Hurricane Barry (1983)

Several watches and warnings were issued along the Florida and Texas coastlines as a result of Barry.[5] The first was a gale warning from Jupiter Inlet, Florida to Savannah, Georgia on August 24 at 1900 UTC. The warning was discontinued from St. Augustine to Savannah the next day. The next was a gale warning issued for Brownsville, Texas to Port O'Connor, Texas on August 27. This was upgraded into a hurricane warning as Barry strengthened a few hours later, and then extended to Mansfield. The warning was discontinued by late August 28.[5] Over 4,000 people were evacuated from South Padre Island in preparation of Hurricane Barry.[6] Several thousand people were evacuated from beaches in Port Aransas on August 27 as Barry approached. An estimated 700 people took refuge in shelters set up in Brownsville and 800 people fled to schools, which were being used as temporary shelters, in Harlingen. An additional 2,000 residents evacuated from Harlingen. Shelters were also opened in San Benito, Santa Rosa, and Los Fresnos.[7] Offshore, several oil platforms were evacuated in the Gulf of Mexico.[8]

In the Mexican city of Matamoros, located south of Brownsville, Texas, Captain Manuel Leon Lopez warned residents about the approaching hurricane through radio messages. Many people were seen leaving coastal villages and heading further inland.[7] Mexican officials raised the alert level to stage three due to the threat of Barry.[9]

Rainfall around 1 in (25 mm) were reported around Lake Okeechobee, 3 inches (76.2 mm) around the Orlando area and 1 in (25 mm) in the Miami area. The peak rainfall was 3.01 in (76 mm) in Wauchula, Florida.[10] Roads with poor drainage in Key West, Florida were flooded after the area received 1.5 in (38.1 mm) of rain.[11] Barry also affected the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger, whose third mission was scheduled for August 30. NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) did not have time to return the shuttle to the hangar in time for the storm and had the shuttle ride out the storm on the launch pad.[12] The only rainfall reported in Texas by Barry was 1-inch (25 mm) around San Antonio.[10] Along the Texas coast, beach erosion was caused from waves that were 1 to 2 feet (0.30 to 0.61 m) higher than normal.[6] Winds were gusting in excess of 50 mph (85 km/h) off the South Padre Island coast.[6] Near Brownsville, a possible tornado knocked down power lines, leaving an estimated 6,000 people without power.[9]

No casualties were reported from Barry. However, 30 fishing boats were sunk in Mexico and several hundred homes were destroyed. The rainfall from the hurricane was considered to be relief from drought conditions in parts of northern Mexico.[2] A storm surge of 3 to 4 feet (0.91 to 1.22 m) was recorded in Mexican fishing villages. Over 400 people were made homeless and there was a major loss of shrimping nets.[6] At least ten people were left homeless in the town of El Mezquital. Homes in Santa Teresa sustained some damage but none were destroyed.[8] Only one person was injured by the storm after shards from a broken window hit the child.[13] Following the storm, General Jesus Ponce de Leon Rodriguez went to survey the damage in Tamaulipas along with a medical team.[7]