vandenberg - 12-24-2005 at 07:43 PM
Been through two of them and they're no picnic. Would hate like hell to be out on the water and get into one. Anybody know how this phenomina occurs
and what makes it happen. Tried to Google it, but with not very good results..Last one tore lots of heavy roof tiles of and did lots of damage to the
Loreto airport.
Long version:
bugdude - 12-24-2005 at 08:10 PM
The peninsula, and more specifically the Gulf coast, receives the majority of its precipitation from two kinds of summer storms. The more common are
convectional storm systems, which result from the orographic lifting and cooling of humid tropical air over the mountains. As the northern desert
regions of North America heat up during the summer, the rising air creates a low-pressure cell that draws warm, moist air north from the tropical
Pacific areas. As this air mass gains momentum and surges across the Gulf of California, it picks up additional moisture. When it moves onto land, it
slams into the precipitous eastern face of the Peninsular Ranges (for example, the Sierra Juarez, Sierra San Pedro M?rtir) forcing this moisture-laden
air to rise as it crosses the mountains. As it rises, it quickly cools and releases its moisture in the form of heavy and often violent rainshowers
with spectacular displays of thunder and lightning. When tropical moisture is present, such storms ("aguaceros") occur almost daily in the higher
elevations of the Sierra San Pedro M?rtir, Sierra la Asamblea, Sierra San Borja, Sierra la Libertad, Sierra Guadalupe, Sierra la Giganta, and Sierra
la Laguna. Often the tops of these storms flatten and spread out, bringing rain to the surrounding lowland areas as well, but they may be extremely
localized.
"Chubascos" or "toritos" are smaller anticyclonic systems that usually develop locally, within the Gulf of California. and originate in the Gulf of
Mexico drifting westward effecting weather patterns of the Gulf of California and eastern Baja California. They too are characterized by strong winds
and locally heavy rains and can cause severe localized damage when they move onto land. Although they generally last only a few hours, they are some
of the most dangerous storms in the Gulf of California. They build very rapidly and have caused numerous deaths among boaters and fishermen who find
themselves suddenly trapped in strong winds and rough seas.
http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/8998/8998.intro.html
[Edited on 11/12/2005 by bugdude]
Thanx bug
Sharksbaja - 12-25-2005 at 12:29 AM
That is a good summation and I like the terminology. This event is a scary phenomenon that takes you by surprise for sure. Are Chubascos responsible
for the snow that occurs in Baja or are those driven from another source?
Hey, why do some of your posts have the edit date of 11/12/05 ??
Merry Everything !
bugdude - 12-25-2005 at 09:02 AM
High-pressure cells over the western United States push winter storms south into central Baja California and the Cape Region, where they are known as
"equipatas" and are usually accompanied by cold temperatures. The gradual rise of the western slopes of the Sierra Ju?rez and the Sierra San Pedro
M?rtir induces a great deal of precipitation in the form of either rain or snow and relieves these passing storm fronts of the majority of their
moisture. Because of orographic lift and the ensuing rain shadow effect, the adjacent San Felipe Desert region is the hottest and driest area in North
America, receiving half the annual rainfall of Death Valley, California.
Freezing temperatures are rare in the western coastal areas but quite common in the northern mountains. Snow begins to fall on these ranges sometimes
as early as November (October?) but usually does not persist for more than a few days, except at the higher elevations in the Sierra San Pedro M?rtir,
where it may last considerably longer and fall as late as March. Further south, snow is rare but has been observed on Cerro Matom?, Cerro San Borja,
and Volc?n las Tres V?rgenes; during the unusually cold winter of 1987-1988, snow fell west of Bah?a de los ?ngeles and was observed on Isla ?ngel de
la Guarda.
I believe "chubascos" are a summer phenomenon.
http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/8998/8998.intro.html
I cannot explain the 11/12/05 post date(s)? I believe that is the date that I registered to the forum. I have noticed that when I am NOT logged-in,
dates of all posts across the board are accurate, but when I do log-in they all revert to 11/12/05??? Is it possible I don't have a box checked or
need to uncheck a box or setting in my control panel/options?
Notice my edit date below.
Feliz Navidad. 
[Edited on 11/12/2005 by bugdude]
Chubasco, etc.
tehag - 12-25-2005 at 10:28 AM
Saw snow from Mx1 falling and sticking on the back end of Punta Banda sometime in the mid 80's.
Chubascos are shortlived but ferocious. In July of 2004 one hit Loreto and did more damage than the back-to-back hurricanes of the prior year.
A chubasco in Loreto in the 90's sheared off the eight 4X6 inch douglas fir supports to our boat shed and dropped it right to the ground. Actually
onto the boat. Same storm completely destroyed one palapa style house, wrecked some pangas, and threw a sailfish from a boat on the boat ramp half a
block.
A chubasco in Todos Santos in '76 dumped 10cm (3.9 inches) of rain in 20 minutes and pretty much shut the town down for several days.
I've been in 5 hurricanes and as many chubascos, and they can either be VERY SCARY. 
Osprey - 12-25-2005 at 01:03 PM
My Mexican fishermen pals use the word chubasco for hurricanes, tribunada for squalls. In this region very few squalls come ashore. This little
village welcomes them since we only get about 3.5 inches a year of rain. I always take enough gas in my panga to stay out, wait it out if one comes
up. Running home when the storm is strong and on your beach is dangerous -- some times we have to wait til the squall passes AND THEN THE WAVES DIE
ON THE BEACH SO WE CAN MAKE A SAFE RUNUP TO HAUL.