Hurricane Otis Slams Mexico

The system quickly dethroned Patricia in wind intensity, likely becoming one of the strongest hurricanes to make landfall in Mexico in recorded history.  Rapid intensification of hurricanes is a rare occurrence in the eastern Pacific Ocean but has occurred in greater frequency this year and in 2015, when Patricia made landfall. Both were El Niño years, when sea-surface temperatures are often several degrees above average in that part of the world.