Mexico – Tropical Cyclone Willa and Vicente Update (DG ECHO, GDACS, NOAA, JRC) (ECHO Daily Flash of 23 October 2018)

Tropical cyclone WILLA continued toward the coast of southern Mexico, strengthening. On 23 October at 3.00 UTC its centre was located approx. 125 km south-west of the Islas Marias (Nayarit State) and 310 km south-south-west of Mazatlán town (Sinaloa State), with maximum sustained winds of 231 km/h (equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane). On 21 October, the Global Disasters Alerts and Coordination System (GDACS) issued a RED alert for WILLA for 23 October.

WILLA is forecast to pass over the Islas Marias as an intense major hurricane, before making landfall between Mazatlán (Sinaloa State) and San Blas (Nayarit) on 23 October evening as a Category 2 hurricane. It will weaken to a tropical depression as it moves inland on 24 October.

Meanwhile, tropical cyclone VICENTE continued west-north-west along the coast of southern Mexico, as a tropical storm. On 23 October at 3.00 UTC its centre was located approx. 220 km south-east of the coast of Michoacán State, with maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h.

VICENTE is forecast to make landfall as a tropical depression on 23 October afternoon - at the same time as WILLA - over the coast of Michoacán State, approx. 590 km south-east of WILLA's projected landfall.

Very strong winds, heavy rainfall and storm surge could affect several areas of south-western, central and north-eastern Mexico, especially Nayarit (including Islas Marias), Jalisco and Sinaloa States on 23-24 October. Around five million people could be exposed to heavy rain and winds, and over 100 000 could be directly affected.