Hurricane Otis Becomes Category 5 Storm in Under 24 Hours, Slams Into Mexico: 'Nightmare Scenario'

The National Hurricane Center warned of “life-threatening hurricane-force winds” and “potentially catastrophic storm surge” before Hurricane Otis made landfall Wednesday morning

Hurricane Otis has crashed into the southern coast of Mexico after strengthening from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane in less than 24 hours, catching many forecasters by surprise.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Otis made landfall early Wednesday morning near Acapulco, which is home to more than 1 million people, with maximum sustained winds of approximately 165 mph.

Otis was categorized as a tropical storm on Sunday but began rapidly strengthening less than 24 hours before slamming into Mexico, according to the NHC. By about 10:45 p.m., Eastern Time, on Tuesday, the storm was a full-blown Category 5 monster.

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The NHC described Otis’ rapid intensification as a “nightmare scenario for southern Mexico.” They warned of “life-threatening hurricane-force winds” and “potentially catastrophic storm surge” that could lead to “life-threatening coastal flooding.”

“This is an extremely serious situation for the Acapulco metropolitan area,” the NHC said in an update late Tuesday night.

Phil Klotzbach, a research scientist in the atmospheric science department at Colorado State University, told CNN that Otis is the fastest intensifying hurricane in a 12-hour period in Eastern Pacific history.

Otis is the first hurricane on record to hit this portion of Mexico at this intensity. The storm tops Hurricane Patricia, which hit the area in 2015 as a Category 4 storm.

Patricia made landfall with winds of 150 mph, but unlike Otis, hit low-population areas, CNN reported.

By 7 a.m., Eastern Time, on Wednesday, Otis had been downgraded to a Category 2 storm with maximum wind speeds of 110 mph, according to the NHC.

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Otis is expected to continue rapidly weakening as it moves farther inland, and forecasters expect it to dissipate over southern Mexico on Wednesday night.

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By the end of the storm, Otis is expected to drop between 8 to 16 inches of rain, with some areas receiving as much as 20 inches, across Guerrero and the western coastal sections of Oaxaca on Thursday.

Flash and urban flooding are still of concern, as are mudslides in higher terrains. Life-threatening rip currents and surf are expected to last through Thursday.

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