Publication Date November 26, 2015 | Weather Underground

An Unprecedented Thanksgiving Visitor: a Category 4 Hurricane

Mexico
Projected 5-day precipitation totals (rain and melted snow/sleet) for the period from 7 am EST Thursday, November 26, through Tuesday, December 1.
Projected 5-day precipitation totals (rain and melted snow/sleet) for the period from 7 am EST Thursday, November 26, through Tuesday, December 1.

Remarkable Hurricane Sandra exploded into a Category 4 storm with 145 mph winds overnight, making it the latest major hurricane ever observed in the Western Hemisphere (November 26.) The previous record was held by an unnamed Atlantic hurricane in 1934 that held on to Category 3 status until 00 UTC November 24. Sandra is also now the latest Category 4 storm ever observed in either the Eastern Pacific (previous record: Hurricane Kenneth on November 22, 2011) or the Atlantic (previous record: "Wrong Way" Lenny on November 18, 1999.)