Max (2005)

A tropical disturbance that crossed Central America developed into a tropical depression about 500 nautical miles south-southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, at 1200 UTC on 18 September 2005. It became Tropical Storm Max later that day, absorbed nearby Tropical Storm Lidia early on 19 September, turned northwestward, and strengthened to a hurricane by 0000 UTC 20 September. Max reached peak strength on 20 September but quickly weakened as it moved over cooler waters, degenerated to a remnant low by 1800 UTC 22 September, and dissipated by 26 September.

Hurricane Max did not make landfall and produced no coastal watches or warnings. Its track remained well offshore of Mexico, generally moving west-northwestward to northwestward between about 15°N and 22°N and then drifting west and south as a remnant.

Maximum sustained winds at peak were 75 knots (about 86 mph) with a minimum central pressure estimated at 981 mb, making Max a Category 1 hurricane at its peak on 20 September 2005. The storm maintained hurricane strength for roughly 24 hours around that peak.

No storm surge or rainfall measurements from within the circulation were reported because Max remained over open water; there were no ship or buoy observations inside the storm. All observations used to track and estimate Max’s intensity came from satellites.

There were no reports of casualties or damage associated with Max. The regions closest to its path—offshore waters of southwestern Mexico and Baja California—were not reported to have experienced impacts from this storm.

Noteworthy points: Max formed unexpectedly close to and absorbed Tropical Storm Lidia, a development that was not well anticipated in early outlooks. Forecast track errors for Max were smaller than decade-era averages, and official intensity forecasts initially underestimated the storm’s strengthening but later captured its rapid weakening over cooler waters.