Carlotta (2006)

A tropical depression formed south of Zihuatanejo, Mexico, at 0000 UTC on 12 July 2006 from a tropical wave that crossed into the eastern Pacific. The system strengthened quickly while moving west‑northwest, became Tropical Storm Carlotta at 0600 UTC 12 July, and first reached hurricane strength on 13 July. Carlotta moved generally west‑northwestward and fluctuated between tropical storm and Category 1 hurricane intensity through 15 July before steadily weakening to a remnant low by 0000 UTC 17 July. The remnant low moved westward and dissipated on 20 July about 1,300 nautical miles east of the Hawaiian Islands.

Carlotta did not make landfall on the Mexican coast. Its outer rainbands scraped the coast from the Gulf of Tehuantepec to Manzanillo on 12 July, but there were no recorded crossings of the center over land during its tropical cyclone phase.

The storm’s maximum sustained winds peaked at 75 knots (about 86 mph) late on 13 July, with a minimum central pressure near 981 millibars. That intensity corresponds to a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir‑Simpson scale.

Storm surge and rainfall impacts were minimal. No surface reports of tropical‑storm‑force winds were recorded, and rainfall totals along the Pacific coast of Mexico attributable to Carlotta were generally less than 1 inch. The report does not list any specific coastal surge measurements at named locations.

There were no reports of damage or casualties—no direct or indirect deaths were recorded. Impacts were limited to modest coastal rains and outer rainband effects along portions of the southwestern Mexican coast, notably between the Gulf of Tehuantepec and Manzanillo.

Notable aspects include the storm’s rapid initial intensification and a brief re‑strengthening to hurricane status on 15 July before final decay. Forecasts anticipated the cyclone’s formation well in advance, and official track forecasts performed better than average, with smaller-than‑normal track errors; intensity forecasts were reasonably accurate at short ranges but less skillful beyond about 36 hours.