Tornado and Flash Flood in Texas, March 25, 2003

Name: Tornado and Flash Flood in Texas, March 25, 2003
Start: 2003-03-25T17:45
End: 2003-03-25T21:00
Location: Texas

March 25, 2003 · NWS EWX · 5 events in 1 county or zone

2 hail, 1 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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: $85,000
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 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 Austin/San Antonio, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 25, 3:30 PM CST, 2 hours 15 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 25, 3:30 PM CST, 2 hours 15 minutes before

SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
330 PM CST TUE MAR 25 2003

ADD SVR WX WATCH #74

CLEARING LINE PROGRESSING EASTWARD AS COLD FRONT DROPS SOUTH AND
DRY LINE JUST HANGS OUT WEST.  WILL KEEP SAME AREA OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS AS PER SPC.  AFTER 850MB FRONT PASSES THROUGH TONIGHT
SKY WILL BE CLEAR.  A SUNNY DAY TOMORROW THEN CLOUDS ROLL BACK IN AS
THE NEXT VIGOROUS STORM SYSTEM, OVER THE ALASKAN GULF, MOVES ACROSS
THE ROCKIES THURSDAY.  ANOTHER FRONTAL PASSAGE FRIDAY WITH BLUSTERY
NORTH WINDS.  FEEL SUFFICIENT MOISTURE WILL BE AVBL FRIDAY FOR
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH FROPA. LONG WAVE RIDGING
TAKES A HOLD FOR THE WEEKEND WITH MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES AND NEAR
SEASONAL TEMPERATURES.  THE UPPER RIDGE IS EXPECTED TO HOLD FIRM
THROUGH MONDAY, THEN FLATTEN OUT TUESDAY.

PRELIMS NUMBERS...
AUS 52 75 49 75 58 60000
DRT 52 78 54 82 65 -0003
SAT 54 76 52 76 62 40000

.EWX...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #74 TIL 9PM ALONG AND EAST OF A
        LLANO TO TARPLEY TO PEARSALL TO CRYSTAL CITY LINE    .

06/08/23

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 25, 5:44 AM CST, 12 hours 1 minute before

TXZ171>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-261200-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
544 AM CST TUE MAR 25 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS MAINLY THE EASTERN HALF
OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT. THERE IS
ALSO A RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN SECTIONS OF SOUTH
CENTRAL TEXAS FOR TODAY.

AN UPPER-LEVEL DISTURBANCE AND COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH SOUTH
CENTRAL TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. OVER WESTERN SECTIONS OF
SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS CONDITIONS WILL BE FAVORABLE FOR THE SPREAD OF
WILDFIRES WITH VERY LOW HUMIDITIES AND GUSTY WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT.

ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN SECTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS...
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP AS THE FRONT ENCOUNTERS AMPLE
MOISTURE AT THE TIME OF PEAK AFTERNOON HEATING. THE THREAT OF SEVERE
WEATHER WILL BE MAINLY ALONG AND EAST OF A BURNET TO COMFORT TO
PEARSALL LINE.

ANY THUNDERSTORM THAT DEVELOPS COULD PRODUCE LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING
WINDS...ISOLATED TORNADOES...AND LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS UP TO 2
INCHES. THE FRONT WILL PUSH EAST AND FOCUS THUNDERSTORMS AWAY FROM
SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS BY EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...
NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Mar 25, 3:15 PM CST, 2 hours 30 minutes before

TXZ171>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-260300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
315 PM CST TUE MAR 25 2003

...INCREASING CHANCE OF SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS FOR PARTS OF
CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE OVER THE NORTH AND WEST PARTS OF THE HILL
COUNTRY IN THE LATE AFTERNOON TO EARLY EVENING TODAY...TO PARTS OF
CENTRAL TEXAS AND NORTHERN PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS IN THE
EVENING HOURS AFTER 6 TO 8 PM...AND OVER THE REST OF SOUTH CENTRAL
TEXAS LATER TONIGHT.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO FORM NEAR THE COLD FRONT
LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND IN THE EVENING AND NIGHTTIME HOURS.  SOME
OF THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE SEVERE MAINLY NEAR AND EAST OF A BURNET
AND LLANO COUNTY TO SOUTH OF SAN ANTONIO LINE...WHERE SOME LARGE
HAIL AND STRONG WINDS IS POSSIBLE.  ISOLATED TORNADOES COULD FORM
WITH SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE EAST PART OF SOUTH CENTRAL
TEXAS.  ANY THUNDERSTORM WILL CAUSE FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND
LOCALLY
HEAVY RAIN.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE OUT OF SOUTH CENTRAL
TEXAS IN THE PRE DAWN TO EARLY MORNING HOURS WEDNESDAY...AS THE THE
COLD FRONT MOVES OUT OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS.

SUNNY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED DURING THE DAY WEDNESDAY...IN WAKE OF
THE COLD FRONT...AND ITS ASSOCIATED UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER
DETAILS OR UPDATES.

Special weather statement, Mar 25, 3:25 PM CST, 2 hours 20 minutes before

TXZ171>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-260300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
325 PM CST TUE MAR 25 2003

...INCREASING CHANCE OF SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS FOR PARTS OF
CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE OVER THE NORTH AND WEST PARTS OF THE HILL
COUNTRY IN THE LATE AFTERNOON TO EARLY EVENING TODAY...TO PARTS OF
CENTRAL TEXAS AND NORTHERN PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS IN THE
EVENING HOURS AFTER 6 TO 8 PM...AND OVER THE REST OF SOUTH CENTRAL
TEXAS LATER TONIGHT.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO FORM NEAR THE COLD FRONT
LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND IN THE EVENING AND NIGHTTIME HOURS.  SOME
OF THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE SEVERE MAINLY NEAR AND EAST OF A LINE
FROM BURNET AND LLANO COUNTY...TO BANDERA COUNTY...AND TO DIMMIT AND
ZAVALA COUNTIES.  IN THIS AREA THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL
AND STRONG WINDS.  ISOLATED TORNADOES COULD FORM WITH SOME OF THE
THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE EAST PART OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS.  ANY
THUNDERSTORM WILL CAUSE FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY
HEAVY RAIN.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE OUT OF SOUTH CENTRAL
TEXAS IN THE PRE DAWN TO EARLY MORNING HOURS WEDNESDAY...AS THE THE
COLD FRONT MOVES OUT OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS.

SUNNY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED DURING THE DAY WEDNESDAY...IN WAKE OF
THE COLD FRONT...AND ITS ASSOCIATED UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER
DETAILS OR UPDATES.

Local storm report, Mar 25, 5:19 PM CST, 26 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
0519 PM CST TUE MAR 25 2003

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

0512 PM    CONCAN                    TX   0.88 IN HAIL
03/25/03   UVALDE

DC

Local storm report, Mar 25, 5:24 PM CST, 21 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
0524 PM CST TUE MAR 25 2003

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

0512 PM    CONCAN                    TX   0.88 IN HAIL
03/25/03   UVALDE                         REPORTED BY COOP
                                          OBSERVER

DC

The radar

The Austin/San Antonio radar (KEWX), 71 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:31 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 hail, 1 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Kendall

When: March 25, 5:45 PM CST to 5:55 PM CST
Where: Kendall County, 4 mi S of Bankersmith
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 29.945, -98.712 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Kendall

When: March 25, 6:30 PM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Kendall County, Countywide
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 29.950, -98.917

Rainfall from mid afternoon into the early evening produced general amounts near 1 inch with scattered totals to 3 inches. Due to the saturated nature of soils across the county, brief flash flooding developed over low areas and low water crossings.

Thunderstorm Wind, Kendall

When: March 25, 6:30 PM CST to 6:40 PM CST
Where: Kendall County, 1 mi S of Comfort
Measured: 75 kt (86 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $80,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 29.783, -98.800

Damaging winds knocked over several trees and damaged a home just south of Comfort in a path that ran from north to south. The winds tore a patio roof off the house, lifted it up over the roof and deposited it on the south side of the house. Some of the trees damaged in the area had diameters of over 12 inches. The winds were preceded by heavy rain, and followed by hail and a small tornado.

Hail, Kendall

When: March 25, 6:30 PM CST to 6:45 PM CST
Where: Kendall County, 4 mi W of Boerne
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 29.933, -98.917

Tornado, Kendall

When: March 25, 6:35 PM CST to 6:37 PM CST
Where: Kendall County, 2 mi S of Comfort
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.7 mi
Path width: 30 yd
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 30.083, -98.817

A small tornado developed behind the damaging winds, heavy rain, and large hail, moving southward for three-fourths of a mile, then lifting. It did not appear to have caused any damage

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
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.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Texas in 2003 Every state in 2003 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Texas, 2003 Warnings in Texas, March 2003

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: 5347973, 5347974, 5347975, 5347976, 5346280.