Tag Archives: Tulum

Hurricane Grace Hits Yucatan

Hurricane Grace hit the Yucatan Peninsula on Thursday morning. At 8:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Hurricane Grace was located at latitude 20.1°N and longitude 87.9°W which put it about 45 miles (65 km) south-southeast of Valladolid, Mexico. Grace was moving toward the west at 17 m.p.h. (28 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 989 mb.

A Hurricane Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Cancun to Punta Herrero, Mexico. The Hurricane Warning included Cozumel. A Hurricane Watch was in effect for the portion of the coast from Puerto Veracruz to Cabo Rojo,, Mexico. Tropical Storm Warnings were in effect for the portions of the coast from Cancun to Campeche, Mexico and from Punta Herrero to Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico. A Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for the portion of the coast from Cabo Rojo to Puerto de Altamira, Mexico. Tropical Storm Watches were also in effect for the Cuban provinces of Isla de la Juventud and Pinar del Rio.

The center of Hurricane Grace made landfall on the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula southeast of Tulum on Thursday morning. The maximum sustained wind speed was 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h) at the time of landfall. Winds to hurricane force extended out 35 miles (55 km) from the center of Hurricane Grace. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 140 miles (220 km) from the center of circulation. Grace will produce strong gusty winds over the Yucatan. It will also drop heavy rain and flash floods are likely to occur. Hurricane Grace will weaken gradually back to a tropical storm while it moves across the Yucatan.

Hurricane Grace will move over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico on Thursday night. Grace will move into an environment favorable for intensification when it moves over the Gulf of Mexico. Grace will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30°C. It will move into a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. Grace is likely to intensify back to a hurricane on Friday.

Hurricane Grace will move south of a subtropical high pressure system that extends over the Gulf of Mexico. The high will steer Grace toward the west during the next several days. On its anticipated track Hurricane Grace will move across the Yucatan Peninsula on Thursday. Grace will move over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico on Thursday night. Hurricane Grace could approach the coast of Mexico between Veracruz and Tampico on Friday night.

Elsewhere, former Tropical Storm Fred was dropping heavy rain over parts of the northeastern U.S. and Tropical Storm Henri was moving west toward the east coast of the U.S.

At 5:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday the center of former Tropical Storm Fred was located at latitude 42.0°N and longitude 76.0°W which put it about 15 miles (25 km) south of Binghamton, New York. Fred was moving toward the east-northeast at 17 m.p.h. (28 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 25 m.p.h. (40 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1011 mb. Flood Watches and Flash Flood Watches were in effect for parts of the northeastern U.S.

At 5:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Henri was located at latitude 29.5°N and longitude 69.5°W which put it about 525 miles (845 km) southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Henri was moving toward the west at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 70 m.p.h. (110 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 85 m.p.h. (135 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 995 mb.

Delta Rapidly Intensifies to a Major Hurricane

Hurricane Delta rapidly intensified into a major hurricane over the Northwestern Caribbean Sea on Tuesday morning.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Hurricane Delta was located at latitude 18.2°N and longitude 82.6°W which put it about 320 miles (520 km) east-southeast of Cozumel, Mexico.  Delta was moving toward the west-northwest at 16 m.p.h. (26 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 130 m.p.h. (210 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 150 m.p.h. (240 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 954 mb.

A Hurricane Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Tulum to Dzilam, Mexico including Cancun and Cozumel.  Tropical Storm Warnings were in effect for the Cayman Islands, the Isle of Youth and Pinar del Rio, Cuba.  Tropical Storm Warnings were also in effect for the portions of the coast from Punta Herrero to Tulum and from Dzilam to Progreso, Mexico.  A Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for La Habana, Cuba.

Hurricane Delta rapidly intensified into a major hurricane on Tuesday morning.  A small eye with a diameter of six miles (10 km) was at the center of circulation.  A ring of strong thunderstorms surrounded the eye and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms revolving around the core of Delta.  Storms near the core generated upper level divergence which pumped large quantities of mass away from the hurricane.  The removal of mass allowed the surface pressure to decrease rapidly which contributed to the rapid intensification of Hurricane Delta.

The circulation around Hurricane Delta was relatively small.  Winds to hurricane force extended out 25 miles (40 km) from the center of circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 90 miles (145 km) from the center of Delta.  The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Hurricane Delta was 25.1.  The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 7.6 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 32.7.

Hurricane Delta will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 18 hours.  Delta will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30°C.  It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Hurricane Delta is likely to continue to intensify rapidly during the next 12 hours.  It could reach Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale.

Hurricane Delta will move around the western end of a subtropical high pressure system over the western Atlantic Ocean.  The high will steer Delta toward the northwest during the next 48 hours.  Hurricane Delta will move more toward the north on Thursday when it reaches the western end of the high pressure system.  On its anticipated track Hurricane Delta will reach the northeastern part of the Yucatan Peninsula on Tuesday night.  Delta will bring damaging winds and locally heavy rain to area around Cancun and Cozumel.  Hurricane Delta will then move over the Gulf Mexico.  Delta could approach the coast of Louisiana on Friday night.  It could bring hurricane conditions to New Orleans on Saturday.

Tropical Storm Gamma Brings Wind and Rain to Yucatan

Tropical Storm Gamma brought wind and rain to the Yucatan Peninsula on Saturday.  At 2:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Storm Gamma was located at latitude 20.4°N and longitude 87.6°W which put it about 15 miles (25 km) north-northwest of Tulum, Mexico.  Gamma was moving toward the northwest at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 70 m.p.h. (110 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 85 m.p.h. (135 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 980 mb.

A Hurricane Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Punta Allen to Cancun, Mexico including Cozumel.  Tropical Storm Warnings were in effect for the portions of the coast from Punta Herrero to Punta Allen and from Cancun to Dzilam, Mexico.  Tropical Storm Watches were in effect for the portions of the coast from Punta Herrero to Puerto Costa Maya and from Dzilam to Progreso, Mexico.

The center of Tropical Storm Gamma made landfall on the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula near Tulum around midday on Saturday.  Gamma strengthened quickly over the warm water in the Northwest Caribbean Sea in the hours prior to landfall.  An eye was beginning to form at the center of Tropical Storm Gamma at the time of landfall.  A ring of strong thunderstorms surrounded the developing eye and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Gamma.  Storms near the core generated upper level divergence which pumped mass away from the tropical storm.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 80 miles (130 km) from the center of circulation.

Tropical Storm Gamma will weaken while the center of circulation moves over land.  When Gamma emerges over the southern Gulf of Mexico on Sunday, it will move into an environment favorable for intensification.  Gamma will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30°C.  It will be under the western side of an upper level ridge.  The ridge will produce southwesterly winds which will blow toward the top of Tropical Storm Gamma.  Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear, but they are not likely to be strong enough to keep Gamma from strengthening when it gets back over water.

Tropical Storm Gamma will move around the western end of a subtropical high pressure system over the western Atlantic Ocean.  The high will steer Gamma toward the north-northwest during next 24 hours.  A large, cool high pressure system over the eastern U.S. will block the northward movement of Tropical Storm Gamma when it reaches the southern Gulf of Mexico.  That high pressure system will steer Gamma slowly toward the west during the earl part of next week.

On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Gamma will move across northern Quintana Roo and the state of Yucatan.  Gamma will cause gusty winds along the eastern and northern coasts of the Yucatan Peninsula.  Tropical Storm Gamma will drop heavy rain over parts of Quintana Roo and Yucatan.  Heavy rain is likely to cause flash floods in some locations.