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Hurricane Cosme was the third named tropical cyclone of the 2013 Pacific hurricane season. The storm system formed on June 23rd 2013 as a tropical depression approximately five hundred miles south of Manzanillo, Mexico. The cyclone became a tropical storm on June 24, and soon after formed into a hurricane on June 25th. While initially stationary, the storm system started to move in a north westerly direction, causing Mexican National Weather Service to issue a blue alert (minimum risk) hurricane warning for the states of Guerrero, Nayarit, and Baja California Sur; and a green alert (Low Risk) hurricane warning for the states of Michoacan, Jalisco, and Colima. The first damage caused by Hurricane Cosme occurred on the Revillagigedo Islands where the storm system created 42 mph winds. As The storm system moved towards Mexico it caused heavy rains and flooding within the state of Guerro. These rains also resulted in 24 landslides within the state. In Colima flooding resulted in the structural damage of several public facilities, private buildings, and approximately fifty homes. At least two people died as a result of the storm system. The first was a tourist who drowned in Zihuatanejo. The second was a police officer who was killed in an automobile accident that also injured 19 others.

Hurrican Cosme arrived at its greatest intensity (75 kt ) at approximately 0000 UTC on June 26th about 345 miles southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Subsequently, stable air and lower water temperatures caused the storm to lose strength. The system continued to weaken and moved in a westward direction where it eventually weakened into a low pressure surface through approximately 1400 miles south east of the Hawaiian Islands.

Initial formation
Hurricane Cosme was the third named tropical cyclone of the 2013 Pacific hurricane season. At peak strength is was classified as a large category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Hurricane Cosme can be traced to a tropical wave that formed on the west coast of Africa on or around the 8th of June. That westward moving wave, which was also responsible for the formation of Tropical Storm Barry in the South Caribbean Sea, eventually reached the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The progress of the wave was slowed by a southwesterly movement withing the Intertropical Convergence Zone. Eventually a large low pressure system formed on June 21st, but was not initially well organized. The system continued to organize over the next two days, with the presence of an east bound Kelvin wave possible expediting the process. This created a well defined center, as observed by Microwave data and Visible Satellite imagery around 1200 UTC on the 23rd of June. The Tropical cyclone was initially categorized as Tropical Depression Three-E and described.

“New Tropical Depression forms will south of Mexico...

Location...11.8N 103.8W About 500 mi...800 km south of Manzanillo Mexico”

Strengthening into tropical storm and hurricane
The system became a tropical storm approximately 12 hours later at 0000 UTC on the 24th of June. A high pressure ridge over Mexico was observed to be the primary influence of on direction of Cosme, which continued in a northwestern direction while strengthening into a hurricane on the 25th of June. The storm, while initially stagnate, began to move in a north westerly direction while steadily becoming stronger due to warm water and low shear. The storm system continued to strengthen until 0000utc on the 26th of June when it reached an intensity of 75 kt while located 345 nautical miles southeast of Cabo San Lucas. Mexico.

Loss of strength and dissipation
Subsequently the storm system lost strength, primarily because of Stable weather conditions and cooler water temperature. The system continued to move west and eventually became of low pressure trough approximately 1400 nautical miles south east of the Hawaiian Islands.

Mexico
Mexican news organizations and government agencies began reporting on the progress of Hurricane Cosme as early as the 24th of June. SINAPROC issued various warnings regarding the storm on the 24th and 25 of June. Mexican authorities remained active throughout the disturbance and Government officials began surveying and rebuilding damaged infrastructure as early as the 27th of June. Unstable structures, such as those made of wood and coconut, suffered the most damage as a result of the storm. Flooding was also a major cause of storm damage while multiple landslides caused road blockages. Most of the injuries as a result of the storm came from automobile accidents that were operating during the inclement weathers, causing at least one death and 19 injuries. Multiple ports closed down small craft operation because of the weather. At least one death was caused when a tourist ignored these closures and was thrown overboard while operating a small boat during the storm.

United States
According to the NOAA, Hurricane Cosme was well forecast. Several global weather models predicted the formation of the storm system about a week prior to the storm's formation. A "high chance of formation" was issued 36 hours prior to the genesis of the storm system. Official forecast track errors were lower than average for forecasts within the previous five year average. However, CLIPER errors were larger than average. Official intensity forecasts by the NHC were more accurate than the average accuracy for predictions within the last five years. There were no warnings issued within the United States as a result of Hurricane Cosme.

The NOAA and national hurricane center made heavy use of satelite imagery, advanced scatterometer (ASCAT), and Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies (CIMMS) observation data to track, quantify, and forecast Hurricane Cosme.

Initial warnings and severe weather
When Cosme became a tropical storm on the 24th of June the Mexican National Weather Service (Servicio Meteorologico Nacional NWS)reported that it could create heavy rains in the western area of the country. Rainfall as a result of the storm was predicted to range from "intense" (70 to 150 liters per square meter) to "heavy" (greater than 150 liters per square meter) in the states of Colima, Jalisco, Guerrero, Michoacan, and Oaxaca. The NWS also that "because of its wide circulation, [Comse] generates significant potential for landslides and intense rain...waves 4 to 5 meters high and strong gusts of wind along the coast." Based on these forecasts the National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC) initially issued a green alert "low risk" hurricane warning within the states of Jalisco, Michoacan, and Colima, as well as a blue alert "minimum risk'hurricane warning for the states of Nayarit and Guerrero. As early as the 25th of June Hurricane Cosme was causing inclement weather on mainland Mexico.  Heavy rains were reported in southwest and south central Mexico, becoming particularly severe in Michoacan.  High waves were reported along the pacific coast from Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco to Acapulco, Guerrero. The continued strengthening of Cosme caused SINAPROC to issue a blue alert to Baja California Sur, stating that the system has strong potential to cause heavy rains despite its relatively long distance off shore.

Landfall and damage
Hurricane Cosme made landfall on Socorro Island (largest of the Revillagigedo Islands) in the late afternoon on the 25th, causing waves, strong winds, and gust of up to 67 kph. However, the small population located on the island cause damage to be minimal. In Guerrero, Rain Caused by the Hurricane created at least 24 landslides black blocked state highways in several locations. Rains as a result of the storm system also resulted in flooding in the port city of Acapulco. According the Guerrero Civil Protection, 50 homes were damaged because of the storm as a result of flooding, specifically the overflow of streams in Tlapa River. In Colima, flooding and strong tides caused by a storm surge attributed to Hurricane Cosme resulted in damage to 34 tourist facilities, according to the Secretary of State Economic Development, and possibly one death. Most of these facilities were located in the municipalities of Tecomny and Armory. During the storm the port of Manzanillo and Mazatlan closed down for small craft operation

Casualties
Hurricane Cosme has been cited as the result of up to three deaths and several injuries. Two of the deaths caused by Hurricane Cosme occurred in Guerrero. The first was a auxiliary member of the Mexican Highway patrol who's vehicle collided with a truck on the Mexico City-Acapulco road during inclement weather. In addition to the one death four others were injured in the accident. Another 19 injuries resulted from two similar accidents that were also attributed to weather caused by the Hurricane The second death associated with the storm system was Guillermo Zúñiga Dominguez, 39, who was a tourist from Mexico City. While sailing offshore, high waves caused Dominquez's boat capsize, at which point he was thrown over board, lost consciousness, and drowned. Dominguez body was discovered when it washed up on the shore of a local beach in Zihuatanejo. In the wake of the storm system, the body of a middle aged man was discovered on a beach in Cuyutlan, Colima. However, it is questionable whether or not we was killed as a result of the hurricane because his injuries indicate that he had been dead for several days.

United States
The National Hurricane Center reported that “There were no reports of damage or casualties associated with Cosme” No hurricane watches or warnings were issued within the United States because of Hurricane Cosme.

Ecological Impact
The ecological effects of Hurricane Cosme, and the 2013 hurricane season in general, were relatively minor. Despite a long term trend or warming surface and sub surface water temperatures, the 2013 season was the least active Tropical cyclone season sine 1982. Organizations such as the NOAA have pointed to cool sub-surface temperature (SST) anomalies, mid-level sinking, and an above average amount of dry air within the North Atlantic Ocean. Another factor that decreased the severity of the 2013 hurricane season was the suppression of the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Northward shift of the ITCZ in the 1990s has been a major contributor to the increased severity of recent hurricane season. In 2013, meridional flow from the north suppressed the ITCZ, which decreased the severity of tropical disturbances during the 2013 season. Hurricane Cosme had little impact on mainland Mexico as the storm center remained over the pacific ocean for the entirety of its life cycle. An exception to this are the Revillagigedo Islands, such a Socorro Island, which were hit by Hurricane Cosme as it moved west. The Revillagigedo Islands act as a habitat for several unique communities, many of which contain several endangered species, including seabirds such as the red-tailed hawk or the the socorro dove, which currently only exists in captivity. Hurricane Activity in the area is a constant threat to the native species of the islands. Had the 2013 hurricane season been as powerful as initially predicted the effects of Hurricane Cosme on the island's ecosystem could have been much more damaging.

Also see
2013 Pacific hurricane season

Tropical Cyclone

Revillagigedo Islands

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