Hurricane Odile (2014)

Hurricane Odile

Category 4 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS)
Hurricane Odile shortly after peak intensity to the west of Jalisco on September 14, with Tropical Depression Sixteen-E to its southwest
Formed	September 10, 2014
Dissipated	September 19, 2014
(Remnant low after September 18)
Highest winds	1-minute sustained: 140 mph (220 km/h)
Lowest pressure	918 mbar (hPa); 27.11 inHg
Fatalities	18 confirmed
Damage	$1.22 billion (2014 USD)
Areas affected	Mexico, Southwestern United States, Texas
Part of the 2014 Pacific hurricane season

Hurricane Odile is tied for the most intense landfalling tropical cyclone on the Baja California Peninsula during the satellite era. Sweeping across the peninsula in September 2014, Odile inflicted widespread damage, particularly in the state of Baja California Sur, in addition to causing lesser impacts on the Mexican mainland and Southwestern United States. The precursor to Odile developed into a tropical depression south of Mexico on September 10 and quickly reached tropical storm strength. After meandering for several days, Odile began to track northwestward, intensifying to hurricane status before rapidly reaching its Category 4 hurricane peak intensity on September 14. The cyclone slightly weakened before making landfall near Cabo San Lucas with winds of 125 mph (205 km/h). Odile gradually weakened as it tracked across the length of the Baja California Peninsula, briefly crossing into the Gulf of California before degenerating into a remnant system on September 17. These remnants tracked northeastward across the Southwestern United States before they were no longer identifiable on September 19.

Initially, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecast that Odile would track westward and avoid land as it would curve out to sea. Accordingly, the local governments of southwestern Mexico initially posted minor weather alerts. Precautionary measures on the Baja California Peninsula began in earnest after Odile unexpectedly took a direct course towards the peninsula. Several municipalities declared a state of emergency, opening 164 shelters with a total capacity of 30,000 people. Due to the unanticipated threat of Odile, approximately 26,000 foreign tourists were stranded on the peninsula at the time of landfall.