| Tropical storm (SSHS) | |
|---|---|
| Gabrielle approaching northeast Mexico | |
| Formed | August 9, 1995 |
| Dissipated | August 12, 1995 |
| Highest winds | 1-minute sustained: 70 mph (110 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 988 mbar (hPa; 29.18 inHg) |
| Fatalities | 6 direct[1] |
| Areas affected | Northeast Mexico, southern Texas |
| Part of the 1995 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Tropical Storm Gabrielle was a short-lived storm in the Gulf of Mexico in the 1995 Atlantic hurricane season that had an erratic path across the western Gulf. It was the seventh named storm of the season. Gabrielle formed on August 9, 1995 east of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It slowly approached the coast, making landfall on August 11 north of Tampico. Heavy rainfall was reported across northeastern Mexico and extreme southern Texas, but little damage was reported. However, there were six fatalities.
Gabrielle battered Mexico's eastern coast while Hurricane Flossie in the Eastern Pacific was battering the Baja Peninsula.[2]
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The origins of the storm can be traced back to a tropical wave that emerged off the coast of Africa on the last week of July. As it tracked across the Atlantic Ocean, it remained a well-defined system, but never organized into a tropical cyclone. On August 8, the system entered the Gulf of Mexico, and a weak low-level circulation developed on August 9.[3] The circulation became better defined later that day, and was confirmed by Reconnaissance aircraft that afternoon, when it was declared Tropical Depression Eight while east of the coast of northeast Mexico.[4]
From the outset, its motion was hampered by that of Hurricane Flossie off the Pacific coast of Mexico.[5] The system was slow to strengthen at first. Deep convection fired up only gradually at first as it slowly tracked westward in the Gulf.[6] However, on the morning of August 10, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Gabrielle. The track also shifted southward somewhat, shifting the threat from Texas into Mexico. Gabrielle then strengthened slowly but steadily until landfall over the warm waters in a low-shear environment, although land interaction slowed the intensification somewhat.[7] On the morning of August 11, the storm shifted once again onto a west-northwest course, moving very slowly towards the coast.[3]
On the afternoon of August 11, Gabrielle strengthened to its peak intensity of 70 mph (110 km/h), just below hurricane intensity, as it approached landfall.[8] The storm made landfall at 3:00 pm CDT (2000 UTC) just south of La Pesca in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, about 175 miles (280 km) south of the United States-Mexico border and about 90 miles (145 km) north of Tampico, at its peak intensity. After landfall, Gabrielle quickly weakened, becoming a tropical depression that evening as it moved across land in northeast Mexico.[3] Its surface circulation dissipated early on August 12 over the mountains of the Sierra Madre Oriental[9], although its cloud pattern transited Mexico intact, moving into the Gulf of California before it sheared across northwest Mexico on August 15.[5]
Tropical storm warnings were issued for the western Gulf of Mexico at 2100 UTC, which extended from Baffin Bay, Texas to La Pesca, Tamaulipas while Gabrielle was still as Tropical Depression Eight. That was soon extended to Tampico, Tamaulipas at 900 UTC August 10 and extended further to Tuxpan, Veracruz twelve hours later. All the Texas warnings were discontinued by 2100 UTC on August 10. All the Mexican warnings were discontinued six hours later.[3] 800 people were evacuated in Soto la Marina and San Fernando in Tamaulipas. People in poor villages in the Rio Grande Valley were given sandbags with Tropical Storm Gabrielle approaching.[10]
Overall damage was generally minor. There were no reports of wind damage, although tropical storm-force winds affected the northern coast of Tamaulipas. According to the National Hurricane Center, up to 24 inches (600 mm) of rain occurred in much of Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon, although the rain was reported to have been beneficial as it broke a drought in the region.[3] This figure is in dispute, as the rainfall database maintained by Mexico's National Weather Service shows the maximum amount to lie under 20 inches (508 mm).[5] Rains from Gabrielle flooded streets and destroyed bridges and highways in Northern Mexico, which is an industrial capital.[1]
In Texas, rainfall of up to 6 inches (150 mm) was reported in the Rio Grande Valley.[5] Widespread rain amounts of four to six inches from Gabrielle. Gabrielle's rain came after a drought, and some of it soaked in. The rains also damaged unharvested cotton. Otherwise, minor flooding occurred.[11] Brownsville reported up to 4 inches of rain in association with Gabrielle.[12] The storm surge was also minor. No storm surge recordings were taken in Mexico, although it is estimated by the NHC that a surge of a few feet took place to the north of the track. In extreme southern Texas, minor beach flooding took place at some of the beaches in the region. Six fatalities were reported as a result of Gabrielle.[1][3] The remains of Gabrielle produced heavy thunderstorms in New Mexico on August 15.[12]