Matthew (2004)

A tropical wave that moved off West Africa on 19 September drifted west and eventually reached the Bay of Campeche. A broad low developed there, and a tropical depression formed about 1200 UTC 8 October 2004 roughly 180 nautical miles southeast of Brownsville, Texas. The system became Tropical Storm Matthew by 1800 UTC 8 October. It moved generally northeastward, reached its peak intensity on 9 October, then turned north and made landfall on the central Louisiana coast on 10 October before weakening to a depression, becoming extratropical, and being absorbed by a frontal system on 11 October.

Matthew made landfall near Cocodrie, Louisiana at about 1100 UTC (6:00 a.m. CDT) on 10 October 2004. At landfall the storm’s strongest sustained winds were estimated at 35 knots (40 mph), which is tropical storm strength. After landfall Matthew weakened to a tropical depression later that day and lost its tropical characteristics the next day.

The storm’s maximum recorded intensity was 40 knots (46 mph) with a minimum central pressure of 997 millibars, reached at 1800 UTC 9 October. That intensity corresponds to a moderate tropical storm rather than a hurricane.

Storm surge and rainfall produced notable coastal flooding and heavy rain across southern Louisiana. Reported storm surge values included 5.85 feet at Frenier, about 5.3 feet at the Mandeville gauge, 3.7 feet at Cocodrie, and 3.61 feet at Grand Isle. Several tide and river observations showed elevated storm tides (water above mean sea level), with values such as about 7.50 feet at New Orleans (KMSY) and 7.42 feet at Baton Rouge (KBTR). The heaviest rainfall total reported was 16.23 inches at Reserve in St. John Parish; other large totals included 14.28 inches at Galliano, 13.02 inches at the LSU sugarcane station, and 9.43 inches at Thibodaux.

Damage and casualties were relatively limited for this short-lived storm. Local reports noted beach erosion on Grand Isle, roof damage from a brief tornado near Golden Meadow, and about 20 homes flooded in Terrebonne Parish due to the combined effects of rain and surge. There were no known deaths or injuries reported in the NHC data reviewed.

Matthew was short-lived and small in size. Forecast track errors were comparable to the 1994–2003 average and intensity errors were smaller than that period’s average. One very high gust (83 kt) was recorded at the BURL1 site during landfall but was judged to be related to a small convective cell and not representative of the storm’s overall strength.