On September 19, a trough of low pressure formed in the south central Atlantic. It slowly organized organization and a low pressure center appeared on September 21. The system gained convection, and the convection showed signs of a organized circulation by September 23, meriting the promotion of the low to Tropical Depression Fifteen. The tropical depression's center was fairly open until later that day, when a band circumnavigated the center for the first time, and the system was named Tropical Storm Matthew.
Matthew moved quickly westward through the southern Caribbean, and strengthened slowly over the next day. However, Matthew only reached an intensity of 50 mph winds and a pressure of 998 mb, before making landfall in northern Nicaragua during the afternoon of September 24. It maintained an intensity of 50 mph over land, and briefly emerged over the Gulf of Honduras on September 25, before beginning to weaken over Belize later that day.
The system quickly weakened to a tropical depression, and was a remnant low by early on September 26. However, the large area of moisture associated with the large circulation of Matthew caused continual heavy rain and flooding through the next few days. Matthew was the direct cause of several mudslides in Central America, causing 109 fatalities.
Matthew at its peak intensity before making landfall in Mexico.
Track of Matthew.
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