NU Online News Service, Sept. 2, 1:02 p.m. EDT
While the destructive winds of Hurricane Jimena have diminished, the National Hurricane Center is warning of dangerous storm surge, as the storm is expected to make landfall between today and tomorrow.
Jimena is a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, with sustained winds reaching 105 mph with higher gusts, the NHC said. The storm is expected to weaken over the next 24 hours, but will still be a hurricane when it makes landfall, the NHC said.
The storm is expected to produce rainfall totals of 5-to-10 inches over the southern half of the peninsula and portions of western Mexico mainland, with isolated rainfall amounts up to 15 inches–rains that can produce flash flooding and mudslides.
The NHC said Jimena would produce a dangerous storm surge with large and hazardous battering waves "that will produce significant coastal flooding along the Baja California peninsula."
AIR-Worldwide said the storm is expected to hit the more sparsely populated regions of the peninsula.
Tim Doggett, principal scientist at AIR, said it had developed into the most powerful hurricane so far this year, with winds as high as 155 mph, making it a Category 5 storm.
"Insured residential properties in Mexico are dominated by confined masonry construction, while commercial properties tend to be constructed of confined masonry or reinforced concrete," Mr. Doggett said in a statement. "At the lower wind speeds now expected in the Los Cabos area, damage is expected to be limited to roof shingles and nonstructural elements, such as decorative elements and signage."
In the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Erika remains disorganized and is forecasted to move north of the Bahamas by Monday, remaining a tropical storm through that period.
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