Max (2017)

A tropical depression formed about 130 nautical miles west-southwest of Acapulco, Mexico, at 1200 UTC on 13 September 2017 after a tropical wave crossed Central America. The system strengthened to a tropical storm the same day and moved east-northeast toward the Mexican coast. It rapidly intensified overnight and became a hurricane shortly before 1200 UTC on 14 September. Max weakened quickly after moving inland and dissipated over southeastern Mexico by 1200 UTC on 15 September.

Hurricane Max made landfall in eastern Guerrero, Mexico, around 1800 UTC on 14 September 2017, about 40 nautical miles east-southeast of Acapulco. It was at peak intensity at landfall. The storm crossed the mountainous terrain of Mexico and dropped below hurricane strength by 0000 UTC 15 September, becoming a tropical depression by 0600 UTC 15 September before dissipating later that day.

The peak intensity at landfall was 80 knots (about 92 mph) with an estimated minimum central pressure of 980 mb. That peak corresponds to a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson scale.

Rainfall totals associated with Max were highest in Guerrero: 289.8 mm (about 11.4 inches) at Ayutla, 266.0 mm at Las Vigas, and 257.5 mm at Ometec. No official wind or pressure measurements from Mexico were available in the report; however, ship observations recorded winds up to 45 kt offshore. Specific storm surge heights were not reported in the NHC report.

Media reports indicated one drowning death in the township of San Marcos in southeastern Guerrero (not officially confirmed by the Mexican government). Over 1,500 homes in Guerrero were reported damaged by wind or water, and total damages were estimated at about $13 million. Max was the only eastern North Pacific hurricane to make landfall in the 2017 season.

Noteworthy items: Max’s rapid strengthening just before landfall was not well anticipated in short-range intensity forecasts, so a Hurricane Warning was issued only about 6 hours before landfall (a Hurricane Watch about 15 hours before). The storm’s genesis was signaled earlier at long range but the abrupt organization that produced rapid intensification occurred within hours of formation.