Meteorological history | |
---|---|
Formed | June 24,1954 |
Dissipated | June 26,1954 |
Category 2 hurricane | |
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Highest winds | 110 mph (175 km/h) |
Lowest pressure | ≤975 mbar (hPa);≤28.79 inHg |
Overall effects | |
Fatalities | 55–153 |
Damage | $2 million (1954 USD) (partial estimate) |
Areas affected | Mexico,Texas |
IBTrACS | |
Part of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season |
Hurricane Alice was the second-strongest Atlantic hurricane to make landfall in the month of June since reliable records began in the 1850s. The storm was linked to catastrophic flooding in southern Texas and northern Mexico,especially along the Rio Grande and its tributaries. The third tropical cyclone and first hurricane of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season,Alice was one of two storms to receive the same name that year,the other being an unusual post-season hurricane that persisted into the new year of 1955,becoming one of only two January hurricanes on record (the other having formed in 1938). The first Alice developed rather suddenly on June 24 over the Bay of Campeche,though it may well have formed earlier but went undetected due to limited surface weather observations. Moving northwestward,Alice strengthened rapidly as it neared the Mexican coastline,becoming a hurricane early the next day. By midday on June 25,the hurricane reached peak winds of 110 miles per hour (177 km/h ) before moving inland well south of the U.S.–Mexico border. The storm struck an area with few inhabitants and caused relatively minimal impacts from wind near the point of landfall and in southern Texas.
As it moved inland,however,Alice produced prolific rains along and near the Rio Grande,resulting in some of the worst flooding ever seen in parts of northern Mexico and southern Texas; [1] in some areas,the flooding amounted to a one-in-1,000-year event. The Pecos River crested at 96.24 ft (29.33 m),which joined with the Rio Grande to produce significant flooding. The floods destroyed bridges and dikes and flooded many cities along the inner reaches of the river,which reached its highest water levels since 1865. As the river overflowed its banks,floods breached the dikes at Piedras Negras,Coahuila,destroying large sections of the town. Other communities in Mexico reported significant flood damage. In the United States,damage was heaviest in Ozona,Texas,where the floods killed 15 people and caused $2 million in damage (1954 USD). Rainfall peaked at over 24.07 in (611 mm),most of which fell in a 24‑hour period. In all,flooding from Hurricane Alice killed at least 55 people,including 17 in the U.S. and 38 in Mexico,though many deaths in rural Mexico may have gone unreported;the total death toll could have exceeded 150.
At 12:00 UTC on June 24,1954,a moderate tropical storm formed about 270 miles (435 km ) east of Tampico,Tamaulipas,with winds of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h ). [2] In 2015,NOAA researchers working on reanalysis with the Hurricane Research Division examined observations to determine whether Alice formed earlier,but were unsuccessful due to sparse surface weather observations over the Bay of Campeche. [3] The first observation of gale-force winds occurred at 18:00 UTC on June 24,when a ship reported 60-mile-per-hour (97 km/h) winds and an atmospheric pressure of 999 millibars (29.50 inHg ),indicating a well-developed cyclone in the area. Based on these data,scientists concluded that Alice likely formed earlier than indicated,but went undetected until that day. [3] Regardless,Alice steadily intensified almost immediately upon detection as it headed northwestward,strengthening into the equivalent of a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale by 00:00 UTC on June 25. [4] [2] Early on that day,a ship calibrated the rapid strengthening of the storm,measuring winds of 85 mph (137 km/h) at 08:17 UTC. [3] As Alice neared the coast of Mexico,reconnaissance aircraft known as Hurricane Hunters began tracking the eye of the hurricane,but apparently did not penetrate the center of the storm. They did,however,provide information about the position of the storm. [3]
The storm continued to intensify rapidly as it approached the coastline south of the United States–Mexico border. Based on aircraft observations,research suggests that Alice made landfall about 60 mi (97 km) south of Matamoros,Tamaulipas,at 14:00 UTC on June 25. [3] [2] The storm affected a thinly populated segment of the Mexican coastline,and few observations were available to determine the strength of the hurricane. One report,taken about 100 mi (161 km) south of Brownsville,Texas,suggested top winds of at least 70 to 80 mph (113 to 129 km/h). [4] Prior to scientific reexamination,HURDAT—the official database containing tracks and intensities of cyclones in the North Atlantic and Eastern North Pacific regions—listed top winds of 80 mph (129 km/h) at landfall in Mexico. [3] However,a radiosonde,launched from Brownsville in time for the 12:00 UTC observation,recorded winds of 150 mph (241 km/h) from the southeast at 3,000 feet (914 m ) in elevation. Based on this measurement,which may have represented winds in the eyewall,researchers determined that Hurricane Alice was likely significantly stronger at landfall than previously assessed. [3] They analyzed Alice as having struck Mexico with winds of 110 mph (177 km/h),while noting the great uncertainty and the possibility that the storm may have even been much stronger than this. [2] The central pressure in the eye was probably 975 mb (28.79 inHg) or lower,as corroborated by observations well inland in Texas. [3] Therefore,Alice was at least equivalent to a high-end Category 2 hurricane at landfall and conceivably could have attained major hurricane status.
After landing,Hurricane Alice gradually weakened as it approximately followed the Rio Grande,crossing into southern Texas near La Grulla just before 00:00 UTC on June 26. [2] The storm by then had weakened back to a moderate tropical storm with winds of 60 mph (97 km/h),but it still produced gale-force winds in several communities across southern Texas;a few areas in Texas may have even experienced hurricane-force winds for brief periods before the storm entered the state,but there are no observations to confirm such winds. [3] The storm likely caused winds of at least 70 mph (113 km/h) in southern Texas. As it crossed into Texas,Tropical Storm Alice curved more to the north-northwest early on June 26 before assuming a sharp bend back westward later in the day. [2] The storm degenerated into a tropical depression by 18:00 UTC and dissipated early on June 27 near the Big Bend National Park in Texas. [4] [2]
Before Alice moved ashore,about 50 Girl Scouts at a camp were evacuated to a center in Brownsville,Texas. [5] The residents of Padre Island were also evacuated. Residents in the storm's path were unprepared due to the storm forming suddenly. The United States Coast Guard spread the word about the storm by traversing the coast and advising residents to seek shelter. Officials at the U.S. Weather Bureau posted northwest storm warnings for the Brownsville area,recommending that small boats to stay at harbor. [6] Damages along the coastline at the point of landfall were relatively light. [4] Winds in Brownsville reached 62 mph (100 km/h),which created flying debris that injured one man. [6] Moderate to strong gales affected the Rio Grande Valley inland over southern Texas. [3] Across the border,minor damage was reported in Matamoros,Tamaulipas,and one person there was killed by a fallen power line. [6] A few shrimp fishing boats were driven ashore by heavy winds. [7] Although later there was severe flooding further inland,a dam along the Rio Grande prevented significant flooding in the Brownsville area. [8]
Most of the damage resulting from Alice was caused by heavy rain in the inland areas of Texas,Tamaulipas and Coahuila;damage was exacerbated in these areas by drought conditions that rendered the soil especially vulnerable to erosion. [7] Estimates of peak rainfall within 12 hours vary from 22 inches (56 cm) [7] to 26 inches (132 cm), [9] and a total of 35 inches (89 cm) of rain fell in 24 hours,approaching the world record that had been set by an unnamed hurricane in Texas in 1921. [10] However,a 2010 report on the storm's rainfall indicated a maximum of 24.07 in (611 mm) near Pandale, [11] of which 16.02 in (407 mm) fell in a 24‑hour period. [12]
The peak rainfall occurred in a small area centered near the Pecos River. A location along the Johnson Draw reported 11 in (280 mm) of rainfall after receiving minimal precipitation in the previous three years. In addition,some locals in western Texas experienced rainfall from Alice that exceed yearly averages. This contributed to significant flooding along the Pecos River,reaching a flood stage of 55 ft (17 m) in Pandale. The flooding swept away a group of fishermen in Sheffield as well as at a location 10 mi (16 km) north of Pandale,killing four. Downstream,the river crested at 96.24 ft (29.33 m),which washed out a highway and three railroad bridges. [12] A temporary bridge was built between Eagle Pass and Piedro Negro by July 10,or two weeks after the storm. [13] The destroyed rail lines stranded a Sunset Limited train,which prompted the passengers to evacuate to nearby Langtry. [12] The flooding also stranded a Southern Pacific train,whose occupants were later evacuated by helicopters. [13] The peak river crest corresponded to a discharge rate of 948,000 ft³/s (26,800 m³/s),which the International Boundary and Water Commission remarked was "probably the greatest rate of runoff for a watershed of [that] size in the United States". [12] Heavy rain fell across all of southern Texas and northern Mexico as a result of Alice,causing flash floods in inland areas. [7] Ozona,Texas was the town most affected by the floods,sustaining $2 million in damage (1954 USD), [14] as well as 15 deaths. Early on the morning of June 25,a "wall of water" as high as 30 feet (9.2 m) poured out of a dry gully and overwhelmed most of the town. [7] Roughly a third of Ozona had to be evacuated,and many livestock there were killed. [13] About 500 families were left homeless in the town. [15] United States military helicopters worked to rescue people trapped by the floodwaters. [8] In all,at least seven towns experienced flooding from the storm on either side of the border, [14] including Lamesa and Laredo,Texas which were badly damaged by flash floods. [7]
The Rio Grande rose well above flood level at the cities of Eagle Pass,Texas and Piedras Negras,Coahuila. While the city of Eagle Pass was evacuated,Piedras Negras was not. Both cities were completely flooded,and the dike intended to protect Piedras Negras from floods was washed away. At least 38 people (some sources say 39) were killed in Piedras Negras after the dike collapsed. [4] [7] In Eagle Pass,the commercial sector was flooded by over 8 ft (2.4 m) of waters,which let heavy losses. [13] Before the storm began producing heavy rainfall,officials anticipated moderate river flooding that would peak at less than the flood of 1948. [12] The river crested at Laredo,Texas,where waters reached a peak of 62.2 feet (19 m),at least 10 feet (3 m) above the previous record flood. [7] High waters caused the water treatment plants to fail there,which prevented the safe delivery of fresh water until July 1. [13] The International Bridge connecting Laredo and Nuevo Laredo was swept away. [7] Although severe damage occurred in the latter city,no deaths were recorded in either city due to evacuations. [13] Flooding along the Rio Grande was the highest since 1865, [11] and was considered a 1 in 2000 year event. [16] About 12,000 people were evacuated from nearby Ciudad Acuña following the flood. [14] There,the floods left heavy damage. [13]
Estimates for total death toll range from 55 [4] to 153. [7] Death toll estimates for Texas range from 17 [4] to 38, [9] though official records indicate that the 38 deaths occurred in Mexico rather than Texas. [4] Estimates of the deaths in Mexico,where records are less complete,vary more widely. [4] [7] Several of the deaths in Texas were homeless people attempting to enter the United States,and as a result their deaths were not counted. [13] Monetary damage figures are not available,but it is known that flooding from Alice caused considerable damage to crops,primarily cotton. [4]
While Alice left almost unprecedented flooding in its wake,the storm itself was not an unheard-of occurrence:a similar storm in 1921,which followed a comparative track,caused significant flooding in Texas as well,albeit not in the same areas affected by the floods of 1954. [3] Following the devastation left by Alice,members of the U.S. Air Force,Navy,and Army flew 21 helicopters with over 81 tons of relief supplies to the affected people of Mexico and Texas,including food,water,medicine,and clothing. [8] The disastrous flooding caused by Hurricane Alice along the Rio Grande accelerated the joint US–Mexico Amistad Dam project,a series of flood control dams designed to prevent similar catastrophes in the future. The project,in the planning stages for decades before the storm,was finally begun in 1960. [17]
Leftover waters from the storm led to an increase in mosquitoes in Texas,which prompted a widespread application of larvicide via airplane. On July 1,the flood areas of southern Texas were declared a major disaster area. This followed a delivery of 2 flood specialists,20 laborers,2 portable water treatment plants,7 trucks,and a quantity of insecticides and water treatment tablets. [13] Residents in Laredo,Texas provided citizens of its neighboring city Nuevo Laredo,Mexico with food and water. The Mexican government provided temporary homes for the affected citizens of the flood. American officials distributed typhoid vaccinations,water purification tablets,and insecticides to the American cities along the Rio Grande. Safe water was eventually restored to Laredo,Texas on July 12. All emergency work related to the disaster was finished by September 3. [13]
Besides flooding,Hurricane Alice was also notable for another reason:it made landfall with some of the strongest winds in a June hurricane on record. With top winds of 110 mph (177 km/h),the cyclone was the second-strongest Atlantic hurricane to make landfall in the month of June,behind only Hurricane Audrey in 1957,which made landfall in Louisiana with winds of 125 mph (201 km/h). [2] The storm was somewhat analogous to Hurricane Alex,which also affected the same region in 2010 with winds of 110 mph (177 km/h),though Alex made landfall in early July. [2]
Hurricane Beulah was an intense Category 5 hurricane which impacted the Greater Antilles, Mexico, and Texas in September 1967. The second tropical storm, second hurricane, only major hurricane, and strongest storm in the 1967 Atlantic hurricane season, Beulah tracked through the Caribbean, struck the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico as a major hurricane, and moved west-northwestward into the Gulf of Mexico, briefly becoming a Category 5 hurricane. The hurricane made landfall just north of the mouth of the Rio Grande as a Category 3 hurricane. It spawned 115 tornadoes across Texas, which established a new record for the highest amount of tornadoes produced by a tropical cyclone. Due to its slow movement over Texas, Beulah led to significant flooding. Throughout its path, at least 59 people were killed and total damage reached $234.6 million, of which $200 million occurred in the United States, $26.9 million occurred in Mexico, and $7.65 million occurred in the eastern Caribbean.
Hurricane Anita was a powerful tropical cyclone during the otherwise quiet 1977 Atlantic hurricane season, and the latest first named storm on record since tropical cyclones were first named in 1950. The first tropical cyclone of the season, Anita developed from a tropical wave on August 29 in the north-central Gulf of Mexico. It tracked westward into an area with conditions favorable for further development, and quickly intensified into a hurricane by late on August 30. Initially, Anita was forecast to strike Texas, though a building ridge turned it to the west-southwest. The hurricane rapidly strengthened to attain peak winds of 175 mph (280 km/h), and on September 2 Anita made landfall in eastern Tamaulipas as a Category 5 hurricane. It quickly weakened as it crossed Mexico, and after briefly redeveloping into a tropical depression in the eastern Pacific Ocean, Anita dissipated on September 4 to the south of the Baja California Peninsula. Anita was the first major hurricane to form in the Gulf of Mexico since Hurricane Eloise of 1975.
The 1954 Atlantic hurricane season was an above-average Atlantic hurricane season in terms of named storms, with 16 forming. Overall, the season resulted in $751.6 million in damage, the most of any season at the time. The season officially began on June 15, and nine days later the first named storm developed. Hurricane Alice developed in the Gulf of Mexico and moved inland along the Rio Grande, producing significant precipitation and record flooding that killed 55 people. Activity was slow until late August; only Barbara, a minimal tropical storm, developed in July. In the span of two weeks, hurricanes Carol and Edna followed similar paths before both striking New England as major hurricanes. The latter became the costliest hurricane in Maine's history.
The 1942 Atlantic hurricane season was one of seven seasons to feature multiple hurricane landfalls in Texas. The season officially lasted from June 16, 1942, to October 31, 1942. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. A total of 11 tropical storms from 1943 are listed in the Atlantic hurricane database, with two additional tropical depressions. The first system of the year, a tropical depression, developed over the central Gulf of Mexico on June 3, while the last system, the Belize hurricane, dissipated over the Yucatán Peninsula on November 11. After the depression dissipated on June 3, the season remained dormant until the next system developed two months later. In mid-August, a hurricane struck Texas, causing about $790,000 (1942 USD) in damage.
The 1934 Atlantic hurricane season produced thirteen tropical storms, of which seven further organized into hurricanes. Of those seven hurricanes, only one intensified into a major hurricane, which is a Category 3 or stronger system on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson scale. The first system developed on June 4 while the last storm dissipated on November 30. In 2012, as part of the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project, meteorologists identified two previously unknown September tropical storms and fine-tuned the meteorological histories of many others. However, given scant observations from ships and weather stations, significant uncertainty of tropical cyclone tracks, intensity, and duration remains, particularly for those storms that stayed at sea.
The 1922 Atlantic hurricane season was the first season since 1914 in which no hurricanes made landfall in the United States. Although no "hurricane season" was defined at the time, the present-day delineation of such is June 1 to November 30. The first system, a tropical depression, developed on May 12, while the last, also a tropical depression, dissipated on October 31. Of note, seven of the fourteen cyclones co-existed with another tropical cyclone during the season, including three systems being simultaneously active on September 22.
Hurricane Dolly caused flooding throughout Mexico in August 1996. The fourth named storm and third hurricane of the season, Dolly developed from a tropical wave to the west-southwest of Jamaica on August 19. Initially a tropical depression, the system strengthened into a tropical storm about twelve hours later. Dolly headed westward and intensified into a Category 1 hurricane late on August 20. It then made landfall near Chetumal, Quintana Roo. The system weakened to a tropical depression on August 21. Later that day or early on August 22, Dolly emerged into the Bay of Campeche and quickly re-strengthened into a tropical storm. The storm deepened further and was upgraded to a hurricane again by midday on August 23; Dolly simultaneously peaked with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h). Around that time, it struck between Tuxpan, Veracruz, and Tampico, Tamaulipas. Dolly quickly weakened to a tropical depression early on August 24, but remained intact while crossing Mexico and dissipated over the eastern Pacific Ocean on August 25.
The 1886 Atlantic hurricane season was a very active and record breaking Atlantic hurricane season that ran through the early summer and the first half of fall in 1886. Out of the ten known hurricanes, seven of them struck the United States at that intensity; an all-time record. The season also had the most active June, and reached the modern seasonal average of hurricanes by mid-August. This occurred once more in 1893, and has yet to come close since. Four of the hurricanes also reached major hurricane status. However, with the absence of modern satellites and other remote-sensing technologies, only storms that affected populated land areas or encountered ships at sea were documented. The actual total is likely higher with an average under-count bias estimate of zero to six tropical cyclones per year between 1851 and 1885 and zero to four per year between 1886 and 1910. Several studies have also suggested that the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa may have played a significant role in the unusual and enhanced activity. Hurricane Seven and Tropical Storm Eleven were recently documented in 1996 by Jose Fernandez-Partagas and Henry Diaz, in which they also proposed alterations to other known tracks of several other 1886 storms.
Tropical Storm Charley was the third named storm of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season. Charley was the first of two tropical storms to make landfall in Texas during that season. The storm originated with a tropical wave that moved off the West African coast on August 9. The wave moved generally west-northwestward, producing occasional bursts of convection, finally arriving in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico by August 19, when animated satellite images began to indicate it had possibly developed a low pressure centre. Hurricane Hunter investigations into the system the next day revealed that this was not the case. The system lingered for two days, lacking an organized low level centre of circulation until early on the morning of August 21, when advisories were initiated on the tropical depression, 185 miles (298 km) east of Brownsville, Texas. The depression became a tropical storm later that day, as it moved steadily west-northwestward, strengthening, and then weakening again before making landfall the next morning around Port Aransas, Texas. The storm moved slowly inland and finally dissipated on the morning of the August 24 near the town of Del Rio, Texas.
Tropical Storm Gabrielle caused moderate flooding in northeastern Mexico and southern Texas in August 1995. The eighth tropical cyclone and seventh named storm of the 1995 Atlantic hurricane season, Gabrielle developed from a tropical wave in the west-central Gulf of Mexico on August 9. Initially a tropical depression, the system gradually intensified and by the following day, it became a tropical storm. Favorable conditions caused Gabrielle to continue to strengthen, with the storm nearly reaching hurricane status late on August 11. However, it soon made landfall near La Pesca, Tamaulipas, thus halting further intensification. Once inland, Gabrielle rapidly weakened and dissipated by early on August 12.
Hurricane Caroline was one of two tropical cyclones to affect northern Mexico during the 1975 Atlantic hurricane season. The third named storm and second hurricane of the season, Caroline developed on August 24 north of the Dominican Republic. The system crossed Cuba and briefly degenerated into a tropical wave due to land interaction. However, upon emergence into the western Caribbean Sea, it was once again designated as a tropical depression after a well-defined circulation was observed on satellite imagery. Moving towards the west-northwest, the cyclone clipped the northern portion of the Yucatán Peninsula before entering the Gulf of Mexico. Caroline was upgraded to a tropical storm on August 29 in the central Gulf of Mexico before rapid intensification began. Early on August 31, Caroline reached its peak intensity with winds of 115 mph (185 km/h), before landfall south of Brownsville, Texas with winds of 105 mph (169 km/h) shortly thereafter. After moving inland, Caroline quickly weakened and dissipated over the mountainous terrain of northeastern Mexico on September 1. There were only two deaths from Caroline, both indirect. However, there was heavy rainfall in southern Texas and Mexico, including almost 12 in (300 mm) at Port Isabel.
Hurricane Dolly was a strong tropical cyclone that made landfall in Deep South Texas in July 2008. Dolly was the fourth tropical cyclone and second hurricane to form during the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. Dolly developed on July 20 from an area of disturbed weather in association with a strong tropical wave. It was named at that time, as the precursor wave already had tropical storm-force winds.
Hurricane Alex was the first tropical cyclone of the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season, and a rare June Atlantic hurricane. Originating from an area of disturbed weather on June 25, 2010, it slowly developed in the western Caribbean Sea and struck Belize as a strong tropical storm. After entering the Gulf of Mexico, Alex became very large and encountered conditions favorable for gradual development. Early on June 30, the cyclone attained hurricane status as it approached northeastern Mexico, the first June hurricane in the Atlantic basin since Hurricane Allison in 1995, and the storm rapidly intensified just off the coast of Tamaulipas. Alex made landfall near Soto la Marina as a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Alex rapidly weakened after landfall, with the storm losing its tropical status on July 2, before fully dissipating on July 6.
The 1933 Cuba–Brownsville hurricane was a deadly and destructive tropical cyclone in the 1933 Atlantic hurricane season. It was one of two systems during the season to reach Category 5‑equivalent intensity on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale. It formed on August 22 off the west coast of Africa, and for much of its duration it maintained a west-northwest track. The system intensified into a tropical storm on August 26 and into a hurricane on August 28. Passing north of the Lesser Antilles, the hurricane rapidly intensified as it approached the Turks and Caicos islands. It reached Category 5 status and its peak winds of 160 mph (260 km/h) on August 31. Subsequently, it weakened before striking northern Cuba on September 1 with winds of 120 mph (190 km/h). In the country, the hurricane left about 100,000 people homeless and killed over 70 people. Damage was heaviest near the storm's path, and the strong winds destroyed houses and left areas without power. Damage was estimated at $11 million.
The 1945 Texas hurricane was a slow-moving tropical cyclone which paralleled the Texas Gulf Coast, causing extensive damage in late-August 1945. The fifth tropical storm and second hurricane of the annual hurricane season, the storm formed out of an area of disturbed weather which had been situated over the Bay of Campeche on August 24. In favorable conditions, the system quickly intensified as it steadily moved northward, attaining hurricane intensity later that day. As it approached the coast, however, the hurricane quickly slowed in forward motion, allowing it time to intensify off the Texas coast. After reaching major hurricane status, the storm reached peak intensity on August 26 as a minimal Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 115 miles per hour (185 km/h). Later that day, the cyclone executed a slight curve toward the Texas coast, and early the next day made landfall near Seadrift at peak intensity. Once inland, it quickly weakened, and degenerated into a remnant low on August 29 over Central Texas. The storm was the first major hurricane to form in the Gulf of Mexico since 1941.
In early September 1921, the remnants of a category 1 hurricane brought damaging floods to areas of Mexico and the U.S. state of Texas, particularly in the San Antonio region. On September 4, a tropical cyclone developed in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico near the Bay of Campeche. Moving slowly in a general westward direction, the disturbance reached hurricane intensity on September 7 prior to making landfall south of Tampico, Mexico the following day. The storm weakened over land, and lost cyclonic characteristics later that day. However, a nearby high-pressure area forced the remnants of the system northward into Texas. Due to an orographic lifting effect, the remnants were able to produce torrential and record rainfall over the state. Precipitation peaked over Central Texas, where the highest rainfall amount measured was 40 in (1,016 mm) near Thrall, Texas; this was the fourth-highest tropical cyclone-related rainfall total in Texas since record keeping began. Similarly, an observation of 36.40 in (925 mm) elsewhere in Williamson County, Texas ranked as the sixth-highest tropical cyclone-related rainfall total for the state. The high precipitation totals set nationwide records which would stand for several years.The loss in money was 19 million in 1921 USD. 2024 dollars=332,816,312.85
The 1933 Florida–Mexico hurricane was the first of two Atlantic hurricanes to strike the Treasure Coast region of Florida in the very active 1933 Atlantic hurricane season. It was one of two storms that year to inflict hurricane-force winds over South Texas, causing significant damage there; the other occurred in early September. The fifth tropical cyclone of the year, it formed east of the Lesser Antilles on July 24, rapidly strengthening as it moved west-northwest. As it passed over the islands, it attained hurricane status on July 26, producing heavy rains and killing at least six people. Over the next three days, it moved north of the Caribbean, paralleling the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas. The storm produced extensive damage and at least one drowning as it crossed the Bahamas. On July 29, the cyclone came under the influence of changing steering currents in the atmosphere, which forced the storm into Florida near Hobe Sound a day later. A minimal hurricane at landfall, it caused negligible wind damage as it crossed Florida, but generated heavy rains along its path, causing locally severe flooding. The storm turned west, weakened to below hurricane status, and later exited the state north of Charlotte Harbor on July 31.
Tropical Storm Harold was a moderate tropical storm that made landfall in South Texas in August 2023. The eighth named storm of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, Harold developed from a tropical wave that entered the Gulf of Mexico on August 20, after passing through the Bahamas and South Florida. The system steadily organized over the following days, over record-warm sea-surface temperatures in the Gulf, as it progressed westward. Although the disturbance had not become organized enough to become a tropical cyclone yet, due to the threat it posed to southern Texas, the United States–based National Hurricane Center (NHC) initiated advisories on the system as Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine on August 21. The disturbance organized into a tropical depression six hours later, before strengthening into a tropical storm the following morning and receiving the name Harold. Harold continued to strengthen as it moved quickly westward, and the cyclone made landfall on Padre Island, Texas, around 15:00 UTC on August 22, as a 60 mph (95 km/h) tropical storm. Harold quickly weakened as it moved inland over southern Texas and dissipated on August 23, though its remnant mid-level circulation and associated moisture affected the central United States for several more days.