Five (2010)

A small tropical cyclone formed from a decaying frontal trough in the eastern Gulf of Mexico late on 9 August 2010. The system became Tropical Depression Five at 1800 UTC 10 August about 105 nautical miles west of Naples, Florida. The circulation moved slowly west-northwestward and lost organized convection by about 0000–0600 UTC 11 August; it degenerated into a remnant low roughly 125 n mi west of Naples. The remnant low tracked northwestward and then northward across the Chandeleur Islands, moved over coastal Mississippi and made multiple coastal crossings while looping inland before dissipating over southwestern Mississippi by 0600 UTC 18 August.

There were no tropical cyclone landfalls while the system retained its status as a tropical depression. The remnant low moved across the Chandeleur Islands late on 12 August and made a landfall along the coast of Mississippi around 0600 UTC 13 August as a remnant low with broad 20–25 knot winds. The remnant low later re-entered the northern Gulf (16 August) and made a second landfall along the Mississippi coast on 17 August before moving inland and dissipating on 18 August.

The depression’s maximum measured intensity was 30 knots (35 mph) with a minimum central pressure near 1008 mb at 0000 UTC 11 August. It never reached tropical storm strength and remained a tropical depression at its peak intensity.

Storm surge and rainfall were the main impacts. Measured storm-tide or surge values included about 8.00 ft at New Orleans (station NOE1), 5.90 ft at Robert, LA (ROBL1), and 5.55 ft at New Orleans Audubon Park (NEWL1). Rainfall totals were generally 1–3 inches across much of southern Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama; higher amounts of 3–5 inches occurred in parts of southern Mississippi and southwestern Alabama. The New Orleans area recorded 5–8 inches, with some locations in southwestern Mississippi and east-central Louisiana receiving over 10 inches after the final landfall. Widespread street flooding occurred in New Orleans and Jefferson Parish, and street flooding and some property damage were reported in Mobile, Alabama.

There were no direct deaths attributed to the depression or its remnants. Two adults drowned on 12 August off Anna Maria Island, Florida, after suffering heart attacks while caught in rip currents; these were not listed as direct casualties from the cyclone. Watches and warnings for a potential tropical storm were issued from Destin, Florida, to Intracoastal City, Louisiana (including Lake Pontchartrain and New Orleans) before the system weakened. Forecasters had identified the precursor disturbance roughly 48 hours before genesis and increased the estimated chances of development to high about six hours before it became a tropical depression.