Hurricane Sergio (2018)

Hurricane Sergio

Hurricane Sergio shortly after peak intensity on October 4
Meteorological history
Formed	September 29, 2018
Dissipated	October 13, 2018
Category 4 major hurricane
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS)
Highest winds	140 mph (220 km/h)
Lowest pressure	942 mbar (hPa); 27.82 inHg
Overall effects
Fatalities	None
Damage	$2.67 million (2018 USD)
Areas affected	Baja California Peninsula, Northwestern Mexico, Southwestern United States, Texas
IBTrACS / [1]
Part of the 2018 Pacific hurricane season

Hurricane Sergio was a powerful and long-lived tropical cyclone that affected the Baja California Peninsula as a tropical storm and caused significant flooding throughout South Texas in early October 2018. Sergio became the eighth Category 4 hurricane in the East Pacific for 2018, breaking the old record of seven set in 2015. It was the twentieth named storm, eleventh hurricane, and ninth major hurricane of the season.^{[nb 1]}

The storm originated from a disturbance located over northwestern South America on September 24. The National Hurricane Center monitored the disturbance for several days as the system organized into a tropical storm on September 29. Sergio gradually strengthened for the next couple of days as it traveled west-southwestward, becoming a hurricane on October 2. The storm then turned towards the northwest as it underwent rapid intensification and an eyewall replacement cycle, before peaking as a Category 4 hurricane on October 4, with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (230 km/h). The hurricane maintained peak intensity for 12 hours before undergoing a second eyewall replacement and turning towards the southwest. The system then began another period of intensification, achieving a secondary peak with winds of 125 mph (201 km/h) on October 6. The next day, Sergio began a third eyewall replacement cycle, falling below major hurricane strength. At the same time, the system unexpectedly assumed some annular characteristics. Over the next few days, the cyclone curved from the southwest to the northeast, weakening into a tropical storm on October 9. Sergio made landfall as a tropical storm on October 12 on the Baja California Peninsula, and later in northwestern Mexico as a tropical depression before dissipating early on October 13.

Sergio's approach warranted the issuance of tropical storm watches and warnings along the western and eastern coasts of Baja California from October 10–11. The cyclone made landfall in western Baja California Sur and Sonora on October 13 as a tropical storm and tropical depression, respectively, causing over US$2 million^{[nb 2]} in damage, over a thousand school closures, and a few hundred evacuations due to severe flooding. Sergio's remnants brought heavy rainfall to Arizona, resulting in the closure of its state fair. Multiple tornadoes also spawned in Texas as a result of the increased moisture. About US$548,000 in damage occurred throughout both states. No injuries or deaths were reported in association with the hurricane or its remnants.

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