Tropical Storm — Lower St. Bernard, Louisiana

1998-09-19 to 1998-09-20 · Lower St. Bernard, Louisiana

Wider weather episode

A tropical depression that formed in the central Gulf of Mexico on September 17th strengthened to a minimal tropical storm named Hermine on the morning of the 18th. Tropical Storm Hermine meandered in the Gulf of Mexico for a period of time before beginning a slow north northeast motion that brought it ashore in the early morning hours of the 20th near Cocodrie, LA in Terrebonne Parish. Tropical Storm Hermine then drifted north over southeast Louisiana and was downgraded to a tropical depression 50 miles northwest of New Orleans during the morning of the 20th. Winds associated with Hermine were of minimal tropical storm force and were mainly contained in squalls. A peak wind gust of 46 mph in a squall was measured just off the southeast coast of Louisiana at the Burrwood C-MAN station near the mouth of the Mississippi River at 1139 CST on September 19th. In the New Orleans area, a maximum wind gust of 32 mph was measured at an automated weather station in far east portion of Lake Pontchartrain near the Rigolets at 0110 CST on September 20. Tropical Storm Hermine prolonged the coastal flooding that was already occurring along the along the southeast Louisiana coast and in Lakes Pontchartrain and Maurepas as a result of the effects of Tropical Storm Frances a week earlier. Tides continued to run 1 to 3 feet above normal when Hermine affected southeast Louisiana.Isolated flash flooding also occurred with Tropical Storm Hermine on September 20th when 3 to 4 inches of rain fell across areas of northern Washington Parish. Sections of Louisiana Highway 438 near Thomas were covered by four inches of water .

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5670168. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.