Marine Tropical Storm — Matagorda Ship Chnl To Pt Aransas Out 20nm, Gulf of Mexico

2021-09-13 to 2021-09-14 · Matagorda Ship Chnl To Pt Aransas Out 20nm, Gulf of Mexico

Event narrative

Doppler radar, satellite imagery, and aircraft reconnaissance indicated Tropical Storm Nicholas moved across the region from the early morning to late evening hours of the 13th. Sustained winds were from 40-50 knots with gusts up to 60 knots. Seas built to 14 to 18 feet in the late morning through the afternoon and evening.

Wider weather episode

An area of low pressure over the western Caribbean Sea on September 9th moved west into the Bay of Campeche by the 11th. The low pressure area strengthened to become Tropical Storm Nicholas over the southern Gulf of Mexico on the morning of the 12th. Nicholas moved northward across the western Gulf of Mexico to the lower Texas coastal waters early on the 13th. Tropical storm force gusts reached southern portions of the Middle Texas coastal waters during the early morning hours of the 13th. Tropical Storm Nicholas moved to the north during the afternoon and evening on the 13th across the coastal waters of the Middle Texas coast. Seas increased to 15 to 20 feet over the Gulf waters during the afternoon. Nicholas moved north-northeast and made landfall east of Matagorda Bay before midnight as a minimal hurricane.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 984853. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.