Tropical Storm Katrina (1999)

infobox Hurricane
Year=1999
Name=Tropical Storm Katrina
Basin=Atl
Type=Tropical storm
Image location=Tropical Storm Katrina (1999).jpg

Nicaragua
Formed=October 27, 1999
Dissipated=November 1, 1999
1-min winds=35
Pressure=999
Da

Fatalities=0
Areas=Nicaragua, Honduras, Belize, Yucatán Peninsula
Hurricane season=1999 Atlantic hurricane season

Tropical Storm Katrina was a weak late-season tropical storm in the 1999 Atlantic hurricane season. It was the eleventh named storm of the 1999 season.

Katrina formed over the southwestern Caribbean Sea. It was only briefly a tropical storm and was a tropical depression for much of its lifespan, much of it over land. It crossed over Central America exactly one year after the catastrophic Hurricane Mitch, but did little damage.

Meteorological history

The system originated from a weak cold front that slowly tracked across the western Caribbean Sea in the fourth week of October. The cold front dissipated but a weak area of low pressure gradually took its place over the next several days. On October 27, a circulation was detected north of Panama as the system gradually organized itself. A reconnaissance aircraft flew into the system on the afternoon of October 28 and found a well-defined low-level circulation east of Bluefields, Nicaragua.cite web
author=National Hurricane Center
year=1999
title=Preliminary Report: Tropical Storm Katrina
publisher=NOAA
accessdate=2007-03-16
url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/1999katrina.html

] The system was therefore declared Tropical Depression Fifteen.

cite web
author=National Hurricane Center
year=1999
title=Tropical Depression Fifteen Advisory #1
publisher=NOAA
accessdate=2007-03-16
url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/1999/mar/MAL1599.001.html

]

The system was never very well organized, and interaction with the mountainous terrain of Central America slowed down any potential development.

cite web
author=National Hurricane Center
year=1999
title=Tropical Depression Fifteen Discussion #2
publisher=NOAA
accessdate=2007-03-16
url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/1999/dis/NAL1599.002.html

] High wind shear due to an upper-level ridge of high pressure to the east also hindered development as it approached the coast of Nicaragua.

cite web
author=National Hurricane Center
year=1999
title=Tropical Depression Fifteen Discussion #4
publisher=NOAA
accessdate=2007-03-16
url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/1999/dis/NAL1599.004.html

] Despite this, on the afternoon of October 29, convection briefly increased and the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Katrina.

cite web
author=National Hurricane Center
year=1999
title=Tropical Storm Katrina Discussion #5
publisher=NOAA
accessdate=2007-03-16
url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/1999/dis/NAL1599.005.html

] The storm made landfall that evening just south of Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, and quickly weakened back to a tropical depression after being a tropical storm for only six hours.

After its first landfall, the depression remained disorganized as it moved northwest, with much of its path being over land. The system managed to survive across Nicaragua and Honduras, emerging in the Gulf of Honduras late on October 30 as a weak tropical depression with 30 mph (45 km/h) winds and a reformed center of circulation. Despite being back over water, Katrina failed to restrengthen and remained a tropical depression as it made its second landfall on the southeastern tip of the Yucatán Peninsula early on October 31.

cite web
author=National Hurricane Center
year=1999
title=Tropical Depression Katrina Discussion #11
publisher=NOAA
accessdate=2007-03-16
url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/1999/dis/NAL1599.011.html

] It then slowly tracked across the central portion of the Yucatán, gradually weakening as another cold front approached out of the Gulf of Mexico.

cite web
author=National Hurricane Center
year=1999
title=Tropical Depression Katrina Discussion #14
publisher=NOAA
accessdate=2007-03-16
url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/1999/dis/NAL1599.014.html

] The cold front slowly absorbed the system early on November 1 as Katrina entered the Gulf, and was it completely absorbed that afternoon while just north of the Yucatán Peninsula.

Preparations and Impact

Despite being a very weak storm, forecasters were very nervous about Katrina, as Central America was devastated by Hurricane Mitch exactly one year earlier. There was considerable fear of additional flash flooding and mudslides across the mountainous region.

cite web
author=USA Today
year=1999
title=Katrina a very short-lived storm
publisher=Gannett Company
accessdate=2007-03-16
url=http://www.usatoday.com/weather/huricane/1999/atlantic/wkatrina.htm

] Immediately after being declared a tropical depression, a tropical storm warning was issued for Nicaragua, and it was extended to the San Andres islands of Colombia shortly afterward.

Overall, damage was minimal as a result of Katrina. Only a few small mudslides were reported, along with some minor flooding, as the storm tracked across Central America. It was estimated that between 10 and 15 inches (250 to 375 mm) of rain fell across parts of the region as a result of Katrina,

cite web
author=NOAA News
year=1999
title=Atlantic Hurricane 1999 Season Summary
publisher=NOAA
accessdate=2007-03-16
url=http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories/s425c.htm

] with one report of 3.58 inches (91 mm) in six hours from the island of San Andres east of Nicaragua. There were no reports of any fatalities.

Due to the lack of any significant damage, the name Katrina was not retired and was re-used in the 2005 season, however it was retired after a catastrophic storm that year and was replaced by Katia.

References

See also

* 1999 Atlantic hurricane season

External links

* NHC's [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/1999katrina.html Preliminary Report] on Tropical Storm Katrina