Hurricane Ella (1958)

Hurricane Ella

Category 3 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS)
Surface weather analysis of Hurricane Ella on September 6
Formed	August 30, 1958
Dissipated	September 6, 1958
Highest winds	1-minute sustained: 115 mph (185 km/h)
Lowest pressure	989 mbar (hPa); 29.21 inHg
Fatalities	36 direct
Damage	$200,000 (1958 USD)
Areas affected	Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba, Florida, Texas
Part of the 1958 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Ella brought flooding to the Greater Antilles and Texas in September 1958. The fifth named storm and third hurricane of the annual season, Ella developed from a tropical wave located just east of the Lesser Antilles on August 30. Initially a tropical depression, it strengthened into Tropical Storm Ella six hours later. The system crossed the Leeward Islands and entered the Caribbean Sea late on August 30. Ella headed westward and by August 31, intensified into a Category 1 hurricane. Hours later, it strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. The storm curved northwestward while south of Hispaniola and as a result, struck the Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti on September 1. Flooding in that country killed 30 people in Aux Cayes and left 3 other missing. Additionally, thousands were left homeless, about one-third of crops were washed out, and numerous cattle were killed.

After re-emerging into the Caribbean Sea, Ella deepened further and peaked as 115 mph (185 km/h) Category 3 hurricane on September 2, while it was making landfall near Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. Heavy rainfall lead to flooding, which in turn caused hundreds to flee their homes, and resulted in 5 fatalities. Hundreds of livestock drowned, and telephone and telegraph services were disrupted in many areas. The storm became disorganized while moving across the southern coast of Cuba and weakened to a tropical storm by later on September 2. Ella reached the Gulf of Mexico on September 4 and briefly re-strengthened. However, it began to weaken again while approaching the Gulf Coast of the United States. The storm made landfall as a weak tropical storm near Corpus Christi, Texas on September 6. It rapidly weakened inland and dissipated later that day. Rainfall and rough surf caused both inland and coastal flooding in Texas. Offshore, the captain of a snapper boat fell overboard and went missing; he was later presumed to have drowned.