Hurricane (Typhoon) — Nacogdoches, Texas

2008-09-13 · Nacogdoches, Texas

Event narrative

Hurricane force winds sustained near 74 mph with higher gusts buffeted much of Nacogdoches County throughout the morning of September 13th. Damage was widespread across the county with numerous trees and power lines downed. Power outages were widespread as well with many residents without power during the height of the storm and well after the storm. A tree fell on a house on South Street in the town of Nacogdoches, Texas but no injuries were reported. Up to 100 roads were impassable during the height of the storm with another 600 containing scattered debris. Providing assistance with the cleanup and aid were 35 National Guardsman and 24 state troopers furnished by the Department of Public Safety. Another tree was downed on a home in Garrison, Texas but no injuries were reported.

Wider weather episode

Hurricane Ike came onshore across extreme southeast Texas during the late night hours of September 12th and the pre-dawn hours of September 13th. The storm made good progress northward during the day of September 13th and brought Tropical Storm force winds to much of northeast Texas and northwest Louisiana and extreme southwest Arkansas. The storm produced widespread downed trees and power lines along with structural damage either from the winds or from downed trees which fell on top of structures. Power outages were widespread across a three state area of northeast Texas, northwest Louisiana and southwest Arkansas. Southwest Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) which provides electricity to a good portion of northeast Texas, northwest Louisiana and southwest Arkansas said that the number of outages peaked at 187,000 customers. Additional power companies were called in from far away as Indiana and Michigan to deal with the numerous power outages. This was the second most number of outages at one time reported in SWEPCO's 96 year history. The most number of outages was 234,000 during the ice storm of December 13th, 2000. The number of power outages in association with Hurricane Ike topped the September 2005 recovery from Hurricane Rita by nearly 1000 customers. The storm also produced tornadoes across portions of north central Louisiana as well as south central Arkansas and east central Texas.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 136475. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.