Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, May 17, 2002

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, May 17, 2002
Start: 2002-05-17T15:39
End: 2002-05-17T19:40
Location: Texas

May 17, 2002 · NWS CRP · 15 events in 7 counties and zones

9 hail, 6 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 15

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 forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Corpus Christi, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 17, 2:05 PM CST, 1 hour 34 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 17, 2:05 PM CST, 1 hour 34 minutes before

COASTAL BEND FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX
305 PM CDT FRI MAY 17 2002

THE COLD FRONT OVER NORTH TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON WILL BE THE MAIN
FORECAST CONCERN FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.  FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTH
OVERNIGHT...AND MOVE OFFSHORE BY MID MORNING SATURDAY.  AIRMASS
ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA STABILIZED AFTER THIS MORNINGS
CONVECTION...AND RECOVERY HAS BEEN SLOW...ONLY A FEW PUFFY CU
OUTSIDE.  EXPECT AIRMASS TO DESTABILIZE AS WE GO THROUGH THE
REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON. THE PREFRONTAL TROUGH SHOULD ENTER THE
NORTHERN ZONES AROUND MIDNIGHT.  PWATS SHOULD AVERAGE 1.5 TO 1.75 IN
WITH CAPES AROUND 2000 J/KG...EXPECT SCATTERED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP AROUND 06Z AND MOVE SOUTH OF THE AREA BY
12Z.  THE FRONT WILL BE SOUTH OF THE FORECAST AREA BY MID MORNING
SATURDAY (LAGGING 3 TO 6 HOURS). AFTER THIS...THE CHANCE FOR RAIN
WILL DWINDLE DURING THE MORNING HOURS WITH SOME CLOUDS LINGERING
UNTIL SATURDAY EVENING. EXPECT FAIR CONDITIONS FOR SUNDAY AND MONDAY
AS HIGH PRESSURE DOMINATES. EXCEPT FOR A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS
WEST ON TUESDAY...WILL KEEP THE EXTENDED DRY.  CROSS SECTIONS SHOW A
RETURN TO MOSTLY CLOUDY CONDITIONS FOR WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
TEMPERATURES WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE THROUGH THE PERIOD.

MARINE...EXPECT THE FRONT...CURRENTLY OVER NRN TX...TO MOVE SWD
OVERNIGHT AND INTO THE WATERS EARLY SAT. CAPE-CIN PATTERN WL SUPPORT
CONVECTION ALONG/NEAR THE FRONT OVER THE WATERS BEGINNING LATER
TONIGHT. SCA CONDITIONS/DECREASING PCPN CHANGES EXPECTED AFTER FROPA.
EXPECT SFC WIND SPEEDS TO DECREASE/VEER SUNDAY...AS THE ANTICYCLONE
MOVES SLOWLY INTO THE SERN CONUS. SGFNT MSTR INCREASE ANTICIPATED BY
WED...HWR NOT YET CONFIDENT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PCPN.

PRELIMS...
CRP EB 068/080 062/081 064 42-
VCT EB 063/077 057/079 058 52-
LRD EB 065/081 062/084 065 320

.CRP...SCA GMZ230-235.

78/87

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 17, 3:00 PM CST, 39 minutes before

TXZ229>234-239>247-181200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...COR HEADER
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX
400 PM CDT FRI MAY 17 2002

...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED TONIGHT...

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE REGION
TONIGHT.  THE AIRMASS IS VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE THIS AFTERNOON.  AN
APPROACHING FRONTAL BOUNDARY AS WELL AS SEVERAL OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES
FROM EARLIER CONVECTION WILL SERVE AS THE FOCUS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT
OF THESE STORMS.  AS WE GO THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING AND LATE NIGHT
HOURS THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE STRONG STORMS WILL BE GUSTY
WINDS...HEAVY RAINFALL...AND HAIL.  SOME CITIES TO BE AFFECTED ARE
LAREDO...COTULLA...VICTORIA...CORPUS CHRISTI...KINGSVILLE AND
SINTON.  MOST OF THE ACTIVITY WILL MOVE SOUTH OF THE AREA BY 6 AM
SATURDAY MORNING...AND THE ACTUAL COLD FRONT SHOULD MOVE SOUTH OF
THE CORPUS CHRISTI AREA BY MID MORNING SATURDAY.

AFTER A FEW MORNING SHOWERS...MOST OF THE RAINFALL WILL END.  WINDS
WILL BE FROM THE NORTH WITH SPEEDS INCREASING BY THE AFTERNOON.

RESIDENTS AND TRAVELERS FROM THE RIO GRANDE PLAINS TO THE VICTORIA
CROSS ROADS TO THE COASTAL BEND SHOULD STAY TUNED FOR UPDATED
STATEMENTS AND ADVISORIES THROUGH THE EVENING AS THIS SITUATION
DEVELOPS.

78

Local storm report, May 17, 3:07 PM CST, 32 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI,TX
407 PM CDT FRI MAY 17 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0357 PM    VICTORIA                  TX   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/17/02   VICTORIA                       REPORTED BY AIRPORT
                                          MANAGER AT VICTORIA
                                          REGIONAL AIRPORT

0400 PM    4 SW INEZ                 TX   .75 INCH HAIL
05/17/02   VICTORIA

JM

Local storm report, May 17, 3:39 PM CST, 0 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI,TX
439 PM CDT FRI MAY 17 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0420 PM    5 N BLOOMINGTON           TX   .88 INCH HAIL
05/17/02   VICTORIA                       DIME TO NICKLE SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER ON HIGHWAY
                                          185 BETWEEN BLOOMINGTON
                                          AND VICTORIA

JM

The radar

The Corpus Christi radar (KCRP), 121 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:39 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 hail, 6 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Victoria

When: May 17, 3:39 PM CST
Where: Victoria County, 5 mi N of Bloomington
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 28.717, -96.883

Hail, Bee

When: May 17, 3:50 PM CST
Where: Bee County, 3 mi N of Beeville
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 28.450, -97.750

Also reported 45 mph wind gust.

Hail, Live Oak

When: May 17, 5:55 PM CST
Where: Live Oak County, Three Rivers
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 28.467, -98.183

Hail, San Patricio

When: May 17, 6:03 PM CST
Where: San Patricio County, Mathis
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 28.100, -97.833

Hail, San Patricio

When: May 17, 6:05 PM CST
Where: San Patricio County, 5 mi W of Odem
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 27.950, -97.667

Hail, San Patricio

When: May 17, 6:35 PM CST
Where: San Patricio County, Edroy
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 27.967, -97.667

Hail, San Patricio

When: May 17, 6:40 PM CST
Where: San Patricio County, Odem
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 27.950, -97.583

Hail, Nueces

When: May 17, 6:50 PM CST
Where: Nueces County, 2 mi N of Calallen
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 27.900, -97.633

Thunderstorm Wind, Jim Wells

When: May 17, 6:53 PM CST
Where: Jim Wells County, Alice
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 27.750, -98.083

Trees and power lines down all across Alice.

Thunderstorm Wind, Nueces

When: May 17, 7:06 PM CST
Where: Nueces County, Agua Dulce
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 27.800, -97.900

Large tree limbs and powerlines down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Nueces

When: May 17, 7:15 PM CST
Where: Nueces County, Bishop
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 27.583, -97.800

Large tree limbs and powerlines down across the town.

Thunderstorm Wind, Kleberg

When: May 17, 7:18 PM CST
Where: Kleberg County, Kingsville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 27.517, -97.867

Large trees and power lines down.

Hail, Kleberg

When: May 17, 7:18 PM CST
Where: Kleberg County, 2 mi W of Kingsville
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 27.517, -97.900

Thunderstorm Wind, Kleberg

When: May 17, 7:31 PM CST
Where: Kleberg County, (Nqi)nas Kingsville
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 27.500, -97.800

Thunderstorm Wind, Kleberg

When: May 17, 7:40 PM CST
Where: Kleberg County, 2 mi W of Ricardo
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 27.417, -97.883

Mobile home flipped over with trees and powerlines down.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, May 2002

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: 5290340, 5290341, 5290342, 5290343, 5290344, 5290345, 5290346, 5290347, 5290348, 5290351, 5290404, 5290349, 5290350, 5290405, 5290406.