Hurricane History in Mexico and What You Need to Know

There is no getting around the fact that many parts of Mexico are susceptible to hurricanes due to unfavorable topographical factors. Hurricanes in Mexico are so common that they have their own season, which lasts from June to November.

The aftermath of these violent storms can be catastrophic and tragic, as evidenced by this list of some of Mexico's worst hurricanes in recorded history:

Hilda (1955)

Hilda made landfall in the eastern Yucatán between the city of Chetumal and the island of Cozumel with 115 mph winds. It weakened over land and then regained strength in the Gulf of Mexico, impacting the city of Tampico as a 130 mph Category 3 hurricane. Hilda killed 300 people and caused USD 120 million in damage — mainly from flooding caused by the effects of Hurricanes Gladys and Janet during the same period.

Mexico (1959)

Hurricane Mexico was a rare and destructive Category 5 hurricane that hit the Pacific coast with winds of over 160 mph, killing between 1,000 and 2,000 people. A landslide at the town of Minatitlán in the state of Colima killed 800 people, and venomous snakes and scorpions disturbed by the slide killed even more. The total cost of the damage was USD 45 million.

Beulah (1967)

Beulah made landfall near the Rio Grande Valley on the Mexico–United States border and is recognized as one of the worst hurricanes to hit Texas in the 20th century, triggering 115 tornadoes. It also triggered some of Mexico's worst flooding, killing 38 people and causing USD 100 million in damages.

Gilbert (1988)

After making landfall in the Yucatán as a Category 5 hurricane with gusts of 185 mph, the most powerful storm ever recorded in the Atlantic destroyed most of the 250 homes in La Carbonera, Nuevo León. It passed through the port city of Campeche before making landfall in northern Mexico as a Category 3 storm. There were 202 fatalities and USD 2 billion in damages.

Opal (1995)

Most of the damage from this Category 4 hurricane was caused by torrential rainfall that flooded the states of Tabasco, Campeche, Chiapas, Quintana Roo, and Yucatán before reaching ashore in Pensacola Beach, Florida. There were 19 fatalities.

Roxanne (1995)

This Category 3 storm pounded Campeche, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Veracruz, and Yucatán with sustained winds of 115 mph. Torrential rain and storm surges triggered the worst flooding in Campeche since 1927. A petroleum barge carrying 245 people capsized, killing five people. The death toll was 14, and — when combined with Hurricane Opal — the damage was USD 1.5 billion.

Pauline (1997)

This storm originated near Santa María Huatulco, Oaxaca, and achieved a maximum wind speed of 185 mph as it moved northward up the coast. Floods and mudslides caused by up to 16 inches of rain left over 20,000 people homeless and severely wrecked the resort town of Acapulco de Juárez. Pauline killed 250 to 400 people and caused USD 7.5 billion in damage.

Emily (2005)

Emily made landfall in Tamaulipas as a Category 4 storm, first impacting the island of Cozumel and then Tulum before crossing the Bay of Campeche. It destroyed entire villages and flooded vast regions. Nine people were killed, and the total damage was USD 632 million.

Wilma (2005)

Wilma — said to be the worst hurricane ever — hit the Yucatán coast in several areas and inflicted massive losses in tourism and agriculture. It passed through Cozumel, made landfall in Cancún, and then passed through Ciudad del Carmen in Campeche. Thousands of people were evacuated, power was cut for weeks in some areas, and there was rampant looting. It killed 19 people and caused up to USD 10 billion in damage.

John (2006)

Hurricane John made landfall on the peninsula on September 2, 2006 where winds and rain caused heavy damage throughout the peninsula which killed five people. Damage in Mexico amounted to USD 663 million.

Dean (2007)

This Category 5 storm, with winds of up to 165 mph, made landfall at the Costa Maya village of Mahahual. It stayed there for 12 hours before crossing the Bay of Campeche and made another landfall in Gutiérrez Zamora, Veracruz. This tropical storm ravaged the Pemex oil fields, ruined hundreds of structures in Mahahual, and forced the suspension of the Costa Maya cruise liner port for a year. There were 12 deaths and more than USD 200 million in damages.

Carlotta (2012)

This storm reached Category 2 intensity and made landfall at the port town of Puerto Escondido in Oaxaca, making it the first Pacific hurricane to touch down that far east. Torrential downpours triggered many mudslides, damaging at least 29,000 homes. Seven people were killed in the end, and the damage was estimated at USD 113 million.

Ingrid (2013)

Ingrid was a Category 1 hurricane that originated in the Gulf of Mexico and had wind speeds of up to 87 mph. The two storms combined destroyed 11,500 homes, killed 192 people, and caused USD 5.7 billion in damages. In Guerrero, 30,000 homes were destroyed, and 168 people were killed.

Odile (2014)

Hurricane Odile, a category 4 hurricane, was the most intense tropical cyclone to make landfall over the Baja California Peninsula in the satellite era. The storm caused five deaths on Baja, and ten deaths were recorded elsewhere. Hurrican Odile damages was estimated at MX$16.6 billion (USD 1.22 billion).

Patricia (2015)

This Category 5 tropical storm made landfall 40 miles north of the Pacific Ocean port city of Manzanillo. Meteorologists hailed the storm as "the strongest on record" — however, fears of catastrophic damage and casualties were unfounded. Patricia was downgraded to a tropical storm the next day as it continued its trajectory north-northeast, with her remnants bringing heavy rains in impacted areas. No deaths or widespread damage have been recorded in any hurricane-affected states.

Evidently, hurricanes can be very devastating. If you own a home in Mexico, it is a smart decision to make sure that you have a good Mexico Home Insurance policy with??hydro-meteorological coverage to protect your investment from potentially catastrophic hurricanes.

West Coast Global Insurance Services has made it easy to protect your investment from the risks of hurricanes and tropical storms. Visit their website here to learn more and to get a free no hassle quote, for the most reliable Mexican Insurance coverage available throughout Mexico.

West Coast Global Insurance Services is dedicated to continuously researching our industry for the most comprehensive, best-priced insurance policies available in Mexico.