A cluster of thunderstorms moved southwest to northeast across Port Aransas and Mustang Island between 1:30 PM and 3:00 PM, producing roughly 5-10 cloud to ground lightning strikes per 5 minutes.
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 cluster of thunderstorms moved southwest to northeast across Port Aransas and Mustang Island between 1:30 PM and 3:00 PM, producing roughly 5-10 cloud to ground lightning strikes per 5 minutes.
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 15, 11:42 AM CST, 1 hour 11 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX 1242 PM CDT SUN MAR 15 2009 .DISCUSSION...SEE AVIATION SECTION. && .AVIATION...HAVE REMOVED MENTION OF TSRA FROM VCT TAF AS UPPER DISTURBANCE CONTS TO MOVE E AND N WITH RAIN CHCS DIMINISHING FROM W TO E. BEST TSRAS CHCS WILL BE OVR THE GULF WATERS ALTHOUGH AN ISOL LIGHTING STRIKE ACROSS INLAND AREAS IS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION AS THERE REMAINS A CHC OF SHRAS ALONG THE COAST THRU THE AFTERNOON. DRIER AIRMASS WILL FILTER ACROSS S TX IN THE WAKE OF THE DISTURBANCE TONIGHT...HOWEVER RESIDUAL LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL LEAD TO MVFR CIGS ALONG WITH POSSIBLE BRIEF IFR CIGS AND MVFR VSBYS AS PATCHY FOG DVLPS. VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED BY 13 TO 16Z ON MON. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1156 AM CDT SUN MAR 15 2009/ DISCUSSION...ALTHOUGH THE UPPER LEVEL JETS RRQ IS CURRENTLY IN A MORE FAVORABLE POSITION FOR E PORTIONS OF S TX AND A TROPICAL CONNECTION FROM THE PAC IS STILL STREAMING OVRHEAD WITH A VORT MX TO THE SW OF THE AREA MOVG NE...THE UPPER JET AND ASSOCIATED UPPER TROF AXIS WILL CONT TO SHIFT E AND N...THUS PLACING THE BETTER DYNAMICS FARTHER E WITH TIME. IN ADDITION...AN INVERTED TROF AXIS LOCATED OFFSHORE IS A BETTER FOCUS FOR CONVECTION FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON. THEREFORE HAVE LOWERED THE POPS ACROSS THE LAND AREAS BUT AM MAINTAINING CHC POPS FOR AREAS CLOSER TO THE COAST AND CATEGORICAL POPS OFFSHORE CLOSER TO THE SFC TROF...FOR THE AFTERNOON. ALSO HAVE TRENDED THE 00Z TO 06Z POPS DOWN AS A RESULT. UPDATES WILL BE OUT SHORTLY. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 936 AM CDT SUN MAR 15 2009/ DISCUSSION...FORECAST LOOKS ON TRACK WITH THE HIGHEST POPS ACROSS THE E CWA DUE TO AMPLE MOISTURE AND ENERGY ALOFT MOVG ACROSS S TX. RADAR TRENDS ARE SHOWING AN INCREASE IN SHRA ACTIVITY ACROSS THE SRN CWA WITH THE ACTIVITY ACROSS THE NE CWA NOW EXITING THE AREA. AM EXPECTING INCREASED ACTIVITY ACROSS MUCH OF THE ERN HALF OF THE CWA OVR THE NEXT FEW HOURS AS THE UPPER LEVEL ENERGY MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. NO MAJOR CHANGES TO THE FCST EXCEPT TO REMOVE MORNING WORDING FROM THE ZONE FORECAST. SEE ALSO THE AVIATION DISCUSSION. AVIATION...THERE IS A SLIGHT CHC FOR TSRAS ACROSS THE EASTERN PORTIONS OF S TX AND TOWARD THE COAST DUE TO A DISTURBANCE MOVG ACROSS THE REGION...HOWEVER MOST OF THE CONVECTION IS EXPECTED TO BE SHRAS RATHER THAN TSRA. HAVE UPDATED ALI...VCT AND CRP TAFS TO INCLUDE MENTION OF SHRAS AND CBS. HAVE MENTIONED TSRA IN VCTS TAF DUE TO PROXIMITY TO BETTER UPPER DYNAMICS AND INSTABILITY. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 603 AM CDT SUN MAR 15 2009/ DISCUSSION...SEE AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW. AVIATION... ANTICIPATE MVFR CONDTIONS TODAY KCRP AND KVCT WITH WEAK ISENTROPIC UPGLIDE AND OCCASIONAL RAIN...WITH VFR CONDITIONS AFTER 22Z WHEN RAIN TAPERS OFF. FARTHER WEST...EXPECT THE POSSIBLITY OF MVFR CIGS IN AREAS OF RAIN AT KALI...WITH VFR CONDTIONS TODAY AT KLRD. AT THIS TIME...WILL HAVE THE MAIN PORTION OF THE RAINFALL BETWEEN 14Z AND 01Z...WITH NO RAINFALL MENTIONED AT KLRD. DRIER BOUNDARY LAYER AND LIGHT WINDS MEAN THAT FOG WILL BE POSSIBLE TONIGHT AOB 06Z. AT THIS TIME...LOWEST VISIBILITIES FORECAST ARE 1SM AT KALI BY 09Z...2SM AT KVCT AROUND 08Z...AND 4SM AT KCRP AOB 09Z. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 422 AM CDT SUN MAR 15 2009/ SHORT TERM (TODAY THROUGH MONDAY)...MAIN ISSUE IS THE RAIN POTENTIAL TODAY AND TONIGHT...AND HOW WARM IT WILL GET TODAY BASED ON HOW QUICK RAIN MOVES ACROSS AND CLOUDS CLEAR OUT. ECHOES WITH A FEW LIGHTNING STRIKES ARE STARTING TO SHOW UP ON RADAR OVER THE NORTHERN BRUSH COUNTRY AND AS JET COMES CLOSER...DO EXPECT RAIN TO SPREAD EAST...SO HAVE LIKELY POPS ALONG THE COAST WHERE MOISTURE IS BEST (CATAGORICAL POPS IN GULFMEX) THEN DECREASE OVER AREAS WHERE MOISTURE IS MORE LIMITED. THUS...HAVE A PRETTY GOOD POP GRADIENT OVER THE AREA TODAY (80S IN GULFMEX AND 20S OUT NW). STILL SHOWING POTENTIAL FOR SOME CLEARING LATE IN THE AFTERNOON (LIKE YESTERDAY) OUT WEST...SO WENT WITH SOME CLEARING AND THEREFORE WHERE AREAS GET SOME SUN THINGS WILL WARM UP WHILE NEAR COAST THINGS SHOULD REMAIN COOL. THUS...BIG GRADIENT IN TEMPERATURES TOO. EXPECT RAIN TO END BY MIDNIGHT BUT DID KEEP SOME SMALL POPS IN THE GULF. LIGHT NORTHERLY WINDS AND GOOD RADIATIONAL COOLING OVER THE WET GROUNDS SHOULD LEAD TO SOME FOG...BUT IF WINDS UP ENOUGH FROM THE NORTH (I.E. MORE THAN A FEW MPH)...DRIER AIR COULD HELP LIMIT IT THUS FOR NOW ONLY WENT WITH PATCHY FOG. SHOULD SEE SOME SUN FOR A CHANGE ON MONDAY...WITH MUCH WARMER TEMPERATURES. OVERALL...STAYED CLOSER TO THE MAV-MOS NUMBERS (AND UNDERCUT THEM IN SOME LOCATIONS) RATHER THAN THE WARMER NAM-MOS. MARINE (TODAY THROUGH MONDAY)...AS UPPER LEVEL JET APPROACHES TODAY...EXPECT RAIN TO BEGIN TO ENCOMPASS WATERS WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS. RAIN WILL TAPER OFF LATE TODAY WITH STILL A CHANCE FOR PRECIP MAINLY THIS EVENING BEFORE DRIER AIR MOVES IN AND ENDS THE RAIN. GENERALLY WEAK OFFSHORE FLOW THROUGH MONDAY OUTSIDE OF ANY THUNDERSTORMS. LONG TERM (MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY)...THE MEDIUM RANGE SOLUTIONS SHOW FLAT UPPER RIDGE BUILDING IN LEADING TO ZONAL FLOW ALOFT ACROSS SOUTH TEXAS MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THIS WILL LEAD TO A DRY/SUBSIDENT AIRMASS THROUGH MIDWEEK WITH TEMPERATURES PROGRESSIVELY WARMING WITH COOL TEMPERATURES AT NIGHT. SFC ONSHORE FLOW IS EXPECTED BY MONDAY AFTERNOON AS SFC HIGH SHIFTS EASTWARD. GRADIENT IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN FAIRLY WEAK THROUGH MIDWEEK. PRESSURES LOWER OVER WEST TEXAS AND THE PANHANDLE LEADING TO MODERATE ONSHORE FLOW BY WEDNESDAY. SWLY WINDS IN THE 850MB LAYER WILL ALLOW THE BULK OF BOUNDARY LAYER TO REMAIN DRY. RIDGE DOES AMPLIFY OVER THE AREA BY THE END OF THE WEEK ALLOWING ABOVE SEASONAL TEMPERATURES TO CONTINUE. GFS INDICATES NORTHERN TIER TROF MOVING INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION WITH ATTENDANT WEAK SFC FRONT MOVING INTO THE NORTHERN HILL COUNTRY. ECMWF BRINGS THIS FEATURE ONLY TO THE RED RIVER THURSDAY. AT THIS TIME WILL ELECT TO THROW TOKEN 10 POPS ACROSS THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA FOR THURSDAY. ECMWF/GFS SHOW WEAK DISTURBANCE MIGRATING THROUGH THE RIDGE ON SATURDAY. BOUNDARY LATER MOISTURE DOES INCREASE AHEAD OF THE DISTURBANCE BUT THEIR SEEMS TO LACK OF DYNAMICS. CONFIDENCE IS VERY LOW OF ANY PRECIPITATION OCCURRING WITH THIS WEAK PERTURBATION NEXT WEEKEND. CLOUD COVER WILL INCREASE NEXT WEEKEND...BUT WILL HARDLY PUT A DENT IN ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES. SCC/70 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... CORPUS CHRISTI 55 48 76 57 79 / 40 30 10 10 0 VICTORIA 56 46 76 53 79 / 30 20 10 0 10 LAREDO 66 52 83 61 86 / 10 10 10 0 0 ALICE 57 48 78 52 82 / 30 20 10 0 0 ROCKPORT 55 50 74 60 77 / 50 30 10 10 0 COTULLA 67 45 81 53 85 / 10 10 10 0 0 KINGSVILLE 58 47 75 53 82 / 30 20 10 0 0 NAVY CORPUS 58 51 73 60 76 / 50 30 10 10 0 && .CRP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...NONE. GM...NONE. && TE/81...SHORT TERM JV/71...LONG TERM
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX 550 AM CDT SUN MAR 15 2009 GMZ230-235-250-255-270-275-TXZ229>234-239>247-161100- 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- 550 AM CDT SUN MAR 15 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH TEXAS AND THE MIDDLE TEXAS COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT OTHER THAN A POSSIBLE LIGHTNING STRIKE FROM ANY SHOWERS TODAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. GW/SCC
The Corpus Christi radar (KCRP), 43 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:54 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
A 63 year old man was struck and killed by lightning on Mustang Island Beach near Port Aransas.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning, Nueces | 2009-03-15 | 63 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, March 2009
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: 150532.