Meteorological history | |
---|---|
Formed | September 5, 2002 |
Remnant low | September 8 |
Dissipated | September 11, 2002 |
Tropical storm | |
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Highest winds | 60 mph (95 km/h) |
Lowest pressure | 998 mbar (hPa); 29.47 inHg |
Overall effects | |
Fatalities | None |
Damage | $4.5 million (2002 USD) |
Areas affected | Texas, northern Mexico |
IBTrACS | |
Part of the 2002 Atlantic hurricane season |
Tropical Storm Fay was the sixth named storm of the 2002 Atlantic hurricane season; it was a moderate tropical storm which caused flooding in parts of Texas and Northern Mexico. It formed from a trough of low pressure that moved south into the Gulf of Mexico, and became stationary. A low pressure center developed along this trough, and on September 5, a Hurricane Hunter aircraft reported that the system had gained sufficient organization to be classified a tropical depression, 95 miles (153 km) southeast of Galveston.[1] The depression drifted south-southwest while strengthening, reaching its peak strength of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) on the morning of September 6.[2] The system then made an abrupt turn to the west-northwest, and remained steady in strength and course until landfall the next day, near Matagorda.[3] The system weakened rapidly after landfall degenerating into a remnant low on September 8, but the storm's circulation survived for another three days.[1]
The storm caused extremely heavy rainfall in inland areas; damage reached $4.5 million (2002 USD), though there were no fatalities due to Fay.[1]