Hurricane Patricia - October 22-24, 2015

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Astronuc
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Why did Hurricane Patricia become a monster so quickly?
http://news.yahoo.com/why-did-hurricane-patricia-become-monster-quickly-202419311.html

Plenty of warm water provided the energy what meteorologists call explosive intensification. The air was much moister than usual, adding yet more fuel. And at the same time, upper-level crosswinds — called shear — that restrain a hurricane from strengthening were missing for much of Thursday, meteorologists said.

"I was really astounded," said MIT meteorology professor Kerry Emanuel. "It was over the juiciest part of the eastern Pacific."

El Nino's fingerprints are all over this, meteorologists agreed. And while it fits perfectly into climate scientists' theories of what a warming world will be like, they say global warming can't quite be blamed — yet.

Patricia slams Mexico Pacific Coast as Category 5 hurricane
http://news.yahoo.com/mexicos-pacific-coast-braces-monster-hurricane-patricia-040315825.html
 
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Patricia at 200 mph and 9 mile diameter eye vs. Katrina at 175 mph and 37 mile diameter eye...which really is the "strongest" or "most powerful"??
 
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-34625357
Hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones are all part of the same weather phenomenon but different names are used depending on where the storms are formed. Hurricanes form east of the International Date Line, while typhoons and cyclones form to the west.

The storm apparently weakened rapidly as it moved over the coastline, so the damage was not as great as was thought. On the other hand, some areas are at risk for flooding and landslides.

El Niño is certainly implicated.