1933 Texas tropical storm

On July 14, a tropical depression developed near Saint Kitts.^{[nb 2]} Moving generally westward, it passed south of Hispaniola on July 15, and strengthened into a tropical storm a day later. After passing south of Jamaica, the storm reached peak winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) early on July 18. Later that day, a ship reported a pressure of 995 mbar (29.4 inHg), which was adjusted to 999 mbar (29.5 inHg) to compensate a bias in the ship's barometer. Around 1500 UTC on July 18, the storm made landfall near Belize City, British Honduras, at its peak intensity.^[1] After moving ashore, the storm quickly weakened into a tropical depression while crossing the Yucatán Peninsula. Late on July 19, it emerged into the Bay of Campeche.^{[nb 3]} It turned to the northwest due to a ridge moving eastward,^[3] and the system re-intensified into a tropical storm on July 21. At around 0800 UTC on July 23, the storm moved ashore on Matagorda Bay in southeastern Texas with winds of about 45 mph (75 km/h). It weakened into a tropical depression and later drifted eastward over eastern Texas. On July 24, the depression became extratropical after interacting with a cold front, and it was absorbed by the front on July 27 along the border of Arkansas and Mississippi.^[1][4][1]

In Jamaica, both Kingston and Saint Andrew Parish reported 9 in (230 mm) of rainfall. The precipitation was the highest July rainfall in at least 40 years, causing river flooding and landslides.^[5] The storm washed out roads and wrecked one bridge, which disrupted the regional transportation. The storm also cut telegraph lines between Kingston and the eastern portion of the island.^[6][7]

The storm also dropped heavy rainfall in eastern Texas and northwestern Louisiana, peaking at 21.3 in (540 mm) in Logansport, Louisiana.^[3] Logansport also reported a 24‑hour total of 18 in (460 mm), which set the record for the highest daily rainfall total there in July.^[8] Shreveport in the same state observed 12.4 in (310 mm) of rain in 24 hours, which was the highest daily total on record for the site as of 2008.^[9] It was the city's worst recorded floods related to a tropical cyclone.^[10] Alexandria also broke its 24‑hour rainfall record in July with a total of 9.75 in (248 mm) on July 25. A severe thunderstorm damaged roofs and windows in the city.^[8][8] In Texas, more than 10 in (250 mm) of rainfall caused flooding, which washed out a bridge in Henderson and portions of the Santa Fe Railway line between Carthage and Longview. Five people required rescue after being trapped in a fast-moving river. Damaged reached $1.5 million across Shelby and Panola counties. The rains caused crop damage in Texas and Louisiana. The rains caused many streams to exceed their banks, including one creek near Converse that flooded roads and railways. The floods forced families to evacuate in low-lying areas of northern Louisiana.^[11][4][12] Heavy rains also spread into southern Arkansas and northwestern Mississippi.^[3]

• List of Texas hurricanes (1900–49)