1942 Matagorda hurricane

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A tropical wave was first noted near St. Lucia at 0600 UTC on August 21, associated with squally weather, though there were little signs of any organization.{{cite journal|last=Sumner |first=Howard C. |title=North Atlantic Hurricanes and Tropical Disturbances of 1942 |journal=Monthly Weather Review |date=April 1, 1943 |volume=71 |issue=4 |pages=49–52 |doi=10.1175/1520-0493(1943)71<49:NAHATD>2.0.CO;2 |publisher=American Meteorological Society |location=Washington, D.C. |bibcode=1943MWRv...71...49S |doi-access=free }} However, in HURDAT–the official database of positions and intensities of Atlantic hurricanes dating back to 1851–the system is listed to have already organized into a tropical storm at the same time. Nonetheless, development was slow throughout its early existence as it moved quickly eastward across the Caribbean Sea. Forward motion slowed as the storm progressed westward south of Jamaica on August 25. Though signs of development were first noted at around this time, later reanalysis was conducted on the system, revealing that it had already strengthened to the equivalent of a modern-day Category 1 hurricane.{{Atlantic hurricane best track}} Shortly after, observations indicated that the hurricane was rapidly intensifying. Passing well north of the Swan Islands, the storm attained Category 2 intensity at 0600 UTC on August 26.{{Atlantic hurricane best track}} Shortly after, the hurricane made its first landfall at a similar intensity on the northeastern tip of the Yucatán Peninsula late on August 27.{{Atlantic hurricane best track}}

Once in the Gulf of Mexico on August 28, the hurricane moved northwest on a nearly linear path towards the Texas coast as it steadily intensified.{{Atlantic hurricane best track}} By 0600 UTC on August 29, the storm reached Category 3 intensity with winds of {{convert|115|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}—this would be the storm's maximum intensity. The hurricane then made landfall just after midnight on August 30 near Matagorda and Palacios, Texas.{{Atlantic hurricane best track}}{{cite web|title=August 1942 Hurricane|url=http://www.srh.noaa.gov/images/ewx/wxevent/aug1942hurricane.pdf|publisher=United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service|access-date=April 6, 2013|author=Austin/San Antonio, Texas Weather Forecast Office|location=New Braunfels, Texas|date=August 26, 2010}} At the time, hurricane-force winds extended out {{convert|150|mi|km|abbr=on}} from the storm's center of circulation. The hurricane's minimum central pressure at landfall was estimated at {{convert|950|mbar|hPa inHg|abbr=on}},{{cite book|title=Texas Hurricane History|url=http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/txhur.pdf|publisher=United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service|access-date=April 6, 2013|author=Roth, David M|author2=Hydrometeorological Prediction Center|pages=9, 45}} though a pressure reading of {{convert|952|mbar|hPa inHg|abbr=on}} in Seadrift, Texas marked the lowest recorded pressure. Once inland, the storm quickly weakened, and degenerated to tropical storm strength at 1200 UTC on August 30 while located near Hallettsville, Texas. Weakening to a tropical depression the following day, it dissipated at 1200 UTC on August 30 near Sweetwater, Texas.{{Atlantic hurricane best track}}

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File:1942 Palacios hurricane rainfall totals.png

Despite making landfall on the Yucatán Peninsula on August 27 as a Category 2 hurricane, no damage was reported there. As the storm traversed the Gulf of Mexico towards the Texas Gulf Coast, evacuation procedures were conducted across the region. In the storm-warning area of Galveston, Texas, roughly 50,000 people evacuated inland; the high number of evacuees was likely due in part to another hurricane which struck the coast a week prior.{{Atlantic hurricane best track}} Camp Hulen, located near Palacios, Texas, was also evacuated.{{cite news|title=Sections of Texas Damaged By Storm|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108715154/the-palm-beach-post/|access-date=August 31, 2022|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|date=August 31, 1942|agency=Associated Press|location=Corpus Christi, Texas|page=1|via=Newspapers.com}} {{free access}} Other coastal locations were evacuated via trucks, buses, and trains with the guidance of warnings published by the United States Weather Bureau. Schools in the region were prepared as emergency shelters in advance of the storm's landfall.

Upon making landfall near Palacios, Texas early on August 30, considerable damage was wrought to an extensive area of the state. At the coast, the hurricane produced a strong storm surge, mostly in the storm's eastern hemisphere. Storm tides were reported across the Texas coast up to southwestern Louisiana.{{cite web|title=Tropical Events – 1940s|url=http://www.stormsurge.noaa.gov/event_history_1940s.html|work=Event History|publisher=United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's|access-date=April 8, 2013|author=Department of Commerce|location=Miami, Florida|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161129170828/http://www.stormsurge.noaa.gov/event_history_1940s.html|archive-date=2016-11-29|url-status=dead}} A station in Matagorda, Texas recorded a storm tide {{convert|14.7|ft|m|abbr=on}} above average. At the time, this was the third highest storm surge ever measured in Texas, behind peak observations taken during the 1919 Florida Keys hurricane and the 1900 Galveston hurricane.{{cite web|title=Some Maximum Storm Surge Records For Texas Storms|url=http://www.wxresearch.com/surge.htm|publisher=Weather Research Center|access-date=April 8, 2013|location=Houston, Texas|date=January 6, 2007|archive-date=August 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819000944/http://www.wxresearch.com/surge.htm|url-status=dead}} The unusually strong tide inundated Matagorda under {{convert|6|ft|m|abbr=on}} of seawater. The accumulation of the hurricane's affects resulted in the destruction of nearly every building in the city. Due to debris and other sediments scattered by the strong waves, the reach of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in both the Matagorda and San Antonio Bays decreased by {{convert|540|ft2|m2|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|title=Gulf Hurricanes And Their Effects On The Gulf Coast|url=http://journals.tdl.org/icce/index.php/icce/article/view/1489/770|publisher=Texas Digital Library|access-date=April 8, 2013|author=Prentiss, Louis W.|location=Dallas, Texas|page=215|year=1951|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204025024/http://journals.tdl.org/icce/index.php/icce/article/view/1489/770|archive-date=December 4, 2013|url-status=dead}} Further north in Freeport, Texas, the storm surge reached {{convert|11.8|ft|m|abbr=on}} above normal. The strong wave action reopened two inlets near Corpus Christi Pass, and also destroyed two cottages on North Beach. In Harris County, Texas, located near the northern edge of the storm, crops sustained heavy damages, and losses to the rice crop alone amounted to $600,000.

The hurricane also brought strong winds which caused considerable damage as far inland as San Antonio, Texas, {{convert|120|mi|km|abbr=on}} from the coast. In Seadrift, Texas, where the storm's lowest pressure reading of {{convert|952|mbar|hPa inHg|abbr=on}} was recorded, winds were estimated to have reached {{convert|115|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}. The Halfmoon Reef Lighthouse, then situated offshore in Matagorda Bay, was knocked off its pilings due to the strong winds. As such, the United States Coast Guard decided to sell the lighthouse to a private owner. The lighthouse was later repositioned on land.{{cite web|title=Halfmoon Reef, TX |url=http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=155 |publisher=Lighthousefriends.com |access-date=April 8, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130129060722/https://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=155 |archive-date=January 29, 2013 }} In Matagorda and Palacios, winds of at least {{convert|100|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} lasted roughly three hours, leveling several buildings. Later reports from Palacios indicated that the storm was the worst there since the 1900 Galveston hurricane.{{cite news|title=Tropical Wind Strikes Texas|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=G9MsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0R8EAAAAIBAJ&pg=3406,6129175&dq=texas+storm&hl=en|access-date=April 8, 2013|newspaper=The Bulletin|date=August 31, 1942|agency=United Press|location=Houston, Texas|page=1}} Due to the storm's fast motion before and after landfall, hurricane-force winds were felt as far inland as Atascosa County, Texas. In Corpus Christi, Texas, a peak wind gust of {{convert|72|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} was reported. There, damage was limited to oil derricks and other light structures. Communications from the city to Port Aransas, Texas. The county sheriff of Victoria County, Texas reported that every house was "damaged to some extent." In Cuero, Texas, strong winds caused severe infrastructural and crop damage.

Precipitation associated with the storm was generally light due to the hurricane's rapid forward motion. Moderate to heavy rainfall was of local extent and covered a limited area of South Texas, peaking at {{convert|9.3|in|mm|abbr=on}} in Woodsboro, Texas.{{cite web|title=Rainfall Associated With Hurricanes (And Other Tropical Disturbances)|url=http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/1956NHRPreportNo3.pdf|publisher=United States Weather Bureau's National Hurricane Research Project|access-date=April 8, 2013|author=Schoner, R.W.|author2=Molansky, S.|page=83}} Contrary to typical rapidly moving tropical cyclones, much of the storm's rainfall fell to the west and south of the storm throughout its duration, which up to that point was a phenomenon rarely observed. The peak rainfall measurement in Woodsboro was located {{convert|25|mi|km|abbr=on}} away from the center of the hurricane. Throughout Atascosa County, at least {{convert|4|in|mm|abbr=on}} of rain fell.

After making landfall, the hurricane's fast speed enabled it to still bring strong winds and impacts well inland. In South-Central Texas, the tropical cyclone was considered the worst of the entire 20th century. On August 30, despite being situated over the Austin and San Antonio metropolitan areas, the storm still retained maximum sustained winds of at least {{convert|50|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}. In Floresville, Texas, the winds damaged numerous buildings. Similar effects occurred in Atascosa County and Seguin, Texas, where trees were uprooted and additional buildings were damaged. In Seguin, the passing storm was considered the worst since the 1886 Indianola hurricane, which also moved rapidly inland.{{Atlantic hurricane best track}} In New Braunfels, Texas, damage was confined to trees, while in Austin, Texas power lines were downed by the strong winds. San Antonio saw the brunt of the storm's impacts in South-Central Texas. Gusts reaching as high as {{convert|70|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} battered the city for at least five hours, causing extensive damage to infrastructure, as well as causing numerous power outages. Hundreds of trees were uprooted, and the resulting damage was considered the worst since 1899. Despite being held to the ground by {{convert|8|ft|m|abbr=on}} stakes, 70 of the 75 planes at Alamo Field. were damaged by the strong winds. Total estimated damages in the city amounted to $300,000.{{cite news|title=Heavy Damage Is Caused By Storm In Texas Towns|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-vdPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MVUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6487,6884940&dq=texas+storm&hl=en|access-date=April 8, 2013|newspaper=The Evening Independent|date=August 31, 1942|agency=Associated Press|location=Corpus Christi, Texas|page=2}}

Overall, the hurricane caused $26.5 million in damages, with $11.5 million to property and $15 million to crops, with the storm's damage in Texas spread across twelve counties. This would make the storm the most costly of the hurricane season. Despite the hurricane's wide swath of damage and strong intensity, only eight people were killed. The low number of fatalities is attributable to the extensive evacuation procedures which the area underwent prior to the storm, as well as warnings provided by the Weather Bureau.

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{{Portal|Tropical cyclones}}

• 1909 Velasco hurricane
• 1945 Texas hurricane
• Hurricane Celia
• List of Texas hurricanes (1900–49)

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Matagorda

Matagorda

Category:Category 3 Atlantic hurricanes

Category:Hurricanes in Texas