1964 жылғы Атлант мұхитының «Хильда» дауілі

Category 4 Atlantic hurricane in 1964

Hurricane Hilda was an intense tropical cyclone that ravaged areas of the United States Gulf Coast, particularly Louisiana. In addition to its damage inland, the hurricane greatly disrupted offshore oil production, and at its time was the costliest tropical cyclone for Louisiana's offshore oil production. Due in part to flights made by the National Hurricane Research Laboratory, Hilda became one of the most well documented storms meteorologically in the Atlantic. However, a loosely defined mass of clouds east of the Lesser Antilles on September 23 was potentially associated with the formation of Hilda. Tracking westward, the area of convection gradually intensified, with hints at a well defined circulation as the system tracked over Haiti on September 27. By 1200 UTC on September 28, the disturbance had become sufficiently defined to be classified as a tropical depression south of Cuba. Tracking generally westward,|group="nb" Twelve hours later, the hurricane reached its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (240 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 941 mbar (hPa; 27.79 inHg) based on reconnaissance flights. Following peak intensity, further strengthening was inhibited due to the emergence of a high pressure area over the United States Gulf Coast. The presence of this system injected dry air into Hilda, gradually weakening the hurricane. The once prominent eye of the storm clouded over as a result of this advection. During the evening hours of October 3, Rapid weakening followed landfall as a result of the surrounding cold air;

The first hurricane watches or warnings issued by the Weather Bureau in association with Hilda were issued on October 1, when the agency issued a hurricane watch for the coast of Louisiana to Mobile, Alabama. This prompted the Texas Department of Public Safety to issue a standby alert for the Texas coast. On October 3, the Weather Bureau upgraded the watch to a hurricane warning, and expanded it to include the entire Texas Coastal Bend eastward to Mobile, Alabama. By the afternoon of October 4, hurricane warnings were lowered but gale warnings remained in place. Evacuation of offshore oil platforms began as early as September 29. The majority of the 2,000 oil workers were evacuated on September 30 and October 1. Along the United States Gulf Coast, approximately 150,000 people evacuated. Re purposed boxcars were used to move 3,400 evacuees northward from New Orleans and Franklin, Louisiana. Morgan City and Cameron, Louisiana were sites of mass exodus with Hilda approaching the coast. Evacuation out of Cameron was disrupted by the lack of a bridge across the Intracoastal Waterway, and thus had to be conducted via ferry. In Grand Isle, Louisiana, approximately 80% of the population evacuated. Schools along the coast of Louisiana including Nicholls State University and Tulane were suspended in anticipation of the hurricane. The United States Navy scrammed planes from its air stations in Meridian, Mississippi and New Orleans, Louisiana in anticipation of Hilda. As Hilda tracked northward through the Gulf of Mexico, the storm threatened an estimated $350 million worth of offshore oil drilling facilities. Hilda would become the most destructive tropical cyclone to Louisiana's offshore oil industry at the time of its impact, accruing losses over $100 million. Strong winds and heavy surf destroyed thirteen oil platforms and damaged five beyond repair. All but one of the lost oil rigs were built to withstand a "25 year storm", with the other constructed to withstand a "100 year storm". Oil spills resulting from the affected rigs released 11,869 barrels of crude oil into the gulf. Despite widespread evacuation of offshore drilling platforms, the 14 crewmembers of the Ocean Driller managed to ride out the storm, at times withstanding winds as high as .