Hurricane Ignacio (2003)

Hurricane Ignacio (2003)

Hurricane Ignacio was the latest-forming first hurricane of a Pacific hurricane season since reliable satellite observation began in 1966. The ninth tropical storm of the 2003 Pacific hurricane season, Ignacio developed out of a tropical wave on August 22 a short distance off the coast of Mexico. It was initially predicted to track out to sea and remain a weak tropical storm, though it unexpectedly organized rapidly to attain peak winds of 105 mph (165 km/h) on August 24 while located a short distance southeast of southern Baja California. Land interaction weakened Ignacio to an 80 mph (130 km/h) hurricane by the time it made landfall near La Paz, and it dissipated on August 27 in the central region of the Baja California peninsula.

The hurricane produced heavy rainfall in southern Baja California, killing two rescue works from floodwaters. Resort areas near the coast experienced minor effects, though further inland the damage was more severe. The impact of Ignacio was compounded by flooding from Hurricane Marty a month later, with damage from the two hurricanes totaling about $1 billion (2003 USD, $1.1 billion 2006 USD).