Hurricane Dale

Hurricane Dale was the fourth named tropical storm and second hurricane of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season. It was a relatively weak storm that, while only peaking in strength as a Category 1 hurricane for a short period of time, caused severe flooding and mudslides in the Central American countries of Guatemala and El Salvador as well as in southern Mexico which has led to at least 967 deaths, with many more reported missing and feared dead.

## **Meteorological history**

    A tropical wave, which moved off the African coast on June 24, formed a low pressure area when it reached the western Caribbean Sea, merging with a large area of convective activity that had been present in the area for several days. The system made landfall on the Yucatán Peninsula on July 6 with minimal change in structure, and began organizing quickly upon emerging into the Bay of Campeche the next day. By 10 pm CDT July 7 (0200 UTC), it had sufficiently strengthened to be given tropical storm status, receiving the name Dale upon doing so.

Dale continued through the Bay during July 8, gradually gaining strength while doing so. In the early morning hours of July 9, Dale had strengthened enough to be upgraded to hurricane status. It made landfall later that morning on the east coast of Mexico, north of Veracruz, as a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale, then weakened to a tropical storm early that afternoon.

Hurricane Dale's ability to create havoc in the mountainous regions of southern Mexico and Central America due to landslides and flooding meant that the Jarrell Meteorological Center did not stop issuing advisories on it until July 10 at 1000 UTC.

The storm produced landslides, flooding, and high winds throughout its path in eastern Mexico and Central America, as upwards of 34 inches (863 mm) of rain was reported which has led to the destruction. Most of the destructive floods were a result of the outer bands of Dale, as well as when it was still a tropical depression.

## **Impact**

Around the time of Dale's existence, torrential rainstorms dropped upwards of 34 inches (863 mm) of rain, causing severe flash floods, mud slides, and crop damage over portions of Mexico and Central America, including Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Most of the rainstorms were non-tropical in nature and impossible to relate to the hurricane; however, the impact of the larger weather system can be considered as a whole.

Hundreds were reported missing and were feared dead throughout the region. One estimate put the death toll above 2,000 in Guatemala alone. The final death toll will likely never be known due to the extensive decomposition of bodies in the mud, as well as the passage of Hurricane Clarice in the affected areas just a week later.

Most of the reported fatalities were as a result of the flooding and mudslides throughout the region. A large portion of the figure comes from one village alone, as a mudslide completely destroyed the village of Tzununá in Guatemala's Sololá department.

### **Mexico**

The precursor system to Dale brought torrential rainfall and gusty winds to parts of the Yucatan Peninsula. Flash flooding took place in several areas; however, no loss of life was reported.