WEATHER: Evil Alice

Hurricane Alice, first of the 1954 season, was gentle as hurricanes go. She barely reached hurricane velocity (80 m.p.h.), and the blow did little damage other than beaching a few shrimp boats in the Gulf of Mexico. But when she moved inland over parched southwest Texas, her humid clouds cascaded rain in torrents never before recorded. On eroded land, where 1 in. of rain can mean a flash flood, as much as 22 in. fell last week. It was disaster.

Wall of Water. After a night of cloudburst, sheriff's deputies roamed the little...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!