Tropical Storm Amanda (2020)

Tropical Storm Amanda was a short-lived but devastating tropical cyclone that caused deadly flooding and landslides across Central America and Mexico in late-May 2020. The second tropical cyclone and first named storm of the 2020 Pacific hurricane season, Amanda developed out of a broad area of low pressure associated with a tropical wave, that moved off the coast of Nicaragua on May 26. The disturbance slowly developed a more well defined circulation and on May 30, and the system was designated as Tropical Depression Two-E. Originally expected not to significantly strengthen, nevertheless it compacted and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Amanda at 09:00 UTC the next day. Three hours later, Amanda made landfall in southeast Guatemala, the first tropical cyclone to make landfall along that nation's Pacific coast since Tropical Storm Agatha in 2010. Once inland, Amanda rapidly weakened and dissipated over the region's rough terrain. However, the system's remnants survived, crossing Central America and Mexico and re-organized into Tropical Storm Cristobal in the Atlantic.

Tropical Storm Amanda
Tropical storm (SSHWS/NWS)
Tropical Storm Amanda making landfall in Guatemala on May 31
FormedMay 30, 2020
DissipatedMay 31, 2020
Highest winds1-minute sustained: 40 mph (65 km/h)
Lowest pressure1003 mbar (hPa); 29.62 inHg
Fatalities33 total
Damage≥ $200 million (2020 USD)
Areas affectedCentral America (particularly Guatemala and El Salvador), Mexico
Part of the 2020 Pacific hurricane season

Amanda caused torrential rainfall across Guatemala and El Salvador, the latter of which was heavily impacted by the storm. In Guatemala, 1,500 shelters were opened for survivors. In El Salvador, rivers overflowed and swept away buildings, damaging 900 homes and displacing over 1,200 people. This forced temporary movement restrictions put in place for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to be lifted. Impacts from Amanda were also felt in Honduras, where four people were killed. Overall, Amanda resulted in an estimated $200 million in damage and killed 33 people in these three countries.[1]

Meteorological history
Map plotting the track and the intensity of the storm, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale

On May 24, the NHC first discussed the possibility of tropical cyclogenesis due to a broad area of low pressure that was forecast to form off the coast of El Salvador and its associated tropical wave.[2] The tropical wave tracked generally westward across the Caribbean Sea for several days: crossing over Panama and entering the Eastern Pacific basin on May 26.[3] At this point, the NHC considered the disturbance to have a high chance of formation over the next 5 days.[3] Low pressure developed within the disturbance a day later, in association with a broad cyclonic circulation that was enhanced by a Central American gyre on May 27.[4] Remaining nearly stationary for several days, the disturbance’s circulation slowly grew more well defined.

By May 30, the system attained central deep convection over a now closed low-level circulation and was considered sufficiently organized enough to be designated as Tropical Depression Two-E later that same day, remaining embedded within the eastern side of a Central American gyre.[5] The depression slowly intensified to a strength of 30kt (35 mph, 55 km/h) in aid of fairly warm sea surface temperatures,[6] and at the time was considered unlikely to intensify further.[6] However, convective organization continued to improve as the system also became much more compact, and satellite estimates allowed the NHC to upgrade the tropical depression to Tropical Storm Amanda at 09:00 UTC on May 31, the first named storm of the season.[7] Only three hours after being named, at 12:00 UTC, Amanda made landfall in southeastern Guatemala and began to spread heavy rain inland.[8] Amanda rapidly weakened and dissipated over the country later that day.[9] Its remnants continued north, and later regenerated into Tropical Depression Three in the Bay of Campeche in the Atlantic basin, becoming Tropical Storm Cristobal, on June 1 at 21:00 UTC.[10]

Preparations and impact

Guatemala
The precursor disturbance of Amanda shortly before being declared a tropical depression on May 30

On May 31, Amanda made landfall in Guatemala,[8] only the second tropical cyclone to make landfall on that nation's Pacific coast this century. The last to do so was Tropical Storm Agatha in 2010.[11] The government of Guatemala issued a tropical storm warning for the entire coastline of Guatemala, from the Guatemala–Mexico border eastward to the El Salvador–Guatemala border border.[12] In Guatemala, nearly 1,500 shelters were opened for those affected by the storm.[11] Two people died across the country.[13]

El Salvador

In El Salvador, torrential rainfall caused significant damage along coastal cities in the country as rivers overflowed and swept away buildings.[14] 25% of the country's annual rainfall totals fell in just 70 hours due to Amanda.[15] Rainfall reached 267.4 mm (10.53 in) in Izalco by the morning of May 31, prior to Amanda's landfall.[16] Amanda killed 27 people in El Salvador,[17] of which at least six died due to flash flooding, and one died from a collapsed home.[18] Seven people remain missing as of June 2.[19] More than 900 homes were damaged across the country and 1,200 families were evacuated to 51 shelters across La Libertad, San Salvador, Sonsonate, and San Vicente. In the capital, San Salvador, 50 houses were destroyed and 23 vehicles fell into a sinkhole.[20][21] El Salvador President Nayib Bukele declared a 15-day national state of emergency due to the storm.[18] Movement restrictions in place for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic were temporarily lifted to allow people to purchase medicines, while hardware stores were allowed to open with limited capacity so people could purchase equipment for repairs.[20] Around 7,225 people lost their homes and had to be sent to 154 shelters around the country.[22] At least 2,800 hectares of crops were damaged or lost in the country.[23] Additionally, around 30,000 structures were damaged or likely destroyed by flooding and mudslides.[24] Amanda was considered the worst weather disaster to effect El Salvador in 22 years since Hurricane Mitch, in which Amanda caused rainfall accumulations of at least 600 mm (23.62 in) in many parts of the country and Mitch only caused at least 400 mm (15.74 in) in other areas in a longer period of time.[25] Around 336,000 Salvadorans were pushed into severe food insecurity in both rural and urban areas.[26]

ACT Alliance promised at least US$75,000 worth of food and other emergency supplies to be supplied to 1,450 households across the country.[27] Damage was estimated at US$200 million (1.75 billion colón).[28][29][30]

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See also

References
  1. AFP (June 3, 2020). "Tropical Storm Amanda death toll rises to 26 in Central America". RTL. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  2. "NHC Graphical Outlook Archive May 24, 2020". www.nhc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2020-05-31.
  3. "NHC Graphical Outlook Archive May 26, 2020". www.nhc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2020-05-31.
  4. NHC_TAFB (2020-05-30). "May 30 10AM: A Central American Gyre over the eastern Pacific and northern Central America is producing large clusters of thunderstorms. These thunderstorms will continue to occur over Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Belize, and southeastern Mexico thru next week (1/2)pic.twitter.com/biwz3Ka9fc". @NHC_TAFB. Retrieved 2020-05-31.
  5. Cangialosi, John. "Tropical Depression TWO-E Forecast Discussion Number 1". www.nhc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2020-05-31.
  6. Beven, Jack. "Tropical Depression TWO-E Forecast Discussion 2". www.nhc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2020-05-31.
  7. Stewart, Stacy. "Tropical Storm AMANDA Forecast Discussion Number 3". www.nhc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2020-05-31.
  8. "Tropical Storm AMANDA Intermediate Advisory Number 3A". www.nhc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2020-05-31.
  9. "Remnants of AMANDA". www.nhc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
  10. "Tropical Depression THREE Discussion 1". nhc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2020-06-01.
  11. Kelley, Maura (June 2, 2020). "Amanda leaves destructive flooding in El Salvador, Guatemala". accuweather.com. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  12. "Tropical Depression Two-E Advisory 1". nhc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2020-06-01.
  13. "Tormenta tropical "Amanda" deja 26 muertos en Centroamérica". Diario Las Américas (in Spanish). June 3, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  14. "La tormenta tropical Amanda provoca inundaciones y el desbordamiento de ríos en El Salvador". Noticias de El Salvador - elsalvador.com (in Spanish). 2020-05-31. Retrieved 2020-05-31.
  15. "Appeals - IFRC". www.ifrc.org. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
  16. Ministerio de Medio Ambiente [@MedioAmbienteSV] (May 31, 2020). "#ElObservatorioInforma 4:35 a.m. Lluvia máxima registrada en las zonas occidental, central, paracentral y oriental del país. PO" (Tweet) (in Spanish). Retrieved May 31, 2020 – via Twitter.
  17. "Al menos 27 personas ya han muerto en El Salvador a causa de las lluvias" (in Spanish). Noticiero Telemundo. June 4, 2020. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  18. "Alerta Roja por lluvias: Tormenta tropical Amanda deja al menos siete fallecidos y severas inundaciones en El Salvador". Noticias de El Salvador - La Prensa Gráfica | Informate con la verdad (in Spanish). Retrieved 2020-05-31.
  19. "Más de 24 mil familias afectadas, 16 fallecidos y 7 desaparecidos tras tormenta Amanda". Channel NewsAsia (in Spanish). June 3, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  20. "Hurricane Amanda kills 14 people in El Salvador". Seven News. June 1, 2020. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  21. "Deadly Tropical Storm Amanda hits El Salvador, Guatemala". Channel NewsAsia. Agence France-Presse. June 1, 2020. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  22. "ACT Rapid Response Fund: Emergency Response to Tropical Storm Amanda in El Salvador (RRF 05-2020) - El Salvador". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
  23. "Impact Snapshot: Tropical Storm Amanda and Tropical Storm Cristobal As of 8 June 2020 - El Salvador". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
  24. "Storm Amanda is the last straw for families in El Salvador amid COVID-19 | MSF". Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) International. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
  25. "UNICEF El Salvador Humanitarian Situation Report No. 1 (Tropical Storm Amanda) - 31 May-10 June 2020.pdf" (PDF). ReliefWeb. June 4, 2020.
  26. "Tropical Storm Amanda severely impacts food security of 340,000 Salvadorans | World Food Programme". www.wfp.org. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
  27. "https://actalliance.org/appeals-rapid-response-funds/tropical-storm-amanda-el-salvador-rrf-05-2020/". Retrieved 2020-06-29. External link in |title= (help)
  28. "Global Catastrophe Recap - May 2020" (PDF).
  29. Lessner, Justin (2020-06-03). "Tropical Storm Leaves At Least 20 Dead In El Salvador And Now Threatens The U.S. Gulf Coast". we are mitú. Retrieved 2020-06-30.
  30. "Tropical Storm Amanda kills 14 in El Salvador". BBC News. 2020-06-01. Retrieved 2020-06-30.
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