A look back at Texas' worst Hurricanes

[Extremeweatherguy]

Just found this very interesting article:

"Surprise Hurricane," 1943: This storm received its name because area residents received little warning it was headed their way. Due to German U-boat activity expected in the Gulf of Mexico, all radio broadcasts were stopped - including weather reports, which were transmitted nearly exclusively via radio in the days before satellite and radar.

In fact, reports that the Houston-bound storm was a potentially dangerous hurricane were not released until the afternoon of July 27, just after it struck unprepared Galveston Island.

The storm moved up the coast through Texas City and Baytown before turning west and passing over downtown Houston near midnight.

Wind gusts of 132 mph were recorded at Baytown and the Houston Metropolitan Airport; the storm killed 19 people and caused about $17 million in reported damage across the area (the actual figure which was probably higher, since many families were not insured).

wow! gusts to 132mph in Houston! Compare that to the 61mph gusts of Rita and the 78-99mph gusts of Alicia and you could just imagine!

[JonathanBelles]

wow

[southerngale]

Yeah, there have been some interesting threads about the "secret" hurricane of 1943 that hit Galveston/Houston.

http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic ... 817#884817

http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic ... 535#698535

http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic ... 147#913147

http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic ... 38#1074538

http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic ... 249#587249

http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic ... 563#989563

[ROCK]

Just found this very interesting article:

"Surprise Hurricane," 1943: This storm received its name because area residents received little warning it was headed their way. Due to German U-boat activity expected in the Gulf of Mexico, all radio broadcasts were stopped - including weather reports, which were transmitted nearly exclusively via radio in the days before satellite and radar.

In fact, reports that the Houston-bound storm was a potentially dangerous hurricane were not released until the afternoon of July 27, just after it struck unprepared Galveston Island.

The storm moved up the coast through Texas City and Baytown before turning west and passing over downtown Houston near midnight.

Wind gusts of 132 mph were recorded at Baytown and the Houston Metropolitan Airport; the storm killed 19 people and caused about $17 million in reported damage across the area (the actual figure which was probably higher, since many families were not insured).

wow! gusts to 132mph in Houston! Compare that to the 61mph gusts of Rita and the 78-99mph gusts of Alicia and you could just imagine!

was that official wind gusts? at what elevation I wonder? Seems aweful high for that far inland.

[Extremeweatherguy]

Just found this very interesting article:

"Surprise Hurricane," 1943: This storm received its name because area residents received little warning it was headed their way. Due to German U-boat activity expected in the Gulf of Mexico, all radio broadcasts were stopped - including weather reports, which were transmitted nearly exclusively via radio in the days before satellite and radar.

In fact, reports that the Houston-bound storm was a potentially dangerous hurricane were not released until the afternoon of July 27, just after it struck unprepared Galveston Island.

The storm moved up the coast through Texas City and Baytown before turning west and passing over downtown Houston near midnight.

Wind gusts of 132 mph were recorded at Baytown and the Houston Metropolitan Airport; the storm killed 19 people and caused about $17 million in reported damage across the area (the actual figure which was probably higher, since many families were not insured).

wow! gusts to 132mph in Houston! Compare that to the 61mph gusts of Rita and the 78-99mph gusts of Alicia and you could just imagine!

was that official wind gusts? at what elevation I wonder? Seems aweful high for that far inland.

yes that was an official wind gust at Hobby airport. This storm came across Galveston bay (moving WNW) and into Houston. The strongest gusts in Houston would have occured between Hobby and north Harris County as that is likely where the northern eyewall was located.