Hurricane Pauline (1968)

Hurricane Pauline

Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS/NWS)
Pauline as a newly-upgraded tropical storm on September 29.
Formed	September 26, 1968
Dissipated	October 3, 1968
Highest winds	1-minute sustained: 85 mph (140 km/h)
Lowest pressure	≤ 1002 mbar (hPa); 29.59 inHg
Fatalities	5 direct
Areas affected	Northwestern Mexico, California, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico
Part of the 1968 Pacific hurricane season

Hurricane Pauline was the deadliest hurricane of the 1968 Pacific hurricane season. Forming from a disturbance in the Intertropical Convergence Zone on September 26 and becoming a tropical storm on September 29, the hurricane strengthened to a peak of 85 mph (137 km/h) as a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale on September 30 before making landfall just east of La Paz, Baja California Sur, near Ciudad Constitución in Mexico, exiting over the Gulf of California. Before making a second landfall on the state of Sonora on October 3, Pauline lost tropical characteristics. The storm continued inland, passing directly over Ciudad Obregón before dissipating south-southeast of Sierra Vista, Arizona.

There is very little information as to the effects of Pauline on Mexico, but during the passage of the hurricane over Magdalena Bay, a boat disappeared with its five occupants. Despite a large-scale search for the boat or any possible remnants, no trace was ever found. The remnants of Pauline triggered showers over the southwest United States and may have been responsible for a damaging tornado which occurred near Glendale, Arizona.

The Intertropical Convergence Zone disturbance that developed into Hurricane Pauline was first noticed by meteorologists 200 mi (320 km) southeast of Acapulco and 1,500 mi (2,400 km)-2,000 mi (3,200 km) west of dissipating Tropical Storm Orla. The disturbance was in a large area of convection west of Guatemala in the Gulf of Tehuantepec that began to spread 500 mi (800 km) to the west-northwest on September 26. Satellite imagery at this time showed an area of reflective clouds roughly 500 mi (800 km) long and 200 mi (320 km) wide. Shortly thereafter, the disturbance was upgraded into a tropical depression. After being upgraded, a vortex began to organize at its center and the depression began to intensify. On September 29, a ship 200 mi (320 km) south of the center reported winds of 17 mph (27 km/h) to 23 mph (37 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1008 mbar, the only pressure reading left on best track data for the entire season. Other than this ship, all other active boats steered away from the center of the developing system. Later that day, it was determined that the depression had reached tropical storm strength.