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Tropical Storm Frances (1998) » Summary
Tropical Storm Frances
Summary
Summary...
Tropical Storm Frances brought home how vulnerable the Texas Coast is to tropical weather systems even if they do not achieve hurricane strength.
Since Frances never achieved Hurricane strength the citizens along the upper Texas Coast never realized the damage that could result from "Just
a Tropical Storm". With a long siege of high tides coupled with tropical storm force winds it was very similar to having a strong category one
hurricane. The rains that accompanied the storm were fairly normal for a slow moving topical sorm but flooding was aggravated by the high tides
that were already in place when the heavy rains began.
We have not had a hurricane along the Texas Coast since 1989 and have forgotten the effects a hurricane can bring to our coastline. With roads
that flood at tides of 4 to 6 feet evacuation of some communities at a very early stage becomes a necessity. We hope the citizens of the Upper
Texas Coast use the lessons we have learned from Tropical Storm Frances and apply them when a real hurricane visits the Upper Texas Coast.
Impact and Damage...
Major impact and resultant damage occurred in Galveston, Harris, Brazoria and Matagorda counties of Texas. All four of these counties received a
Presidential Disaster Declaration to help in the relief and recovery efforts. In these four counties total damage exceeded $286 million dollars. Most of
this damage was along the coast and around Galveston Bay where high tides and winds destroyed dunes and personal property. Nearly 100 single family
homes were destroyed along the upper Texas coast by the high tides and battering waves. Other damage was a result of inland flooding due to heavy
rains mainly in Harris county along White Oak and Buffalo Bayous.
There were only 3 deaths that can be attributed to Tropical Storm Frances. A father and daughter drowned on Galveston Island while swimming in the
surf during the day Monday. The third death occurred on Wednesday when a surfer drowned on the beaches of Surfside in Brazoria county while surfing the large waves.
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