Tropical Storm Charley (1998)

Tropical Storm Charley
Tropical Storm Charley shortly after being named on August 21, 1998
Meteorological history
FormedAugust 21, 1998
DissipatedAugust 24, 1998
Tropical storm
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS)
Highest winds70 mph (110 km/h)
Lowest pressure1000 mbar (hPa); 29.53 inHg
Overall effects
Fatalities20 direct, 6 missing
Damage$50 million (1998 USD)
Areas affectedTexas, Mexico
IBTrACSEdit this at Wikidata

Part of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season

Tropical Storm Charley was the third named storm of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season. Charley was the first of two tropical storms to make landfall in Texas during that season (Frances being the other).[1] The storm originated with a tropical wave that moved off the West African coast on August 9.[2] The wave moved generally west-northwestward, producing occasional bursts of convection, finally arriving in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico by August 19, when animated satellite images began to indicate it had possibly developed a low pressure centre.[2] Hurricane Hunter investigations into the system the next day revealed that this was not the case. The system lingered for two days, lacking an organized low level centre of circulation until early on the morning of August 21, when advisories were initiated on the tropical depression, 185 miles (298 km) east of Brownsville, Texas.[3] The depression became a tropical storm later that day, as it moved steadily west-northwestward, strengthening, and then weakening again before making landfall the next morning around Port Aransas, Texas.[4] The storm moved slowly inland and finally dissipated on the morning of the August 24 near the town of Del Rio, Texas.

Charley's impacts in Texas and Mexico were locally severe. In Texas, over 2000 homes were destroyed by the locally severe flooding, and 13 people died. In Mexico, over 12 inches (300 mm) of rain fell in northern areas near the Texas-Mexico border, and seven people were killed.[2]

  1. ^ Brian Maher and Jack Beven (1998). "NHC 1995 Seasonal Summary Page". NHC. Archived from the original on 2015-11-05. Retrieved 2008-03-19.
  2. ^ a b c Edward N. Rappaport (1998). "Tropical Storm Charley Tropical Cyclone Report". NHC. Retrieved 2008-03-19.
  3. ^ Lawrence (1998). "Tropical Storm Charley Advisory #1". NHC. Retrieved 2008-03-19.
  4. ^ Lawrence (1998). "Tropical Storm Charley Advisory #4". NHC. Retrieved 2008-03-19.