Jimena (2009)

A tropical depression formed from a tropical wave about 190 nautical miles south of Acapulco, Mexico, near 1800 UTC on 28 August 2009. The system moved west then northwest, became Tropical Storm Jimena early on 29 August and reached hurricane strength later that day. Jimena rapidly intensified and underwent eyewall cycles, reaching peak intensity late on 31 August. After peaking, it turned northward and weakened as it approached and moved along the central and southern Baja California peninsula, then drifted in the central Gulf of California before degenerating to a remnant low and dissipating over the Pacific on 5 September.

Jimena made multiple landfalls on the Baja California peninsula. The first landfall was on Isla Santa Margarita around 1200 UTC 2 September at an estimated intensity of 90 kt (105 mph, Category 2). About an hour later it made a second landfall at Puerto San Carlos, Baja California Sur, also at about 90 kt. A third landfall occurred near San Juanico around 2100 UTC 2 September at about 75 kt (85 mph, Category 1). The system weakened to a tropical storm and later a depression before a final landfall near Santa Rosalía around 1900 UTC on 4 September as a depression.

The maximum sustained surface winds for Jimena were estimated at 135 kt (155 mph) at peak late on 31 August, with a minimum central pressure of 931 mb observed at 1919–1900 UTC on 31 August. That peak intensity corresponds to a high-end Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson scale. The highest sustained wind observed at a land station was 61 kt (70 mph) with a gust to 79 kt at Ciudad Constitución, Baja California Sur.

Storm surge and heavy rainfall produced notable flooding. Reported storm tide and surge measurements are limited, but Puerto San Carlos observers measured an eye pressure of 973.0 mb as the center passed. Rainfall totals included 13.12 inches at Ciudad Constitución and 6.59 inches at Santa Rosalía in Baja California Sur; mainland Sonora saw very heavy totals, including 26.46 inches reported at Guaymas (a measurement whose accuracy is uncertain compared with nearby stations) and 13.72 inches at Empalme. Numerous other stations across Baja California Sur and Sonora reported several inches of rain, causing widespread freshwater flooding.

One death was directly attributed to Jimena — a drowning during freshwater floods in Mulegé, Baja California Sur. Media and local reports described widespread wind and flood damage across central and southern Baja California Sur, with Ciudad Constitución, Mulegé, and Loreto among the hardest hit and tens of thousands of buildings reportedly damaged. Severe freshwater flooding also affected mainland Sonora, especially near Guaymas. No official monetary damage totals were available in the report.

Notable aspects: Jimena’s 90-kt landfall ties it with Hurricane Norbert (2008) as the strongest recorded hurricane landfall on the west coast of Baja California. The storm underwent rapid intensification that was not well anticipated in early forecasts, though NHC track and intensity forecasts generally performed at or better than recent five-year averages for most forecast intervals. Forecasts did struggle with Jimena’s later erratic motion in the Gulf of California.