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Research Projects »
Tropical Storm Allison (2001) » Prior Storms
Tropical Storm Allison Floods, June 5-9, 2001
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COMPARISON TO PRIOR HOUSTON AREA FLOODS
While the rains associated with Tropical Storm Allison were tremendous...Southeast
Texas is no stranger to heavy rain events. In the past 25 years...there have been
several tropical systems and other flooding events. The following is a look at how
Allison of 2001 compares to these previous events (Note...the following data is
storm-total precipitation from historic heavy rain events. Most of the totals are
from 3 to 5 day periods. Although some are of shorter or somewhat longer duration...
the totals included here attempt to encompass as accurately as possible the event of
interest).
The most recent heavy rain events were in 1998. Ending a severe
drought...September's Tropical Storm Frances produced the most impressive rainfall
totals of a wet autumn.
| Tropical Storm Frances (September 1998) |
| Location |
Rainfall |
| Angleton |
19.47 |
| Bay City |
17.14 |
| Houston Heights |
15.25 |
| North Houston |
14.70 |
| Spring Branch |
14.25 |
| Cypress |
12.84 |
| Katy |
12.80 |
| Sugarland |
12.58 |
| League City |
11.49 |
| Clodine |
10.79 |
| Baytown |
10.40 |
| Intercontinental Airport |
9.33 |
| Deer Park |
9.02 |
| Tomball |
8.22 |
| Huntsville |
6.87 |
| Conroe |
4.89 |
Other heavy rain events followed...including one in October 1998.
| October 1998 |
| Location |
Rainfall |
| Cypress |
11.04 |
| Tomball |
10.13 |
| Conroe |
9.30 |
| Alvin |
7.12 |
| Intercontinental Airport |
5.87 |
| Crockett |
5.75 |
| Huntsville |
5.14 |
| League City |
2.87 |
Another heavy rain event followed in November 1998.
| November 1998 |
| Location |
Rainfall |
| Tomball |
10.89 |
| Conroe |
10.80 |
| Houston Heights |
9.24 |
| Huntsville |
8.82 |
| Houston Barker |
8.38 |
| Intercontinental Airport |
8.10 |
| Sugarland |
7.75 |
| North Houston |
7.34 |
| League City |
4.28 |
Perhaps the most widespread event occurred in October 1994. With this event...
abundant tropical moisture was present without the aid of a tropical cyclone.
| October 1994 |
| Location |
Rainfall |
| Liberty |
26.37 |
| Baytown |
25.66 |
| Conroe |
23.89 |
| San Jacinto Dam |
21.77 |
| Port of Houston |
21.23 |
| Deer Park |
18.48 |
| Hobby Airport |
18.03 |
| Westbury |
15.58 |
| Tomball |
14.82 |
| Huntsville |
14.10 |
| North Houston |
12.28 |
| Sugarland |
11.86 |
| Houston Heights |
10.33 |
| Anahuac |
10.31 |
| Intercontinental Airport |
9.50 |
| League City |
4.36 |
One of the most recent hurricanes to menace the upper Texas coast...Chantal...
brought some memorable rains to some locations in late July and early August of 1989.
| Hurricane Chantal (July/August 1989) |
| Location |
Rainfall |
| Thompsons |
9.56 |
| Hobby Airport |
8.66 |
| Sugarland |
8.60 |
| Westbury |
8.30 |
| Alvin |
8.29 |
| Galveston |
6.56 |
| Tomball |
2.82 |
| Intercontinental Airport |
2.14 |
More memorable, however, was the first...but somewhat less devastating...Tropical
Storm Allison. Allison of 1989 also stalled in Southeast Texas...bringing repeated
heavy rains to the region during late June and early July. Oddly...both Allison
of 1989 and Allison of 2001 made landfall near the west end of Galveston Island...
headed into east Texas...moved back to the southwest bringing torrential rains to
the Houston area...and finally drifting off to the east.
| Tropical Storm Allison (1989) |
| Location |
Rainfall |
| Anahuac |
20.50 |
| Baytown |
18.20 |
| Deer Park |
16.17 |
| Angleton |
14.34 |
| Matagorda |
14.29 |
| Intercontinental Airport |
13.98 |
| San Jacinto Dam |
13.57 |
| Hobby Airport |
12.69 |
| Alvin |
11.16 |
| Downtown Houston |
10.78 |
| Tomball |
10.06 |
| Galveston |
9.61 |
| Sugarland |
5.24 |
A second hurricane...Jerry...affected the upper Texas coast in October of
1989. However...as can be the case the hurricanes...the rainfall totals
were considerably less than that found with the slower moving tropical storms.
No hurricane has made landfall on the upper Texas coast since Jerry.
Another example of a hurricane without torrential rain was Alicia in
August of 1983
| Hurricane Alicia (1983) |
| Location |
Rainfall |
| Galveston |
7.76 |
| Intercontinental Airport |
6.71 |
| Sugarland |
6.48 |
In the tradition of tropical storms...July 1979's Claudette brought
incredible rainfall totals to Southeast Texas. An observer near Alvin
recorded 43 inches of rain in a 24-hour period...a U.S. record that
stands to this day. Areas southeast of Houston were hit particularly
hard...with other locations receiving scant totals.
| Tropical Storm Claudette (1979) |
| Location |
Rainfall |
| Alvin (Coop) |
45.00 |
| Alvin (NWS) |
30.70 |
| League City |
24.90 |
| Freeport |
23.59 |
| Pearland |
22.60 |
| Angleton |
18.61 |
| Matagorda |
14.65 |
| Galveston |
14.47 |
| Hobby Airport |
11.02 |
| San Jacinto Dam |
9.69 |
| Sugarland |
3.83 |
| Intercontinental Airport |
3.13 |
The above are the most significant heavy rain events of the last
quarter century. Many previous tropical storms and hurricanes...
as well as some significant non-tropical systems...have also brought
torrential rainfall to the reion. One such occasion was the Houston
flood of 1935...during which Buffalo Bayou rose 46 feet above its
normal level...and water reached the third story of some downtown
buildings.
As devastating as Tropical Storm Allison was...Southeast Texas had
already seen its share of heavy rain events...While 2001's
Allison ranks among the most devastating...this look at some recent
floods shows that such events are not unprecedented.
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| Synopsis
| Conclusion
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Meteorological Data
 Synoptic Situation
Satellite Imagery
Radar Imagery
Winds and Pressure
NWS Products
Hurricane Local Statements
Forecast Discussions
Chronology of Products
Rainfall Data
SE TX Rainfall Total Maps
SE TX Rainfall Reports
2 and 5 Day Rainfall Totals
Highest Rainfall Totals By County
Comparison to Prior Houston Area Floods
Post Storm Reports
Damage Pictures
Preliminary Storm Reports
Final NWS Service Assessment Report
River Information
USGS Preliminary Report on Floods
Crest Information
Related Links
NOAA's SSD Tropical Storm Allison Precipitation page
NCDC's Climate Watch
NOAA's News Report on Allison
HPC's Allison Summary
NHC's June Summary
NHC's Advisory Archive
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