Ivo (2019)

A compact area of disturbed weather that moved westward across the far eastern Pacific organized into a tropical depression at 0600 UTC on 21 August 2019 about 250 nautical miles south of Manzanillo, Mexico. The system strengthened into Tropical Storm Ivo six hours later and moved quickly westward and then turned northward and north‑northwestward as a mid‑level ridge weakened. Ivo reached its peak on 22 August, passed very near Clarion Island on 23 August, and then weakened over progressively cooler waters before degenerating to a remnant low about 0000 UTC 25 August roughly 385 nautical miles west of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula. The remnant low dissipated by 27 August several hundred nautical miles west of Baja California.

Ivo did not make a mainland landfall. Its closest approach to land occurred just before 1200 UTC 23 August when the center passed very near Clarion Island (Isla Clarión), where an automated station recorded peak sustained winds of 53 kt (61 mph) with a gust to 66 kt (76 mph) at 1430 UTC 23 August. No coastal watches or warnings were issued for the Mexican mainland or Baja California in association with Ivo.

The storm’s maximum sustained winds were estimated at 60 kt (about 69 mph) with a minimum central pressure of 990 mb at its peak around 1200–1800 UTC 22 August, making it a strong tropical storm but not a hurricane.

Reported storm surge and rainfall impacts were minimal in populated areas. The NHC report contains no coastal surge measurements for the Mexican mainland, and there were no notable rainfall totals or flooding reports listed for named cities or counties. The only specific observing station noted with strong winds was the automated station on Clarion Island.

There were no reported deaths, injuries, damage, or casualties associated with Ivo. The storm’s genesis was well forecast days in advance, but official track forecasts had larger-than-average errors because models did not capture Ivo’s unusually fast initial westward motion and the sharp poleward turn on 23 August. Intensity forecasts had a modest high bias early on because increased northeasterly shear limited Ivo’s strengthening.