Hurricane (Typhoon) — Matagorda Islands, Texas

2021-09-13 to 2021-09-14 · Matagorda Islands, Texas

Event narrative

Hurricane Nicholas produced several hours of strong tropical storm force sustained winds and gusts. Winds briefly exceeded hurricane thresholds at a wind sensor near Matagorda. There were numerous power outages, trees downed and minor to moderate damage to some structures and roofs. There was minor to moderate coastal flooding and beach erosion. The towns of Sargent and Matagorda were especially hard hit.

Wider weather episode

Nicholas formed on September 12 in the Southwestern Gulf of Mexico, slowly advancing northeastward along the Middle Texas Coast. It eventually made landfall 10 miles west of Sargent just after midnight on September 14, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 75 mph. Heavy rain bands associated with Nicholas brought widespread rainfall totals of 6 to 10 inches to the Southeast Texas Coast, while strong wind gusts resulted in tree and structural damage as well as widespread power outages across the area. Additionally, Nicholas's surge resulted in flooding along the coast, particularly around Matagorda Bay.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 987246. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.