&sq=Qlik&lang=&file=File:Ernesto_Aug_7_2012_1920Z.jpg) Ernesto intensifying and approaching the Yucatán Peninsula on August 7 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | August 1, 2012 |
| Dissipated | August 10, 2012 |
| Category 2 hurricane | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
| Highest winds | 100 mph (155 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 973 mbar (hPa); 28.73 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 12 |
| Damage | $252 million (2012 USD) |
| Areas affected | Windward Islands, Jamaica, Central America, Mexico |
| IBTrACS | |
Part of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Hurricane Ernesto was a Category 2 hurricane and a damaging tropical cyclone that affected several Caribbean Islands and areas of Central America during August 2012. The fifth named storm and second hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, Ernesto originated from a tropical wave that emerged off the west coast of Africa in late July. Moving westward, the system developed into a tropical depression in the central Atlantic, and further into a tropical storm prior to entering the Caribbean Sea. The system encountered high wind shear south of Jamaica but subsequently reached its peak intensity as a Category 2 hurricane as it made landfall on the Yucatán Peninsula. Ernesto briefly emerged in the Bay of Campeche as a strong tropical storm before dissipating over the mountainous terrain of Mexico. The remnant circulation emerged in the eastern Pacific basin, contributing to the formation of Tropical Storm Hector.
Following the formation of the system, tropical storm watches and warnings were issued for the Windward Islands. Hurricane watches and warnings were extended for nearby Caribbean Islands in the days following as Ernesto trekked across the central Caribbean Sea. Evacuations were performed in low-lying areas on the Yucatán Peninsula and cruise ship departures were cancelled.