Tropical Storm Beryl (1988)

Tropical Storm Beryl (1988)

Tropical Storm Beryl was an unusual North Atlantic hurricane that formed over southeastern Louisiana in August 1988. The second tropical storm of the 1988 Atlantic hurricane season, Beryl developed from a slow-moving trough of low pressure on August 8. It tracked southeastward into the coastal waters of eastern Louisiana, and Beryl reached peak winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) while located about 75 miles (120 km) southeast of New Orleans. The storm turned to the northwest over Louisiana and Texas, and slowly dissipated. The remnants of Beryl continued northward into the central United States, dropping some rainfall and providing relief to a severe heat wave.

Due to its slow motion, Beryl dropped heavy amounts of rainfall, peaking at 16.09 inches (408 mm) on Dauphin Island in Alabama. The rainfall caused some reports of flooding, while prolonged durations of rough waves resulted in severe beach erosion. The waves capsized a boat in Mobile Bay, killing one of its passengers. Overall damage was minor, totaling about $3 million (1988 USD, $5.46 million 2009 USD).