Damaging Wind in Texas, August 4, 1997

Name: Damaging Wind in Texas, August 4, 1997
Start: 1997-08-04T16:55
End: 1997-08-04T16:55
Location: Texas

August 4, 1997 · NWS MAF · 1 event in 1 county or zone

1 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: $10,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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.

The radar

The Midland/Odessa radar (KMAF), 224 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:53 UTC.

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Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Brewster

When: August 4, 4:55 PM CST
Where: Brewster County, 1 mi N of Alpine
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 30.380, -103.670

A thunderstorm moving over the city of Alpine collapsed, producing a wet microburst that blew the roof off a trailer, overturned a carport, and knocked down sheds. The storm was not moving extremely fast (at 18kt) but was the fastest moving of the 44 cells on the Midland radar. The storm dumped half its volume in one 6 minute scan with the VIL dropping from 38 to 19 kg/m2. The debris was blown in the direction of the storm movement (NE-SW).

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Texas in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, August 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5622397.