1932 Freeport hurricane: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|Category 4 Atlantic hurricane in 1932}}

{{Infobox weather event

| name = 1932 Freeport hurricane

| image = 1932 Freeport hurricane analysis 13 Aug 1932.png

| caption = [[Surface weather analysis]] of the storm on August 13

| formed = {{start-date|August 12, 1932|August 12, 1932}}

| dissipated = {{end-date|August 15, 1932|August 15, 1932}}

}}{{Infobox weather event/NWS

| winds = 130

| pressure = 935

}}{{Infobox weather event/Effects

| year = 1932

| fatalities = 40

| damage = 7500000

| areas = [[South Central U.S.]]

| refs =

}}{{Infobox weather event/Footer

| season = [[1932 Atlantic hurricane season]]

The Freeport hurricane was first noted by ships on August 12 as a tropical disturbance in the [[Gulf of Mexico]].<ref name=mwr>{{cite journal|title=West Indian Hurricanes of August and September, 1932|journal=Monthly Weather Review|date=November 3, 1932|volume=60|issue=9|url=http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/mwr_pdf/1932.pdf|editor1-first=W.J.|editor1-last=Humphreys|publisher=Weather Bureau|location=Washington, D.C.|doi=10.1175/1520-0493(1932)60<177:TTSOAI>2.0.CO;2|pages=177–179|bibcode = 1932MWRv...60..177. |doi-access=free}}</ref> However, it was suggested in later research that the disturbance may have originated from a [[low-pressure area]] between [[Belize]] and [[Honduras]] on August 11.<ref name=HURDATmeta>{{cite web|title=Documentation of Atlantic Tropical Cyclones Changes to HURDAT|url=http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/metadata_apr12.html|publisher=United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|access-date=9 August 2012|author=Landsea, Chris|display-authors=etal |date=April 2012}}</ref> Steadily moving to the northwest, the storm began to intensify, reaching hurricane strength on August 13, and soon after reaching major hurricane strength later that day.{{Atlantic hurricane best track}} A report remarked that the storm was "phenomenal" due to the fact that previously the storm had "seemed to be of only moderate intensity" while near land before [[rapidly intensifying]].<ref name=HURDATmeta />

{{Strongest U.S. landfalling hurricanes|align=right}}

[[File:1932 Freeport hurricane rainfall totals.png|thumb|left|Rainfall totals in the United States|alt=Lined contour map corresponding with different levels of rainfall during a three-day period.]]

Heavy rainfall occurred across the coast and further inland due to the storm. Four locations set 24-hour rainfall records for the month of August, the highest of which was set near [[Angleton, Texas|Angleton]], recording {{convert|9.93|in|mm|abbr=on}} of rain on August&nbsp;13. Angleton also faced a [[water shortage]] after its [[pumping station]] was destroyed.<ref name=bdgaug15 /> The remnants of the storm produced as much as {{convert|12|in|mm|abbr=on}} of rain in [[Oklahoma]].<ref name="Texas Hurricanes">{{cite book|title=Texas Hurricane History|url=http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/txhur.pdf|publisher=[[National Weather Service|United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service]]|access-date=12 August 2012|author=Roth, David M|author2=Hydrometeorological Prediction Center}}</ref>

Occupants in four vehicles were rescued by the [[United States Coast Guard]] near [[San Luis Pass (Galveston Island)|San Luis Pass]].<ref name=stormthreatens /> In [[Wharton, Texas|Wharton]], 800&nbsp;birds went missing in the heavy rain.<ref name="Texas Hurricanes" /> [[Galveston, Texas|Galveston]] suffered primarily wind damage in the form of unroofed structures and broken windows. The [[Galveston Causeway]] was flooded by the heavy rain, preventing access from [[Galveston Island]] to the mainland.<ref name=stormthreatens>{{cite news|title=Storm Threatens Gulf Coast|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/kingsport-times/1932-08-14/page-6/|access-date=13 August 2012|newspaper=The Kingsport Times|date=13 August 1932|agency=Associated Press|location=Houston, Texas}}</ref> Several other roads were blocked by fallen trees.<ref name=semizzoumagazine>{{cite news|title=22 Known Dead as Hurricane Sweeps Texas|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=X21FAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Q8cMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3576,5209249&dq=hurricane&hl=en|access-date=12 August 2012|newspaper=[[Southeast Missourian]]|date=15 August 1932|agency=Associated Press|location=Houston, Texas}}</ref>

The city was also affected by a [[power outage]] after the storm caused loss of power and damaged communication lines.<ref name=spokane17dead>{{cite news|title=Seventeen Dead After Hurricane|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OtFXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3_QDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3716,2856993&dq=hurricane&hl=en|access-date=13 August 2012|newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle|date=15 August 1932|agency=Associated Press|location=Houston}}</ref> In addition, communication lines in [[San Antonio]] were damaged.<ref name=stormthreatens />

At [[William P. Hobby Airport]] in [[Houston]], 11&nbsp;planes were damaged when a [[hangar]] collapsed, resulting in losses of $250,000.<ref name=bdgaug15>{{cite news|title=Hurricane Vents Fury; 23 Known Dead; Aid Sought|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=g0gyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=A-MFAAAAIBAJ&pg=813,3144577&dq=hurricane&hl=en|access-date=12 August 2012|newspaper=[[Berkeley Daily Gazette]]|date=15 August 1932|author=Jones, Stuart E.|agency=[[United Press]]|location=Houston, Texas|pages=1, 7}}</ref> [[Hermann Park]] was also affected by the storm, where nine [[goat]]s began to roam within the park due to a broken fence caused by a fallen limb.<ref name=chron1932recap>{{cite web|title=Let's hope history doesn't repeat itself: The 1932 hurricane|url=http://blog.chron.com/sciguy/2009/07/lets-hope-history-doesnt-repeat-itself-the-1932-hurricane/|publisher=The Houston Chronicle|access-date=12 August 2012|author=Berger, Eric|date=25 July 2012}}</ref> 35&nbsp;[[convict]]s were freed from the [[Ramsey Unit]] [[state prison]] during the storm due to the chance of the prison collapsing. However, after the storm, only eight returned to the prison, leaving 27&nbsp;others missing.<ref name=prisonersloose>{{cite news|title=Ordered to Run, Prisoners Do It|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PNFXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3_QDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4469,3239287&dq=hurricane&hl=en|access-date=13 August 2012|newspaper=[[Spokane Daily Chronicle]]|date=17 August 1932|agency=Associated Press|location=[[Huntsville, Texas]]}}</ref>

After the storm, the [[American Red Cross]] brought supplies to areas affected by the hurricane, requesting as much as $10,000 in relief work.<ref name=lewiston32deaths>{{cite news|title=Texas Hurricane Death Toll Now 32|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2IApAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gmYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2714,3322737&dq=hurricane&hl=en|access-date=12 August 2012|newspaper=[[Sun Journal (Lewiston)|The Daily Sun]]|date=16 August 1932|agency=Associated Press|location=Houston, Texas}}</ref> Several other local relief committees also brought suppliestoaffected areas.<ref name=hurricanerelief>{{cite news|title=Hurricane Relief Work Is Pressed|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yNMrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=i4QFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4792,3474106&dq=hurricane&hl=en|access-date=12 August 2012|newspaper=[[Daily Record (Washington)|The Daily Record]]|date=17 August 1932|agency=[[Associated Press]]|location=Houston}}</ref> An estimated $2&nbsp;million in damages from the storm were attributed to crop damage alone, especially rice and cotton.<ref name=lewiston32deaths /> The storm was estimatedtohave killed 40&nbsp;people and caused $7.5&nbsp;million in damage.<ref name="Texas Hurricanes" />

{{Portal|Texas|Tropical cyclones}}

*[[Hurricane Harvey]]

{{Freeport, Texas}}

{{Category 4 Atlantic hurricanes}}

[[Category:Freeport, Texas]]