Mario (2019)

A tropical disturbance that originated from a wave off Africa in late August organized over the eastern Pacific and became a tropical depression on 17 September 2019 about 500 nautical miles south‑southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. It strengthened to Tropical Storm Mario about 12 hours later and moved generally northwestward then northward, influenced by nearby Hurricane Lorena. Mario reached its strongest winds on 18–19 September, weakened under increasing wind shear and cooler conditions, became a tropical depression by 22 September, degenerated to a remnant low on 23 September, and dissipated on 24 September about 50 nautical miles south‑southwest of Punta Abreojos, Baja California Sur.

Mario did not make any landfalls. Its center passed roughly 35–40 nautical miles east of Socorro Island on 21 September; no coastal watches or warnings were required for mainland Mexico or the Baja California peninsula during the storm’s life.

The storm’s maximum sustained winds peaked at an estimated 60 knots (about 69 mph) and the best‑estimate minimum central pressure was 991 mb. At peak intensity Mario was a strong tropical storm (below hurricane strength). Peak winds were estimated from satellite analysis and adjusted for the storm’s small size and available scatterometer data.

Storm surge and rainfall impacts were minimal. There were no ship reports of tropical‑storm‑force winds, and the Mexican Navy station on Socorro Island observed a maximum sustained wind of 32 kt with a gust to 41 kt and a minimum pressure near 994.4 mb (the station’s pressure tends to run low by a few millibars). The official report recorded no measured coastal storm surge heights or notable heavy‑rain totals associated with Mario on the mainland.

There were no reported deaths, injuries, damage, or other casualties tied to Mario. The storm’s track proved difficult to forecast because of its interaction with Hurricane Lorena; NHC track errors were larger than recent averages at many forecast times, and initial intensity forecasts overestimated strengthening because forecasters expected less disruptive shear from Lorena than actually occurred.