Are you on vacation in Puerto Vallarta or Riviera Nayarit and worried about how Hurricane Patricia might affect your vacation? Are you planning to arrive to Puerto Vallarta or Riviera Nayarit in the next two or three days?
As locals and tourists in Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit prepare themselves for the arrival of Hurricane Patricia, it is worth remembering that in general Banderas Bay fairs pretty well under hurricane conditions with the mountains protecting much of the area from severe damage. Hurricane Kenna in 2002 caused widespread damage along the coast when it made landfall, mainly due to surging tides and waves battering the coast, but the damage was nowhere near as bad as it was further north up the coast.
So what should we expect from Hurricane Patricia?
Hurricane Patricia has quickly escalated into a category 4 hurricane, classified as an “extremely dangerous hurricane” according to www.weather.com. Looking at the weather reports and satellite pictures, Hurricane Patricia’s trajectory is set to make landfall near Cabo Corrientes which is a municipality located at the very tip of Banderas Bay to the south of Puerto Vallarta. The coastal areas close by will be taking extra special precaution today and tomorrow to prepare for the arrival of the hurricane.
Unlike most hurricanes which take place far off the coast in the ocean, Hurricane Patricia is dangerously close to shore, meaning that its arrival could be very quick and weather conditions could change rapidly. For this reason, schools in Puerto Vallarta and Banderas Bay have suspended classes until Monday morning as a precaution.
How will Hurricane Patricia Affect Puerto Vallarta?
So far, there are no clear indications as to how Hurricane Patricia may affect Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit. Puerto Vallarta’s international airport is currently fully operational. Flights arriving in the next two days may experience delays and therefore it is important to check with your airline and keep an eye on weather reports before cancelling your vacation to Mexico or postponing it for a few days. While Hurricane Patricia is likely to make landfall early Friday morning, her effects will be felt before and afterwards, with the most probable inconvenience being heavy rain, high tides and crashing waves.
What you should and shouldn’t do during Hurricane Patricia
Make sure you do not swim in the sea, go diving, paddle boarding, surfing, kayaking etc during a hurricane alert. Tides and currents can change very suddenly during hurricane conditions; therefore, it is best not to put yourself at risk. If you are staying in a hotel, you would be best not to venture outside the resort until Hurricane Patricia has passed and a full report of any damage has been made. Follow the instructions given to you by your hotel and keep all of your family together. It is also a forward thinking idea to get all of your personal belongings together in one bag, just in case of evacuation. Things like your passport, medication and other important items should be kept in one place. Keep watching the news and listening to the radio to hear the latest reports.
With any luck, Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit will be spared the wrath of Hurricane Patricia and vacations return to normal in the next few days.
