Hurricane Clarice

**Hurricane Clarice** was the earliest observed Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic basin, as well as only one of two storms of such intensity in the month; the other being Hurricane Emily of 2005. At the time of its occurrence, Clarice became the fourth-most intense hurricane to strike Mexico, after Hurricanes Gilbert, Dean, and Janet. It was displaced to fifth after Hurricane Sarah later in the season.

The third named storm and first hurricane of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season, Clarice formed from a tropical wave in the Caribbean Sea on June 30. Tracking in a generally northwestern direction, Clarice steadily intensified, narrowly passing by Jamaica as a Category 3 hurricane. It intensified further to reach Category 5 strength on July 7, and made landfall at the Yucatán Peninsula just north of Tulum on the mainland of Quintana Roo at peak strength. Land interaction significantly weakened Clarice, which emerged over the Gulf of Mexico as a tropical storm late the following day. The storm quickly reorganized, and underwent rapid intensification to attain a secondary peak strength with winds of 130 mph (210 km/h) before making its final destructive landfall in the state of Tamaulipas in northeastern Mexico on July 12.

When its central pressure dropped below 929 mbar and its sustained winds reached 165 mph (265 km/h) on July 7, Clarice became the strongest hurricane ever to form before August, breaking the record set by Hurricane Emily in 2005 by nine days, as well as becoming the second only Category 5 Atlantic hurricane ever recorded before August. Clarice continued to strengthen, with its peak winds reaching 175 mph (280 km/h) and a central pressure of 919 mbar (27.14 inHg) later that same day.

In total, Clarice's trek across the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico resulted in 71 deaths and $3.89 billion in damages, primarily in Mexico. As a result of the extensive damage caused by Clarice, the World Meteorological Organization retired the name in the spring of 2019; it was replaced with *Candice*.

## **Meteorological history**

Tropical Depression Three formed in the eastern Caribbean on June 30. By the following evening, the depression reached tropical storm status as it churned through a region typically unfavorable for intensification; being named *Clarice* by the JMC. The storm quickly strengthened as it developed a small inner core of convection with tightly-wound bands around the center, and by early on July 2 an eye feature was observed on satellite imagery. Based on reports from reconnaissance aircraft, it was estimated that Clarice became a hurricane approximately 160 mi (257 km) south of Jacmel, Haiti.

Clarice tracked generally northwest between another low pressure system to its west and a low- to mid-level ridge to its northeast; and despite a slight stall in its forward motion early during its existence, maintained this general trajectory for virtually its entire life. Entering an environment of moderate wind shear and high heat content, the storm reached Category 3 intensity as it passed just south of Jamaica. Land interaction briefly halted intensification, but strengthening resumed shortly after exiting the vicinity of the island nation. As wind shear lessened, Clarice attained Category 4 intensity as it brushed the Cayman Islands, and at 0400 UTC on July 7, Clarice became a Category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of 165 mph (265 km/h).

Upon reaching this strength, it became one of only two known Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes to form in July; tying with 2005's Hurricane Emily for the record of being the strongest Atlantic hurricane to form in the month by pressure, while surpassing the records held by the aforementioned storm for the earliest-forming Category 5 in the Atlantic basin by nine days, as well as the strongest (by wind speed). Clarice strengthened further to achieve sustained winds of 175 mph (280 km/h) and a pressure of 919 mbar, effectively making it the most intense pre-August storm on record in the Atlantic. The storm maintained this strength until it made landfall in coastal areas just south of Cancun at 12:25 pm EDT on July 7. The eyewall passed directly over the city, inflicting massive damage.

Significantly weakened by its passage over land, Clarice's center of circulation emerged over the Gulf of Mexico with winds of 55 mph (85 km/h) the following evening. For the next day, the combination of dry air, increasing wind shear and slightly cooler water temperatures prevented significant convection from developing over the center. However, conditions became more favorable for intensification as the storm moved away from land. By 0000 UTC on July 10, Clarice regained its hurricane status, beginning its steady reorganization in a moist, low shear environment. By the time of landfall in the northeastern Mexican state of Tamaulipas during the early hours of July 12, Clarice had attained its secondary peak intensity as a minimal Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 130 mph (209 km/h) and a pressure of 949 mbar. Weakening quickly ensued as Clarice moved inland over Mexico, falling to tropical storm strength just ten hours after landfall. Its circulation was last noted over the Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range on July 13 before dissipating entirely that evening.

## **Preparations**

Late on July 1, a tropical storm warning was issued by the Jarrell Meteorological Center for the southern coast of Dominica. It was later upgraded to a hurricane watch early on July 2. Later that day, hurricane warnings were issued for Haiti's southern coast and Jamaica. Cayman Airways evacuated residents from the Cayman Islands ahead of Clarice.