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Hurricane Henri (1979)
Encyclopedia
Hurricane Henri was a rare tropical cyclone
that entered the Gulf of Mexico
without having made landfall
; it was the second of four times this occurred during the 20th century. The eighth named storm and fifth hurricane of the 1979 Atlantic hurricane season
, it formed on September 14 in the northwestern Caribbean Sea
. Throughout much of its duration, Henri moved erratically and initially maintained a general westward track. On September 16 it attained tropical storm status, and a day later it reached hurricane status. By two days later, after experiencing hostile conditions, Henri weakened to tropical depression status as it turned to the northeast, and on September 24 it merged with a frontal low
in the northeast Gulf of Mexico. Due to its slow and erratic motion, the hurricane forced evacuations along the Mexican
coastline. Its remnants brought rainfall and flooding to the Florida Panhandle
.
on September 14 from a tropical wave
, which had previously moved off the coast of Africa
. The formation of a tropical depression was confirmed by reports from Hurricane Hunters
. The depression tracked northward, brushing the eastern portion of the Yucatán Peninsula
. After reaching the Gulf of Mexico
it turned sharply westward, with a ridge
preventing further northward movement. The depression turned southwestward, and intensified into Tropical Storm Henri on September 16.
Tropical Storm Henri continued to intensify as it tracked through the Bay of Campeche
. On September 17, the storm turned northwestward after the ridge to its north weakened, and later that day Henri reached hurricane status; six hours later, it reached peak winds of 85 mph (140 km/h) about 150 miles (245 km) northeast of Veracruz
. Subsequently, a broad low pressure area
developed over the western Gulf of Mexico, causing the motion of Henri to become erratic. On September 18, the cyclone began a steady weakening trend, believed to have been caused by land interaction and the funneling of moisture toward a developing disturbance near the Texas
coast. Henri turned eastward on September 19 and weakened to tropical depression status. It failed to regain significant convection, and it turned northeastward along an extended cold front
. On September 24, Henri merged with the frontal trough in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico.
Hurricane Henri was one of only four tropical cyclones to enter the Gulf of Mexico without making landfall during the 20th century. The others were Laurie of 1969, Jeanne of 1980
, and Alberto of 1982
.
Although Henri did not affect land in any way as a hurricane, the developing system threatened several states along the southwestern coastline in Mexico
. Mexican forecasting officials issued an advisory for the Gulf coast towns of Tampico in Tamaulipas
, and Tuxpan and Nautla
in Veracruz
, to evacuate to higher ground. The government of Veracruz
issued warnings on radio and television of possible flooding in oil-rich coastlines. The storm affected cleanup operations of the Ixtoc I oil spill as it passed over the spill area, damaging a 310-ton steel cap designed to stop the blowout. Henri caused driving rains, strong winds, and floods in Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche, forcing over 2000 people from their homes. Waters swelled in the town to about 12 inches (305 mm) above sea level. Maximum rainfall recorded in Mexico in association with Henri was 19.59 inches (497.6 mm) at Solosuchiapan.
The remnants of Henri brought showers and thunderstorms to west-central Florida
, causing river flooding and some evacuations.
Tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
that entered the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
without having made landfall
Landfall (meteorology)
Landfall is the event of a tropical cyclone or a waterspout coming onto land after being over water. When a waterspout makes landfall it is reclassified as a tornado, which can then cause damage inland...
; it was the second of four times this occurred during the 20th century. The eighth named storm and fifth hurricane of the 1979 Atlantic hurricane season
1979 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1979 Atlantic hurricane season was the first in which the Atlantic hurricane naming list included both male and female names. It officially began on June 1 and lasted until November 30, and there was tropical cyclone activity in every month. The dates conventionally delimit the period of each...
, it formed on September 14 in the northwestern Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
. Throughout much of its duration, Henri moved erratically and initially maintained a general westward track. On September 16 it attained tropical storm status, and a day later it reached hurricane status. By two days later, after experiencing hostile conditions, Henri weakened to tropical depression status as it turned to the northeast, and on September 24 it merged with a frontal low
Surface weather analysis
Surface weather analysis is a special type of weather map that provides a view of weather elements over a geographical area at a specified time based on information from ground-based weather stations...
in the northeast Gulf of Mexico. Due to its slow and erratic motion, the hurricane forced evacuations along the Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
coastline. Its remnants brought rainfall and flooding to the Florida Panhandle
Florida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle, an informal, unofficial term for the northwestern part of Florida, is a strip of land roughly 200 miles long and 50 to 100 miles wide , lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia also on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its eastern boundary is...
.
Meteorological history
Hurricane Henri developed as Tropical Depression Eighteen in the extreme northwestern Caribbean SeaCaribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
on September 14 from a tropical wave
Tropical wave
Tropical waves, easterly waves, or tropical easterly waves, also known as African easterly waves in the Atlantic region, are a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which move from east to west across the tropics causing areas of...
, which had previously moved off the coast of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. The formation of a tropical depression was confirmed by reports from Hurricane Hunters
Hurricane Hunters
The Hurricane Hunters are aircraft that fly into tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic Ocean and Northeastern Pacific Ocean for the specific purpose of directly measuring weather data in and around those storms. In the United States, the Air Force, Navy, and NOAA units have all participated in...
. The depression tracked northward, brushing the eastern portion of the Yucatán Peninsula
Yucatán Peninsula
The Yucatán Peninsula, in southeastern Mexico, separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico, with the northern coastline on the Yucatán Channel...
. After reaching the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
it turned sharply westward, with a ridge
Ridge (meteorology)
A ridge is an elongated region of relatively high atmospheric pressure, the opposite of a trough....
preventing further northward movement. The depression turned southwestward, and intensified into Tropical Storm Henri on September 16.
Tropical Storm Henri continued to intensify as it tracked through the Bay of Campeche
Bay of Campeche
The Bay of Campeche is the southern bight of the Gulf of Mexico. It is surrounded on three sides by the Mexican states of Campeche, Tabasco and Veracruz. It was named by Francisco Hernández de Córdoba and Antonio de Alaminos during their expedition in 1517...
. On September 17, the storm turned northwestward after the ridge to its north weakened, and later that day Henri reached hurricane status; six hours later, it reached peak winds of 85 mph (140 km/h) about 150 miles (245 km) northeast of Veracruz
Veracruz, Veracruz
Veracruz, officially known as Heroica Veracruz, is a major port city and municipality on the Gulf of Mexico in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The city is located in the central part of the state. It is located along Federal Highway 140 from the state capital Xalapa, and is the state's most...
. Subsequently, a broad low pressure area
Low pressure area
A low-pressure area, or "low", is a region where the atmospheric pressure at sea level is below that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure systems form under areas of wind divergence which occur in upper levels of the troposphere. The formation process of a low-pressure area is known as...
developed over the western Gulf of Mexico, causing the motion of Henri to become erratic. On September 18, the cyclone began a steady weakening trend, believed to have been caused by land interaction and the funneling of moisture toward a developing disturbance near the Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
coast. Henri turned eastward on September 19 and weakened to tropical depression status. It failed to regain significant convection, and it turned northeastward along an extended cold front
Cold front
A cold front is defined as the leading edge of a cooler mass of air, replacing a warmer mass of air.-Development of cold front:The cooler and denser air wedges under the less-dense warmer air, lifting it...
. On September 24, Henri merged with the frontal trough in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico.
Hurricane Henri was one of only four tropical cyclones to enter the Gulf of Mexico without making landfall during the 20th century. The others were Laurie of 1969, Jeanne of 1980
Hurricane Jeanne (1980)
Hurricane Jeanne was a moderate hurricane that formed and dissipated in the Gulf of Mexico without making landfall. The tenth tropical cyclone and eighth hurricane of the 1980 Atlantic hurricane season, Jeanne developed over the southern Caribbean on November 7. It moved swiftly northward, and it...
, and Alberto of 1982
Hurricane Alberto (1982)
Hurricane Alberto caused the worst flooding in western Cuba in 32 years. The first tropical storm and hurricane of the 1982 Atlantic hurricane season, Alberto developed from a tropical disturbance on June 2 in the southern Gulf of Mexico...
.
Preparations and impact
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Mexican forecasting officials issued an advisory for the Gulf coast towns of Tampico in Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 43 municipalities and its capital city is Ciudad Victoria. The capital city was named after Guadalupe Victoria, the...
, and Tuxpan and Nautla
Nautla
Nautla is a settlement in the Mexican state of Veracruz.Nautla comes from the Nahuatl Naui, four; and from tlan, that means place; so it is known as Four Places....
in Veracruz
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...
, to evacuate to higher ground. The government of Veracruz
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...
issued warnings on radio and television of possible flooding in oil-rich coastlines. The storm affected cleanup operations of the Ixtoc I oil spill as it passed over the spill area, damaging a 310-ton steel cap designed to stop the blowout. Henri caused driving rains, strong winds, and floods in Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche, forcing over 2000 people from their homes. Waters swelled in the town to about 12 inches (305 mm) above sea level. Maximum rainfall recorded in Mexico in association with Henri was 19.59 inches (497.6 mm) at Solosuchiapan.
The remnants of Henri brought showers and thunderstorms to west-central Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, causing river flooding and some evacuations.
See also
- 1979 Atlantic hurricane season1979 Atlantic hurricane seasonThe 1979 Atlantic hurricane season was the first in which the Atlantic hurricane naming list included both male and female names. It officially began on June 1 and lasted until November 30, and there was tropical cyclone activity in every month. The dates conventionally delimit the period of each...
- Other tropical cyclones named HenriHurricane HenriHurricane Henri, has been used for four tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean. It may refer to:*Hurricane Henri , took unusual route around Yucatán Peninsula, caused no significant damage...