Hurricane Ryne (2017)

Hurricane Ryne was an extremely powerful hurricane that was the first on record to achieve Category 6 status on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. The strongest tropical cyclone on record, the only storm to eclipse it would be Hypercane Thomas in late December that same year. The origins of the hurricane began with a well-defined tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa in mid-August. By August 25, the United States National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted the development of a prevalent surface low coupled with the building of intense convective-type activity near the center. A recon flight later identified tropical storm-force surface winds within the convection, but lack of a defined low-level closed circulation (LLCC) prevented classification as what would be Tropical Storm Ryne. However, prevailing westerlies on the south side of circulation resulted in the system being assigned the name Ryne the subsequent day. The 26th named storm of an extremely active and intense year, forecast models from early on predicted a very intense and long-lived storm late in the forecast period due to annular characteristics present in the new tropical storm. Initially slow to intensify, Ryne moved very slowly over Cape Verde as it dumped over ten inches of rain over the archipelago. By September 1st, Ryne had barely moved 200 miles past Cape Verde and remained a weak tropical storm with maximum winds of 45 knots (50 miles per hour). However, the next day, Ryne entered a pocket of waters with temperatures near 35 degrees Celsius, which had profound effects on the fledgling tropical cyclone. Within hours, Ryne had become the seventeeth hurricane of the season - the most within any Atlantic hurricane season on record (though the seasonal total would end up finishing with nineteen hurricanes). Continuing on a very slow track westward, Ryne entered another brief period in which no change in intensity took place. Although only a Category 1 hurricane, Ryne was absorbing vast quantities of moisure into its circulation, thus expanding the size of the cyclone as it began to grow to one of the largest hurricanes on record. By September 9, Ryne had achieved major hurricane status just 300 miles east of the Windward Island chain of the Lesser Antilles. The first major hurricane to threaten the islands since Hurricane Bob in January, the United States government began assisting with preparations by sending two cargo ships loaded with supplies to Barbados. One ship is presumed sunken and its entire crew dead after venturing into the hurricane by mistake, with no contact from the vessel after an hour of journeying into the storm.

The following day, Ryne made landfall over Barbados with the expansion of the hurricane's eyewall enveloping nearly the entire archpelago of the Lesser Antilles and parts of Venezuela. In general, damage was exntensive as the storm struck with winds of 100 knots (115 miles per hour). Upon emerging in the Caribbean, the cyclone curved slightly to the northwest due to the influence of a ridge of high pressure to the south. Thereafter, Ryne entered a 24-hour period of explosive strengthening - attaining winds of 185 knots (215 miles per hour) and a worldwide record low sea-level pressure of 867 millibars just east of the Yucatán Peninsula. At the time, this made Ryne the strongest tropical cyclone on record and strongest-wind speed hurricane ever recorded - tied with Hurricane Patricia. However, all records would later be surpassed by Hypercane Thomas in December. On September 13, Ryne made landfall with winds of 180 knots (205 miles per hour) and a pressure of 871 millibars near Cancún, thus becoming the strongest tropical cyclone ever to strike land. As expected, damage was absolutely catastrophic as nearly every building throughout Ryne's path was reduced to nothing but rubble. The sheer expansion of the cyclone resulted in heavy rainfall being dumped over the entire peninsula, with some unofficial reports of upwards of 75 inches of rain falling across the country. The record storm surge, peaking at 41.5 feet in height, eroded up to 30 miles of land from the Yucatán coastline. Cities such as Playa del Carmen were wiped completely off the face of the Earth. Heavy interaction with the terrain of Mexico resulted in some weakening as it emerged in the Gulf of Mexico, though Ryne remained a strong Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 160 knots (185 miles per hour). Continuing at a modest pace northwest, Ryne remained at this intensity until massive upwelling took a significant toll on the storm. A massive loss of convection took place within the eastern eyewall, aided by the entrainment of dry air. Within hours, Ryne weakened to a 135 mph Category 4 hurricane. On September 15, Ryne further weakened to 130 mph as it approached northern Mexico.