Hurricane Barry (1983)

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Hurricane Barry
Type=hurricane
Year=1983
Basin=Atl
Image location=Hurricane Barry (1983).jpg


Formed=August 23, 1983
Dissipated=August 29, 1983
1-min winds=70
Pressure=986
Da

Fatalities=None
Areas=Florida,Texas and Mexico
Hurricane season=1983 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Barry was the fourth cyclone, second storm and second hurricane of the 1983 Atlantic hurricane season. It affected Florida and Texas, but caused no fatalities. Barry made landfall in Florida after forming on August 22. The storm moved westward and strengthened into a hurricane before moving ashore near the Texas-Mexico border on August 28. Barry left moderate rainfall in Florida and little to no rainfall in Texas.cite web
author=National Hurricane Center
year=1983
title=Preliminary Report: Hurricane Barry - Page 1 - Storm History
publisher=National Hurricane Center
accessdate=2007-04-03
url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1983-prelim/barry/prelim01.gif] cite web
author=David Roth
year=2007
title=Tropical Cyclone Rainfall: Hurricane Barry
publisher=Hydrometeorogical Prediction Center
accessdate=2007-02-02
url=http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/barry1983.html ]

Meteorological history

Barry originated from a tropical disturbance off the African coast on August 13. At the time of formation, the upper-level wind shear was high in the North Atlantic, so development was very slow. The disturbance showed little convection until August 22, as it was approaching the Bahamas. A weak trough turned away and caused upper-level winds to decrease, a more favorable time for development. The distubance entered this environment and strengthened into the fourth tropical depression of the 1983 season on August 23. The depression rapidly strengthened into a tropical storm and was given the name Barry during the night of August 23. Barry started moving to the west towards Florida on August 24. Upper-level wind shear returned and postponed any further development of the storm. Barry made landfall in Florida on August 25 as a tropical depression.

The depression passed over Florida and entered the Gulf of Mexico on August 26. Gradual strengthening occurred as upper-level shear was low and Barry strengthened back into a storm and then into a hurricane just before landfall near Brownsville, Texas on August 28. Barry dissipated over the Mexican Mountains on August 29.

Preparations

Few watches and/or warnings were issued in accordance with Barry.cite web
author=National Hurricane Center
year=1983
title=Preliminary Report: Hurricane Barry - Page 4 - Watches and Warnings
publisher=National Hurricane Center
accessdate=2007-04-03
url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1983-prelim/barry/prelim04.gif] The first was a gale warning from Jupiter Inlet, Florida to Savannah, Georgia on August 24 at 1900 UTC. The warning was discontinued from St. Augustine to Savannah the next day. The next was a gale warning issued for Brownsville, Texas to Port O'Connor, Texas on August 27. This was upgraded into a hurricane warning as Barry strengthened a few hours later. The warning was extended to Mansfield, Texas and was discontinued by late August 28. Over 4,000 people were evacuated from South Padre Island in preparation of Hurricane Barry. Beaches in Port Aransas, Texas were evacuated at about 8 P.M. on August 27 as Barry approached.

Impact

Rains around convert|1|in|mm|sing=on were reported around Lake Okeechobee, 3 inches (76.2 mm) around the Orlando area and one inch in the Miami area. The peak rainfall was convert|3.01|in|mm in Wachula, Florida. Roads with poor drainage in Key West, Florida were flooded with over 1.5 in (38.1 mm) of rain. cite web
author=Miami Herald
year=1983-08-26
title=RAIN TRANSFORMS STREET INTO LAKE
publisher=The Miami Herald
accessdate=2007-02-03
url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB35D5B0DE77734&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM]

No casualties were reported from Barry, but thirty fishing boats were sunk in Mexico, along with the destruction of several hundred homes. Barry is credited with helping to relieve drought conditions in inland parts of northeastern Mexico. The only rainfall reported in Texas by Barry was convert|1|in|mm|sing=on around San Antonio. Along the Texas coast, beach erosion was caused from 1 to convert|2|ft|m higher than normal waves.cite web
author=National Hurricane Center
year=1983
title=Preliminary Report: Hurricane Barry - Page 2 - Meteorological Statisitics and Impact
publisher=National Hurricane Center
accessdate=2007-04-03
url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1983-prelim/barry/prelim02.gif] A storm tide of 3 to convert|4|ft|m was recorded in Mexican fishing villages. Winds were gusting in excess of convert|50|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on off the South Padre Island coast. Over 400 people were made homeless and there was a major loss of shrimping nets.

Barry also affected the launch of the Space Shuttle "Challenger", whose third mission was scheduled for August 30. NASA did not have time to return the shuttle to the hangar in time for Barry, and had the shuttle ride out the storm on the launch pad.cite web
author=Miami Herald
year=1983
title=NASA SECURES SHUTTLE AS STORM HEADS FOR CAPE CANAVERAL
publisher=The Miami Herald
accessdate=2007-02-03
url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB296072B9572DA&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM]

ee also

*List of Atlantic hurricanes

References

External links

* [http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1983.pdf Monthly Weather Review]