Weather tracker: Mexico's Pacific coast hit by tropical storm and hurricane
While the western Atlantic has experienced a quiet start to the hurricane season, the eastern Pacific has recently become fairly active, producing a tropical storm and a category 4 hurricane within a few days.
The first and weaker of these systems, Tropical Storm Dalila, developed into a tropical storm late last week. Although this storm stayed off the coast of Mexico and was relatively weak to other storms that have developed in this region, Dalila brought flooding and mudslides to the resort town of Acapulco, in western Mexico.
On Tuesday, Hurricane Erick formed in the eastern Pacific, marking the fifth named storm in the region. Erick rapidly strengthened off the west coast of Mexico into a category 2 hurricane on Wednesday, before transitioning into a category 4 hurricane on Thursday, with maximum sustained winds of about 140mph. Despite having been downgraded to category 3 by the time it made landfall over the state of Oaxaca, sustained wind speeds still reached almost 130mph, causing major disruption. Large waves were produced by Erick, with the popular surfing spot Puerto Escondido seeing waves breaking at over 20ft (about 6 metres).
Up to 400mm of rain is expected to fall through the course of the hurricane's passing, bringing further flooding and landslides to areas that were already affected by Dalila late last week and earlier this week. Forecasts indicate the hurricanewill deintensify as it pushes north-westwards across mountainous terrain in Mexico.
The tropical eastern Pacific is expected to continue to be active through the rest of June, with potential development areas being watched by the National Hurricane Center. In contrast, the Atlantic is expected to remain quiet for a time, but is still forecast to produce an above-average number of storms and hurricanes.
Typhoon Wutip, which developed in the South China Sea last week as the first typhoon of the season, moved north-eastwards through south-east China last Sunday and Monday, resulting in the death of seven people. Although the system weakened to a remnant low soon after making landfall with China, it continued to bring flooding, with 70,000 people evacuated as Huaiji county was placed on its highest level of flood alert.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
26 minutes ago
- Telegraph
What to do if your home is in one of Britain's expanding floodplains
As climate change accelerates and the weather becomes increasingly unpredictable, the risk of flooding across the UK is rising sharply. Around 6.3 million properties in England are now located in areas at risk of flooding from rivers, the sea or surface water, according to the Environment Agency's most recent National Flood Risk Assessment (Nafra2). As flood risk maps are updated to reflect climate data and improved modelling, more people may find their homes reclassified as being in a floodplain. Here, Telegraph Money explains why flood zone designations are changing, what it could mean for you and the steps you can take to protect your home and finances. Why are flood zones changing? Are flood zone reclassifications becoming more common? What does it mean for your contents and buildings insurance? Are there any other financial implications? What to watch out for when buying a property What if I live in a flood-prone area? Why are flood zones changing? In recent months, the Environment Agency has introduced several major updates to its flood risk datasets and online mapping tools as part of the Nafra2 project. These updates reflect both changes in climate patterns and improvements in data and modelling to offer a more accurate picture of flood risk. Paul Smith, of The Strategic Land Group, said: 'As a result of climate change the UK is expected to get wetter, with more intense rainfall. This will change the pattern and frequency of flooding in comparison to what we have experienced before.' Babek Ismayil, chief executive and founder of home buying platform OneDome, added: 'Flood zones are updated as new environmental and meteorological data becomes available. Agencies like the Environment Agency reassess areas based on factors such as rainfall patterns, river flow, sea-level rise and changes in land use. 'As modelling becomes more accurate, properties that were previously seen as low-risk may now fall within areas recognised as having a greater flood threat.' Are flood zone reclassifications becoming more common? With climate change contributing to more extreme and unpredictable weather, the number of areas designated as flood risk zones is increasing, according to Andrew Boast, property specialist at SAM Conveyancing. He said: 'Rising sea levels, heavier rainfall and overwhelmed drainage systems lead to more areas being identified as floodplains.' Laura Xu, of climate risk analytics company Climate X, added: 'Development in greenfield or previously undeveloped areas can exacerbate surface water flooding. Together, these factors are making flood zone updates – and reclassifications – more common.' According to the Nafra2 data, one in four properties in England could be in areas at risk of flooding by 2050. Blake Stephenson, the Conservative MP for Mid Bedfordshire, has written to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, to ask what support will be provided to those who now find themselves living on a floodplain. Mr Stephenson said that updated flood zone data meant many of his constituents found their home categorised as being in a floodplain. What does it mean for your contents and buildings insurance? If your home is in a newly designated flood zone, it could affect your home insurance costs and coverage at renewal. Alex Parker-Walklate, chief insurance officer at Intelligent Insurance, said: 'Being in a floodplain might lead to flood exclusions, higher premiums or a larger excess, albeit most insurers also have their own flood modelling to determine which properties are most at risk of flooding.' Fortunately, the introduction of the Government's Flood Re scheme in 2016 means affordable contents and buildings insurance is available to many homeowners in flood-prone areas. However, this doesn't cover homes built since 2009 or blocks of flats with three or more residences. This is because Flood Re was designed to support existing homes, not encourage development in high-risk areas. If you're not covered by Flood Re and your home is now in a floodplain, it can be worth speaking to an insurance broker who can help you explore specialist cover options. Are there any other financial implications? As well as affecting the amount you pay for home insurance, being in a floodplain can potentially reduce your property's value and make it more difficult to sell your home. In its Financial Stability Report last year, the Bank of England warned of the risk to home values from extreme weather. It said: 'Reduced insurance availability and increased costs could pose further potential challenges to financial stability, by putting downwards pressure on house prices and exposing households and lenders to greater losses.' Mr Boast said: 'You must inform a potential buyer if any part of the property (whether buildings or surrounding garden or land) has ever been flooded, including if this affected the property's insurance premiums.' Securing a mortgage or remortgaging may also be more challenging if the property is now within a designated flood zone. 'Some mortgage lenders will not lend where the security property is located within a high flood-risk area. They may request a more detailed Flood Risk Assessment before they agree to lend to the borrower,' added Mr Boast. If you're struggling to get a mortgage, it's sensible to speak to a mortgage broker who specialises in flood-risk properties. They can connect you to lenders that may be more willing to offer you a mortgage, depending on your situation. What to watch out for when buying a property Before buying, it's crucial to check a property's proximity to rivers, streams or the coast and look for signs of past surface water flooding, which may suggest a higher reclassification risk in future. Poor drainage or frequent standing water after rain can also be indicators, according to Mr Ismayil. He said: 'Always consult the Environment Agency's flood risk maps and consider commissioning a specialist flood risk assessment during the conveyancing process. Areas with ongoing or planned flood mitigation projects may also signal recognised risk.' Mr Boast added: 'Search data can often flag flood risk within the local area; however, this doesn't specifically mean your property is affected. Investigate all evidence through searches, the sellers and your survey to decide whether to buy a property in a high flood-risk area.' You can check the immediate flood risk by using the online Environment Agency tool, as well as the long-term flood risk for areas in England by using the tool on the government website. What if I live in a flood-prone area? If your home is already in a floodplain or it's recently been reclassified, there are steps you can take to minimise the risk and impact of flooding. These include installing flood defences such as flood doors and air brick covers, raising electrical sockets and appliances such as washing machines and moving valuables and important documents to higher floors. Taking early action can help protect your home and may improve your chances of getting appropriate insurance and finance.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Thunderstorm risk for northern England after hot weather
Large parts of northern England could be hit with thunderstorms on Saturday after the hot weather that has spread across the country. Temperatures could reach up to 34C (93.2) in isolated areas of England, but some places might be hit by rain, hail and lightning, the Met Office has said. A yellow thunderstorm weather warning is in place, running from 3pm on Saturday until 4am on Sunday, covering a large area stretching from Nottingham to north of Newcastle. The Met Office said the most intense storms could produce 'frequent lightning, large hail and gusty winds'. It said there might be a chance of flooding, with the ground hardened from a spell of dry weather. It comes as a number of areas around the country could reach heatwave thresholds on Friday, if high temperatures are recorded for a third consecutive day. Met Office spokesperson Nicola Maxey said: 'There are scattered thunderstorms coming through. Some of the rain could be quite intense, and frequent lightning, hail, gusty winds and some heavy downpours, which we haven't seen for a while. 'Some of the ground is quite hard at the moment, and when you get heavy rain hitting hard ground, it can cause surface water issues. You might find surface water on the roads, drains finding it difficult to cope and a small chance of homes being flooded.' An official heatwave is recorded when areas reach a certain temperature for three consecutive days, with thresholds varying from 25C to 28C in different parts of the UK. Temperatures reached 32.2C in Kew, west London, on Thursday, with an amber heat-health alert in place for all regions in England. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Issued by the UK Health Security Agency for the first time since September 2023, it will remain in place until 9am on Monday. It says 'significant impacts are likely' across health and social care services because of high temperatures. During 2022's heatwave, when temperatures rose past 40C, 320 people were hospitalised. Steve Cole, policy director at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: 'Heat is no longer just a holiday perk – it's a growing public health risk. 'We're seeing more frequent and intense heatwaves, both in the UK and globally, and the data shows a clear rise in heat-related illness and fatalities.' Human-caused climate breakdown is supercharging extreme weather across the world, driving more frequent and more deadly disasters, from heatwaves to floods to wildfires.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Warning issued for thunderstorms in north of England after possible heatwaves
Thunderstorms are threatening to hit large parts of northern England on Saturday, following possible heatwaves around the country. Temperatures could reach up to 34C in isolated areas of England, but rain, hail and lightning could be on their way, a Met Office spokesperson has said. A yellow thunderstorm weather warning has been issued covering Nottingham up to above Newcastle, running from 3pm on Saturday until 4am on Sunday. The Met Office warned the most intense storms could produce 'frequent lightning, large hail and gusty winds', along with a chance of flooding. It comes as a number of areas around the country could reach heatwave thresholds on Friday. Met Office spokeswoman Nicola Maxey said: 'There are scattered thunderstorms coming through. 'Some of the rain could be quite intense, and frequent lightning, hail, gusty winds and some heavy downpours, which we haven't seen for a while. 'Some of the ground is quite hard at the moment, and when you get heavy rain hitting hard ground, it can cause surface water issues. 'You might find surface water on the roads, drains finding it difficult to cope and a small chance of homes being flooded.' Ms Maxey said a number of areas around the country could hit heatwave thresholds on Friday before the storm hits. An official heatwave is recorded when areas reach a certain temperature for three consecutive days, with thresholds varying from 25C to 28C in different parts of the UK. 'We have a number of sites which have reached two days, so we're waiting to see what happens,' she said. 'Today is going to be another warm day, so the possibility is there. 'At the moment, there's one site that has reached three days, and that's in Suffolk.' Temperatures are predicted to peak on the western side of the country on Friday, as a 'more changeable, fresher feel' starts to come in. 'Tomorrow, temperatures may continue to go up a little for the east and south-east area of the country, we might see them creep up to 33C, or even an isolated 34C, but we are going to see that change. 'In the west, tomorrow we should start to see more of this cloud come in, and we have a fresher air mass pushing in across the country.' Temperatures reached 32.2C in Kew, west London, on Thursday, amid an amber heat-health alert for all regions in England. The alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for the first time since September 2023, is in force until 9am on Monday. It warns 'significant impacts are likely' across health and social care services because of high temperatures, including a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or people with health conditions. Following the hot weather, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has urged the public to take heat and water safety seriously. During 2022's heatwave, temperatures rose past 40C, leading to 320 hospitalisations. Steve Cole, policy director at RoSPA, said: ' Heat is no longer just a holiday perk — it's a growing public health risk. We're seeing more frequent and intense heatwaves, both in the UK and globally, and the data shows a clear rise in heat-related illness and fatalities. 'Warm weather can also be deceptive when it comes to going for a dip. While the air may feel hot, water temperatures often remain dangerously cold, which can lead to cold-water shock, even in summer.'
