what category was tropical storm allison

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How long did Tropical Storm Allison last?

Tropical Storm Allison was a tropical storm that devastated southeast Texas in June of the 2001 Atlantic hurricane season. An arguable example of the " brown ocean effect ", Allison lasted unusually long for a June storm, remaining tropical or subtropical for 15 days, most of which when the storm was over land dumping torrential rainfall.

What caused the formation of Tropical Storm Allison?

Tropical Storm Allison (1989) Development of Allison was a result of the interaction of a tropical wave and the remnants of Pacific hurricane Hurricane Cosme. It moved south and became a tropical storm on June 26. By June 27, Allison made landfall near Freeport, Texas. Allison quickly weakened to a tropical depression later that day,...

How many people died from Hurricane Allison?

Impact. The storm also killed 41 people directly, including 27 who drowned. This ties Allison with a tropical storm in 1917 as the second-deadliest tropical storm to affect the contiguous United States, surpassed only by the 1925 Florida tropical storm which killed 73 people.

How did Tropical Storm Allison affect the Texas Medical Center?

In a region defined by hurricanes and severe weather, one storm stands out in its devastating impact on the Texas Medical Center and The University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHealth). Tropical Storm Allison dropped more than 40 inches of rain on Houston in 2001, causing widespread flooding and severe consequences.

What year was Tropical Storm Allison?

June 4, 2001 – June 18, 2001Tropical Storm Allison / DateTropical Storm Allison was a major event of the 2001 Atlantic hurricane season. Allison kept either tropical or subtropical status for 16 days in June, which is unusually long for the time of year. On Monday, June 4, 2001, a tropical wave developed in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

What category is a tropical storm?

They are classified as follows: Tropical Depression: A tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 38 mph (33 knots) or less. Tropical Storm: A tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph (34 to 63 knots). Hurricane: A tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 74 mph (64 knots) or higher.

What was the path of Tropical Storm Allison?

TexasFloridaLouisianaNorth CarolinaSoutheast... United StatesAlabamaTropical Storm Allison/Affected areasThe storm developed from a tropical wave in the northern Gulf of Mexico on June 4, 2001, and struck the upper Texas coast shortly thereafter. It drifted northward through the state, turned back to the south, and re-entered the Gulf of Mexico.

What is a Category 5 tropical storm?

Within the region, a Category 5 hurricane is considered to be a tropical cyclone that has 1-minute mean maximum sustained wind speeds of 137 knots (254 km/h; 158 mph; 70 m/s) or greater on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale at 10 metres (32.8 ft) above ground.

What is a Category 4 storm?

Category 4 is the second-highest hurricane classification category on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale, and storms that are of this intensity maintain maximum sustained winds of 113–136 knots (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h).

What is a Category 1 tropical storm?

Category 1: Winds 74 to 95 mph, which will usually produce minor damage, including to trees and power lines. Category 2: Winds 96 to 110 mph, that could result in extensive damage, uprooting trees, breaking windows, and snapping power lines.

How many inches of rain did Allison drop?

Allison's rainfall and flooding The highest amounts measured were just over 38 inches. Even though there was widespread flooding during the first three days of the event, no flood-related deaths were reported.

When was Tropical Storm Allison in Texas?

Tropical Storm Allison caught the city by surprise, dropping more than three feet of rain in some areas and causing deadly flooding and billions of dollars in damage. In Texas, 23 people died as a result of the storm, which formed on June 4, 2001, and then first made landfall the day after.

What are the hurricane names for 2022?

We've already seen three named storms this season: Alex, Bonnie and Colin. The next three named storms would be Danielle, Earl and Fiona.

Was Katrina a Cat 5?

After moving west across south Florida and into the very warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Katrina intensified rapidly and attained Category 5 status (with peak sustained winds of 175mph) for a period of time as it moved northwest on August 28th.

Is a Category 10 hurricane possible?

2:388:29Are Category 10 Hurricanes Possible? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe answer to this question is remarkably simple no on a technical level it is impossible for aMoreThe answer to this question is remarkably simple no on a technical level it is impossible for a category 10 hurricane to form why.

Is there a category 6 hurricane?

But some Atlantic hurricanes, such as Dorian in 2019, have had sustained winds in the 185 miles-per-hour range. That's arguably strong enough to merit a Category 6 designation.

What are the 4 types of tropical storms?

Tropical Storm ClassificationsAverage Numbers. Each year on average, 10 tropical storms (of which six become hurricanes) develop over the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, or Gulf of Mexico. ... Tropical Disturbance. ... Tropical Depression. ... Tropical Storm. ... Hurricane.

Is a Category 1 hurricane worse than a Category 5?

Category 1 hurricanes have sustained wind speeds of at least seventy-four miles per hour and can inflict heavy damage to buildings, roofs, windows, and the environment. Category 5 hurricanes have sustained winds of more than 155 miles per hour and destroy everything in their paths.

What's worse a tropical storm or hurricane?

A Tropical Storm Warning is issued when Tropical Storm conditions, including winds of 39-73 mph, are EXPECTED in a specified coastal area within 36 hours or less. A Hurricane Watch is issued when sustained winds of 74 mph or higher are POSSIBLE within the specified area of the Watch.

What are the 4 types of tropical cyclone?

Tropical Depression: A tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 38 mph or less. Tropical Storm: A tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 39-73 mph. Hurricane: A tropical cyclone with maximum winds greater than 74 mph. Major Hurricane: A tropical cyclone with maximum winds greater than 111 mph.

Where did the storm Allison form?

Allison’s formation. The formation of Tropical Storm Allison can be traced back to a tropical wave. The Tropical Prediction Center began to track the wave on May 21st after it moved off the west coast of Africa.

When was Tropical Storm Allison in Texas?

Harris County, Texas rainfall during Tropical Storm Allison for June 5-9, 2001. Download Image.

What are the factors that affect the potential of a tropical cyclone?

The Hydrometeorological Prediction Center has found six factors that impact the rainfall potential of landfalling tropical cyclones: the storm track (or movement), time of day, storm size, topography, wind shear, and nearby weather features.

Why did Allison move so slowly?

However, these were virtually non-existent while Allison was over Texas because the storm became caught between two centers of high pressure, one to the east and the other to the west. This caused the storm to do a slow counterclockwise loop similar to what a spinning top would do on a flat surface. Allison finally moved away from the state only after the eastern high pressure area became more dominant and generated westerly flow aloft.

How fast can a tropical cyclone go?

In other words, it does not matter if the tropical cyclone is a tropical depression (with wind speeds up to 38 mph), a tropical storm (winds of 39 to 73 mph), or a hurricane (winds from 74 mph or greater).

When did the Allison flood?

Download Image. The first significant flood event associated with Allison occurred during landfall on June 5th. A large spiral band moved inland and caused widespread street flooding and some flooding of homes across northern Galveston and eastern Harris Counties.

What is storm signal?

Storm Signals was a publication of the Houston/Galveston National Weather Service Forecast Office. We are republishing it as an example of a tropical storm that never reached hurricane-level winds, yet caused extremely heavy flooding in the Gulf region. Tropical Storm Allison on June 5, 2001, early in its life, ...

When did the Allison storm go away?

Its circulation dissipated on July 1, but the remnants retained some organization, and continued to the northeast. On July 3 and July 4, the shortwave that influenced the remnants of Allison accelerated ahead of the storm, causing Allison to become stationary over the borders of Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana.

What was the peak of Allison?

Allison reached a peak of 50 mph (80 km/h) winds just before hitting near Freeport, Texas on June 27. It turned to the northeast with the front, weakened to a tropical depression on June 27, ...

What was the name of the storm that caused the flooding in the Gulf of Mexico?

Tropical Storm Allison was a tropical cyclone that produced severe flooding in the southern United States. The second tropical cyclone and the first named storm of the 1989 Atlantic hurricane season, Allison formed on June 24 in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. Development of Allison was a result of the interaction of a tropical wave and the remnants of Pacific hurricane Hurricane Cosme. It moved south and became a tropical storm on June 26. By June 27, Allison made landfall near Freeport, Texas. Allison quickly weakened to a tropical depression later that day, and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on the following day. However, the storm's remnants persisted for another 10 days and meandered across the area, triggering flooding across the region, before dissipating on July 7.

What was the name of the storm that caused the flooding in the southern United States?

Tropical Storm Allison. Tropical Storm Allison was a tropical cyclone that produced severe flooding in the southern United States. The second tropical cyclone and the first named storm of the 1989 Atlantic hurricane season, Allison formed on June 24 in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. Development of Allison was a result of the interaction ...

How much rain did the floods in Texas cause?

Losses in Texas were estimated between $200 million and $400 million. Additionally, there were three deaths in the state, all of which due to drowning. In Brazoria County, rainfall amounts were generally between 6 and 7 inches (150 and 180 mm), causing flooding in the West Columbia area. Precipitation up to 10 inches (250 mm) in Chambers County inundated many streets and caused water intrusion into several homes. Along the Trinity Bay, tides reached almost 7 feet (2.1 m) above normal at Anahuac. Low-lying areas around the mouth of the Trinity River were completely submerged for several days.

What caused the flooding in Galveston County?

Local flooding was reported in Galveston County due to rainfall amounts of 4 to 8 inches (100 to 200 mm), particularly in Clear Lake, Galveston Island, Kemah, and Texas City. The highest storm surge in the area was 3.9 feet (1.2 m) above mean sea level, causing some beach erosion. An estimated 20 to 30 yards (60 to 90 ft) of sand was washed away, while Texas State Highway 87 was closed due to sand and debris spewed onto the roadway from the storm surge. Wind gusts up to 56 mph (90 km/h) downed some trees limbs and power lines. Additionally, a tornado was spawned in Gilchrist and caused minor damage and one injury. In Hardin County, rains of 6 to 8 inches (150 to 200 mm) fell. The Pine Island Bayou overflowed, flooding homes in Pinewood Estates and Silsbee.

How high was the storm surge in Texas?

The highest storm surge in the area was 3.9 feet (1.2 m) above mean sea level, causing some beach erosion. An estimated 20 to 30 yards (60 to 90 ft) of sand was washed away, while Texas State Highway 87 was closed due to sand and debris spewed onto the roadway from the storm surge.

When did Tropical Storm Allison hit?

Tropical Storm Allison - June 4-18, 2001. A tropical wave moved off the west coast of Africa on May 21st. Tracking westward, it moved. through the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean Sea...reaching the eastern Pacific Ocean on June 1st. southeast Mexico steered by deep southwest flow.

Where did the Allison cyclone track?

cyclone over land. The system moved swiftly east-northeast crossing southern Mississippi and.

Where was the 4th storm?

on the 5th, it had already become a tropical storm about 80 miles south of Galveston Texas. As it.

Where did the 2001 Allison storm occur?

Tropical Storm Allison 2001#N#Allison's long and complex career began on 5 June as an area of disturbed weather over the northwestern Gulf of Mexico developed into a tropical storm. The storm made landfall near Freeport, Texas later that day. Allison weakened to a depression on the 6th, while drifting northward, then it made a slow loop over southeastern Texas from the 7th to the 9th. The cyclone moved into the Gulf of Mexico on the 10th and acquired subtropical characteristics. It then moved east-northeastward over southeastern Louisiana on the 11th, where it re-intensified into a subtropical storm. Allison weakened back to a subtropical depression on the 12th while continuing east-northeastward, and this motion carried it to southeastern North Carolina by the 14th where it again stalled. The cyclone drifted northward to northeastward drift over land on the 15th and 16th. This was followed by a faster northeastward motion on the 17th as the center emerged into the Atlantic. Allison regained subtropical storm strength later that day before becoming extratropical on the 18th southeast of Cape Cod. The system dissipated southeast of Nova Scotia the next day.

When did Mitch become a tropical storm?

The remnant circulation aloft reached the Bay of Campeche on 2 November and began developing again. The re-born Mitch became a tropical storm on 3 November, then moved northeastward across the Yucatan Peninsula on the 4th. Mitch crossed south Florida as a tropical storm on the 5th and then became extratropical later that day. The extratropical cyclone remained strong as it crossed the Atlantic, eventually affecting the British Isles and Iceland on the 9th and 10th.

What was the name of the hurricane that hit the Cape Verde in 1989?

Hurricane Hugo 1989#N#This classic Cape Verde hurricane was first detected as a tropical wave emerging from the coast of Africa on September 9. Moving steadily westward, the system became a tropical depression the next day, a tropical storm on the 11th, and a hurricane on the 13th. Hugo turned west-northwest on September 15 as it became a Category 5 hurricane. It was still a Category 4 hurricane when the center moved through the Leeward Islands and St. Croix, USVI, and the 18th. Turning northwestward, the center passed across the eastern end of Puerto Rico on September 19. This general motion would continue with some acceleration until Hugo made landfall just north of Charleston, South Carolina on 22 September. Strengthening in the last twelve hours before landfall made Hugo a Category 4 hurricane at the coast. After landfall, the storm gradually recurved northeastward, becoming extratropical over southeastern Canada on September 23.

What year was Hurricane Agnes?

Hurricane Agnes 1972#N#The large disturbance that became Agnes was first detected over the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico on June 14. The system drifted eastward and became a tropical depression later that day and a tropical storm over the northwestern Caribbean on the 16th. Agnes turned northward on June 17 and became a hurricane over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico the next day. A continued northward motion brought Agnes to the Florida Panhandle coast on June 19 as a Category 1 hurricane. Agnes turned northeastward after landfall and weakened to a depression over Georgia. However, it regained tropical storm strength over eastern North Carolina on June 21 and moved into the Atlantic later that day. A northwestward turn followed, and a just-under-hurricane-strength Agnes made a final landfall on the 22nd near New York, New York. The storm merged with a non-tropical low on June 23rd, with the combined system affecting the northeastern United States until the 25th.

What year was Mitch?

Hurricane Mitch 1998#N#This powerful hurricane began developing over the southwestern Caribbean Sea on 22 October. It drifted westward and became a tropical storm later that day, then turned northward and became a hurricane by the 24th. Mitch then turned westward again and rapidly strengthened, becoming a Category 5 hurricane with a central pressure of 905 mb on the 26th. After passing over Swan Island on the 27th, a weakening Mitch moved slowly southward near the coastal Islands of Honduras. It made landfall over northern Honduras on the 29th as a Category 1 hurricane. Mitch gradually turned westward after landfall, and the surface center dissipated neat the Guatemala-Honduras border on 1 November.

What was the name of the storm that hit the Atlantic coast on September 1st?

A well-organized but slow moving tropical wave that exited the African coastline on September 1st developed into Tropical Storm Isabel on the morning of September 6th. Isabel became a hurricane on September 7th and rapidly intensified to Category 4 hurricane strength on the evening of the 8th while the eye was located more than 1100 miles to the east of the Leeward Islands. This impressive hurricane reached Category 5 strength on September 11th, making Isabel the strongest hurricane in the Atlantic basin since Mitch in October 1998. The cyclone turned northwestward around the western periphery of the Atlantic ridge beginning on the 15th. Isabel began to weaken on the 15th as conditions aloft became more hostile, and it fell below major hurricane strength for the first time in eight days on the 16th.

Where did Hurricane Iris hit?

Hurricane Iris 2001#N#Iris first became a tropical depression just east of the lesser Antilles on 4 October. The depression tracked west-northwestward into the eastern Caribbean where it became a tropical storm on the 5th and a hurricane on the 6th. Iris then turned westward, passing just south of Jamaica on the 7th. The storm then moved quickly west-southwestward toward the coast of Belize as it became a small but powerful Category 4 hurricane on the 8th (figure). Iris made landfall over southern Belize early on the 9th at Category 4 intensity, then quickly weakened after landfall to dissipation later that day.

Where was the storm Allison?

When it formed, Allison's center was only 100 miles south of Freeport, Texas. The path of Tropical Storm Allison in 2001. A mere 15 hours elapsed between the formation of Tropical Storm Allison and its landfall in southeast Texas late that same evening.

Where did the storm Allison originate?

Tropical Storm Allison originated from a tropical wave off the coast of Africa on May 21. However, the disturbance didn't get its act together until much much later, when it finally spun up into a tropical storm in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico at 7 a.m. CDT on June 5, 2001. When it formed, Allison's center was only 100 miles south of Freeport, Texas.

What hurricane was in 1995?

The 1995 version of Hurricane Erin was full of surprises for those in its path.

What was the costliest hurricane in Houston?

Sunday marks the 30th anniversary of the landfall of Hurricane Alicia, which at the time was the costliest tropical cyclone to ever strike the Houston area.

What is Hurricane Ethel known for?

Hurricane Ethel stands out for its extremely fast intensification and equally dramatic decline.

How many tornadoes touched down in Alicia?

Twenty-three tornadoes touched down as Alicia pushed inland. On the next few pages we will take a look at six other sudden spinups – tropical cyclones that formed close to shore and quickly pushed onto land. As you'll see, one of them actually pulled off the rare feat of forming over land.

How many lives did Allison have?

In all, Allison claimed 23 lives in Texas, along with 18 lives in other states as its moisture-laden circulation spread its torrential rains across the southern and eastern U.S. as a tropical depression and, later, a subtropical system.

What was the cause of the flooding in Houston in 2001?

Tropical Storm Allison dropped more than 40 inches of rain on Houston in 2001, causing widespread flooding and severe consequences. McGovern Medical School at UTHealth and Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center were among the hardest-hit medical institutions.

What happened to Houston in 2001?

Remembering Tropical Storm Allison 20 years later: A lesson in resiliency. Tropical Storm Allison dropped more than 40 inches of rain on Houston in 2001, causing widespread flooding in the city and in the Texas Medical Center. (Photo by UTHealth)

When did Hurricane Harvey hit Texas?

The storm made landfall on June 4, 2001, and meandered up the Texas Gulf Coast. Similar to Hurricane Harvey, Allison receded back into the Gulf and recharged, bringing intense rainfall into an already saturated city. The heaviest rain days for the Texas Medical Center were from June 8 to June 10.

Is it hurricane season at UTHealth?

It’s officially hurricane season. The UTHealth community is encouraged to review their department call trees, and to have a printed copy of both the university’s Emergency Management Plan and call trees should the need arise.

Overview

Meteorological history

Preparations

Impact

See also

External links