Matagorda,Texas history with tropical systems
current weather
(br)=brush (ts)=Tropical Storm (bd)=Back Door,meaning coming from over land from opposite coast.Not all names are noted,also storms before 1950 were not named.Not every stat on every storm description is given.

Years within or near core
1871-2tsbr,1874ts,1875br,1877tsbr,1880ts,1886,1886bdtsbr,1888,1888tsbr,1891,1900,1901ts,1902bdtsbr,1909,1915br,1921,1929,1932,1933ts,1934br,1934,1936tsbr,1938ts,1941,1942tsbr,
1942,1943tsbr,1945tsbr,1945,1947tsbr,1949,1959br,1961,1964ts,1968tsbr,1970br,1971,1973ts,1979ts,1983,1989ts,1998tsbr,1998ts,2002ts,2003,2003ts,2008br,2015ts,(2017br not in stats)
49 times in 145yrs end of 2016




Names from list above
Debra,Carla,Abby,Candy,Celia,Fern,Delia,Elena,Alicia,Allison,Charley,Frances,Fay,Grace,Claudette,Ike,Bill,Harvey,

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio
TS=26, 53.06% H=23, 46.94%

Longest gap between storms
9 years 1949-1959

How often this area gets affected?
brushed or hit every 2.96 years

Average years between direct hurricane hits.(usually within 40 miles to include small hurricanes)
(17h)once every 8.53 years state stats

Average MPH of hurricane hits. (based on advisories sustained winds, not gusts)
106 mph

Statistically when this area should be affected next
affected in 2017
This is just a statistical average & does not mean the area will be affected by that year

Last affected by
2017 August 25th/26th Hurricane Harvey brushes just south of city by 68 miles with 130mph winds while moving N.W.

This areas hurricane past
1886 aug 20th severe damage just south, a 155mph hurricane pushes NE winds,925mb. The town of Indianola was never rebuilt.
1888 June 17th, 80mph from the ESE
1891 July 6th, 85mph from the SSE
1900 Sept 8th the great devestating Galveston hurricane passes north of here with 145mph winds from the ESE
1909 July 21st ,105mph from the ESE just north
1921 June 22nd, 85mph from the south
1929 June 28th, 80mph from the SE
1932 Aug 13th,145mph just north from the SSE
1934 Aug 28th ,80mph from the NNE passes just east
1941 , SEP 23 80mph from the S.E Matagorda had tides of 10.8'. Pressure 971 mb,4 killed.
1942 aug 30th,80mph from the S.E
1945 Aug 27th 140mph from the SSE 7 killed.
1949 Oct 4th 125mph from the south passes just east
1961 hurricane Carla hits with 140mph winds(hurdat) on sept 11th from the S.E. 18 ft s.s causing total devestation 34 dead. Recon pressure 27.50 as it hit coast. 115mph sustained on coast & weakened rapidly after landfall.Newspaper headline | Radar from T.V | NOAA Carla
1971Sept 10th, hurricane Fern hits with 75mph winds from the SSE killed 30 million in damage.5to 6 ft tides reported.
1983 Aug 18th,115mph winds Hurricane Alicia passes just north from the SE Dr Ted Fujita wind map |
2003 July 15th Hurricane Claudette hits just north with 85mph winds from the ESE & a gust to 111mph,some reports of roof damage,signs down,many trees down.Peak gust 71 kts east matagorda bay. Damage photo | Newspaper article


Stat sources: NHC Track maps/hurdat2/cyclone reports Hurricane research division
Text Sources:(alp)....Divine Wind Kerry Emanuel.....Florida Hurricanes & Tropical Storms John M. Williams & Iver W.Duedall.....Florida's Hurricane History Jay Barnes.....Hurricane Almanac Bryan Norcross.....hurricanecity.com (calculations) Jim Williams.....Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States Rick Schwartz.....Hurricane Watch Dr. Bob Sheets & Jack Williams.....Inside the Hurricane Pete Davies..... Isaac's Storm Erik Larson..... Killer Cane Robert Mykle.....Lunatic Wind William Price Fox....Miami Herald newspaper(microfilm).....Path of destruction John McQuaid & Mark Schleifstein.....Sun sentinel newspaper(microfilm).....The Major Hurricanes to affect the Bahamas Wayne Neely.....The Ship & the Storm Jim Carrier.....plus many more.............
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