Texas, 1997

Funnel Clouds and Waterspout in Texas, August 8 to 29, 1997

August 8 to 29, 1997 · NWS CRP · 6 events in 2 counties and zones

Weather conditions along the South Texas Coastal Bend during mid-summer are often conducive to funnel cloud and waterspout development. During the time periods of early to mid morning and late afternoon to early evening, conditions are generally more favorable for the formation of these tropical funnels and weak waterspouts.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

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 CRP wrote it up.

Weather conditions along the South Texas Coastal Bend during mid-summer are often conducive to funnel cloud and waterspout development. During the time periods of early to mid morning and late afternoon to early evening, conditions are generally more favorable for the formation of these tropical funnels and weak waterspouts. Instability in the form of early morning thermals within towering cumulus and convection forced later in the day along the seabreeze boundary are the two main mechanisms responsible for these reports.

The radar

The Corpus Christi radar (KCRP), 87 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:13 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 funnel cloud, 1 waterspout. Local standard time, as filed.

Funnel Cloud, Live Oak

When
August 8, 7:12 PM CST
Where
Live Oak County, Three Rivers
Coordinates
28.351, -98.125 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Funnel Cloud, Nueces

When
August 24, 6:20 AM CST
Where
Nueces County, Chapman Ranch
Coordinates
27.735, -97.516 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Funnel Cloud, Nueces

When
August 24, 11:35 AM CST
Where
Nueces County, Port Aransas
Coordinates
27.735, -97.516 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Two funnel clouds reported near the Port Aransas jetties near San Jose Island and Cove Harbor.

Waterspout, Nueces

When
August 24, 11:47 AM CST
Where
Nueces County, 10 mi NE of Mustang Is
Coordinates
27.735, -97.516 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Pilot report of a waterspout.

Funnel Cloud, Nueces

When
August 25, 9:09 AM CST
Where
Nueces County, Port Aransas
Coordinates
27.735, -97.516 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Funnel Cloud, Nueces

When
August 29, 5:30 PM CST
Where
Nueces County, 2 mi E of Port Aransas
Coordinates
27.735, -97.516 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Funnel Cloud
A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.
Waterspout
A tornado over water. One that moves ashore is filed as a tornado from the coastline on.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Texas in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings 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: 5614439, 5614440, 5614441, 5614442, 5614443, 5614444.