Hurricane Patricia was a tropical cyclone tracked in the Eastern North Pacific basin during the 2015 season. According to official historical records from the NOAA/NCEI International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS v04r01), the storm was monitored through a sequence of 36 track points spanning from October 20, 2015, to October 24, 2015.
During its recorded lifecycle, Patricia reached a maximum sustained wind speed of 185.0 knots (approximately 342.6 kilometers per hour), based on data provided by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) responsible agency (hurdat_epa). The system also reached a minimum central pressure of 872.0 millibars.
Track and Chronology
The system's official track record consists of 36 discrete observations detailing its progression across the Eastern North Pacific (subbasin MM). The observations began on October 20, 2015, at 06:00:00 CE at latitude 13.4, longitude -94.0. As the cyclone progressed, intermediate positions included a location at latitude 12.9, longitude -96.8 on October 21, 2015, at 09:00:00 CE, and latitude 14.6, longitude -103.1 on October 22, 2015, at 12:00:00 CE.
Further along the recorded path, the system was logged at latitude 17.3, longitude -105.6 on October 23, 2015, at 12:00:00 CE. The final recorded track point in the dataset occurred on October 24, 2015, at 12:00:00 CE at latitude 23.2, longitude -102.3. Across the entire recorded trajectory, the mean track position was centered at latitude 15.66 and longitude -100.84.
Intensity Metrics
Official evaluation by the WMO responsible agency (hurdat_epa) established key intensity thresholds for Patricia. The maximum wind basis is attributed directly to the WMO responsible agency, recording a peak wind value of 185.0 knots. Similarly, the minimum pressure measurement of 872.0 millibars is backed by the WMO responsible agency. These figures categorize the record within datasets detailing severe pressure drops and high wind velocities for the basin.
Frequently asked questions
When did Patricia occur?
Patricia was active in the Eastern North Pacific basin from October 20, 2015, to October 24, 2015.
What was Patricia's maximum wind speed?
Patricia reached a maximum sustained wind speed of 185.0 knots (342.6 km/h) according to the WMO responsible agency.
What was Patricia's minimum pressure?
The minimum recorded central pressure for Patricia was 872.0 millibars.
How many track points are recorded for Patricia?
The official IBTrACS v04r01 record contains 36 track points for Patricia.
Image credits
- NASA/Scott Kelly — Wikimedia Commons source — Public domain
Sources and further context
Official datasets support the event-specific facts.