Tropical Storm Hanna (2002)

Rainfall totals

In Louisiana, damage was light, as the majority of Hanna's convective activity was to the east. Rainfall was mostly less than 1 inches (25 mm), and little rise in tide was reported.[11] Little or no damage occurred in neighboring Mississippi, where similar effects were reported.[1]

Damage was greater in Alabama, where rain reached 7.55 inches (192 mm) at Coden and 5.75 inches (146 mm) at Belle Fontaine. Sustained winds of 40 miles per hour (64 km/h) were reported at Dauphin Island, with gusts up to 51 mph (82 km/h). The lowest barometric pressure was also at Dauphin Island; it reportedly fell to 1005 mb. Storm tides of 3.7 feet (1.1 m) caused minor coastal flooding and beach erosion in some areas, including along the causeway that crosses the Mobile Bay.[12] One tornado, an F0 on the Fujita Scale, touched down in south Mobile County, knocking down trees.[1] Some residents were left without electric power, and there was flooding on both ends of Dauphin Island, leading to road closures. The storm forced the evacuation of some residents on the western end of the island. In addition to the heavy rains, trees were downed in parts of Baldwin County.[13]

In Florida, peak gusts were recorded at 68 miles per hour (109 km/h) near Pensacola Beach.[1] The winds, combined with associated thunderstorms, caused minor damage, and brought down small trees and power lines. Throughout Walton County, Hanna left approximately 15,000 customers without power,[14] forming a statewide total of 20,000 power outages. Due to high winds, bridges to offshore islands were closed.[13] Minor beach erosion was reported along the coast of Walton, Bay and Gulf counties. Three people drowned in high surf; one near Pensacola Beach, one at Seagrove Beach[1] and another at Panama City Beach.[15] The fatalities prompted a local Police Major to comment, "People are getting into the water and not paying attention to the warning flags."[16] Heavy rain fell throughout the central and western Panhandle;[17] the highest reported total was 9.68 inches (246 mm), at Chipley. As a result, rivers topped their banks, while county roads and homes in Perry,[14] as well as streets in the Tallahassee region, were flooded.[13] The total damage in Florida is estimated at $400,000 (2002 USD).[14]

Hanna dropped heavy rainfall across much of Georgia, peaking at 15.56 inches (395 mm) at Donalsonville,[1] 12.47 inches (317 mm) at Carrollton, and 11.23 in (285 mm) at Embry. Although the heaviest rainfall was mostly confined to southwestern parts of the state,[17] precipitation was widespread within a northwest–northeast feeder band over central and northern Georgia. Associated with the band was up to 2 inches (51 mm) of rainfall in a matter of hours, as well as gusty thunderstorms. The highest rainfall totals from this individual band were limited to an area north of a line from Atlanta to Athens.[18] The heavy rainfall helped to relieve a persistent drought, bringing vegetation back to life. However, climatologists determined that the rainfall did not fully alleviate the dry conditions.[19] The band of thunderstorms produced gusts of 40 to 50 mph (64 to 80 km/h), downing trees and power lines. In the Atlanta metropolitan area, 48,000 customers received power outages.[18] The winds tore a roof off a house and damaged a number of mobile homes.[1] The heavy rainfall caused severe flooding; in Donalsonville, 250 houses and 50 businesses suffered water damage,[1] while another 35 were damaged in nearby Miller County.[10] Roads were flooded, including parts of U.S. Route 27.[20] Crop damage was significant in the state. According to the Georgia Farm Services Agency, $19 million (2002 USD; $22 million 2008 USD) in damage to cotton and peanut crops were reported.[1] Due to the flooding and damage, Governor Roy Barnes declared Seminole, Miller and Decatur counties federal disaster areas.[10]

Moderate to heavy rain extended as far north as the Carolinas, and light showers reached the Delmarva Peninsula.[17] Locations in western South Carolina picked up around 3 inches (75 mm) of rainfall, causing flooding on some roads and highways.[21] Various streams and ponds topped their banks, and flood waters on some roads reached an estimated 4 to 6 inches (100 to 150 mm) deep.[22] On South Carolina Highway 20, a motorist became stranded in high waters, and nearby houses were damaged.[23] The rainfall delayed a football game at Williams-Brice Stadium for about 50 minutes.[24] Farther northward, the remnants of Tropical Storm Hanna contributed to around 1 inch (25 mm) of rainfall in New England, particularly in Vermont.[25]