Tropical Storm Allison is a tropical storm that devastated southeastern Texas in June 2001 Atlantic hurricane season. A debatable example of the "chocolate sea effect", Allison goes on unusually long for a June storm, remaining tropical or subtropical for 15 days, most of which when the storm exceeded the heavy rain on land. The storm developed from the tropical waves in the northern Gulf of Mexico on June 4, 2001, and hit the upper Texas coast shortly thereafter. It floats north through the state, back south, and back into the Gulf of Mexico. The storm continued to the northeast, made landfall in Louisiana, then moved to the southeastern United States and the Middle Atlantic. Allison was the first storm since Tropical Storm Frances in 1998 to attack the northern coast of Texas.
The storm rained heavily along its path, culminating in more than 40 inches (1,000 mm) in Texas. The worst floods occurred in Houston, where most of Allison's damage occurred: 30,000 became homeless after a storm flooded over 70,000 homes and destroyed 2,744 homes. Downtown Houston was flooded, causing severe damage to hospitals and businesses. Twenty-three people died in Texas. Along the way, Allison caused $ 8.5 billion (2001 USD) in damages and 41 deaths. In addition to Texas, the worst places are Louisiana and southeastern Pennsylvania.
After the storm, President George W. Bush appointed 75 districts along Allison's road as a disaster area, allowing affected residents to apply for help. Then the fourth most expensive tropical storm of the Atlantic and still the most expensive tropical storm of Atlantic that has never been a massive cyclone, Allison is the first tropical Atlantic storm whose name has retired without ever reaching the force of the storm.
Video Tropical Storm Allison
Meteorological history
The tropical waves moved off the coast of Africa on 21 May 2001. It moved west across the Atlantic Ocean, retaining a bit of convection on its way. After moving across South America and the southwest Caribbean Sea, the waves enter the eastern North Pacific Ocean on June 1. A low-level circulation was developed on June 2, while it was about 230 miles (370 km) south-southeast of Salina Cruz, Mexico. The southern flows forced the system to the north, and the waves moved to the mainland on June 3. Low-level circulation disappears, although middle-level circulation persists. It appears to the Gulf of Mexico on June 4, and develops deep convection on its east side. Beginning on June 5, satellite imagery showed that tropical depression was formed in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, which was forwarded by a 60mph (95 km/h) windswept report just a few hundred feet above the surface, toward the east side of the system.
At 1200Ã,Ã, UTC on 5 June, the disorder developed extensive low-level circulation, and was classified as Tropical Storm Allison, the first storm of the 2001 Atlantic hurricane season. Some intensification is projected, although it is expected to be blocked by cold offshore surface temperatures. Due to the cold core nature of the center, Allison initially contained subtropical characteristics. Nevertheless, fast storms are strengthened to reach a sustained peak of 60 mph (95 km/h), with tropical storm winds stretching up to 230 miles (370 km) east of the center, and a minimum central pressure of 1000 mbar. The storm initially moved very little, and the presence of some small vortices from deep convection caused difficulties in determining the exact center location. Later that day, several different path forecasts emerged. One scenario has a cyclone that leads west to Mexico. Others project a storm moving east toward south Louisiana. At that time, it was noted that little rain or winds survive near the center, but further north and east. Under the subtropical ridge steering currents stretching in east-west orientation throughout the southeastern United States, Allison weakened as it approached the Texas coastline, and hit near Freeport, Texas with a 50 mph (80 km/h) wind. Inland, the storm quickly weakened, and the National Hurricane Center stopped its advisers on June 6. Shortly after being reduced to a tropical depression, surface observations showed an elongated circulation with a poorly defined center, which had been reformed closer to deep convection.
Depression drifted north until it reached Lufkin, Texas, where it stalled due to the high pressure system to the north. While stalling over Texas, excessive rainstorms, culminating in more than 40Ã, inch (1,033 mm) northwest of Jefferson County. On June 7, subtropical ridge in Florida weakened, while the western ridge of Texas increased. This directs Tropical Depression Allison to create a circle clockwise, and the storm begins to drift southwest. When the center reaches Huntsville, Texas, a large rain band starts rebuilding from Louisiana westward to Liberty County, Texas, which has caused additional flooding. At that time, the system has a minimum central pressure of about 1004 mb and a maximum sustained wind of about 10 mph (16 km/h). Late on June 9 and early June 10, the remnants of Allison re-enter the Gulf of Mexico and appear over the open water. Low once again it became almost stationary about 60 mi (100 km) south of Galveston, Texas, and although high winds were more profitable, it showed no signs of rebuilding. Due to moderate dry air and moderate wind, the storm turns into a subtropical cyclone. While the subtropical depression moved eastward, the new low-level circulation developed back east, and Allison quickly made landfall in Morgan City, Louisiana on June 11. At about the same time, the center of the surface is reformed to the east-northeast of its previous location, aligned with middle-level circulation. A powerful thunderstorm developed over the circulation, and Allison was reinforced into a subtropical storm over southeastern Louisiana. The storm intensified to achieve a sustained wind of 45 mph (70 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of about 1000 mb near Mclain, Mississippi, accompanied by a clear eye-like feature.
The storm was officially downgraded to a subtropical depression at 0000 UTC on June 12. Somewhat speedily, the depression was traced east-northeast through Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina before becoming almost stationary near Wilmington, North Carolina. Depression drifted through North Carolina and drove northeast for a while in response to an approaching cold front. Although satellite and radar images show a well-organized system, the system slows down and moves erratically over a period of time, executing what appears to be a small circle counterclockwise. The storm began to trace northeastward in general, and crossed into the southern Delmarva Peninsula on June 16. The subtropical remains reached the Atlantic on June 17, and when in the eastern Atlantic City, New Jersey, the wind began to strengthen, and heavy rain. formed on the north side of the circulation. Low interact with the frontal boundary, and start joining it, as it accelerates to the northeast at 13 mph (21 km/h). The remnants of Allison were briefly intensified back into the subtropical storm through the baroclinic process, though being extratropical as south Long Island. On the 17th of June, the lowlands are located off the coast of Rhode Island, spreading rain patches in New England. The remnants of a tropical storm are then absorbed by the frontal boundary on June 18, and eventually pass south of Cape Race, Newfoundland on June 20, where extratropical cyclones disappear.
Maps Tropical Storm Allison
Preparation
Shortly after the storm was formed, officials in Galveston County, Texas issued a voluntary evacuation to the western tip of Galveston Island, because the area was not protected by Galveston Seawall. Ferries from the island to the Bolivar Peninsula are closed, while voluntary evacuations are issued at Surfside in Brazoria County. When the National Hurricane Center issued its first advisor at Allison, officials issued a Tropical Storm Warning from Sargent, Texas to Morgan City, Louisiana. After the storm made landfall, lightning watches and warnings were issued to a number of areas in eastern Texas. During the flood event, the National Weather Service in Houston issued 99 banjir bandang warnings with an average travel time of 40 minutes. With an average lead time of 24 minutes, the National Weather Service in Lake Charles, Louisiana issued 47 banjir bandang warnings. With an average waiting time of 39 minutes, the National Weather Service in New Orleans/Baton Rouge issued 87 banjir bandang warnings, 30 of which were not followed by banjir bandang.
In Tallahassee, Florida, the shelter opened the day before the Allison movement headed north through the area, seven staff members accommodating 12 people. Two other shelters are in standby. The team informs residents of the Florida Panhandle about the dangers of flooding.
Impact
Allison's Tropical Storm is a massive flooding disaster along its path from Texas to Mid-Atlantic. The worst floods occur in Houston, Texas, where over 35 inches of inlet (890 mm) rain falls. Allison is about $ 8.5 billion in damage (2001 USD), making it the most expensive tropical storm that has never been a major cyclone in records in the Atlantic basin. The storm also killed 41 people directly, including 27 who drowned. This tied Allison to a tropical storm in 1917 as the second deadliest tropical storm affecting the contiguous United States, surpassed only by Florida's tropical storm in 1925 that killed 73 people.
Texas
Combined with the waves above, the Galveston Island area has a water wall as high as 8 feet (2.5 m), creating overwash along the shoreline. The storm caused winds of up to 43 mph (69 km/h) at Galveston Pier. While Allison stalled over Texas, it was raining heavily throughout the state. Minor beach erosion is reported. Flash floods continued for days, with rainfall reaching a peak of more than 40Ã,Ã "(1,033 mm) in northwest Jefferson County. In Port of Houston, a total of 36.99 inches (940 mm) is reported. Houston experienced heavy rain in no time. The six-day rainfall in Houston is 38.6 inches (980 mm). Houston Hobby Airport received 20.84 inches of rain from 5 to 10 June 2001, while the Bush Intercontinental Airport received 16.48 inches. Rainfall flooded 95,000 cars and 73,000 homes across Harris County. Tropical Storm Allison destroyed 2,744 homes, leaving 30,000 homeless with housing damage of $ 1.76 billion (2001 USD).
Several hospitals in Texas Medical Center, the largest medical complex in the world, suffered severe damage from the storm, which struck quickly and with unexpected anger on Friday night. The Baylor College of Medicine suffered great damage, totaling $ 495 million (2001 USD, $ 643 million USD). Medical schools lost 90,000 study animals, 60,000 tumor samples, and 25 years of research data. The University of Texas Health Sciences Center in Houston, across the street, lost thousands of laboratory animals. Across the Medical Center, the damage reached more than $ 2 billion (2001 USD).
The underground tunnel system, which connects most of the office buildings in downtown Houston, is submerged, as are many roads and parking garages adjacent to Buffalo Bayou. In the Houston Theater District, also downtown, the Houston Symphony, the Houston Grand Opera, and the Alley Theater lose millions of dollars of costumes, musical instruments, sheet music, archives, and other artifacts. At midnight on June 9 almost every highway and main road in the city are under several meters of water, forcing hundreds of motorists to leave their vehicles to higher ground.
Despite massive flood damage to the entire environment no deaths were drowned in flooded homes. In the area, there were twelve deaths from driving, six from walking, three from electric shock, and one in the elevator. Elsewhere in Texas, a man drowned while swimming in a ditch in Mauriceville. Damage reached $ 5.2 billion (2001 USD) across Texas.
Louisiana
When making the first landing, Allison's massive circulation crashed heavily in southwest Louisiana. A few days later, Allison hit the state as a subtropical storm, dropping heavy rain into the area. Rainfall peaked at 29.86 inches (758 mm) in Thibodaux, the highest rainfall in Louisiana from tropical cyclones since Allison's other tropical storm in 1989. Most parts of the southeastern state experience more than 10 inches of rain (255 mm). The wind is generally light, peaking at 38 mph (61 km/h) continuing on the Lakefront with gusts up to 53 mph (85 mph/h) at Bay Gardene. The storm produced a storm wave of 2.5 feet (0.75 m) in Cameron when it made a landing in Texas. Moving north through Texas, an outer band from the storm produced an F1 tornado near Zachary, damaging several trees and power lines. A man was killed when a broken electrical cable hit his truck.
When Allison first landed, torrential rain flooded many homes and businesses. A small wind blow caused minor damage to the roofs of 10 homes in Cameron Parish, while a storm surge flooded the Louisiana Highway section 82. As the system returned, more rain occurred, flooding more than 1,000 homes on St. George's. Tammany Parish, 80 houses in Saint Bernard Parish, and hundreds of homes elsewhere in the state. The floods also forced 1,800 residents from their homes in East Baton Rouge Parish. Floods leave many roads traversed, while the flow leads to severe river flooding. Bogaya Falaya River in Covington passes its peak twice to an almost record level. The Amite and Comite Rivers have reached their highest levels since 1983. In addition, embankments along the damaged Bayou Manchac, flooded highways and more homes. The damage in Louisiana reached $ 65 million (2001 USD, $ 84 million USD).
Southeastern United States
In Mississippi, Allison produces heavy rains over 10 inches (255 mm) in one night, while some areas in the state's southwestern part receive more than 15 inches (380 mm). The flood damaged many houses and flooded many roads. Lightning from the storm produces four tornadoes, including one in Gulfport, Mississippi that damages 10 homes. Severe thunderstorms in George County damaged 15 houses, destroyed 10, and injured 5 people. Damage in Mississippi reached more than $ 1 million (2001 USD, $ 1.3 million â,¬ 2012). Precipitation in Alabama is moderate, with the area around the phone having more than 10 inches (255 mm). Heavy rain closes down some roads in Crenshaw County. The storm, combined with high pressure, resulted in coastal flooding in southern Alabama. Allison produced a F0 tornado in Mobile County southwest that caused minor roof damage and other F0 tornadoes in Covington County that caused minor damage to six homes and a church.
The storm, combined with a high pressure system, produces a strong pressure gradient, generating a strong rip current off the coast of Florida. The requested stream of siren, which is usually used for storm warnings, must be activated in Pensacola Beach. The rip currents killed 5 from the Florida coast. The outdoor rain band from the storm dropped heavy rain in the Florida Panhandle over 11Ã, inch (280 mm) in one day. Tallahassee Regional Airport recorded 10.13 inches (257 mm) in 24 hours, breaking the old 24-hour record in 1969. Across the state, Allison destroyed 10 homes and damaged 599,196 badly, especially in Leon County. Including death from rip currents, Allison killed eight people in Florida and caused damage to $ 20 million (2001 USD, $ 26 million 2012).
Over Georgia, the storm dropped a heavy rain of 10 inches (255 mm) in 24 hours in various locations. Floods cause the river to dart across its banks, including the Oconee River in Milledgeville which peaked at 33.7 feet (10.3 m). Rainfall, the heaviest in the southwest of the state, swept through bridges and roads, and flooded many other avenues. Georgian governor Roy Barnes declared a state of emergency for seven counties in the state. The storm also gave birth to two tornadoes. In South Carolina, bands outside of Allison produced 10 tornadoes and several funnel clouds, although most only caused minor damage limited to damaged courts, broken trees and damaged electrical grids. Allison produces from 12 to 16 inches (305 to 406 mm) of rainfall in North Carolina, closes most roads in Martin County and damages 25 homes. Severe floods swept over bridges in eastern Halifax County and flooded many cars. Wet roads cause nine traffic accidents across the state.
Middle and North-East Atlantic States
In Virginia, Allison produces light rain, with southeastern and south-central parts of the country experiencing more than 3 inches (76 mm). A tree in saturated land fell and killed one person. Allison also produced one tornado in the state. Washington, D.C. experienced a moderate rainfall of a storm, of 2.59 inches (66 mm) in Georgetown. In Maryland, rainfall from Tropical Depression Allison reached up to 7.5 inches (190 mm) in Denton, closing eleven roads and causing leaching on the other 41. Maryland Eastern Shore only has a small rainfall of one to two inches (25 to 50 mm). Minor damage, and no deaths were reported. In Delaware, the storm produces moderate rainfall, peaking at 4.2 inches (106 mm) in Greenwood. No damage reported.
Allison, in combination with an approaching frontal border, dropped heavy rain in southeastern Pennsylvania, peaking at 10.17 inches (258 mm) in Chalfont in Bucks County and over 3 inches (76 mm) in Philadelphia. Rainfall causes the river to rise, with Neshaminy Creek at Langhorne peaking at 16.87 feet (5.1 m). Some rivers and other tributaries in southeastern Pennsylvania reach more than 10 feet (3 m). Rainfall drowns many trees and weak power lines, leaving 70,000 without electricity during a storm. The flood washed away several roads and bridges, including several SEPTA railway lines. In addition, rainfall destroyed 241 homes and damaged 1,386 others. Floods at Dodge dealerships total 150 vehicles. Hundreds of people have been rescued from buildings damaged by the floods. The flood lifted the clothes dryer in the basement of "A" Green Village Complex Building in Upper Moreland Township, breaking the natural gas line. Gas leaks produced an explosion and a fire that killed six people. Firefighters can not provide assistance because the building is completely surrounded by floods. In addition, a man drowns in his vehicle in the river. Damage in Pennsylvania reached $ 215 million (2001 USD, $ 279 million USD).
In New Jersey, the storm produced heavy rain, peaking at 8.1 inches (205 mm) at Tuckerton. The rain also caused river flooding, including the northern branch of the Metedeconk River at Lakewood which reached 8 feet (2.5 m). Flooding, severe in some places, closing several roads, including many state highways. Strong winds up to 44 mph (71 km/h) in Atlantic City uprooted weak trees and power lines, leaving more than 13,000 without electricity. Some people had to be rescued from high waters, though no casualties occurred in the state. The overall damage is minimal.
Allison's Tropical Storm caused flash floods in New York, dropping up to 3Ã,î inches (75 mm) of rain in an hour at multiple locations and peaking at 5.73 inches (146 mm) in Granite Springs. The rain also caused flooding of rivers, including Mahwah River which reached 3.79 feet (1.2 m). Allison's rainfall damages 24 homes and several shops, while floods block several major highways in the New York City area. The overall damage was light, and no casualties occurred in New York because of Allison. Similarly, rainfall in Connecticut peaked at 7.2 inches (183 mm) at Pomfret, shutting down several roads and causing minor damage to many homes. The Yantic River at Yantic is crested at 11.1 feet (3.4 m), while the state roads are closed when a private dam at Hampton fails from rain. In Rhode Island, Allison produces up to 7.1 inches (180 mm) of rainfall in North Smithfield, washes several roads and homes, and destroys wooden houses in Foster.
A severe lightning storm outside the band Allison produced the F1 tornado in Worcester and Middlesex County in Massachusetts, affecting over 100 trees and damaging one house and one small camping ground. A microburst in Leominster and another at Shirley damaging some trees. Lightning from the storm hit two houses, causing significant damage there but little elsewhere. Allison also produces moderate rainfall in the state, typically ranging from 3 to 5 inches (75 to 125 mm). Rainfall causes drainage and traffic problems. Damage in Massachusetts reached $ 400,000 (2001 USD, $ 520,000 USD).
Aftermath
In the weeks after the disaster, President George W. Bush declared 75 states in Texas, southern Louisiana, southern Mississippi, northwest Florida, and southeastern Pennsylvania as a disaster area. The Declaration allows affected residents to receive assistance for temporary housing, emergency housing improvements, and other expenses related to serious disasters. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) also provides 75% for the cost of cleaning debris, disaster-related emergency services, and repairing or replacing damaged public facilities such as roads, bridges and utilities.
A few weeks after Allison, FEMA opened six disaster recovery centers across southeastern Texas, providing recovery information to those applying for disaster relief. The American Red Cross and Salvation Army opened 48 shelters at the peak of the need for people riding from their homes, serving nearly 300,000 meals. The National Disaster Medical System deployed a temporary hospital to Houston with 88 professionals, helping nearly 500 people. Thirty-five volunteers provide relief to flood victims in Texas, including food, clothing, and volunteers to help repair homes. After nearly 50,000 cars were flooded and destroyed, many people tried to sell cars across the country without telling the history of the car. After extreme floods, mosquito outbreaks occur, although FEMA provides assistance to control the problem. At six months after the storm, about 120,000 Texans signed up for federal disaster relief, totaling $ 1.05 billion (2001 USD).
As in Texas, mosquito outbreaks occur in Louisiana. Only pesticides received by the US Environmental Protection Agency and US Fish and Fish Services are permitted for use. FEMA officials warned homeowners about the dangers of flooding, including fungi, mosses and bacteria. At three months after the storm, just under 100,000 Louisiana citizens applied for federal aid, totaling more than $ 110 million (2001, USD, $ 143 million in 2012). $ 25 million (2001 USD, $ 32 million 2012) of the total is for business loans, while an additional $ 8 million is for public assistance to communities and state agencies. More than 750 Florida flood victims applied for government assistance, totaling $ 1.29 million (2001, USD, $ 1.5 million in 2007). In Pennsylvania, 1,670 flood victims applied for federal aid, totaling $ 11.5 million (2001 USD, $ 14.3 million â, ¬ 2012). $ 3.4 million (2001, USD, $ 4.4 million million USD) of the total is to replace the SEPTA railway bridge over Sandy Run in Fort Washington.
Retirement
Due to the severe damage and deaths caused by the storm, the name Allison retired in the spring of 2002, and will never again be used in the Atlantic basin; The 2001 Incarnation Allison is the only tropical Atlantic system whose name has retired without reaching the strength of the storm until the name Erika retired after the storm in 2015. The name was replaced with Andrea in the 2007 season.
See also
- 1960 Texas tropical storm
- Tropical Storm Amelia (1978)
- Tropical Storm Claudette (1979)
- Tropical Storm Alberto (1994)
- Tropical Storm Lee (2011)
- Hurricane Harvey - another destructive tropical storm that stalled in southeast Texas, flooded the area
- List of tropical cyclones
- List of Atlantic hurricanes
- List of wet tropical cyclones in the United States
- Timeline for the 2001 Atlantic hurricane season
- List of hurricanes North Carolina (1980-present)
References
External links
- National Hurricane Storm Central Report on Allison
- US National Hurricane Center, Allison Tropical Storm Advisory Archives
- Affect Allison Tropical Storm In Houston
- Summary Rainfall Wpc for Allison
- NWS Service Rating (PDF)
- Tropical Allison Storm Recovery Project Community resources and ongoing research on continued flooding threats to Houston
Source of the article : Wikipedia