Tropical Storm Beatriz threatens to flood southern Mexico

By Kristina Pydynowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

June 1,2017, 1:59:49PM,EDT

 

 

Lives and property will be threatened in southern Mexico as Tropical Storm Beatriz unloads torrential rain late this week.
A tropical low spinning south of Mexico organized into Tropical Depression Two-E on Wednesday morning. The depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Beatriz on Thursday midday, local time.
“Beatriz may make landfall in the state of Oaxaca between Puerto Angel and Puerto Escondido,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Rob Miller said.

Beatriz has churned up seas along the coast of southern Mexico, endangering swimmers and operators of small craft.
“Any wind damage issues would be sporadic and limited to the immediate coast,” Miller said, “but flooding is the main danger and will exist regardless of any strengthening.”
Miller warned of widespread rainfall totals of 150-250 mm (6-10 inches) across Oaxaca late this week. Puerto Angel has been inundated with 163.4 mm (6.44 inches) in the 24 hours ending early on Thursday morning.
"Amounts in excess of 250 mm (10 inches) will also inundate the higher terrain of Oaxaca, especially the southern mountains," he said.
“The torrential rain in southern Mexico threatens to cause life-threatening flooding and mudslides," Miller said.
There can be localized flooding in the states of Chiapas, Tabasco and Veracruz as downpours from the depression spread northward.
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After making landfall, the mountains of southern Mexico will cause Beatriz to weaken to a tropical rainstorm, but flooding downpours should remain into Friday.
Downpours may also graze the western Yucatan Peninsula to end the week.
In the Atlantic Basin, where hurricane season officially starts on Thursday, a piece of the tropical system could attempt to re-organize in the southern Gulf of Mexico this weekend.
However, strong winds above the surface over the northern Gulf of Mexico would likely reverse any development and shred the system apart.
Tropical moisture could still get drawn northward and enhance the risk of blinding downpours and local flash flooding in the southern United States this weekend and early next week.