Remnants Of This Week’s Hurricane Has 70% Chance Of Forming A New Tropical Depression
According to multiple meteorological reports, a new tropical depression could form over Cancun and the rest of Quintana Roo by the end of the week. The new storm system could potentially turn into its own hurricane.
Hurricane Agatha was the earliest category two Pacific hurricane to make landfall in Mexico, killing at least twenty. Twenty others have been reported missing in the state of Oaxaca. Most of the deaths have been attributed to landslides in the mountain regions near the coast.
Cancun was not directly hit but felt Agatha’s effects in the form of steady rain and gusts of strong wind. Some minor flooding has been reported across the city, leaving schools with only 40% of their students in attendance. The government had been prepared for the arrival of some rough weather, and emergency services were dispatched immediately to alleviate any issues that may have occurred. At least one car crash has been attributed to the wet weather.
Worryingly for Quintana Roo and Cancun, the worst may be yet to come. Although Agatha has now dissipated in strength, multiple meteorological outlets are projecting that the remnants of the storm may regroup and form a new tropical depression. If the predictions are accurate, the new depression will develop over the Yucatán peninsula, placing the likes of Cancun and Tulum in the middle of the storm.
A tropical depression is the weakest form of a cyclonic storm and only has sustained winds of up to thirty-eight miles per hour. If it were to increase to thirty-nine, it would be reclassified as a tropical storm. Winds of over seventy-four miles per hour would see the system reclassified once more as a hurricane.
Current projections place the likelihood of a new cyclone forming at 70% over the next five days. If this prediction is accurate, the coast may enjoy a few days of solace as the winds die down before finding itself in the middle of an entirely new storm, likely called Hurricane Alex.
Much like the state’s recent sargassum problems, warmer sea temperatures in the area are expected to spur the development of the new storm as it connects with an Atlantic weather front.
If the storm is to form, most predictions suggest heavy rain would be the main outcome for Quintana Roo. The storm would most likely build as it moved north, meaning the southern United States could potentially take the brunt of what is to come. This would also impact any flights heading to Cancun from the east coast of the US.
Anyone intending to travel to Cancun in the coming days should make an informed assessment of whether they will make the journey. In the best-case scenario, expect a higher volume of rain. In the worst case, be prepared to deal with heavy winds, flooding, and possibly minor damage to buildings.
The government has commissioned its new hurricane safety committee and ensured that more than 900 hundred shelters are available for citizens and tourists alike. Ninety-four of those are designated for visitors and placed strategically around the hotel zone and other popular tourist areas.
If a hurricane were to hit the Mexican Caribbean directly, visitors would have to expect severe delays in returning home – possible weeks – as governments dealt with infrastructure damage and other logistical red tapes.
Tourists should keep up to date on the storm’s developments to allow decisions to be made long before it is too late. Cancun and the rest of the state are predicted to experience as many as nine different hurricanes this season. The season ends on November 30th.
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