Los Cabos shut down 14 beaches, suspended classes and restricted small-boat traffic out of Cabo San Lucas on Thursday as Hurricane Rachel churned through the Pacific south of the peninsula. The storm strengthened to Category 2 overnight, with sustained winds of 155 km/h (96 mph) and gusts to 195 km/h (121 mph), according to Mexico’s National Meteorological Service (SMN) as reported by El Imparcial.
As of 6 a.m. Thursday, Rachel’s center sat roughly 395 km (245 miles) south of Cabo San Lucas, moving northwest at just 9 km/h (6 mph). It’s the same system tracked earlier this week in our story on how storm Rachel formed off the mainland coast, before organizing into a hurricane over open water.
Which Beaches Are Closed and Where
Los Cabos’ beach authority, known locally as ZOFEMAT (the municipal coordination office that administers the federally-designated coastal strip and enforces beach access rules), posted black flags — meaning no one is permitted in the water — on 14 beaches as swells and rip currents build. In San José del Cabo, Palmilla, Acapulquito, Costa Azul, Las Palmas and La Playa are closed. In Cabo San Lucas, closures cover Club Cascada, Villas del Palmar, Villa La Estancia, RIU Palace, RIU Santa Fe, RIU Baja California, Las Viudas, El Chileno and El Tule.
ZOFEMAT coordinator Héctor Agúndez Cota said the rest of the municipality’s beaches remain under red or yellow flags, both of which call for caution, and urged beachgoers to follow instructions from ZOFEMAT and Protección Civil personnel on-site. It’s a familiar precaution for the region — Los Cabos has flagged beaches for high surf several times already this season.
Port and Boat Traffic
The Capitanía de Puerto, the maritime authority that regulates shipping and recreational boating, has restricted small-craft operations out of Cabo San Lucas as wave heights and wind build along the coast. Forecasters expect waves of 4 to 6 meters (13 to 20 feet) and wind gusts of 60 to 70 km/h (37 to 43 mph) along the southern BCS coastline. Port officials can order a full closure to navigation if conditions deteriorate further, something that happened repeatedly during Hurricane Polo earlier this season.
Schools Closed, Shelters Open
Both the state and municipal Civil Protection councils suspended classes at all levels and both school shifts across Los Cabos for Thursday, citing forecasts of heavy to intense rainfall. The state government’s official notice cited accumulations of 50 to 75 millimeters (2 to 3 inches) for the southern part of the state.
Francisco Cota Márquez, director of Los Cabos’ Civil Protection and Risk Management department, said four temporary shelters have been activated — two in San José del Cabo and two in Cabo San Lucas — near areas considered at higher risk of flooding. Vehicles and response crews are on standby for evacuations if needed, and officials are running loudspeaker patrols through flood-prone neighborhoods to keep residents informed.
What Happens Next
Rachel’s forecast track takes it further out into the open Pacific rather than directly toward the peninsula, and officials expect the system to gradually weaken as it moves away from the coast. Even so, outer bands are expected to bring rain through Friday and into Saturday, and dangerous surf and rip currents are likely to persist on south-facing beaches a day or two after the center passes.
Authorities are asking residents and visitors not to cross flooded streets or arroyos on foot, by car or on a motorcycle, and to stay off closed beaches even if the water looks calm. Updated flag status and closures are posted through Los Cabos’ official Civil Protection channels, and anyone needing emergency help can call 911.
