Cancun, Riviera Maya, Q.R. — As of 4:00 a.m. Friday, Tropical Depression Cristobal continues to crawl though northern Mexico with her affects being felt along the coast of Quintana Roo. The storm, which earlier this week caused severe flooding in the southwestern Quintana Roo regions of Othón P. Blanco, Bacalar, Felipe Carrillo Puerto and José María Morelos, is now casting rain and strong winds along the state’s eastern coastline.
The Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (SMN), along with the National Hurricane Center continue to track Tropical Depression Cristobal, which is slowly making its way toward to the US coast. Meteorological forecasters predict the tropical depression will land the US coast as a tropical storm Saturday.
As it travels, it will continue to unleash heavy rains throughout northwest and northeastern regions of Mexico including Campeche, Quintana Roo and Yucatan. SMN says wind gusts of 60 to 75 km/h, as well as possible waterspout formation, is likely off the coasts of Quintana Roo and Yucatan.
In the South Pacific, Gulf of Mexico and the Peninsula of Yucatan, the heavy rainfall could generate landslides, increase flows of rivers and streams and cause flooding in low areas of the regions.
As Cristobal passes, heavy to torrential rains are likely in Chiapas, Campeche, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo and Yucatan areas with heavy to very heavy rains in Tabasco and southern Veracruz.
The center of the tropical depression is forecast to continue moving north over Campeche and the western Yucatan Friday. Overnight, the system will enter the Gulf of Mexico where it is expected to intensify again to tropical storm.
Cristobal is currently located on land southeast of Champotón, Campeche moving to the north-northeast at 11 kilometres per hour with maximum sustained winds of 55 km/h and gusts of 75 km/h. It continues to spin over eastern portions of Mexico where it is expected to emerge into the Gulf of Mexico Friday night where it will head toward the US Gulf Coast areas of Texas and Florida.
Cristobal formed in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico midday Tuesday after being upgraded from a tropical depression that formed Monday afternoon in the Bay of Campeche.
