Tropical Storm Vicente (2018)

Tropical Storm Vicente (2018)

Tropical Storm Vicente was the 21st named storm of the 2018 Pacific hurricane season. Vicente originated from a tropical wave that departed from Africa’s western coast on October 6. The small cyclone made landfall as a tropical depression in the Mexican state of Michoacán on October 23, 2018, causing deadly mudslides. The storm left a total of 16 people dead throughout 2 states: 13 in Oaxaca and 3 in Veracruz.

About Tropical Storm Vicente (2018) in brief

Summary Tropical Storm Vicente (2018)Tropical Storm Vicente was the 21st named storm of the 2018 Pacific hurricane season. Vicente originated from a tropical wave that departed from Africa’s western coast on October 6. The small cyclone made landfall as a tropical depression in the Mexican state of Michoacán on October 23, 2018, causing deadly mudslides. The storm left a total of 16 people dead throughout 2 states: 13 in Oaxaca and 3 in Veracruz. The heavy rainfall caused numerous rivers to spill their banks, dozens of landslides to occur, and severe flooding to ensue elsewhere. The National Hurricane Center first mentioned that the system had the potential for tropical development early on October 19. The system was part of a broader disturbance which stretched from Central America to the south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec. The tropical cyclone’s development was not anticipated due to its small size and the close proximity of a larger disturbance to the west. The nascent depression was located in an environment of low wind shear and warm 82–84 °F sea surface temperatures, both conducive for further intensification. On October 20, Vicente peaked late on October 20 with winds of 50 mph and a minimum pressure of 1,002 mbar. The storm maintained this intensity for about eighteen hours as it turned towards the southwest.

Dry air caused Vicente to weaken on October 21. A brief break from the dry air during the next day allowed the storm to recuperate and slightly strengthen. However, outflow from the nearby Hurricane Willa caused Vicente to weaken into a tropical Depression early on October 23. After making landfall near Playa Azul at 13: 30 UTC, the storm quickly lost organization and dissipated a few hours later. The highest total exceeded 12 in in Oaxaca; in some states, the effects of Vicente compounded those from a nearby Hurricane willa. The federal and state governments mobilized to help with relief efforts and repairs. A deep-layer ridge located over the Gulf and central Mexico, as well as a Gulf of Tehuantepe, caused wind, rain, and storm surge damage in Mexico and central and northern Costa America on October 23, 2018. A tropical storm warning has been in effect for parts of Mexico and Caribbean countries from October 24 to October 28, 2018 for the state of Guerrero and the State of Jamaica on the coast of Hidalgo, Jalisco, Guerrero, and Colima. The warning was in effect until October 29, when Vicente weakened to a tropical cyclone and then disintegrated into a tropical drought. The cyclone is no longer a tropical storm and has been downgraded to a  tropical depression.