Tropical Storm Chris formed in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday night, making it the third named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. Image courtesy of NOAA
July 1 (UPI) — Tropical Storm Chris made landfall in eastern Mexico late Sunday only hours after forming in the Gulf of Mexico.
The storm mad landfall over Veracruz near Lechuguillas in eastern Mexico at about 11:50 p.m. CDT with maximum winds of about 40 mph, the National Hurricane Center said in a statement.
In its 1 a.m. CDT update, Chris was continued to move inland, moving west at 13 mph. It was located about 75 miles southeast of Tuxpan.
It was still packing 40 mph winds, but is forecast to weaken as it moves farther inland before dissipating later Monday.
A tropical storm warning, meaning tropical storm conditions are expected to be felt within the next six hours, has been issued for Cabo Rojo to Puerto Veracruz.
The primary concern of the storm is heavy rainfall, with between 4 and 8 inches expected to fall across portions of eastern Mexico throughout the day. Up to 12 inches are possible in the higher terrain of Guanajuato, Queretaro and San Louis Potosi states, it said.
Life-threatening flash floods and mud slides in eastern Mexico into early Monday are anticipated.
“Heavy rainfall will result in areas of flooding across eastern Mexico into Monday, with mudslides possible in areas of hight terrain,” the NHC warned.
Chris is the third named storm in the Atlantic hurricane season after Beryl, which was bearing down on the Barbados early Monday, and Alberto, which made landfall over Mexico on June 20 and lashed Texas with heavy rainfall.