page_title: Hurricane Alex (2010)
section_title: United States
hierarchical_section_title: Hurricane Alex (2010) / Impact / United States
caption_attribution_description: English: Seguin, TX, June 30, 2010 --Trucks carrying relief supplies for Hurricane Alex survivors are being checked into the FEMA staging area at the Randolf Air force base annex in Seguin, TX. Members of the Army Corps of Engineers check to make sure that generators are on their list. FEMA is working with local, state and other federal agencies to preposition supplies in case they are needed. Photo by Patsy Lynch/FEMA
context_page_description: Hurricane Alex was a rare June Atlantic hurricane and the first tropical cyclone to develop in the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season. Originating from an area of disturbed weather on June 25, 2010, it slowly developed in the western Caribbean Sea and struck Belize as a strong tropical storm. After entering the Gulf of Mexico, Alex became very large and encountered conditions favorable for gradual development. Early on June 30, the cyclone attained hurricane status as it approached northeastern Mexico, the first June hurricane in the Atlantic basin since Hurricane Allison in 1995, and the storm rapidly intensified just off the coast of Tamaulipas. Alex came ashore near Soto la Marina as a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
  Alex caused the deaths of at least 51 people along its path, and produced over $1.5 billion in damage. The precursor of the hurricane produced substantial rainfall across the Greater Antilles, causing one death in the Dominican Republic. Fourteen people were killed in Central America as a result of flooding during the first landfall of Alex.
context_section_description: In southern Texas, the feeder bands on the northern side of the hurricane began producing tropical-storm-force winds throughout Cameron, Willacy and Kenedy Counties starting on June 30. The highest reported sustained wind was of 51 mph (82 km/h) at the southeast tip of Port Isabel. The strongest gust occurred over the Queen Isabella Causeway, where a wind speed of 66 mph (106 km/h) was measured. Sustained winds of 39 mph (63 km/h) and gusts of 53 mph (85 km/h) were measured in Bayview.
  The feeder bands also produced heavy rainfall, leading to flooding on South Padre Island. A storm surge of 3.5 feet (1.1 m) was reported on the island, causing moderate beach erosion. However, more significant damage was avoided as the bulk of the 4 feet (1.2 m) storm tide hit South Padre and Port Isabel at low tide. Nine tornadoes were confirmed to have touched down in the state in association with the storm, one of which overturned a mobile home. Other tornadoes caused mainly minimal damages to trees and shrubbery. About 9,000 customers lost power throughout Texas.
  Large amounts of precipitation fell throughout the Lower Rio Grande Valley, with 6 to 9 inches (150 to 230 mm) of rainfall recorded throughout the region. Brownsville Airport had 6.80 inches (173 mm) of precipitation in a 36-hour period. The 5.86 inches (149 mm) of rain that fell alone on June 30 broke the daily rainfall record of 3.80 inches (97 mm) from 1995. McAllen, Texas, measured 6.66 inches (169 mm) of rain on June 30, which now constitutes the city's wettest June day on record. In Houston, more rain fell on the first two days of July than the average rainfall for the entire month of July. Some parts of the city received nearly 12 inches (300 mm) of rain over three days, causing scattered street flooding.
  Flooding caused by the rainfall from the remnants of Alex caused the Rio Grande at Foster Ranch, in far western Texas, to exceed 31 ft (9.4 m), well above the flood stage at 14 ft (4.3 m) and the record stage at 25.9 ft (7.9 m). Combined with the rainfall produced by Tropical Depression Two, the Rio Grande was under flood conditions for much of the month of July. About $10 million (2010 USD) of agricultural damage was reported in Hidalgo County from Alex.
caption: Trucks carrying emergency FEMA generators were dispatched in response to Alex.
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