![]() Grace at peak intensity shortly after landfall in Veracruz on August 21 | |
Meteorological history | |
---|---|
Formed | August 13, 2021 |
Dissipated | August 21, 2021 |
Category 3 major hurricane | |
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Highest winds | 120 mph (195 km/h) |
Lowest pressure | 967 mbar (hPa); 28.56 inHg |
Overall effects | |
Fatalities | 16 |
Damage | $513 million (2021 USD) |
Areas affected | Lesser Antilles, Greater Antilles, Yucatan Peninsula, Central Mexico |
IBTrACS | |
Part of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season |
Hurricane Grace was the strongest tropical cyclone to make landfall in the Mexican state of Veracruz. Grace impacted much of the Leeward Islands and Greater Antilles as a tropical storm, before causing more substantial impacts in the Yucatán Peninsula and Veracruz as a hurricane. It was the seventh named storm, second hurricane, and first major hurricane of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season. Originating from a tropical wave in the Main Development Region, the primitive system tracked west-northwest across the Atlantic Ocean towards the Antilles, becoming a tropical depression on August 14. It strengthened into Tropical Storm Grace later the same day, but weakened back to a depression due to an unfavorable environment. After moving near Haiti as a tropical depression, it strengthened back to a tropical storm and became a hurricane on August 18, reaching an initial peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) and a pressure of 986 mbar (29.12 inHg). It weakened back to a tropical storm after its landfall in the Yucatán Peninsula and emerged into the Bay of Campeche, entering a very favorable environment for intensification hours later. Grace then rapidly intensified into a Category 3 hurricane with winds of 120 mph (190 km/h) in about 24 hours. The storm made its final landfall in the state of Veracruz at peak intensity and quickly degenerated into a remnant low over mainland Mexico on August 21; however, its remnants later regenerated into Tropical Storm Marty in the Eastern Pacific on August 23.
In Haiti, Grace exacerbated effects from an earthquake three days prior to the passage of the storm. Streets were flooded and power outages were reported in Jamaica. In Mexico, the storm caused landslides and destroyed buildings. In total, Grace killed 16 people: 4 in Haiti and 12 in Mexico. The storm caused an estimated $513 million (2021 USD) in damages.[1][2]