Mexico Flooded by Tropical Storm Manuel and Hurricane Ingrid

Mexico Flooded by Tropical Storm Manuel and Hurricane Ingrid

Mexico's Pacific and Gulf coasts were both inundated by deadly tropical rainfall at the same time. Tropical storm Manuel dropped extremely heavy rainfall along Mexico's Pacific coast. At least 55 people have been reported killed in Mexico due to flooding and landslides caused by extreme rainfall. Hurricane Ingrid weakened to a tropical storm and came ashore from the Gulf Of Mexico into the state of Tamaulipas near La Pesca, Mexico on Monday September 16,2013. The approximate 0000Z and 1200Z locations of the tropical cyclones are shown overlaid in white.
The TRMM-based, near-real time Multi- satellite Precipitation Analysis (MPA) at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is used to monitor rainfall over the global tropics. MPA rainfall totals are shown over Mexico for the period 9-18 September 2013. The highest rainfall totals for tropical storm Manuel, of over 350mm (~14 inches), were located along the Pacific coast.
 

Mexico Flooded by Tropical Storm Manuel and Hurricane Ingrid

Tropical Depression Manuel had moved back into the Pacific Ocean and was well on it's way to becoming a tropical storm again when the TRMM satellite passed above on September 18, 2013 at 0212 UTC. The image above shows rainfall data from TRMM's Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) overlaid on an enhanced infrared image from the satellite's Visible and InfraRed Scanner (VIRS). Rain was found by TRMM PR to be falling at a rate of almost 125mm/hr (~4.9 inches) in a band of powerful thunderstorms located just south of Manuel's center of circulation.

Mexico Flooded by Tropical Storm Manuel and Hurricane Ingrid

A 3-D look at Manuel's structure using TRMM PR showed that these powerful storms within the intensifying tropical cyclone were reaching heights above 15km (~9.3 miles). The National Hurricane Center (NHC) predicts that Manuel will intensify even further and may approach hurricane intensity in the next 24 hours.