First Atlantic Hurricane “Franklin” Born in Bay of Campeche Wednesday Afternoon

Hurricane Franklin is officially the first Atlantic hurricane of the 2017 season. Franklin strengthened into the Atlantic’s first hurricane of 2017 in the Bay of Campeche after passing over land of the Yucatan peninsula, with flooding rains swamping parts of the Yucatan Peninsula Tuesday. As Tropical Storm Franklin, landfall was just before 11:00 p.m. CDT Monday night near Pulticub, Mexico, about 180 miles south-southwest of Cozumel.

Hurricane Franklin

Tropical Cyclone 7 2100 UTC 8/6/17
Tropical Storm Franklin 3:00 UTC 8/7/17
TS Franklin Weakened Over Yucatan 8/8/17
Hurricane Just After 4PM CDT 8/9/2017

Hurricane Franklin is forecast to make its final landfall in eastern Mexico overnight tonight/very early Thursday morning. Conditions were beginning to deteriorate on the coast of eastern Mexico as bands of rain and gusty winds moved ashore. Skies were cleared over Cozumel and the east coast of the Yucatan peninsula Wednesday evening.

The center of Franklin was less than 100 miles northeast of Veracruz, Mexico, moving west at 10 to 15 mph in the Bay of Campeche Wednesday afternoon. Hurricane Franklin could strengthen slightly as it approaches eastern Mexico. Hurricane warning zones are activated in parts of eastern Mexico range from Puerto de Veracruz to Cabo Rojo.
Tropical storm warnings are in effect immediately outside that range for other parts of the Mexican coast along the Bay of Campeche.

Damaging winds, storm surge, flooding rainfall and landslides are all potential hazards. A storm surge of 4 to 6 feet is possible near and north of the center of landfall along the eastern Mexican Bay of Campeche coast late Wednesday night and Thursday morning, but the most serious threat may be from heavy rainfall and flooding. Flash flooding and mudslides are major concerns as Franklin passes over Mexico’s mountainous terrain, where up to 15 inches of rain may fall.

Hurricane Franklin may cause the indirect dangers of high surf, rip currents, and some minor coastal flooding in southern Texas on Wednesday and Thursday. The National Weather Service in Brownsville, Texas, posted a high surf advisory for the South Texas coast through Thursday night.

After dissipating over land in Mexico, from Franklin may spawn another tropical depression or tropical storm in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

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First Hurricane bulletin for 2017 …

ZCZC MIATCPAT2 ALL
TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM

BULLETIN
Hurricane Franklin Advisory Number 13
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL072017
400 PM CDT Wed Aug 09 2017

…FRANKLIN BECOMES THE FIRST HURRICANE OF THE 2017 ATLANTIC
SEASON…

SUMMARY OF 400 PM CDT…2100 UTC…INFORMATION
———————————————-
LOCATION…20.1N 94.9W
ABOUT 175 MI…280 KM ESE OF TUXPAN MEXICO
ABOUT 105 MI…170 KM NE OF VERACRUZ MEXICO
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…75 MPH…120 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT…W OR 270 DEGREES AT 12 MPH…19 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…984 MB…29.06 INCHES

WATCHES AND WARNINGS
——————–
CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:

None.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for…
* The coast of Mexico from Puerto de Veracruz to Cabo Rojo

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for…
* The coast of Mexico north of Cabo Rojo to Rio Panuco

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for…
* The coast of Mexico east of Puerto de Veracruz to Puerto Dos Bocas
* The coast of Mexico north of Tuxpan to Barra del Tordo

A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected
somewhere within the warning area. Preparations to protect life and
property should be rushed to completion.

A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible
within the watch area.

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are
expected somewhere within the warning area.

For storm information specific to your area, please monitor
products issued by your national meteorological service.

DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK
——————————
At 400 PM CDT (2100 UTC), the center of Hurricane Franklin was
located near latitude 20.1 North, longitude 94.9 West. Franklin is
moving toward the west near 12 mph (19 km/h), and this general
motion is expected to continue for the next day or so. On the
forecast track, the center of Franklin is expected to cross the
coast in the Mexican state of Veracruz tonight or early Thursday.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 75 mph (120 km/h)
with higher gusts. Some additional strengthening is expected until
the center crosses the coast. Rapid weakening is expected after
landfall in Mexico.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles (55 km) from the
center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles
(220 km).

The estimated minimum central pressure is 984 mb (29.06 inches).

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
———————-
RAINFALL: Rainfall totals of 4 to 8 inches with isolated maximum
amounts of 15 inches are possible across the Mexican states of
Tabasco, northern Veracruz, northern Puebla, Tlaxacala, Hidalgo,
Queretar and eastern San Luis Potosi in eastern Mexico. These rains
will be capable of producing life-threatening flash floods and
mudslides.

WIND: Hurricane conditions are expected to reach the coast within
the Hurricane Warning area tonight. Preparations to protect life
and property should be rushed to completion.

Tropical storm conditions are expected across portions of the
Tropical Storm Warning area along the southern shore of the Bay of
Campeche through tonight. Hurricane conditions are possible within
the Hurricane Watch area tonight. Tropical storm conditions are
expected within the Tropical Storm Warning area in eastern Mexico by
this evening.

STORM SURGE: A dangerous storm surge will raise water levels by
as much as 4 to 6 feet above normal tide levels along the
immediate coast near and to the north of where the center makes
landfall in the Hurricane Warning area. Near the coast, the
surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.