Hurricane Carla was the most intense tropical cyclone landfall in Texas in the 20th century.[1] The third named storm of the 1961 Atlantic hurricane season, Carla developed from an area of squally weather in the southwestern Caribbean Sea on September 3.[1] As a tropical depression, it strengthened while heading northwest. The system was upgraded to a tropical storm on September 5 and reached hurricane intensity on September 6. On September 7, Carla entered the Gulf of Mexico, passing northeast of the Yucatán Peninsula. On the morning of September 11, Carla became a category 4 hurricane when winds reached 130 mph (282 km/h).[2] Carla made landfall at 2 p.m. on September 11 near Port O'Connor, Texas as a category 4 hurricane with a peak intensity of 145 mph (125 knots). Traveling inland, the storm was reduced to a tropical storm on September 12 and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on September 13, while centered over southern Oklahoma. Carla's remnants reached the Labrador Sea, Canada and dissipated on September 17, 1961.
While crossing the Yucatán Channel, the outer bands of Carla brought high winds and local flooding in western Cuba and the Yucatán Peninsula. In Texas, wind gusts as high as 170 mph (270 km/h) were observed in Port Lavaca. Tornadoes spawned in the state, including an F4 tornado near Galveston, Texas, resulting in 60 buildings destroyed, eight deaths and 200 injuries.
Throughout the state, Carla destroyed 1,915 homes, 568 farm buildings, and 415 other buildings. Additionally, 50,723 homes, 5,620 farm buildings, and 10,487 other buildings suffered damage. There were 34 fatalities and at least $300 million in losses in Texas. Several tornadoes also touched down in Louisiana, causing the destruction of 140 homes and 11 farms and other buildings, and major damage to 231 additional homes and 11 farm and other buildings. Minor to moderate damage was also reported to 748 homes and 75 farms and other buildings. Six deaths and $25 million in losses in Louisiana were attributed to Carla. Heavy rainfall occurred in several other states, especially in Kansas, where flash flooding severely damaged crops and drowned five people. Overall, Carla resulted in $325.74 million in losses and 43 fatalities.
Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depressionAs early as September 1, a tropical disturbance – an area of convective activity – was observed tracking westward across the Caribbean Sea within the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Around that time, an anticyclone was situated over the western Caribbean Sea at the upper-tropospheric levels. Surface charts indicate that a low-level circulation was developing early on September 3.[3] Thus, it is estimated that a tropical depression – a tropical cyclone with sustained winds with winds of less than 39 mph (63 km/h) – developed about 175 miles (282 km) northwest of Barranquilla, Colombia at 1200 UTC.[4] Initially, the center of circulation remained difficult to locate on surface charts due to lack of data. At San Andrés, winds shifted west at about 12 mph (19 km/h), while barometric pressures dropped to 1,007 mbar (29.7 inHg). The Weather Bureau Office in Miami, Florida issued its first bulletin at 1600 UTC on September 4, while the depression was centered about 250 miles (400 km) east-southeast of Cabo Gracias a Dios, Nicaragua.[3]
It is estimated that sustained winds reached 45 mph (72 km/h) at 1200 UTC on September 5,[5] thus the depression strengthened into a tropical storm and was named Carla, while located just northeast of Cabo Gracias a Dios.[4] A reconnaissance aircraft flight reported that Carla was continuing to intensify, with surface winds of 50 mph (80 km/h). Radars reported an unusually large tropical cyclone, with convective bands extending about 520 miles (840 km) outward from the center. Around 0000 UTC on September 6, Carla passed near Swan Island, which reported a barometric pressure of about 995 mbar (29.4 inHg) and wind gusts of 60 mph (97 km/h) from the southwest.[5] Based on observations obtained by a reconnaissance aircraft at 1100 UTC on September 6 – namely a barometric pressure of 982 mbar (29.0 inHg) – a bulletin issued by the Weather Bureau an hour later indicated that the storm had "probably reached hurricane intensity".[6] According to post-season analysis, Carla reached hurricane status at that time.[4]
Shortly after becoming a hurricane on September 6, Carla curved northward in the northwestern Caribbean Sea. At 1200 UTC on September 7, the storm intensified into a Category 2 hurricane while located east-northeast of Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico (actual use of the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which was developed in 1971, was not in effect). Shortly thereafter, Carla crossed the Yucatán Channel and entered the Gulf of Mexico. A strong high-pressure area forced Carla to resume its original northwesterly course. Early on September 8, the storm strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane while located just north of the Yucatán Peninsula. Thus, Carla was the third major hurricane of the season. Carla was upgraded to a Category 4 hurricane early on September 10, while approaching the Gulf Coast of the United States. Operationally, at 0000 UTC on September 11, Carla strengthened into a Category 5 hurricane while located in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. Six hours later, the storm reached its maximum sustained wind speed of 175 mph (282 km/h).[4] However, a 2018 reanalysis concluded that Carla did not reach Category 5 intensity, and in fact only had maximum sustained winds of 145 mph (233 km/h), and this has been officially incorporated into HURDAT.[7]
Late on September 11, Carla reached its minimum barometric pressure of 931 mbar (27.5 inHg). Later that day, the storm struck Matagorda Island, Texas (seven miles south of Port O'Connor) with winds of 145 mph (233 km/h). Carla rapidly weakened inland, and degenerated to a Category 2 hurricane on September 12, while passing just east of Port Lavaca. Six hours later, the storm was downgraded to a Category 1 hurricane near Shiner, shortly before being downgraded to a tropical storm between Taylor and Coupland. Beginning late on September 12, the storm curved just east of due north. After reaching Oklahoma early on September 13, Carla transitioned into an extratropical cyclone while located over rural Johnston County. The extratropical remnants of Carla moved rapidly northeastward and brought heavy rainfall to some areas of the Great Plains and Midwestern United States. By September 14, it entered Canada near Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. It then continued swiftly northeastward across Ontario, Quebec, and Labrador, before the remnants dissipated over the Labrador Sea on September 17.[4]
Occurring a year after Hurricane Donna, officials in the Florida Keys took precautions to brace for potential impact from the storm. The United States Navy flew their planes out of Key West, while Coast Guardsmen evacuated Alligator Reef Light, American Shoal Light, and Sombrero Key Light. Ships docked at Key West sailed out to sea to ride out the squalls. On the morning of September 7, a hurricane watch was issued from the entire coast of Louisiana eastward to Apalachicola, Florida.[8] On September 8, a hurricane watch was issued along the southwest coast of the state from Vermilion Bay westward.[9] It was later extended westward to include the entire coast of Texas, and eastward to Apalachicola, Florida.[10] A portion of the hurricane watch from Aransas Pass, Texas to Grand Isle, Louisiana was upgraded to a hurricane warning at 1600 UTC on September 9.[11] An estimated 500,000 people fled the coasts of Texas and Louisiana, making it the largest evacuation in the history of the United States, at the time.[12] Further, at least half of those people were from Texas. In small towns along the coast of Texas, 90–100% of their populations evacuated, while 20% of people left the larger cities. Many in Galveston stayed due to protection from the Galveston Seawall.[13]
Carla spawned 21 tornadoes, the largest hurricane-related tornado outbreak on record at the time.[14] However, it was overwhelmingly surpassed by Hurricane Beulah in 1967, which spawned at least 120 tornadoes.[15] Throughout its path, 43 fatalities and about $325.74 million in damage were attributed to Carla. Most of the impact occurred in Texas, where the storm made landfall as a large and strong Category 4 hurricane.[16][17][18]
Abnormally high tides and storm surge was reported along the coast of Texas, reaching at least 10 feet (3.0 m) above mean sea level at many coastal areas between Sabine Pass and Port Aransas. The highest tide reported was 18.5 feet (5.6 m) at Port Lavaca, with large wave heights including 12.6 feet (3.8 m) in Matagorda, 10.9 feet (3.3 m) in Port Aransas, 10.8 feet (3.3 m) in Freeport, 10.1 feet (3.1 m) in Texas City, and 10 feet (3.0 m) in Galveston and Sabine. Because the storm was a Category 4 hurricane at landfall, Carla produced strong winds, especially near its path. The strongest sustained winds include 115 mph (185 km/h) in Matagorda, 110 mph (180 km/h) in Victoria, and 88 mph (142 km/h). Additionally, the highest wind gust observations include 175 mph (282 km/h) in Port Lavaca, 160 mph (260 km/h) in Matagorda, and 150 mph (240 km/h) in Aransas Pass, Austwell, Edna, Port Aransas, and Victoria. Carla produced heavy rainfall in Texas, peaking at 17.48 inches (444 mm) in Bay City. Other significant precipitation totals include 16.49 inches (419 mm) at Scholes International Airport at Galveston, 14.94 inches (379 mm) in Downtown Galveston, 13.05 inches (331 mm) in Wharton, 12.55 inches (319 mm) in Liberty, 12.47 inches (317 mm) in Dickinson, 11.81 inches (300 mm) in Flatonia, 10.59 inches (269 mm) in Columbus, 8.75 inches (222 mm) in Hallettsville, and 8.9 inches (230 mm) in Smithville.[13]
The most significant property damage occurred between Port Arthur and Corpus Christi. Port O'Connor, lying nearest to the location of Carla's landfall, was virtually destroyed. In Columbus, the "Ranch Drive-In" theater is destroyed by the storm and was never reopened after 6 years of operation. In Victoria, the highest sustained wind speed was 110 mph (180 km/h), while gusts reached 150 mph (240 km/h). About 4,260 homes were damaged, with around 500 severely damaged or destroyed. 43 businesses and 26 public buildings were also significantly impacted. Damage in the city of Victoria reached $10 million.[19] Of the 21 tornadoes spawned by Carla, eight of them in Texas caused significant impact. On September 11, an F2 tornado near Bay City destroyed two radio towers and damaged several buildings. An F3 tornado injured three people and caused the destruction of one house and impacted three others in Jacksonville, resulting in $25,000 in damage. Another F3 tornado in Channelview, located east of Houston, injured 22 people, destroyed 18 homes and six commercial buildings, damaged 40 additional homes, and caused $200,000 in damage. In the early morning hours of September 12, a violent F4 tornado moved across Galveston Island along a 1-mile long, 100-yard-wide path (it crossed into Galveston Bay as well), severely damaging 200 buildings, of which 60-75 were destroyed,[20] and causing eight deaths and 200 injuries. This was the first of only two known violent tornadoes ever spawned by a hurricane with the other one happening during Hurricane Hilda in 1964. A few hours later, an F3 tornado in the area destroyed six houses and extensive, but lesser, damage. In Hardin, another F3 tornado damaged six homes. Several structures sustained impact during yet another F3 tornado in Fulbright. The final tornado occurred during the late afternoon hours of September 13 in Latex. It caused F2 damage, two injuries, and resulted in $2,500 in losses after damaging two houses and three garages.[21]
Then little-known newsman Dan Rather reported live from the weather bureau building in Galveston[22][23] during the storm, live on-site storm coverage that would be imitated by later reporters. This marked the first live television broadcast of a hurricane. Rather also alerted the public of the size of Carla in a way that "literally changed the way the world sees hurricanes", according to a fellow reporter. Broadcasting live at the Weather Bureau Office in Galveston, Rather asked a meteorologist to outline the Gulf of Mexico on a transparent sheet of plastic. He then held the map over the black and white radar screen, which put the size of Carla into perspective, saying that Carla was the size of the Gulf of Mexico. CBS was so impressed with Rather's work that he was offered the position of correspondent.[24] Throughout Texas, Carla destroyed 1,915 homes, 568 farm buildings, and 415 other buildings. Additionally, 50,723 homes, 5,620 farm buildings, and 10,487 other buildings suffered damage. There were 460 injuries according to the American Red Cross, though the Monthly Weather Review listed a slightly higher number, 465. The storm caused 34 fatalities in Texas. Causes of death include 20 people drowning, eight from tornadoes, four electrocutions, and one heart attack.[25] Overall, damage in the state was "conservatively" estimated at $300 million.[16] A breakdown of damage indicates $200 million incurred to property and $100 million to crops, mostly from unharvested rice and lesser impact to cotton and citrus.[16]
