Hurricane Central

Before and After Images Show How Hurricane Patricia Severely Impacted Mexico's Trees

A new before and after photograph comparison shows the toll that Hurricane Patricia's winds took on trees near the point it made landfall as a Category 5 on the Mexico coast Oct. 23, 2015.

(MORE: Interview With Storm Chaser That Saw Worst of Patricia)

The images are from John Galetzka and were taken at a meteorological station in the Chamela Bio Reserve, which is located near the coast of Mexico between the towns of Chamela and Costa Careyes.

In the image taken prior to Patricia, you see the lush green foliage across the area. The after image shows the hilly terrain appearing brown after Patricia's fierce winds stripped the trees of their leaves.

Before and after images showing the foliage before and after Hurricane Patricia made landfall.
(John Galetzka)

Interestingly, some of the trees have already made a quick recovery. Galetza said in a tweet that new leaves were already emerging two and a half weeks after Patricia made landfall. He took this photo from the same vantage point as above showing how the new foliage was taking shape.

New foliage emerges on trees two and a half weeks after Hurricane Patricia.
(John Galetzka)

This is the second time this year we've seen how powerful winds from a tropical cyclone can strip foliage off forested areas. In March, Category 5 Cyclone Pam hit Vanuatu and removed the leaves off of trees on several islands.

(MORE: Foliage Removed From Trees in Vanuatu By Cyclone Pam)