Tropical Storm Elena (1979) - Meteorological History

Meteorological History

A tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa on August 17. It tracked westward, passing through the Lesser Antilles on August 22, and on August 27 the weak wave axis crossed through Florida. A tropical disturbance organized along the wave axis, with ship and buoy reports indicating the development of a low-level circulation by August 29. At 2308 GMT later that day, a Hurricane Hunters flight reported the existence of a tropical depression; it was classified as Tropical Depression Thirteen, while located about 240 miles (390 km) south of the mouth of the Mississippi River. With a ridge of high pressure located over the southeastern United States, the depression continued tracking generally westward and intensified into Tropical Storm Elena late on August 30. Elena was the sixth tropical storm of the season, as Hurricane Frederic attained tropical storm status six hours prior to Elena.

Unfavorable northerly vertical wind shear persisted through much of Elena's duration, which prohibited the development of convection. An approaching frontal trough weakened the high pressure system to its north, which resulted in Elena turning northwestward toward the Texas coastline. The storm remained poorly organized, failing to strengthen further, and on September 1 it made landfall on Matagorda Island as a minimal tropical storm. The cyclone rapidly weakened after moving ashore, and early on September 2 Elena degenerated into a remnant low pressure area over southeastern Texas. Trapped between two high pressure systems, the remnant mid-level circulation drifted southwestward just inland for several days before dissipating on September 6.