06 October 2014
Hurricane ODILE: iCyclone Chase Report

iCyclone's report on our Hurricane ODILE chase is complete!

Download it here:

iCyclone: ODILE Report

Hurricane ODILE was a violent and destructive cyclone that smashed Cabo San Lucas and the Baja California Peninsula of Mexico with unprecedented ferocity.

iCyclone was there, on the ground, very close to the landfall point to document this historic event.

It was a harrowing night—one of the most dangerous chases in iCyclone's portfolio. Roaring winds destroyed much of our hotel, and both my cameraman, Steve Crighton, and I sustained injuries from flying glass. Even so, we were able to come away with hours of video footage, detailed observations, damage photography, and continuous, quality-controlled air-pressure data. This comprehensive report pulls from all of these materials, along with detailed postanalysis of satellite imagery.

The report reveals several interesting things about ODILE, but the one that stands out for me is the extremely steep air-pressure gradient in the cyclone's inner core—a gradient that approached 3 mb/n mi in the inner eyewall. I suspect this extreme gradient was responsible for the explosive winds that devastated the region—especially after the calm eye passed.

I hope this report adds value to the National Hurricane Center's postanalysis of this fascinating storm.

—Josh Morgerman