TROPICAL STORM ERIN!

Tropical Storm Erin formed in the Gulf of Mexico during the evening hours of August 14th and moved inland near Lamar, TX during the morning of August 16th.  For the next few days... the system produced very heavy rainfall as it weakened and moved toward western Texas.  During the early morning hours of August 19th... the system moved northeastward into western Oklahoma and suddenly organized back to the strength of a Tropical Storm.  Winds within a couple of counties of the center were sustained at times over 50 mph with some gusts reported to 82 mph which caused widespread damage ranging from minor to removed roofs.  The excessive rainfall (up to 12 inches) in a very short period of time resulted in flash flooding that in some cases was the worst ever seen.  Kingfisher, OK was extremely hard hit.  The flooding resulted in several deaths. 

Erin produced amazing amounts of rainfall in a very short period of time.  I recorded 6.35 inches of rain in less than 19 hours with 4.90 inches of that falling between midnight and 9 a.m. on the 19th.  The daily total of 4.90 inches on the 19th is the most I have ever recorded in a day in the month of August.  The graph below (click to enlarge) shows not only the rainfall rate... but a pressure trace.  The pressure dropped to 29.65 inches as the center of Erin passed 5 to 10 miles north of me.

Below is a radar image captured when the "eye" of Erin was just north of me (click to enlarge).