A tropical wave was noted near the 50th meridian on August 29th.  The wave moved westward through the Lesser
Antilles, indicating an area low pressure area with gale force winds.  Once reconnaissance aircraft flew into the
system south of Puerto Rico on the evening of the 30th, they found an intensifying tropical storm.  Moving west
at 18 mph, Ella strengthened quickly into a hurricane which then moved close to the coast of Hispaniola.  Passing
through the Windward Passage, Ella moved inland through eastern Cuba, weakening into a tropical storm on the 1st.
By the 3rd, Ella moved across western Cuba, moving west-northwest at a slower rate of speed across the Gulf of
Mexico while continuing to weaken.  Ella moved ashore Texas as a weak tropical storm before dissipating across
southern Texas.  The graphics below show the storm total rainfall from Ella.  Rainfall data was provided by the
National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, North Carolina.