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On-the Scene Reports of Hurricane Norbert from our Readers
We will post the reports and photos we receive from our readers regarding Hurricane Norbert as they become available. We would like to thank all of our readers for their input in sharing this event and hope that everyone will remain safe as this potentially dangerous storm treks across Baja California Sur over the next 36hrs.
We have had several power glitches here in La Paz and will continue to update the Insider as long as we maintain internet connection.
9:30PM MDT Thanks for your reports regarding Norbert.
Was wondering if you have any information about Mulege. Did they get any flooding or damage? – Jerry & Gloria
9PM MDT Just occasional sprinkles in La Paz, winds still have strong gusty periods to 15kts. Skies are clearing. Tomorrow should be a crystal clear day. Diving and fishing will be a bummer for the next few days through, the Sea was pretty churned up; Total rainfall around 0.6", it was not a very wet storm in our quadrant.
7PM MDT We should be grateful in La Paz that Hurricane Norbert caused minimal problems. Following a day of uncertainty as he crossed the peninsula and as the winds were still stirring we were gifted with the most beautiful sunset. Hopefully everybody was watching... perhaps it was
Mother Nature's apology. –
Donneley McCann
5PM MDT Rain has mostly abated in La Paz, occasional sprinkles periods of wind to 20kts, it looks like it is trying to clear.
2PM MDT La Paz has occasional rain only moderate at times. Winds from the SW have long periods of gusts to 25kts.
11AM MDT La Paz Light rain, sporadically heavy at times winds continue at around 20-35kts. We have lost power several times in the last 30 minutes. Looks like this update will have to wait until power is restored.
11AM MDT San Jose del Cabo The rain seems to have passed, the sun is out, winds blowing +20kts – Dr. John Gleed
10AM MDT in La Paz we are getting moderate and sporadically rain and winds with gust to 30kts. The barometer has fallen to 1003Mb and the temperature has dropper from 84°F at 7AM to 74°F at 10AM. Dark clouds are visible to the SW as the Hurricane Norbert moves to the north west of us. – BajaInsider
9:42AM MDT in San Jose del Cabo - Winds are gusting to 30kts and the rain has just begun. – Dr. John Gleed
Insider Reader Question: I am sure you guys are busy today and getting lots of e mails, but if you have time to answer it would be greatly appreciated I was just curious what side (north/south) of the hurricane is typically more devastating for ones that are crossing over baja like norbert is?
I was wondering because my parents boat (Jammin') is dry-docked near Guaymas and they just went down to prep it for the upcoming cruising season. They are down there now with no phone contacts. So, I was curious if the south side of the hurricane is like the east side for ones that come from the Caribbean and has higher sustained winds and more destruction left in its path?
Answer: Good question. Imagine a Hurricane like a roller coaster. Due to the coriolis effect (that which makes your whirlpool always rotate in the same direction) a hurricane rotation gets faster the further from the equator, the north side is obviously as much as hundreds of miles further north that the south side. The 'chain climb' is in the SW quadrant and the storm literally 'bunches up' as it nears it southern most point. This squeezes the rain out and makes the SW quadrant the wettest.
The free fall side of the counterclockwise rotation is the opposite quadrant in the NE. Winds max out near the 1 o'clock position and need to begin slowing after they past the 12 o'clock position.
The short answer: the NE quadrant has the strongest winds and the SW quadrant usually has the heaviest rain.
This dumb and inconsiderate person's boat shown here left his roller furling sail up over the summer season. Not only is it up when it should be removed when you are leaving for the season, but it isn't even tightly wrapped. This not only presents the opportunity to lose the sail, but it poses a potential threat to the boats around it. If the sail unwraps this brand new sail would be shredded and the mast could come down on the boats near by. Insurance wouldn't pay for the owner's negligence and the damage would likely exceed the price of the boat. The owner would just write it off and never return to Mexico and the injured parties would never be paid for the damages. To make this matter even worse, the sail on the boat is new because the bad sailor had it come undone and shredded in last year's Hurricane Henriette! The mast almost came down and a dock worker was nearly seriously injured trying to corral the loosed sail. (boat SV Alien - San Diego)
Thanks for reading.
Send us your current conditions, reports and pictures and we will post them here as soon as possible. If sending pictures, please be sure to tell us a bit about the shots.
Norbert@BajaInsider.com