Trace Hurricane Rachel through more than a week as a hurricane, ending 40 miles southeast of Las Vegas
EndedHurricane Rachel is no longer active. The last advisory, on Oct 11, placed its center about 40 miles southeast of Las Vegas, with winds near 35 mph, after it had weakened below hurricane strength. Rachel formed in the Eastern Pacific on Sep 27. It peaked as a Category 3 hurricane with 120 mph winds and a minimum pressure of 950 mb on Oct 1, and the National Hurricane Center ended advisories on Oct 11.
How strong Hurricane Rachel got, and what that means
The map above shows the path, colored by hurricane category.
Rachel was a hurricane from Sep 30 to Oct 8. It strengthened rapidly: winds rose 35 mph in about 24 hours (Sep 30 to Oct 1). The National Hurricane Center calls a gain of 35 mph or more in 24 hours rapid intensification.
Over the advisories we kept, the center moved about 3400 miles, from 12.2N 99.1W toward the northwest to 35.8N 114.6W. At its nearest, the center was about 40 miles southeast of Las Vegas on Oct 11.
What a Category 3 hurricane can do: Devastating damage: major damage to well-built homes, many trees down, and electricity and water unavailable for several days to weeks. The Saffir-Simpson scale uses wind speed only; storm surge and rainfall flooding can be deadly in any hurricane.
Damage descriptions paraphrase the NHC Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Final damage, rainfall and casualty figures appear in the NHC Tropical Cyclone Report, usually published months after the season.
Timeline
| Milestone | When (UTC) | Center | Winds | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First advisory | Sep 27 09:00 UTC | 12.2N 99.1W | 35 mph | 1008 mb |
| Became a tropical storm | Sep 27 21:00 UTC | 12.6N 99.1W | 40 mph | 1005 mb |
| Reached hurricane strength | Sep 30 06:00 UTC | 17.3N 106.8W | 75 mph | 985 mb |
| Peak winds (Category 3) | Oct 1 21:00 UTC | 19.4N 109.5W | 120 mph | 950 mb |
| Weakened below hurricane strength | Oct 8 09:00 UTC | 21.8N 123.9W | 70 mph | 985 mb |
| Last advisory | Oct 11 15:00 UTC | 35.8N 114.6W | 35 mph | 994 mb |
Winds over time
Hurricane Rachel at a glance
The key facts of this event in one place.
Recovering after a storm
If you were affected, these official-source guides cover the next steps.
Be ready for the next one: Hurricane preparedness checklist →
Advisory history
Recent advisories, newest first.
| Advisory | Time (UTC) | Winds | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 058 | Oct 11 15:00 | 35 mph | 994 mb |
| 057a | Oct 11 12:00 | 40 mph | 993 mb |
| 057 | Oct 11 09:00 | 50 mph | 990 mb |
| 056a | Oct 11 06:00 | 60 mph | 987 mb |
| 056 | Oct 11 03:00 | 60 mph | 987 mb |
| 055a | Oct 11 00:00 | 65 mph | 989 mb |
| 055 | Oct 10 21:00 | 65 mph | 989 mb |
| 054a | Oct 10 18:00 | 60 mph | 992 mb |
| 054 | Oct 10 15:00 | 60 mph | 992 mb |
| 053a | Oct 10 12:00 | 60 mph | 992 mb |
| 053 | Oct 10 09:00 | 60 mph | 992 mb |
| 052a | Oct 10 06:00 | 60 mph | 990 mb |
How Hurricane Rachel compares with history
Landfalls, peak winds and how it ranks against past storms.
At its peak, Hurricane Rachel had winds of 120 mph. That is stronger than 79% of the 1,051 named storms recorded in the Eastern and Central Pacific since 1950. The strongest on record is Patricia (2015) at 215 mph.
| Year | Dates | Peak winds | Strength | Lowest pressure | Landfall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Sep 24, 2014 to Oct 3, 2014 | 85 mph | Category 1 | 980 mb | No |
| 1990 | Sep 27, 1990 to Oct 3, 1990 | 65 mph | Tropical storm | 994 mb | Yes |
| 1984 | Oct 7, 1984 to Oct 16, 1984 | 65 mph | Tropical storm | — | No |
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2. Landfall means the center of the storm crossed a coastline at some point. It does not mean damage or a U.S. impact.
Common questions about Hurricane Rachel
Is Hurricane Rachel still active?
No. The last advisory, on Oct 11, placed its center about 40 miles southeast of Las Vegas, with winds near 35 mph, after it had weakened below hurricane strength. Official tracking of this event has ended. To see alerts that are active where you are now, use the Near Me page with your ZIP code.
Where is Hurricane Rachel now?
Hurricane Rachel is no longer being tracked. The last advisory, on Oct 11, placed its center about 40 miles southeast of Las Vegas, with winds near 35 mph, after it had weakened below hurricane strength. Over the advisories we kept, the center moved about 3400 miles, from 12.2N 99.1W toward the northwest to 35.8N 114.6W. At its nearest, the center was about 40 miles southeast of Las Vegas on Oct 11.
Is there a Hurricane Rachel tracker?
Hurricane Rachel is no longer tracked live, so there is no live tracker. The map on this page is the final tracker: the full path of Rachel, colored by category, from its first to its last official advisory.
What category was Hurricane Rachel?
Hurricane Rachel peaked as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 120 mph on Oct 1. It is no longer a hurricane or tropical storm now that advisories have ended.
How strong was Hurricane Rachel?
Rachel peaked as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 120 mph on Oct 1. The Saffir-Simpson scale rates hurricanes by wind speed only.
Where did Hurricane Rachel go?
Over the advisories we kept, the center moved about 3400 miles, from 12.2N 99.1W toward the northwest to 35.8N 114.6W. At its nearest, the center was about 40 miles southeast of Las Vegas on Oct 11.
Sources and method
Alerts, forecasts and storm positions come from the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center, refreshed every 15 minutes. We never decide evacuation for you. Impact levels are rules-based and not an official forecast.
Read the methodology →Report an error or request a correction