Forming on September 18, it became the 13th tropical storm and fourth hurricane of the year. The storm moved generally northwestward and steadily intensified despite only a marginally favorable environment for development, and became a Category 2 hurricane before making two landfalls on the Baja California peninsula and mainland Mexico.

The hurricane was responsible for significant flooding and storm surges that caused $100 million (2003 USD) in damage mostly on the peninsula of Baja California, and resulted in the deaths of 12 people. Marty affected many of the same areas that had been affected by Hurricane Ignacio a month earlier.

A tropical wave moved into the Pacific Ocean from Central America on September 10. Convection along the wave became better organized as it moved westward, and a tropical depression developed on September 18. The depression moved generally west-northwestward before strengthening into Tropical Storm Marty on September 19. The storm entrained dry air into its circulation as it curved toward the northwest, disrupting the storm's convective structure and inhibiting further intensification for the next two days. Eventually, Marty fought off the dry air and intensified, reaching hurricane strength on September 21.

Marty began moving north-northwestward in response to a high pressure ridge to the west, and continued to strengthen, reaching a peak intensity of 100 mph (155 km/h) early on September 22. Marty then moved northward at an increased speed before making landfall 10 mi (15 km) northeast of Cabo San Lucas in Baja California Sur later that day. After making landfall, Marty turned back to the north-northwest, moving parallel to the eastern coast of the peninsula, and weakening to a tropical storm on September 23. Marty then stalled over the Gulf of California after encountering a high pressure system over the U.S. state of Nevada, and further weakened to a tropical depression before making a second landfall near Puerto Peñasco, Sonora, on September 24. Marty became a remnant low pressure area on September 25, and moved erratically over the northern Gulf of California for the next two days before drifting southwestward and dissipating over the northern Baja California Peninsula on September 26.