Category 2 Atlantic hurricane in June 1954
Hurricane Alice
![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0f/Alice1_1954_track.png/220px-Alice1_1954_track.png) Track map of Hurricane Alice
|
|
Formed
| June 24, 1954
(
1954-06-24
)
|
---|
Dissipated
| June 26, 1954
(
1954-06-27
)
|
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|
1-minute sustained
(
SSHWS
/
NWS
)
|
Highest winds
| 110 mph (175 km/h)
|
---|
Lowest pressure
| ≤975
mbar
(
hPa
); ≤28.79
inHg
|
---|
|
Fatalities
| 55?153
|
---|
Damage
| $2 million (1954
USD
)
|
---|
Areas affected
| Mexico, Texas
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IBTrACS
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Part of the
1954 Atlantic hurricane season
|
Hurricane Alice
was the second-strongest Atlantic hurricane to make landfall in the month of June since reliable records began in the 1850s. The storm was linked to catastrophic flooding in southern Texas and northern Mexico, especially along the
Rio Grande
and its tributaries. The third tropical cyclone and first hurricane of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season, Alice was one of two storms to receive the same name that year, the other being an unusual
post-season hurricane
that persisted into the new year of 1955, becoming one of only two January hurricanes on record (the other having formed in
1938
). The first Alice developed rather suddenly on June 24 over the
Bay of Campeche
, though it may well have formed earlier but went undetected due to limited
surface weather observations
. Moving northwestward, Alice strengthened rapidly as it neared the Mexican coastline, becoming a hurricane early the next day. By midday on June 25, the hurricane reached peak winds of 110
miles per hour
(177
km/h
) before moving inland well south of the U.S.?Mexico border. The storm struck an area with few inhabitants and caused relatively minimal impacts from wind near the point of landfall and in southern Texas.
As it moved inland, however, Alice produced prolific
rains
along and near the
Rio Grande
, resulting in some of the worst
flooding
ever seen in parts of northern Mexico and southern Texas;
[1]
in some areas, the flooding amounted to a one-in-1,000-year event. The
Pecos River
crested at 96.24 ft (29.33 m), which joined with the Rio Grande to produce significant flooding. The floods destroyed bridges and
dikes
and flooded many cities along the inner reaches of the river, which reached its highest water levels since 1865. As the river overflowed its banks, floods breached the dikes at
Piedras Negras, Coahuila
, destroying large sections of the town. Other communities in Mexico reported significant flood damage. In the United States, damage was heaviest in
Ozona, Texas
, where the floods killed 15 people and caused $2 million in damage (1954 USD). Rainfall peaked at over 24.07 in (611 mm), most of which fell in a 24?hour period. In all, flooding from Hurricane Alice killed at least 55 people, including 17 in the U.S. and 38 in Mexico, though many deaths in rural Mexico may have gone unreported; the total death toll could have exceeded 150.
Meteorological history
[
edit
]
At 12:00
UTC
on June 24, 1954, a moderate
tropical storm
formed about 270
miles
(435
km
) east of
Tampico, Tamaulipas
, with winds of 60
miles per hour
(97
km/h
).
[2]
In 2015,
NOAA
researchers working on
reanalysis
with the
Hurricane Research Division
examined observations to determine whether Alice formed earlier, but were unsuccessful due to sparse
surface weather observations
over the
Bay of Campeche
.
[3]
The first observation of
gale
-force winds occurred at 18:00 UTC on June 24, when a ship reported 60-mile-per-hour (97 km/h) winds and an
atmospheric pressure
of 999
millibars
(29.50
inHg
), indicating a well-developed cyclone in the area. Based on these data, scientists concluded that Alice likely formed earlier than indicated, but went undetected until that day.
[3]
Regardless, Alice steadily intensified almost immediately upon detection as it headed northwestward, strengthening into the equivalent of a Category 1 hurricane on the
Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale
by 00:00 UTC on June 25.
[4]
[2]
Early on that day, a ship calibrated the
rapid strengthening
of the storm, measuring winds of 85 mph (137 km/h) at 08:17 UTC.
[3]
As Alice neared the coast of Mexico, reconnaissance
aircraft
known as
Hurricane Hunters
began tracking the
eye
of the hurricane, but apparently did not penetrate the center of the storm. They did, however, provide information about the position of the storm.
[3]
The storm continued to intensify rapidly as it approached the coastline south of the
United States?Mexico border
. Based on aircraft observations, research suggests that Alice made
landfall
about 60 mi (97 km) south of
Matamoros, Tamaulipas
, at 14:00 UTC on June 25.
[3]
[2]
The storm affected a thinly populated segment of the Mexican coastline, and few observations were available to determine the strength of the hurricane. One report, taken about 100 mi (161 km) south of
Brownsville, Texas
, suggested top winds of at least 70 to 80 mph (113 to 129 km/h).
[4]
Prior to scientific reexamination,
HURDAT
?the official database containing tracks and intensities of cyclones in the North Atlantic and Eastern North Pacific regions?listed top winds of 80 mph (129 km/h) at landfall in Mexico.
[3]
However, a
radiosonde
, launched from Brownsville in time for the 12:00 UTC observation, recorded winds of 150 mph (241 km/h) from the southeast at 3,000
feet
(914
m
) in elevation. Based on this measurement, which may have represented winds in the eyewall, researchers determined that Hurricane Alice was likely significantly stronger at landfall than previously assessed.
[3]
They analyzed Alice as having struck Mexico with winds of 110 mph (177 km/h), while noting the great uncertainty and the possibility that the storm may have even been much stronger than this.
[2]
The central pressure in the eye was probably 975 mb (28.79 inHg) or lower, as corroborated by observations well inland in Texas.
[3]
Therefore, Alice was at least equivalent to a high-end Category 2 hurricane at landfall and conceivably could have attained major hurricane status.
After landing, Hurricane Alice gradually weakened as it approximately followed the
Rio Grande
, crossing into southern Texas near
La Grulla
just before 00:00 UTC on June 26.
[2]
The storm by then had weakened back to a moderate tropical storm with winds of 60 mph (97 km/h), but it still produced gale-force winds in several communities across southern Texas; a few areas in Texas may have even experienced hurricane-force winds for brief periods before the storm entered the state, but there are no observations to confirm such winds.
[3]
The storm likely caused winds of at least 70 mph (113 km/h) in southern Texas. As it crossed into Texas, Tropical Storm Alice curved more to the north-northwest early on June 26 before assuming a sharp bend back westward later in the day.
[2]
The storm degenerated into a tropical depression by 18:00 UTC and dissipated early on June 27 near the
Big Bend National Park
in Texas.
[4]
[2]
Impact
[
edit
]
Storm total rainfall from Hurricane Alice in the United States
Before Alice moved ashore, about 50
Girl Scouts
at a camp were evacuated to a center in
Brownsville, Texas
.
[5]
The residents of
Padre Island
were also evacuated. Residents in the storm's path were unprepared due to the storm forming suddenly. The
United States Coast Guard
spread the word about the storm by traversing the coast and advising residents to seek shelter. Officials at the U.S. Weather Bureau posted
northwest storm warnings
for the Brownsville area, recommending that small boats to stay at harbor.
[6]
Damages along the
coastline
at the point of landfall were relatively light.
[4]
Winds in Brownsville reached 62 mph (100 km/h), which created flying debris that injured one man.
[6]
Moderate to strong gales affected the Rio Grande Valley inland over southern Texas.
[3]
Across the border, minor damage was reported in
Matamoros, Tamaulipas
, and one person there was killed by a fallen power line.
[6]
A few shrimp
fishing boats
were driven ashore by heavy winds.
[7]
Although later there was severe flooding further inland, a dam along the Rio Grande prevented significant flooding in the Brownsville area.
[8]
Most of the damage resulting from Alice was caused by heavy rain in the inland areas of Texas,
Tamaulipas
and
Coahuila
; damage was exacerbated in these areas by
drought
conditions that rendered the soil especially vulnerable to erosion.
[7]
Estimates of peak rainfall within 12 hours vary from 22 inches (56 cm)
[7]
to 26 inches (132 cm),
[9]
and a total of 35 inches (89 cm) of rain fell in 24 hours, approaching the world record that had been set by an unnamed hurricane in Texas in 1921.
[10]
However, a 2010 report on the storm's rainfall indicated a maximum of 24.07 in (611 mm) near
Pandale
,
[11]
of which 16.02 in (407 mm) fell in a 24?hour period.
[12]
The peak rainfall occurred in a small area centered near the
Pecos River
. A location along the
Johnson Draw
reported 11 in (280 mm) of rainfall after receiving minimal precipitation in the previous three years. In addition, some locals in western Texas experienced rainfall from Alice that exceed yearly averages. This contributed to significant flooding along the Pecos River, reaching a flood stage of 55 ft (17 m) in Pandale. The flooding swept away a group of fishermen in
Sheffield
as well as at a location 10 mi (16 km) north of Pandale, killing four. Downstream, the river crested at 96.24 ft (29.33 m), which washed out a highway and three railroad bridges.
[12]
A temporary bridge was built between Eagle Pass and Piedro Negro by July 10, or two weeks after the storm.
[13]
The destroyed rail lines stranded a
Sunset Limited
train, which prompted the passengers to evacuate to nearby
Langtry
.
[12]
The flooding also stranded a
Southern Pacific
train, whose occupants were later evacuated by helicopters.
[13]
The peak river crest corresponded to a
discharge rate
of 948,000 ft³/s (26,800 m³/s), which the
International Boundary and Water Commission
remarked was "probably the greatest rate of runoff for a watershed of [that] size in the United States".
[12]
Heavy rain fell across all of southern Texas and northern Mexico as a result of Alice, causing
flash floods
in inland areas.
[7]
Ozona, Texas
was the town most affected by the floods, sustaining $2 million in damage (1954 USD),
[14]
as well as 15 deaths. Early on the morning of June 25, a "wall of water" as high as 30 feet (9.2 m) poured out of a dry
gully
and overwhelmed most of the town.
[7]
Roughly a third of Ozona had to be evacuated, and many livestock there were killed.
[13]
About 500 families were left homeless in the town.
[15]
United States military helicopters worked to rescue people trapped by the floodwaters.
[8]
In all, at least seven towns experienced flooding from the storm on either side of the border,
[14]
including
Lamesa
and
Laredo, Texas
which were badly damaged by flash floods.
[7]
The
Rio Grande
rose well above flood level at the cities of
Eagle Pass, Texas
and
Piedras Negras, Coahuila
. While the city of Eagle Pass was evacuated, Piedras Negras was not. Both cities were completely flooded, and the dike intended to protect Piedras Negras from floods was washed away. At least 38 people (some sources say 39) were killed in Piedras Negras after the dike collapsed.
[4]
[7]
In Eagle Pass, the commercial sector was flooded by over 8 ft (2.4 m) of waters, which let heavy losses.
[13]
Before the storm began producing heavy rainfall, officials anticipated moderate river flooding that would peak at less than the flood of 1948.
[12]
The river crested at
Laredo, Texas
, where waters reached a peak of 62.2 feet (19 m), at least 10 feet (3 m) above the previous record flood.
[7]
High waters caused the water treatment plants to fail there, which prevented the safe delivery of fresh water until July 1.
[13]
The International Bridge connecting Laredo and
Nuevo Laredo
was swept away.
[7]
Although severe damage occurred in the latter city, no deaths were recorded in either city due to evacuations.
[13]
Flooding along the Rio Grande was the highest since 1865,
[11]
and was considered a
1 in 2000 year
event.
[16]
About 12,000 people were evacuated from nearby
Ciudad Acuna
following the flood.
[14]
There, the floods left heavy damage.
[13]
Estimates for total death toll range from 55
[4]
to 153.
[7]
Death toll estimates for Texas range from 17
[4]
to 38,
[9]
though official records indicate that the 38 deaths occurred in Mexico rather than Texas.
[4]
Estimates of the deaths in Mexico, where records are less complete, vary more widely.
[4]
[7]
Several of the deaths in Texas were homeless people attempting to enter the United States, and as a result their deaths were not counted.
[13]
Monetary damage figures are not available, but it is known that flooding from Alice caused considerable damage to crops, primarily
cotton
.
[4]
Aftermath and records
[
edit
]
While Alice left almost unprecedented flooding in its wake, the storm itself was not an unheard-of occurrence: a
similar storm in 1921
, which followed a comparative track, caused
significant flooding in Texas
as well, albeit not in the same areas affected by the floods of 1954.
[3]
Following the devastation left by Alice, members of the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Army flew 21 helicopters with over 81 tons of relief supplies to the affected people of Mexico and Texas, including food, water, medicine, and clothing.
[8]
The disastrous flooding caused by Hurricane Alice along the
Rio Grande
accelerated the joint US?Mexico
Amistad Dam
project, a series of
flood control
dams
designed to prevent similar catastrophes in the future. The project, in the planning stages for decades before the storm, was finally begun in 1960.
[17]
Leftover waters from the storm led to an increase in mosquitoes in Texas, which prompted a widespread application of larvicide via airplane. On July 1, the flood areas of southern Texas were declared a major disaster area. This followed a delivery of 2 flood specialists, 20 laborers, 2 portable water treatment plants, 7 trucks, and a quantity of insecticides and water treatment tablets.
[13]
Residents in Laredo, Texas provided citizens of its neighboring city Nuevo Laredo, Mexico with food and water. The Mexican government provided temporary homes for the affected citizens of the flood. American officials distributed typhoid vaccinations, water purification tablets, and insecticides to the American cities along the Rio Grande. Safe water was eventually restored to Laredo, Texas on July 12. All emergency work related to the disaster was finished by September 3.
[13]
Besides flooding, Hurricane Alice was also notable for another reason: it made landfall with some of the strongest winds in a June hurricane on record. With top winds of 110 mph (177 km/h), the cyclone was the second-strongest Atlantic hurricane to make landfall in the month of June, behind only
Hurricane Audrey
in
1957
, which made landfall in
Louisiana
with winds of 125 mph (201 km/h).
[2]
The storm was somewhat analogous to
Hurricane Alex
, which also affected the same region in
2010
with winds of 110 mph (177 km/h), though Alex made landfall in early July.
[2]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Texas ? Climate"
. city-data.com. 2006
. Retrieved
2007-02-07
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
"Atlantic hurricane best track (HURDAT version 2)"
(Database). United States
National Hurricane Center
. April 5, 2023
. Retrieved
June 16,
2024
.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
public domain
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
National Hurricane Center; Hurricane Research Division; Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (May 2015).
"Atlantic hurricane best track (HURDAT) Meta Data"
. United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Oceanic & Atmospheric Research. Archived from
the original
on 2011-06-04
. Retrieved
2015-05-26
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
Davis, Walter R. (December 1954).
"Hurricanes of 1954"
(PDF)
.
Monthly Weather Review
.
United States Department of Commerce
. p. 370
. Retrieved
2007-02-06
.
- ^
Staff Writer (1954-06-23).
"First Hurricane is Reported"
. United Press
. Retrieved
2011-08-06
.
- ^
a
b
c
Staff Writer (1954-06-23).
"Gale Hits Mexico"
.
The Victoria Advocate
. Associated Press
. Retrieved
2011-08-06
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
"Evil Alice"
.
Time
. July 1954. Archived from
the original
on October 1, 2007
. Retrieved
2007-02-06
.
- ^
a
b
c
Daniel Haulman (1998).
"The United States Air Force and Humanitarian Airlift Operations 1947?1994"
(PDF)
. Air Force History and Museums Program. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on 2011-07-22
. Retrieved
2011-08-06
.
- ^
a
b
Freeman, John C. (2007).
"Texas Tropical Storms and Hurricanes"
. Weather Research Center. Archived from
the original
on 2011-09-28
. Retrieved
2007-02-06
.
- ^
Metz, John (2006).
"Weather Outlook for Texas, 2006"
(PDF)
.
National Weather Service
(NWS). p. 55. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on 2006-09-21
. Retrieved
2007-02-06
.
- ^
a
b
David Roth (2010-01-13).
"Hurricane Alice ? June 24?27, 1954"
. Hydrometeorological Prediction Center
. Retrieved
2011-08-05
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
Jonathan Burnett (2008).
Flash floods in Texas
. Texas A&M University Press. pp. 151?161.
ISBN
978-1585445905
. Retrieved
2011-08-05
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
F. J. Von Zuben, Jr.; et al. (November 1957).
"Public Health Disaster Aid in the Rio Grande Flood of 1954"
.
Public Health Reports
.
72
(11): 1009?17.
PMC
2031412
.
PMID
13485295
.
- ^
a
b
c
Staff Writer.
"Rio Grande Floods 7 Towns; 6 Die, Thousand Homeless"
.
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
. United Press
. Retrieved
2011-08-06
.
- ^
Staff Writer (1954-06-29).
"Rio Grande in Biggest Flood Ever"
.
Greensburg Daily Tribune
. United Press
. Retrieved
2011-08-06
.
- ^
John Nielsen-Gammon; Howard Johnson (2004-04-01).
"Texas and Oklahoma's Greatest Hits"
. Texas Office of the State Climatologist. Archived from
the original
on 2012-06-09
. Retrieved
2011-08-05
.
- ^
"The Great Acuna Flood of 1954"
.
Del Rio
Chamber of Commerce
. 2006. Archived from
the original
on 2007-02-25
. Retrieved
2007-02-07
.
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