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Almost two decades ago, Tropical Storm Allison came in like a wrecking ball as it barreled towards the Gulf Coast on June 5, 2001. This storm was a pure example that tropical systems do not have to be hurricanes to be destructive. Allison was a very powerful, lopsided tropical system packing sustained winds of 60 mph at landfall near Galveston, Texas.

The Creation of Allison

Every year since 1851, the Atlantic Hurricane Season names tropical systems in alphabetical order; the first named storm begins with an “A”, the next named storm is “B”, etc. The season begins promptly on June 1 and lasts until November 30, although storms have been known to develop before and after the season ends. Allison was the first named storm of the 2001 Atlantic Hurricane Season and lasted for more than two weeks. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) began tracking this storm when it was a tropical wave off Africa’s west coast on May 21, 2001. From that point, the cluster of storms began to organize across the Atlantic, and the wave moved into the warm Gulf of Mexico on June 1, 2001. Thanks to interaction from a Texas low pressure, Tropical Storm Allision reorganized and formed just southeast of Galveston, Texas, early on June 5, 2001.

Tropical Storm Allison Drills the Gulf Coast

The enhanced moisture from a combination of systems allowed Allison to produce astronomical rain. On its six-day journey inland across Texas, rainfall amounts ranged between 3 and 9 inches across northern Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama but along the Gulf Coast amounts reached 10 to 25 inches. Even a few spots, such as Jefferson County and Port of Houston saw nearly 40 inches. This amount of rainfall in a short period of time with the addition to any storm surge allowed for flash flooding. No deaths were reported within the first days of impact, but as the week progressed casualties and damages to property began to unfold.

Allison Takes a Toll on the U.S.

Sadly, one of the deadliest and costliest things about tropical systems is flooding, and Allison was no exception. Rainfall exceeding three feet led to one of the most severe flooding events that Houston had ever seen. Twenty-two people died in Houston as a result of more than 38 inches of rain. Southeastern Texas was the hardest state hit since Allison made landfall here. The storm destroyed more than 2,500 homes and nearly 100,000 vehicles. Allison left 30,000 homeless, caused extensive damage to the Texas Medical Center and racked up more than $5-billion worth of damage.

Allison did not stop in Texas; it continued into Louisiana where damage caused by massive flooding cost the state $65 million. Sadly, high sustained winds at 38 mph with gusts reported at 53 mph led to the death of one Louisiana resident after a power line fell onto his vehicle during the storm.

As for the remainder of the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, Allison would continue its rampage up until the storm dissipated June 20 when a cold front swept the remnant low pressure off the New England coast. Heavy rain resulted in flooding from Mississippi to the Carolinas and even north into the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.

Pennsylvania reported damages exceeding $200 million after flood waters flowed through the state. Indirectly, six people died because of a gas leak that led to an explosion after flood waters exposed a natural gas line at an apartment complex in Pennsylvania’s Upper Moreland Township. Meanwhile, strong rip currents played a role in eight Florida deaths. Not to mention, damages across the state totaled $20 million. When the damages estimated were crunched, Allison’s price tag in the U.S. was $8.5-billion.

Recovery and Remembrance

The entire world had their eyes on the situation as Allison rampaged the U.S. Once the damage had been done, the Deep South and Eastern U.S., including Texas, Mississippi, Florida, and Pennsylvania had access to relief efforts. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), The American Red Cross, Salvation Army and others led in the fight to restore life to what it once was. Nearly 50 shelters were opened as a result from the countless people who were left homeless due to the storm, and 300,000 meals were distributed to these shelters.

Alas, receding flood waters allowed for an infestation of mosquitos in Texas and Louisiana. Thankfully, FEMA provided aid to those affected by the pests and the mosquito problem had been solved within weeks. An estimated 120,000 citizens filed for federal aid in Texas that exceeded $1-billion six months after the storm had passed. Louisiana had the second highest federal aid recipients as an estimated $110 million were granted to the afflicted.

The name “Allison” was the only named storm to be retired during the 2001 Atlantic Hurricane Season that was not a hurricane. As a matter of fact, it was the first ever Tropical Storm to be retired until Erika came along in 2015. Other than Hurricane Harvey which brought a historic 60 inches to Houston in 2017, Allison would become known as one of the wettest tropical storms in Texas history.

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Sources: NOAA, Wikimedia Commons

Story Image: Tropical Storm Allison at peak intensity on June 5 at 1715 UTC. (NASA/Wikimedia Commons)

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On this Day: Tropical Storm Allison Hits Texas, Floods Houston