Tornado and Hail in Texas, June 3, 2009

Name: Tornado and Hail in Texas, June 3, 2009
Start: 2009-06-03T16:30
End: 2009-06-03T19:45
Location: Texas

June 3, 2009 · NWS BRO · 9 events in 3 counties and zones

The combination of upper level energy diving southeast from the central Plains into the northwestern Gulf region with a dissipating front moving toward Deep South Texas triggered strong to severe thunderstorms across Brooks County, which quickly raced southward into Hidalgo and Starr County. These storms produced a combination of strong, locally damaging winds, hail, frequent lightning, and…

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: $17,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 9

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 BRO wrote it up.

One storm, a mini-supercell, showed significant rotation while moving into rural southwestern Brooks County. This storm evolved into a bow shaped event as it reached the populated portion of Hidalgo County from west of Edinburg through Mission. While it was possible that minor damage reported near Alton (north of McAllen) may have been from a small tornado touchdown, there were no visual confirmations at the time.

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 Brownsville, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 3, 12:44 PM CST, 3 hours 46 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 3, 12:44 PM CST, 3 hours 46 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
144 PM CDT WED JUN 3 2009

.DISCUSSION...500MB RIDGE ACROSS NORTHERN MEXICO EXPECTED TO BUILD
EASTWARD INTO THE STATE THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. THIS WILL PROVIDE
AN INCREASE IN SUBSIDENCE ACROSS DEEP SOUTH TEXAS WITH LESS IN THE
WAY OF CLOUDS AND RAIN CHANCES THROUGH THE REST OF THE WEEK.
TEMPERATURES WILL BE SLIGHTLY WARMER AS A RESULT. WILL GO AHEAD
AND BLEND MET/MAV MOS TEMPERATURES THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. WITH
THE RIDGE ACROSS SOUTH TX THROUGH THE WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...VERY
WARM AND HUMID CONDITIONS TO PERSIST WITH NOT MUCH IN THE WAY OF
RAIN CHANCES. WITH THE LACK OF LOW TO MID LEVEL MOISTURE ACROSS
THE WESTERN GULF OF MEXICO EARLY NEXT WEEK...WILL KEEP MENTION OF
RAIN CHANCES OUT OF THE FORECAST GRIDS THROUGH THE REST OF THE
PERIOD BUT WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE AN ISOLATED SHOWER OR TWO
DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS MAINLY ALONG THE SEABREEZE.
&&

.AVIATION...THE INTERACTION BETWEEN AN OLD MCS BOUNDARY MOVING SOUTH
AND THE SEA BREEZE SPARKED SOME EARLY AFTERNOON SHOWERS WITH
EMBEDDED LIGHTNING IN THE VICINITY. THIS ACTIVITY HAS SINCE FIZZLED
OUT. TEMPO MVFR CEILINGS WERE ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACTIVITY...BUT IT
NOW LOOKS LIKE WE ARE BACK TO MAINLY VFR FOR THE REST OF THE DAY AND
THEN OVERNIGHT. WINDS WILL REMAIN GENERALLY LIGHT AND ONSHORE...BUT
A BIT OF LAND BREEZE IS POSSIBLE. A TOUCH OF FOG IS ALSO POSSIBLE
AGAIN NEAR DAWN.
&&

.MARINE...LOADED THE LATEST WNAWAVE4 GRIDS...WHICH KEEP SEAS LOW
THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK BEFORE FINALLY BUILDING THEM UP TO MODERATE.
OTHERWISE...LIGHT WINDS AND LOW SEAS WILL CONTINUE BECAUSE OF A WEAK
PRESSURE GRADIENT SPREAD OVER THE LOWER TEXAS COAST. THREE FEET SEAS
AT BUOY020 EARLY THIS AFTERNOON ARE COMPOSED MOSTLY OF EAST SWELL.
BEACH REPORTS SHOW SLIGHTLY LOWER SEAS CLOSER IN AND A LOW RISK OF
RIP CURRENTS. MARINE SHOWER ACTIVITY SHOULD TAPER OFF OVER THE NEXT
TWO OR THREE DAYS AS UPSTREAM H5 RIDGING MOVES OVERHEAD.
&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
BAYVIEW/PORT ISABEL  73  89  74  91 /  10  10   0   0
BROWNSVILLE          72  92  72  93 /  10  10   0   0
HARLINGEN            71  94  71  95 /  10  10   0   0
MCALLEN              74  98  75 100 /  20  10   0   0
RIO GRANDE CITY      73 100  73 102 /  10  10   0   0
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND   77  87  77  86 /  10  10   0   0
&&

.BRO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...NONE.
GM...NONE.
&&

THIS PRODUCT IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE WEB AT:
HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BROWNSVILLE

PUBLIC/GRIDS...61/69
AVIATION/MARINE...54
MESO/FXC...MARTINEZ

Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 3, 4:35 AM CST, 11 hours 55 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
535 AM CDT WED JUN 3 2009

GMZ130-132-135-150-155-170-175-TXZ248>257-041100-
LAGUNA MADRE FROM THE PORT OF BROWNSVILLE TO THE ARROYO COLORADO-
LAGUNA MADRE FROM THE ARROYO COLORADO TO 5 NM NORTH OF PORT
MANSFIELD TX-
LAGUNA MADRE FROM 5 NM NORTH OF PORT MANSFIELD TO BAFFIN BAY TX-
COASTAL WATERS FROM PORT MANSFIELD TO THE RIO GRANDE OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM BAFFIN BAY TO PORT MANSFIELD OUT 20 NM-
WATERS FROM PORT MANSFIELD TO THE RIO GRANDE EXTENDING FROM 20 TO
60 NM-
WATERS FROM BAFFIN BAY TO PORT MANSFIELD EXTENDING FROM 20 TO
60 NM-ZAPATA-JIM HOGG-BROOKS-KENEDY-STARR-HIDALGO-INLAND WILLACY-
INLAND CAMERON-COASTAL WILLACY-COASTAL CAMERON-
535 AM CDT WED JUN 3 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR DEEP SOUTH TEXAS...THE GULF
OF MEXICO AND THE LAGUNA MADRE.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS DEEP
SOUTH TEXAS TODAY AND TONIGHT. AFTERNOON HEAT INDICES WILL REACH
INTO THE 100 TO 106 DEGREE RANGE. NO OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS
EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

AFTERNOON HEAT INDICES WILL REACH INTO THE 100 TO 108 DEGREE RANGE
ACROSS MUCH OF DEEP SOUTH TEXAS THROUGH NEXT TUESDAY. NO OTHER
HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.

SPEECE

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jun 3, 1:43 PM CST, 2 hours 47 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
243 PM CDT WED JUN 3 2009

TXZ254-256-032045-
INLAND WILLACY-COASTAL WILLACY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...RAYMONDVILLE...PORT MANSFIELD
243 PM CDT WED JUN 3 2009

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM AFFECTING WILLACY COUNTY...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN BROWNSVILLE IS TRACKING A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM OVER WILLACY COUNTY...MOVING SOUTH AT AROUND 10 MPH.

FREQUENT LIGHTNING...HAIL FROM PEA TO DIME SIZE...AND GUSTY WINDS
UP TO 40 MPH WILL ACCOMPANY THIS THUNDERSTORM AS IT MOVES SLOWLY
SOUTH.

RESIDENTS IN WILLACY COUNTY...ESPECIALLY WILLAMAR...SAN PERLITA
...PORFIRIO...AND SANTA MONICA...SHOULD TAKE COVER FROM THIS
THUNDERSTORM UNTIL IT MOVES AWAY AND DISSIPATES.

TOMASELLI

Special weather statement, Jun 3, 4:09 PM CST, 21 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
509 PM CDT WED JUN 3 2009

TXZ249>251-040015-
JIM HOGG-BROOKS-KENEDY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...HEBBRONVILLE...FALFURRIAS...SARITA
509 PM CDT WED JUN 3 2009

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING FROM THE NORTH...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR IN BROWNSVILLE IS TRACKING
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS OVER DUVAL...JIM WELLS...AND KLEBERG
COUNTY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING TOWARDS THE SOUTHEAST AT
AROUND 10 MPH...AND COULD AFFECT KENEDY...BROOKS...AND JIM HOGG
COUNTY WITHIN THE NEXT 1 TO 2 HOURS.

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL...WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH...FREQUENT DEADLY
LIGHTNING...AND HAIL FROM PEA TO DIME SIZE WILL ACCOMPANY THESE
THUNDERSTORMS.

RESIDENTS IN KENEDY...BROOKS..AND JIM HOGG COUNTY...ESPECIALLY IN
THE CITIES OF HEBBRONVILLE...FALFURRIAS...AND SARITA...SHOULD
MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS...AND BE PREPARED TO
TAKE COVER SHOULD THESE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE NEARBY OR OVERHEAD.

TOMASELLI

Special weather statement, Jun 3, 4:14 PM CST, 16 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
514 PM CDT WED JUN 3 2009

TXZ248>257-032300-
INLAND WILLACY-INLAND CAMERON-JIM HOGG-ZAPATA-BROOKS-STARR-HIDALGO-
COASTAL WILLACY-COASTAL CAMERON-KENEDY-
514 PM CDT WED JUN 3 2009

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING JUST NORTH OF THE RIO GRANDE
VALLEY...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WHICH MAY BECOME SEVERE ARE CURRENTLY FORMING
JUST NORTH OF BROOKS...JIM HOGG AND KENEDY COUNTIES...DRIFTING AND
FORMING SLOWLY SOUTH INTO THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE RIO GRANDE
VALLEY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE INCREASING IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY
AS THEY MOVE INTO THE NORTHERN RIO GRANDE VALLEY. SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE IN NORTHER BROOKS...JIM HOGG AND KENEDY
COUNTIES DURING THE NEXT TWO HOURS. RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES
PER HOUR WILL CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING AND PONDING ON AREA ROADWAYS.

THE ATMOSPHERE OVER THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY IS VERY UNSTABLE AND A
WEAK COLD FRONT JUST NORTH OF OUR REGION COULD BE ENOUGH TO LIFT OUR
ATMOSPHERE...WITH RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF ANY THUNDERSTORMS TO SEVERE
CRITERIA. REMAIN ALERT TO QUICKLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS
AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE TO MONITOR COMMERCIAL BROADCASTS AND NOAA
WEATHER RADIO FOR ANY ISSUANCES OF WARNINGS. PHILO

PHILO

The radar

The Corpus Christi radar (KCRP), 88 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:28 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail, 1 heavy rain, 1 tornado, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Brooks

When: June 3, 4:30 PM CST to 5:15 PM CST
Where: Brooks County, 0.37 mi SE of Falfurrias to 2.66 mi W of Falfurrias
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 27.226, -98.145

Minor flooding, with up to a foot of standing water, was reported by the Brooks County Emergency Management Coordinator during a slow moving thunderstorm that dumped torrential rain and large hail. The NWS Cooperative observer at the Hollywood Hunting Camp, just west of Falfurrias, reported 2.52 inches of rain with the storm.

Thunderstorm Wind, Brooks

When: June 3, 4:55 PM CST
Where: Brooks County, 3.94 mi ENE of Falfurrias Arpt
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 27.220, -98.060

The Brooks County Emergency Manager reported a roof blown off a house located approximately 5 miles east of Falfurrias from severe thunderstorm winds.

Hail, Brooks

When: June 3, 4:59 PM CST to 5:05 PM CST
Where: Brooks County, 1.05 mi ESE of Falfurrias
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Other Federal Agency
Coordinates: 27.226, -98.134

A border patrol reported nickel size hail one mile east of Falfurrias.

Tornado, Starr

When: June 3, 6:30 PM CST to 6:33 PM CST
Where: Starr County, 3.17 mi WNW of Rincon to 2.14 mi NW of Rincon
Rating: EF0
Path length: 1.43 mi
Path width: 30 yd
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 26.530, -98.630

The Starr County Emergency Manager reported seeing a funnel cloud touchdown briefly near the intersection of 755 and 490 just east of 755 and approximately 1/4 mile north of 490 near the city of Rincon. The Emergency Manager estimated the tornado was approximately 100 feet wide and touched down in the open on ranch land. No damages occurred during this event.

Funnel Cloud, Hidalgo

When: June 3, 7:10 PM CST to 7:22 PM CST
Where: Hidalgo County, 5.19 mi ESE of Mc Cook to 1.57 mi NNW of Lindsay Gardens
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 26.452, -98.322

The Edinburg Police Department reported that there were numerous reports from the public of funnel clouds from residents near Edinburg. Several photographs of shelf and mammatus clouds were sent to the NWS office, including an apparent wall cloud looking west from Edinburg.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hidalgo

When: June 3, 7:20 PM CST to 7:22 PM CST
Where: Hidalgo County, 4.84 mi N of Lindsay Gardens
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 26.349, -98.333

A Hidalgo County official reported a roof blow off a small home at the intersection of 9 Mile Road and Moorefield Drive. Several Trees and power lines were down in the same area.

Hail, Hidalgo

When: June 3, 7:27 PM CST to 7:42 PM CST
Where: Hidalgo County, 3.12 mi ENE of Chihuahua to 0.69 mi S of Mission
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 26.234, -98.372

Channel 12 (McAllen Cable Access Television) reported quarter size and perhaps larger hail fell during a thunderstorm in the city of Mission during the evening. Nickel size hail was reported a bit earlier by a resident 1 mile north of Palmview, as well as several large limbs being knocked down. The mini supercell raced south southeast, likely producing additional hail southeast of Mission. Most reports were received between 927 and 930 PM CDT.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hidalgo

When: June 3, 7:27 PM CST to 7:42 PM CST
Where: Hidalgo County, 2.11 mi NNW of Shayland to 2.55 mi S of Shayland
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 26.245, -98.299

The public reported two separate wind gusts of 52 and 54 knots when a mini supercell raced south southeast through the Palmhurst/Mission/Sharyland area during the evening of June 3rd. The wind gusts knocked down numerous live oak and other trees and large limbs as the storm passed through.

Hail, Hidalgo

When: June 3, 7:42 PM CST to 7:45 PM CST
Where: Hidalgo County, 0.69 mi S of Mission to 1.21 mi SW of Shayland
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 26.210, -98.320

The public reported hail of approximately one inch in diameter continued falling as a severe thunderstorm raced through western Hidalgo County.

What these are

Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Funnel Cloud: A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Texas in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Texas, 2009 Warnings in Texas, June 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: 170854, 170855, 170853, 170866, 170857, 170863, 170859, 170864, 170860.