Flash Flooding and Hail in Texas, April 2, 2004

Name: Flash Flooding and Hail in Texas, April 2, 2004
Start: 2004-04-02T14:53
End: 2004-04-02T23:00
Location: Texas

April 2, 2004 · NWS CRP · 5 events in 3 counties and zones

, Northern Mexico and West Texas. A strong upper level disturbance rotated out of the trough across Mexico and into Texas during the morning of the 2nd.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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: 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 CRP wrote it up.

A slightly negatively tilted upper level trough was situated across the Southwest U.S., Northern Mexico and West Texas. A strong upper level disturbance rotated out of the trough across Mexico and into Texas during the morning of the 2nd. Showers and thunderstorms developed first across Live Oak, Bee and Goliad counties during the mid-morning hours. Weak mid-level winds resulted in slow moving storms across these counties, with the storms merging and becoming nearly stationary along the Bee and Goliad county line. Clearing skies across the Rio Grande Plains and Mexico during the afternoon led to increasing low-level instability. A second mid and upper level shortwave rotated out of Mexico during the afternoon. Thunderstorms developed from La Salle into Webb county during the afternoon hours with a few becoming severe. The thunderstorms organized into a squall line during the evening moving east into the Coastal Bend. The line weakend as it moved into a more stable airmass across the east, but did produce additional heavy rainfall and flash flooding across Bee, Goliad and San Patrcio counties. Radar estimates 5 to 8 inches may have fallen along the Bee and Goliad county line with 3 to 5 inches elsewhere across the county. Additionally 4 to 6 inches was estimated across southern La Salle county, however no flooding was reported. Elsewhere 1 to 3 inches fell across portions of Live Oak, Northern Goliad, Western Refugio, Western San Patricio and Victoria counties.

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 Apr 2, 10:45 AM CST, 4 hours 8 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 2, 10:45 AM CST, 4 hours 8 minutes before

SOUTH TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX
1045 AM CST FRI APR 2 2004

.SHORT-TERM (TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY)...SHORTWAVE TROUGH NOW
STRETCHES FROM SW AZ TO JUST WEST OF THE BIG BEND AND SOUTH INTO
MEXICO. UPR LVL DIVERGENT PATTERN HAS SPREAD INTO THE BIG BEND...
EDWARDS PLATEAU AND HILL COUNTRY...AIDING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE
HEAVIER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS NOW APPROACHING THE SAT AREA.
SHOWERS HAVE BEEN WEAKENING FURTHER SOUTH ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE
PLAINS IN THE CRP CWA AS THE MOVE AWAY FROM THE DIVERGENT PATTERN
AND INTO A SLIGHTLY MORE STABLE ENVIRONMENT. SOME STREAMER TYPE
SHOWERS HAVE DEVELOPED ACROSS THE NORTHERN COASTAL BEND THIS
MORNING. FORECAST REMAINS TRICKY FOR REMAINDER OF AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. SOUTHERN END OF SHORTWAVE WILL LIFT NORTHEAST INTO TEXAS
AND SHEAR APART THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. MODELS DO SHOW UPR LVL
DIVERGENT PATTERN OVERSPREADING S TX AROUND 21Z BEFORE WEAKENING
AND SHIFTING NORTH. WAS CONCERNED ABOUT HOW LIMITED SUNSHINE WOULD
BE AND INFLUENCE ON INSTABILITY...BUT VIS SAT SHOWING SOME BREAKS
ACROSS THE CNTRL COUNTIES AND SOUTHERN COASTAL BEND. SO FEEL ERN
2/3RDS OF CWA WILL CONTINUE TO DESTABILIZE THRU THE AFTERNOON. WILL
CONT LIKELY POPS FOR THE AFTERNOON ACROSS THE AREA AND STILL INCLUDE
MENTION OF ISOL SEVERE FOR HAIL AND WIND GUSTS. FORECAST FOR THIS
EVENING WILL DEPEND ON TRENDS INTO THE AFTERNOON. TEMPS ACROSS THE
FAR WEST MAY BE TOO HIGH GIVEN CLOUDS COVER.

&&

.CRP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE.

&&

76...SHORT TERM

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 2, 6:00 AM CST, 8 hours 53 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX
600 AM CST FRI APR 2 2004

GMZ230-235-250-255-270-275-TXZ229>234-239>247-031200-
ARANSAS-BAYS AND WATERWAYS FROM BAFFIN BAY TO PORT ARANSAS-
BAYS AND WATERWAYS FROM PORT ARANSAS TO PORT OCONNOR-BEE-CALHOUN-
COASTAL WATERS BAFFIN BAY TO PORT ARANSAS OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS PORT ARANSAS TO MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL OUT 20 NM-
DUVAL-GOLIAD-JIM WELLS-KLEBERG-LASALLE-LIVE OAK-MCMULLEN-NUECES-
REFUGIO-SAN PATRICIO-VICTORIA-
WATERS BAFFIN BAY TO PORT ARANSAS 20 TO 60 NM-
WATERS PORT ARANSAS TO MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL 20 TO 60 NM-WEBB-
600 AM CST FRI APR 2 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTHERN MEXICO AND INTO
SOUTH TEXAS TODAY.  SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THROUGH
THE DAYTIME HOURS AND MAY REACH SEVERE LEVELS LATE THIS AFTERNOON
AND THIS EVENING AS A LINE THUNDERSTORMS MOVES THROUGH.  THESE
STORMS MAY PRODUCE PENNY SIZED HAIL AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS BETWEEN 3
PM AND MIDNIGHT.  LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN MAY ALSO BE POSSIBLE WITH SOME
OF THESE STORMS...BUT WIDESPREAD FLOODING IS NOT ANTICIPATED.  RAIN
CHANCES WILL DIMINISH FROM WEST TO EAST TONIGHT AS THE STORMS MOVE
OFFSHORE.  RESIDENTS SHOULD STAY TUNED FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON
THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION TODAY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

MOISTURE...DAYTIME HEATING AND LOW LEVEL FORCING WILL PROVIDE A
CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY AND SATURDAY
NIGHT...MAINLY OVER THE SOUTHERN SECTIONS OF THE AREA.  THE CHANCES
FOR RAIN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MONDAY...AS AN UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCE APPROACHES FROM THE WEST.  RAIN CHANCES WILL DIMINISH BY
TUESDAY NIGHT...AS THE UPPER LOW MOVES EAST AND SLIGHTLY DRIER AND
MORE STABLE AIR MOVE INTO THE REGION.  THUNDERSTORMS WHICH DEVELOP
ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW SEVERE LIMITS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS RECOMMENDED TODAY.

TR/GW

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 2, 11:03 AM CST, 3 hours 50 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX
1103 AM CST FRI APR 2 2004

TXZ232-233-021745-
BEE-GOLIAD-
1103 AM CST FRI APR 2 2004

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR DIME SIZE HAIL AND FUNNEL CLOUDS
FOR BEE AND GOLIAD COUNTIES THROUGH 1145 AM CST...

AT 1103 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 23 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GOLIAD...OR ABOUT 4 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF NORMANNA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. THIS STRONG
THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORMANNA...CHARCO...GOLIAD AND WEESATCHE.
THIS STORM HAS HAD A HISTORY OF PRODUCING BRIEF FUNNEL CLOUDS.

76

Special weather statement, Apr 2, 1:54 PM CST, 59 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX
154 PM CST FRI APR 2 2004

TXZ231>234-240>247-022115-
ARANSAS-BEE-CALHOUN-DUVAL-GOLIAD-JIM WELLS-KLEBERG-LIVE
OAK-NUECES-REFUGIO-SAN PATRICIO-VICTORIA-
154 PM CST FRI APR 2 2004

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUING TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE COASTAL
BEND...

AT 154 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHING FROM BEE COUNTY AND LIVE OAK COUNTY
SOUTH TO JIM WELLS COUNTY. THESE STORMS WILL PUSH EAST OVER THE NEXT
FEW HOURS THROUGH THE COASTAL BEND AFFECTING THE COMMUNITIES OF
GOLIAD...BEEVILLE...GEORGE WEST...ALICE...KINGSVILLE...CORPUS
CHRISTI...SINTON...PORTLAND...ROCKPORT...REFUGIO AND PORT LAVACA.

THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL...
WINDS GUSTING UP TO 40 MPH...FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING AND VERY
HEAVY RAIN WITH RAINFALL RATES UP TO TWO INCHES AN HOUR. IN
ADDITION...SHORT-LIVED FUNNEL CLOUDS WILL BE POSSIBLE.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.

76

Special weather statement, Apr 2, 2:25 PM CST, 28 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX
225 PM CST FRI APR 2 2004

TXZ229-230-239-240-030200-
DUVAL-LA SALLE-MCMULLEN-WEBB-
226 PM CST FRI APR 2 2004

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
VALID UNTIL 800 PM CST FRIDAY EVENING. THE WATCH INCLUDES THE
COUNTIES OF DUVAL...LA SALLE...MCMULLEN AND WEBB. SOME CITIES
INCLUDED IN THE WATCH ARE BENAVIDES...COTULLA...ENCINAL...LAREDO AND
TILDEN.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS TO OCCUR IN OR NEAR THE WATCH AREA. SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL THE SIZE OF A DIME
OR LARGER...STRONG WINDS OF 58 MPH OR GREATER AND EVEN TORNADOES.

EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND SPOTTER GROUPS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE
ACTIVATION. RESIDENTS ACROSS SOUTH TEXAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT AND BE
READY TO ACT QUICKLY IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA. IF
SEVERE WEATHER THREATENS YOUR AREA...THEN MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM
AND LAY DOWN ON THE FLOOR. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...LAY FLAT DOWN ON THE
GROUND...PREFERABLY IN A DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT. NEVER TRY TO OUTRUN
SEVERE WEATHER.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR
POSSIBLE WARNINGS REGARDING THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.

76

The radar

The Corpus Christi radar (KCRP), 74 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:23 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 flash flood, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Bee

When: April 2, 2:53 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Bee County, North Portion
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 28.417, -97.741 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorms began over central and northern Bee county and drifted east becoming nearly stationary along the Bee and Goliad county line. Several Farm to Market roads and Highways had water over the roadway, producing closures. U.S. 59 was briefly closed due to water over the roadway near the Goliad county line. (see episode narrative below for estimated rainfall amounts)

Hail, Bee

When: April 2, 3:25 PM CST
Where: Bee County, 5 mi W of Skidmore
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 28.250, -97.767

Flash Flood, Goliad

When: April 2, 3:30 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Goliad County, Southwest Portion
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 28.657, -97.426 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A nearly stationary thunderstorm along the Bee and Goliad county line produced very heavy rainfall for several hours over the town of Berclair. (see episode narrative below for estimated rainfall amounts) Law enforcement reported water over U.S. 59 near Berclair in far southwest Goliad county.

Flash Flood, Bee

When: April 2, 8:15 PM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Bee County, Central Portion
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 28.417, -97.741 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Additional thunderstorms moved out of the Rio Grande Plains into the Coastal Bend during the evening producing heavy rainfall over already saturated grounds. The heaviest rainfall during the evening fell across the southern half of the county. Law enforcement reported several road closures due to high water. (see episode narrative below for estimated rainfall amounts)

Flash Flood, San Patricio

When: April 2, 9:30 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where: San Patricio County, West Portion
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 28.009, -97.518 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorms moved slowly out of the Rio Grande Plains into the Coastal Bend during the evening. Very heavy rainfall produced flash flooding along Highway 188 just east of Interstate 37. (see episode narrative below for estimated rainfall amounts)

What these are

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.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Texas in 2004 Every state in 2004 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, April 2004

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: 5394000, 5393919, 5393920, 5394001, 5394002.