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Marie, Karina and Lowell have split the Pacific in an unusual meteorological scenario, with powerful systems separated by thousands of kilometers, one reaching the maximum level of the hurricane scale
The Pacific Ocean is now home to three simultaneous hurricanes, forming an impressive configuration captured in satellite images. Marie gained strength near the Baja California region of Mexico, while Karina reached Category 4 and Lowell achieved Category 5, the highest level on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
The simultaneous occurrence of Marie, Karina, and Lowell draws attention not only due to the number of active systems but also because of the intensity reached by two of them within a few days.
Official data from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) shows that Karina achieved sustained winds of 125 knots, approximately 231 km/h, corresponding to Category 4 intensity. Lowell went even further: it reached 140 knots, about 259 km/h, making it classified as a Category 5 hurricane.
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Marie Spread Tropical Storm Winds Over a Width of Approximately 630 km
Marie is the system that was closest to Baja California among the three hurricanes, strengthening after starting its path as a tropical storm.
One detail helps visualize the magnitude of the phenomenon.
In a report issued by the NHC, winds with a minimum tropical storm intensity—at least 34 knots—extended up to 170 nautical miles, approximately 315 kilometers, from the center of Marie in a certain quadrant. Considering an equivalent extension from one side to the other, the wind field could reach around 630 kilometers wide.
However, this does not mean that the entire span was subjected to hurricane-force winds. The truly intense area was much smaller.
In the same report, hurricane-force winds reached up to about 45 nautical miles, or 83 kilometers, from the center, while the eye was approximately 25 nautical miles in diameter, about 46 kilometers.
This contrast is important: when discussing the “size” of a hurricane, different measurements may be used. The tropical storm wind field can extend for hundreds of kilometers, while the core of destructive winds occupies a considerably smaller region.
Follow the official reports of Hurricane Marie on the National Hurricane Center website
Lowell Reached Category 5 with Winds Near 260 km/h
Among the three systems, Lowell recorded the highest intensity.
The Central Pacific Hurricane Center, in a report issued by the National Hurricane Center, confirmed that Lowell reached 140 knots of sustained winds, equivalent to approximately 259 km/h, officially entering Category 5.
Satellite images showed a small and well-defined eye, approximately 15 nautical miles in diameter, surrounded by an organized structure of deep clouds.
The report itself described a rapid intensification of the cyclone as it moved over extremely warm ocean waters.
Category 5 begins when sustained winds surpass 252 km/h. In this range, the cyclone occupies the highest step on the scale used to classify hurricanes by the maximum wind speeds.
Karina Rapidly Intensified, Reaching Category 4
Karina had already shown signs that the Pacific was entering an exceptionally active phase.
The system transitioned from a weaker hurricane to a major hurricane in a short time. On August 30, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported 125 knots of sustained winds, approximately 231 km/h, classifying Karina as a powerful Category 4 hurricane.
Ocean conditions aided this evolution. In one analysis, meteorologists at the NHC pointed to sea surface temperatures close to 29 °C, along with an atmospheric environment conducive to the system’s strengthening.
The formation of a well-defined eye and the organization of storms around the center indicated that the cyclone had developed an extremely organized structure.
Even though it was far from major population centers at that time, a hurricane of this intensity can generate large waves and dangerous ocean currents hundreds or even thousands of kilometers away.
El Niño Creates Favorable Conditions in the Pacific
The situation occurs during a period marked by the influence of El Niño, a phenomenon associated with the abnormal warming of parts of the equatorial Pacific and capable of altering atmospheric circulation, ocean temperatures, and rainfall patterns in different regions of the planet.
Warmer waters provide one of the energy sources necessary for the development of tropical cyclones. However, this does not mean that El Niño alone “created” Marie, Karina, or Lowell.
Each hurricane depends on a combination of factors, including ocean temperature, atmospheric humidity, circulation organization, and low vertical wind shear.
What makes this episode especially visual is the simultaneity: three major tropical systems occupied different areas of the Pacific at the same time, as Karina reached Category 4 and Lowell attained Category 5.
Marie Started to Weaken but Is Still Being Monitored
The intensity of a hurricane can change rapidly.
In the early hours of September 5, the NHC reported that Marie had weakened somewhat while moving northwest. Its maximum sustained winds were near 150 km/h, and the center was located approximately 1,020 kilometers west of the southern tip of Baja California. In that bulletin, there were no alerts or coastal warnings in effect related to the system.
Marie’s weakening does not diminish the exceptional nature of the sequence recorded in the Pacific. Within a few days, three hurricanes shared the basin, two reached the highest categories on the scale, and Lowell reached the maximum limit.
Meteorologists are now primarily monitoring the evolution and trajectories of the systems, as small atmospheric changes can alter the speed, intensity, and direction of tropical cyclones.
A warning was issued by the National Hurricane Center as Hurricane Lee approached the northeastern United States, with winds reaching up to 100 mph. Residents were advised to prepare for potential evacuation and secure their properties. The Central Pacific Hurricane Center monitored the storm’s progress and predicted heavy rainfall along the coast.
