Sixteen (2008)

A broad area of disturbed weather in the southwestern Caribbean organized into Tropical Depression Sixteen by 1200 UTC on 14 October 2008 about 45 nautical miles northeast of the Nicaragua–Honduras border. The system was large and poorly organized, moved generally west–southwestward, and remained a depression for its short life. It weakened to a remnant low by 0000 UTC 16 October and the low-level center dissipated over the mountains of east‑central Honduras later that day.

The depression made landfall on the northeast coast of Honduras shortly after 1230 UTC on 15 October, just west of Punta Patuca, while still a tropical depression with estimated sustained winds of 25 knots (about 29 mph). No other direct landfalls as a tropical cyclone were recorded before the system degenerated over land.

Peak intensity for the system was 25 knots (about 29 mph) with a minimum central pressure near 1004–1006 mb; it never reached tropical storm strength and was classified throughout its life as a tropical depression.

The system and its precursor and remnants produced very heavy rainfall across parts of Central America. In Honduras, totals exceeded 7 inches in many locations between 14–19 October, with Roatán reporting 14.19 inches and La Ceiba about 10.11 inches. In Belize, several sites recorded 10–20 inches between 13–20 October; Baldy Beacon measured 21.52 inches, Philip S. W. Goldson Airport near Belize City reported 11.59 inches, and Hershey/Hummingbird recorded at least 16.08 inches. Storm surge reports were not a significant feature in the NHC report for this system.

Nine deaths in Central America were directly attributed to the depression. Media reports cited up to 16 fatalities in the region from related flooding, but the NHC attributed nine directly to this cyclone (with additional deaths in Costa Rica likely related to the earlier disturbance that became the depression). The greatest impacts were flooding and heavy rains in northern and northwestern Honduras, southern Belize, eastern Guatemala, and Nicaragua; damage details were primarily flood-related rather than wind or surge damage.

Noteworthy points: the disturbance was first highlighted by NHC products less than 24 hours before formation, and official 12‑ and 24‑hour track forecasts had average errors of about 17 and 30 nautical miles, respectively. Intensity estimates during the short life relied on satellite analyses and one reconnaissance flight, which found peak flight‑level winds consistent with the 25‑kt estimate.