Talk:Hurricane Debra (1959)/GA1

GA Review

Article (edit | visual edit | history) · Article talk (edit | history) · Watch

Reviewer: TropicalAnalystwx13 (talk · contribs) 22:24, 21 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I will get around to reviewing this in just a little bit. I have added some hidden messages as well, so make sure to check that. – TropicalAnalystwx13 (talk) 22:24, 21 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

GA review – see WP:WIAGA for criteria

Is it reasonably well written?
A. Prose quality:
See below

B. MoS compliance for lead, layout, words to watch, fiction, and lists:
See below.
Is it factually accurate and verifiable?
A. References to sources:

B. Citation of reliable sources where necessary:

C. No original research:
Is it broad in its coverage?
A. Major aspects:

B. Focused:
Is it neutral?
Fair representation without bias:
Is it stable?
No edit wars, etc:
Does it contain images to illustrate the topic?
A. Images are copyright tagged, and non-free images have fair use rationales:

B. Images are provided where possible and appropriate, with suitable captions:
Overall:
Pass or Fail:

Lead

Hurricane Debra was a destructive tropical cyclone of the 1959 Atlantic hurricane season. – It was a tropical cyclone of the 1959 Atlantic hurricane season?
It is. of and during are both proper terms.
The fifth tropical storm and third hurricane of the season, Debra originated from a cold-core low and a tropical wave on July 15. – It originated from both?...Or was it the interaction of the two that spawned the system?
Will fix.
The system was designated a tropical depression on July 23 when it was south of Louisiana, meandering westward and swiftly intensifying into a tropical storm along the Gulf Coast of the United States. A turn towards the northwest became evident as it attained Category 1 hurricane status on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale the following day while it organized into a developed storm. – These sentences could be changed and combined. The disturbance was designated as a tropical depression on July 23 while situated south of Louisiana, and meandered generally westward as the cyclone quickly strengthened into a tropical storm. The following day, Debra attained Category 1 hurricane status on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale as a turn to the northwest became evident. Or something like that.
No for exact distance. It's strange. And I don't think anything seems wrong.
Curving northward at a slow forward speed, it maintained its magnitude as it approached the coast of Texas as a minimal hurricane – I'd find some way to change this sentence around as you already mention it is moving towards the northwest in the previous sentence. Additionally, "magnitude" is a funny word for a tropical cyclone, I would stick with the generic "intensity".
Will do.
It came ashore during the evening of July 24 local time (0000 UTC on July 25) between Freeport and Galveston, Texas. – "came ashore" is a little funny to link to landfall. Additionally, there is no need for "local time" as all times should just be UTC. I'd just say, It made landfall during the evening hours of July 24 between Freeport and Galveston, Texas.
See Talk:Hurricane Iwa#UTC. No.
The remnant moisture would later spark upper-level thunderstorms in late July and early August. – Lets keep tense.The remnant moisture later sparked upper-level thunderstormsseveral days later.
Will do.
Prior to Debra's arrival in Texas, numerous hurricane warnings were issued and at least 8,600 individuals evacuated. – Missing a word. Prior to Debra's arrival in Texas, numerous hurricane warnings were issued and at least 8,600 individuals were evacuated.
People evacuate. "were evacuated" would only be if they were forced to evacuate.
The hurricane resulted in 11 injuries but no deaths, while approximately 90 cattle were drowned. – Take out "were" to make the sentence grammatically correct.
No...that's not a grammar error.

It is, per several members on IRC. – TropicalAnalystwx13 (talk) 23:40, 21 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Damage in Texas' Brazoria, Galveston, and Harris counties surmounted $6.685 million (1959 USD) and total damage from the storm reached $7 million (1959 USD). – Take out the second (1959 USD) in this sentence, and I'd add a note after the first saying that all damage totals are in 1959 USD.
Meh, that's too complicated. It should be noticeable; besides, I've never seen a WPTC article with such; they always use the format given. HurricaneFan 25 — 23:35, 21 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Meteorological history

Debra's origins were from an area of convection over the western Bahamas and Florida related to an upper-tropospheric cold-core low and a tropical wave on July 15. – Same as my second comment.
The wording in the lede was problematic, this is not as it (should) clearly states that the two were related to each other.
A weak surface circulation was observed near 1900 EST (0100 UTC on July 21) which was affected by an inverted trough as it turned westward. – First, take out the "1900 EST" and just use UTC time. Secondly, this sentence is pretty confusing. Did the surface circulation turn westward or the inverted trough?
Sorta clarified.
The system's circulation remained indistinct until July 23 as winds of 22–30 knots consorted with squalls adjacent to the coasts of Louisiana and Texas. – Wikipedia standard is miles per hour.
No, it isn't.
The storm attained tropical characteristics near 0000 UTC situated south of Louisiana and was subsequently designated a tropical depression. – Add "while" after "UTC".
No for distance, no for while.
Ship communications off the coast during July 24 relayed winds of 23–50 knots and a barometric pressure of 1007.5 mbar (29.75 inHg), indicating it had tropical storm status on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale. – Same as above comment. Secondly, "during July 24"? How about on July 24?
Half done.
Radar imagery taken near 0733 CST (1333 UTC) evidenced that Debra was a full-fledged hurricane, with a prominent spiral appearance that was not perceived the previous afternoon; by this point, it had acquired Category 1 status – First, as aforementioned, just UTC. Secondly, "a full-fledged hurricane"...Is this needed? Lastly, if it had strengthened into a hurricane, it was obviously a Category 1 hurricane, so the end part of this sentence is not needed.
Cleaned up a bit.

Summary

I've read the rest of the article and everything seems to be in order to pass it. Great work! – TropicalAnalystwx13 (talk) 04:20, 23 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]