hurricane keith hurricane keith storm october caused extensive damage central_america especially mexico belize fifteenth tropical cyclone eleventh named storm seventh hurricane year atlantic hurricane season keith developed tropical depression tropical wave western caribbean_sea september depression gradually strengthened tropical storm keith following day storm tracked westward continued intensify upgraded hurricane september shortly keith began rapidly peaked category hurricane hours later keith began offshore belize significantly weakened storm land interaction late october keith landfall belize minimal hurricane quickly weakened tropical storm landfall occurred near early following day moving inland yucatán_peninsula keith weakened downgraded tropical depression emerging gulf_of_mexico october gulf_of_mexico keith began strengthen upgraded tropical storm later day hurricane following day late october keith final landfall near mexico moderately strong hurricane storm quickly weakened inland dissipated tropical cyclone hours landfall keith brought heavy rainfall countries central_america resulted extensive flooding especially belize mexico guatemala storm flooded towns caused fatality similarly fatality occurred el_salvador people affected flooding country thirteen communities nicaragua completely isolated keith roads impassable deaths reported nicaragua flood related people presumed dead honduras aircraft disappeared near fatality occurred flooding storm brought torrential rainfall belize areas reporting inches rain highest reported precipitation greater inches belize village reported houses remained country homes destroyed damaged houses suffered minor roof damage people killed belize damages totaled million usd heavy rainfall occurred mexico especially states flooding keith caused mudslides rivers reached historic levels mexico houses damage destroyed losses infrastructure occurred addition person drowned heavy rainfall damages incurred associated keith mexico totaled approximately million million usd overall keith responsible deaths million usd damage meteorological history september tropical wave elongated area low air pressure moving east west exited west coast africa moved westward atlantic_ocean development presence upper level wind shear moving caribbean_sea disturbance wave started better organized september day hurricane hunters flight indicated closed circulation winds mph receiving data national_hurricane_center nhc initiated advisories utc nhc later estimated depression formed hours earlier north northeast forming depression good outflow convection organized anticyclone system depression expected gradually intensify moving slowly west northwest motion caused weak steering winds late september nhc upgraded depression tropical storm status named keith hurricane hunters mission reported flight level winds mph time keith tropical storm beginning undergo rapid deepening fueled warm waters low wind shear organizing cloud pattern initially uncertainty storm future movement ridge gulf_of_mexico tropical cyclone prediction models differed assessments models anticipated turn northeast florida trough predicted continued slow motion west northwest eventually reaching bay continued strengthening keith hurricane september hours tropical storm making seventh storm intensity season day eye began developing structure better organized hour period beginning utc september keith underwent explosive deepening barometric pressure dropped rate nearly mbar inhg hour nhc noted keith experienced conditions ideal strengthening exception approaching land interaction peninsula hurricane slowed offshore eastern belize caused ridge north precursor tropical storm forming cuba early october keith developed defined eye diameter nhc described spectacular appearance later day hurricane_hunters estimated minimum pressure mbar inhg deployed observed peak winds mph based data nhc estimated keith attained peak winds mph utc october offshore eastern belize category saffir simpson hurricane scale shortly keith reached peak intensity eye moved portions belize causing lose definition outflow restricted developing disturbance northeast increased wind shear result keith began weaken steadily moving category hurricane late october remaining nearly stationary keith second landfall late october minimal hurricane shortly keith weakened tropical storm convection limited southeastern quadrant utc storm landfall north hours weakened tropical depression building ridge north caused system accelerate west northwest peninsula early october keith emerged favorable conditions allowed convection quickly later day intensified tropical storm improved outflow convective organization october hurricane_hunters reported circular eye reformed winds supporting upgrade hurricane status keith intensified day final landfall north winds mph rapidly weakened high terrain northeastern mexico dissipating late october preparations september shortly keith formed hurricane watch issued peninsula day keith nearing hurricane intensity watch upgraded warning tropical storm warning hurricane watch issued belize coastline mexican border time trajectory expected northwest storm turned slow westward drift hurricane warnings issued belize coast hours lead time offshore islands warnings peninsula dropped keith weakened october government belize declared state emergency activated entire storm threat airport closed keith passage limiting transportation country mainland offshore islands belize authorities evacuated entire city people numerous shelters officials ordered evacuations setting shelters overall people evacuate belize population hospitals evacuated country post storm assessment residents offshore islands acknowledged unprepared storm intensity people surrounding low lying areas forced evacuate shelters offshore coral reef fishermen stayed coral reef storm evacuated workers offshore oil platforms officials veracruz declared states emergency keith reached gulf_of_mexico began intensifying hurricane warning issued northeastern mexico tropical storm watch issued northward texas residents evacuated shelters neighboring veracruz people left houses storm struck threat hurricane keith caused mexican authorities close ports gulf coast schools area closed impact keith slow erratic movement caused produce strong winds heavy rainfall central_america belize bore storm million damage confirmed fatalities primarily related flooding countries reported significant severe flooding including el_salvador guatemala honduras mexico nicaragua overall keith responsible deaths approximately million damage belize keith offshore belize northerly winds blew water reports people walking temporarily dry bay floor despite potential waters return event shifting winds hurricane produced storm surge west winds unofficially estimated reached mph offshore islands belize wind gusts mainland reached mph slow motion keith dropped heavy rainfall amounting parts country highest recorded precipitation total inches international airport strong winds destroyed houses belize hotel roofs wrecked winds knocked trees power lines widespread areas belize lost power telephone service including heavy rainfall flooded streets reaching deep homes damaged degree capital suffered minor roof damage rains flooded floor primary hospital city causing severe damage nationwide health facilities damaged country rains increased levels rivers including rose days storm reaching record levels width isolated villages flooding covered primary bridge rest persisted low lying land country poor drainage floods contaminated water supply northern districts causing outbreak food poisoning belize districts houses severely damaged flooding damage heaviest northern offshore islands northern portion mainland offshore islands downed trees power lines blocked roads keith damaged roofs houses damaged destroyed houses leaving people homeless houses destroyed reports dwellings standing storm houses wrecked destroyed affected trees section uprooted numerous tree branches snapped individuals died maritime accidents involving accident involving bus carrying killing people board people died offshore overall people perished country injuries mainly flying debris reported people injured storm country approximately homes damaged destroyed damage total keith initially estimated million half tourism facilities remainder roughly split crop infrastructure damage crops country damaged including corn harvest expected begin october damage total later estimated million offshore mexico hurricane keith caused damage mexican states peninsula hurricane landfall farther inland keith left million usd damage caused additional million million usd indirect costs crossing peninsula keith dropped heavy rainfall including state reported precipitation keith final landfall reported tropical storm force winds gusts mph winds damaged billboards trees city coast keith knocked trees power lines people northeastern mexico lost power people left water houses damaged veracruz roads bridges destroyed heavy rainfall occurred interior northeastern mexico peaking reporting station municipality reported hour rain total inches storm total inches broke precipitation record location counted years data rain caused rivers reach record levels rose october new historical peak rose slightly record rainfall caused dam catch acre feet water october october water released upstream face dam damaged debris repaired overall storm produced million damage million usd state remnants keith interacted cold produce heavy rainfall reaching average precipitation state inches caused causing mudslides cities including high rainfall caused flash flood mountainous areas near forming swift river currents rose dragged people local rivers rescued rivers dragged vehicles moderate total losses storm runoff caused dam receive acre feet water daily dam receive acre feet hour residents lost power people forced evacuated municipalities state including rural areas cost total damages state rose million million year damage urban infrastructure expensive portion damage million million repair damage municipalities particular received approximately quarters infrastructure damage million million usd additionally homes damaged destroyed families relocated safer areas states damage lighter significant total damages rose million million usd million million usd property damage caused storm brings total damage mexico million million usd flooding damaged houses approximately residents state impacted flooding capital city large rivers area overflowed flooding streets banks rivers prevented flooding overall people evacuate mexico storm flooding fatality man downed power line swollen river killed family house flooded overall keith killed people mexico veracruz indirect deaths plane crashed attempting land keith brought intermittent rainfall areas cuba amounts light keith organizing storm drew moisture central_america producing heavy rainfall guatemala rains caused flooding towns inundated approximately farms municipality inches water additionally fatality reported governor department remarked communities cut flooded rivers el_salvador year old man drowned river families evacuate houses damaged destroyed rainfall honduras forced families evacuate houses person died wall collapsed fatalities aircraft disappeared near bridge honduras nicaragua destroyed rebuilt following additionally government agency reported people southern honduras left isolated nicaragua floods storm forced people evacuate houses shelters schools floods affected departments nicaragua began october keith exited region floods caused landslides covered roads isolated communities keith damaged houses country destroyed fatalities storm nicaragua boy swept away fast moving flooded river northeast death occurred man drowned man western portions country died stepping power lines fallen strong winds communities isolated thirteen impassable roads neighborhoods flooded forcing evacuate families house collapsed escape injury rainfall days resultant flooding forced families evacuated significant losses corn beans crops additional families left homes flooding families port city evacuated river overflowed homes flooded region fled homes flooded aftermath october belize ambassador issued appeal international community food money damage keith received government norway immediate relief country belize gave relief areas focused relief groups red_cross united_states navy black hawk helicopters worked deliver rice corn sugar salt cooking oil toilet paper families adjacent isolated villages donated family kits october november distributed food parcels people orange walk time distributed relief items victims shipped containers kitchen sets water families donated donation account help relief effort titled hurricane keith relief fund set town local belize california set donation fundraiser delivered boat donated food clothing building supplies san area immediate aftermath officials enacted looting areas declared disaster areas entirety northern districts total declared disaster areas initial difficulties determining needs affected residents cut communications government sent planes emergency supplies affected offshore islands emergency teams sent soon weather conditions permitted widespread road repairs began immediately keith occurrence online morning october single day tropical cyclone passed area time boat service affected areas pick stranded tourists workers quickly restored power water days storm struck flooding sparked fears spread disease residents advised stay indoors avoid bites poisonous snakes nicaragua united_states ambassador declared disaster prompted united_nations departments provide country keith retired spring north_atlantic hurricane replaced atlantic hurricane season course atlantic hurricane season
Hurricane Keith