Cabo San Lucas Returning to Normal After Jimena

Cabo San Lucas

Escapes Hurricane Jimena

Hurricane Jimena had grown to almost category 5 as it beared down on the resort area of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Had the storm not weakened, very serious damage and loss of life might have occured. Fortunately, prayers were answered and this popular cruise destination was spared the wrath of Jimena.

Accoring to the Los Cabos Convention & Visitors Bureau hotels and other tourism services throughout the area have resumed normal operations. “While we were well prepared for the storm, we are obviously very relieved that Hurricane Jimena passed us by,” says Gonzalo Franyutti, President of the Los Cabos Convention & Visitors Bureau, “Now our guests can continue their vacations and enjoy our fine resorts and services without further concern.”

Cabo San Lucas is one of my favorite ports of call in the Mexican Riviera. The beautiful rock formations, such as Lands End pictured above, combined with blue skies and waters are the perfect sight for sore eyes. Several cruise lines include Cabo San Lucas as a port of call on one or more cruise itineraries.

If you like snorkeling, sun-bathing, swimming, kyaking, or simply strolling along a beach, then this destination will satisfy your needs. Catch a water taxi to Lovers Beach and pick your spot on the beach. If you like shopping, you can walk from the ship to the quaint stores along the port. There are plenty of local dining and drinking establishments nearby also if you just want to relax and do some people watching.

I invite you to explore Mexico on a cruise. Click for Itineraries.

Hurricane Jimena Approaches Category 5

Satellite Image Courtesy of NOAA (NESDIS) - Hurricane Jimena - August 31, 2009 - AVN Enhanced <more images>

Hurricane Jimena Grows in Strength - Heading Towards Baja

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

We continue to monitor this dangerous hurricane as it tracks toward Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and the surrounding area. Click on the following link for ongoing updates several times a day.

Monitoring Hurricane Jimena in East Pacific

Hurricane Hunter aircraft have flown through Hurricane Jimena and measured the current sustained maximum wind spead to be 150 MPH with higher gusts. It is very close to becoming a Category 5 (the highest designation on the Saffir-Simpson Scale ).

Tropical Storm - winds 39-73 mph (34-63 kt)
Category 1 - winds 74-95 mph (64-82 kt)
Category 2 - winds 96-110 mph (83-95 kt)
Category 3 - winds 111-130 mph (96-113 kt)
Category 4 - winds 131-155 mph (114-135 kt)
Category 5 - winds 156 mph and up (135+ kt)

JIMENA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA AND PORTIONS OF WESTERN MEXICO DURING THE NEXT 2 DAYS... WITH POSSIBLE ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 15 INCHES.

A DANGEROUS STORM SURGE ALONG WITH BATTERING WAVES WILL PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT COASTAL FLOODING ALONG THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA.

Cruise Ship Itinerary Changes

As you might expect, there have been itinerary changes made to keep passengers and crew a safe distance from the hurricane's path. Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean have cruise ships in the area and have modified itineraries:
The Carnival Elation August 29 departure from San Diego will visit Catalina on Tuesday and Ensenada on Wednesday.
The Carnival Splendor August 30 departure from Long Beach will visit Catalina on Monday and Ensenada on Tuesday.
Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas August 30 departure sailed west to avoid the storm for the planned sea day, and will inform the passengers of additional changes later today as they continue to monitor the storm.

Updates: <CARNIVAL> <Royal Caribbean>

Live Cruise Ship and Ocean Liner Tracking:<Interactive tracking map> See where ships are relative to tropical storms.

Our continuing coverage of this powerful hurricane can be found on: Monitoring Hurricane Jimena in East Pacific

In addition, NHC advisories are updated via RSS feed for both Jimena and Kevin (which has now become a tropical depression).

Monitoring Hurricane Jimena in East Pacific

Chart Courtesy of NOAA: 800 AM PDT (Jimena) MON AUG 31, 2009

<more details> <click for updated chart>

Hurricane Jimena Forms in East Pacific

JIMENA IS A TROPICAL DEPRESSION

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

Hurricane season got off to a slow start, but since Mid-August, there has been plenty of activity in both the Atlantic and Pacific. In the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Danny has now broken up, but in the Pacific, we have a tropical storm that has the potential for being a major hurricane.

In Other News, Tropical Storm Kevin has now become a Tropical Depression and public advisories have been discontinued. <more details about Kevin>

As a service to my clients and my blog readers, we'll provided continual updates on tropical storms and any cruise line advisories that are posted. For convenience, RSS feeds are also added so that you can get up-to-date information between posts. <NHC Active Storms>

800 AM PDT SAT AUG 29 2009... JIMENA NOW A HURRICANE... COULD BECOME A MAJOR HURRICANE BY TOMORROW...

UPDATE: 800 AM PDT FRI SEP 04 2009... JIMENA WEAKENING OVER THE GULF OF CALIFORNIA... THE CENTER OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION JIMENA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 27.7 NORTH... LONGITUDE 111.8 WEST OR ABOUT 40 MILES... NORTHEAST OF SANTA ROSALIA MEXICO...

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 30 MPH... 45 KM/HR... WITH HIGHERGUSTS. GRADUAL WEAKENING IS FORECAST... AND JIMENA IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A REMNANT LOW LATER TODAY...

JIMENA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE ADDITIONAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES OVER PORTIONS OF WESTERN MEXICO AND THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE BAJA PENINSULA DURING THE NEXT DAY OR SO. ISOLATED MAXIMUM STORM-TOTAL AMOUNTS OF UP TO 30 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE...

This post will track Jimena until it is no longer tracked by the NHC.

Local Weather Statements

<more details> <click for updated chart>

<NWS - Local Weather>

<NWS - Mexico>

<Cabo San Lucas (weather.com)>

< Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (Spanish) >

<NASA Hurricane Tracking>

Cruise Ship Tropical Storm Updates:

<CARNIVAL> <Norwegian Cruise Line> <Royal Caribbean>

(Aug 30) Carnival Cruise Line Advisory:
We are closely monitoring the progress of Hurricane Jimena which is currently located about 250 miles southwest of Puerta Vallarta, Mexico.

Due to the location of the storm, we will make the following itinerary changes:

The Carnival Elation August 29 departure from San Diego will visit Catalina on Tuesday and Ensenada on Wednesday.

The Carnival Splendor August 30 departure from Long Beach will visit Catalina on Monday and Ensenada on Tuesday.

Additional information will be available later today. We will navigate our ships at a safe distance from the storm at all times.

Rest assured, we will navigate our ships at a safe distance from the storm at all times. Our number one priority is the safety and comfort of our guests and crew.

(Aug 30) Royal Caribbean International:
Mariner of the Seas which departed August 30th for Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Villarta is scheduled to be in the area of the hurricane later this week.

The ship will sail west to avoid the storm and Monday will be a sea day as planned. Royal Caribbean will decide Monday afternoon whether or not to alter the ship's itinerary based on the latest weather forecast.

Continue to monitor this post for updates on this cruise as well as the hurricane.

Live Cruise Ship and Ocean Liner Tracking:
<Interactive tracking map> See where ships are relative to tropical storms.


Cruise lines will do everything to keep passengers and crew safe. A cruise is rarely cancelled because of weather, even hurricanes. The cruise lines monitor progress of any storms both in their main offices and onboard the vessels. They work closely with the various weather services, such as NOAA and NHC, to make determinations about itinerary deviations.

Continue to watch this post, I will provide updates as conditions change. If you are on a cruise this week in the area, be sure to monitor the storm closely.