Although tropical storms and hurricanes can develop outside the June 1 to November 30 period, yesterday was the “official” end of the 2020 hurricane season. The 2020 season tied or set an astounding number of records. The following compilation comes from Harris County Meteorologist Jeff Lindner.
Tracks of 2020 Storms
2020 By the Numbers
The 2020 season was the most active season ever recorded with a total of:
30 tropical storms (pervious record was 28 in 2005)
13 hurricanes (2005 continues to hold the record with 15)
6 major hurricanes
This is only the second time the Greek alphabet has been used (previous was 2005).
Landfalls
The US coastline – especially the US Gulf coast – experienced a record 12 landfalls, surpassing the previous record of 9 from 1916. Landfalling storms included (Bertha, Cristobal, Hanna, Fay, Isaias, Laura, Marco, Sally, Beta, Delta, Zeta, Eta (2 FL landfalls).
The Gulf coast experienced 9 of the 12 landfalls including 5 hurricanes (Hanna, Laura, Sally, Delta, Zeta).
Texas and Louisiana suffered 7 of the 9 landfalls with only Sally and Eta making landfall east of the Mississippi River.
Louisiana experienced the landfall of 5 tropical systems: 2 tropical storms (Cristobal and Marco) and 3 hurricanes (Laura, Delta, Zeta). Laura and Delta made landfall only 12 miles apart roughly 6 weeks apart in southwest Louisiana just east of Cameron.
Portions of the state of Louisiana spent a total of 3 weeks within the NHC error cone this hurricane season. The state of LA was under coastal watches or warnings due to a tropical cyclone for a total of 474 hours or 19.75 days.
Laura was the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the state of Louisiana since 1856.
For the most part, storms impacting the US coast in 2020 missed large metro areas when compared to 2017 and 2005. Given the large number of storms that made landfall in the US, the estimated damages were low compared to other years. Damages for the 2020 hurricane season were $37 billion in the US, compared to $307 billion (2017…Harvey and Irma) and $238 billion (2005…Katrina, Rita, Wilma).
Strength, Rapid Intensification, Concentration
On September 14, 2020, 5 tropical cyclones were ongoing at the same time in the Atlantic basin (Sally, Paulette, Rene, Teddy, and Vicky). This ties September 1971 for the most number of tropical cyclones at the same time in the basin.
On September 18, 2020, 3 tropical cyclones formed within in 6-hr window (Wilfred, Alpha, and Beta). This is only the second time in recorded history that 3 tropical cyclones have formed in such a short time period…the other time was in 1893.
10 tropical storms formed in the month of September – the most for any month on record
A total of 10 systems experienced rapid intensification (35mph increase in wind speed in 24hrs) in 2020 (Hanna, Laura, Sally, Teddy, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta, Eta, and Iota).
Hurricanes Delta, Iota, and Eta experienced winds speed increases over 100mph in 36 hours or less.
Of the 6 major hurricanes in 2020, 4 were in October and November and had Greek alphabet names (Delta, Epsilon, Eta, and Iota).
Hurricanes Eta and Iota both made landfall only 15 miles apart along the Nicaragua coast both as category 4 hurricanes.
Hurricane Iota (160mph) became the latest category 5 hurricane on record in the Atlantic basin and the second strongest November hurricane on record only behind the 1932 Cuba hurricane (175mph)
NOAA hurricane hunters flew a total of 86 missions for 678 flight hours and 102 eyewall passages. A total of 1772 dropsondes were deployed.
Posted by Bob Rehak based on data from Harris County Meteorologist Jeff Lindner
1190 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/image005.png?fit=1146%2C710&ssl=17101146adminadmin2020-12-01 10:18:492020-12-01 10:18:54Record-Setting 2020 Hurricane Season In Review
“More than 200 families will lose their land and homes Tuesday as the controversial developer in Liberty County continues mass foreclosures,” says Dolcefino. “Nearly 97 percent of foreclosures in the county are now linked to a neighborhood housing a growing number of illegal immigrants.”
A small part of 13,000-acre Colony Ridge in Liberty County. Photographed last spring.
One in Eight Colony Ridge Lots Foreclosed on This Year
The developer foreclosed on more than 2,700 properties before Thanksgiving this year, according to Dolcefino. With another 200 on the auction block tomorrow, that will make 2,900 – out of a total of 22,356 properties (according to the developer’s website). That’s about 13% of all the lots in Colony Ridge, foreclosed on in ONE year. More than one in eight!
According to Dolcefino, the foreclosure auction should take place on the steps of the Liberty County Courthouse from 10 to 1 tomorrow. Dolcefino caught the developer’s employees faking an auction last time.
Colony Ridge So Far Has Managed to Repurchase Every Foreclosure
Dolcefino also says that Colony Ridge has repurchased 100% of the lots it has foreclosed on. Thus, the developer sells and resells the properties many times over in a revolving door arrangement.
Colony Ridge boasts that they finances land transactions themselves. The developer makes it exceedingly easy to purchase the property with down payments as low as a few hundred dollars. But then he charges up to 13% interest rates on the balance. And the fees for water and sewage hookups can be astronomical.
No wonder the developer and his team (a bunch of ex-boxers) have an undefeated record. It’s the perfect combination punch for unsophisticated buyers, many of whom barely speak English: a down-payment jab followed by uppercut interest rates, roundhouse fees, and the knockout at the County Courthouse.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/1/2020
1190 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/20200616-RJR_4059.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2020-11-30 22:49:002020-11-30 23:37:56Flood of Foreclosures: Hundreds to Lose Colony Ridge Homes Tomorrow
Atlas 14 Updates Rainfall Frequency Estimates Developed in 1960s
Developers must now design detention and storm sewers around rainfall rates that increase 16-32% compared to the old standards for Harris County.
Data included in Atlas 14:
Replaces rainfall-depth information used since the 1960s
Provides estimates of the depth of rainfall for average recurrence intervals of 1 year through 1,000 years, and durations from 5 minutes to 60 days.
NOAA collected this data in Texas through December 2017, which includes rainfall from Hurricane Harvey.
New Atlas-14 Rainfall Frequency Estimates for the Lake Houston Area
Floodplain, Detention & Fill Restrictions
The amended policy manual adopts the increased precipitation rates. It also specifies more rigorous criteria for detention basins and fill within the floodplain.
Amendments anticipate that the future Atlas-14 1% (100-year) floodplain will equal the current 0.2% (500-year) floodplain.
Harris County Flood Control District
Therefore, these amendments are considered to be interim and will be reevaluated once new floodplains have been produced as part of HCFCD’s Modeling Assessment and Awareness Project (MAAPnext) in late 2021. You can find more information on MAAPnext at www.maapnext.org.
Zero Net Fill
The old guidelines prohibited developers from adding fill only within the 100-year floodplain. Now they’re prohibited from adding fill within the 500-year floodplain, too. The policy is called “zero net fill.” It means developers cannot bring fill into the floodplains. They can, however, excavate fill from one part of their property and use it to build up another part of their property.
Under new guidelines, developers cannot bring fill into either the 100-year or 500-year floodplains.
For a 20-acre development, the average volume of stormwater within detention basins will increase by about 20%, or about 32,500 additional gallons per acre.
Effort to Harmonize Floodplain Regs with Neighbors’
Record-Setting 2020 Hurricane Season In Review
Although tropical storms and hurricanes can develop outside the June 1 to November 30 period, yesterday was the “official” end of the 2020 hurricane season. The 2020 season tied or set an astounding number of records. The following compilation comes from Harris County Meteorologist Jeff Lindner.
2020 By the Numbers
Landfalls
Strength, Rapid Intensification, Concentration
Threading the Needles
This is not a record, but…every storm that made landfall missed the Lake Houston Area. Beta came nearest and dumped up to 14 inches of rain crosstown.
Posted by Bob Rehak based on data from Harris County Meteorologist Jeff Lindner
1190 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Flood of Foreclosures: Hundreds to Lose Colony Ridge Homes Tomorrow
Wayne Dolcefino, investigative reporter extraordinaire, posted a followup story today to his Thanksgiving expose of Colony Ridge, the world’s largest trailer park in Liberty County. It’s about a flood of foreclosures.
More than 200 Foreclosures Before Christmas
“More than 200 families will lose their land and homes Tuesday as the controversial developer in Liberty County continues mass foreclosures,” says Dolcefino. “Nearly 97 percent of foreclosures in the county are now linked to a neighborhood housing a growing number of illegal immigrants.”
One in Eight Colony Ridge Lots Foreclosed on This Year
The developer foreclosed on more than 2,700 properties before Thanksgiving this year, according to Dolcefino. With another 200 on the auction block tomorrow, that will make 2,900 – out of a total of 22,356 properties (according to the developer’s website). That’s about 13% of all the lots in Colony Ridge, foreclosed on in ONE year. More than one in eight!
According to Dolcefino, the foreclosure auction should take place on the steps of the Liberty County Courthouse from 10 to 1 tomorrow. Dolcefino caught the developer’s employees faking an auction last time.
Colony Ridge So Far Has Managed to Repurchase Every Foreclosure
Dolcefino also says that Colony Ridge has repurchased 100% of the lots it has foreclosed on. Thus, the developer sells and resells the properties many times over in a revolving door arrangement.
Colony Ridge boasts that they finances land transactions themselves. The developer makes it exceedingly easy to purchase the property with down payments as low as a few hundred dollars. But then he charges up to 13% interest rates on the balance. And the fees for water and sewage hookups can be astronomical.
No wonder the developer and his team (a bunch of ex-boxers) have an undefeated record. It’s the perfect combination punch for unsophisticated buyers, many of whom barely speak English: a down-payment jab followed by uppercut interest rates, roundhouse fees, and the knockout at the County Courthouse.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 12/1/2020
1190 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Interim Guidelines for Atlas-14 Implementation Until New Flood Maps Released
While reviewing the MAAPnext website today, I came across this 1-page PDF that outlines major changes to Harris County’s Policy Criteria & Procedure Manual (PCPM). It describes changes – based on new Atlas-14 Rainfall Statistics – that engineers and developers must follow when designing and constructing flood-control features as part of any development within Harris County.
Atlas 14 Updates Rainfall Frequency Estimates Developed in 1960s
Data included in Atlas 14:
NOAA collected this data in Texas through December 2017, which includes rainfall from Hurricane Harvey.
Floodplain, Detention & Fill Restrictions
The amended policy manual adopts the increased precipitation rates. It also specifies more rigorous criteria for detention basins and fill within the floodplain.
Therefore, these amendments are considered to be interim and will be reevaluated once new floodplains have been produced as part of HCFCD’s Modeling Assessment and Awareness Project (MAAPnext) in late 2021. You can find more information on MAAPnext at www.maapnext.org.
Zero Net Fill
The old guidelines prohibited developers from adding fill only within the 100-year floodplain. Now they’re prohibited from adding fill within the 500-year floodplain, too. The policy is called “zero net fill.” It means developers cannot bring fill into the floodplains. They can, however, excavate fill from one part of their property and use it to build up another part of their property.
For a 20-acre development, the average volume of stormwater within detention basins will increase by about 20%, or about 32,500 additional gallons per acre.
Effort to Harmonize Floodplain Regs with Neighbors’
Harris County works with surrounding counties and municipalities to upgrade and harmonize their floodplain regs. However, the effort has not yet yielded much fruit.
Surrounding counties, such as Liberty and Montgomery, have not yet mirrored these restrictions. In fact, those counties still use their comparative lack of regulation as a competitive tool to attract new development. That, of course, makes it doubly difficult for residents of Harris County. They must not only contend with their own runoff, they must contend with their neighbors’.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/30/2020
1189 Days since Hurricane Harvey