Name: Coastal Flood in Texas, April 25 to 27, 1997
Start: 1997-04-25T12:47
End: 1997-04-27T02:09
Location: Texas

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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: $655,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

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.

A strong easterly fetch off the Gulf produced coastal flooding along the upper Texas coast from April 25th-27th. The most extensive flooding/damage occurred from High Island to Jamaica Beach along the Gulf and the western shore of Galveston Bay. Tides ran between 2-4 feet above astronomically predicted levels. Beach errosion, road damage, and foundation damage were common especially in Galveston County due to the high waters. In Seabrook (Harris County), high waters on Toddville road made its way into approximately 12 homes and voluntary evacuation of the immediate bayfront was requested. Many residents lost fishing piers adjacent to their lots. Nassau Bay (Harris County), also reported roads flooded along the waterfront.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 coastal flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Coastal Flood, Harris

When: April 25, 12:47 PM CST to April 27, 2:09 AM CST
Where: Harris forecast zone
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 29.857, -95.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Coastal Flood, Galveston

When: April 25, 12:47 PM CST to April 27, 2:09 AM CST
Where: Galveston forecast zone
Property damage: $350,000
Coordinates: 29.298, -94.811 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Coastal Flood, Chambers

When: April 25, 12:47 PM CST to April 27, 2:09 AM CST
Where: Chambers forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 29.708, -94.671 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Coastal Flood, Matagorda

When: April 25, 12:47 PM CST to April 27, 2:09 AM CST
Where: Matagorda forecast zone
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 28.786, -96.004 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Coastal Flood, Brazoria

When: April 25, 12:47 PM CST to April 27, 2:09 AM CST
Where: Brazoria forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 29.168, -95.434 (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

More

Every storm in Texas in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, April 1997

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5595562, 5595563, 5595564, 5595565, 5595566.