Tropical Storm Claudette (2021)

Storm Active: June 19-21

Around June 12, a broad area of low pressure associated loosely with the central American gyre (CAG) to the south formed in the southern Bay of Campeche. It was producing occasional bursts of thunderstorm activity and some spin was evident on satellite imagery, but the size of the system and its proximity to land inhibited tropical cyclone development. The low barely moved for the next several days. It finally made some northward progress starting on June 17 toward a weakness in the subtropical ridge. It was quite disorganized though, with the only convection a band northeast of the ill-defined center.

The disturbance changed little the next day as it approached the northern coastline of the Gulf of Mexico, though aircraft and satellite measurements indicated that it possessed sustained wind speeds to gale force. Heavy rain swept across southeastern Louisiana as the system approached. It was only early on the 19th, as the center was moving over land, that it finally became organized enough to be named Tropical Storm Claudette, with peak winds of 45 mph. However, the classification of the system changed its impacts little; flooding was the primary concern as it moved inland and turned northeast, crossing into Mississippi. Claudette weakened to a tropical depression later on June 19.

An approaching cold front steered the system east-northeast across the southeast United States, bringing scattered downpours and gusty winds with it. The next day, as Claudette approached the Atlantic, the proximity to water fueled some convective redevelopment and the cyclone began to strengthen again. It became a tropical storm again on June 21 near the coast. Forunately, it was fast-moving, and was swept out along the mid-latitude westerlies in short order. After passing over the Gulf stream, it encountered cooler waters. The center was still not well-defined, and Claudette lost its identity as it sped away from land that evening.

As with many storms forming from CAG's, Claudette was a rather messy cyclone; it never looked completely tropical. 2020's Tropical Storm Cristobal was similar in this regard, and was another June CAG storm. Such systems develop most often in June or October/November.

Unusually, Claudette spent more time over land as a tropical cyclone than it did over water!