Helene (2012)

A tropical wave that moved off West Africa on 5 August 2012 became a tropical depression about 1800 UTC 9 August roughly midway between the Cape Verde Islands and the Lesser Antilles. That initial depression lost its closed circulation and was absorbed back into the parent wave on 11 August while near the Lesser Antilles. The wave crossed the Caribbean and spawned a new broad low over Central America that moved into the southern Bay of Campeche; a second tropical depression formed there at 1200 UTC 17 August and strengthened to a tropical storm by 1800 UTC 17 August. Helene remained short lived, weakened back to a depression overnight, made landfall near Tampico, Mexico about 1200 UTC 18 August, and dissipated by 0600 UTC 19 August.

Helene’s only landfall occurred near Tampico, Mexico at about 1200 UTC (7:00 a.m. CDT) 18 August 2012. At the time of landfall the system was a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds near 30 kt (about 35 mph) and a central pressure around 1008 mb.

The storm’s peak intensity was 40 kt (about 46 mph) with a minimum central pressure of 1004 mb, reached at 1800 UTC 17 August. That intensity classifies Helene as a tropical storm at its maximum; it did not reach hurricane strength.

Measured rain totals included 144 mm (5.7 inches) in Paso del Toro, Veracruz and 101.0 mm (4.0 inches) in San Pedro, Tabasco during 17 August. The report does not list widespread storm surge measurements; no specific storm surge heights are reported for coastal cities in the official summary.

There were no confirmed deaths attributed to Helene while it was a tropical cyclone. Associated Press reports indicate two people died in Trinidad from heavy rains and mudslides when the earlier remnants of the system crossed the eastern Caribbean. Impacts in Mexico were limited given Helene’s weak strength at landfall; the cyclone quickly fell apart after moving inland.

Noteworthy points: Helene existed in two brief phases—an earlier depression that dissipated near the Lesser Antilles and a later reformation in the Bay of Campeche—and was short lived overall. Forecast track errors for Helene were larger than 2007–2011 averages, while intensity forecast errors were smaller than those recent averages.