Tropical Storm Gabrielle (1995)
![]() Tropical Storm Gabrielle near peak intensity near landfall in Mexico on August 11 | |
Meteorological history | |
---|---|
Formed | August 9, 1995 |
Dissipated | August 12, 1995 |
Tropical storm | |
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Highest winds | 70 mph (110 km/h) |
Lowest pressure | 988 mbar (hPa); 29.18 inHg |
Overall effects | |
Fatalities | 6 direct |
Damage | Minimal |
Areas affected | Northeast Mexico, southern Texas |
IBTrACS / [1] | |
Part of the 1995 Atlantic hurricane season |
Tropical Storm Gabrielle caused moderate flooding in northeastern Mexico and southern Texas in August 1995. The eighth tropical cyclone and seventh named storm of the 1995 Atlantic hurricane season, Gabrielle developed from a tropical wave in the west-central Gulf of Mexico on August 9. Initially a tropical depression, the system gradually intensified and by the following day, it became a tropical storm. Favorable conditions caused Gabrielle to continue to strengthen, with the storm nearly reaching hurricane status late on August 11. However, it soon made landfall near La Pesca, Tamaulipas, thus halting further intensification. Once inland, Gabrielle rapidly weakened and dissipated by early on August 12.
As Gabrielle was impacting the east coast of Mexico,
Meteorological history
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/Gabrielle_1995_track.png/275px-Gabrielle_1995_track.png)
Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
Unknown
![triangle](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/50/ArrowUp.svg/18px-ArrowUp.svg.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6d/Gabrielle-95.gif/220px-Gabrielle-95.gif)
A tropical wave emerged into the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Africa during the last week of July. As it tracked across the Atlantic, it remained a well-defined system, but never organized into a tropical cyclone. On August 8, the system entered the Gulf of Mexico, and by the following day, it developed a weak low-level circulation.[2] The circulation became better defined later that day, and was confirmed by Reconnaissance aircraft that afternoon, when it was declared Tropical Depression Eight while east of Tamaulipas.[3]
From the outset, the cyclone's motion was altered by Hurricane Flossie off the Pacific coast of Mexico.[4] Initially, deep convection fired up gradually as the depression slowly tracked westward in the Gulf of Mexico.[5] At 1200 UTC on August 10, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Gabrielle, as the storm curved southward. Gabrielle then strengthened slowly over the warm sea surface temperatures in a low wind shear environment, although land interaction slowed the intensification somewhat.[6] The storm shifted once again onto a west-northwest course on August 11, moving very slowly towards the coast.[2]
The storm made landfall at 2000 UTC on August 11, just south of La Pesca in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, about 175 miles (282 km) south of the
Preparations and impact
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4d/Gabrielle_1995_rainfall.gif/220px-Gabrielle_1995_rainfall.gif)
Starting at 2100 UTC on August 9, a tropical storm warning was issued from
Overall damage was generally minor. There were no reports of wind damage, although tropical storm-force winds affected the northern coast of Tamaulipas. A newspaper in Mexico reported up to 24 inches (610 mm) of precipitation across much of Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon;[2] this figure is in dispute, however, as the rainfall database maintained by Mexico's National Weather Service shows the maximum amount to lie under 20 inches (510 mm).[4] The heavy rainfall from the storm filled nearly half the reservoirs in Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas, which were almost empty due to drought conditions in the region. As a result, dozens in southern Nuevo Leon were forced to evacuation their homes.[8] Rains from Gabrielle flooded streets and destroyed bridges and highways in northern Mexico.[1] No storm surge recordings were taken in Mexico, although it is estimated by the National Hurricane Center that a surge of a few feet took place to the north of the track. Six fatalities were reported in Mexico as a result of Gabrielle.[1]
In Texas, rainfall from the storm peaked at 6.26 inches (159 mm) in Weslaco,[9] while many other areas in southern Texas reported only 1 to 3 inches (25 to 76 mm) of precipitation.[4] Gabrielle's rain came after a drought, and some of it soaked in. The rains also damaged unharvested cotton. Otherwise, minor flooding occurred.[10] Brownsville reported up to 4 inches (100 mm) of rain in association with Gabrielle.[11] In extreme southern Texas, minor coastal flooding occurred at some of the beaches in the region.[2] The remains of Gabrielle produced heavy thunderstorms in New Mexico on August 15.[11]
See also
- Tropical Storm Bret (2005)
- Tropical Storm Gert (2005)
- Other storms of the same name
- Timeline of the 1995 Atlantic hurricane season
References
- ^ a b c Dallas News (August 14, 1995). "Mexicans clean up after Tropical Storm Gabrielle". The Dallas News. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f Miles B. Lawrence (December 1, 1995). "Preliminary Report: Tropical Storm Gabrielle" (PDF). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
- ^ Lixion A. Avila (August 9, 1995). "Tropical Depression Eight Discussion Number 1". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
- ^ Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
- ^ Edward N. Rappaport (August 10, 1995). "Tropical Depression Eight Discussion Number 3". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
- ^ Richard B. Pasch (August 11, 1995). "Tropical Storm Gabrielle Discussion Number 6". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
- ^ The News (August 14, 1995). "Rain soaks Mexican coast; hurricane gathering strength in the Atlantic". The Hurricane Archive.
- ^ Unattributed (August 13, 1995). "Perturbacion ciclonica Gabrielle alivia sequia en el norte del pais". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
- ^ "Tropical Cyclone Rainfall for the Gulf Coast". Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
- ^ Grant Goode. "Storm Data - August 1995" (PDF). National Climatic Data Center. pp. 103 and 104. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
- ^ a b U.S. Department of the Interior (1995). "National Water Conditions". Water Webserver Team. Retrieved 2007-02-23.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- NHC's Preliminary Report for Tropical Storm Gabrielle
- HPC's Rainfall Report for Tropical Storm Gabrielle