1 lightning, 1 flash flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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 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 Brownsville, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 1, 9:00 AM CST, 3 hours 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX 1000 AM CDT SAT MAY 1 2004 .SHORT TERM...CONV LINE JUST TO THE NORTHWEST OF THE BRO CWA IS MOVING E-SE AT 25 TO 30 MPH AND IS BEGINNING TO PUSH INTO NORTHERN ZAPATA COUNTY. THIS MORNINGS BRO SOUNDING CONTINUES TO SHOW A VERY UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT IN PLACE OVER THE REGION WITH AN LI OF -13. THETA-E CONV FIELDS SHOWS THE BEST LIFT IS NOW OVER THE NORTHERN TIER OF THE BRO CWA. LIFT ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE SOUTHEASTWARD MOVING COLD FRONT WILL LIKELY BE STRONG ENOUGH TO BREAK THE MORNING INVERSION OVER THE CWA RESULTING IN A GROWING CONV THREAT LATER THIS MORNING AND THIS AFTERNOON. ALTHOUGH THE FRONT IS PROGRESSING SOUTHWARD PRETTY QUICKLY...MY MAIN CONCERN FOR THE HVY RAIN POTENTIAL WILL BE THE TRAINING OF CONV CELLS ALONG THE OVERALL LINE. SO WILL ISSUE A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE ENTIRE BRO CWA. SPC WILL BE ISSUING AN WW FOR THE ENTIRE BRO CWA SHORTLY DUE TO THE WEAKENING CAP. && .MARINE...AT 7 AM BUOY020 REPORTED SOUTHEAST WINDS AT 14 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 17 KNOTS AND 3 FOOT SEAS. AT 8 AM...A COLD FRONT ALONG A LINE FROM LAREDO TO THREE RIVERS WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 33 KNOTS. AT ITS PRESENT MOVEMENT...THE BOUNDARY SHOULD REACH NORTHERN KENEDY COUNTY AROUND 11 AM. STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT WITH STRONG GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS FROM MID DAY INTO THE AFTERNOON. MODERATE TO STRONG NORTH WINDS AFTER FRONTAL PASSAGE AND OVERNIGHT...BRINGING UP SEAS TO 8 TO 10 FEET FOR TONIGHT AND SUNDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES ARE LIKELY IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING INTO THE REGION TUESDAY WILL RELAX WINDS AND SEAS BEFORE TURNING BACK TO THE SOUTHEAST MIDWEEK. && .AVIATION...MORNING OBSERVATIONS OVER DEEP SOUTH TEXAS INDICATED LOW END MVFR CEILINGS IN GENERAL WITH LIGHT SOUTHEAST WINDS INLAND AND BREEZY ALONG THE COAST. VWP PROFILE CONTINUED TO REPORT A 35KT LOW LEVEL JET AT 2K FEET...SO BREEZY MORNING OVER THE COASTAL COUNTIES LIKELY. COLD FRONT MOVING INTO NORTHWEST PORTION OF DEEP SOUTH TEXAS COULD BE THROUGH THE SOUTH PADRE ISLAND AREA BY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...ACCOMPANIED BY A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME POSSIBLY SEVERE. MVFR CEILINGS IN GENERAL TODAY...EXCEPT IFR CONDITIONS IN HEAVIER THUNDERSTORMS. GOOD CHANCE OF CONVECTION TO CONTINUE OVERNIGHT...IMPROVING SIGNIFICANTLY SUNDAY. WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT WILL TURN TO THE NORTH AND BE BRIEFLY GUSTY. && .PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...(SATELLITE IMAGES INDICATE ELEVATED CONVECTION CONTINUES TO DEVELOP ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST AND SOUTHWEST TEXAS THIS MORNING. RELATIVELY STRONG COLD FRONT CONTINUES TO MOVE INTO CENTRAL TX WITH MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS ACROSS SOUTH TX. LAPS SURFACE ANALYSIS INDICATES CAPES OF 2500 J/KG ACROSS THE CWA WITH LIFTING INDEX OF NEAR -7. IN ADDITION...VAD WIND PROFILE INDICATES 50 KNOT LOW LEVEL JET ADVECTING MOISTURE NORTHWARD INTO CONVECTIVE COMPLEXES TO THE NORTH. WITH THE 500MB TROUGH MOVING INTO WEST TX LAPSE RATES WILL STEEPEN AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES INTO SOUTH TX THIS MORNING AND DEEP SOUTH TX LATER THIS AFTERNOON PROVIDING A FOCUS FOR LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE. UPPER LEVEL DIFFLUENCE IN COMBINATION WITH RIGHT REAR QUADRANT OF 200MB JET STREAM WILL PROVIDE FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR SEVERE WEATHER TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON. 00Z ETA SOUNDINGS PROGS DEEP DIRECTIONAL SHEAR DEVELOPING AS WELL AND ONLY LIMITING FACTOR SO FAR IS STRONG CAP AT 900MB. LATEST SPC OUTLOOK HAS SOUTH TX IN SLIGHT RISK WITH GREATEST THREAT BEING HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS BUT WOULD NOT RULE OUT AN ISOLATED TORNADO WITH ISOLATED CONVECTION DEVELOPING AHEAD OF THE MAIN LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ALSO BE A CONSIDERATION AND A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON. WILL INCREASE POPS TODAY WITH SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE IN ZONES/GRIDS THIS AFTERNOON INTO EVENING. WILL ISSUE SPS TO ADDRESS LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL FOR NOW. RAIN CHANCES SHOULD DIMINISH TONIGHT AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND THE 500MB TROUGH MOVES EASTWARD. CLEARING TREND TO CONTINUE INTO SUNDAY WITH HIGH PRESSURE BRINGING DRIER AND COOLER AIR INTO TEXAS AND NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT PROVIDING SUBSIDENCE. LOW TEMPERATURES SUNDAY NIGHT MAY BE COOLER THAN EXPECTED WITH RADIATIONAL COOLING BUT WILL GO WARMER THAN MAV TEMPERATURE GUIDANCE. && .LONG TERM...TEMPERATURES TO GRADUALLY WARM THROUGH THURSDAY WITH HIGH PRESSURE OVER SOUTH TX MONDAY SHIFTING EASTWARD TUESDAY AND RETURN FLOW DEVELOP WEDNESDAY. MOISTURE WILL INCREASE THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY AS THE 00Z GFS PROGS A 500MB LOW DEVELOPING ACROSS TX FRIDAY. WILL KEEP MENTION OF SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY.) && .BRO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SVR TSTM WATCH FOR TXZ248>257 UNTIL 3 PM FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TXZ248>257 UNTIL 4 PM SCA GMZ130-150-155-170-175 TODAY && SYNOPTIC/GRIDS...60 MARINE/AVIATION...59 MESO...VEGA THIS PRODUCT IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON OUR INTERNET WEB PAGE AT: HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/BRO
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX 1019 AM CDT SAT MAY 1 2004 TXZ248>257-020900- BROOKS-COASTAL CAMERON-COASTAL WILLACY-HIDALGO-INLAND CAMERON- INLAND WILLACY-JIM HOGG-KENEDY-STARR-ZAPATA- 1019 AM CDT SAT MAY 1 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR DEEP SOUTH TEXAS. .DAY ONE...REST OF TODAY AND TONIGHT. A LATE SEASON COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH DEEP SOUTH TEXAS TODAY. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND WILL MOVE FROM WEST TO EAST OVER THE AREA. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...WITH GUSTY WINDS... FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AS THE FRONT APPROACHES. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AND A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF DEEP SOUTH TEXAS TODAY. AFTER THE FRONT PASSES...GUSTY NORTH WINDS WILL RACE ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS INCREASING SEAS TO NEAR 10 FEET. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES WILL BE IN EFFECT FOR THE LOWER TEXAS BAY AND GULF WATERS TODAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY BEFORE WEAKENING ON MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED TODAY AND EARLY THIS EVENING. SPEECE
TXZ248-249-011415- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX 828 AM CDT SAT MAY 1 2004 ...COLD FRONT WITH THUNDERSTORMS HEADED FOR ZAPATA AND JIM HOGG COUNTIES... A COLD FRONT OVER SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS WAS SOUTHEAST AT 35 TO 40 MPH. THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE FRONT WILL BE INVADING ZAPATA COUNTY WITHIN THE NEXT HALF HOUR. THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MAY REACH JIM HOGG COUNTY BY 9 AM. RESIDENTS OF ZAPATA AND JIM HOGG COUNTIES SHOULD EXPECT VERY HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS DURING THE NEXT HOUR. ADDITIONALLY...DEEP SOUTH TEXAS IS WITHIN AN AREA DESIGNATED AS HAVING A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH 7 AM SUNDAY. THEREFORE...PEOPLE WITHIN THESE TWO COUNTIES SHOULD BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS. 59
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
1257 PM CDT SAT MAY 01 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0830 AM HAIL SAN YGNACIO 27.03N 99.45W
05/01/2004 0.25 INCH ZAPATA TX EMERGENCY MNGR
&&
TRSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
104 PM CDT SAT MAY 01 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1155 AM HAIL 12 NW LA GLORIA 26.84N 98.68W
05/01/2004 0.25 INCH JIM HOGG TX BROADCAST MEDIA
1145 AM TSTM WND GST HEBBRONVILLE 27.32N 98.69W
05/01/2004 40 MPH JIM HOGG TX LAW ENFORCEMENT
ONE TREE BLOWN DOWN
&&
TRSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
128 PM CDT SAT MAY 01 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0120 PM TSTM WND GST PORT MANSFIELD 26.55N 97.43W
05/01/2004 50 MPH WILLACY TX CO-OP OBSERVER
&&
TRSTXZ256-257-012000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX 130 PM CDT SAT MAY 1 2004 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 PM CDT SATURDAY AFTERNOON FOR DEEP SOUTH TEXAS... AT 130 PM RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE KENEDY COUNTY COAST...AND OVER THE MID AND LOWER VALLEY. THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. AN OBSERVER AT PORT MANSFIELD REPORTED GUSTS TO 50 MPH AT 125 PM CDT. RESIDENTS ALONG THE CAMERON AND WILLACY COUNTY COASTS AND ON SOUTH PADRE ISLAND SHOULD BE ALERT FOR FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING... VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS THIS AFTERNOON...AS THIS AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVES OFFSHORE.
The Corpus Christi radar (KCRP), 185 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:29 UTC.
1 lightning, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
A home burned to the ground after being struck by lightning.
Thunderstorms with very heavy rain produced flooding of streets in Zapata. Two cars were reported stranded in high water.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, May 2004
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: 5416362, 5416897.