Tropical Storm Debra (1978)

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Tropical Storm Debra
Type=tropical storm
Year=1978
Basin=Atl
Image location=Debra1978082815GOES2VS.jpg


Formed=August 26
Dissipated=August 29
1-min winds=50
Pressure=1000
Da

Inflated=
Fatalities=2
Areas=Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana
Hurricane season=1978 Atlantic hurricane season

Tropical Storm Debra was the fourth named storm of the 1978 Atlantic hurricane season. It developed from a tropospheric low pressure in the Gulf of Mexico on October 26. It was upgraded to a tropical depression that same day as the system was drifting west. On October 28, it was upgraded to Tropical Storm Debra. It soon reached it's peak intensity of 60 mph (95 km/h). It made landfall on the Louisiana coast, just to the east of the Texas border. The storm killed two people, and left one injured. Several tornadoes occurred during Debra's passage.

Meteorological history

The origins of Debra were from a tropospheric low pressure system that formed over southeast Florida on August 25.cite web|author=Miles B. Lawrence|title=1978 Monthly weather Review|year=1978|publisher=National Weather Bureau|accessdate=2008-01-26|url=http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1978.pdf] At the same time, convective activity appeared near the Yucatan Peninsula. The low pressure over Florida drifted southwest into the Gulf of Mexico. The convection, which was possibly associated with a tropical wave, interacted with low-level vorticity center generated by the low pressure system, and led to the development of a tropical depression on August 26.cite web|author=Miles B. Lawrence|title=1978 Monthly weather Review|year=1978|publisher=National Weather Bureau|accessdate=2008-01-26|url=http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1978.pdf] The depression moved west at first, soon executing a more northward track along the western extension of a high pressure ridge. Gradual intensification began, and it was upgraded to Tropical Storm Debra August 28.cite web|author=Miles B. Lawrence|title=1978 Monthly weather Review|year=1978|publisher=National Weather Bureau|accessdate=2008-01-26|url=http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1978.pdf] The storm continued moving north, and it reached its peak intensity of 1000 mb on August 29, shortly before landfall.cite web|author=Miles B. Lawrence|title=1978 Monthly weather Review|year=1978|publisher=National Weather Bureau|accessdate=2008-01-26|url=http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1978.pdf] A disorganized storm, most of the convection was located to the east of the center.cite web|author=Miles B. Lawrence|title=1978 Monthly weather Review|year=1978|publisher=National Weather Bureau|accessdate=2008-01-26|url=http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1978.pdf] Later that day, it made landfall later that day, just to the east of the Texas-Louisiana coast.cite web|author=Miles B. Lawrence|title=1978 Monthly weather Review|year=1978|publisher=National Weather Bureau|accessdate=2008-01-26|url=http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1978.pdf] Debra moved inland, weakening rapidly, with heavy rain the major impact. In addition, as usual with landfalling tropical systems, several tornadoes were blamed on Debra.cite web|author=Miles B. Lawrence|title=1978 Monthly weather Review|year=1978|publisher=National Weather Bureau|accessdate=2008-01-26|url=http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1978.pdf] cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|title=Tropical Storm Debra preliminary report|year=1978|publisher=|accessdate=2008-01-26|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1978-prelim/debra/prelim01.gif] The remnants of Debra moved into Illinois and moved east along the Ohio Valley.cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|title=Tropical Storm Debra preliminary report page 2|year=1978|publisher=|accessdate=2008-01-26|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1978-prelim/debra/prelim02.gif]

Preparations and impact

As a result of the formation of Debra, gale warnings were issued from Galveston, Texas to Grand Isle, Louisiana, on August 28. In addition, 3,000 people were evacuated from Cameron Parish, Louisiana.cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|title=Tropical Storm Debra preliminary report|year=1978|publisher=|accessdate=2008-01-26|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1978-prelim/debra/prelim01.gif]

Two people died as a result of Debra; one was attributed to a tornado in Mississippi which also destroyed several mobile homes, and injured one person. The other was reported to have occurred on an oil rig off the Texas coast.cite web|author=Miles B. Lawrence|title=1978 Monthly weather Review|year=1978|publisher=National Weather Bureau|accessdate=2008-01-26|url=http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1978.pdf] Several other tornadoes occurred during Debra's landfall, mostly along the upper Texas coast, to the Mississippi coast, while some tornadoes did occur inland.cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|title=Tropical Storm Debra preliminary report page 2|year=1978|publisher=|accessdate=2008-01-26|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1978-prelim/debra/prelim02.gif]

The maximum amount of rain associated with Debra occurred at Freshwater Bayou Rock, Louisiana, where 10.81 inches (274 mm) of rain fell. [Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. [http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/debra1978.html Tropical Stordm Debra.] Retrieved on 2007-02-28.] Other rainfall reports of 6 inches (150 mm) or more were common throughout Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, and later into Illinois.cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|title=Tropical Storm Debra preliminary report page 2|year=1978|publisher=|accessdate=2008-01-26|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1978-prelim/debra/prelim02.gif] Also, tides ranges from 1 to 2 feet in most areas, while up to 5.7 foot above normal tides were reported along the western Louisiana coast.cite web|author=National Hurricane Center|title=Tropical Storm Debra preliminary report page 2|year=1978|publisher=|accessdate=2008-01-26|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1978-prelim/debra/prelim02.gif]

ee also

*1978 Atlantic hurricane season

References