hurricane richard hurricane richard damaging hurricane affected areas central_america october developed october area low pressure stalled caribbean_sea system moved southeast turning west storm slowly organized system intensified tropical storm initially richard intensified slowly area week steering currents october wind shear diminished storm intensified faster headed belize day richard intensified hurricane status peak intensity category hurricane reaching maximum winds mph hurricane landfall belize peak intensity land richard quickly weakened later degenerated remnant low october hurricane richard caused estimated million usd damages path belize honduras damage limited power outages landslides belize damage attributed damage crops power outages widespread country fatalities occurred belize direct indirect person drowned ship capsized storm death jaguar escaped cage meteorological history origins hurricane richard traced tropical wave moved african coast october moved westward venezuela october days drifted extreme southwestern caribbean_sea soon developed area low pressure stalled north panama october national_hurricane_center nhc began monitor area disturbed weather association weak trough low pressure southwestern caribbean_sea persisted region hurricane dissipated cuba day october easterly northerly trade winds flowed low producing disorganized area convection thunderstorms region days system moved generally west northwestward central_america convection increased low october national_hurricane_center noted possibility organization favorable environmental conditions later day passed near eastern coast nicaragua storm organized turned north northwest drift northwestern caribbean_sea hurricane_hunters investigated system october indicated development low level circulation nhc noted storm close tropical depression strength day system turned east strong upper level wind shear development conditions expected early october convection organized increased near center circulation despite area moderate wind shear organization nhc classified tropical depression nineteen miles south time depression drifting eastward located near base mid level trough west subtropical ridge hours formation center remained located western portion curved convection increased wind shear decreased despite presence dry air northwest depression intensified tropical storm richard utc october based confirmation hurricane_hunters post operational analysis revealed depression tropical storm slightly earlier utc intensifying tropical storm status richard moving southeastward area weak steering currents midst undergoing loop track hurricane models predicted storm intensify major hurricane status western caribbean official forecast storm landfall belize winds mph richard continued generally southward early october convection ragged linear preventing initial strengthening additionally circulation elongated thunderstorms deteriorated continued presence dry air wind shear turning westward richard moved parallel offshore honduras coast circulation difficult locate satellite imagery october tropical storm richard began strengthening shear diminished storm took advantage warm waters western caribbean later day mid level eye feature evident satellite imagery additionally outflow gradually improved symmetrical circulation october hurricane_hunters indicated richard attained hurricane status based surface winds mph addition radar belize time indicated nearly closed eyewall hurricane continued intensifying peak winds mph minimum central pressure dropped inhg making category hurricane despite fact operationally classified category hurricane winds mph pressure inhg utc october hurricane richard landfall miles south southeast belize peak intensity moving ashore eye briefly better defined hours inner core lost definition eye dissipated winds rapidly diminished richard weakened tropical depression status crossing northern guatemala little deep convection remaining emerging degenerated remnant low october turned east system forced strong wind shear storm reached yucatán_peninsula system began turning north reached gulf_of_mexico remnants hurricane richard continued north gulf_of_mexico weakened system dissipated completely late october preparations impact honduras starting late october government honduras issued tropical storm watch tropical storm richard covered north coast honduras border nicaragua richard finally began head westward october tropical storm watch upgraded tropical storm warnings hurricane watch issued location utc october government honduras issued tropical storm warning heading westward tropical storm warning included richard predicted brush coast honduras offshore tropical storm warning upgraded hurricane warning time richard intensified hurricane moved away eastern honduras tropical storm warning hurricane watch discontinued border nicaragua hurricane richard approaching belize october discontinued watches warning issued association storm longer considered possible threat landfall passing north country richard knocked trees power lines northern honduras coast power outages occurring areas resulted fallen power lines addition mudslides triggered rainfall cut estimated people small towns coastal provinces declared areas maximum alert government storm offshore experienced heavy rainfall richard winds islands peaked mph belize government belize began warning threat richard october starting tropical storm watch issued entire east coast country tropical storm richard rapidly intensifying tropical storm watch coast belize replaced tropical storm warning upgraded utc october hours replacement tropical storm watch warning richard nearing hurricane status tropical storm warning place east coast belize upgraded hurricane warning hurricane warning associated hurricane richard remained place east coast belize landfall occurring storm landfall south southeast prior storm landfall estimated people took refuge storm shelters churches belize hurricane richard damaged thousands homes leaving power major attraction path heavily damaged forcing close remove debris repair animal exhibits overall damage million million usd crop damage especially citrus fruits entire harvest lost estimated orange crops lost large trees downed addition homes destroyed mexico government mexico gave warnings approaching richard issuing hurricane watch east coast yucatán_peninsula southward city border belize addition hurricane watch issued portion yucatán_peninsula tropical storm warning set effect area hurricane richard approached closely mexican portion yucatán_peninsula changes watches warning utc october time landfall belize hurricane richard landfall belize government mexico discontinued hurricane watch southward tropical storm warnings cancelled governor declared highest state alert prior richard areas northeastern coast yucatán_peninsula minimum alert government
Hurricane Richard