page_title: October 2008 Central America floods
section_title: Preparations
hierarchical_section_title: October 2008 Central America floods / Preparations
caption_attribution_description: English: Track map of Tropical Depression Sixteen of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. The points show the location of the storm at 6-hour intervals. The colour represents the storm's maximum sustained wind speeds as classified in the Saffir–Simpson scale (see below), and the shape of the data points represent the nature of the storm, according to the legend below. Saffir–Simpson scale Tropical depression≤38 mph≤62 km/h Category 3111–129 mph178–208 km/h Tropical storm39–73 mph63–118 km/h Category 4130–156 mph209–251 km/h Category 174–95 mph119–153 km/h Category 5≥157 mph≥252 km/h Category 296–110 mph154–177 km/h Unknown Storm type Tropical cyclone Subtropical cyclone Extratropical cyclone / Remnant low / Tropical disturbance / Monsoon depression
context_page_description: The October 2008 Central America floods were caused by a series of low-pressure areas including Tropical Depression Sixteen, a short-lived tropical cyclone in the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season that made landfall in Honduras. Heavy rainfall began in early October 2008 while a tropical wave passed through the region. On October 14, Tropical Depression Sixteen formed just off the northeast coast of Honduras, and at the same time a low pressure system was on the Pacific coast. Both systems increased rainfall across the region, although the depression dropped heavy rainfall close to its center when it moved ashore on October 15. Although Tropical Depression Sixteen quickly dissipated over land, its remnants persisted for several days. Another low pressure area interacted with a cold front on October 21, adding to the rainfall in the region.
  Heavy rainfall extended from Costa Rica to southeastern Mexico, causing what was considered the worst natural disaster in the region since Hurricane Mitch in 1998. In the former country, rainfall totaled 2,100 millimetres over several weeks, making the week ending October 17 the wettest in San José since 1944.
context_section_description: Around the time when the NHC began issuing advisories on the depression, officials issued a tropical storm warning for northern Honduras that eventually covered the country's entire coastline. A tropical storm warning was also issued for the coast of Belize. When the NHC began issuing advisories on the depression, the agency anticipated the depression would intensify into a strong tropical storm, based on low wind shear and warm sea surface temperatures; however, the agency noted uncertainty in the track. A ridge to the north was expected to steer the nascent depression westward, and two tropical cyclone forecast models predicted the storm would continue west-northwestward to strike Belize. Other models forecast a more immediate landfall, which would limit intensification. While the storm was active, officials in Honduras issued a yellow alert for seven departments where heavy rainfall had occurred. A nationwide yellow alert was also issued for El Salvador, meaning there was potential for flooding and landslides, although alerts were dropped on October 21 when the threat of rainfall diminished.
caption: Storm path of Tropical Depression Sixteen
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