Hurricane Grace was the strongest tropical cyclone to make landfall in the Mexican state of Veracruz. Grace impacted much of the Leeward Islands and Greater Antilles as a tropical storm, before causing more substantial impacts in the Yucatán Peninsula and Veracruz as a hurricane. It was the seventh named storm, second hurricane, and first major hurricane of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season. Originating from a tropical wave in the Main Development Region, the primitive system tracked west-northwest across the Atlantic Ocean towards the Antilles, becoming a tropical depression on August 14. It strengthened into Tropical Storm Grace later the same day, but weakened back to a depression due to an unfavorable environment. After moving near Haiti as a tropical depression, it strengthened back to a tropical storm and became a hurricane on August 18, reaching an initial peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of and a pressure of . It weakened back to a tropical storm after its landfall in the Yucatán Peninsula and emerged into the Bay of Campeche, entering a very favorable environment for intensification hours later. Grace then rapidly intensified into a Category 3 hurricane with winds of in about 24 hours. The storm made its final landfall in the state of Veracruz at peak intensity and quickly degenerated into a remnant low over mainland Mexico on August 21; however, its remnants later regenerated into Tropical Storm Marty in the Eastern Pacific on August 23.
In Haiti, Grace exacerbated effects from an earthquake three days prior to the passage of the storm. Streets were flooded and power outages were reported in Jamaica. In Mexico, the storm caused landslides and destroyed buildings. In total, Grace killed 16 people: 4 in Haiti and 12 in Mexico. The storm caused an estimated $513 million (2021 USD) in damages.
Meteorological history
Grace originated from a tropical wave that moved off the western coast of Africa on August 9. On August 10, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) began monitoring a tropical disturbance near the Cabo Verde Islands. A Tropical Weather Outlook on the following day noted that the system was producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms. However, environmental conditions were becoming more conductive for development, and by August 13, the system was designated as Potential Tropical Cyclone Seven while located about east of the Leeward Islands. By 06:00 UTC the next day, the NHC initiated advisories on Tropical Depression Seven approximately east of the Leeward Islands. After the cyclone was found to have tropical storm-force winds on August 14 at 09:00 UTC, the NHC upgraded the depression to a tropical storm, naming it Grace. However, strong wind shear caused Grace to weaken back to a tropical depression on August 15. It made landfall as a tropical depression in the Barahona Peninsula at 15:00 UTC on August 16. Continuing west-northwestward, Grace brushed the south coast of Haiti early on August 17. At 06:00 UTC on August 17, Grace was upgraded to a tropical storm southwest of Haiti, after a reconnaissance flight observed tropical storm-force winds. Approximately 11 hours later, Grace made landfall in Jamaica near Annotto Bay, Saint Mary Parish, with winds of . After re-emerging into the Caribbean late on August 17, Grace continued to intensify due to favorable conditions and rapidly organized as it passed south of the Cayman Islands. By 15:00 UTC on August 18, A Hurricane Hunters flight found that Grace had intensified into a Category 1 hurricane. The storm reached an initial peak intensity with winds of and a barometric pressure of early on August 19. At 09:45 UTC on that day, Grace made its first landfall at that intensity near Tulum, Quintana Roo. Shortly after, the storm weakened to a strong tropical storm.