Coastal Flood in Texas, November 16 to 17, 1996

Name: Coastal Flood in Texas, November 16 to 17, 1996
Start: 1996-11-16T14:00
End: 1996-11-17T18:40
Location: Texas

November 16 to 17, 1996 · NWS HGX · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

Tight gradient produce strong east winds that caused coastal flooding and beach errosion along the Upper Texas Coast. Tides ranged between 3-5 feet above predicted astronomical levels.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $700,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS HGX wrote it up.

Tight gradient produce strong east winds that caused coastal flooding and beach errosion along the Upper Texas Coast. Tides ranged between 3-5 feet above predicted astronomical levels. Roads were damaged as well as beachfront homes (foundations undercut).

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 coastal flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Coastal Flood, Chambers

When: November 16, 2:00 PM CST to November 17, 6:40 PM CST
Where: Chambers forecast zone, Coast
Property damage: $100,000
Coordinates: 29.708, -94.671 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Coastal Flood, Galveston

When: November 16, 2:00 PM CST to November 17, 6:40 PM CST
Where: Galveston forecast zone
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 29.298, -94.811 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Coastal Flood, Brazoria

When: November 16, 2:00 PM CST to November 17, 6:40 PM CST
Where: Brazoria forecast zone
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 29.168, -95.434 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Coastal Flood, Matagorda

When: November 16, 2:00 PM CST to November 17, 6:40 PM CST
Where: Matagorda forecast zone
Property damage: $100,000
Coordinates: 28.786, -96.004 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Coastal Flood: Flooding of coastal land by the sea, from storm surge, onshore wind or high tides.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Texas in 1996 Every state in 1996 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, November 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5575119, 5575120, 5575121, 5575122.