Just about everyone who lives or grew up across Southern Louisiana and Southeast Texas knows the story of Hurricane Audrey, whether it was stories your parents or grandparents passed on, or literature read within the history books.

During the early morning hours of June 27, 1957, an early season hurricane named Audrey roared ashore Southwest Louisiana and Southeastern Texas. Audrey spread a massive storm surge across most of Cameron parish, and across the southern halves of Vermilion, Iberia, and St. Mary parishes, causing total devastation in property and many lives lost. displays the areas inundated with selected high water mark levels. illustrates a post storm SLOSH (Sea, Lake and Overland Surges from Hurricanes) model of Audrey’s passage, with an animation available in 15 minute increments.

Hurricane Audrey ranks as the 7th deadliest hurricane to strike the United States (2nd deadliest within Louisiana) in modern record keeping, with at least 500 deaths. The exact number will never be known, as many perished in the storm surge in Cameron and Vermilion parishes, and many missing persons were never found.

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