Tropical Storm Jose (2005)

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Tropical Storm Jose
Type=Tropical storm
Year=2005
Basin=Atl
Image location=TSJose 2005.jpg


Formed=August 22, 2005
Dissipated=August 23, 2005
1-min winds=50
Pressure=998
Da

Inflated=2
Fatalities=6 direct, 2 indirect
Areas=Central Mexico
Hurricane season=2005 Atlantic hurricane season

Tropical Storm Jose was a short-lived tropical storm which made landfall in central Mexico during August 2005. Jose was the tenth named storm of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season and the fourth of six tropical cyclones (three hurricanes and three tropical storms) to make landfall in Mexico in that year.

Tropical Storm Jose formed in the Bay of Campeche on August 22 and made landfall in the Mexican state of Veracruz the next day. It retained tropical characteristics for less than one day before dissipating, but still brought heavy levels of rainfall to the region. Mudslides caused by the rainfall killed eight people, six of those directly, and caused $45 million (2005 USD) in damage.cite web|author=Staff Writer|publisher=Teorema Ambiental|title=Estiman daños en Veracruz por 500 millones de pesos |accessdate=May 24|accessyear=2006|language=Spanish|url=http://www.teorema.com.mx/articulos.php?id_sec=44&id_art=184]

Meteorological history

On August 17 a tropical wave, probably the same wave from which Tropical Depression Ten had developed from earlier in the month, began to organize in the central Caribbean. Convection gradually increased as it moved towards the Yucatán Peninsula, but the system did not develop beyond a tropical wave. The system weakened as it crossed the peninsula, and when it entered the Bay of Campeche on August 21 it had hardly any convection remaining. However, early in the morning of August 22, convection rapidly increased under highly favorable upper-level conditions, and the system became Tropical Depression Eleven about 110 miles (175 km) east of Veracruz.cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|title=Tropical Cyclone Report: Tropical Storm Jose|publisher=NOAA|accessdate=May 22|accessyear=2006|format=PDF|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-AL112005_Jose.pdf]

The depression rapidly intensified as it moved to the west, becoming Tropical Storm Jose just six hours later. The global model guidance initially failed to resolve the storm's track well, with some models indicating that it would stall offshore.cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|title=Discussion for Tropical Depression Eleven, 5 p.m. EDT, August 22 2005|publisher=NOAA|accessdate=May 22|accessyear=2006|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/dis/al112005.discus.002.shtml] Jose continued to strengthen as it moved towards the coast and made landfall in the state of Veracruz early on August 23 with winds reaching a peak of 60 mph (90 km/h). As Jose made its landfall an eye was beginning to form, although the storm was still well short of hurricane intensity.cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|title=Discussion for Tropical Storm Jose, 5 a.m. EDT, August 23 2005|publisher=NOAA|accessdate=May 22|accessyear=2006|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/dis/al112005.discus.005.shtml]

Tropical Storm Jose quickly weakened after landfall and dissipated that afternoon in the mountains of central Mexico only 24 hours after forming.

Preparations

As Tropical Storm Jose formed so close to shore there was a lead time of less than 9 hours on the tropical storm warning for the Veracruz coastline. The area covered by the warning issued on September 22 was extended southwards as Jose intensified, before being canceled soon after landfall on September 23. The advisories issued by the National Hurricane Center emphasized that rainfall from Jose was the primary threat.

Impact

Tropical Storm Jose was responsible for damaging crops, highways and homes; flooding districts in several cities in the state of Veracruz, and the evacuation of 80,000 people to shelters. The government of that state estimated the damages caused by the storm to be approximately $45 million (2005 USD). Approximately 120 municipalities were affected by the torrential rain, but the majority of the damage was concentrated to eight of them: Martínez de la Torre, Misantla, Nautla, San Rafael, Vega de la Torre, Actopan, Cardel and Úrsulo Galván. Damage to the highway infrastructure was estimated at $33 million (2005 USD).

It was also reported that the storm damaged at least 16,000 homes and about 250 square kilometers (60 thousand acres) of land used for cattle. In addition over 420 square kilometers (103 thousand acres) of various crops, including sugar cane, corn and bananas, were flooded. Many boats were also lost as a result of Jose. 90 active medical brigades were sent to the region to reduce the risk of infections amongst the affected population.

Jose was responsible for six direct casualties. One of these deaths was the result of a mud slide that killed a man was in Xalapa, Veracruz. The other five deaths were also due to mudslides in Oaxaca.

Naming and records

When Tropical Storm Jose formed on August 22, it was the earliest date for the formation of the tenth tropical storm in an Atlantic hurricane season, beating the previous record held by Tropical Storm Jerry of the 1995 season by 1 day. This was also the third time the name "Jose" had been used to name a tropical cyclone in the Atlantic. As Tropical Storm Jose did not have a major impact, the name was not retired by the World Meteorological Organization and will be on the list of names for the 2011 season.

See also

* List of storms in the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season
* List of tropical cyclones

References

External links

* [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2005/JOSE.shtml NHC's archive on Tropical Storm Jose]
* [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/TCR-AL112005_Jose.pdf NHC's Tropical Cyclone Report on Tropical Storm Jose]