Hurricane Grace
Hurricane Grace was the strongest tropical cyclone to make landfall in the Mexican state of Veracruz. Grace impacted much of the Leeward Islands and Greater Antilles as a tropical storm, before causing more substantial impacts in the Yucatán Peninsula and Veracruz as a hurricane. It was the seventh named storm, second hurricane, and first major hurricane of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season. Originating from a tropical wave in the Main Development Region, the primitive system tracked west-northwest across the Atlantic Ocean towards the Antilles, becoming a tropical depression on August 14. It strengthened into Tropical Storm Grace later the same day, but weakened back to a depression due to an unfavorable environment. After moving near Haiti as a tropical depression, it strengthened back to a tropical storm and became a hurricane on August 18, reaching an initial peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of and a pressure of. It weakened back to a tropical storm after its landfall in the Yucatán Peninsula and emerged into the Bay of Campeche, entering a very favorable environment for intensification hours later. Grace then rapidly intensified into a Category 3 hurricane with winds of in about 24 hours. The storm made its final landfall in the state of Veracruz at peak intensity and quickly degenerated into a remnant low over mainland Mexico on August 21; however, its remnants later regenerated into Tropical Storm Marty in the Eastern Pacific on August 23.
In Haiti, Grace exacerbated effects from an earthquake three days prior to the passage of the storm. Streets were flooded and power outages were reported in Jamaica. In Mexico, the storm caused landslides and destroyed buildings. In total, Grace killed 16 people: 4 in Haiti and 12 in Mexico. The storm caused an estimated $513 million in damages.
Meteorological history
Grace originated from a tropical wave that moved off the western coast of Africa on August 9. On August 10, the National Hurricane Center began monitoring a tropical disturbance near the Cabo Verde Islands. A Tropical Weather Outlook on the following day noted that the system was producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms. However, environmental conditions were becoming more conductive for development, and by August 13, the system was designated as Potential Tropical Cyclone Seven while located about east of the Leeward Islands. By 06:00 UTC the next day, the NHC initiated advisories on Tropical Depression Seven approximately east of the Leeward Islands. After the cyclone was found to have tropical storm-force winds on August 14 at 09:00 UTC, the NHC upgraded the depression to a tropical storm, naming it Grace. However, strong wind shear caused Grace to weaken back to a tropical depression on August 15. It made landfall as a tropical depression in the Barahona Peninsula at 15:00 UTC on August 16. Continuing west-northwestward, Grace brushed the south coast of Haiti early on August 17. At 06:00 UTC on August 17, Grace was upgraded to a tropical storm southwest of Haiti, after a reconnaissance flight observed tropical storm-force winds. Approximately 11 hours later, Grace made landfall in Jamaica near Annotto Bay, Saint Mary Parish, with winds of. After re-emerging into the Caribbean late on August 17, Grace continued to intensify due to favorable conditions and rapidly organized as it passed south of the Cayman Islands. By 15:00 UTC on August 18, a Hurricane Hunters flight found that Grace had intensified into a Category 1 hurricane. The storm reached an initial peak intensity with winds of and a barometric pressure of early on August 19. At 09:45 UTC on that day, Grace made its first landfall at that intensity near Tulum, Quintana Roo. Shortly after, the storm weakened to a strong tropical storm.After nearly 12 hours over land, Grace emerged into the Bay of Campeche. The storm then began reintensifying, becoming a hurricane again by 12:00 UTC on August 20. Thereafter, Grace underwent rapid intensification, becoming a Category 2 hurricane by 00:00 UTC on August 21. Within the next three hours, the storm became a Category 3 hurricane. Around 05:30 UTC on August 21, Grace made another landfall in Mexico near Tecolutla, Veracruz, at peak intensity, with winds of and a pressure of ; this was the strongest landfall in the state's history. Operationally, Grace was assessed to have been even stronger at landfall, with winds of and a pressure of, which would have tied it with Hurricane Karl of 2010 as the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the Bay of Campeche by maximum sustained winds; however, it was downgraded slightly in post-season reanalysis. After landfall, it rapidly weakened to a Category 1 hurricane over the mountainous terrain of Mexico. The storm continued to rapidly weaken over the rough terrain and was downgraded to a tropical storm three hours later. At 21:00 UTC, Grace degenerated into a tropical disturbance over Mexico, and its low-level circulation dissipated. The mid-level center and remnants of Grace would later redevelop into Tropical Storm Marty in the Eastern Pacific on August 23. Marty was short-lived, as it degenerated into a remnant low on August 24.
Preparations
Leeward Islands
At 15:00 UTC on August 13, when Potential Tropical Cyclone Seven was designated, tropical storm watches were issued for the islands of Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, Saba, and Sint Eustatius. The Government of France issued a tropical storm watch for Saint Martin and Saint Barthelemy. Afterward, more watches and warnings were issued in the U.S Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The Government of Antigua and Barbuda issued a tropical storm watch on Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands.Later that day, tropical storm warnings were issued for the islands of Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, and Anguilla. Saba and Sint Eustatius would also be under tropical storm warnings issued by the Government of France.
Hispaniola
On the south coast of the Dominican Republic, a tropical storm watch was issued by the government as the storm was approaching the Lesser Antilles. As the storm came closer, the government issued a tropical storm warning from Cabo Caucedo to Samaná, while the rest of the country was under a tropical storm watch. At 5 AM AST a tropical storm warning was issued from the southern Haitian Border to Cabo Caucedo. At 18:00 UTC on August 16, after Grace exited the Dominican Republic, all tropical storm watches were lifted.On August 14, when Grace entered the Caribbean, a tropical storm watch was issued for the entire coast of Haiti. The NHC predicted 4 to 7 inches of rain to fall in the country. Grace's impacts to Haiti were likely more extreme than typical for this kind of storm, due to the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that had occurred in the country just days earlier.