Formed | October 17, 1998 |
---|---|
Dissipated | October 18, 1998 |
Fatalities | 31 [1] |
Damage | $ 750 million [2] |
Areas affected |
The October 1998 Texas Flooding was a flood event that occurred across parts of South Texas and Southeast Texas on the weekend of October 17 and October 18, 1998. The storm that caused it was one of the costliest in the recorded meteorological history of the United States, bringing rainfall of over 20 inches (510 mm) to some parts of Southeast Texas and causing over $ 1.19 billion in damages (2020 USD). 31 people were killed as a result of the storm, mostly from drowning.
The storm was created when a very strong upper-level trough approached from the Western United States and collided with very warm, moist air which had been sitting over Southern Texas for the past few days. This caused dew points in the area to be in the mid 70s that weekend. Also, an area of very warm and moist air was present nearby due to Hurricane Madeline, which was sitting off the west coast of Mexico. [3] [4] On October 16, the storm was being forecast by the National Weather Service to produce a significant amount of rain, and was only missing one ingredient for it to be a disastrous storm. The missing ingredient was a cold front, and one was moving steadily across the Western United States. Forecasters predicted that if this were to arrive at the same time as the rain, there would be heavy rain and possibly flooding. [5] At 3:30 AM Central Standard Time, the National Weather Service in New Braunfels, Texas issued a flash flood watch for all counties in South, South-Central, and Southeast Texas.
Between the hours of midnight and 4 A.M. on October 17, 1998, small clusters of rain showers and thunderstorms began to form over Southern Texas very far ahead of the approaching cold front. For the next few hours, storms did not organize much into powerful clusters until the convection formed over the northern part of Bexar County, Texas, which included the city of San Antonio. After this formation, the storms rapidly increased in formation and power until the cold front arrived. The convection spread very quickly into other counties after this intensification. These counties included Travis, which included the city of Austin, Texas. The cold front would soon arrive to the area, bringing torrential rains. [6]
The cold front arrived in Southern and Southeastern Texas on the evening of Saturday, October 17, 1998. This caused the storm to rapidly intensify until the torrential downpours began over the entire area. This started to flood many rivers and other bodies of water in the area, including the San Marcos River, the Guadalupe River, Canyon Lake, and the Medina River. The rainfall caused widespread flash flooding across the urban area of San Antonio and the city of Austin. Heavy rains continued for the entire day of October 18, 1998, and eventually tapered off and moved away to the coast and soon offshore. It caused major flooding in seven different river basins, and drained nearly 10,000 square miles (26,000 km2). The rain caused record rain totals in fifteen bodies of water, as recorded by the United States Geological Survey. [7]
The flood event impacted many areas, mostly in Southern Texas. Also affected were Southeast Texas and South Central Texas, and there was minor flooding along the coast of the state.
The greatest impact was in Southern Texas, which included the urban areas of San Antonio and Austin, and all of their surrounding suburbs. The counties with the most significant rainfall, damage, and fatalities were Travis County, Bexar County, Guadalupe County, and Caldwell County. This area included both the cities of San Antonio and Austin. In a small area in Caldwell County, there was 29 inches (740 mm) of rain estimated by the United States Geological Survey. This included the area of Lockhart, Texas, which was badly flooded by the storm due to its close proximity to the San Marcos River. Most of the county picked up an estimated 20–30 inches of rain, including San Marcos, Texas, New Braunfels, Texas, and Kyle, Texas. [8]
Source: Kelly 1999 , pp. A1–A2
Water body | Location | Peak water height (feet) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Cypress Creek | Hockley, Texas | 63.51 | Highest creek stage since 1960. |
Onion Creek | Driftwood, Texas | 24.91 | Highest creek stage since records began. |
Sandy Creek | Louise, Texas | 24.91 | Highest creek stage since records began. |
Plum Creek | Louise, Texas | 32.70 | Highest Creek stage since records began in 1915. |
Guadalupe River | New Braunfels, Texas | 35.08 | |
Guadalupe River | Seguin, Texas | 36.80 | Highest previous record 35.5 feet in 1935. |
Guadalupe River | Gonzales, Texas | 50.44 | Highest river stage since records began in 1905. |
Guadalupe River | Cuero, Texas | 49.80 | Highest river stage since records began before 1900. |
Guadalupe River | Victoria, Texas | 49.80 | Highest river stage since records began before 1840. |
San Antonio River | San Antonio, Texas | 12.43 | Highest river stage since records began. |
San Antonio River (Loop 410) | San Antonio, Texas | 36.15 | Highest river stage since records began. |
Salado Creek | San Antonio, Texas | 23.00 | Highest creek stage since records began. |
Leon Creek | San Antonio, Texas | 28.52 | Highest creek stage since records began. |
San Antonio River | Elmendorf, Texas | 64.20 | Highest river stage since records began. |
Cibolo Creek | Selma, Texas | 35.40 | Highest creek stage since records began. |
Cibolo Creek | Falls City, Texas | 40.00 | Highest creek stage since records began. |
31 people were killed as a result of the flooding across nine different counties and 24 separate incidents in South, Southeast, and South-Central Texas. 29 of these deaths were caused directly from the storm, and two were caused indirectly. Of the 31 deaths, 24 (or 77%) were caused by drowning. Of the deaths caused by drowning, 22 of them were caused by a driver driving their vehicle into high water on a road flooded by the torrential downpours. There were 16 different incidents when these types of deaths occurred, four of them involving in multiple deaths. 63% of these incidents involved a truck, van, or sport utility vehicle. Other deaths included three cardiac arrests, three incidents of multiple trauma, and one death caused by hypothermia after being submerged in the water. [1]
The Llano River is a tributary of the Colorado River, about 105 miles (169 km) long, in Texas in the United States. It drains part of the Edwards Plateau in Texas Hill Country northwest of Austin.
Hurricane Hilda was an intense tropical cyclone that ravaged areas of the United States Gulf Coast, particularly Louisiana. In addition to its damage inland, the hurricane greatly disrupted offshore oil production, and at its time was the costliest tropical cyclone for Louisiana's offshore oil production. Due in part to flights made by the National Hurricane Research Laboratory, Hilda became one of the most well-documented storms meteorologically in the Atlantic. Lasting for seven days as a tropical cyclone, Hilda caused US$126 million in damage and 38 deaths. It was the tenth named storm, sixth hurricane, and the fourth major hurricane of the 1964 Atlantic hurricane season.
Tropical Storm Amelia was a weak but catastrophic tropical storm that was the second-wettest tropical cyclone on record in the continental United States. Amelia developed from a tropical wave that moved through the Atlantic Ocean uneventfully. The disturbance then entered an area of the Gulf of Mexico that was conducive to tropical cyclogenesis and became the first tropical depression of the season, after which it was forecast to make landfall before any significant intensification. However, the tropical depression defied predictions, quickly strengthening into a weak tropical storm just hours before making landfall in Corpus Christi. The storm lasted roughly a day over land before becoming unidentifiable after being active for just under 48 hours. After dissipating, the storm caused a severe flooding disaster in Texas.
Timeline of historical events of Houston, Texas, United States:
Hurricane Stan was the deadliest tropical cyclone of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. A relatively weak system that affected areas of Central America and Mexico in early October 2005, Stan was the eighteenth named storm and eleventh hurricane of the 2005 season, having formed from a tropical wave on October 1 after it had moved into the western Caribbean. The depression slowly intensified, and reached tropical storm intensity the following day, before subsequently making its first landfall on the Yucatán Peninsula. While traversing the peninsula, the tropical storm weakened, but was able to re-intensify once it entered the Bay of Campeche. Under favorable conditions for tropical development, Stan attained hurricane strength on October 4, and later reached peak intensity with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 977 mbar (28.9 inHg). The hurricane maintained this intensity until landfall near Punta Roca Partida, Mexico later the same day. Once over the mountainous terrain of Mexico, however, Stan quickly weakened, and dissipated on October 5.
Tropical Storm Claudette was a 1979 tropical cyclone which was the third-wettest tropical cyclone on record in the contiguous United States. The storm caused significant flooding in eastern Texas and western Louisiana in July 1979. The eighth tropical cyclone and third named storm of the 1979 Atlantic hurricane season, Claudette developed from a tropical wave located east of the Windward Islands on July 16. It gradually strengthened and was upgraded to a tropical storm on July 17 and crossed the northern Leeward Islands later that day. As it neared landfall in Puerto Rico early on July 18, upper-level winds weakened it back to a tropical depression. Claudette remained disorganized and the National Hurricane Center operationally reported that it degenerated back into a tropical wave after crossing Puerto Rico. Late on July 18, the depression struck Dominican Republic, emerged into the Caribbean Sea on the following day. Claudette struck western Cuba on July 21, shortly before reaching the Gulf of Mexico and "regenerating" into a tropical cyclone. By July 23, Claudette regained tropical storm intensity and turned northward toward the Gulf Coast of the United States. The storm made landfall near the Texas-Louisiana border late on July 23 as a moderately strong tropical storm. It weakened slowly and drifted over land, lasting until dissipation in West Virginia on July 29.
Tropical Storm Frances caused extensive flooding in Mexico and Texas in September 1998. The sixth tropical cyclone and sixth named storm of the annual hurricane season, Frances developed from a low pressure area in the Gulf of Mexico on September 8. The cyclone moved northward through the western Gulf of Mexico, making landfall across the central Texas coastline before recurving across the Midwest through southeast Canada and New England. A large tropical cyclone for the Atlantic basin, yet an average sized system by western Pacific standards, the storm produced heavy rains across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Texas, western Louisiana and the Great Plains.
Floods in the United States are generally caused by excessive rainfall, excessive snowmelt, and dam failure. Below is a list of flood events that were of significant impact to the country during the 20th century, from 1900 through 1999, inclusive.
The climate of Houston is classified as a humid subtropical climate, with tropical influences. August normally ranks as the warmest month at an average temperature of 95 °F (35 °C) and January the coldest month at an average temperature of 63 °F (17 °C).
Floods in the United States (2000–present) is a list of flood events which were of significant impact to the country during the 21st century, since 2000. Floods are generally caused by excessive rainfall, excessive snowmelt, storm surge from hurricanes, and dam failure.
Hurricane Madeline was a costly tropical cyclone whose remnants caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage in Texas in October 1998. The final tropical cyclone of the 1998 Pacific hurricane season, Madeline originated from a tropical wave that emerged off the coast of Africa on September 25, 1998. The wave traversed the Atlantic Ocean and crossed over Central America on October 5 or 6. Gradually, the system intensified and was classified as a tropical depression on October 16, a tropical storm later that day, and a hurricane on October 17. The storm reached peak winds of 85 mph (137 km/h) about 95 miles (153 km) southwest of San Blas, Nayarit, and after 18 hours it subsequently began to weaken. Although Madeline never made landfall, numerous rainbands affected the Mexican coast causing no known damage or fatalities. The remnant moisture moved north and contributed to flooding in central Texas, which killed 31 people and caused $750 million in damage.
Hurricane Bonnie caused moderate damage along the Gulf Coast of the United States in late June 1986. The second named storm and first hurricane of the 1986 Atlantic hurricane season, Bonnie developed out of an area of low pressure over the central Gulf of Mexico on June 23. The system gradually intensified and was declared Tropical Storm Bonnie the next day as it moved generally towards the west-northwest. On June 25, Bonnie was upgraded to a hurricane. Bonnie strengthened further and on the following day, the storm attained its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (137 km/h). Shortly thereafter, Bonnie made landfall near High Island, Texas. Following landfall, Bonnie quickly weakened below tropical storm status and dissipated over Missouri on June 28.
Hurricane Waldo was a Pacific hurricane whose remnants caused significant flooding in Kansas during October 1985. It was also the only hurricane to make landfall during the extremely active 1985 Pacific hurricane season. The twenty-fourth tropical cyclone, twenty-second named storm, and eleventh hurricane of the season, Waldo originated from a disturbance first detected by ship report on October 5, 1985. After developing into a tropical depression on October 7, it steadily intensified, becoming a tropical storm that day. Waldo reached hurricane intensity on October 8. After peaking as a moderate Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale, it re-curved to the east, making landfall at peak intensity near Culiacán. Afterward, it rapidly dissipated. In all, Waldo caused moderate damage in Sonora. The remnants of the storm combined with a cold front over the Great Plains. Significant flooding and one death was recorded in Kansas. Many rivers and creeks overflowed its banks.
Hurricane Norma was one of the two hurricanes to make landfall during the 1981 Pacific hurricane season. It developed on October 8, strengthening into a tropical storm and later a hurricane. Norma moved slowly to the northwest and strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale. The storm recurved and accelerated to the northeast on October 11 and weakened to a Category 2. The next day, Norma made landfall near Mazatlán on October 12 and soon dissipated. The hurricane's remnants continued northeastward and entered the United States, crossing into central Texas before being absorbed by a frontal system on October 14. Norma caused $24 million in crop damage and one death in Mexico, as well as up to 10 in (250 mm). In Texas, the storm produced flooding rains that killed five people, caused $50 million in damage and caused many tornadoes. Rainfall was also reported as far inland as Kansas.
In early September 1921, the remnants of a [[Saffir–Simpson 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
Hurricane Ramon was a very intense Pacific hurricane whose remnants generated heavy rains in Southern California. The 19th named storm and final hurricane of the above-average 1987 Pacific hurricane season, Ramon originated from a tropical disturbance that formed in early October. On October 5, a tropical storm had developed several hundred miles southwest of Manzanillo, bypassing the tropical depression stage. Tropical Storm Ramon turned to the west-northwest after initially moving west. It intensified into a hurricane on October 7. Two days later, Hurricane Ramon peaked in intensity with winds of 140 mph (220 km/h). After peaking, Ramon turned to the northwest and rapidly weakened over cooler waters. It weakened into a tropical storm on October 11 and a depression on October 12. Ramon dissipated shortly thereafter. While at sea, Ramon brought light rainfall to the Baja California Peninsula. The remnants of Hurricane Ramon produced heavy rainfall that caused flooding in California, indirectly contributing to five traffic-related fatalities. Rainfall was reported as far inland as Utah.