Hurricane Rachel has lost strength, dropping from a more powerful storm to a Category 1 hurricane on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale used to measure hurricane intensity. Category 1 storms still pack sustained winds strong enough to snap tree branches, damage roofs, and knock out power lines, even though they are the mildest classification for a hurricane.
Despite the downgrade, Mexican civil protection officials are urging residents in the storm’s path to stay alert. Weakening hurricanes can still unleash heavy rainfall, dangerous storm surge along the coast, and gusty winds capable of causing localized flooding and property damage well inland from where they make landfall.
Authorities are monitoring the system’s trajectory closely, as its remaining moisture could trigger rain over several Mexican states on October 3. Coastal communities are being told to prepare for choppy seas and the possibility of evacuation if conditions worsen before the storm fully dissipates.
For the full forecast details and a breakdown of which regions are expected to feel the heaviest effects, read the original report from informador.mx.
Source: Huracán "Rachel" se debilita; estos son los efectos que dejará este 3 de octubre (informador.mx).
Image: NASA Goddard Photo and Video, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).