Tropical Storm Larry was the twelfth namedtropical storm in the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season. It was one of eight storms to impact Mexico from either the Pacific or Atlantic oceans in the season. Larry formed in early October from an extratropical storm in the Bay of Campeche,and reached a peak intensity of 65mph (105km/h). Due to weak steering currents,the storm moved southward,which resulted in the storm making landfall on the Tabasco coastline. It was the first tropical storm to strike the region since Tropical Storm Brenda in 1973.[1]
Larry drifted across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec,dropping heavy rainfall of over 9in (230mm) in places. The rainfall led to flooding and mudslides,causing damage to thousands of houses. The flooding killed five people and resulted in $53.6million (2003USD) in damage. Larry was one of three tropical cyclones to hit Mexico in a short period of time,including Tropical Depression Nora and Tropical Storm Olaf in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Meteorological history
Map plotting the storm's track and intensity,according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
A tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa on September 17, and moved across the Atlantic. An upper-level trough produced wind shear over the wave, preventing any organization until September26. Then, the wave moved under an anticyclone, allowing for convection to develop. A weak low pressure area developed on September 27 while the system was approaching the eastern Yucatán Peninsula. The system moved over land on September29, and emerged a day later into the southern Gulf of Mexico. The low merged with a stationary frontal boundary, becoming an extratropical cyclone. A large high-pressure system over the northern Gulf of Mexico forced the storm southward. It developed more convection as it drifted southwestward. It gradually transitioned into a tropical cyclone, completing the process on October1 while located 300mi (480km) east-southeast of Tampico, Mexico. The storm strengthened further, reaching peak winds of 65mph (105km/h) on October3. A mid-level ridge forced the storm more to the south-southeast. Larry made landfall at Paraíso, Tabasco, on October 5, with winds of 60mph (95km/h). On the next day, the storm weakened into a tropical depression and degenerated into a remnant low. The remnants of Larry turned to the southwest, reaching the eastern Pacific on October7, and dissipating a day later.[2]
Preparations
Due to its erratic motion, the Mexican government issued a Tropical Storm Warning and a Hurricane Watch early in Larry's lifetime from Veracruz to Campeche. The watches and warnings were extended westward to Tuxpan and eastward to Ciudad del Carmen.[2] Due to the threat of the storm, officials closed three Pemex oil ports.[3] In addition, the storm closed shipping ports in Dos Bocas[es] in Tabasco, Coatzacoalcos in Veracruz, and Cayo Arcas in Campeche. The Mexican government placed six coastal states on maximum alert,[3] while authorities set up 75 evacuation shelters for around 1,500people. Because of the storm, the government declared much of eastern Mexico a state of emergency.[4]
Impact
The highest recorded winds on land were 59mph (95km/h) in El Alacrán in Tabasco. The worst of Larry's effects came from its rainfall, peaking at 24.77 inches (629mm) in Upper Juarez in southeastern Mexico.[5] The highest 24-hour rainfall total was 9.6 inches (240mm) in Tortuguero, Chiapas.[6] The flooding damaged more than 21,000houses across Mexico, in combination with the damage from Eastern Pacific Hurricanes Nora and Olaf. The floods from the storms led to the Mexican Red Cross providing food, mattresses, and hygiene packets.[7] Damage was greatest around the Chiapas capital of Tuxtla Gutiérrez, where over 9,000houses were affected.[8] The rainfall caused mudslides across the country, hospitalizing two individuals in central Hidalgo. The flooding also caused severe crop damage along Larry's path.[9] Strong wind gusts caused outages to telephone and power services.[6] In all, Larry caused five deaths[2] and $53.6million in damage (2003USD).[10]
In El Salvador, rainfall from the remnants of Larry—combined with previous rainfall—caused mudslides and flooding, forcing several thousand people to evacuate in San Salvador. The flooding destroyed or damaged hundreds of houses.[11]
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