.gif)
Hurricane Naomi (1968)
Encyclopedia
Hurricane Naomi was a short-lived Category 1 hurricane
that made landfall
in Mexico
's Pacific coast during the 1968 Pacific hurricane season
. After rapidly intensifying
before its landfall in Sinaloa
, Naomi caused rainfall throughout northern Mexico and the U.S. state of Texas
in association with a frontal system, with the highest measurement occurring in Corpus Christi
. Four people perished in Mexico due to Naomi's effects with ten more missing, all in Sinaloa. The only reported injury in Texas due to the remnants was a factory worker who was injured when the roof of the plant they were working in collapsed due to rainfall.
Naomi was the seventeenth tropical depression
, fourteenth tropical storm and the fourth hurricane of the 1968 Pacific hurricane season
. Its precipitation on the Mexican Altiplano briefly threatened the unfinished Lázaro Cárdenas dam on the Nazas River
. If the dam failed, the twin cities of Gómez Palacio
, Durango
, and Torreón
, Coahuila
, would have been inundated. On the other hand, releasing water from the dam would have saved Torreón by submerging Gómez Palacio with the dam's runoff
. From help with satellite imagery
, the authorities decided to keep the dam closed—risking its possible failure—saving both towns.
on September 8 at 12 °N, 98 °W. At that time, a ship called the Avisfaith reported winds to the south-southwest of force 7 on the Beaufort Scale
30 mi (48.3 km) south of this position, the equivalent of a strong tropical depression on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
. On September 9, six more ships reported winds of 35 mi/h from the system, which was at 13°N, 101°W at the time, and the system was given depression status on the same day. Later that day, satellite pictures clearly showed the vortex and center of the developing cyclone, and on September 10, the first report of tropical storm force winds were reported south of the low by the ship Builder, which showed winds of 40 mi/h. The depression continued to develop at a rapid pace, with large feeder bands which helped to absorb moisture to strengthen the cyclone extending from the center, which was becoming better defined. One of the feeder bands developed near Manzanillo, Colima
, which reported winds of 45 mi/h from the band prior to daybreak. Towards the end of the day, the Allison Lykes reported 60 mi/h winds from the cyclone and, early on September 11, sufficient evidence that the depression had reached tropical storm status resulted in the cyclone being upgraded and named "Naomi".
For the next twelve hours, Naomi continued to rapidly intensify, with feeder bands flowing into a tightening spiral structure in the center of the storm. Ship reports around this time showed winds of 60 mi/h to 65 mi/h. Towards midnight, a computerized mosaic showed a clear eye and Naomi was upgraded to hurricane strength early on September 12 while at 19.8°N, 106.8°W based on the mosaic, an intensity that was verified by the Meisei Maru, which reported winds of 75 mi/h at 6:00 Greenwich Mean Time
(GMT). After being upgraded, the hurricane moved to the north at a pace of 9 mi/h before making a slow northeastward turn. The turn had the hurricane passing 30 mi (48.3 km) – 40 mi (64.4 km) west of Mazatlán, Sinaloa. The hurricane then began to accelerate, landfalling
on Sinaloa
near Punta Piaxtla at 3:00 GMT on September 13. Shortly after landfall, the Sierra Madre Occidental
took a toll on the hurricane, causing it to dissipate later that day while midway between Chihuahua, Chih.
, and Piedras Negras, Coah.
, with the remnants moving over Texas. In total, the hurricane travelled 1100 mi (1,770.3 km) while active.
to Mexico City
reported that 20,000 citizens from villages in Durango, Sinaloa, Nayarit
, and Jalisco
evacuated due to the threat of flooding and high winds from Naomi. The damage from Naomi in Mexico was moderate, although no monetary figures have ever been released. The Associated Press dispatch also reported that Naomi was responsible for knocking out communications over a large area in Mazatlán
as well as downing power lines and damaging houses. At least 2000 people were reported homeless in Durango due to the hurricane. The hurricane also caused damage to Highway 15
between Mazatlán and Tepic
. Although the highway reopened soon afterward, some areas that were struck by the hurricane were still rough. Naomi's most notable impact in Mexico involved the Lázaro Cárdenas Dam on the Nazas River, which was not complete by the time the hurricane hit. The dam, upriver from Gómez Palacio and Torreón, was feared to break down from the water being built up behind it, influenced by the hurricane. The two options were to either open the dam, saving Torreón by inundating Gómez Palacio, or risk inundating both towns by keeping the dam closed. The decision was made harder by the fact that, if the dam was released and no rain fell to refill the basin behind the dam, the farms would have insufficient water for agricultural growth. Photography from the Environmental Science Services Administration's Automatic Picture Transmission based on the ESSA-6 weather satellite showed that the clouds from Naomi responsible for the rain had almost moved over the area near the dam. Based on the images, the authorities decided to gamble on the dam to successfully hold up, and it managed to hold back the waters without breaking. The hurricane caused four drowning deaths and $16 million in damage in Sinaloa.
In Texas, the remnants of Naomi coupled with a frontal system resulted in prolonged rains over the state. The hardest hit city was Corpus Christi, which reported over 8 inches (200 mm) of rain in relation to the disturbance as well as funnel clouds to the south and west of the city, resulting in many roads being stopped to traffic. Accumulated rainfall caused the roof of a tortilla
plant to collapse, slightly injuring a worker. Although the range of heavy rains was large, only minor rains were reported in Andrews
, Crane
, Monahans
, Kermit
, Wink
, Stanton
, and Pecos
. Despite the totals, the rain proved beneficial as well, helping saturate areas of grassland in need of water.
. However, a name change in 1978 dropped the name Naomi, and the name has not been used since.
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 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...
in Mexico
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...
's Pacific coast during the 1968 Pacific hurricane season
1968 Pacific hurricane season
The 1968 Pacific hurricane season ties the record for having the most active August in terms of tropical storms. It officially started on May 15, 1968 in the eastern Pacific and June 1 in the central Pacific and lasted until November 30, 1968...
. After rapidly intensifying
Rapid deepening
Rapid deepening, also known as rapid intensification, is a meteorological condition that occurs when the minimum sea-level atmospheric pressure of a tropical cyclone decreases drastically in a short period of time. The National Weather Service describes rapid deepening as a decrease of...
before its landfall in Sinaloa
Sinaloa
Sinaloa officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 18 municipalities and its capital city is Culiacán Rosales....
, Naomi caused rainfall throughout northern Mexico and the U.S. state of 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...
in association with a frontal system, with the highest measurement occurring in Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
. Four people perished in Mexico due to Naomi's effects with ten more missing, all in Sinaloa. The only reported injury in Texas due to the remnants was a factory worker who was injured when the roof of the plant they were working in collapsed due to rainfall.
Naomi was the seventeenth tropical depression
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...
, fourteenth tropical storm and the fourth hurricane of the 1968 Pacific hurricane season
1950-1969 Pacific hurricane seasons
The 1950–1963 Pacific hurricane seasons all began on May 15, 1950-65 in the northeast Pacific Ocean and on June 1, 1950-65 in the central Pacific. They ended on November 30, 1950-65...
. Its precipitation on the Mexican Altiplano briefly threatened the unfinished Lázaro Cárdenas dam on the Nazas River
Nazas River
The Nazas River is a river located in northern Mexico, in territory of the states of Coahuila and Durango. It is part of the endorheic Bolsón de Mapimí. It is only long, but irrigates an area of 71,906 km² in the middle of the desert. The Nazas is also nurtured by the San Juan, Ramos, Potreritos,...
. If the dam failed, the twin cities of Gómez Palacio
Gómez Palacio
Gómez Palacio is a city and its surrounding municipality in northeastern Durango, Mexico, located at 25°33′40″N 103°29′54"W adjacent to the border with the state of Coahuila...
, Durango
Durango
Durango officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Durango is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is located in Northwest Mexico. With a population of 1,632,934, it has Mexico's second-lowest population density, after Baja...
, and Torreón
Torreón
Torreón is a city and seat of the surrounding municipality of the same name in the Mexican state of Coahuila. As of 2010, the city's population was 608,836 with 639,629 in the municipality. The metropolitan population, including Matamoros, Coahuila, and Gómez Palacio and Lerdo in adjacent Durango,...
, Coahuila
Coahuila
Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico...
, would have been inundated. On the other hand, releasing water from the dam would have saved Torreón by submerging Gómez Palacio with the dam's runoff
Surface runoff
Surface runoff is the water flow that occurs when soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess water from rain, meltwater, or other sources flows over the land. This is a major component of the water cycle. Runoff that occurs on surfaces before reaching a channel is also called a nonpoint source...
. From help with satellite imagery
Satellite imagery
Satellite imagery consists of photographs of Earth or other planets made by means of artificial satellites.- History :The first images from space were taken on sub-orbital flights. The U.S-launched V-2 flight on October 24, 1946 took one image every 1.5 seconds...
, the authorities decided to keep the dam closed—risking its possible failure—saving both towns.
Meteorological history
The disturbance that developed into Hurricane Naomi was reported in the Intertropical Convergence ZoneIntertropical Convergence Zone
The Intertropical Convergence Zone , known by sailors as The Doldrums, is the area encircling the earth near the equator where winds originating in the northern and southern hemispheres come together....
on September 8 at 12 °N, 98 °W. At that time, a ship called the Avisfaith reported winds to the south-southwest of force 7 on the Beaufort Scale
Beaufort scale
The Beaufort Scale is an empirical measure that relates wind speed to observed conditions at sea or on land. Its full name is the Beaufort Wind Force Scale.-History:...
30 mi (48.3 km) south of this position, the equivalent of a strong tropical depression on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
. On September 9, six more ships reported winds of 35 mi/h from the system, which was at 13°N, 101°W at the time, and the system was given depression status on the same day. Later that day, satellite pictures clearly showed the vortex and center of the developing cyclone, and on September 10, the first report of tropical storm force winds were reported south of the low by the ship Builder, which showed winds of 40 mi/h. The depression continued to develop at a rapid pace, with large feeder bands which helped to absorb moisture to strengthen the cyclone extending from the center, which was becoming better defined. One of the feeder bands developed near Manzanillo, Colima
Manzanillo, Colima
The name Manzanillo refers to the city as well as its surrounding municipality in the Mexican state of Colima. The city, located on the Pacific Ocean, contains Mexico's busiest port. Manzanillo was the third port created by the Spanish in the Pacific during the New Spain period...
, which reported winds of 45 mi/h from the band prior to daybreak. Towards the end of the day, the Allison Lykes reported 60 mi/h winds from the cyclone and, early on September 11, sufficient evidence that the depression had reached tropical storm status resulted in the cyclone being upgraded and named "Naomi".
For the next twelve hours, Naomi continued to rapidly intensify, with feeder bands flowing into a tightening spiral structure in the center of the storm. Ship reports around this time showed winds of 60 mi/h to 65 mi/h. Towards midnight, a computerized mosaic showed a clear eye and Naomi was upgraded to hurricane strength early on September 12 while at 19.8°N, 106.8°W based on the mosaic, an intensity that was verified by the Meisei Maru, which reported winds of 75 mi/h at 6:00 Greenwich Mean Time
Greenwich Mean Time
Greenwich Mean Time is a term originally referring to mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. It is arguably the same as Coordinated Universal Time and when this is viewed as a time zone the name Greenwich Mean Time is especially used by bodies connected with the United...
(GMT). After being upgraded, the hurricane moved to the north at a pace of 9 mi/h before making a slow northeastward turn. The turn had the hurricane passing 30 mi (48.3 km) – 40 mi (64.4 km) west of Mazatlán, Sinaloa. The hurricane then began to accelerate, landfalling
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...
on Sinaloa
Sinaloa
Sinaloa officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 18 municipalities and its capital city is Culiacán Rosales....
near Punta Piaxtla at 3:00 GMT on September 13. Shortly after landfall, the Sierra Madre Occidental
Sierra Madre Occidental
The Sierra Madre Occidental is a mountain range in western Mexico.-Setting:The range runs north to south, from just south of the Sonora–Arizona border southeast through eastern Sonora, western Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Durango, Zacatecas, Nayarit, Jalisco, Aguascalientes to Guanajuato, where it joins...
took a toll on the hurricane, causing it to dissipate later that day while midway between Chihuahua, Chih.
Chihuahua, Chihuahua
The city of Chihuahua is the state capital of the Mexican state of Chihuahua. It has a population of about 825,327. The predominant activity is industry, including domestic heavy, light industries, consumer goods production, and to a smaller extent maquiladoras.-History:It has been said that the...
, and Piedras Negras, Coah.
Piedras Negras, Coahuila
-Natural Resources:This region generates a large amount of the national production of coal, one of the most economically important non-metallic minerals in the state.-Tourism:Piedras Negras' main tourist attractions are:...
, with the remnants moving over Texas. In total, the hurricane travelled 1100 mi (1,770.3 km) while active.
Mexico
A dispatch from the Associated PressAssociated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
to Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
reported that 20,000 citizens from villages in Durango, Sinaloa, Nayarit
Nayarit
Nayarit officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Nayarit is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 20 municipalities and its capital city is Tepic.It is located in Western Mexico...
, and Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
evacuated due to the threat of flooding and high winds from Naomi. The damage from Naomi in Mexico was moderate, although no monetary figures have ever been released. The Associated Press dispatch also reported that Naomi was responsible for knocking out communications over a large area in Mazatlán
Mazatlán
Mazatlán is a city in the Mexican state of Sinaloa; the surrounding municipio for which the city serves as the municipal seat is Mazatlán Municipality. It is located at on the Pacific coast, across from the southernmost tip of the Baja California peninsula.Mazatlán is a Nahuatl word meaning...
as well as downing power lines and damaging houses. At least 2000 people were reported homeless in Durango due to the hurricane. The hurricane also caused damage to Highway 15
Mexican Federal Highway 15
Federal Highway 15 is a primary north-south highway in Mexico. The highway begins in the north at the United States-Mexico border at the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales, Sonora, and terminates to the south in Mexico City...
between Mazatlán and Tepic
Tepic
Tepic is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of Nayarit.It is located in the central part of the state, at.It stands at an altitude above sea level of some 915 meters, on the banks of the Río Mololoa and the Río Tepic, approximately 225 kilometers north-west of Guadalajara, Jalisco....
. Although the highway reopened soon afterward, some areas that were struck by the hurricane were still rough. Naomi's most notable impact in Mexico involved the Lázaro Cárdenas Dam on the Nazas River, which was not complete by the time the hurricane hit. The dam, upriver from Gómez Palacio and Torreón, was feared to break down from the water being built up behind it, influenced by the hurricane. The two options were to either open the dam, saving Torreón by inundating Gómez Palacio, or risk inundating both towns by keeping the dam closed. The decision was made harder by the fact that, if the dam was released and no rain fell to refill the basin behind the dam, the farms would have insufficient water for agricultural growth. Photography from the Environmental Science Services Administration's Automatic Picture Transmission based on the ESSA-6 weather satellite showed that the clouds from Naomi responsible for the rain had almost moved over the area near the dam. Based on the images, the authorities decided to gamble on the dam to successfully hold up, and it managed to hold back the waters without breaking. The hurricane caused four drowning deaths and $16 million in damage in Sinaloa.
Texas
| Location | Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Inches | Millimetre | |
| Corpus Christi Corpus Christi, Texas Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the... |
8 | 200 |
| Aransas Pass Aransas Pass The second lighthouse in Texas was built at Aransas Pass by the United States government to protect shipping in Aransas Bay.Aransas Pass was originally pictured as becoming a major Texas hub of commerce and travel with rail links to the harbor and harbor links by ships to Mexico, New York and other... |
3.05 | 77.5 |
| Camp Wood Camp Wood, Texas Camp Wood is a city in Real County, Texas, United States, in the Texas Hill Country, which is part of the Edwards Plateau. The population was 822 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Camp Wood is located at .... |
2.12 | 53.8 |
| Uvalde Uvalde, Texas Uvalde is a city in and the county seat of Uvalde County, Texas, United States. The population was 14,929 at the 2000 census.Uvalde was founded by Reading Wood Black in 1853 as the town of Encina. In 1856, when the county was organized, the town was renamed Uvalde for Spanish governor Juan de... |
2.06 | 52.3 |
| Brackettville Brackettville, Texas Brackettville is a city in Kinney County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,876 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Kinney County... |
1.31 | 33.3 |
| San Angelo San Angelo, Texas San Angelo is a city in the state of Texas. Located in West Central Texas it is the county seat of Tom Green County. As of 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total population of 93,200... |
1.26 | 32.0 |
| Rocksprings Rocksprings, Texas Rocksprings is a town in Edwards County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,285. It is the county seat of Edwards County. The town received its name from natural springs that bubble forth from the porous limestone rocks in the area.-History:J. R. Sweeten... |
1.00 | 25.4 |
In Texas, the remnants of Naomi coupled with a frontal system resulted in prolonged rains over the state. The hardest hit city was Corpus Christi, which reported over 8 inches (200 mm) of rain in relation to the disturbance as well as funnel clouds to the south and west of the city, resulting in many roads being stopped to traffic. Accumulated rainfall caused the roof of a tortilla
Tortilla
In Mexico and Central America, a tortilla is a type of thin, unleavened flat bread, made from finely ground maize...
plant to collapse, slightly injuring a worker. Although the range of heavy rains was large, only minor rains were reported in Andrews
Andrews, Texas
Andrews is a city in and the county seat of Andrews County in the U.S. state of Texas within the West Texas region. The population was 10,448 in 2009. Along with Midland and Odessa, these cities form the Midland-Odessa Combined Statistical Area with a population of 241,316 in four counties...
, Crane
Crane, Texas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 3,191 people, 1,096 households, and 865 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,129.7 people per square mile . There were 1,278 housing units at an average density of 1,253.5 per square mile...
, Monahans
Monahans, Texas
Monahans is a city in and the county seat of Ward County, Texas, United States. A very small portion of the city extends into Winkler County. The population was 6,821 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, Kermit
Kermit, Texas
Kermit is a city in and the county seat of Winkler County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,708 at the 2010 census. The city was named for Kermit Roosevelt after a visit by his father Theodore Roosevelt to the county.-History: -Establishment:...
, Wink
Wink, Texas
Wink is a city in Winkler County, Texas, United States. The population was 919 at the 2000 census. By 2009, the population had reportedly crept up to 926.Wink was the hometown of singer and songwriter Roy Orbison, although he was born in Vernon, Texas....
, Stanton
Stanton, Texas
Stanton is a city in and the county seat of Martin County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,556 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Stanton is located at ....
, and Pecos
Pecos, Texas
Pecos is the largest city in and the county seat of Reeves County, Texas, United States. It is situated in the river valley on the west bank of the Pecos River at the eastern edge of the Chihuahuan Desert and the Trans-Pecos region of west Texas and near the southern border of New Mexico...
. Despite the totals, the rain proved beneficial as well, helping saturate areas of grassland in need of water.
Naming
This was the second time an East Pacific storm was named Naomi and the only time that a storm named Naomi in the basin reached hurricane strength. Because the effects from the hurricane were minor, the name was not retired after this hurricane and was re-used in the 1976 season1976 Pacific hurricane season
The 1976 Pacific hurricane season was a very deadly and costly one. Hurricanes Kathleen, Liza, and Madeline were the most notable storms this year. Hurricane Kathleen caused death and destruction in California and Arizona due to flooding. Hurricane Liza was the deadliest storm of the season when it...
. However, a name change in 1978 dropped the name Naomi, and the name has not been used since.
See also
- Other tropical cyclones named Naomi
- List of Pacific hurricanes
- MalpassetMalpassetMalpasset was an arch dam on the Reyran River, constructed approximately 7 km north of Fréjus on the Côte d'Azur, southern France, in the Var département. It collapsed on December 2, 1959, killing 421 people in the resulting flood. Various sources indicate death numbers of 361, 400, 423, 429 or 510...
—A French dam that broke in 1959 due to circumstances similar to those that affected the Lazaro Cardenas Dam, killing 421.