Tag Archives: Tropical Dpression One-E

Tropical Depression One-E Forms South of Mexico

A low level center of circulation developed near the southern edge of thunderstorms near the coast of Mexico on Monday and the National Hurricane Center designated the system as Tropical Depression One-E.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Depression One-E (TD1E) was located at latitude 14.2°N and longitude 97.0°W which put it about 185 miles (295 km) southwest of Salina Cruz, Mexico.  TD1E was moving toward the northeast at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (70 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1006 mb.  The government of Mexico issued a Tropical Storm Watch for the portion of the coast that extends from Puerto Escondido to Boca de Pijijiapan, Mexico.

Tropical Depression One-E is not a particularly well organized circulation.  A large upper level trough that extends from west of Mexico over the Gulf of Mexico is producing strong southwesterly winds that are blowing over the top of the depression.  The is the same upper level trough that is also causing the vertical wind shear over Tropical Storm Colin in the Gulf of Mexico.  As a result of the significant vertical wind shear, most of the strong thunderstorms are occurring north and east of the center of circulation.  The wind shear may be causing the tropical depression to be tilted toward the northeast with height.  The low level center of circulation is near the southern edge of the stronger thunderstorms.  The thunderstorms generating some upper level divergence to the east of the depression.

The environment around TD1E is only marginal for further intensification.  The depression is over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 31°C.  However, the vertical wind shear is forecast to continue and TD1E does not have much time to intensify before the center moves over land.  Little change in intensity is expected and only slight strengthening may occur before landfall.  TD1E is likely to weaken rapidly after landfall.  However, it will be interesting to see if the middle and upper part of the circulation make it to the Gulf of Mexico.

The upper level trough is expected to continue to steer TD1E toward the northeast.  On its anticipated track, the low level center is forecast to reach the coast of Mexico in 12 to 24 hours.  In cases like this when there is strong vertical wind shear near the coast of Mexico, the upper portion of the circulation sometimes gets separated from the lower level circulation.  In that case, the upper half of the circulation would continue northeast while the lower circulation either lingers near the coast or moves slowly inland and dissipates.

The primary risks from Tropical Depression One-E are locally heavy rain and flash flooding.