Hurricane Ernesto was a Category 2 hurricane and a damaging tropical cyclone that affected several Caribbean Islands and areas of Central America during August 2012. The fifth named storm and second hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, Ernesto originated from a tropical wave that emerged off the west coast of Africa in late July. Moving westward, the system developed into a tropical depression in the central Atlantic, and further into a tropical storm prior to entering the Caribbean Sea. The system encountered high wind shear south of Jamaica but subsequently reached its peak intensity as a Category 2 hurricane as it made landfall on the Yucatán Peninsula. Ernesto briefly emerged in the Bay of Campeche as a strong tropical storm before dissipating over the mountainous terrain of Mexico. The remnant circulation emerged in the eastern Pacific basin, contributing to the formation of Tropical Storm Hector. Category 2 hurricane: peak winds of 100 mph (85 knots), lowest pressure 973 mb. August 1 – August 10, 2012. Landfalls: August 8 at 90 mph, 18.7°N 87.2°W; August 8 at 100 mph, 18.8°N 87.7°W; August 9 at 65 mph, 18.3°N 94.6°W. Accumulated cyclone energy: 8.5. Wiki link Track: NOAA National Hurricane Center, HURDAT2 best track AL052012 (public domain).