Lack of significant rainfall during the wettest time of the calendar year in the wettest region of Deep South Texas allowed agricultural and hydrologic drought to increase during the last week of September. Conditions deteriorated from Severe/Extreme to Extreme/Exceptional in most areas by month's end.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 BRO wrote it up.
Lack of significant rainfall during the wettest time of the calendar year in the wettest region of Deep South Texas allowed agricultural and hydrologic drought to increase during the last week of September. Conditions deteriorated from Severe/Extreme to Extreme/Exceptional in most areas by month's end. Additional crop damage was likely insignificant since most lands had been plowed over to ready for the autumn and winter; livestock production/loss dollar values were unavailable as 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 Brownsville, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 26, 11:24 PM CST, 36 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX 1224 AM CDT TUE SEP 27 2011 .DISCUSSION...SEE AVIATION SECTION BELOW FOR UPDATED DISCUSSION ON THE 06Z TAF PACKAGE. && .AVIATION...A FEW CLOUDS ARE CREEPING ONSHORE FROM THE ADJACENT GULF OF MEXICO...WHILE LIGHT SURFACE WINDS PREVAIL. VFR WILL REIGN THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. WINDS WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE TO MODERATE LEVELS WITH BREEZY FREQUENT GUSTS TOMORROW...WITH A FEW MORE CLOUDS. VFR IS STILL EXPECTED TO PERSIST AT THIS TIME AND AFTER SUNSET...AS WINDS AND CLOUDINESS DIMINISH. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 631 PM CDT MON SEP 26 2011/ UPDATE...PLEASE SEE AVIATION SECTION FOR 00Z TAFS AVIATION...VFR CONDITIONS TO PREVAIL ACROSS THE REGION TONIGHT. SOME PATCHY STRATUS OR SOME GROUND FOG TO FORM AROUND SUNRISE BUT LONG TERM CIG OR VSBY RESTRICTIONS ARE NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. THE NORTHER COUNTIES TO HAVE THE BETTER CHANCE OF SEEING SOME BRIEF RESTRICTIONS. TUESDAY WILL SEE A BIT MORE CUMULUS AS LOW LEVEL DRY AIR IS REPLACED BY INCREASING GULF MOISTURE. SOUTHEAST WINDS TO DIMINISH THROUGH THE EVENING THEN PICK UP AGAIN TUESDAY. GUSTS TO 25 KNOTS CAN BE EXPECTED TUESDAY LATE MORNING THROUGH AFTERNOON. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 146 PM CDT MON SEP 26 2011/ SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/...DEEP STORM VORTEX OVER NORTHERN ILLINOIS IS NOT A BIG PLAYER FOR DEEP SOUTH TEXAS AT THE MOMENT. RATHER...HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE WEST GULF IS INTERACTING WITH LOW PRESSURE TROUGHING IN WEST TEXAS EXTENDING NORTH INTO THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS. THE RESULT IS MODERATE AND GUSTY SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH WINDS AND SUNNY SKIES THIS AFTERNOON...WITH TEMPS CURRENTLY IN THE LOW TO MID 90S NEAR THE COAST TO NEAR 100 INLAND NEAR LAREDO. COULD SEE A FEW RECORD HIGH TEMPS APPROACHED THROUGH THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON AS WINDS CONTINUE OUT OF THE SOUTH. BY THIS EVENING... WINDS WILL DECREASE AND SHIFT A BIT TO SOUTHEAST...BRINGING A MILD NIGHT WITH LOW TEMPS IN THE MID TO UPPER 70S AND A FEW LOW CLOUDS DRIFTING IN FROM THE GULF AFTER MIDNIGHT. TUESDAY WILL BE JUST A BIT COOLER...BUT STILL SEVERAL DEGREES WARMER THAN NORMAL. A FEW MORE AFTERNOON CU WILL DEVELOP ON MODERATE SOUTH SOUTHEAST WINDS. LITTLE CHANGE TUESDAY NIGHT AS LOW TEMPS REMAIN WELL IN THE 70S WITH A FEW LOW CLOUDS NEAR THE COAST AFTER MIDNIGHT. LONG TERM...LONG TERM FEATURES DOMINATED BY HIGHLY AMPLIFIED FLOW PATTERN BUILDING ACROSS THE CENTER OF THE US...WITH SOUTH TEXAS CAUGHT UNDER A SMALL LOBE OF THE SLOWLY DEPARTING BOWLING BALL UPPER LOW ACROSS THE EASTERN US. THIS WILL PROVIDE SOME INSTABILITY TO THE REGION...WHICH WILL COMBINE WITH AMPLE LLVL GULF MOISTURE TO HELP THE SEABREEZE SPARK SOME SHOWERS...ESPECIALLY WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. BY FRIDAY...THE UPPER FLOW SHIFTS FROM WESTERLY TO NORTHERLY...REINTRODUCING THE DRIER AIR SEEN A FEW DAYS LAST WEEK. THIS WILL LIKELY ARRIVE IN THE FORM OF A BACK DOOR COLD FRONT FRIDAY EVENING. THE FURTHER EAST THE NORTH-SOUTH UPPER CORRIDOR DEVELOPS...THE LESS LIKELY THE FRONT WILL ARRIVE AND BETTER CHANCES FOR RAIN FRIDAY INTO EARLY SATURDAY. EVEN IF THE FRONT DOESN'T MOVE THROUGH FULLY...THE DRIER AIR IS LIKELY TO MOVE INTO THE REGION FOR THE WEEKEND...ESPECIALLY IN THE WESTERN VALLEY AWAY FROM ANY LLVL MARINE INFLUENCES. WILL HOLD ON TO POPS WED-FRI AND NOT MENTION SATURDAY AND BEYOND. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN ABOVE NORMAL...BUT WILL TEMPER JUST A BIT AS THICKNESSES DECREASE WITH THE APPROACH OF THE MIDLEVEL WEAKNESS. STILL EXPECTING 90 PLUS DEGREES FOR THE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER. MARINE...TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...BUOY 42020 REPORTS MODERATE SOUTH WINDS AND SEAS BETWEEN FIVE AND SIX FEET THIS AFTERNOON. EXERCISE CAUTION CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR THE LOWER TEXAS COAST AS HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE GULF INTERACTS WITH LOWER PRESSURE INLAND. THE LOCAL PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL LOOSEN UP ON TUESDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE IN THE SOUTHERN PLAINS SINKS SOUTH AND FILLS INTO TEXAS. UNSETTLED TROPICAL CONDITIONS IN THE BAY OF CAMPECHE MAY ALLOW ISOLATED SHOWERS TO DRIFT NORTH ALONG THE NORTHEAST COAST OF MEXICO...BUT DID NOT INCLUDE MENTION IN THIS FORECAST DUE TO MIXED SIGNAL IN MODELS. THE NAM DOES NOT SHOW THE SAME SHOWERS AS THE GFS...REMAINING DRIER OVER ALL. WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...CONDITIONS WILL BE A BIT BREEZY LATER IN THE EXTENDED PERIOD AS A FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTH. DO NOT YET EXPECT ADVISORY CRITERIA TO BE REACHED...BUT WIDESPREAD AREAS OF 15 TO 20 KNOT ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY FRIDAY. SEAS WILL REMAIN MODEST AT 3 FEET OR LESS...WITH 1 TO 2 FEET COMMON WED AND THU. A FRONT WILL ATTEMPT TO MOVE IN FROM THE NORTHEAST LATE FRIDAY. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO SHIFT MORE TO THE NORTHEAST BUT STRENGTH IS STILL IN DOUBT AT THIS JUNCTURE. NE FETCH ACROSS SHALLOW CONTINENTAL SHELF OF THE GULF WILL PICK SEAS UP TO AT LEAST 4 FEET FOR THE GULF WATERS DURING AND AFTER THE WIND SHIFT. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... BAYVIEW/PORT ISABEL 92 79 92 76 / 0 0 20 20 BROWNSVILLE 94 77 94 77 / 0 0 20 20 HARLINGEN 96 77 96 75 / 0 0 20 20 MCALLEN 98 77 97 78 / 0 0 20 20 RIO GRANDE CITY 101 75 98 74 / 0 0 10 20 SOUTH PADRE ISLAND 89 79 88 77 / 0 10 20 20 && .BRO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM CDT THIS MORNING FOR GMZ150-155- 170-175. && THIS PRODUCT IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE WEB AT: HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BROWNSVILLE AVIATION...TOMASELLI-66
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX 1211 PM CDT MON SEP 26 2011 TXZ248>257-271715- ZAPATA-JIM HOGG-BROOKS-KENEDY-STARR-HIDALGO-INLAND WILLACY- INLAND CAMERON-COASTAL WILLACY-COASTAL CAMERON- 1211 PM CDT MON SEP 26 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR DEEP SOUTH TEXAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AT THE BEACHES OF SOUTH PADRE ISLAND AND BOCA CHICA. BREEZY WINDS WILL COMBINE WITH CURED FUELS AND LOWERING RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES TO PRODUCE AN ENHANCED RISK OF WILDFIRE GROWTH AND SPREAD. HEAT INDEX VALUES WILL RANGE BETWEEN 103 AND 108 DEGREES DURING THE LATE MORNING THROUGH EARLY EVENING HOURS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. HEAT INDEX VALUES WILL RANGE BETWEEN 102 AND 107 DEGREES DURING THE LATE MORNING THROUGH EARLY EVENING HOURS TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. GMZ130-132-135-150-155-170-175-271715- 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- 1211 PM CDT MON SEP 26 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO AND THE LAGUNA MADRE. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Exceptional D4 drought conditions developed across the north and eastern one half of Willacy County the last week of September. Extreme (D3) Drought conditions developed across the south central and south west one half of Willacy County; each continued through month's end.
Exceptional (D4) Drought conditions developed across the eastern one quarter of Cameron County the last week of September. Extreme (D3) Drought conditions developed across the central one half of Cameron County and Severe (D2) Drought conditions developed across the western one quarter of Cameron County. Each would continue through month's end.
Exceptional (D4) Drought conditions developed across all of Coastal Willacy County the last week of the month of September and continue through month's end.
Exceptional (D4) Drought conditions developed across all of Coastal Cameron County the last week of the month of September, and would continue through month's end.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, September 2011
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: 338415, 338416, 338417, 338418.