Tropical Storm Lee (2011) facts for kids

Tropical Storm Lee was a powerful weather event that happened in 2011. It was the twelfth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season that year. This storm caused a lot of damage, costing over $2 billion, and sadly, 21 people lost their lives. Lee affected a huge area, from states like Louisiana and Texas all the way up to Pennsylvania and New York.

What Was Tropical Storm Lee?

Tropical Storm Lee was a type of storm that forms over warm ocean waters. It had strong winds and brought very heavy rainfall. Even though it was called a "tropical storm" and not a "hurricane," it still caused a lot of problems. It moved slowly, which meant it dropped rain in the same areas for a long time. This led to serious flooding in many places.

How Lee Formed and Moved

Lee started as a large area of stormy weather in the Gulf of Mexico in late August 2011. It slowly organized and became a tropical storm on September 1, 2011. The storm then moved north, making landfall in Louisiana.

After hitting the coast, Lee weakened into a tropical depression. But it kept moving across the southeastern and eastern United States. Even as it weakened, it continued to pull a lot of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. This moisture fed into other weather systems, causing even more rain.

Lee's Journey Across the US

As Lee moved inland, it brought heavy rains to states like Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee. The storm then merged with a cold front. This combination created a huge rain event that stretched up the Appalachian Mountains and into the Northeast.

States like Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey saw record-breaking rainfall. Some areas received more than 10 inches (250 mm) of rain in just a few days. This amount of rain was too much for rivers and streams to handle.

The Damage Lee Caused

The main problem caused by Tropical Storm Lee was widespread flooding. Rivers overflowed their banks, and flash floods happened quickly.

• In Louisiana and Mississippi, there was some flooding and power outages.
• The worst flooding happened in Pennsylvania and New York. Many towns were completely underwater.
• Homes, businesses, and roads were destroyed or badly damaged.
• Bridges collapsed, and train tracks were washed away.
• Thousands of people had to leave their homes and go to safer places.
• Farmers lost their crops because fields were flooded.

The cleanup and rebuilding efforts took a very long time. Many communities worked together to help each other recover from the storm's impact.

Images for kids

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  The extratropical remnant of Tropical Storm Lee over the Eastern US, on September 6: Hurricane Katia can be seen to the right.

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  Subtropical Storm Lee prior to making landfall on September 3

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  Flooding in Owego the day after Tropical Storm Lee, with 95% of the village under water

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  NY 416 flooded by Wallkill River after Lee

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  The heavily damaged Lycoming Valley Railroad bridge over Loyalsock Creek in Montoursville

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  Rainfall totals from Lee across the Eastern and Southeastern United States

See also

In Spanish: Tormenta tropical Lee (2011) para niños