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Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News
Paul Huttner

Hurricane Willa’s extreme rapid intensification

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Less than two weeks ago, Hurricane Michael rapidly intensified to near Category 5 status just before blasting the Florida Panhandle. Michael roared ashore as a high-end Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph and devastating storm surge on October 10 in Mexico Beach, Florida.

Hurricane Willa is the latest example of extremely rapid tropical system intensification. Willa showed explosive rapid intensification from a low-end tropical storm to a Category 5 monster in just 48 hours.

That rapid intensity burst puts Willa among the fastest intensifying hurricanes on record in the northeast Pacific.

Now Willa takes aim at Mexico's Pacific coast between Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan.

One lucky break may be that the core of the hurricane passes right between the two popular Mexico resort areas.

Historically active season

Hurricane activity in the eastern Pacific is pushing the charts this year.