Puerto Vallarta Escapes Hurricane Patricia

The posh Mexican resort town of Puerto Vallarta, long a popular destination for gay tourists, escaped Hurricane Patricia with little damage. Gay PV Magazine reports:

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico has escaped Hurricane Patricia. After a day of hotel evacuations, airport closures, flight cancellations and pending power interruptions the worst is over for Puerto Vallarta residents as of 11 pm CST. However, the damage will be severe south where Patricia made landfall near Cuixmala, Mexico at approximately 6:15 CST with 165 mph winds as a Category 5 storm. Keep thoughts and prayers for those residents south during the night and for days to come. We experienced some light rain and clouds but nothing else during the day Friday. There was no wind, no storm surge or any reports of damage in the city. Most of Puerto Vallarta’s businesses were closed on Friday, and those that opened closed by late afternoon.

From the Weather Channel:



In addition to its unprecedented 200-mph (320-kph) sustained winds earlier Friday, Hurricane Patricia now holds the record for lowest pressure in any hurricane on record. With a minimum central pressure of 880 millibars (25.99 inches of mercury) at the 4 a.m. CDT advisory, Patricia broke the record of 882 millibars set by Wilma in the Atlantic Basin almost exactly 10 years ago. Around 1 p.m. CDT Friday, the minimum central pressure reached its lowest point, 879 millibars (25.96 inches of mercury). Data from an Air Force Hurricane Hunter airborne reconnaissance mission late Thursday night provided critical data demonstrating the extreme intensification of Hurricane Patricia in near-real time.