The Rentz Fire burned 450 acres on State Highway 359 near the Duval/Webb County line. Two homes and a uranium plant were threatened.
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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 episode as NWS CRP wrote it up.
The Rentz Fire burned 450 acres on State Highway 359 near the Duval/Webb County line. Two homes and a uranium plant were threatened. Multiple local fire departments along and the Texas Forest Service responded. The exact beginning and containment time were not known at the time of this writing.
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 Mar 14, 9:17 AM CST, 2 hours 43 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX 1017 AM CDT FRI MAR 14 2008 .UPDATE...A MUCH WARMER/HOTTER DAY EXPECTED TODAY VERSUS YESTERDAY. MORNING SOUNDING SHOWING 5-8 DEGS C WARMING AT MID LEVELS...DUE TO WSW FLOW ADVECTING WARMER TEMPS FROM THE HIGHER MEXICAN TERRAIN TO THE WEST. LOW LEVEL FLOW EXPECTED TO BE GENERALLY SSW TODAY...EXCEPT LIKELY BECOMING ONSHORE(SE) CLOSER TO THE COAST. EXACTLY HOW FAR THE ONSHORE FLOW PENETRATES INLAND WILL DICTATE HOW WARM TEMPS WILL GET CLOSER TO THE COAST. WILL LEAVE CURRENT MAX TEMP FORECAST FOR TODAY...SHOWING AROUND 100 OVER THE RIO GRANDE PLAINS...AND LOWER TO MID 90S ALL THE WAY EAST TO NEAR HW 77. MID TO UPPER 80S CLOSER TO THE COAST. AREAS OF MORNING FOG ARE RAPIDLY BURNING OFF AS SW FLOW PICKS UP AND TEMPS WARM. WILL NEED TO CLEAN UP ANY MORNING FOG MENTION IN FORECAST...BUT NO OTHER BIG CHANGES EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. FIRE WEATHER...ALTHOUGH WINDS WILL NOT BE STRONG ENOUGH TO ALLOW FOR ANY FIRE WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS...AFTERNOON MIN RHS WILL BE VERY LOW (IN THE SINGLE DIGITS AND TEENS MOST LOCATIONS EXCEPT COAST)... WHICH WILL KEEP FIRE DANGER ELEVATED MUCH OF REGION EXCEPT RIGHT AT THE COAST. WINDS GENERALLY SSW TODAY...LIKELY BECOMING ONSHORE WITHIN 10-20 MILES OF THE GULF COAST. DIFFICULT TO TELL RIGHT NOW HOW FAR ONSHORE FLOW WILL PUSH INLAND TODAY. AVIATION...IFR CONDITIONS IN LOW VSBYS AND CIGS IN FOG ARE RAPIDLY BURNING OFF AND EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS ALL LOCATIONS AFT 16Z. MARINE...STRATUS/FOG EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY DIMINISH TODAY AS WINDS INCREASE FROM THE SOUTH. EXPECT ONSHORE FLOW NEAR THE COAST THIS AFTERNOON 10-15 KTS. NO BIG CHANGES EXPECTED WITH MORNING UPDATE AT THIS TIME. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 505 AM CDT FRI MAR 14 2008/ SHORT TERM (TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY)...LOW PRESSURE TO THE NORTH AND SFC RIDGE AXIS WELL SOUTH IN THE CEN GULF WILL PROMOTE LOW LEVEL SW-W FLOW WITH THE DRY LINE PROGRESSING UNUSUALLY FAR EAST THIS AFTN. NAM12 MAY BE A BIT OVERDONE WRT HOW FAR EAST THE DRY LINE DOES MAKE IT...BUT WILL AT LEAST APPROACH ALI BY AFTN MOST LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO DEVELOPMENT OF SUNNY SKIES AND HOT TEMPS THIS AFTN W/ LOTS OF 90S WEST OF HIGHWAY 77 AND EVEN TRIPLE DIGITS NEAR LRD AREA. WILL KEEP CRP AND VCT BELOW RECORD HIGHS...BUT IF MORE AGGRESSIVE NAM VERIFIES...BOTH CITIES COULD BREAK RECORD MAX TEMPS TODAY. UNUSUAL SW-NE ORIENTED LLJ WILL KEEP THINGS DRY OVERNIGHT AND WILL LIKELY HAMPER ANY STRATUS DEVELOPMENT AND WILL NOT MENTION ANY FOG OR LOW CLOUDS ATTM. THIS WILL ALSO LEAD TO A DRY FROPA SAT MORNING AS A WEAK FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION. WONT SEEM LIKE MUCH OF A FRONT AS HIGHS STILL REACH THE 90S FOR MUCH OF THE REGION...BUT SOME MODEST H85 CAA WILL KEEP TEMPS A TAD BELOW TODAYS HOT VALUES. MARINE...EXPECT SOME SCEC CONDITIONS FOR THE SRN BAYS THIS AFTN...THEN INCREASING FLOW TO LOW END SCA LEVELS FOR THE GULF ZONES OVERNIGHT AS A LOW MOVES ACROSS THE SRN PLAINS. COLD FRONT ON SAT EXPECTED TO BE WEAK WITH JUST A LIGHT TO MODERATE N FLOW DEVELOPING. FIRE WEATHER...VERY DRY SW FLOW ON TAP TODAY AND THEN ESP DRY ON SAT BEHIND A WEAK COLD FRONT...BUT WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN LIGHT AND WILL NOT REQUIRE ANY FLAGS EITHER DAY. LONG TERM (SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY)...SELY ONSHORE FLOW WILL DEVELOPS BY SATURDAY EVENING AS SURFACE LOW PRESSURE MOVES INTO NEW MEXICO AHEAD OF A VIGOROUS MID/UPR LOW DIGGING INTO MOJAVE DESERT. SE WINDS WILL INCREASE ACROSS ALL OF SOUTH TEXAS AS LOW PRESSURE DEEPENS ACROSS WEST TEXAS ON SUNDAY. WINDY CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST ACROSS SOUTH TEXAS AGAIN MONDAY AS THE LOW PUSHES INTO THE BID BEND REGION AS LLJ OF 50+ KNOTS DEVELOPS NEAR THE COAST MONDAY AFTERNOON. HAVE TRIMMED BACK PRECIP CHANCES SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY EVENING AS TREMENDOUS CAP WILL ENCOMPASS THE REGION WHERE ONLY SLIGHT CHANCE TO LOW END CHANCE OF RAIN IS PAINTED NE OF LINE FROM PORT ARANSAS TO BEEVILLE. HOWEVER...PRECIP CHANCES DO INCREASE AFTER MIDNIGHT MONDAY NIGHT INTO MID DAY ON TUESDAY AS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE CONVERGENCE INCREASES AHEAD OF THE FRONT AND WHERE SYNOPTIC ASCENT AND FORCING MOVES TOWARDS SOUTH TEXAS WITH APPROACH OF SHARP UPPER TROF AND UPPER DIFFLUENCE. HIGHER PRECIP CHANCES WILL OCCUR ACROSS THE EASTERN CWA WITH HIGHEST PRECIPITATION CHANCES ACROSS THE VICTORIA CROSSROADS REGION. STRONG WEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS SOUTH TEXAS TUESDAY AFTERNOON BEHIND THE FRONT WITH RH VALUES RAPIDLY PLUMMETING. THESE WNWLY BREEZY WINDS IN CONCERT WITH DECREASING RH VALUES WILL BRING AN INCREASING FIRE WEATHER THREAT AND RED FLAG CONDITIONS ON TUESDAY. RH VALUES WILL FALL TO THE SINGLE DIGITS ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE PLAINS TO BELOW 30 PERCENT ACROSS THE COASTAL PLAINS. NWLY FLOW ALOFT COMBINED WITH SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING INTO THE REGION WEDNESDAY WILL LEAD TO PLEASANT WEATHER ACROSS SOUTH TEXAS BOTH WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. THE SFC HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING IN THE REGION WILL SERVE TO TIGHTEN THE GRADIENT WITH BREEZY NWLY WINDS WEDNESDAY WITH A SLIGHTLY COOLER AIRMASS IN PLACE THROUGH THURSDAY. THE SFC HIGH WILL SHIFT EAST OF REGION NEXT WEEK THURSDAY ALLOWING A SOUTHEAST FLOW TO RECOMMENCE WITH INITIAL BUT SHALLOW MOISTURE RETURN FRIDAY WITH DRY NWLY FLOW CONTINUING IN THE MID AND UPPER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... CORPUS CHRISTI 91 64 90 61 77 / 0 0 0 10 10 VICTORIA 88 59 87 55 74 / 0 0 0 10 10 LAREDO 102 65 95 63 85 / 0 0 0 0 10 ALICE 97 62 92 59 80 / 0 0 0 10 10 ROCKPORT 84 66 87 62 74 / 0 0 0 10 10 COTULLA 97 57 92 58 82 / 0 0 0 0 10 KINGSVILLE 96 61 92 60 79 / 0 0 0 10 10 NAVY CORPUS 85 68 87 63 76 / 0 0 0 10 10 && .CRP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...NONE. GM...NONE. && RM/33...SHORT TERM JM/75...LONG TERM
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX 540 AM CDT FRI MAR 14 2008 GMZ230-235-250-255-270-275-TXZ229>234-239>247-151045- BAYS AND WATERWAYS FROM BAFFIN BAY TO PORT ARANSAS- BAYS AND WATERWAYS FROM PORT ARANSAS TO PORT OCONNOR- COASTAL WATERS BAFFIN BAY TO PORT ARANSAS OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS PORT ARANSAS TO MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL OUT 20 NM- WATERS BAFFIN BAY TO PORT ARANSAS 20 TO 60 NM- WATERS PORT ARANSAS TO MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL 20 TO 60 NM- LA SALLE-MCMULLEN-LIVE OAK-BEE-GOLIAD-VICTORIA-WEBB-DUVAL- JIM WELLS-KLEBERG-NUECES-SAN PATRICIO-ARANSAS-REFUGIO-CALHOUN- 540 AM CDT FRI MAR 14 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH TEXAS AND THE MIDDLE TEXAS COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT MODERATE TO STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE GULF WATERS AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TRAVERSES THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT FOR THE GULF WATERS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE COMBINATION OF DROUGHT CONDITIONS ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTH TEXAS AND VERY DRY AIR IN THE WAKE OF A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL PROVIDE AN INCREASED WILD FIRE DANGER ON SATURDAY...ESPECIALLY IN AREAS THAT HAVE NOT RECEIVED RAINFALL IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS. A STRONG UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS TEXAS LATE MONDAY NIGHT INTO MID DAY TUESDAY. ACROSS SOUTH TEXAS...THE COMBINATION OF FAVORABLE INSTABILITY AND MODERATE WIND SHEAR IN THE ATMOSPHERE WILL RESULT IN THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT...MAINLY EAST OF HIGHWAY 281. SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS MAY HAVE GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL AND DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTING. DURING TUESDAY AFTERNOON... WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS WILL DEVELOP IN THE WAKE OF A COLD FRONT. THESE BREEZY WINDS IN CONCERT WITH MARKEDLY DECREASING HUMIDITY VALUES WILL BRING AN INCREASING FIRE WEATHER THREAT AND RED FLAG CONDITIONS TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY EVENING. RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES WILL FALL TO THE SINGLE DIGITS ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE PLAINS AND TO BELOW 30 PERCENT ACROSS THE COASTAL PLAINS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BRIEFLY BE NEEDED EARLY TUESDAY MORNING... PARTICULARLY EAST OF HIGHWAY 281. MJG/SC
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
The Rentz Fire burned 450 acres on State Highway 359 near the Duval/Webb County line. Two homes and a uranium plant were threatened. Multiple local fire departments along and the Texas Forest Service responded. The exact beginning and containment time were not known at the time of this writing.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, March 2008
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: 90520.