Hurricane Bonnie (1986)
Meteorological history | |
---|---|
Formed | June 23, 1986 |
Dissipated | June 28, 1986 |
Category 1 hurricane | |
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Highest winds | 85 mph (140 km/h) |
Lowest pressure | 990 mbar (hPa); 29.23 inHg |
Overall effects | |
Fatalities | 5 |
Damage | $42 million (1986 USD) |
Areas affected | Texas, Louisiana, Southeastern United States |
IBTrACS | |
Part of the 1986 Atlantic hurricane season |
Hurricane Bonnie caused moderate damage along the
Prior to Bonnie moving ashore, 22,000 people were evacuated in Texas and Louisiana. Upon making landfall, Bonnie produced a storm surge peaking at 5.2 feet (1.6 m) at Sabine Pass. Rainfall from the storm peaked at 13 inches (330 mm) in Ace, Texas, which caused some street flooding and destroyed a small dam in Liberty County, Texas. Three fatalities were reported in the Port Arthur, Texas area; two deaths were from separate car accidents and another occurred after a partially paralyzed woman died in a house fire. Flooding also impacted northwestern Louisiana. In the Shreveport area alone, 381 homes, 20 businesses, and 80 major highway intersections were flooded. The hurricane also spawned 11 tornadoes, destroying about 25 houses in southwestern Louisiana. Overall, Hurricane Bonnie caused $42 million (1986 USD) in damage and five fatalities.
Meteorological history
In mid-June, a mid-level
In the 24 hours after becoming a tropical storm, satellite imagery showed a substantial increase in upper-level
Preparations
Upon the system being classified as a tropical depression, a high risk of landfall near
Impact
Due to the small size of Hurricane Bonnie, damage was relatively light, totaling to $42 million.[5] The storm was also attributed to five deaths, four in Texas and one in Louisiana.[6][7]
Texas
In some areas of eastern Texas, the storm dropped 10 to 13 in (250 to 330 mm) of rain,[8] with a peak total of 13 inches (330 mm) in Ace.[9] Heavy rains caused by Bonnie also lead a small dam collapse in northeastern Liberty County, Texas, resulting in severe flooding. In Hardin County, the Pine Island Bayou overflowed, causing water to enter hundreds of homes and businesses. Several major roadways were flooded due to flooding, including Highway 59 between Livingston and Shepherd, U.S. Route 79 in Panola County, and Interstate 20 and several farm-to-market roads in Harrison County. The Bear Foot Lake dam overflowed, damaging some homes and forcing 200 families to evacuate. Overall, approximately 1,300 people in southeastern Texas fled their homes due to flooding.[6] Severe flooding left behind by the heavy rains caused $5 million in damage.[8]
In addition to rain and flooding, winds damaged more homes and businesses, and a tornado was spawned a few miles southwest of Port Arthur.[6] More than 19,000 power outages were reported in the area near where Bonnie made landfall.[10] Texas State Highway 87 was closed in Jefferson County due to debris and electrical poles fallen on the roadway. The storm left broken windows, scattered tree limbs, and debris filled streets in Port Arthur and Beaumont. At the latter, strong winds toppled a radio tower at the Texas Department of Public Safety building, while several schools suffered damage to the roof and windows.[6] Marinas and boats at Lake Sam Rayburn were damaged. Hank Creek Marina, located across the lake, broke free from its moorings and floated away, while portions of were submerged.[8] Four indirect fatalities were confirmed in Texas, two from traffic accidents, one from a house fire ignited by a candle, and another from drowning. Several injuries were also reported, including four after a truck flipped over due to strong winds.[6]
Louisiana
Most of the damage in Louisiana occurred in Cameron Parish. Twenty-five homes, trailers, and cabins in southwestern Louisiana were destroyed, resulting in about $400,000 in damages.[8] Two tornadoes were spawned in Webster Parish. The first caused about $15,000 in damage to the roofs of three homes. The other tornado destroyed three mobile homes and severely damaged an additional two as well as three permanent homes. Damage from this tornado totaled $200,000. Just south of Blanchard, 10.2 in (260 mm) of rain fell within a 12-hour period.[11] Interstate 20 was closed from Shreveport to the Louisiana-Texas state line due to flooding, with as much as 5 ft (1.5 m) of standing water near Greenwood.[6]
Torrential rains caused water inundation up to 10 ft (3.0 m) in some areas of Shreveport.[11] Firefighters used boats to rescue some stranded Shreveport residents in their homes by sudden high water. Rescuers also had to bind themselves together to rescue some people stranded in a flooded trailer park.[11] Flooding in the city forced police to barricade 50 major highway intersections. Along the shore of Cross Lake, about 80 homes were damaged by water intrusion. About 381 homes and 20 businesses in Shreveport were damaged by flooding.[6] A tornado spawned in the city overturned an airplane at Shreveport Downtown Airport, damaged a roof from a house, and shattered a number of windows. No injuries were reported from the tornado.[7] Damage in Louisiana from flooding alone totaled $11–13 million, with $4 million to highways and bridges, $1–2 million to vehicles, $5 million to property, and $1–2 million to boats. Three fishermen were tossed into a lake after a boat was capsized due to high winds.[6] Two were rescued, but one perished.[7]
Elsewhere
Heavy rains from the remnant low-pressure area of Bonnie led to heavy rains in several states in the Southeastern United States. Rainfall was generally minor in most areas,
See also
- Other storms named Bonnie
- 1986 Atlantic hurricane season
- List of wettest tropical cyclones in the United States
- Hurricane Barry (2019) - a storm that took a nearly identical track.
Notes
- ^ All wind speeds are 1-minute sustained
References
- ^ a b Harold P. Gerrish (July 16, 1986). Preliminary Report Hurricane Bonnie: 23-28 June 1986 (Report). Hurricane Bonnie, Hurricane Wallet Digital Archives. Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
- ^ a b Harold P. Gerrish (July 16, 1986). Preliminary best track, Hurricane Bonnie, 23-28 June 1986 (Report). Hurricane Bonnie, Hurricane Wallet Digital Archives. Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
- ^ Harold P. Gerrish (July 16, 1986). Preliminary Report Hurricane Bonnie: 23-28 June 1986 (Report). Hurricane Bonnie, Hurricane Wallet Digital Archives. Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
- ^ "Hurricane Bonnie Threatens the Gulf Coast". The Pittsburgh Press. Miami, FL. United Press International. June 25, 1986. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
- ^ The Deadliest, Costliest and Most Intense United States Tropical Cyclones from 1851 to 2010 (and other frequently requested hurricane facts) (PDF). National Hurricane Center (Report). Miami, Florida: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. August 10, 2011. p. 47. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Storm Data and Unusual Weather Phenomena (PDF) (Report). Asheville, North Carolina: National Climatic Data Center. 1986. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 27, 2013. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
- ^ a b c "Dying Bonnie Ravages Heartland, Spawning Floods and Tornadoes". The Deseret News. Shreveport, Louisiana. United Press International. June 28, 1986. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
- ^ a b c d "Bonnie's Blast Kills Two Before Dissipating". The Evening Independent. Port Arthur, Texas. Associated Press. June 27, 1986. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
- ^ Roth, David M. (January 3, 2023). "Tropical Cyclone Point Maxima". Tropical Cyclone Rainfall Data. United States Weather Prediction Center. Retrieved January 6, 2023. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Bonnie loses power, clean-up starts". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Port Arthur, Texas. Associated Press. June 28, 1986. Retrieved August 26, 2013.
- ^ a b c "Bonnie Loses Power, Clean-up Starts". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Port Arthur, Texas. Associated Press. June 28, 1986. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
- ^ a b David M. Roth (March 6, 2013). Hurricane Bonnie – June 26-30, 1986 (Report). College Park, Maryland: Weather Prediction Center. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
- ^ Roth, David M (May 12, 2022). "Tropical Cyclone Rainfall for the Gulf Coast". Tropical Cyclone Rainfall. United States Weather Prediction Center. Retrieved January 6, 2023. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
External links