Texas Hurricane Texas Hurricane History – 101History – 101

2012 TX State OEM Conference2012 TX State OEM Conference

Lew FincherLew Fincher

Hurricane HistorianHurricane Historian

Galveston County Historical CommissionGalveston County Historical CommissionCo-Chair National Hurricane Conference’s Co-Chair National Hurricane Conference’s

Hurricane History CommitteeHurricane History Committee

Lew@HurricaneConsulting.net Lew@HurricaneConsulting.net

Our Problem…Our Problem…• Due to the changing of the guard so to Due to the changing of the guard so to

speak of local emergency managers and speak of local emergency managers and coordinators, much of the knowledge of coordinators, much of the knowledge of local storm impact history is lost to new local storm impact history is lost to new or future "Decision Makers." or future "Decision Makers."

This is a very real problem in both the This is a very real problem in both the public and private sectors of emergency public and private sectors of emergency and risk management. Another question and risk management. Another question is how resilient will our local area building is how resilient will our local area building structures be during a direct hit by a true structures be during a direct hit by a true Category 3 Hurricane?Category 3 Hurricane?

HISTORY DOES REPEAT HISTORY DOES REPEAT ITSELFITSELF

Yes, it has, & so can Yes, it has, & so can Nature!!Nature!!

Decision Makers need to Decision Makers need to know their LOCALknow their LOCAL

Historical Hurricane Impact Historical Hurricane Impact HistoryHistory

To Make the Best DecisionsTo Make the Best Decisions

HAS THIS EVER HAS THIS EVER HAPPENED BEFORE?HAPPENED BEFORE?

Has this ever happened before?Has this ever happened before?

Significantly more people live in the Significantly more people live in the danger zone now than in the pastdanger zone now than in the past

More industry and commercial More industry and commercial operations that employ operations that employ thousands sit near the coast, thousands sit near the coast, bays, or on the banks of rivers bays, or on the banks of rivers that feed into the Gulfthat feed into the Gulf

Look at the Look at the development in the development in the major coastal basins major coastal basins

of Texasof TexasPast hurricane Past hurricane

impacts have been impacts have been forgotten, or ignoredforgotten, or ignored

How many thousands How many thousands now live in the coastal now live in the coastal area assisted living, area assisted living, and nursing homes?and nursing homes?How many of the How many of the elder citizens have elder citizens have no night vision?no night vision?

How many children live in structures that cannot

sustain a safe haven in a true Cat 2 Hurricane...

sustained winds of between 95 – 110 mph measured at 1

mile per minute…?

When was the last time When was the last time the different basins the different basins

experienced a sustained experienced a sustained Cat 2 Hurricane?Cat 2 Hurricane?

Anyone?

When was the lastWhen was the last“Major”“Major”

Hurricane Landfall Hurricane Landfall for our major basins?for our major basins?

Who Has An Answer??Who Has An Answer??

When was the last Cat 4 When was the last Cat 4 hurricane strike for our hurricane strike for our

major basins?major basins?

Anyone?Anyone?

Texas Basin Hurricane Texas Basin Hurricane HistoryHistory

Sabine

1886 19431957

Galveston•1818 – Jean Laffite Headquarters•1837 – The Racer’s Storm•1854•1875 -East end of Galveston was almost cut off as the “sand dissolved like sugar in water…” Went on to destroy Indianola •1900 - The big one•1909 - Just as the Seawall was being completed•1915 - Bigger than the 1900•1943 - The Surprise Hurricane

Brazoria CountyBrazoria County

•Landfall of the Landfall of the 1900 Storm?1900 Storm?•1932 Hurricane – 1932 Hurricane – More damages in More damages in Angleton, than Angleton, than Freeport!Freeport!

MatagordaMatagorda

THE TERRIBLE 3THE TERRIBLE 3•1875 • First Completely Tracked Tropical Cyclone; Destroyed Indianola, TX

•1886• Most Powerful Storm of the 19th Century, very close to a Large Cat 5.

•1961 Carla•A True Monster

Corpus ChristiCorpus Christi

•19191919•1970 Celia1970 Celia•1999 Bret1999 Bret

Laguna MadreLaguna Madre•1867 - One of the most powerful 1867 - One of the most powerful hurricanes to ever hit our area completely hurricanes to ever hit our area completely destroyed Clarksville, Texas, and Bagdad, destroyed Clarksville, Texas, and Bagdad, Mexico. Mexico. •Brazos Santiago was underwater and Brazos Santiago was underwater and Point Isabel was leveled.  Point Isabel was leveled.  •Located at the mouth of the Rio Located at the mouth of the Rio Grande River, during the 1840’s-1860’s Grande River, during the 1840’s-1860’s this pair of commercial powerhouses this pair of commercial powerhouses were the busiest places in the area! were the busiest places in the area! •During the Mexican War and the Civil During the Mexican War and the Civil War the two towns were camp locations War the two towns were camp locations for the Army and Naval landing ports.for the Army and Naval landing ports.•After the storm, both became ghost After the storm, both became ghost towns.towns.

•1933 – A devastating hurricane hits Port 1933 – A devastating hurricane hits Port Isabel and disrupts life throughout south Isabel and disrupts life throughout south Texas. Much of Port Isabel goes Texas. Much of Port Isabel goes underwater, destroys all buildings etc. on underwater, destroys all buildings etc. on Brazos Island and Boca Chica beach.Brazos Island and Boca Chica beach.

  

1967 - Hurricane Beulah1967 - Hurricane Beulah

August 10th, 1980 - August 10th, 1980 - Hurricane AllenHurricane Allen

Sept. 16th & 17th, 1988 - Sept. 16th & 17th, 1988 - Hurricane GilbertHurricane Gilbert

Laguna MadreLaguna Madre

In Closing, We need to In Closing, We need to Remember The Past…Remember The Past…

1898… President McKinley&

Be Prepared For TheTropical Terrorists