Tropical Storm Lidia (1981)
Encyclopedia
Tropical Storm Lidia was a deadly, destructive tropical cyclone
that occurred during the 1981 Pacific hurricane season
. It resulted in more casualties and caused greater damage than Hurricane Norma
, which took place later that season. On October 6, a tropical depression formed and strengthened into a tropical storm six hours later. Lidia brushed the Gulf of California
coast of Baja California Sur
and made landfall just south of Los Mochis in Sinaloa
on October 8. Tropical Storm Lidia rapidly weakened and dissipated the same day. Lidia killed at least 73 people and caused at least $80 million (1981 USD) which is equivalent to $193 million (2010 USD) in damage. It inflicted heavy rain and flooding throughout parts of northwestern Mexico
, especially Sinaloa
.
. Ahead of a southwesterly flow over Mexico and a front, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Lidia at 0000 UTC October 7. Lidia moved generally north, and reached its maximum wind
speed of 50 mph (85 km/h). Despite encountering warm sea surface temperatures, which are generally favorable for intensification, Lidia slowly weakened as it moved towards southern Baja California
. The tropical cyclone passed over the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula on 1700 UTC October 7; at the time of the landfall Lidia was located about 67 mi (107.8 km) northwest of Cabo San Lucas. Two hours later, Lidia entered the Gulf of California
, and turned to the northeast. Lidia made landfall
on the shores of Sinaloa
about 23 mi (37 km) south of Los Mochis on October 8, with winds of 45 mph (75 km/h). At 0600 UTC, the Eastern Pacific Hurricane Center
ended advisories as the tropical cyclone dissipated inland about 17 mi (27.4 km) northeast of that same place. The remnants of Lidia continued their northeast track, moving over Mexico, and ultimately emerging into the Southern United States
, spurring a new frontal wave.
ing, with highest point point maxima was 20.59 inches (523 mm) at El Varejona and Badiraguato
in Sinaloa. Heavy rain
fall sent water down a dry river bed in Pericos, killing 40 people, mostly children. In the village Bachiulato, (or perhaps Pericos) six soldiers died while attempting to save peasants from the flooding. In the northern part of Sinaloa, 42 were confirmed killed and 76 were missing. Around Los Mochis, four people were killed. About 800 houses were also destroyed in that town. In Culiacán, eleven people were killed. Losses to cattle, crops, and fishing vessels were more than $80 million (1981 USD), equivalent to $193 million (2010 USD).
Electricity was cut off to two settlements, Guamúchil and Guasave. Telephone service was also cut off to Culiacán. Heavy rain caused flooding that cut off seven towns in Sinaloa from the outside world. It also contaminated the water supply
in Culiacán, leaving many without clean drinking water. Almost a hundred villages were flooded,
as were two dam
s. The Rio Fuerte burst its banks and flooded sixty settlements. It also forced evacuations
, which were enforced by the Mexican Army
. Mexican Federal Highway 15
was closed due to the storm, as was the Pacific Railroad. The highway was reopened shortly after the storm passed. The total death toll from Tropical Storm Lidia was determined to exceed 73. This was enough to make it the deadliest tropical cyclone of its season, which mostly occurred in rural areas. A few days later, Hurricane Norma
struck similar areas as Lidia, also causing devastation.
During the aftermath of the storm, food and clothing was brought to towns isolated by the storm. In Culiacán, churches, schools, and a baseball stadium served as temporary shelters for displaced persons. Rescue workers also searched for bodies of victims of both Lidia and the subsequent Hurricane Norma, which hit the same area a few days later. Due to the damage wrought by both Lidia and Norma, the Governor of Sinaloa
, Antonio Toledo Corro, declared his state a disaster area. He also asked the Mexican Federal Government for aid.
Tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
that occurred during the 1981 Pacific hurricane season
1981 Pacific hurricane season
The 1981 Pacific hurricane season was a moderately active Pacific hurricane season with six tropical cyclones directly affecting land. The season officially started on May 15 in the eastern Pacific, and on June 1 in the central Pacific, and ended on November 30; these dates conventionally delimit...
. It resulted in more casualties and caused greater damage than Hurricane Norma
Hurricane Norma (1981)
Hurricane Norma was the one of 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...
, which took place later that season. On October 6, a tropical depression formed and strengthened into a tropical storm six hours later. Lidia brushed the Gulf of California
Gulf of California
The Gulf of California is a body of water that separates the Baja California Peninsula from the Mexican mainland...
coast of Baja California Sur
Baja California Sur
Baja California Sur , is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Before becoming a state on October 8, 1974, the area was known as the South Territory of Baja California. It has an area of , or 3.57% of the land mass of Mexico and comprises...
and made landfall just south of Los Mochis in Sinaloa
Sinaloa
Sinaloa officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 18 municipalities and its capital city is Culiacán Rosales....
on October 8. Tropical Storm Lidia rapidly weakened and dissipated the same day. Lidia killed at least 73 people and caused at least $80 million (1981 USD) which is equivalent to $193 million (2010 USD) in damage. It inflicted heavy rain and flooding throughout parts of northwestern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, especially Sinaloa
Sinaloa
Sinaloa officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 18 municipalities and its capital city is Culiacán Rosales....
.
Meteorological history
A tropical depression formed on October 6 while located 210 mi (338 km) south of Cabo San LucasCabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas , commonly called Cabo, is a city at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, in the municipality of Los Cabos in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. As of the 2010 census, the population was 68,463 people...
. Ahead of a southwesterly flow over Mexico and a front, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Lidia at 0000 UTC October 7. Lidia moved generally north, and reached its maximum wind
Wind
Wind is the flow of gases on a large scale. On Earth, wind consists of the bulk movement of air. In outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the sun through space, while planetary wind is the outgassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space...
speed of 50 mph (85 km/h). Despite encountering warm sea surface temperatures, which are generally favorable for intensification, Lidia slowly weakened as it moved towards southern Baja California
Baja California Peninsula
The Baja California peninsula , is a peninsula in northwestern Mexico. Its land mass separates the Pacific Ocean from the Gulf of California. The Peninsula extends from Mexicali, Baja California in the north to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur in the south.The total area of the Baja California...
. The tropical cyclone passed over the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula on 1700 UTC October 7; at the time of the landfall Lidia was located about 67 mi (107.8 km) northwest of Cabo San Lucas. Two hours later, Lidia entered the Gulf of California
Gulf of California
The Gulf of California is a body of water that separates the Baja California Peninsula from the Mexican mainland...
, and turned to the northeast. Lidia made landfall
Landfall (meteorology)
Landfall is the event of a tropical cyclone or a waterspout coming onto land after being over water. When a waterspout makes landfall it is reclassified as a tornado, which can then cause damage inland...
on the shores of Sinaloa
Sinaloa
Sinaloa officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 18 municipalities and its capital city is Culiacán Rosales....
about 23 mi (37 km) south of Los Mochis on October 8, with winds of 45 mph (75 km/h). At 0600 UTC, the Eastern Pacific Hurricane Center
Eastern Pacific Hurricane Center
The Eastern Pacific Hurricane Center was formerly the Regional Specialized Meteorological Center responsible for forecasting Pacific hurricanes in the eastern north Pacific east of 140°W...
ended advisories as the tropical cyclone dissipated inland about 17 mi (27.4 km) northeast of that same place. The remnants of Lidia continued their northeast track, moving over Mexico, and ultimately emerging into the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
, spurring a new frontal wave.
Impact and Aftermath
Tropical Storm Lidia caused flash floodFlash flood
A flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas—washes, rivers, dry lakes and basins. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a storm, hurricane, or tropical storm or meltwater from ice or snow flowing over ice sheets or snowfields...
ing, with highest point point maxima was 20.59 inches (523 mm) at El Varejona and Badiraguato
Badiraguato
Badiraguato - small city and its surrounding municipality in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. It stands at .The city reported 3,562 and the municipality 37,757 inhabitants in the year 2005 census....
in Sinaloa. Heavy rain
Rain
Rain is liquid precipitation, as opposed to non-liquid kinds of precipitation such as snow, hail and sleet. Rain requires the presence of a thick layer of the atmosphere to have temperatures above the melting point of water near and above the Earth's surface...
fall sent water down a dry river bed in Pericos, killing 40 people, mostly children. In the village Bachiulato, (or perhaps Pericos) six soldiers died while attempting to save peasants from the flooding. In the northern part of Sinaloa, 42 were confirmed killed and 76 were missing. Around Los Mochis, four people were killed. About 800 houses were also destroyed in that town. In Culiacán, eleven people were killed. Losses to cattle, crops, and fishing vessels were more than $80 million (1981 USD), equivalent to $193 million (2010 USD).
Electricity was cut off to two settlements, Guamúchil and Guasave. Telephone service was also cut off to Culiacán. Heavy rain caused flooding that cut off seven towns in Sinaloa from the outside world. It also contaminated the water supply
Water supply
Water supply is the provision of water by public utilities, commercial organisations, community endeavours or by individuals, usually via a system of pumps and pipes...
in Culiacán, leaving many without clean drinking water. Almost a hundred villages were flooded,
as were two dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
s. The Rio Fuerte burst its banks and flooded sixty settlements. It also forced evacuations
Emergency evacuation
Emergency evacuation is the immediate and rapid movement of people away from the threat or actual occurrence of a hazard. Examples range from the small scale evacuation of a building due to a bomb threat or fire to the large scale evacuation of a district because of a flood, bombardment or...
, which were enforced by the Mexican Army
Mexican Army
The Mexican Army is the combined land and air branch and largest of the Mexican Military services; it also is known as the National Defense Army. It is famous for having been the first army to adopt and use an automatic rifle, , in 1899, and the first to issue automatic weapons as standard issue...
. Mexican Federal Highway 15
Mexican Federal Highway 15
Federal Highway 15 is a primary north-south highway in Mexico. The highway begins in the north at the United States-Mexico border at the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales, Sonora, and terminates to the south in Mexico City...
was closed due to the storm, as was the Pacific Railroad. The highway was reopened shortly after the storm passed. The total death toll from Tropical Storm Lidia was determined to exceed 73. This was enough to make it the deadliest tropical cyclone of its season, which mostly occurred in rural areas. A few days later, Hurricane Norma
Hurricane Norma (1981)
Hurricane Norma was the one of 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...
struck similar areas as Lidia, also causing devastation.
During the aftermath of the storm, food and clothing was brought to towns isolated by the storm. In Culiacán, churches, schools, and a baseball stadium served as temporary shelters for displaced persons. Rescue workers also searched for bodies of victims of both Lidia and the subsequent Hurricane Norma, which hit the same area a few days later. Due to the damage wrought by both Lidia and Norma, the Governor of Sinaloa
Governor of Sinaloa
List of governors of the Mexican state of Sinaloa:Name PartyTermJesús AguilarJuan S. MillánRenato Vega AlvaradoFrancisco LabastidaAntonio Toledo CorroAlfonso G...
, Antonio Toledo Corro, declared his state a disaster area. He also asked the Mexican Federal Government for aid.
See also
- List of costliest Pacific hurricanes
- Other storms with the same name