Chief, F&SR Division                                    August 21, 1958
MIC, WBAS, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Report on Storm Becky - August 12-13, 1958
Attached is a report on Tropical BECKY in the San Juan area of responsibility.

                                                    (signed)
                                                  Ralph L. Higgs

cc:  WBO, Miami <-THIS COPY FOR
     WBO, New Orleans












































REPORT ON STORM BECKY - AUGUST 12-13, 1958
The first evidence of the existence of an in perturbation in the tropical
Atlantic this season van received on 10 from reports taken in the vicinity of
the Cape Verde Islands by the ship TATRIA.  The reports indicated a cyclonic
circulation of possible storm intensity near latitude 17N, longitude 28W.  No
other reports from this area were received during August 10 and the motion and
exact intensity of the perturbation could not be determined.  During August 11
a series of reports from the ship INDUSTRIOUS confirmed the existence of a
tropical storm circulation in the vicinity of latitude 18N longitude 45W.  The
first advisory on tropical storm Becky was issued at midnight AST August 12
(0400Z August 13).  From the direction of motion of tropical storm Becky after
August 12 it is quite evident that the disturbance by the same encountered by
the ship TATRIA two days before.  But as often happens in this area. two days
passed before the position and intensity of the circulation could be
determined with certainty.  Tropical storm Becky was however of only moderate
intensity and never developed hurricane intensity in the San Juan area of
responsibility.  Air Force reconnaissance aircraft investigated the
circulation on August 12, and reported maximum winds of 60 knots at the 700 mb
level and a maximum 700 mb height of 10,260 feet (minimum surface pressure of
around 1004 mbs.  Strong winds were observed only in the northern semicircle
with only light variable winds in the southern semicircle.  The eye was not
defined and the radar rain bands not well developed.  Evidently the storm was
still in the formative stage. it was moving westward at a fast rate of around
20 knots.
The storm was investigated again on August 13 by Navy reconnaissance aircraft
during the morning and a research aircraft in the afternoon.  The circulation
still Maintained the same intensity and structure of the previous day and
continued a fast rate of motion.  During the afternoon of 13 the storm
trajectory shifted to a more northward component the thus the threat to the
Caribbean islands diminished.  From the data available in our charts it
appears that the northward motion of the center might have been due to a
reformation of the wind circulation at a position somewhat to the north of the
one existing on August 12 and not to a continuous northward translation of the
center of circulation.
The storm was transferred to the responsibility of the Miami office in the
evening of August 13 A total of 8 advisories the 4 bulletins were issued ry
this office.  Storm warnings were raised on August 12 for the northern Islands
and a storm watch was put in effect for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands on
the fear that the storm might develop strong winds on the south side and
continue in a more westerly track.