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Alex Upgraded to Hurricane Day Before Landfall

Earliest hurricane since 1995 could potentially reach category 2 status by the time it reaches land.

Hurricane Alex was made official today, with its sustained winds near 80 miles per hour qualifying it for category 1 hurricane status.

The storm is expected to make landfall in Mexico today. In addition to wind concerns, the NHC expects total rainfall accumulation of six to 12 inches and a three- to five-foot storm surge on the coast.

Hurricane warnings are in effect along the coast of Texas, south of Baffin Bay to the Mouth of the Rio Grande and along the coast of Mexico from the Mouth of the Rio Grande to La Cruz. This area of the coastline is relatively sparsely populated. The largest towns located close to the projected landfall location are Brownsville, Texas, which has a population of around 140,000; and Matamoros, Mexico, which has a population of around 420,000.

Newark, Calif.-based Risk Management Solutions noted yesterday Alex’s similarity to 2008’s Hurricane Dolly, which was classified as a category 1 hurricane at landfall and affected a nearby area.

The last storm to reach hurricane status before July 1 was Allison in 1995.

Nathan Golia is senior editor of Insurance & Technology. He joined the publication in 2010 as associate editor and covers all aspects of the nexus between insurance and information technology, including mobility, distribution, core systems, customer interaction, and risk ... View Full Bio

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