Hurricane Bob (1979)

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Hurricane Bob
Type=hurricane
Year=1979
Basin=Atl
Image location=Hurricane Bob (1979).jpg


Formed=July 9, 1979
Dissipated=July 16, 1979
1-min winds=65
Pressure=986
Da

Inflated=0
Fatalities=1 direct
Areas=Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri Mississippi, Alabama, Indiana, Illinois, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina, western Virginia
Hurricane season=1979 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Bob was a minimal hurricane that brought rainfall throughout several states, killing one person and causing over $20 million (1979 USD; $59 million (2008 USD)) in damage. Bob was the fifth tropical depression, second named storm, and first hurricane of the 1979 Atlantic hurricane season. The same area would be affected by Tropical Storm Claudette and Hurricane Frederic later in the season.cite web | url = http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1979.pdf | title = 1979 Monthly Weather Review| accessdate = 2007-01-31 | last = Herbert | first = Paul | date = March 26, 1980 | publisher = NHC |format=PDF]

The hurricane formed as tropical depression from a tropical disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico on July 9. When the depression was named Tropical Storm Bob on July 10, it was the first storm to be given a male name since 1952 when the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet was replaced with female names. Also the first July hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico since July 1959, Bob continued to strengthen into the Gulf, attaining peak winds of 75 mph (115 km/h). The hurricane struck land near Grand Isle, Louisiana on July 11, and continued northward over the United States. The cyclone eventually emerged over open water on July 15, but failed to restrengthen. The storm finally dissipated on July 16.

Meteorological history

A tropical disturbance formed off the African coast on the last week of June 1979. The disturbance showed no signs of organization until July 6, when the system entered the Caribbean Sea. It passed over the Yucatan Peninsula on July 7 and entered the Gulf of Mexico. A weak circulation began to form, and the disturbance was upgraded into a tropical depression on July 9.cite web | url = http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1979-prelim/bob/prelim01.gif| title = Hurricane Bob Tropical Cyclone Report| accessdate = 2007-01-31 | last = Clark | first = Gilbert B. | year = 1979 | publisher = NHC ]

An Air Force reconnaissance aircraft reported that a tropical storm was forming on the morning of July 10, while Tropical Depression Five was 400 miles (645 km) off the coast of Louisiana. The depression moved to the north and attained tropical storm status at 0600 UTC on July 10, and as such, was named "Bob". Bob made a gradual turn to the northeast, increasing its forward speed to 20 mph (24 km/h). More reconnaissance flights reported a drop in pressure and an increase in winds, now at about 70 –80 mph (110–130 km/h). The storm intensified into a minimal hurricane ilate on July 10, maintaining that strength until making landfall at Grand Isle, Louisiana on the morning of July 11.

Bob moved inland into the Mississippi Valley and weakened, tracking to the northeast with wind speeds of around 25–30 mph (30–35 km/h). Bob reached western Tennessee on July 12 and parts of Ohio the next day. A few days later, the remnants reached the Atlantic Ocean, and was absorbed by a low-pressure system on July 16.

Preparations

The storm forced the evacuation of 8,000 workers from oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico on July 10, as the hurricane strengthened and moved towards land. Thousands of natural gas and oil rigs exist in the Gulf, many of which were abandoned and shut down. Natural gas production was halted in some of the evacuations, causing problems for residents evacuating the Gulf Coast.

Pumps in New Orleans, Louisiana, a city below sea level, were prepared for heavy usage.cite web | url = http://www.thehurricanearchive.com/Viewer.aspx?
| title = Hurricane Bob batters Gulf oil rigs| accessdate = 2007-10-01 | year = 1979 | publisher = Associated Press] Because the storm formed so quickly and very close to shore, workers had quickly put their hurricane evacuation plans into order. People were forced to be evacuated to higher ground immediately. Public schools were shut down and Charity Hospital's 150 outpatient clinics, which handles over 1400 patients, were canceled. Throughout a large stretch from New Iberia to the Louisiana border, evacuation orders were posted. Flash flood warnings were issued for southeastern Louisiana, in anticipation of significant flooding.cite web | url = http://www.thehurricanearchive.com/FullViewer.aspx?
| title = Hurricane Bob Nudges Louisiana| accessdate = 2007-10-01 | year = 1979 | publisher = Associated Press]

Impact

In open waters a fishing party was caught in the midst of Bob; the Coast Guard sent a helicopter to rescue the party. Another helicopter was sent to check on a disabled vehicle, though no details were reported.

Rainfall peaked at the Springville Fire Tower in Louisiana, where over convert|7|in|mm|abbr=on fell..cite web | url = http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/bob1979.html | title = Hurricane Bob Rainfall Totals| accessdate = 2007-01-31 | last = Roth | first = David | year = 2007 | publisher = HPC ] Over 53,000 power failures were reported in the wake of Bob.cite web | url = http://www.thehurricanearchive.com/Viewer.aspx?
| title = Hurricane Bob claims 1 life; It's hot here| accessdate = 2007-10-01 | year = 1979 | publisher = The Frederick Post] The only reported death was a man who was blown off a collapsing marina roof in Lafitte, Louisiana. In the same incident, another person was injured. There was considerable pier damage from high tides and rough seas. Trees and power lines fell throughout New Orleans with gusty winds breaking windows in the business district and collapsing a brick wall. Billboards at New Orleans International Airport were torn off of buildings and knocked small metal houses away, though no injuries were reported. Pounding surf blew sand throughout Louisiana Highway 1, which resulted in the road being closed due to sand dunes. The Lafourche Bayou topped its banks in Leeville, Louisiana, blocking the main highway and littering the area with logs, timber, oil drums and swamped boats.cite web | url = http://www.thehurricanearchive.com/Viewer.aspx?
| title = Hurricane disintegrates, heads into Mississippi| accessdate = 2007-10-01 | year = 1979 | publisher = The Galveston Daily News] Bob breached Shell Island in Louisiana, which further deteriorated the island.cite web | url = http://www.coast2050.gov/reports/bia/ch4d.pdf | title = Plaquemines Barrier System - 1884-1988| accessdate = 2007-10-01 | year = 2007 | publisher = U.S. Geological Survey|format=PDF]

Birmingham Airport in Alabama reported over 3 in (75 mm) of rainfall within an hour. Eight tornadoes were reported but only one caused severe damage while sweeping through Biloxi, Mississippi. Damage from the tornado is estimated at $27,500 (1979 USD; $76,720 in 2006 USD) but no fatalities were reported. A tornado in southern Alabama injured and hospitalized four people; an 80 year-old man was hospitalized after another tornado demolished a general store in South Community, Alabama. Three other people were injured in the tornado, but none of the injuries were serious.cite web | url = http://www.thehurricanearchive.com/Viewer.aspx?
| title = National Weather| accessdate = 2007-10-01 | year = 1979 | publisher = Marysville Journal-Tribune]

Elsewhere, rainfall was around 1 in (25 mm) in parts of Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, western Virginia and Ohio, though up to 3 in (75 mm) fell on the Florida Panhandle. North Carolina received little rainfall, peaking at about 3 in (75 mm) where Bob entered the Atlantic Ocean. Flooding was considerable in West Virginia, Indiana and Ohio. A tornado touched down in Kentucky from the remnants of Bob, which damaged some homes and left downed trees.cite web | url = http://www.thehurricanearchive.com/Viewer.aspx?
| title = Thunderstorms hit northern plains| accessdate = 2007-10-01 | year = 1979 | publisher = The Chronicle Telegram]

Total damage from Bob totaled oto $20 million (1979 USD; $59 million (2008 USD)). $250,000 (1979 USD; $742,000 in 2006 USD) in damage occurred in Harrison County, Mississippi alone. The name Bob was not retired after this season or the 1985 season. However the name was retired after the 1991 season and replaced in the list with Bill.

ee also

*List of tropical cyclones
*List of Atlantic hurricanes

References

External links

* [ftp://ftp.nhc.noaa.gov/pub/storm_archives/atlantic/prelimat/atl1979/ Detailed information on all storms from 1979]