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Tropical Storm Charley (1998)

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This article is about the tropical storm of 1998. For other storms of the same name, see Hurricane Charley (disambiguation).
Tropical Storm Charley
Tropical storm (SSHWS/NWS)
Tropical Storm Charley on August 22, 1998
FormedAugust 21, 1998
DissipatedAugust 24, 1998
Highest winds1-minute sustained: 70 mph (110 km/h)
Lowest pressure1000 mbar (hPa); 29.53 inHg
Fatalities20 direct, 6 missing
Damage$50 million (1998 USD)
Areas affectedTexas, northern Mexico
Part of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season

Tropical Storm Charley was the third named storm of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season. Charley was one of two tropical storms to make landfall in Texas during that season (Frances being the other).[1]

The storm originated with a tropical wave that moved off the West African coast on August 9.[2] The wave moved generally west-northwestward, producing occasional bursts of convection, finally arriving in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico by August 19, when animated satellite images began to indicate it had possibly developed a low pressure center.[2] Hurricane Hunter investigations in to the system the next day revealed that this was not the case. The system lingered for two days, lacking an organized low level center of circulation until early on the morning of the 21, when advisories were initiated on the tropical depression, 185 miles (298 km) east of Brownsville. [3] The depression became a tropical storm later that day, as it moved steadily west-northwestward, strengthening, and then weakening again before making landfall the next morning around Port Aransas.[4] The storm moved slowly inland and finally dissipated on the morning of the 24 near the town of Del Rio.

Charely's impacts in Texas and Mexico were relatively light. In Texas, over 2000 homes were destroyed by the locally severe flooding, and 13 people died. In Mexico, several inches of rain fell in northern areas near the Texas-Mexico border, and 7 people died.[2]

Storm history

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
Map key
Saffir–Simpson scale
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown
Storm type
triangle Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

The origins of Tropical Storm Charley are believed to have been a large swirl of clouds which exited the west coast of Africa on August 9. The precursor consisted of a small, concentrated area of deep convection, first spotted north of the Leeward Islands on August 15. By August 19, satellite images indicated cyclonic rotation of the system over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. The following day, a reconnaissance aircraft executed a flight into the system, indicating a closed circulation had not developed. On August 20, the system organized, and at 0600 UTC it intensified into a tropical depression.[5] Initially, the center was disorganized. However, convection over the system increased, mostly concentrated around the northern semicircle. In the evening on August 21, the system had developed sufficient convection to be upgraded to Tropical Storm Charley.[6]

Although the center was ill-defined, banding features developed over the storm. However, it was reported that the center of circulation could have reformed farther to the north than its previous location.[6] At this time, Charley was tracking to the northwest as it had done for its entire duration.[5] The storm intensified slightly, and on August 22, it reached peak intensity of 70 miles per hour (110 km/h).[7] Early on August 23. It then weakened again prior to its landfall north of Corpus Christi. Within hours, Charley was downgraded to tropical depression status as it continued to weaken.[8] By August 24, Charley had completely dissipated over the Rio Grande near Del Rio. Although the winds diminished and a closed circulation no longer exsisted, a slow-moving circulation aloft persisted in the Del Rio vicinity and generated flooding rains that were most devastating in that area on August 23 and 24.[5]

Preparations

Tropical storm warnings were issued by the NHC coincidentally with the first advisory on the depression, from High Island to Brownsville.[2] Six hours later, these were extended eastward to Cameron, Louisiana. At landfall on the 22nd, the warnings north of Sabine Pass were expired, and the rest were dropped 6 hours later.[2]

In advance of the storm, hundreds of oil workers were evacuated from Gulf of Mexico oil rigs.[9] In Del Rio, some highways and roads were closed after the initial flooding, in anticipation of more flooding as the system stalled over the area.[10] 2000 Laredo residents were ordered to leave their homes in anticipation of the Rio Grande overflowing its banks, but only 600 actually did so.[11]

Impact

Rainfall totals from Charley

Being relatively weak, the storm's main impact was its heavy rainfall. Prolific, sometimes record amounts fell over much of south central Texas and northern Mexico. Few areas received sustained tropical storm force winds, and the storm surge was insignificant.[2] There were no confirmed tornadoes.[12] Twenty people died, all from drowning, and the storm caused $50 million (1998 USD; $64 million USD in 2007) in damage.[2]

Texas

The storm's major impact was its very heavy rain. A ~90 miles (140 km) wide swath of +3 inches (76 mm) of rainfall extended from the South Central Coast west to the Texas-Mexico border. Charley produced 17 inches (430 mm) of rain in Del Rio in a 24 hour period, a new record daily rainfall for the city.[2] Refugio received 7.2 inches (180 mm) of rain, and Woodsboro recorded 5 inches (130 mm).[2] The storm surge on areas of the Texas coast was small. Port O'Connor recorded a storm surge of 2.3 feet (0.70 m), while Pleasure Pier was subjected to a 4.9 feet (1.5 m) surge.[2][13] There were two reports of sustained tropical storm force winds, 41 miles per hour (66 km/h) and 39 miles per hour (63 km/h) from Rockport and Galveston respectively. The maximum wind gust was 63 mph (101 km/h) at Port O'Connor.[2] No tornadoes were confirmed by any NWS offices, although one suspected tornado did prompt a tornado warning.[12]

Damage from the storm, while generally light, was severe locally. In Val Verde County, which took the vast majority of the damage, roughly 2000 houses, mobile homes, and apartments combined were destroyed by flooding .[2] At one point, two-thirds of Del Rio was underwater after a natural dam broke in the San Felipe Creek, flooding the city with a sudden surge of water.[11] The coastal storm surge destroyed several of the dunes on San Jose and Mustang Islands.[13] There was also slight damage on Matagorda Island, where two shelters were destroyed by the surge flooding.[12] Four people, including two toddlers, died when their truck was swept away by floodwaters and nine more drowned in flooding along the San Felipe Creek.[2] The death toll in Texas stands at 13, all drownings.[2] Charley left $50 million dollars (1998 USD; $64 million USD in 2007) in flood damage across southern Texas.[2] Eight counties in Texas were declared disaster areas.[14]

Mexico

The only recorded observations in Mexico come from Agosto and Jimenez. Augosto received maximum sustained winds of 52 miles per hour (84 km/h) and recorded a minimum pressure of 1003 mbar.[15] Jimenez received 14.53 inches (369 mm) of rainfall.

According to media reports, seven people died in Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, while they were trying to cross a flooded gully.[2] There were no damage statistics in Mexico from Charley.

Retirement

Considering the relatively light damage, the name was not retired and it was used in 2004. The name Charley has since been retired and was replaced with Colin, which is scheduled to be used for the 2010 season.[16]

See also

Template:Tcportal

References

  1. ^ NHC 1995 Season Summary
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Preliminary NHC Report Cite error: The named reference "nhc" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  3. ^ NHC Advisory #1
  4. ^ NHC Advisory # 3
  5. ^ a b c Edward N. Rappaport (1998). "Tropical Storm Charley Tropical Cyclone Report". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-03-19.
  6. ^ a b Lawrence (1998). "Tropical Storm Charley discussion number 2". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-03-19.
  7. ^ Guiney (1998). "Tropical Storm Charley discussion number 4". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-03-19.
  8. ^ Lawrence (1998). "Tropical Depression Charley discussion number 5". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2008-03-19.
  9. ^ New York Times Article
  10. ^ UPI Archived Article
  11. ^ a b NY Times Article Cite error: The named reference "nytimes 2" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  12. ^ a b c NWS Reports
  13. ^ a b Tropical Storms & Hurricanes | Marine Science Institute
  14. ^ FEMA
  15. ^ Mexican Weather Service Report
  16. ^ NHC Naming List
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