A small tropical cyclone formed from a tropical wave and became a tropical depression by 0000 UTC on 20 October 2019 about 120 nautical miles south‑southeast of Manzanillo, Mexico. The system strengthened to a tropical storm six hours later and moved generally northward under the influence of a ridge to its east. Priscilla was short‑lived: it reached peak intensity on 20 October, made landfall the same evening, weakened to a depression within about six hours after landfall, and dissipated over the mountains of southwestern Mexico early on 21 October.
Priscilla made landfall just east of Manzanillo near Cuyutlán, Mexico, around 1930 UTC on 20 October 2019. At landfall it had sustained winds of 35 knots (40 mph) and a central pressure of about 1004 mb; it weakened rapidly while crossing the rugged terrain and dissipated inland by 0600 UTC on 21 October.
The storm’s maximum sustained winds were estimated at 40 knots (46 mph) at 1200 UTC on 20 October, with an estimated minimum central pressure of about 1003 mb. That peak corresponds to a low‑end tropical storm rather than a hurricane.
Priscilla produced locally heavy rainfall across portions of Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima, and Michoacán. Notable 48‑hour rainfall totals included 6.42 inches (163.0 mm) at San Blas, Nayarit; 5.33 inches (135.4 mm) at Higuera Blanca, Jalisco; and 5.22 inches (132.6 mm) at Callejones, Colima. There were no reports of storm surge measurements or reports of tropical‑storm‑force wind observations associated with Priscilla.
There were no reported deaths, casualties, or damage directly attributed to Priscilla. Although the cyclone and its remnants produced locally heavy rains, no significant freshwater flooding or damage was reported.
Noteworthy aspects include that Priscilla developed very close to land and was poorly anticipated in forecasts before formation — the system was first given a low (<40%) chance of forming only about 30 hours before genesis. Because of its brief life, only two 12‑hour forecasts verified; those track and intensity errors were near or slightly above recent averages.
Paid members can generate summaries tailored to the counties of their choice. The Priscilla TCR covers impacts across many counties and states — a Pinellas County resident doesn't need the Asheville detail, and a Buncombe County resident doesn't need the Tampa surge data.
Upgrade for county-specific summariesSummary above produced from the National Hurricane Center's official post-storm Tropical Cyclone Report. Read the full report for casualty lists, damage estimates by area, forecast critique, and detailed meteorological discussion:
📄 Read NHC's full report on Priscilla → (opens at nhc.noaa.gov)| Time (UTC) | Status | Lat | Lon | Winds (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-10-19 12:00 | LO | 16.90 | -102.90 | 20 | 1007 | |
| 2019-10-19 18:00 | LO | 16.90 | -103.40 | 25 | 1006 | |
| 2019-10-20 00:00 | TD | 17.10 | -103.80 | 30 | 1005 | |
| 2019-10-20 06:00 | TS | 17.40 | -103.90 | 35 | 1004 | |
| 2019-10-20 12:00 | TS | 17.90 | -104.00 | 40 | 1003 | |
| 2019-10-20 18:00 | TS | 18.70 | -104.00 | 35 | 1004 | |
| 2019-10-20 19:30 | TS | 18.90 | -104.00 | 35 | 1004 | Landfall |
| 2019-10-21 00:00 | TD | 19.50 | -104.10 | 25 | 1006 |
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 best-track database (nhc.noaa.gov/data). Data is in the public domain. Best-track positions and intensities are post-storm reanalysis estimates and may differ from real-time advisories.