Tropical Storm Arlene (1993)

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Tropical Storm Arlene
Type=tropical storm
Year=1993
Basin=Atl
Image location=Tropical Storm Arlene (1993).jpg


Formed=June 18, 1993
Dissipated=June 21, 1993
1-min winds=35
Pressure=1006
Da

Inflated=0
Fatalities=29 direct (20 as tropical wave)
Areas=El Salvador, Yucatán Peninsula, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas
Hurricane season=1993 Atlantic hurricane season

Tropical Storm Arlene was the first named storm of the 1993 Atlantic hurricane season. It formed on June 18 where it moved west-northwest and made landfall on the Texas coast between June 19 and 21, 1993. Arlene killed 29 people (20 of them while a tropical wave) and caused $55 million dollars (1993 USD) damage.

Meteorological history

A tropical wave was detected in the Caribbean Sea over Central America on June 9. The system moved westward, bringing heavy rains that killed 20 people in El Salvador. [http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1993.pdf Monthly Weather Review] ] Strong wind shear prohibited the system from strengthening as it moved into the Gulf of Mexico. On June 16 the tropical wave interacted with an upper-level low which caused some inaccuracies in the forecast. The data produced by the National Hurricane Center indicates that an 1008 mbar low formed over the Yucatán Peninsula. But when hurricane hunter aircraft flew in, they only found a broad area of low pressure, despite the fact that satellite photo shows the system developing very well and it was declared a tropical depression on June 18. The center of the storm was south of a low pressure system to the north and that low forced the depression to move west-northwest. During another flight into the storm, the hurricane hunter crews reported a 1006 mbar reading but could not get an accurate fix. [http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1993.pdf Monthly Weather Review] ] On June 19, a comma shaped band of thunderstorms formed around the center and the depression was upgraded to a tropical storm and was given the name Arlene. [http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1993.pdf Monthly Weather Review] ] Arlene moved northwestward at 2-3 mph before nearly stalling because of a frontal system passing by. On June 20, Tropical Storm Arlene made landfall over Padre Island,Texas , convert|90|mi|km south of Corpus Christi. The storm quickly weakened to a depression shortly after landfall. The remnants of the storm was tracked over the lower Rio Grande valley of southern Texas and northeastern Mexico. [http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1993.pdf Monthly Weather Review ] ]

Impact

The tropical wave that became Arlene, brought heavy rains across Central America for several days. Heavy rainfall was also reported in Mexico. The rains from the tropical wave caused a landslide that left 20 people dead in El Salvador. In Mexico, flooding from Arlene caused five fatalities and $33 million dollars (1993 USD) in damage. [http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1993.pdf Monthly Weather Review] ] The states of Veracruz, Campeche, Yucatán, San Luis Potosí, Quintana Roo, Nuevo León, Jalisco, and Mexico. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1993/arlene/news/mexunkp1.gif] In Texas, Arlene dropped heavy rain, the highest was 326.4 mm in Henderson. [http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1993.pdf Monthly Weather Review] ] Rainfall ranging from 9-11 inches were reported in other parts of Texas. In addition, a funnel cloud was reported near Corpus Christi but never touched the ground. [http://www.srh.noaa.gov/crp/docs/research/hurrhistory/Arlene/arlene.html Tropical Storm Arlene June 17-21, 1993] ] The rainfall from Arlene caused numerous reports of flooding. In Wallicy County, flooding damaged over 400 homes and 12 businesses which totaled up to $1 million dollars (1993 USD). 200 homes in Starr County were also damaged. [http://www.srh.noaa.gov/crp/docs/research/hurrhistory/Arlene/arlene.html Tropical Storm Arlene June 17-21, 1993] ] A storm tide from Arlene caused minimal beach erosion along the Texas/Louisiana coast. [http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1993.pdf Monthly Weather Review] ] In Louisiana, Arlene's outer rainbands dropped 7-10 inches of rain across the southwestern part of the state. However there were no reports of damage. [ [http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/arlene1993.html HPC Report] ]

In all, Arlene left 29 people dead and $55 million dollars (1993 USD) in damage.

Lack of retirement

Since the damage was minimal, the name Arlene was not retired and it was used again in 1999 and 2005 and will be used again in 2011, making it the most used name for an Atlantic tropical cyclone.

ee also

*List of tropical cyclones
*tropical cyclones

External links