Tropical Storm Claudette (1979)

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Tropical Storm Claudette
Year=1979
Basin=Atl
Image location=Tropical Storm Claudette of 1979.jpg


Type=Tropical storm
Formed=July 15, 1979
Dissipated=July 29, 1979
1-min winds=50
Pressure=997
Da

Fatalities=2 direct
Areas=Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba,
Texas, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio Valley, Kentucky, Virginia
Hurricane season=1979 Atlantic hurricane season

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.

Meteorological history

A Cape Verde-type storm, Claudette formed east of the Leeward Islands on July 15 and upgraded to a tropical storm the following day. 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 Hispanola 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 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 Guadeloupe causing minor flooding while rainfall totals above convert|9|in|mm were reported in Puerto Rico. One person was killed and there was $750,000 dollars in damage. This all took place Puerto Rico. National Weather Service [http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1979.pdf Monthly Weather Review] ]

U.S. Gulf Coast

Claudette produced torrential rains in both Texas and Louisiana when it made landfall. The highest one-day total was reported near Alvin, Texas where convert|42|in|mm of rain fell. This remains the twenty-four hour rainfall record for any location in the United States.National Weather Service [http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1979.pdf Monthly Weather Review] ] Two other towns also reported rainfall totals exceeding 30 inches.National Weather Service [http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1979.pdf Monthly Weather Review] ] There was only one death from drowning and Louisiana received only minor damage from up to 15 inches (381 mm) of rainfall. [Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. [http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/claudette1979rain.gifClaudette (1979) Rainfall.] Retrieved on 2007-01-13.] 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. [http://www.mountwashington.org/transcripts/2004/12/08.php MountWashington.org] ]

Inland U.S.

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. [http://www.crh.noaa.gov/lsx/print_localdata.php?loc=pns&data=pns_070805.txt NOAA Data] ] In Indiana, about 9 inches of rain fell and isolated flooding was reported. [http://ks.water.usgs.gov/Kansas/pubs/reports/wsp.2502.in.html Kansas Water Publication] ]

Lack of retirement

Despite the damage the name Claudette was not retired and it was used again in 1985, 1991, 1997 and 2003. It is on the list to be used for the 2009 season.

ee also

*List of Texas hurricanes
*List of wettest tropical cyclones in Texas

External links

* [http://tunapointlighthouse.homestead.com/Hurricane.html Puerto Rico Hurricanes and Tropical Storms]

References