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Notable 2001 storms include Tropical Storm Allison, Hurricane Iris, and Hurricane Michelle. Allison was the deadliest and most costly tropical storm on record in the United States. Hurricane Iris caused widespread damage in Belize when it made landfall at Category 4 strength. Hurricane Michelle was responsible for numerous deaths and large-scale damage in Jamaica, Cuba, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
An unusual spree of named storms with interrupted tracks occurred in 2001, with four identified tropical cyclones degenerating below tropical depression strength and reforming.
| Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Wind speed | Storm surge | ||
| mi/h (km/h) | ft (m) | |||
| | ||||
| 5 | >156 (>250) | >18 (>5.5) | ||
| 4 | 131–155 (210–249) | 13–18 (4.0–5.5) | ||
| 3 | 111–130 (178–209) | 9–12 (2.7–3.7) | ||
| 2 | 96–110 (154–177) | 6–8 (1.8–2.4) | ||
| 1 | 74–95 (119–153) | 4–5 (1.2–1.5) | ||
| | ||||
| Tropical storm | 35–73 (56–117) | 0–3 (0–0.9) | ||
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Allison formed from a low pressure system that had wandered north out of the Bay of CampecheThe Bay of Campeche ( Spanish: Bahia de Campeche) is the southern bight of the Gulf of Mexico. It is surrounded on three sides by the Mexican states of Campeche, Tabasco and Veracruz. The Cantarell Complex of five oil fields lies beneath the Bay of Campec. While 120 nm south of Galveston, TexasGalveston redirects here. For the Galveston in Indiana, see: Galveston, Indiana Galveston is a city and island located in Galveston County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 57,247. In 1900, the island was str, the low developed deep convection and mid and low-level circulation, and on June 5June 5 is the 156th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (157th in leap years), with 209 days remaining. Events 1700-1899 1783 The Montgolfier brothers publicly demonstrate their montgolfiere ( hot air balloon). 1817 First Great Lakes steamer, the Fr was named Tropical Storm Allison. Allison would retain some subtropical characteristics, but caused more damage than most full hurricanes.
Allison strengthened somewhat, and made landfall in the afternoon on the 5th near Freeport, TexasFreeport is a city located in Brazoria County, Texas and is situated in East Texas. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 12,708. Dow Chemical is the major employer in Freeport, as the company operates a large chemical plant complex in. For a typical tropical system, landfall on the mainland United States marks the beginning of its end, but Allison was not typical. Allison, having degraded to a tropical depression, moved northward into Texas, reaching Lufkin on June 7. It then began moving south and on the 10th re-entered the Gulf of Mexico near its landfall location. At this point, Allison had lost many of its tropical characteristics, and was classified as a subtropical depression.
After restrengthening while travelling east over the Gulf, Subtropical Storm Allison made landfall again near Morgan City, Louisiana. Allison continued east-northeastward, passing through Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. The center of the subtropical depression then drifted north over eastern North Carolina, and moved over the Atlantic Ocean on June 17. Allison would merge with a cold front the next day, and by the 19th had dissipated.
Although a minimal storm and barely tropical, Allison is one of the costliest and deadliest tropical cyclones to affect the United States, and the worst tropical storm on record in that nation. FEMA estimated damages at $5 billion, nearly all of it related to freshwater flooding in the Houston Metropolitan Area. There are 41 deaths directly attributable to Allison, 27 of them due to flooding.