Hurricane Beulah

Hurricane Beulah was an intense Category 5 hurricane which impacted the Greater Antilles, Mexico, and Texas in September 1967. The second tropical storm, second hurricane, only major hurricane, and strongest storm in the 1967 Atlantic hurricane season, Beulah tracked through the Caribbean, struck the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico as a major hurricane, and moved west-northwestward into the Gulf of Mexico, briefly becoming a Category 5 hurricane. The hurricane made landfall just north of the mouth of the Rio Grande as a Category 3 hurricane. It spawned 115 tornadoes across Texas, which established a new record for the highest amount of tornadoes produced by a tropical cyclone, which stood until 2004. Due to its slow movement over Texas, Beulah led to significant flooding. Throughout its path, at least 59 people were killed and total damage reached $234.6 million (1967 USD), of which $200 million occurred in the United States, $26.9 million occurred in Mexico, and $7.65 million occurred in the eastern Caribbean.

Meteorological history

On August 22, 1967, an ESSA-5 satellite image depicted an area of enhanced convection—shower and thunderstorm activity—east of the Western High Plateau in Cameroon over central Africa. Reaching the western slopes of the mountains two days later, the tropical wave became more coherent with clouds condensing along its axis. As it moved over west Africa, cyclonic rotation became apparent about above the surface. A research paper published in 1969 refers to the disturbance as a depression as it neared the west coast of Africa; Once over water, the system interacted with the Intertropical Convergence Zone and continued westward along an undulating path with no further organization. It was not until a United States Navy weather reconnaissance plane flew into the disturbance on September 4, while it was located east of the Lesser Antilles, that signs of development were apparent. Corresponding observations from ships in the region on September 5 confirmed the existence of a 1010 mbar (hPa; ) low-pressure area. In light of this, the disturbance was classified as a tropical depression at 12:00 UTC that day, with its center situated roughly east-northeast of Barbados. The aforementioned westward turn placed the Dominican Republic in the line of danger, an area still reeling from the devastating effects of Hurricane Inez just one year prior. However, the storm unexpectedly collapsed as it approached the Barahona Peninsula and struck the area as a greatly weakened, though still significant, Category 1 hurricane, with estimated winds of around 18:00 UTC on September 11.

thumb|left|Composite of [[ESSA-2 photographs showing hurricanes Beulah (bottom), Doria (middle), and Chloe (top), on September 17]]

Moving through the climatologically favorable western Caribbean, Beulah moved along a slowing, erratic, and somewhat cycloidal path. Slight weakening ensued as it neared land and Beulah ultimately made its final landfall south of Brownsville, Texas, near the mouth of the Rio Grande around 13:00 UTC on September 20. No direct measurements exist at the core of the hurricane as it moved ashore; however, based on a minimum pressure of 951 mbar (hPa; ) in Brownsville, the hurricane likely struck land with a central pressure below that value. but a 2020 re-evaluation as part of the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project lowered this to 940 mbar (). Once over land, the hurricane slowly weakened as it remained relatively close to the coast. Sustained winds dropped below hurricane-force on September 21, roughly 24 hours after landfall. The system subsequently stalled near Alice, Texas, before turning to the southwest.

Impact

Eastern Caribbean

thumb|right|Rainfall from Hurricane Beulah in Puerto Rico

Prior to Beulah, a stationary trough over the Lesser Antilles produced torrential rainfall throughout the region, setting the stage for significant flooding. During an 18‑hour span, fell on the island. Severe flooding claimed 15 lives on Martinique and destroyed many homes. Parts of Fort-de-France were inundated by of water while the Martinique International Airport saw of flooding. The banana crop sustained extensive losses. Damage on the island amounted to $4.5 million. Damage on St. Lucia reached $3 million, mainly stemming from the banana crop which was largely ruined. One person lost their life on the island and damage was a minimal $150,000. Flash flooding affected the southern coasts of both the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

Beulah had limited impact on Jamaica as it brushed the island as a weak tropical storm.

Mexico

thumb|left|Rainfall from Hurricane Beulah across Mexico and Texas

Striking Cozumel Island and the Yucatán Peninsula on September 17 as a Category 2 hurricane, Beulah caused considerable damage and killed 11 people across the region. Wind gusts up to severed communication lines, downed power lines and felled trees. In Mérida, Yucatán, winds were recorded up to . Under the force of the powerful winds, several structures collapsed across the Peninsula, resulting in six fatalities. Four people were also killed in Playa del Carmen. Along the coast, Beulah's storm surge flooded areas within of the coastline, washing out roads and leaving "graveyards of boats." Throughout the Yucatán Peninsula, an estimated 5,000 people were left homeless and at least 30,000 were affected by the storm.

Throughout Mexico, Beulah killed 19 people. Across the Yucatán Peninsula, the Government of Mexico set up an air lift of food and medical supplies to isolated areas by September 18. Falfurrias received more rain from Beulah than it normally records during one year. Areas south of Laredo, San Antonio, and Matagorda were isolated for more than a week due to the resulting flood. On September 28, President Lyndon B Johnson declared twenty-four counties in southern Texas a disaster area.

Hurricane Beulah produced of storm tide surge, crossing North Padre Island at Nueces County Park No. 1. The storm also caused 31 cuts through Padre Island, all occurring south of a point 30 miles south of Corpus Christi. The height of the storm surge diminished near South Padre Island toward Port Isabel, Texas, where flooding from tides ranged from 4.7 to 8 ft. The highest sustained wind was , reported aboard the SS Shirley Lykes, which was anchored in the Port of Brownsville. Winds as high as were measured at the Brownsville National Weather Service office at landfall. Since the hurricane bent the anemometer 30 degrees from the vertical, it is possible the winds at Brownsville were underestimated. Gusts of over were recorded as far inland as the towns of McAllen, Edinburg, Mission, and Pharr, some from the gulf coast. Beulah spawned a record 115 tornadoes which destroyed homes, commercial property, and inflicted serious damage on the region's agricultural industry. The tornado record from Beulah would survive until Hurricane Ivan set a new record in 2004. The Rio Grande Valley's citrus industry, based on cultivation of the famous "Ruby Red" grapefruit, was particularly hard hit.

Animal life in the region responded in various ways to survive. Ants survived the floods by congregating in spheres of living colonies and floated down streams to safety. Predaceous beetle larvae preyed on frogs and rodents. Crustaceans from the beaches migrated en masse to the protection of high ground.

Hurricane Beulah caused an estimated US$200 million in damage. Sources report 15 total deaths in Texas from the storm. It was replaced with Beth for the 1971 season.

References

;Works cited

External links

Major Hurricane Beulah – September 20, 1967, National Weather Service
Hurricane Beulah HPC Rainfall Page