Tropical Storm Debra (1978)
Encyclopedia
Tropical Storm Debra was the second of two tropical storms to hit the United States in the 1978 Atlantic hurricane season
. The fourth named storm
of the season, Debra developed from the interaction between a high-altitude cold low
and a lower tropical wave
in the Gulf of Mexico
. Forming on August 25, it was upgraded to Tropical Storm Debra based on data from a Hurricane Hunter aircraft. As Debra approached the coast, it attained peak winds of 60 mph (95 km/h). The storm made landfall
on the coast of Louisiana
, east of the Texas
border. Two deaths were caused by the storm. Debra weakened as it moved inland and ultimately dissipated on August 29 over Arkansas
.
that developed over southwestern Florida
in late August 1978. The low moved southwest towards the Yucatán Peninsula
over the next day, as a tropical wave
drifted westwards from the Caribbean Sea
. The interaction between the upper-level system and the wave led to the formation of a tropical depression on August 26 around 460 miles (740.3 km) south of New Orleans.
At first the depression drifted westward but, as the western periphery of a high-pressure area weakened, it tracked towards the north and slowly strengthened. After a reconnaissance aircraft
found surface winds of 45 mph (70 km/h) on August 28, the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Debra. The aircraft also recorded a minimum pressure
of 1002 mbar (hPa
; 29.59 inHg). While Debra approached the coast of Louisiana, an additional flight into the system found a drop in surface pressure to 1000 mbar (hPa; 29.53 inHg), as well as peak winds of approximately 60 mph (100 km/h) at 00:00 GMT
on August 29. Observation stations off the coast recorded sustained winds of 45–50 mph (70–80 km/h) on August 28, as Debra passed 150 miles (241.4 km) to the west.
The storm made landfall between Beaumont, Texas
, and Lake Charles, Louisiana
, on August 28. Two stations recorded surface pressures of 1002 mbar (hPa; (29.59 inHg). As Debra moved north-northeast through Louisiana and Arkansas
, the central pressure rose slightly. In south central Arkansas the residual low pressure system merged with a frontal trough on August 29; the frontal wave drifted into southern Illinois
and traveled eastbound into the Ohio Valley for the next three days. Five tornado
es were reported from the system in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi
shortly after Debra's landfall
.
was issued in advance of Debra for the whole of Louisiana. ExxonMobil
, Royal Dutch Shell
, Chevron
, and other oil companies shut down operations and evacuated about 1,000 employees from offshore oil rigs in Texas
and Louisiana. Despite these evacuations, a 15 feet (4.6 m) wave killed a person at a rig 80 miles (128.7 km) offshore from Cameron
. Three evacuation centers in Lake Charles
, were set up to help those needing shelter and departing the Cameron area, and the Red Cross
opened four shelters at the Calcasieu Parish Public Schools
. In Louisiana, more than six thousand people were evacuated from Cameron Parish
, as well as an undetermined number from Vermilion Parish
.
Louisiana had moderate flooding, especially in Rapides Parish
. Rainfall amounted to 6 inches (15.2 cm) at Lake Charles and Lafayette
, 3 inches (7.6 cm) at Shreveport
, and 3.5 inches (8.9 cm) at Monroe
. Flash flood warning
s were issued during the storm for Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, and Tennessee. By dawn on August 29, all rainwater had receded from the streets and tides were back to normal levels.
A confirmed tornado at the Ike settlement in Vernon Parish
, knocked over a trailer. The greatest amount of rainfall caused by Debra, 10.81 in (274.6 mm), was recorded in Freshwater Bayou Lock
. More than 6 in (152.4 mm) was recorded across Louisiana, and tides between Atchafalaya Bay
and Vermilion Bay
were 5.7 ft (1.7 m) above normal. At Grand Chenier
, a wind gust of 65 miles per hour (104.6 km/h) to 70 miles per hour (112.7 km/h) was recorded, and there were reports of downed trees and damage to roofs in Lake Charles and New Orleans. Tides at Lake Pontchartrain
were 2 foot (0.6096 m) to 3 foot (0.9144 m) above normal.
s were prompted from Galveston, Texas
, through to Grand Isle, Louisiana
, at 18:00 GMT on August 28. A confirmed tornado in Hardin County, Texas, damaged a trailer home and power lines. More than 6 inches (152.4 mm) of rainfall was recorded within Texas and 7 inches (177.8 mm) in the Beaumont
– Port Arthur
area caused minor street flooding. Tides were 1 ft (0.3048 m) above normal at Corpus Christi
, while tides at Galveston were 2.2 ft (0.67056 m) above normal.
A tornado spawned in Turkey Creek, Mississippi, destroyed three mobile homes and a house, killing one person and seriously injuring another; this tornado tracked on to Crystal Springs, Mississippi
. Many rice stands were knocked over because of the gusts of wind from Tropical Storm Debra. Rainfall of more than 6 in (15.2 cm) was recorded in locations across Mississippi, Missouri, and Illinois. Tornadoes were reported in Memphis, Tennessee
; Little Rock, Arkansas
; Starkville
, Springdale
, Cedarbluff
and Flora
in Mississippi; Livingston
and Ascension
parishes and north Lafayette
in Louisiana. One person was hurt in the Memphis tornado. Power was knocked out at four blocks of the Memphis International Airport
, gas supplies were cut off in Memphis, and downed trees and power poles blocked many streets. Overall damage caused by Debra was minimal.
1978 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1978 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1978, and lasted until November 30, 1978. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin...
. The fourth named storm
Tropical cyclone naming
Tropical cyclones have officially been named since 1945 and are named for a variety of reasons, which include to facilitate communications between forecasters and the public when forecasts, watches, and warnings are issued. Names also reduce confusion about what storm is being described, as more...
of the season, Debra developed from the interaction between a high-altitude cold low
Cold-core low
A cold-core low, also known as a cold low or cold-core cyclone, is a cyclone aloft which has an associated cold pool of air residing at high altitude within the Earth's troposphere. It is a low pressure system which strengthens with height in accordance with the thermal wind relationship. These...
and a lower 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...
in 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...
. Forming on August 25, it was upgraded to Tropical Storm Debra based on data from a Hurricane Hunter aircraft. As Debra approached the coast, it attained peak winds of 60 mph (95 km/h). The storm 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...
on the coast of Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, east of 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...
border. Two deaths were caused by the storm. Debra weakened as it moved inland and ultimately dissipated on August 29 over Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
.
Meteorological history
Debra originated in an upper-level cold-core low pressure systemCold-core low
A cold-core low, also known as a cold low or cold-core cyclone, is a cyclone aloft which has an associated cold pool of air residing at high altitude within the Earth's troposphere. It is a low pressure system which strengthens with height in accordance with the thermal wind relationship. These...
that developed over southwestern 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...
in late August 1978. The low moved southwest towards 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...
over the next day, as 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...
drifted westwards from the 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....
. The interaction between the upper-level system and the wave led to the formation of a tropical depression on August 26 around 460 miles (740.3 km) south of New Orleans.
At first the depression drifted westward but, as the western periphery of a high-pressure area weakened, it tracked towards the north and slowly strengthened. After a reconnaissance aircraft
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...
found surface winds of 45 mph (70 km/h) on August 28, the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Debra. The aircraft also recorded a minimum pressure
Atmospheric pressure
Atmospheric pressure is the force per unit area exerted into a surface by the weight of air above that surface in the atmosphere of Earth . In most circumstances atmospheric pressure is closely approximated by the hydrostatic pressure caused by the weight of air above the measurement point...
of 1002 mbar (hPa
HPA
-Organizations:*Halifax Port Authority, a port authority in Canada*Hamburg Port Authority, the port authority for the Port of Hamburg, Germany*Health Protection Agency, a health organization in the United Kingdom...
; 29.59 inHg). While Debra approached the coast of Louisiana, an additional flight into the system found a drop in surface pressure to 1000 mbar (hPa; 29.53 inHg), as well as peak winds of approximately 60 mph (100 km/h) at 00:00 GMT
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...
on August 29. Observation stations off the coast recorded sustained winds of 45–50 mph (70–80 km/h) on August 28, as Debra passed 150 miles (241.4 km) to the west.
The storm made landfall between Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
, and Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Located in Calcasieu Parish, a major cultural, industrial, and educational center in the southwest region of the state, and one of the most important in...
, on August 28. Two stations recorded surface pressures of 1002 mbar (hPa; (29.59 inHg). As Debra moved north-northeast through Louisiana and Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, the central pressure rose slightly. In south central Arkansas the residual low pressure system merged with a frontal trough on August 29; the frontal wave drifted into southern Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and traveled eastbound into the Ohio Valley for the next three days. Five tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
es were reported from the system in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
shortly after Debra's 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...
.
Preparations and impact
Louisiana
A flash flood watchFlash flood watch
A Flash flood watch is issued by the National Weather Service when conditions are favorable for flash flooding in flood-prone areas where grounds are already saturated from recent rains....
was issued in advance of Debra for the whole of Louisiana. ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil
Exxon Mobil Corporation or ExxonMobil, is an American multinational oil and gas corporation. It is a direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil company, and was formed on November 30, 1999, by the merger of Exxon and Mobil. Its headquarters are in Irving, Texas...
, Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
, Chevron
Chevron Corporation
Chevron Corporation is an American multinational energy corporation headquartered in San Ramon, California, United States and active in more than 180 countries. It is engaged in every aspect of the oil, gas, and geothermal energy industries, including exploration and production; refining,...
, and other oil companies shut down operations and evacuated about 1,000 employees from offshore oil rigs in 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...
and Louisiana. Despite these evacuations, a 15 feet (4.6 m) wave killed a person at a rig 80 miles (128.7 km) offshore from Cameron
Cameron, Louisiana
Cameron is a census-designated place in and the parish seat of Cameron Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,965 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Lake Charles Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. Three evacuation centers in Lake Charles
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Located in Calcasieu Parish, a major cultural, industrial, and educational center in the southwest region of the state, and one of the most important in...
, were set up to help those needing shelter and departing the Cameron area, and the Red Cross
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an international humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide which was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human...
opened four shelters at the Calcasieu Parish Public Schools
Calcasieu Parish Public Schools
Calcasieu Parish School Board is a school district based in Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States. The CPSB operates all public schools in Calcasieu Parish, including the city of Lake Charles.-Demographics:...
. In Louisiana, more than six thousand people were evacuated from Cameron Parish
Cameron Parish, Louisiana
Cameron Parish is the parish with the most land area in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Cameron and as of 2010, the population was 6,839...
, as well as an undetermined number from Vermilion Parish
Vermilion Parish, Louisiana
Vermilion Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Abbeville. As of the 2010 census, the population was 57,999....
.
Louisiana had moderate flooding, especially in Rapides Parish
Rapides Parish, Louisiana
-Military Installations:*Camp Beauregard *Esler Airfield *England Air Force Base *Camp Claiborne *Camp Livingston -Demographics:...
. Rainfall amounted to 6 inches (15.2 cm) at Lake Charles and Lafayette
Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
, 3 inches (7.6 cm) at Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
, and 3.5 inches (8.9 cm) at Monroe
Monroe, Louisiana
Monroe is a city in and the parish seat of Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 53,107, making it the eighth largest city in Louisiana. A July 1, 2007, United States Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 51,208, but 51,636...
. Flash flood warning
Flash Flood Warning
A Flash Flood Warning is issued when a flash flood is imminent or occurring in the warned area. A flash flood is a sudden, violent flood after a heavy rain...
s were issued during the storm for Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, and Tennessee. By dawn on August 29, all rainwater had receded from the streets and tides were back to normal levels.
A confirmed tornado at the Ike settlement in Vernon Parish
Vernon Parish, Louisiana
Vernon Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Leesville and as of 2000, the population was 52,531....
, knocked over a trailer. The greatest amount of rainfall caused by Debra, 10.81 in (274.6 mm), was recorded in Freshwater Bayou Lock
Freshwater Bayou, Louisiana
Freshwater Bayou is a stream in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana....
. More than 6 in (152.4 mm) was recorded across Louisiana, and tides between Atchafalaya Bay
Atchafalaya Basin
The Atchafalaya Basin, or Atchafalaya Swamp, is the largest swamp in the United States. Located in south central Louisiana, it is a combination of wetlands and river delta area where the Atchafalaya River and the Gulf of Mexico converge. The river stretches from near Simmesport in the north...
and Vermilion Bay
Vermilion Bay
Vermilion Bay is a bay in southern Louisiana in the United States.Vermilion Bay is located in southwestern Iberia Parish and southeastern Vermilion Parish...
were 5.7 ft (1.7 m) above normal. At Grand Chenier
Grand Chenier, Louisiana
Grand Chenier is an unincorporated community in Cameron Parish, Louisiana.-References:...
, a wind gust of 65 miles per hour (104.6 km/h) to 70 miles per hour (112.7 km/h) was recorded, and there were reports of downed trees and damage to roofs in Lake Charles and New Orleans. Tides at Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain is a brackish estuary located in southeastern Louisiana. It is the second-largest inland saltwater body of water in the United States, after the Great Salt Lake in Utah, and the largest lake in Louisiana. As an estuary, Pontchartrain is not a true lake.It covers an area of with...
were 2 foot (0.6096 m) to 3 foot (0.9144 m) above normal.
Elsewhere
Gale warningGale warning
A gale warning is a warning issued by weather services in maritime locations about the existence of winds of gale force or above or the imminent occurrence of gales at sea...
s were prompted from Galveston, Texas
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
, through to Grand Isle, Louisiana
Grand Isle, Louisiana
Grand Isle is a town in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, located on a barrier island of the same name in the Gulf of Mexico. The island is at the mouth of Barataria Bay where it meets the gulf. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,541; during summers, the population sometimes increases to...
, at 18:00 GMT on August 28. A confirmed tornado in Hardin County, Texas, damaged a trailer home and power lines. More than 6 inches (152.4 mm) of rainfall was recorded within Texas and 7 inches (177.8 mm) in the Beaumont
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
– Port Arthur
Port Arthur, Texas
-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 57,755 people, 21,839 households, and 14,675 families residing in the city. The population density was 696.5 people per square mile . There were 24,713 housing units at an average density of 298.0 per square mile...
area caused minor street flooding. Tides were 1 ft (0.3048 m) above normal at 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...
, while tides at Galveston were 2.2 ft (0.67056 m) above normal.
A tornado spawned in Turkey Creek, Mississippi, destroyed three mobile homes and a house, killing one person and seriously injuring another; this tornado tracked on to Crystal Springs, Mississippi
Crystal Springs, Mississippi
Crystal Springs is a city in Copiah County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 5,873 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Crystal Springs is located at ....
. Many rice stands were knocked over because of the gusts of wind from Tropical Storm Debra. Rainfall of more than 6 in (15.2 cm) was recorded in locations across Mississippi, Missouri, and Illinois. Tornadoes were reported in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
; Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
; Starkville
Starkville, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 21,869 people, 9,462 households, and 4,721 families residing in the city. The population density was 851.4 people per square mile . There were 10,191 housing units at an average density of 396.7 per square mile...
, Springdale
Springdale, Mississippi
Springdale is an unincorporated community in Lafayette County, Mississippi, United States.-References:...
, Cedarbluff
Cedarbluff, Mississippi
Cedarbluff is an unincorporated community in Clay County, Mississippi, United States. It is located in the south central portion of Clay County along Mississippi Highway 50....
and Flora
Flora, Mississippi
Flora is a town in Madison County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,546 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Flora is located at ....
in Mississippi; Livingston
Livingston Parish, Louisiana
Livingston Parish Is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Its parish seat is Livingston. As of 2010, its population was 128,026....
and Ascension
Ascension Parish, Louisiana
Ascension Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the fastest growing parish in the state. Its population is 107,215 which is 39.9% greater than the 2000 census...
parishes and north Lafayette
Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
in Louisiana. One person was hurt in the Memphis tornado. Power was knocked out at four blocks of the Memphis International Airport
Memphis International Airport
Memphis International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Memphis, a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States....
, gas supplies were cut off in Memphis, and downed trees and power poles blocked many streets. Overall damage caused by Debra was minimal.
See also
- List of wettest tropical cyclones in Illinois
- List of wettest tropical cyclones in Indiana
- Other storms with the same name
External links
- Hydrometeorological Prediction CenterHydrometeorological Prediction CenterThe Hydrometeorological Prediction Center is one of nine service centers under the umbrella of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction , a part of the National Weather Service, which in turn is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the U.S. government...
's archive on Tropical Storm Debra