Gamma turns deadly as it inundates Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula
By
Kevin Byrne, AccuWeather senior editor &
Courtney Travis, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Oct 5, 2020 4:11 PM EDT
A pier in Cozumel, an island in the Quintana Roo area of Mexico, splintered apart on Oct. 3, after storm surge from Gamma hit the coast.
The worst of former Tropical Storm Gamma was in the rearview mirror on Monday as the storm continued to weaken off the northern coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Yet, even now in its post-tropical state, forecasters said it could produce some disruptive impacts through midweek.
Over the weekend, Gamma lashed Mexico with inundating rain and damaging winds following its formation late Friday from Tropical Depression 25. According to The Associated Press, the storm is responsible for at least six fatalities in the southeastern part of the country as the storm produced landslides and flash flooding.
In the state of Tabasco, one person reportedly drowned while another victim was swept away by floodwaters, The AP said. The landslide occurred on a mountainous slope in the state of Chiapas. Four people, including two children, were killed when the landslide buried a home, according to The AP's report. About 3,400 people were evacuated to shelters in Tabasco.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Gamma made landfall at 12:45 p.m. EDT on Saturday near Tulum, Mexico, a town located along the southeastern coast of the peninsula, as a strong tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph. It was just below the threshold for Category 1 hurricane strength, which is when maximum sustained winds are anywhere from 74-95 mph, when it crashed onshore.
AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski said that the storm made landfall too quickly for it to become a hurricane. If it had taken several hours longer to move ashore, it likely could've reached hurricane strength.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that a weather station at Xel-Ha Park, along the Yucatan coast just north of Tulum, reported sustained winds of 55 mph (89 km/h) and wind gusts up to 68 mph (109 km/h).
An AccuWeather Local StormMax™ wind gust of 80 mph was felt across the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula on Saturday as Gamma made landfall near Tulum.
Any additional wind impacts from Gamma, now a post-tropical low, should be considered minor.
The only lagging impact from this storm will be additional rainfall that can lead to very localized flash flooding, most likely along and near western and northern coastal areas of the Mexican state of Yucatan into Thursday.
"Despite the storm dissipating, rainfall from Gamma will linger over southeastern Mexico much of this week and that can lead to flooding problems," Kottlowski said.
The highest rainfall total reported so far from Gamma was father inland in Valladolid, Mexico, located in the central part of the peninsula. About 8.15 inches (207 mm) was reported there. The city of Merida, the capital of Mexico's Yucatan state, reported around 5.8 inches.
Forecasters predicted additional rainfall totals of 1-2 inches across much of the northern and western Yucatan Peninsula into Tabasco, while 2-4 inches of rain is expected to encompass the northwestern Yucatan to eastern Tabasco. An AccuWeather StormMax™ of 12 inches is possible in the northern Yucatan.
Gamma struck an area well-known for its resorts. According to The AP, more than 41,000 tourists were in the state of Quintana Roo, located on the Caribbean coast and home to the city of Cancun. The area had only recently opened up to tourists as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gamma is the 24th named storm of what's been a hyperactive Atlantic hurricane season. The 2005 Atlantic season is the only other time in history that forecasters have had to break out the Greek alphabet to name tropical storms or hurricanes.
In the 2005 season, Gamma didn't form until November. The storm produced severe flooding in Central America and is blamed for at least 37 deaths in Honduras and Belize.
As the system fades away, forecasters have shifted their focus to the Caribbean and the 25th named storm, Hurricane Delta, as it takes aim at the central Gulf Coast of the U.S. Prior to its strike on the U.S., Delta could deal yet another significant blow to the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula, perhaps as a Category 3 major hurricane.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo
News / Hurricane
Gamma turns deadly as it inundates Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula
By Kevin Byrne, AccuWeather senior editor & Courtney Travis, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Oct 5, 2020 4:11 PM EDT
A pier in Cozumel, an island in the Quintana Roo area of Mexico, splintered apart on Oct. 3, after storm surge from Gamma hit the coast.
The worst of former Tropical Storm Gamma was in the rearview mirror on Monday as the storm continued to weaken off the northern coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Yet, even now in its post-tropical state, forecasters said it could produce some disruptive impacts through midweek.
Over the weekend, Gamma lashed Mexico with inundating rain and damaging winds following its formation late Friday from Tropical Depression 25. According to The Associated Press, the storm is responsible for at least six fatalities in the southeastern part of the country as the storm produced landslides and flash flooding.
In the state of Tabasco, one person reportedly drowned while another victim was swept away by floodwaters, The AP said. The landslide occurred on a mountainous slope in the state of Chiapas. Four people, including two children, were killed when the landslide buried a home, according to The AP's report. About 3,400 people were evacuated to shelters in Tabasco.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Gamma made landfall at 12:45 p.m. EDT on Saturday near Tulum, Mexico, a town located along the southeastern coast of the peninsula, as a strong tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph. It was just below the threshold for Category 1 hurricane strength, which is when maximum sustained winds are anywhere from 74-95 mph, when it crashed onshore.
AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski said that the storm made landfall too quickly for it to become a hurricane. If it had taken several hours longer to move ashore, it likely could've reached hurricane strength.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that a weather station at Xel-Ha Park, along the Yucatan coast just north of Tulum, reported sustained winds of 55 mph (89 km/h) and wind gusts up to 68 mph (109 km/h).
An AccuWeather Local StormMax™ wind gust of 80 mph was felt across the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula on Saturday as Gamma made landfall near Tulum.
Any additional wind impacts from Gamma, now a post-tropical low, should be considered minor.
The only lagging impact from this storm will be additional rainfall that can lead to very localized flash flooding, most likely along and near western and northern coastal areas of the Mexican state of Yucatan into Thursday.
"Despite the storm dissipating, rainfall from Gamma will linger over southeastern Mexico much of this week and that can lead to flooding problems," Kottlowski said.
The highest rainfall total reported so far from Gamma was father inland in Valladolid, Mexico, located in the central part of the peninsula. About 8.15 inches (207 mm) was reported there. The city of Merida, the capital of Mexico's Yucatan state, reported around 5.8 inches.
Forecasters predicted additional rainfall totals of 1-2 inches across much of the northern and western Yucatan Peninsula into Tabasco, while 2-4 inches of rain is expected to encompass the northwestern Yucatan to eastern Tabasco. An AccuWeather StormMax™ of 12 inches is possible in the northern Yucatan.
Gamma struck an area well-known for its resorts. According to The AP, more than 41,000 tourists were in the state of Quintana Roo, located on the Caribbean coast and home to the city of Cancun. The area had only recently opened up to tourists as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gamma is the 24th named storm of what's been a hyperactive Atlantic hurricane season. The 2005 Atlantic season is the only other time in history that forecasters have had to break out the Greek alphabet to name tropical storms or hurricanes.
In the 2005 season, Gamma didn't form until November. The storm produced severe flooding in Central America and is blamed for at least 37 deaths in Honduras and Belize.
As the system fades away, forecasters have shifted their focus to the Caribbean and the 25th named storm, Hurricane Delta, as it takes aim at the central Gulf Coast of the U.S. Prior to its strike on the U.S., Delta could deal yet another significant blow to the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula, perhaps as a Category 3 major hurricane.
Report a TypoKeep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.