[9] Downed trees caused slight property damage in Amistad Dam, a municipality in Val Verde County. [28] In Tilden, the storm brought maximum sustained winds up to 100 mph (160 km/h). Celia's eye passed through Corpus Christi on Aug. 3, 1970. Located in the eastern north Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico, Celia has a small eye with an 80-90 percent closed eyewall. It was so destructive primarily because levees around New Orleans, Louisiana failed. Hurricane Celia, Auqust 3, 1970: Hurricane Celia was one of the most destructive storms to ever hit Texas, with damages estimated at $1.6 billion (in 1990 dollars). Remote Sensing. As a result, the entire city lost telephone and electrical services and there was "lots of damage" to trees, 80% of houses, and roofs. After briefly weakening, Hurricane Celia re-strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane on June 23, 2010, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported. Residents of Texas coastal towns of High Island, Port Bolivar, and Gilchrist were evacuated further inland. Image of the Day TQ. Four people drowned and another man was electrocuted in the water when he tried to retrieve a downed power line. At the United States Army helicopter repair center in Corpus Christi, there were about $5 million in damage. [3], Unexpectedly, Celia underwent rapid deepening once again while nearing the coast of Texas later on August 3, including a 39 mbar (1.2 inHg) decrease in pressure in only 15 hours. The AIRS Infrared Sounder Experiment flies onboard NASA’s Aqua spacecraft. Please enter your email address. Thus, the reported wind speeds of 85–90 mph (137–145 km/h) were considered "doubtful". [26] Wind gusts up to 160 mph (260 km/h) in Sandia damaged every house, 90% of cotton crops, and caused 1 fatality. Celia is located about 380 miles south-southwest of Acapulco, Mexico near 11.8 North and … August 22, 1999: Hurricane Bret: (landfall in Kenedy County) While some hurricanes like Celia are only 200 miles in diameter, others such as Carla and Allen became organized in the Caribbean and while gaining strength and size from warm waters, drift westward to fill the entire Gulf of Mexico, stretching more than 600 miles in diameter to lash islands and coasts between South to North America. 89 m/s: Sigda, Robert. [33] After dissipating, the remnants of Celia produced up to 2 inches (51 mm) of rain in New Mexico, though no other impacts in the state are known. Survivors of the storm described the downbursts as "rocket shells" exploding. Irma, with its hurricane-force winds extending miles out from its. This image was acquired by the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS). The eye was estimated at 55 Nautical Miles wide. After reaching the southeastern Gulf of Mexico on August 1, warm sea surface temperatures caused the depression to undergo rapid deepening. [2] While over the central Gulf of Mexico, strong rip currents and large swells affected Florida, measuring up to 10 feet (3.0 m) in the Panhandle. Pre-landfall Intensification The cyclone’s pre-landfall intensification was not anticipated. A hurricane is many times larger than a tornado. Later that day, the depression reached tropical storm intensity and was named "Celia", based on a reconnaissance flight observing tropical storm force winds. Eight people drowned due to adverse water conditions in the Florida Panhandle. [1] The wave then continued moving rapidly westward across the Caribbean Sea. How many miles wide was Hurricane Katrina? Early on the following day, the storm further weakened to a tropical depression. Severe Storms. The heaviest rainfall totals observed from the storm also fell in Nueces County, with 7.26 inches (184 mm) of precipitation reported in Robstown. Click to see full answer. Storm surge and swells lashed the west coast of Florida, especially the Panhandle, causing eight people to drown. [5], In the Gulf of Mexico, oil rig crew workers began leaving and headed for land. In Escambia County alone, at least 12 lifeguard rescues occurred. Approximately $17 million in losses occurred to both companies. The storm spawned at least 2 other tornadoes, those neither caused any known damage.