Unnamed Tropical Storm (1987)
| Tropical storm (SSHWS/NWS) | |
The unnamed storm weakening over Texas on August 10
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| Formed | August 9, 1987 |
|---|---|
| Dissipated | August 17, 1987 |
| Highest winds |
1-minute sustained: 45 mph (75 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 1007 mbar (hPa); 29.74 inHg |
| Fatalities | 1 reported missing |
| Damage | $7.4 million (1987 USD) |
| Areas affected | Gulf Coast of the United States |
| Part of the 1987 Atlantic hurricane season | |
The 1987 Gulf Coast tropical storm caused flooding along the Gulf Coast of the United States. The second tropical cyclone and first tropical storm of the 1987 Atlantic hurricane season, it originated from a tropical wave in the Gulf of Mexico, southeast of Texas, on August 9. Initially a tropical depression, the cyclone moved north-northwestward and slightly intensified into a tropical storm later that day. By August 10, it made landfall between Galveston and Beaumont. The system weakened after moving inland and turned towards the east and later southeast. Briefly reemerging over the Gulf on August 15, the depression moved onshore a second time in Florida, before dissipating over eastern Georgia on August 17.
Due to the relatively weak nature of the system, it caused relatively little damage. However, the system dropped heavy rainfall, peaking at 21.05 inches (535 mm) in southern Mississippi. This resulted in flooding, which forced more than 400 people to evacuate their homes, some of which had 2 to 4 feet (0.61 to 1.22 m) of water. Flash flooding was reported in a few others states, including Alabama, Florida, and Louisiana. In all, losses from the unnamed storm reached $7.4 million (1987 USD) and one person was reported missing after being thrown overboard a boat in rough seas.
On July 29, 1987, a tropical wave emerged off the west coast of Africa into the Atlantic Ocean. Tracking westward along the southern edge of the Saharan Air Layer, a feature associated with large masses of dry air, little convective development took place over the following several days. Once near the Lesser Antilles in early August, atmospheric conditions became more favorable for development. Traveling across the Caribbean Sea, the system became increasingly organized and a mid-level circulation formed shortly before the wave moved inland over Central America on August 7. The following day, the northern portion of the wave interacted with a cold-core low over the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in the formation of a low-level circulation, exhibiting tropical characteristics, on August 9. Over the following two days, the system tracked in a general north-northwest direction towards the Texas coastline. Aided by an anticyclone aloft, outflow became pronounced and convection increased in coverage and intensity. Around 1200 UTC, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) estimated that the system developed into a tropical depression while located about 145 miles (235 km) south-southeast of Galveston, Texas.
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