Seymour (2016)

A small tropical cyclone formed from a tropical wave and a weak low south of Mexico and became a tropical depression at 0600 UTC on 23 October 2016 about 360 nautical miles south of Manzanillo, Mexico. It moved generally west-northwest to west, remaining well offshore of the Mexican coast. The storm intensified from a tropical storm to a hurricane and underwent a 54-hour period of rapid strengthening between 1800 UTC 23 October and 0000 UTC 26 October, then began a rapid weakening cycle and became post-tropical by 0600 UTC 28 October. The remnant low dissipated by 1200 UTC 30 October about 500 n mi west of Puerto Cortes, Baja California Sur.

There were no landfalls associated with Seymour; the cyclone remained over the open eastern North Pacific for its entire lifetime and did not produce any coastal watches or warnings.

Seymour reached a peak intensity of 130 knots (150 mph) with an estimated minimum central pressure of about 940 mb at 0000 and 0600 UTC 26 October. At peak it was a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson scale. After peak, winds fell quickly and the storm weakened by 85 kt in a 36-hour period.

Because Seymour stayed far offshore, there were no reported storm surge measurements or significant rainfall impacts on populated coastal areas in Mexico or the Baja California region in the official report. No specific surge heights or heavy-rainfall totals at named cities or counties were reported.

There were no reported deaths, injuries, or damage attributable to Hurricane Seymour. The primary impacts were limited by the storm’s track well away from land.

Noteworthy aspects include Seymour’s unusually strong intensity so far west and so late in the season for the eastern North Pacific basin, and the storm’s dramatic 54-hour rapid intensification followed by an even faster rapid weakening. Forecast track errors were smaller than recent averages, while initial intensity forecasts underpredicted the rapid intensification until later advisories captured both the strengthening and subsequent weakening.