Javier (2016)

A small tropical storm formed from the remnants of Atlantic Hurricane Earl. The low-level circulation from Earl dissipated over eastern Mexico on August 6, 2016, but a new low formed along the Pacific coast near Acapulco and became Tropical Depression Eleven-E by 0600 UTC on August 7 about 105 nautical miles south‑southeast of Manzanillo. The system moved northwestward just offshore of southwestern Mexico, strengthened into Tropical Storm Javier on August 7, and tracked toward the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula before weakening over land and dissipating on August 10 west of La Bocana, Mexico.

Javier made landfall on the southern tip of Baja California Sur near San José del Cabo around 0330 UTC on August 9, 2016. At landfall it was a tropical storm with estimated sustained winds of 45 knots (about 52 mph) and a reported minimum sea‑level pressure near 1002 mb at that time. The storm passed over or just east of Los Cabos International Airport shortly after landfall and quickly weakened over the peninsula’s mountains, becoming a depression by 1200 UTC on August 9 and a remnant low about six hours later.

The storm’s maximum intensity was 55 knots (about 63 mph) at 1800 UTC on August 8, when a NOAA SFMR instrument measured 55‑kt surface winds and a dropsonde measured a minimum central pressure of 998–997 mb. At peak, Javier was a strong tropical storm but did not reach hurricane strength.

Storm surge and rainfall were limited. Reported sustained winds of tropical‑storm force included 40 kt at Playa de Oro International Airport (Manzanillo) on August 7 and a 34‑kt sustained wind with a 51‑kt gust at Cabo Pulmo (southeastern Baja California Sur) at 0550 UTC on August 9. Rainfall totals were generally under 2 inches across western mainland Mexico and under 1 inch across Baja California Sur; no significant flooding was reported. Observations from Los Cabos International Airport recorded a minimum sea‑level pressure of 1005.6 mb at 0343 UTC on August 9.

There were no reports of casualties or damage associated with Javier. The rainfall was characterized as beneficial in parts of western Mexico and Baja California Sur. Forecasts of Javier’s formation were reasonably timely, though official track and intensity forecasts had larger than average errors during the event, partly because the storm did not deepen or move westward as much as anticipated.