Tropical Depression Sixteen (2008) facts for kids
| Tropical depression (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Tropical Depression Sixteen on October 14, 2008.
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| Formed | October 14, 2008 |
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| Dissipated | October 16, 2008 |
| Highest winds | 1-minute sustained: 30 mph (45 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 1004 mbar (hPa); 29.65 inHg |
| Fatalities | At least 75 total |
| Damage | At least $150 million (2008 USD) |
| Areas affected | Central America |
| Part of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Tropical Depression Sixteen was a weak tropical cyclone that formed in October 2008. It was the sixteenth storm of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. This storm started as a strong weather system near Nicaragua on October 13.
It quickly became a tropical depression the next day. Because it was so close to land, it could not get stronger. The storm moved near Honduras and became a bit disorganized. However, it still reached its strongest point with winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) on October 15. The depression then moved over land and disappeared the next morning.
Even though it was a weak storm, Tropical Depression Sixteen caused a lot of rain. This led to dangerous flooding in Central America. At least 75 people died because of the floods. About 100,000 people had to leave their homes. The storm also caused about $150 million in damage.
Contents
How the Storm Formed
On October 13, 2008, a large area of low pressure formed. It was in the southwestern Caribbean Sea, near Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua. This area was good for a storm to grow. Weather experts soon warned that a tropical cyclone might form.
The low pressure area slowly got more organized. It became a tropical depression the next morning. At this time, it was about 50 mi (80 km) northeast of the Nicaragua and Honduras border. Forecasters thought it would move along the coast. They also thought it might become a tropical storm and hit Belize.
Storm's Journey and Weakening
However, the storm's clouds and thunderstorms started to break apart. The whole storm structure began to weaken. The depression stayed disorganized throughout the morning. Even though some curved cloud bands formed, they were far from the storm's center.
In the late afternoon, the depression moved over the northern coast of Honduras. Its winds were still about 30 mph (45 km/h). Even while over land and disorganized, the storm got a little stronger. It reached its peak winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) on the afternoon of October 15. The storm then weakened and became just a leftover low pressure area the next morning.
Warnings and Impact
The National Hurricane Center issued several tropical storm watches. These warnings were for areas that might be affected. In Costa Rica, a red alert was put in place. This meant that over 100,000 people were told to move to safer places. Since the storm never became a tropical storm, the worst conditions were not felt.
The heavy rains from the storm caused a lot of problems. At least 16 people died, and six went missing across Central America. About 100,000 people had to leave their homes. The storm also destroyed bridges and flooded villages. Many roads were blocked. The total damage from Tropical Depression Sixteen was about $150 million (in 2008 USD).
Related pages
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Tropical cyclones of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season |
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Images for kids
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The path of Tropical Depression Sixteen.
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Rainfall forecast for Central America in October 2008. Darker red shows where heavy rain was expected.
