Hurricane Anita

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Hurricane Anita

Category 5 hurricane (SSHS)

Hurricane Anita on September 2, 1977, approaching the Gulf coast of Mexico.

Formed

August 29, 1977

Dissipated

September 3, 1977

Highest
winds

175 mph (280 km/h) (1-minute sustained)

Lowest pressure

926 mbar (hPa; 27.36 inHg)

Fatalities

10 direct

Damage

$50 million (1977 USD)

Areas
affected

Northeastern Mexico

Part of the
1977 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Anita was a powerful hurricane during an otherwise quiet 1977 Atlantic hurricane season. Anita formed in late August, making it one of the latest forming first storms of a hurricane season. Anita was the most intense storm of the season, reaching Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale.

1 Storm history
2 Preparations
3 Impact
- 3.1 Retirement
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Storm history

Storm path

The precursor to Hurricane Anita was a tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa on August 16. It moved westward without strengthening. When it entered the Caribbean, it began to move more northerly. The tropical wave, which extended from the Bahamas through Florida over western Cuba, was able to organize in the Gulf of Mexico with the help of divergence from an upper level low. An anticyclone developed over the area, aiding in the formation of a tropical depression on August 29 in the East Central Gulf of Mexico.

Located at around 230 statute miles (370 km) south-southwest of New Orleans, it initially appeared to threaten the Texas coastline, but a high pressure ridge building southward through Texas and Mexico forced it more southerly. The depression became Tropical Storm Anita on August 30, and a hurricane later that night. Intensification slowed somewhat, but the storm still reached Category 2 strength two days later. As it approached the coastline of Mexico, it passed over a warm eddy of water, likely 1ºC warmer than the rest of the Gulf of Mexico. Because of this and favorable conditions aloft, Anita rapidly strengthened to a 175 mph (280 km/h) Category 5 hurricane on September 2, and made landfall at this intensity in northeastern Mexico. Landfall was 145 miles (235 km) south of Brownsville, Texas and 80 miles (130 km) north of Tampico, Mexico. It rapidly weakened as it passed over central Mexico. ^[1]^[2]

Anita's remnants entered the Pacific Ocean as a tropical depression on September 3. Tropical Depression Eleven lasted for one day before dissipating.^[3]

[edit] Preparations

In Mexico, 35,000 people were evacuated from coastal regions in anticipation of Anita's landfall. In the United States, about 65,000 people were evacuated in Texas and Louisiana. This total included 7,000 workers from offshore oil drilling platforms.^[1] A hurricane watch was placed along the Texas and southwest Louisiana coasts on August 30. A hurricane warning was also issued for Corpus Christi, Texas to Brownsville. The United States does not require warnings for Mexico but the Mexican government knew already.

[edit] Impact

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Anita killed 10 people. Farming and fishing communities were disrupted greatly from the passage of this hurricane.^[1] Damage amounted to $50 million (1977 USD, $162 million 2005 USD). ^[4]

Anita dumped two inches of rain across South Texas. In Mexico, a six-hour total of 17.52 inches was recorded in Soto La Marina.^[1]

[edit] Retirement

See also: List of retired Atlantic hurricanes

The name Anita was retired following this storm, and will never be used for an Atlantic hurricane again. Because of a naming change in 1979, it was not replaced by any particular name.