A small tropical cyclone formed from a tropical wave and monsoon trough convection south of Panama and Central America and became a tropical depression at 0600 UTC on 19 October 2018 about 80 nautical miles west‑southwest of Puerto San Jose, Guatemala. It strengthened to Tropical Storm Vicente later that day and moved slowly northwestward and then west-northwestward, staying close to the coasts of southeastern Mexico. Vicente reached peak strength on 20 October and then weakened as dry air and increasing wind shear affected the circulation. The system moved westward along the southern Mexican coast and dissipated over the mountains on 23 October.
Vicente made one landfall on the coast of Michoacán near Playa Azul at about 1330 UTC on 23 October 2018. By the time of that landfall the system had weakened to a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds near 25 kt (about 29 mph).
The storm’s maximum sustained winds reached 45 kt (about 52 mph) at 1800 UTC on 20 October, with a minimum central pressure near 1002 mb. At peak intensity Vicente was a moderate tropical storm; its strongest winds extended only about 20 nautical miles from the center.
Heavy rain and localized flooding were the main hazards. Reported rainfall included 12.23 inches (310.7 mm) at National Valley in Oaxaca, 6.40 inches (162.5 mm) at Tonameca in Oaxaca, and 6.20 inches (157.5 mm) at Zihuatanejo in Guerrero. The report does not list specific measured storm surge heights for coastal locations.
Rainfall and resulting floods and landslides in Oaxaca were responsible for the storm’s fatalities. Mexican authorities confirmed 11 deaths in Oaxaca associated with flooding and landslides. The storm caused notable flooding and landslide damage in parts of Oaxaca and Guerrero. No ship reports of tropical‑storm‑force winds were recorded.
Noteworthy items include that Vicente developed quickly and unexpectedly close to land, with genesis mentioned in the NHC Tropical Weather Outlook only about 6 hours before formation. Forecast track errors were larger than recent averages, partly because the nearby, larger disturbance that became Hurricane Willa affected Vicente’s environment in ways that were not well anticipated. No coastal watches or warnings were issued for Vicente.
Paid members can generate summaries tailored to the counties of their choice. The Vicente TCR covers impacts across many counties and states — a Pinellas County resident doesn't need the Asheville detail, and a Buncombe County resident doesn't need the Tampa surge data.
Upgrade for county-specific summariesSummary above produced from the National Hurricane Center's official post-storm Tropical Cyclone Report. Read the full report for casualty lists, damage estimates by area, forecast critique, and detailed meteorological discussion:
📄 Read NHC's full report on Vicente → (opens at nhc.noaa.gov)| Time (UTC) | Status | Lat | Lon | Winds (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-10-19 00:00 | LO | 13.00 | -91.50 | 25 | 1007 | |
| 2018-10-19 06:00 | TD | 13.10 | -91.70 | 25 | 1007 | |
| 2018-10-19 12:00 | TD | 13.20 | -91.80 | 30 | 1006 | |
| 2018-10-19 18:00 | TS | 13.30 | -92.00 | 35 | 1005 | |
| 2018-10-20 00:00 | TS | 13.60 | -92.40 | 35 | 1005 | |
| 2018-10-20 06:00 | TS | 14.00 | -92.80 | 35 | 1005 | |
| 2018-10-20 12:00 | TS | 14.30 | -93.30 | 40 | 1004 | |
| 2018-10-20 18:00 | TS | 14.50 | -94.00 | 45 | 1002 | |
| 2018-10-21 00:00 | TS | 14.70 | -94.70 | 45 | 1002 | |
| 2018-10-21 06:00 | TS | 14.70 | -95.50 | 45 | 1002 | |
| 2018-10-21 12:00 | TS | 14.50 | -96.50 | 45 | 1002 | |
| 2018-10-21 18:00 | TS | 14.20 | -97.40 | 40 | 1003 | |
| 2018-10-22 00:00 | TS | 14.10 | -98.40 | 40 | 1003 | |
| 2018-10-22 06:00 | TS | 14.10 | -99.30 | 40 | 1003 | |
| 2018-10-22 12:00 | TS | 14.60 | -100.10 | 40 | 1003 | |
| 2018-10-22 18:00 | TS | 15.20 | -100.80 | 35 | 1005 | |
| 2018-10-23 00:00 | TS | 16.00 | -101.30 | 35 | 1006 | |
| 2018-10-23 06:00 | TD | 16.80 | -101.70 | 30 | 1007 | |
| 2018-10-23 12:00 | TD | 17.80 | -102.20 | 25 | 1008 | |
| 2018-10-23 13:30 | TD | 18.00 | -102.40 | 25 | 1008 | Landfall |
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 best-track database (nhc.noaa.gov/data). Data is in the public domain. Best-track positions and intensities are post-storm reanalysis estimates and may differ from real-time advisories.