The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) today issued a warning that Hurricane Orlene was gathering strength on Saturday as it moved on a northeasterly course over the eastern Pacific Ocean.
It is currently classified as a Category 3 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds near 115 mph and even stronger gusts. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 15 miles from the storm’s center, while tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles from its center.
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The storm is expected to weaken over the next day, but is still forecast to be a strong storm when its center passes near or over Las Islas Marias on Sunday evening or Monday morning.
Las Islas Marias is a small group of islands located about 62 miles off the coast of the Mexican state of Nayar and about 230 miles from the southeastern tip of the Baja California peninsula. Previously used as a penal colony, the archipelago is being reimagined as an eco-friendly tourist destination. According to Lonely Planet, it’s actually also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, filled with colorful coral reefs, mangrove forests and rare species of wildlife.
While it may weaken from a Category 3, Orlene is forecast to remain a hurricane by the time the storm makes landfall on the Mexican mainland, which is expected sometime Monday or Monday evening. A hurricane warning is currently in effect for Las Islas Marias and the Mexican mainland coast from San Blas to Mazatlan.
Orlene is expected to drop between six and ten inches of rain, with local amounts of up to 14 inches, in Las Islas Marias; three to six inches with local amounts of 10 inches in Nayarit and Sinoloa; and one to three inches with local amounts of up to five inches in Jalisco and Colima. “These amounts of rainfall are likely to lead to flash flooding as well as possible landslides in areas of rugged terrain,” the NHC advisory warned. He also warned that large surf generated by the storm “is likely to cause danger to life and disrupt current conditions” over the next two days.
Puerto Vallarta has closed its seaport to all marine traffic today as a precaution, the Associated Press reported. Also, several major US airlines have issued fare waivers due to the hurricane now heading toward the southwest coast of Mexico. Delta Air Lines is the only one of the Big Four that has yet to address the storm’s potential impact on its roads.
United Airlines will waive change fees and any change in fares for flights departing on or before October 9, of course, subject to certain terms and conditions. Airports covered by the Hurricane Orlene waiver are Puerto Vallarta (PVR), Mazatlan (MZT) and Manzanillo (ZLO).
Southwest Airlines has advised customers that its service to Puerto Vallarta may be interrupted from October 2 to 4 and has issued a change fee waiver to affected passengers, as long as they reschedule their flight between selected city pairs initially within 14 days of their original date of travel.
American Airlines has also issued a travel alert and fee waivers for flights to Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan provided passengers purchase their tickets on or before Sept. 30 for travel Oct. 1-4. Affected customers will need to rebook their flight in the same fare class and for travel between origin and destination cities. Changes must be booked by October 4 for travel within one year of the original departure date, and customers will have to pay any price difference between the original and reproduced fares.
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