| Category 1 hurricane (SSHS) | |
|---|---|
| Radar image of Hurricane Cindy. | |
| Formed | September 16, 1963 |
| Dissipated | September 20, 1963 |
| Highest winds | 1-minute sustained: 80 mph (130 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 996 mbar (hPa; 29.41 inHg) |
| Fatalities | 3 direct |
| Damage | $12.5 million (1963 USD) |
| Areas affected | Texas, western Louisiana |
| Part of the 1963 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Hurricane Cindy was a Category 1 hurricane that struck southeastern Texas in September 1963. It was the fourth tropical cyclone, third named storm, and third hurricane of the 1963 Atlantic hurricane season, Cindy formed on September 16 from a trough of low pressure in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. After becoming a tropical cyclone, Cindy moved north-northwestward and rapidly intensified into a hurricane on September 17. Later that day, Cindy made landfall near High Island, Texas as a minimal hurricane. Cindy then turned southwestward and quickly weakened into a tropical storm on September. Cindy continued to deteriorate inland, and diminishing to tropical depression six hours after weakening to a tropical storm. By September 20, Cindy dissipated over southern Texas.
It was the first storm of the 1963 season to make landfall along the United States coastline and the first hurricane to form in the Gulf of Mexico since 1960.[1] Cindy brought heavy rainfall across eastern Texas and western Louisiana. The storm also affected Arkansas, Mississippi, and Oklahoma. The effects of Cindy left $12.5 million (1963 USD; $89.7 million 2012 USD) and three fatalities.
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Cindy formed on September 16, from a trough of low pressure 200 miles (322 km) east-northeast of Brownsville, Texas. Shortly thereafter, a ship reported tropical storm force winds, prompting forecasters at the National Hurricane Center to name the storm Cindy. The storm tracked north-northwest near 8 mph (13 km/h), and continued at near that speed and direction for almost 24 hours. By 1800 UTC an eye was detected on radar as the storm was located 200 miles (322 km) east of Corpus Christi. Early on September 17, Cindy intensified enough to be upgraded to hurricane status. This was based on the ship SS Sabine reporting hurricane force winds near the center of circulation. Simultaneously, Cindy attained its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 996 mbar (29.4 inHg).[1]
Intensity leveled-off slightly after Cindy attained peak intensity, with winds dropping to minimal hurricane status. Later on September 17, Cindy made landfall near Port Arthur, Texas with winds of 75 mph (120 km/h). After landfall, the storm stalled out over eastern Texas for 18 hours before drifting slowly westward. The southwestward drift caused Cindy to rapidly weaken to a weak tropical storm on September 18 and later to a tropical depression a day later. After drifting slowly for two days over southeastern Texas, Cindy finally dissipated on September 20 northwest of Brownsville.[1][2]
The U.S. Weather Bureau office in New Orleans issued gale warnings and a hurricane watch from Freeport, Texas to Grand Isle, Louisiana in its second advisory. In its next advisory, the tropical storm warnings were changed to hurricane warnings as Cindy reached hurricane status. The warnings were extended to include Galveston, Texas and Vermillion Bay, Louisiana and small boats were told to remain in port while shipping traffic in the path of Hurricane Cindy were warned of the deteriorating conditions. Inland, the Weather Bureau stated in their advisory that flood warnings would be issued since the storm was forecast to bring heavy rain to eastern Texas and western Louisiana.[3][4] In Lake Charles, Louisiana, forecasters advised residents to take preparations and evacuate in anticipation that Cindy would cause flooding in low-lying areas. Another Weather Bureau center in Corpus Christi, Texas, stated in its advisory that Cindy was no threat to the city as the center of the storm was moving northeastward. However, the Bureau warned residents about the threat of high surf along the southeastern Texas coast. A weather station in Galveston issued gale warnings and meteorologists predicted that the storm would bring high tides and squalls five feet above normal to the city. The Galveston weather center also advised residents to go to storm shelters until the rough seas subsided.[5]
Forecasters at the Weather Bureau forecast center in Port Arthur, Texas, predicted that Cindy would bring tides four feet above normal and advised residents in Port Arthur to take precautionary measures. In its 0000 UTC (7:00 p.m. CST) advisory on September 17, forecasters expected the flooding from Hurricane Cindy to be limited to coastal sections of Port Arthur and not significantly affect inland areas stretching from the Intercoastal Channel Bridge to the Sabine Pass Highway. In addition, forecasters predicted that the storm would bring severe thunderstorms and tornadoes and thus prompted a tornado watch in a 60 mile (97 km) radius, stretching from College Station, Texas to Lafayette, Louisiana.[6][7]
Overall, 9,600 residents in Louisiana and eastern Texas were evacuated in response to the warnings. Offshore, many oil rigs were evacuated.[8][9]
Making landfall as a category 1 hurricane, Cindy left $12.5 million (1963; $89.7 million 2012 USD) most of it from flooding and three fatalities from drowning incidents.
The outer rainbands of Hurricane Cindy produced torrential downpours along the Louisiana coast. Rainfall of 7-10 inches (177.8–254 mm) was reported across southeastern Louisiana. Inland, rainfall of 1-3 inches (25.4-76.2 mm) was reported.[10] Four weather stations in Cameron, Louisiana received 2.21-5.5 inches (50.8–127 mm) of rain on September 17 and 2.5-4.1 inches (50.8-101.6 mm) the next day. On the same day, Cameron's local newspaper reported winds gusting to 45 mph (72 km/h) and a tide gauge reported sea levels 5.5–6 feet (1.7–1.8 m) above normal.[11][12] In Lake Charles, a weather station reported 4.07 inches (101.6 mm) of rain over a three day span and winds of 23 mph (37 km/h), gusting to 35 mph (56 km/h). The weather station also reported a pressure reading of 976 mbar (28.8 inHg). In Lafayette, the airport reported rainfall of 1.2 inches (25.4 mm) on September 17. In addition, the airport reported winds of 28 mph (45 km/h) and a barometric pressure of 1,014 mbar (29.9 inHg).[11][12][13] The heavy rainfall caused extensive flooding along the Louisiana coastline as floodwaters covered two highways leading away from the coastline and caused Calcasieu River to overflow its banks. Elsewhere in Louisiana, there was moderate damage to roads and crops.[13] Offshore, an oil worker drowned after falling off a lifeboat while evacuating personnel from two oil rigs.[1]
In Texas, the eye of Hurricane Cindy made landfall between the towns of Galveston and Port Arthur, with the eye passing over High Island at 0000 UTC (7 a.m. CDT). Offshore, sustained winds were clocked at 80 mph (135 km/h) while a weather station in Galveston reported sustained winds of 54 mph (87 km/h) with gusts up to 74 mph (119 km/h). A tide gauge in Galveston reported water levels 4.6 feet (1.4 m) above normal.[14] Damage in Galveston-Sabine Pass area was limited to piers and small boats. In addition, strong winds caused moderate roof damage in Gilchrist and Winnie. As the storm moved inland, it produced heavy rainfall across central, interior portions of south Texas and the Rio Grande Valley. In Deweyville, the storm dropped rainfall that totaled up to 23 inches (584.2 mm) over a three day period. Storm totals ranging 20.15-23.50 inches (508-584.2 mm) were reported in other counties in Texas. The heavy rainfall caused severe flooding in much of the inland counties in Texas. In Jefferson County, a levee protecting a suburb of Port Arthur broke on the morning of September 18 but was under control hours later. Volunteer workers packed over 50,000 sandbags to reinforce the levee to preventing it from breaking further. Another canal however overflowed its banks causing moderate flooding that covered Highway 365 and inundated a few homes. In Beaumont, floodwaters inundated 2,000 homes. Overall, damage in Jefferson County amounted to $9.18 million (1963 USD; $6.66 million 2012 USD). The flooding also killed two people.[1][15]
In Orange County, floodwaters forced the evacuation of 500 residents and inundated houses in waters up to 18 inches (457.2 mm). Damage in Orange County amounted to $2 million (1963 USD; $14.3 million 2012 USD). Newton County sustained only $125,000 (1963 USD; $897 thousand 2012 USD) in flood damage because, most of the rainwater ran off into the Sabine River.[15] Hardin County also reported $125,000 (1963 USD; $897 thousand 2012 USD). In Chambers County, houses on the coast between High Island and Port Bolivar sustained minimal damage, totaling to only $25,000 (1963 USD; $179 thousand 2012 USD). Elsewhere in that county, at least $5,000 (1963 USD; $35.9 thousand 2012 USD) in damage was done to the High Island fishing pier, and agricultural losses reached $275,000 (1963 USD; $1.97 million 2012 USD). In Galveston County property damage was similar, reaching $25,000 (1963 USD; $179 thousand 2012 USD). Several boats sustained extensive damage, including one sail boat that crashed into another vessel, and a 33 feet (10 m) pleasure cruiser that capsized in shallow water.[16]
Oklahoma received moderate to heavy rainfall from the outer bands of Cindy. The highest rainfall total in Oklahoma was at Saddle Mountain where a rain gauge reported rainfall of 5.65 inches (500 mm) over a four day period although that report was incomplete. The town of Carnegie also reported rainfall of 5 inches (127 mm). Elsewhere in Oklahoma, rainfall between 1-3 inches (25.4-76.2 mm), much of it concentrated in the central and southwestern portion of the state. The heavy rainfall caused moderate flooding which forced an evacuation of 300 people and damaged 90 homes and businesses. A damage figure in Oklahoma was unknown.[17]
In Arkansas, the effects from Cindy was minimal and limited to light rainfall, the highest rainfall from Cindy was 0.55 inches (13.9 mm) near El Dorado, Arkansas. Elsewhere, the storm dropped 0.04-0.40 inches (1.01 mm-10.1 mm) of rain. There was no reported damage from Cindy's impact on Arkansas.[18]
Cindy dropped rainfall as far east as the border of Mississippi and Alabama. Much of it was light rainfall, with many areas of Mississippi reporting 1 to 3 inches (25 to 76 mm) of precipitation. However, in the extreme southwestern portion of the state, heavier rainfall was reported, and peaked between 7 and 10 inches (180 and 250 mm) in Hancock County.[10]
President John F. Kennedy declared much of eastern and central Texas a disaster area on September 24, 1963. The declaration allowed state and local governments to receive federal aid.[19]
