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Tropical Storm Claudette (1979)
Encyclopedia
Tropical Storm Claudette was a long living tropical storm that produced heavy rain across Puerto Rico
and Texas
in late July 1979. The storm killed 2 people and left $1.1 billion (2005 USD) in damage. Claudette was one of three destructive storms of the 1979 Atlantic hurricane season
.
emerging from the coast of Africa in early July 1979. In Dakar
, Senegal
, winds were as high as 100 mph (155 km/h) in the 550 mbar level of the atmosphere. This system traced westward for four days before a surface circulation was evident, which is when it formed as a tropical depression, situated 450 miles (724 km) east of the Leeward Islands
on July 15 at 1600 UTC. The new tropical depression gradually intensified, and about 24 hours later, the depression was upgraded to a tropical storm the following day; the National Hurricane Center
assigned the name Claudette.
As the storm moved westward, it encountered wind shear, weakening it back to depression status when it hit Puerto Rico
. Claudette moved across islands of Hispaniola
and Cuba
as a tropical wave
before reforming in the Gulf of Mexico
on July 21. Fluctuating between tropical depression and tropical storm status, the disorganized storm drifted slowly westward before making landfall along the Texas
-Louisiana
border on July 24. The storm stalled over Alvin, Texas
on the evening of the 25th. The storm then weakened and continued northeastward through the Ohio Valley before dissipating on July 29.
causing minor flooding while rainfall totals above 9 inches (228.6 mm) were reported in Puerto Rico
. One person was killed and there was $750,000 dollars in damage. This all took place Puerto Rico.
Claudette produced torrential rains in both Texas
and Louisiana
when it made landfall. The highest one-day total was reported near Alvin, Texas
where 42 inches (1,066.8 mm) of rain fell. This remains the twenty-four hour rainfall record for any location in the United States. Two other towns also reported rainfall totals exceeding 30 inches. There was only one death from drowning and Louisiana received only minor damage from up to 15 inches (381 mm) of rainfall. Texas was hard hit by Claudette, with flooding reported in southeast Texas from up to 45 inches (1143 mm) of rainfall. Many residents had to be rescued from low lying areas that were flooded.
As the remnants of Claudette moved inland, it dumped heavy rains across the Midwest and Ohio Valley. Flooding was reported in Missouri
, where heavy rains caused significant flooding near St. Louis
. In Indiana
, about 9 inches of rain fell and isolated flooding was reported.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
in late July 1979. The storm killed 2 people and left $1.1 billion (2005 USD) in damage. Claudette was one of three destructive storms of the 1979 Atlantic hurricane season
1979 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1979 Atlantic hurricane season was the first in which the Atlantic hurricane naming list included both male and female names. It officially began on June 1 and lasted until November 30, and there was tropical cyclone activity in every month. The dates conventionally delimit the period of each...
.
Meteorological history
The origins of Tropical Storm Claudette have been traced back to a very intense tropical waveTropical wave
Tropical waves, easterly waves, or tropical easterly waves, also known as African easterly waves in the Atlantic region, are a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which move from east to west across the tropics causing areas of...
emerging from the coast of Africa in early July 1979. In Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
, Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
, winds were as high as 100 mph (155 km/h) in the 550 mbar level of the atmosphere. This system traced westward for four days before a surface circulation was evident, which is when it formed as a tropical depression, situated 450 miles (724 km) east of the Leeward Islands
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands in the West Indies. They are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. As a group they start east of Puerto Rico and reach southward to Dominica. They are situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
on July 15 at 1600 UTC. The new tropical depression gradually intensified, and about 24 hours later, the depression was upgraded to a tropical storm the following day; the National Hurricane Center
National Hurricane Center
The National Hurricane Center , located at Florida International University in Miami, Florida, is the division of the National Weather Service responsible for tracking and predicting weather systems within the tropics between the Prime Meridian and the 140th meridian west poleward to the 30th...
assigned the name Claudette.
As the storm moved westward, it encountered wind shear, weakening it back to depression status when it hit Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. Claudette moved across islands of Hispaniola
Hispaniola
Hispaniola is a major island in the Caribbean, containing the two sovereign states of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The island is located between the islands of Cuba to the west and Puerto Rico to the east, within the hurricane belt...
and Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
as a tropical wave
Tropical wave
Tropical waves, easterly waves, or tropical easterly waves, also known as African easterly waves in the Atlantic region, are a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which move from east to west across the tropics causing areas of...
before reforming in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
on July 21. Fluctuating between tropical depression and tropical storm status, the disorganized storm drifted slowly westward before making landfall along the Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
-Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
border on July 24. The storm stalled over Alvin, Texas
Alvin, Texas
Alvin is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area and Brazoria County. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 21,413. Alvin's claim to fame is Baseball Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, who moved with his family to the city in 1947 as...
on the evening of the 25th. The storm then weakened and continued northeastward through the Ohio Valley before dissipating on July 29.
Impact
Tropical Storm Claudette killed 2 people and left $400 million dollars (1979 USD, $1.1 billion 2005 USD).Eastern Caribbean
About 7-9 inches of rain fell on GuadeloupeGuadeloupe
Guadeloupe is an archipelago located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres and a population of 400,000. It is the first overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe...
causing minor flooding while rainfall totals above 9 inches (228.6 mm) were reported in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. One person was killed and there was $750,000 dollars in damage. This all took place Puerto Rico.
U.S. Gulf Coast
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
when it made landfall. The highest one-day total was reported near Alvin, Texas
Alvin, Texas
Alvin is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area and Brazoria County. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 21,413. Alvin's claim to fame is Baseball Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, who moved with his family to the city in 1947 as...
where 42 inches (1,066.8 mm) of rain fell. This remains the twenty-four hour rainfall record for any location in the United States. Two other towns also reported rainfall totals exceeding 30 inches. There was only one death from drowning and Louisiana received only minor damage from up to 15 inches (381 mm) of rainfall. Texas was hard hit by Claudette, with flooding reported in southeast Texas from up to 45 inches (1143 mm) of rainfall. Many residents had to be rescued from low lying areas that were flooded.
As the remnants of Claudette moved inland, it dumped heavy rains across the Midwest and Ohio Valley. Flooding was reported in Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, where heavy rains caused significant flooding near St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. In Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, about 9 inches of rain fell and isolated flooding was reported.
See also
- List of Texas hurricanes
- List of wettest tropical cyclones in Texas
- Other storms of the same name