Name: Wildfire in Texas, April 2 to 3, 2009
Start: 2009-04-02T13:00
End: 2009-04-03T18:00
Location: Texas

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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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 strong pacific front produced 40-50 mph winds gusts, relative humidity values of 5-10 percent, and an extremely critical fire danger threat across South Texas on April 2nd. Sparked power lines from the gusty winds started a wildfire in and near the community of Sandia. The wildfire burned around 2000 acres of mostly rural pasture, but did destroy 25 garages, two barns, one abandoned mobile home, and 25 cattle. Several local, state and federal resources responded.

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, 11:22 AM CST, 1 hour 38 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 2, 11:22 AM CST, 1 hour 38 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX
1222 PM CDT THU APR 2 2009

.DISCUSSION...SEE AVIATION DISCUSSION.

&&

.AVIATION...VFR CONDITIONS THROUGH PERIOD. GUSTY WINDS BEHIND
FRONT WILL DIMINISH AROUND SUNSET AS GRADIENT WEAKENS AND DAYTIME
HEATING CEASES. GRADUAL RETURN FLOW OVERNIGHT AND FRIDAY AS HIGH
SHIFTS EAST.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1057 AM CDT THU APR 2 2009/

DISCUSSION...WINDS CRANKING AS GOOD GRADIENT AND STRONG PRESSURE
RISES ARE BRINGING WINDS TO AROUND 30 MPH SUSTAINED AND GUSTS AT
TIMES TO AROUND 40 MPH...THUS HAVE DECIDED TO ISSUE WIND ADVISORY.
OTHER THAN THAT...MODIFIED FIRST PERIOD PARAMETERS SLIGHTLY
(MAINLY WINDS AND CLOUDS). REST OF FORECAST LOOKS OK FOR NOW.
PRODUCTS OUT. MAINTAINED SCA FOR THE MARINE ZONES.

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 514 AM CDT THU APR 2 2009/

SHORT TERM (TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY)...CONCUR WITH THE NAM/GFS THAT
A STG UPPER DISTURBANCE WL EXIT THE SRN PLAINS BY TNGT...WITH THE
ASSOCIATED FRONT/DRY LINE MOVG ACRS THE CWFA/MSA BY AFTN. UPPER
DYNAMICS MAY TRIGGER CONVECTION OVR THE EXTREME NERN CWFA IN
ADVANCE OF THE FRONT. THE PROGRESSIVE PATTERN WL RESULT IN RAPID
RTN FLOW BY EARLY FRI. YET...SIGNIFICANTLY DRIER CONDITIONS
OVERNIGHT WL RESULT IN VERY COOL READINGS OVR INLAND PORTIONS OF
THE CWFA AT 12Z FRI.

AVIATION...A RAPID TRANSITION FROM MVFR CEILINGS EAST OF US281 TO
VFR AREAWIDE EXPECTED AS THE FRONT MOVES EWD THIS MORNING/EARLY
AFTN. NOT SURE WHETHER MSTR RTN WL BE SUFFICIENT FOR STRATUS EARLY
FRI...NAM SOUNDINGS NOTWITHSTANDING.

MARINE...SCA CONDITIONS EXPECTED TDA AFTER FROPA WITH CONDITIONS
IMPROVING SIGNIFICANTLY BY 00Z FRI. BASED ON STG CIN OVR THE
WATERS IN ADVANCE OF THE FRONT...DO NOT ANTICIPATE CONVECTION ALG
THE BNDRY.

LONG TERM (FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY)...PATTERN WILL REMAIN
PROGRESSIVE INTO THE WEEKEND. DRYLINE/PREFRONTAL TROUGH WILL MOVE
EASTWARD ON SATURDAY THROUGH A GOOD CHUNK OF THE CWA...MAKING TO THE
I-37 CORRIDOR. LOW DEWPOINTS AND DOWNSLOPING WINDS WILL LEAD TO VERY
WARM TEMPS WEST OF THE DRY LINE SATURDAY AFTERNOON...INTO THE MID
90S ACROSS MUCH OF THIS AREA. LAND/SEA THERMAL CONTRAST WILL RESULT
IN A SEA-BREEZE LATE AFTERNOON WITH THE DRYLINE RETREATING BACK WEST
THROUGH THE EVENING.

ANOTHER DRY PACIFIC COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH SOUTH TEXAS ON
SUNDAY. WINDS WONT BE QUITE AS STRONG BEHIND THIS FRONT AS
TODAYS...BUT DEEP DRY ADIABATIC LAPSE RATES BEHIND IT WILL RESULT
IN GOOD MIXING OF HIGHER MOMENTUM ALOFT AND BREEZE TO WINDY
CONDITIONS SUNDAY. COOLER CONDITIONS MONDAY AND TUESDAY.

THE 00Z GFS CONTINUES TO BE MORE PROGRESSIVE WITH NEXT SYSTEM COMING
OUT OF THE ROCKIES MID WEEK. THE 00Z ECMWF AND CANADIAN CONTINUE TO
BE CONSISTENTLY SLOWER BY A FULL DAY. HPC GUIDANCE SUPPORTS THE
SLOWER SOLUTIONS AND WE HAVE FOLLOWED THIS THINKING. AS A RESULT...
DELAYED WARMUP AND RETURN OF BREEZY SOUTHERLY WINDS UNTIL
WEDNESDAY...DAY 7.

FIRE WEATHER...A RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR TODAY
OWING TO VERY LOW RH VALUES AND WINDY CONDITIONS EXPECTED AFTER
FROPA. A DRYLINE WILL MOVE EAST ON SATURDAY ALL THE WAY TO A
BEEVILLE...CORPUS CHRISTI...KINGSVILLE LINE. WEST OF THIS LINE
VERY DRY AIR WILL RESULT IN VERY WARM TEMPS INTO THE MID 90S A
VERY LOW RH VALUES AT 10-20%. HOWEVER WEST WINDS ACROSS THIS
REGION WILL REMAIN WELL BELOW CRITICAL THRESHOLDS.

ON SUNDAY ANOTHER DRY PACIFIC COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE
REGION. BEHIND IT WINDS WILL GUST TO 25-30 MPH AND RH VALUES WILL
PLUMMET INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS AND TEENS ACROSS MOST OF SOUTH
TEXAS...WITH 20S ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST. THEREFORE ANOTHER
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER DAY IS ANTICIPATED SUNDAY.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
CORPUS CHRISTI    87  52  78  65  89  /  10   0   0  10  10
VICTORIA          81  42  78  60  86  /  20   0   0  10  10
LAREDO            90  53  88  69  98  /   0   0   0  10   0
ALICE             88  47  82  63  94  /  10   0   0  10  10
ROCKPORT          78  55  74  67  83  /  10   0   0  10  10
COTULLA           87  45  84  60  95  /   0   0   0  10   0
KINGSVILLE        88  49  80  63  92  /  10   0   0  10  10
NAVY CORPUS       80  57  75  69  82  /  10   0   0  10  10

&&

.CRP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 5 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE FOLLOWING
     ZONES: ARANSAS...BEE...CALHOUN...DUVAL...GOLIAD...JIM
     WELLS...KLEBERG...LA SALLE...LIVE OAK...MCMULLEN...NUECES...
     REFUGIO...SAN PATRICIO...VICTORIA...WEBB.

     WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE FOLLOWING
     ZONES: ARANSAS...BEE...CALHOUN...DUVAL...GOLIAD...JIM
     WELLS...KLEBERG...LA SALLE...LIVE OAK...MCMULLEN...NUECES...
     REFUGIO...SAN PATRICIO...VICTORIA...WEBB.

GM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE
     FOLLOWING ZONES: 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.

&&

85/86...AVIATION

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 2, 9:41 AM CST, 3 hours 19 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX
1041 AM CDT THU APR 2 2009

TXZ229>234-239>247-031130-
LA SALLE-MCMULLEN-LIVE OAK-BEE-GOLIAD-VICTORIA-WEBB-DUVAL-
JIM WELLS-KLEBERG-NUECES-SAN PATRICIO-ARANSAS-REFUGIO-CALHOUN-
1041 AM CDT THU APR 2 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM TO 5 PM CDT TODAY FOR
THE RIO GRANDE PLAINS...COASTAL BEND AND VICTORIA CROSSROADS...AS
HIGH WINDS WILL COMBINE WITH LOW HUMIDITY VALUES TO RESULT IN A
HIGH FIRE DANGER. ALSO...A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF
SOUTH TEXAS...WITH SUSTAINED NORTHWEST WINDS 25 TO 35 MPH AND
GUSTS AROUND 40 MPH THROUGH MID AFTERNOON.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY
ANOTHER PACIFIC COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH SOUTH TEXAS ON
SUNDAY...WITH CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS EXPECTED AGAIN
ACROSS ALL OF SOUTH TEXAS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.

GMZ230-235-250-255-270-275-031130-
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-
1041 AM CDT THU APR 2 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE MIDDLE TEXAS COASTAL
WATERS.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE WATERS TODAY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SUNDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH MONDAY MORNING BEHIND A COLD FRONT.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.

GW/WC/JR

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.

Wildfire, Jim Wells

When: April 2, 1:00 PM CST to April 3, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Jim Wells forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service
Coordinates: 27.731, -98.090 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A strong pacific front produced 40-50 mph winds gusts, relative humidity values of 5-10 percent, and an extremely critical fire danger threat across South Texas on April 2nd. Sparked power lines from the gusty winds started a wildfire in and near the community of Sandia. The wildfire burned around 2000 acres of mostly rural pasture, but did destroy 25 garages, two barns, one abandoned mobile home, and 25 cattle. Several local, state and federal resources responded.

What these are

Wildfire: A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Texas in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, April 2009

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: 168272.