Hurricane Hilda, 1964

On the morning of September 28, 1964, a weak low pressure system developed just south of Cuba in a westward moving tropical wave over the Caribbean. It tracked westward overnight and became Tropical Storm Hilda as it crossed the western tip of Cuba early on the 29th.

On Wednesday morning, September 30th, Hilda became a hurricane with top winds of 80 mph. A hurricane watch was advised for the coast for the entire Louisiana coast, eastward to Mobile. The center was about 450 miles south of Biloxi. Hilda continued intensifying rapidly throughout the 30th.

By early on the 1st, Hilda had become a category four monster, some 380 miles south southwest of New Orleans. Top winds increased to 150 mph, and reconnaissance reported a central pressure of 941 millibars. The Weather Bureau upgraded Hilda to “severe status.” Forecasters expected the hurricane to turn to the north around the western periphery of the subtropical ridge. But if it did not make the expected turn, Hilda would threaten the Texas coast. Hurricane watches were extended all along the Gulf Coast from Brownsville to Mobile.

On the morning of the 2nd, Hilda had made the much anticipated northward turn. It had weakened slightly, but still had top winds of 140 mph. Hurricane warnings were in effect for the entire Louisiana coast. The center was 235 miles south of New Orleans, moving northward at 7 mph.

By Saturday morning, October 3rd, Hilda had weakened, with winds of 115 mph. The central pressure had risen to 962 millibars. The Louisiana coast was virtually deserted as the huge hurricane lumbered northward.

Pre-dawn feeder bands triggered numerous tornadoes over southeastern Louisiana, including a deadly twister at LaRose that killed 22 people. Another tornado felled the town water tower at Erath, Louisiana. Eight Civil Defense volunteers were killed when the tower fell on the town’s City Hall.

The storm weakened rapidly after landfall as colder and drier air was drawn into the circulation. The center turned sharply eastward after passing near Baton Rouge and the remnants of Hilda passed along the northern Gulf Coast.

A total of 37 people lost their lives in Louisiana.

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