Nine years ago this past week, a mere, yet intense tropical storm battered the central coast of Texas after spending two weeks dancing across the Atlantic, into the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. The first of the 2001 season, the Tropical Storm was named Allison and it proved that storms need not be particularly strong or fast-moving to be deadly and destructive.With hurricane season upon us this blog post looks back on Allison in an effort to keep you 'weather-ready' and 'tropical storm- and hurricane-prepared.'
Tropical Storm Allison made landfall near Houston, Texas late on June 5, 2001. After landfall the storm stalled and produced widespread flash flooding, which resulted in what became Houston's worst natural disaster in recorded history. Flash flooding continued for days, with rainfall amounts across the state peaking over 40 inches!
This long-lived storm didn't stop there! From Louisiana to southeastern Pennsylvania, Tropical Storm Allison was a major flood disaster all the way up to the Mid-Atlantic. It was not until June 18 that the remnants of the tropical storm were finally absorbed by a frontal boundary in the northern Atlantic, which ultimately led to the the cyclone's dissipation.
Throughout its entire path, Allison caused nearly $7 billion (2010 standards) in damage and 41 deaths.
Not too many tropical storm's identities, such as Allison's, go into the 'retired storm names hall-of-fame', yet "she" managed to do so! A storm for the record books, to say the least!
