A short bowing line segment moved across La Salle and Webb Counties into McMullen and Duval Counties, producing straight line wind damage. The line slowly weakened as it moved east into a more stable airmass across the southern Coastal Bend.
Every event with a place to put it. 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 episode as NWS CRP wrote it up.
A short bowing line segment moved across La Salle and Webb Counties into McMullen and Duval Counties, producing straight line wind damage. The line slowly weakened as it moved east into a more stable airmass across the southern Coastal Bend.
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 15, 8:08 PM CST, 1 hour 7 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX 908 PM CDT THU MAY 15 2008 .UPDATE...ALL EYES WATCHING THE PROGRESSION AND ASSOCIATED CONVECTION WITH THE UPPER LOW OVER NORTHERN MEXICO. FORECAST CHALLENGE TONIGHT IS HOW MUCH CONVECTION WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA...AND POTENTIAL FOR SOME STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS. LATEST SFC ANALYSES INDICATE A WEAK BOUNDARY/COOL FRONT HAS MOVED INTO THE NORTHERN CWA...FROM JUST NORTH OF ALICE...NW TO JUST SOUTH OF COTULLA. THIS BOUNDARY IS SLOWLY SAGGING SOUTHWARD AHEAD OF SFC RIDGE CENTER WELL TO THE NORTH OVER THE WESTERN HIGH PLAINS STATES. DONT THINK THIS BOUNDARY WILL BE ABLE TO MOVE MUCH FURTHER SOUTH GIVEN THE APPROACHING UPPER TROF OVER MEXICO AND ASSOCIATED MID/UPPER LEVEL WSW FLOW. EXPECT CONVECTION TONIGHT TO CONTINUE MOVING SE OUT OF MEXICO TOWARD THE AREA...LIKELY MOVING TOWARD THE SE DOWN THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF SFC BOUNDARY MENTIONED ABOVE. EXPECT MODERATE CAPE AND SOME LOW LEVEL SR HELICITY WILL BE PRESENT TO ALLOW FOR POTENTIAL FOR STRONG TO ISOLD SEVERE STORMS...MAINLY AFTER MIDNIGHT FROM WEST TO EAST. HOWEVER...GIVEN LATEST TRENDS WITH CONVECTION COMING OUT OF MEXICO...CONFIDENCE NOT VERY HIGH ON STRONG/SEVERE POTENTIAL. HOWEVER...BECOMING MORE CONFIDENT THAT MOST AREAS WILL AT LEAST GET PRECIP. BEST CHANCE FOR STORMS TO REACH COASTAL AREAS WILL BE LATE TONIGHT AND SUNRISE TOMORROW. PRIMARY THREAT FOR ANY STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. GIVEN SOME LOW LEVEL SR HELICITY...ISOLD TORNADOES ALSO POSSIBLE. HAVE INCREASED POPS TO LIKELY FOR MOST OF THE AREA LATER TONIGHT...EXCEPT THE EXTREME NE REGION. WILL ALSO KEEP WORDING FOR POTENTIAL FOR STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS...AGAIN CONFIDENCE STILL A LITTLE LOW. HAVE ALSO INCREASED QPF...WITH HIGHEST AMOUNTS NOW SHOWING AROUND 1 INCH FOR THE 12 HOUR PERIOD TONIGHT AND INTO MORNING. && .MARINE...NO BIG CONCERNS FOR MUCH OF TONIGHT. BEST CHANCE FOR CONVECTION SHOULD HOLD OFF TIL LATE TONIGHT. STILL HAVE A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY WITH THE STRENGTH OF THE BOUNDARY/COOL FRONT MOVING SLOWLY DOWN FROM THE NORTH TONIGHT. MOST OF THE MODELS INDICATE 15-20KT NNE FLOW TOWARD 12Z FRIDAY. MAY LEAN ON THE CONSERVATIVE SIDE AND GO 15-20 KTS ALL GULF WATERS (SCEC) FOR LATER TONIGHT. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 322 PM CDT THU MAY 15 2008/ SHORT-TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT)...THE MAIN FORECAST CONCERN FOR TONIGHT WILL BE THE TIMING/STRENGTH OF CONVECTION MOVING OFF THE SIERRA MADRE INTO SOUTH TEXAS AND THE TIMING OF A SURFACE COLD FRONT POISED TO PUSH THROUGH THE REGION TONIGHT. WV SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS A POTENT S/WV CURRENTLY MOVING ACROSS DURANGO MEXICO THAT IS EXPECTED TO TRAVERSE ACROSS SOUTH TEXAS THIS EVENING. THE ISSUE IS THAT DEWPOINTS STILL HAVE NOT RECOVERED FROM THIS MORNINGS CONVECTION. THIS WILL THEREFORE DECREASE THE INSTABILITY AVAILABLE FOR THE S/WV TO WORK WITH THIS EVENING. IN ADDITION...WEAK BOUNDARY LAYER WIND FIELDS/WEAK SHEAR ARGUES FOR POORLY ORGANIZED CONVECTION. WITH THAT BEING SAID...THINK MODELS ARE UNDERESTIMATING THE STRENGTH OF THE S/WV. FOR NOW WILL FORECAST LIKELY POPS OUT WEST AND MENTION SEVERE ACROSS THE EXTREME WESTERN CWA WHERE THE BEST DIFFLUENCE ALOFT AND THE SLOWEST PROGRESSION OF THE SURFACE FRONT IS PROGGED TO RESIDE (LONGEST RESIDENCE WITHIN THE WARM SECTOR). THE MAIN THREAT IS EXPECTED TO BE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. THE SURFACE COLD FRONT SHOULD BE THROUGH THE ENTIRE CWA AROUND MIDNIGHT TONIGHT WITH COOLER (BELOW NORMAL) TEMPERATURES FILTERING INTO SOUTH TEXAS. CONVECTION SHOULD DIMINISH THROUGH FRIDAY AS A DRIER/MORE STABLE AIR MASS SETTLES INTO THE REGION. TEMPS ARE ONLY EXPECTED TO GET INTO THE LOWER 80S FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND PLUMMET INTO THE 50S INLAND AND THE LOW 60S COAST/RIO GRANDE FRIDAY NIGHT. THE UPPER PATTERN WILL REMAIN UNSETTLED OVER SOUTH TEXAS FRIDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT AS A MID/UPR LOW IS PROGGED TO REMAIN CENTERED OVER NORTHERN MEXICO. HOWEVER...THE DRIER/RELATIVELY MORE STABLE AIR MASS IN PLACE SHOULD HINDER ANY PRECIP DEVELOPMENT. DECIDED TO MAINTAIN SLIGHT CHANCE POPS FOR ELEVATED SHOWERS FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA PROXIMATE TO THE DEEPEST MOISTURE. MARINE (TONIGHT AND FRIDAY NIGHT)...A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE COASTAL WATERS TONIGHT WITH SCEC WINDS/SEAS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP 20 TO 60 NM OFFSHORE BEHIND THE FRONT. SCA CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE GULF FRIDAY...BUT WILL SLOWLY DECREASE FRIDAY NIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES INTO THE REGION. LONG-TERM (SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY)...WEAK UPPER LOW OVER NORTHWEST MEXICO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING WILL BE MOVING NORTHEAST ACROSS THE TEXAS BIG BEND BY SATURDAY EVENING. THIS SYSTEM WILL EVOLVE INTO A MID TO UPPER LEVEL SHEAR AXIS ACROSS THE COASTAL PLAINS BY SUNDAY. WILL KEEP A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE FORECAST FOR SOUTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA SATURDAY. INSERTED A MENTION OF THUNDERSTORMS FOR SATURDAY NIGHT AS GFS/NAM SHOW THE 50H THERMAL TROUGH MOVING INTO THE AREA STEEPENING THE MID-LEVEL LAPSE RATES. GFS/UKMET/ECMWF KEEP A WEAK MID-UPPER LEVEL SHEAR AXIS OVER THE REGION SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...BUT THE AIRMASS WILL BE TOO DRY TO WARRANT MENTIONING ANY PRECIP CHANCES. COULD SEE AN ISOLATED SHOWER DEVELOP ALONG THE SEABREEZE MONDAY AND TUESDAY AFTERNOON. MODELS BEGIN TO DIVERGE A BIT TOWARD THE END OF THE FORECAST PERIOD WITH THE ECMWF MORE AGGRESSIVE DEVELOPING A DEEP UPPER TROUGH BY THURSDAY OVER THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES WHILE THE GFS AND CANADIAN MODELS SHOW UPPER LOWS FARTHER WEST OVER ARIZONA AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RESPECTIVELY FOR THURSDAY MORNING. THIS WILL LEAD TO LEE SIDE CYCLOGENESIS AND AN INCREASE IN THE PRESSURE GRADIENT/SOUTHERLY LOW LEVEL FLOW FOR SOUTH TEXAS BY THURSDAY. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... CORPUS CHRISTI 68 80 59 82 63 / 50 40 20 20 20 VICTORIA 63 81 55 83 59 / 30 20 10 10 10 LAREDO 67 80 64 83 66 / 70 30 20 20 20 ALICE 67 80 57 83 62 / 60 30 20 20 20 ROCKPORT 67 79 61 81 66 / 30 20 10 10 10 COTULLA 63 80 54 82 59 / 70 20 10 10 20 KINGSVILLE 68 80 58 82 62 / 50 40 20 20 20 NAVY CORPUS 70 79 63 79 67 / 50 40 20 20 20 && .CRP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...NONE. GM...NONE. && RM/33...SHORT TERM MG/88...AVIATION
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX 1258 PM CDT THU MAY 15 2008 GMZ230-235-250-255-270-275-TXZ229>234-239>247-161800- 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- 1258 PM CDT THU MAY 15 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH TEXAS AND THE MIDDLE TEXAS COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT WITH A FEW STORMS POSSIBLY BECOMING STRONG TO SEVERE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY FRIDAY MORNING IN THE WAKE OF THE COLD FRONT. AT THIS TIME...THE BEST INSTABILITY WILL BE SOUTH OF THE AREA SO NO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING MAINLY SOUTH OF AN ENCINAL TO MATHIS TO PORT ARANSAS LINE...BUT NO SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED. ALSO...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OVER THE NEARSHORE AND OFFSHORE WATERS ON FRIDAY BEHIND A LATE SEASON COLD FRONT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TONIGHT. TM/TE/GW
The Laughlin AFB radar (KDFX), 135 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:15 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Significant wind damage was observed on the Espejo Ranch, located about 15 miles southwest of Catarina on the Webb-Dimmit County line. Numerous trees were damaged. Several mobile homes and barns in this area had their roofs damaged or ripped off.
Several highway signs were blown down near mile marker 8 on Interstate 35.
Numerous large tree limbs were snapped and a few trees completely uprooted. Several power poles were blown down. At a high school, stadium lights were damaged and a dugout roof was ripped off at the baseball field. The high school roof auditorium was also damaged. Part of a gymnasium roof was also torn off. A NWS storm survey of the damage in Benavides revealed a divergent, downburst wind pattern about 1 mile wide and 3 miles long on the southwest side of the town, near Highway 359 and 339. Damage was mainly to trees, metal roofs and weaker, west facing structures.
A large tree was uprooted on F.M. 735, near Palito Blanco.
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, May 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: 108063, 108064, 108066, 108068.