Hurricane Otis strengthened rapidly Tuesday and became a major category 5 storm. Otis blasted the SW Mexican coast with extremely strong wind and very heavy rain Wednesday (10/25) morning. Look at the damage at the Acapulco Airport. Buildings ripped apart. The death toll stands at 27 and will likely go higher. Damage estimates run into the BILLIONS of dollars. Before and after pics. of a 130-million dollar hotel nearly destroyed by the storm.

From the National Hurricane Center as the storm hit shore:

A nightmare scenario is unfolding for southern Mexico with rapidly intensifying Otis approaching the coastline.  Satellite images show that Otis has continued to intensify, with Dvorak Data-T estimates between 130-145 knots during the past few hours.  The initial wind speed is set to 140 kt as a blend of these values, making Otis a Category 5 hurricane.  Otis has explosively intensified 95 kt during the past 24 hours, a mark only exceeded in modern times by Patricia in 2015.  Before and after pics.  

"Otis could be as devastating than Hurricane Pauline that hit Acapulco in 1997, destroying swaths of the city and killing more than 200 people, the mayor of Acapulco, Abelina López said. Hundreds of others were injured in flooding and mudslides.

...CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE OTIS MAKES LANDFALL NEAR ACAPULCO MEXICO... 

Satellite imagery indicates that Otis has made landfall near
Acapulco, Mexico around 125 AM CDT (0625 UTC). The maximum 
sustained winds are estimated to be 165 mph (270 km/h), and the 
minimum central pressure is estimated at 923 mb (27.26 inches). Otis 
is a category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind 
Scale.

...CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE OTIS MAKES LANDFALL NEAR ACAPULCO MEXICO... 

Otis diminished rapidly after moving inland during the day Wednesday.  The center of the storm made landfall just southeast of Acapulco.

This is an extremely serious situation for the Acapulco metropolitan area with the core of the destructive hurricane likely to come near or over that large city early on Wednesday. There are no hurricanes on record even close to this intensity for this part of Mexico."

Path of Super Hurricane “Otis”

Hurricane Otis intensified by 80 mph in 12 hours (from 65 mph to 145 mph). That’s the fastest 12-hour intensification rate in the eastern North Pacific (to 180°) in the satellite era (since 1966), breaking the old record of 75 mph/12 hr set by Patricia in 2015. Satellite loop of Otis reaching the coast just a little bit southeast of Acapulco.

Satellite pic. of Super Hurricane Otis near Acapulco Wed. AM 10 25 23

Here’s a link to the Mexican National Weather Service, the weather observations at the Acapulco Airport (while they have power) and the latest forecast discussion from the National Hurricane Center. If any are available (big “if”), there are links to Acapulco webcams here.

UPDATE Thursday AM (10-26). Otis caused catastrophic damage in Acapulco and along the SW Mexican coast. Power is still out (and will be for days in the hardest hit areas) and so is the internet. Many beach hotels had many of their windows blown out with the wind even blowing out interior doors. Frightened guests crawled under beds. Significant flooding is still occurring and even some main roads are blocked by mudslides.