Stan developed from Tropical Depression Twenty in the Caribbean Sea. This image represents the average composite sea surface temperature (SST) derived from NOAA satellite AVHRR data over the 7 days ending 3 October 2005. The averaging is done to remove clouds. The temperature scale for SST is 26C to 32C. The track of Stan is overlaid on this image.

<<Retired Hurricane

As early as October 6, a broad cyclonic circulation formed between the Cayman Islands and Honduras along the tail of an old frontal boundary. A tropical wave moved across the Caribbean Sea, becoming convectively active on the 4th, and interacting with the area of broad low pressure by the 7th. Diffluent northerly flow over the system led to further development, and convective banding improved. By late on the 7th it had become a tropical depression east of Nicaragua. By late the next day, it became a tropical storm which was moving northward towards the Yucatan channel. After turning westward, hurricane strength was achieved on the 10th. Becoming a major hurricane by mid-afternoon on the 10th, the cyclone struck the Yucatan peninsula and tracked westward into the Bay of Campeche while retaining hurricane strength. Briefly weakening to a tropical storm, it became a hurricane again by the 14th before transcribing an anticyclonic loop and weakening back into a tropical depression. Weakening over upwelled waters from its previous passage over the region, Roxanne eventually sunk south-southwest into Mexico ahead of an advancing cold front. Below is its track, supplied by the National Hurricane Center.

<<Retired Hurricane