Hurricane John has made an unexpected return, unleashing heavy rains on Mexico’s southwestern coast, an area already saturated from days of rainfall. The storm has been hovering near the coastline since Monday, fluctuating between weak and strong phases, and has had serious consequences: significant cargo ports were affected, local airports temporarily shut down, and tragically, at least five lives were lost due to mudslides.
AccuWeather meteorologist Jesse Ferrell dubbed John a “zombie” storm, a term for systems that weaken only to regain strength later. This label was first used by the US National Weather Service in 2020 when remnants of Hurricane Paulette reformed after impacting Bermuda.
A Slow-Moving Threat
According to atmospheric scientist Christopher Rozoff, John’s slow movement leaves it vulnerable to intensifying again, as it lacks strong steering forces to push it away from the coast. This allows it to circle back over the ocean, potentially wreaking more havoc with heavy rainfall.
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On Thursday, John was dumping rain across Guerrero, which had already faced disruptions earlier in the week. The storm caused trees to uproot, knocked out power for tens of thousands, and triggered deadly landslides. Governor Evelyn Salgado Pineda of Guerrero has urged residents to stay cautious, as rising tides have battered Acapulco’s beachfront and heavy rains have flooded nearby roads.
After moving north-west, John was situated about 55 miles (89 km) south-west of the important cargo port of Lázaro Cárdenas, with winds reaching 75 mph (120 km/h). The US National Hurricane Center warns that the storm will likely continue along the southwestern coast of Michoacán, Guerrero, and Oaxaca, bringing heavy rainfall through at least Saturday. They caution that this could lead to significant flash flooding and mudslides.
Climate Change Impacts
The rise in severe tropical cyclones has been associated with climate change, as warmer ocean temperatures provide more energy for storms. Alex DaSilva from AccuWeather pointed out that both John and Otis have rapidly intensified due to elevated sea temperatures, with some areas around John nearing 32°C (90°F).
Rowan University meteorologist Andra Garner added that the warm waters likely contributed to John’s reformation after its initial landfall. Looking ahead, DaSilva predicts that warmer sea surface temperatures will likely lead to more instances of rapid storm intensification in the future.
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