Severe Thunderstorms, Excessive Rain and Heat Hazards

A Moderate Risk of severe thunderstorms (level 4 of 5) is in the outlook across portions of the Midwest today. Damaging winds, a few tornadoes and frequent lightning with heavy rainfall are in the forecast. Meanwhile, dangerous heat across the southern Plains into the Great Lakes, mid-Atlantic and Northeast will expand into Friday. Risk for wildfires for the central Rockies and Sacramento Valley. Read More >

Hurricane Flossy

September 20-25, 1956

A tropical depression formed just east of the Yucatán Peninsula across the Northwest Caribbean Sea the afternoon of September 20^th. The depression moved west northwest, moving inland early on September 21st and began to move northwestward across the Yucatán Peninsula through early on September 22^nd.

Upon entering the southern Gulf, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Flossy by daybreak on September 22^nd. Flossy turned more north northwest and eventually northward, gradually intensifying as it headed towards the Louisiana coast. By the afternoon of September 23^rd, Flossy intensified into a minimum hurricane as it began to turn northeast with an approaching upper level trough and cold front.

Hurricane Flossy made landfall across lower Plaquemines around 4 AM CST September 24^th with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (75 knots) and a minimum central pressure of 980 millibars (28.94 inches). Flossy made a secondary and final landfall near Destin, Florida around 6 PM CST as it accelerated east northeastward. Flossy quickly weakened overnight and became an extratropical storm on September 25^th as it merged with the approaching cold front. Click here for an interactive map of Hurricane Flossy.

WIND & PRESSURE:
No tropical storm or hurricane force winds were measured west of the Atchafalaya River. Gusts as high as 70 mph were measured in New Orleans, with estimates of 90-100 mph gusts from Grand Isle to Burrwood, Louisiana. Observations obtained from the Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin (October 1, 1956), Hurricane Re-analysis Project (1956) and hourly surface observations from the National Centers for Environmental Information (NECI). For complete meteorological statistics, see the Wind and Pressure section.

STORM SURGE:
No significant coastal flooding was noted west of the Atchafalaya River as the track of Flossy remained south and east of the region. Across Southeast Louisiana, storm surge values of 2 to 3 feet MSL were noted across Terrebonne Parish, 3 to 6 feet across Lafourche Parish, and 6 to 12 feet across Plaquemines Parish near the area of landfall. For other storm surge and high-water marks across our region, see the Storm Surge section.

RAINFALL:
Rainfall of 1 to 3 inches occurred across eastern St. Mary Parish, with the rainfall gradient increasing significantly further eastward where 16.70 inches occurred at Golden Meadow across lower Lafourche Parish, Louisiana. For complete rainfall totals reported across our region, see the Rainfall section.

TORNADOES:
No tornadoes were reported.

Additional Data, Maps, Tables
Wind and Pressure	Storm Surge	Rainfall

Other Post Tropical Cyclone Reports
Monthly Weather Review - 1956 Atlantic Hurricane Season Summary

News
Hurricane Flossy, 1956 News
British Pathé Newsreel Footage

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Severe Thunderstorms, Excessive Rain and Heat Hazards

Hurricane Flossy 1956