User:IrishSurfer21/Nicholas

Hurricane Nicholas was a slow-moving and erratic Category 1 hurricane that made landfall in the U.S. state of Texas in mid-September 2021. The fourteenth named storm and sixth hurricane of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season, Nicholas originated from a tropical wave that emerged off the west coast of Africa on August 28. The system developed into a tropical storm on September 12, with the National Hurricane Center (NHC) naming the cyclone Nicholas. Nicholas gradually intensified initially, due to adverse effects of strong wind shear. However, late on September 13, Nicholas began intensifying at a faster rate, and at 03:00 UTC on September 14, Nicholas intensified into a Category 1 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph and a minimum central pressure of 988 mbar. At 5:30 UTC on the same day, Nicholas made landfall in Texas at peak intensity. Afterward, the system gradually weakened, weakening into a tropical storm several hours later, and weakening further into a tropical depression on the next day. The system proceeded to drift slowly over Louisiana. On September 15, Nicholas degenerated into a remnant low, before being absorbed into another extratropical system on September 20.

The storm brought heavy rainfall and storm surge to parts of Texas and Louisiana. Some of the affected areas were still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Ida, which impacted the Gulf Coast of the United States a few weeks prior. Hurricane Nicholas caused four deaths and $1.1 billion in damage.

Meteorological history
On August 28, a tropical wave moved off the west coast of Africa. It moved steadily westward over the next week, producing only disorganized convection before moving into and through the Caribbean Sea. At 06:00 UTC on September 9, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) began to monitor the northern portion the tropical wave over the western Caribbean Sea for potential development as it moved across northern Central America and the Yucatán Peninsula toward the Bay of Campeche. By the next day, the wave began to interact with a surface trough over the southern Gulf of Mexico, producing widespread but disorganized showers and thunderstorms across the region. Showers and thunderstorms associated with this system increased and become better organized on September 12, and its top sustained winds reached 40 mph (tropical storm-force), as confirmed by an Air Force hurricane-hunter flight that morning. As a result, advisories were initiated at 15:00 UTC on Tropical Storm Nicholas.

After forming, the storm was found to be not very organized, as it lacked convective banding features. The center was also not well defined. After satellite imagery from radar and aircraft, it was found that the center had re-formed 150 nautical miles more north than expected and the storm had gained speed. The storm entered the southern part of a large area of deep convection, as signs of an eyewall structure forming were beginning to become prominent. The eyewall structure then dissipated and a new center began forming north-northeast of the previous. The storm then underwent a period of rapid intensification, the fifth hurricane of the season to do so, after intensifying by 30 kn in a 24-hour period. Consequently, at 03:00 UTC on September 14, the system was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane. Shortly thereafter, at 05:30 UTC, Nicholas made landfall about 10 mi west-southwest of Sargent Beach, Texas, with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph. It then quickly weakened inland to tropical storm strength, as it moved to near Galveston Bay. Nicholas was downgraded to tropical depression status at 00:00 UTC on September 15, as it moved slowly into southern Louisiana, where residents were still recovering in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. At the time, the system consisted of a large swirl of low- to mid-level clouds and showers, with a few patches of deep convection well removed from the center, according to the NHC. Early the following day, while situated near Marsh Island, along the Louisiana coast, Nicholas became post-tropical. Nicholas's remnant low later moved further inland, stalling over northern Louisiana,  before its low-level circulation center became ill-defined on September 18. The storm's remnants persisted for another few days, before they were absorbed into an extratropical storm to the north on September 20. The system's residual tropical moisture lingered over parts of the southeastern U.S. for several days.

Preparations
When Tropical Storm Nicholas formed, tropical storm warnings were issued along the coast from Barra El Mezquital and north to Port Aransas, Texas. Additionally, tropical storm watches were called from Port Aransas to High Island, Texas. As Nicholas neared landfall, tropical storm alerts were issued for the entire Texas coast. The first hurricane warning was issued from Port O'Connor to Freeport, Texas at 03:00 UTC, when the storm was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane. Flood watches were also issued in southern and central Louisiana when Nicholas slowed its forward speed to 5 mph. In addition to flood watches, the Weather Prediction Center issued a rare 50 percent high-risk flooding area for southwestern Louisiana.

Rainfall estimate totals were 8 to 16 in, with some locations potentially receiving 15 in. Coastal Louisiana, which was battered by Hurricane Ida just weeks earlier, was estimated to receive 5 to 10 in. Lake Houston was lowered by 1 ft. Schools in southern Texas and Louisiana were suspended on September 13. At least 330 flights originating from William P. Hobby Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport were cancelled. In Harris County, COVID-19 testing sites were closed. Late on September 13, ferry service between Galveston and the Bolivar Peninsula were suspended. Service resumed the next day.

Governor of Louisiana, John Bel Edwards, declared a state of emergency and noted that areas affected by Hurricane Ida would possibly feel the effects of the tropical storm. Edwards also requested a federal disaster declaration, which was approved by President Joe Biden on September 14. The Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, issued a disaster declaration for 17 counties in southeastern Texas and ordered the State Operations Center to increase its readiness level. The Louisiana National Guard deployed 80 high water vehicles, 23 boats and 15 aircraft across southern Louisiana. On September 13, before the storm hit, singer-songwriter Harry Styles postponed his performance in Houston. Dozens of barriers were constructed in Houston and readied high-water rescue vehicles. The American Red Cross in the Texas Gulf Coast area prepared as Nicholas moved closer to landfall.

Mexico
Due to its proximity to the Tamaulipas coastline, Nicholas was considered by a "direct hit" by Mexican authorities. Tropical storm conditions occurred in northeastern Mexico as Nicholas passed to the east. A peak wind gust of 42 mph (68 km/h) was measured in Bagdad, Tamaulipas. Rainfall was observed in Veracruz, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Tabasco, Puebla, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas between September 12 and 14. Veracruz received the highest rainfall totals reaching 10.2 in (259.9 mm) over the three-day period.

United States
Losses in the United States ranged from $1.1 to $2.2 billion, according to an estimate by Risk Management (RMS). RMS estimated losses to the National Flood Insurance Program to be between $200 million and $500 million. Karen Clark & Co. estimated damage around $950 million.

Texas
The storm left at least 503,000 without power in Texas, mostly in the Houston area. An estimated 33 percent of Galveston County residents were without power. Portions of the Strand Historic District in Galveston were left underwater. The Colonial Pipeline shut down two pipelines from Houston to North Carolina due to power outages. This shutdown occurred just two weeks after the same pipelines were shut down due to Hurricane Ida. In Seabrook, officials estimated that 30 homes sustained wind or flood damage. The Pine Gully fishing pier in the Pine Gully Park was destroyed by storm surge. City officials promised to work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to rebuild the pier.

Deer Park, Texas recorded 9.83 in of rain, while Beaumont, Texas recorded around 7 in, and Houston saw over 6 in. Storm surge in Port O'Connor was reported to be near 4 feet. A gas station had its roof blown off in Matagorda. Several roadways were closed due to flooding and debris, including a section of I-10 and Texas State Highway 225. Several highways in and near Clear Lake, League City, and Friendswood were inundated, including several lanes of Interstate 45. No injuries or deaths have been reported due to the storm in Texas. In Pearland, 21 percent of the city was without power. Flash flood warnings were issued in Pasadena, League City, and Baytown.

Louisiana
In Louisiana, the strongest recorded sustained wind was measured at 43 mph (69 km/h) by a weather station at Calcasieu Pass, where a gust of 49 mph (79 km/h) was also recorded. The highest storm surge in the state was observed at Amerada Pass, reaching 2.7 ft (0.8 m); Shell Beach measured tides 2.6 ft (0.8 m) above normal. Nicholas and its remnant moisture produced days of heavy rainfall across Louisiana beginning on September 13, lasting until September 20, when the moisture was drawn away by a frontal system. The cyclone produced a maximum precipitation accumulation of 17.29 in (439.2 mm) in Tangipahoa Parish. The National Hurricane Center noted in its Tropical Cyclone Report that Nicholas could have potentially caused a "catastrophic" rainfall event, however, wind shear caused deep moisture to be stripped from Nicholas' center to the north and east, and become more spread out across a larger region. Nicholas affected areas that had been recently devastated by Hurricane Ida the previous month, disrupting electricity restoration to 84,000 customers and water leaked into homes damaged by Ida. Heavy rainfall caused the flooding of many rivers and creeks statewide: the Calcasieu River reached a crest of 13.25 ft (4 m) in Glenmora, at minor flood stage.

Alabama


The remnants of Nicholas contributed to heavy rainfall across much of Alabama for several days, resulting in destructive flash floods. The city of Tuscaloosa observed a 1 in 1,000–year rainfall event on September 18, with 5 in (127 mm) of precipitation measured at a rain gauge on Kauloosa Avenue. The same rain gauge observed a rainfall rate of 4.5 in (114.3 mm) within an hour-long period. Several roads in Tuscaloosa County were impassable due to flooding, including one road that was damaged by a sinkhole. A man drowned after he was swept into a drainage ditch after attempting to cross a flooded road and was found approximately a quarter mile (0.4 km) downstream near Interstate 359. The University of Alabama issued a weather alert warning faculty and students to avoid the campus due to flooding. Floodwaters damaged 22 buildings on the campus, inundating several classrooms, a meeting hall, a lab, and a studio control room, which all were closed for repairs. Electrical services on the campus were also briefly disrupted. Areas on the northern shore of the Black Warrior River observed rising water levels during the storm. Several roads were left impassible due to floodwaters in Alexander City, Acton, and in the suburbs of Birmingham. Several locations in Hoover and Vestavia Hills were flooded after Patton Creek overflowed its banks. Water entered multiple dwellings and a country club; 6 in (152 mm) of water flowed over U.S. Route 31. Flash flooding also occurred in Madison County, where another man was swept into a drainage pipe and drowned in Hazel Green. A road was partially washed out by flooding in rural Geneva County. Further south, more than 6 in (152 mm) of rain fell in Lillian. Quick-moving flash floods washed several vehicles off U.S. Route 98, resulting in the rescue of one person. A sinkhole measuring up to 10 ft (3 m) in depth damaged a road in nearby Seminole. Damage in the Lillian and Seminole areas totaled $250,000.

Remainder of the Southern United States
In Florida, two indirect deaths occurred due to rip currents from the storm's remnants in Panama City Beach where two males were swept out to sea. Additionally, a 60-year-old man was hospitalized in critical condition on 17 September as a result of the rip currents. Moisture from the remnants of Nicholas brought heavy rainfall to the Florida Panhandle. Rainfall accumulations reached a maximum total of 12.66 in (321.56 mm) north of Pensacola. Several streets were inundated in downtown Pensacola; water levels reached up to the tires of vehicles in West Pensacola. In Mississippi, Nicholas produced a peak rainfall total of 18.52 in (470.4 mm) in Gulfport. Flooding stalled out many cars in D'Iberville. Street flooding also occurred further north in Rolling Fork and Caledonia. Overall damage from Nicholas in Mississippi reached $26,000. Heavy rainfall also impacted Georgia where 9.74 in (247.4 mm) of rain was observed in Eastman. In Tennessee, the remnants of Nicholas spawned severe storms that produced up to 11.2 in (284.5 mm) of precipitation near Pikeville. Thunderstorms near Cookeville resulted in flooding that inundated a structure and stranded a vehicle. A dwelling in Normandy was also submerged, with several vehicles being swept downstream by a torrent creek. Richland Creek crested at 9.66 ft (2.94 m) in Belle Meade, the third highest recorded at the creek, correlating to moderate flood stage.