Tropical Storm Danielle (1980)

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Tropical Storm Danielle
Type=Tropical storm
Year=1980
Basin=Atl
Image location=Tropical Storm Danielle (1980).jpg


Formed=September 4, 1980
Dissipated=September 7, 1980
1-min winds=50
Pressure=1004
Da

Fatalities=2 direct
Areas=Texas, western Louisiana
Hurricane season=1980 Atlantic hurricane season

Tropical Storm Danielle was a strong tropical storm that formed in the Gulf of Mexico and dissipated after making landfall in western Texas. The fourth tropical cyclone of the 1980 Atlantic hurricane season. Danielle formed as a tropical depression off the Louisiana coast on September 4 and moved westward where it reached tropical storm intensity the following day. After reaching a peak intensity of convert|60|mph|km/h kn|lk=on, Danielle made landfall a few hours later before dissipating on September 7 over central Texas.

Danielle produced heavy rainfall across eastern and central Texas and much of southern Louisiana. A record convert|17.16|in|mm of rain was reported near Port Arthur, setting a new 24 hour record.cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|year=1980|title=Tropical Storm Danielle 1980 Report page 2|publisher=NOAA|accessdate=2008-01-09|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1980-prelim/danielle/prelim02.gif] The heavy rainfall resulted in moderate flash flooding and two fatalities Damage estimates from the storm is unknown.

Meteorological history

The origins of Danielle can be traced back to a tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa on August 22 and became a tropical depression in the Atlantic Ocean on August 27 before dissipating. The remnants of the depression then interacted with a mid-level low pressure system over southern Florida.cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|year=1980|title=Tropical Storm Danielle Report Page 1|publisher=NOAA|accessdate=2008-01-09|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1980-prelim/danielle/prelim01.gif] As a result a low level circulation developed in the Gulf of Mexicocite web|author=Miles B. Lawrence and Joseph M. Pelisser|year=1981|title=Atlantic Hurricane Season of 1980|publisher=NOAA|accessdate=2008-01-09|url=http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1980.pdf] as the combined system moved off Florida on September 2. Organization continued and a tropical depression formed on September 4 off the southeastern Louisiana coast. Moving west-northwest, the depression slowly intensified where it became a tropical storm on September 5 and was named "Danielle" by the National Hurricane Center.

Danielle was a tropical storm for only 11 hours before making landfall; the storm's wind peaked at 60 mph and its barometric pressure fell to 1004 millibars before the storm made landfall near Galveston, Texas. Danielle was then downgraded to tropical depression as the storm moved inland on its westerly track. Danielle then dissipated on September 7 near Del Rio, Texas and the moisture associated with the remnants of the storm continued westward for the next two days.

Preparations and impact

The National Weather Service forecast the storm to produce convert|3|in|mm–convert|5|in|mm of rain and issued flash flood watches from Freeport to Sabine Pass.cite web|author=Associated Press|year=1980|title=Tropical Storm Danielle strikes Texas|publisher=Indiana Gazette|accessdate=2008-01-09|url=http://www.thehurricanearchive.com/Viewer.aspx?
] Offshore, an oil rig reported winds of 60 mph with gusts reaching up to convert|81|mph|km/h kn and a barometric pressure of 1004 millibars (which was the storms overall lowest pressure). In the Gulf of Mexico, rough seas from Danielle caused a maintenance barge to capsize, spilling all 11 crewmen overboard. All but one crewman were rescued by the United States Coast Guard. Danielle also caused a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crashed into the sea due to high winds and lack of fuel. All twelve crew men were rescued. Offshore, a barge encountered winds of convert|58|mph|km/h kn with gusts up to convert|92|mph|km/h kn and light rainfall.

Danielle’s effects on southern and eastern Louisiana was minimal. The state received moderate to heavy rainfall;cite web|author=David Roth|year=2007|title=HPC Rainfall Data on Danielle|publisher=NOAA|accessdate=2008-01-11|url=http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/danielle1980.html] there, the highest rainfall total there was convert|2.23|in|mm in Houma.cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|year=1980|title=Tropical Storm Danielle Report Page 3|publisher=NOAA|accessdate=2008-01-11|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1980-prelim/danielle/prelim03.gif] In Texas, a weather station near Port Arthur reported record rainfall for that city of convert|17.16|in|mm. Elsewhere, the town of Nederland reported convert|18.29|in|mm of rain. The heavy rainfall caused considerable flash flooding in eastern Texas causing residents to evacuate their homes. Floodwaters also forced the shutdown of Interstate 10. Floodwaters also damaged a sewer system in Roscoe leaving 1,500 residents without running water. [cite web|author=Associated Press|year=1980|title=Flooding Closes Sewer System|publisher=New York Times|accessdate=2008-01-11|url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0C10FB3A5C12728DDDA90B94D1405B8084F1D3] In Port Arthur, twelve homes were reported flooded and in Orange County two people were injured in automobile accidents. In Beaumont, one person died in another automobile accident. Danielle also produced tides convert|2|ft|cm–convert|3|ft|cm above normal and minor beach erosion along the Texas coast and damaged several boats and docks on Lake Buchanan. Elsewhere in Texas, Danielle spawned three tornadoes, one was reported in Alvin another near Galveston which damaged a barn and the third was reported southwest of Houston but did no damage.cite web|author=United Press International|year=1980|title=Danielle Spawns Flooding|publisher=Syracuse Herald Journal|accessdate=2008-01-11|url=http://www.thehurricanearchive.com/Viewer.aspx?
] Two more tornadoes were also reported. [cite web|author=Tom Grazulis and Bill McCaul|year=2005|title=List of Known Tropical Cyclones Which Have Spawned Tornadoes|publisher=The Tornado Projet/USRA|accessdate=2008-01-11|url=http://www.tornadoproject.com/alltorns/allhurricanes.htm] After the storm, the American Red Cross opened storm shelters for residents forced out of their homes because of the flooding and President Jimmy Carter also declared eastern Texas a disaster area making the state eligible for federal aid. [cite web|author=Federal Emergency Management Agency|title=FEMA disaster declaration for Tropical Storm Danielle|accessdate=2008-01-11|url=http://www.fema.gov/news/event.fema?id=1833]

The name Danielle was not retired from the list of Atlantic hurricane names in the spring of 1981 and was re-used again for future storms and is currently on the list of Atlantic hurricane names for the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season.

ee also

*List of Texas hurricanes
*Other tropical cyclones named Danielle

References