Miriam Becomes a Hurricane, Could Impact Baja California AccuWeather.com
go to original September 24, 2012

UPDATE: Hurricane Miriam, churning far off Mexico's Pacific coast, strengthened Monday to a category three storm with winds of 120 miles (195 kilometers) per hour, US forecasters said. (NOAA/National Hurricane Center)

Yet another hurricane has formed in the eastern Pacific.

Miriam became the basin's ninth hurricane of the season, upgraded from tropical storm status late on Sunday.

While it is benignly spinning well off the western coast of Mexico now, the Baja California peninsula could begin to feel direct effects from the storm later this week.

Churning through warm waters and relatively tranquil high-level winds, Miriam strengthened quickly on Sunday, even developing a well-defined eye on satellite imagery.

Strengthening is expected to continue through at least early Tuesday, and Miriam could become a major hurricane within that timeframe (Category 3 status or higher with maximum sustained winds of at least 111 mph).

Thereafter, as Miriam moves north into cooler Pacific waters, slow weakening is expected, and the storm could degenerate back to a tropical storm by late week.

Despite the expected weakening, at this point residents and visitors to Baja California will need to begin keeping an eye on the progress of Miriam, as the storm is expected to begin to curve back toward the east.

At the very least, increased wave action and rip currents will threaten beachgoers along the peninsula's western coast for the better part of the week, and especially toward the weekend.

Rain and squalls from Miriam could arrive in the central peninsula as early as Thursday night or Friday. While the system may not be classified as tropical by this point, flash flooding and strong winds will be possible.

There is even a chance that some light rain showers could make their way into southern California, especially in the mountains near San Diego.

Meanwhile in the Atlantic, Nadine regenerated into a tropical storm after losing tropical characteristics near the Azores last week.

Fortunately, the system poses no immediate threat to any land masses.

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