Tropical Cyclone Report
Tropical Storm Beryl
13 - 15 August 2000

TROPICAL CYCLONE REPORTS
Tropical Depression One
Tropical Depression Two
Hurricane Alberto
Tropical Depression Four
Tropical Storm Beryl
Tropical Storm Chris
Hurricane Debby
Tropical Storm Ernesto
Tropical Depression Nine
Hurricane Florence
Hurricane Gordon
Tropical Storm Helene
Hurricane Isaac
Hurricane Joyce
Hurricane Keith
Tropical Storm Leslie
Hurricane Michael
Tropical Storm Nadine
Unnamed Subtropical Storm

Beryl was a weak tropical storm that moved over the southwest Gulf of Mexico and across the northeast coast of Mexico, and eventually dissipated inland over the mountains of northern Mexico.

a. Synoptic history

Tropical Storm Beryl originated from a tropical wave that emerged from the coast of Africa with a closed circulation on 3 August. The wave tracked westward across the tropical North Atlantic and fractured into two separate entities - the northern portion of wave, which became major Hurricane Alberto, tracked northwestward, and the southern portion that tracked westward and eventually became Beryl. The southern portion of the wave produced little or no deep convection as it tracked across the Atlantic and into the Caribbean Sea. Not until the wave reached the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico on 12 August did deep convection redevelop, mainly due to local diurnal heating. However, convergence of the afternoon coastal seabreeze fronts may have helped to concentrate the low-level vorticity of the wave and produce a closed circulation over the western Yucatan Peninsula. The wave emerged over the southern Gulf of Mexico and Bay of Campeche early on the 13^th as a broad area of low pressure with a large closed circulation. Later that day, the wave was upgraded to Tropical Depression Five based on satellite intensity estimates and an Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft observation of a broad closed circulation and surface winds of 30 kt.

Tropical Depression Five tracked northwestward across the southwest Gulf of Mexico and reconnaissance aircraft found 1000 ft flight level winds of 53 kt at 1356 UTC on the 14^th. Surface winds were estimated to be 45 kt based on an adjustment factor of 85% and the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Beryl at 1500 UTC. Beryl maintained this intensity and continued to track northwest toward the Rio Grande Valley area of south Texas and northeast Mexico. Landfall eventually occurred around 0700 UTC, 15 August, along the Mexican coast about 90 n mi south of Brownsville, TX or about 30 n mi north of La Pesca, Mexico. Beryl was downgraded to a tropical depression shortly after landfall at1200 UTC and eventually dissipated over the mountains of northern Mexico near Monterrey at 1800 UTC, 15 August. Beryl's lack of significant intensification may have been due to moderate upper-level northerly shear and entrainment of dry mid-level air located over the Gulf of Mexico.

b. Meteorological statistics

The "best track" of Beryl is given in Table 1 and Figure 1. Figure 2 and Figure 3 show the best track maximum sustained (1 min average) surface (10 m elevation) wind speed and minimum central pressure, as well as the associated observations. These include Dvorak satellite technique position and intensity estimates from the Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch (TAFB), the NOAA/NESDIS Satellite Analysis Branch (SAB), and the Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA). Since Beryl made landfall along a sparsely populated coastal region of northeast Mexico, no official land reports of tropical storm force winds were received. However, at 0500 UTC, 15 August, ship 9VBL (Koeln Express) reported a southeast wind of 35 kt and a pressure of 1010.5 mb about 70 n mi southeast of the center. Also, Air Force Reserve reconnaissance personnel visually estimated surface winds of 40, 45, and 55 kt (twice) on 14 August.

c. Casualty and Damage Statistics

There was one reported drowning death in northeast Mexico caused by the extensive flooding caused by Beryl's heavy rains and relatively slow movement. No reports of U.S. damage or casualties were received by the National Hurricane Center.

d. Forecast and Warning Critique

Since Beryl was a tropical storm for barely 24 h, no meaningful statistics are available. However, Beryl was incorrectly forecast to reach hurricane strength just before landfall. Official intensity forecasts at all time periods for the 36-hour interval prior to landfall were too high (overforecast), as were the SHIPS model intensity forecasts.

Table 2 lists the watches and warnings associated with Beryl. Hurricane warnings were issued portions of the coastal sections of South Texas and Northeast Mexico on 14 August, but were later canceled or downgraded to tropical storm warnings when it became apparent that Beryl was not going to reach hurricane strength.

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Table 1. Best track, Tropical Storm Beryl, 13-15 August 2000.

Date/Time (UTC)	Position		Pressure (mb)	Wind Speed (kt)	Stage
	Lat. (°N)	Lon. (°W)
13 / 1800	22.5	93.5	1008	30	tropical depression
14 / 0000	22.7	93.8	1008	30	"
14 / 0600	23.1	94.6	1007	35	tropical storm
14 / 1200	23.5	95.4	1009	40	"
14 / 1800	23.9	96.3	1009	45	"
15 / 0000	24.1	97.0	1007	45	"
15 / 0600	24.5	97.7	1009	45	"
15 / 1200	24.9	98.6	1010	30	tropical depression
15 / 1800	25.2	99.8	1012	25	"
15 / 0000	24.1	97.0	1007	45	minimum pressure

Figure 1. Best track for Tropical Storm Beryl, 13-15 August 2000.

Figure 2. Best track maximum sustained surface wind speed curve for Tropical Storm Beryl, 13-15 August 2000.

Figure 2b. Best track minimum central pressure curve and central pressure curve for Tropical Storm Beryl, 13-15 August 2000.

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Table 2. Watch and warning summary for Tropical Storm Beryl, 13-15 August 2000.

Date/Time (UTC)	Action	Location
14 / 1500	Hurricane Warning issued	Baffin Bay, Texas south to La Pesca, Mexico
14 / 1500	Tropical Storm Warning	south of La Pesca to north of Tampico, Mexico
15 / 0300	Hurricane Warning canceled	north of Port Mansfield, Texas
15 / 0300	Hurricane Warning downgraded to a Tropical Storm Warning	Port Mansfield, Texas south to Tampico, Mexico
15 / 0900	Tropical Storm Warning canceled	all of Texas coast
15 / 0900	Tropical Storm Warning continued	Tampico, Mexico northward to U.S./Mexico border
15 / 1500	Tropical Storm Warning canceled	all of northeast coast of Mexico