Brief Information about
Tropical Depression Six
5-7 August 1995

PRELIMINARY REPORTS
Hurricane Allison
Tropical Storm Barry
Tropical Storm Chantal
Tropical Storm Dean
Hurricane Erin
Tropical Depression Six
Hurricane Felix
Tropical Storm Gabrielle
Hurricane Humberto
Hurricane Iris
Tropical Storm Jerry
Tropical Storm Karen
Hurricane Luis
Tropical Depression Fourteen
Hurricane Marilyn
Hurricane Noel
Hurricane Opal
Tropical Storm Pablo
Hurricane Roxanne
Tropical Storm Sebastien
Hurricane Tanya

A tropical wave emerged from the west coast of Africa on 22 July. The northern portion of this system developed into Tropical Storm Erin on 31 July. However, the southern portion of the wave, which moved westward over the Caribbean Sea, produced sea-level pressure falls over eastern Cuba and Jamaica. Surface data suggested the presence of a low pressure area and an extremely weak cyclonic circulation over the northwest Caribbean Sea by 1 August. This system moved slowly westward across the Yucatan peninsula on 2-3 August, and entered the Bay of Campeche by the 4th.

On the 4th and 5th, as the low moved slowly over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, the associated shower activity increased. Reports from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft investigating the area on the 5th indicate that a tropical depression had developed. Deep-layer mean high pressure to the north of the depression steered the tropical cyclone west-northwestward to westward at 5 to 8 knots, and the center moved across the coast of Mexico, roughly midway between Tampico and Tuxpan, around 2300 UTC on 6 August. Upper-level winds over the system favored anticyclonic outflow, but development of the depression ceased after landfall. Data from a Hurricane Hunter plane just before the depression moved ashore showed that maximum winds at the 1500 foot flight level were 39 knots. Thus, assuming some reduction of this wind speed at the surface, Tropical Depression Six was likely just below the threshold of a tropical storm. Satellite intensity estimates concur with this inference. After moving inland, the depression quickly dissipated over the mountains of Mexico.

No reports of casualties or damage have been brought to the attention of the National Hurricane Center. It is possible that some localized flooding may have occurred near the path of the depression over Mexico.

Six-hourly locations and intensities, i.e. the post-analysis "best track" data of Tropical Depression Six, are listed in Table 1. Figure 1 (26K GIF) is a plot of the track.

 

Table 1. Post-analysis best track, Tropical Depression Six, 5-7 August, 1995.

Date/Time (UTC)	Position		Pressure (mb)	Wind Speed (kt)	Stage
	Lat. (°N)	Lon. (°W)
5/1800	20.2	95.2	1008	20	Trop.Depression
6/0000	20.5	95.6	1005	20	" "
0600	20.7	95.9	1004	20	" "
1200	20.9	96.2	1003	25	" "
1800	21.2	96.7	1003	30	" "
7/0000	21.5	97.5	1002	30	" "
0600	21.7	98.2	1003	30	" "
1200	21.8	99.0	1003	20	" "
1800					Dissipated
7/0000	21.5	97.5	1002	30	Minimum Pressure
6/2300	21.5	97.4	1002	30	Landfall near Cabo Rojo, Mexico