Hurricane Keith - Meteorological History

Meteorological History

Hurricane Keith began as a tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa on September 16. It moved westward across the Atlantic without much development due to upper level shear. When it reached the western Caribbean Sea, upper level winds became much more favorable, and the wave developed into Tropical Depression Fifteen on September 28, 60 mi (97 km) northeast of Cape Gracias a Dios, Nicaragua.

The newly-formed tropical cyclone drifted northwestward, and became Tropical Storm Keith on September 29.

Conditions became nearly ideal for Keith's development on September 30, with little to no shear, a well-developed anticyclone over it, and warm Caribbean water temperatures allowing for the storm to strengthen. Keith became a hurricane on September 30, which was followed by rapid intensification to a 140 mph (225 km/h) Category 4 hurricane only 18 hours later. As it neared the Belize coast, high pressure blocked further westward progress, leading Keith to execute a small loop just off the coast. Land interaction weakened the hurricane to a strong tropical storm by the time it made its first landfall on October 3. Keith became disorganized over the Yucatán, but reintensified when it reached the Gulf of Mexico on October 4. The storm intensified into a 90 mph (140 km/h) hurricane before making its final landfall near Tampico, Mexico on October 5. Keith dissipated over northeastern Mexico the next day.