Severe thunderstorms impacted the Rio Grande Valley once again on March 20th, bringing well needed rain across the region. 2 inches in Brownsville and 1 inch in Harlingen.
Every event with a place to put it; 7 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.
Severe thunderstorms impacted the Rio Grande Valley once again on March 20th, bringing well needed rain across the region. These thunderstorms were fast moving, but still dropped .35 inches of rain in McAllen, .2 inches in Brownsville and 1 inch in Harlingen.
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 Apr 16, 11:13 PM CST, 47 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX 1213 AM CDT TUE APR 17 2012 .DISCUSSION...UPDATED FOR LATEST AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW. && .AVIATION...MVFR CEILINGS DEVELOPING ACROSS THE REGION WITH THE EXCEPTION OF FAR SOUTHERN CAMERON COUNTY WHERE CLOUD DEBRIS FROM THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE GULF HAVE SLOWED RADIATIONAL COOLING...THAT AREA SHOULD FOLLOW SUIT SHORTLY. EXPECT NORTHEAST WINDS TO STAY UP IN THE 5 TO 10 KNOT RANGE TONIGHT WHICH SHOULD PREVENT DENSE FOG FORMATION BUT AVAILABLE MOISTURE WILL LIKELY LEAD TO PERIOD OF IFR CEILINGS IN THE PREDAWN HOURS. EXPECT MVFR TO VFR IMPROVEMENT THROUGH LATE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON. NORTH TO NORTHEAST WIND GUSTS ARE EXPECTED TO BUILD TO AROUND 15 KNOTS IN THE AFTERNOON. THERE WILL BE SOME CHANCE OF SHOWERS OR A VERY ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM...BUT CHANCES TOO SMALL TO INCLUDE IN TAF PACKAGE. /68-JGG/ && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 605 PM CDT MON APR 16 2012/ DISCUSSION...UPDATED FOR LATEST AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW. AVIATION...THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE WELL OFFSHORE BY 01Z WITH VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED UNTIL AROUND MIDNIGHT. MVFR CIGS ARE THEN FORECAST TO DEVELOP WITH RESIDUAL LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND FROM EARLIER HEAVY RAIN. DRIER AIR TO MOVE INTO THE REGION BY TUESDAY MORNING WITH LIGHT NORTHEAST WINDS. VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED BY MID MORNING TUESDAY FOR ALL OF DEEP SOUTH TEXAS. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 545 PM CDT MON APR 16 2012/ DISCUSSION...CANCELLED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR HIDALGO...WILLACY AND KENEDY COUNTIES. CAMERON COUNTY AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS SOUTH OF PORT MANSFIELD REMAIN UNDER THE WATCH FOR AT LEAST ONE MORE HOUR. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 304 PM CDT MON APR 16 2012/ SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... A STATIONARY FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THE UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS HAS INITIATED SOME STRONG THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY ALONG A LINE FROM HIDALGO COUNTY NORTH TOWARDS BROOKS COUNTY. MOST OF THE STORMS WILL GRADUALLY MOVE EAST AND INCREASE IN COVERAGE AS THE AFTERNOON PROGRESSES IMPACTING THE WILLACY AND CAMERON COUNTIES AND THE GULF WATERS LATE THIS AFTERNOON. STORMS CONTINUE TO COLLIDE WITH OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES ASSOCIATED WITH PREVIOUS STORMS ENHANCING THE DEVELOPMENT OF OTHER SHOWERS INTO WILLACY AND CAMERON COUNTIES. THERE IS A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON. RAINFALL AMOUNTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ACTIVITY WILL BE AROUND HALF AN INCH TO AN INCH WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS. MAIN THREAT CONTINUES TO BE LARGE HAIL...STRONG DAMAGING GUSTY WINDS... DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND A POSSIBLE ISOLATED TORNADO CAN NOT BE RULE OUT. LOW TEMPERATURES WILL RANGE BETWEEN THE LOW 70S TO THE FAR SOUTH AND INTO THE MID 60S ACROSS THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE CWA. TUESDAY...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ALONG THE COASTAL COUNTIES ONCE AGAIN IN THE AFTERNOON AND SHIFT EAST TOWARDS THE OFFSHORE GULF WATERS AS UPPER TROUGH SHIFT EASTWARD TROUGH THE DAY. RIDGE WILL BUILD FROM THE WEST LIMITING THE SHOWER ACTIVITY UNTIL THE END OF THE WEEK. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL REACH THE MID 80S ACROSS MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA. LONG TERM.../WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...THE LONG TERM IS A BIT UNCERTAIN FOR FIRST PORTION OF THE PERIOD WITH INCREASING CONFIDENCE FOR THE LATTER HALF. A BRIEF REPRIEVE OF THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER AND THE CHANCE OF RAIN IS EXPECTED WEDNESDAY AS SHORTWAVE RIDGING MOVES OVER THE CWA. LINGERING MOISTURE ALONG THE RIO GRANDE RIVER COULD PRODUCE A BRIEF SHOWER BUT CONFIDENCE IS LOW IF MEASURABLE RAIN WILL BE REPORTED. NAM INDICATES BETTER DRYING AT THE LOW LAYERS AS NORTHEAST TO WORK IN BEHIND TODAY/S COLD FRONT AND DEPARTING UPPER TROUGH. WILL KEEP WEDNESDAY DRY. MOISTURE BEGINS TO INCREASE THURSDAY AS THE ECMWF AND GFS ARE SHOWING A STRONGER SHORT WAVE MOVING DOWN THE LEE SIDE OF THE ROCKIES. WILL HOLD OFF ON ADDING POPS ON THURSDAY WITH ONLY WEAK FORCING INDICATED AT THIS TIME. IF A DISTURBANCE OVER NORTHWEST MEXICO ADVANCES FASTER TO EAST THE RAIN MIGHT HAVE TO BE ADDED TO AT LEAST THE WESTERN ZONES THURSDAY AFTERNOON OR NIGHT. A SHARP UPPER TROUGH THEN BECOMES ESTABLISHED OVER THE DEEP SOUTH AS THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN SHORTWAVE DIVES WELL SOUTH. THIS SHOULD PUSH A STRONGER THEN USUALLY COLD FRONT THROUGH THE REGION FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING. CHANCE POPS ARE IN THE FORECAST WHICH MIGHT HAVE TO BE INCREASED IF TREND OF A STRONGER FRONT CONTINUES. COOLER AND DRIER AIR TO MOVE IN FOR THE WEEKEND AS THE FRONT MOVES WELL OFFSHORE. MARINE...TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...SEAS WILL CONTINUE TO LOWER AS THE DAY PROGRESSES AND THROUGH THE SHORT TERM PERIOD. WINDS HAVE LOWER COMPARED TO THE LAST TWO DAYS WHICH WILL KEEP SEAS BETWEEN 4 TO 6 FEET. THERE IS A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL LATE AFTERNOON FOR THE KENEDY AND COASTAL COUNTIES TODAY. THE STORM HAVE DEVELOP ALONG A LINE OF THE HIDALGO AND THE BROOKS COUNTIES AND HAVE MIGRATED TOWARDS THE EAST. THIS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST AND INCREASE IN COVERAGE SO EXPECT THESE SHOWERS TO MOVE TOWARDS THE GULF WATERS IN THE EVENING. WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...GOOD MARINE CONDITIONS TO PREVAIL WEDNESDAY WITH HIGH PRESSURE SPREADING OVER THE NORTHERN GULF PROVIDING A MODEST EAST WIND. WINDS VEER SOUTHEAST THURSDAY AND INCREASE ON FRIDAY IN ADVANCE OF STRONGER THEN USUAL COLD FRONT EXPECTED FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES MAY BE NECESSARY IN ADVANCE AND BEHIND THIS FRONT. && .BRO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...NONE. GM...NONE. && THIS PRODUCT IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE WEB AT: HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RGV 68/60
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX 719 PM CDT MON APR 16 2012 TXZ251-254>257-180030- KENEDY-INLAND WILLACY-INLAND CAMERON-COASTAL WILLACY- COASTAL CAMERON- 719 PM CDT MON APR 16 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR DEEP SOUTH TEXAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AT AREA BEACHES TODAY. A HIGH SURF ADVISORY AND A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FOR AREA BEACHES IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. ELEVATED RIP CURRENT RISK WILL BE POSSIBLE ON TUESDAY. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. TXZ248>250-252-253-180030- ZAPATA-JIM HOGG-BROOKS-STARR-HIDALGO- 719 PM CDT MON APR 16 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR DEEP SOUTH TEXAS. .DAY ONE...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. GMZ130-132-135-150-155-170-175-180030- 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- 719 PM CDT MON APR 16 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO AND THE LAGUNA MADRE. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. SOME STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL POSSIBLE THROUGH THE REST OF THE NIGHT ACROSS THE GULF WATERS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH SATURDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE DUE TO NORTH WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
906 PM CDT MON APR 16 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0300 PM MARINE TSTM WIND 18 N PORT MANSFIELD 26.80N 97.47W
04/16/2012 M48 MPH GMZ135 TX BUOY
TCOON PLATFORM RINCON DEL SAN JOSE REPORTED THUNDERSTORM
WIND GUST OF 42 KNOTS OR 48 MPH AT 3 PM CDT.
&&
TOMASELLIPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
937 PM CDT MON APR 16 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0630 PM MARINE TSTM WIND 1 N PORT ISABEL 26.09N 97.22W
04/16/2012 M41 MPH GMZ130 TX BUOY
PORT ISABEL NOAA STATION REPORTED THUNDERSTORM WIND GUST
OF 36 KNOTS OR 41 MPH AT 630 PM CDT.
&&
TOMASELLIPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
959 PM CDT MON APR 16 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0837 AM TORNADO 2 E SARITA 27.22N 97.77W
04/16/2012 KENEDY TX NWS OFFICE
TORNADO REPORTED AT KENEDY RANCH IN KENEDY COUNTY...
APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES SOUTH OF RIVERA. NWS CRP PASSED
ALONG THE REPORT FROM A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC IN KLEBERG
COUNTY.
0306 PM FUNNEL CLOUD EDINBURG 26.30N 98.16W
04/16/2012 HIDALGO TX PUBLIC
PUBLIC REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD NEAR HIGHWAY 281 AND
FREDDY GONZALEZ.
0353 PM HAIL PHARR 26.18N 98.19W
04/16/2012 E1.00 INCH HIDALGO TX TRAINED SPOTTER
TRAINED SKYWARN SPOTTER REPORTED QUARTER-SIZE HAIL IN
PHARR AT THE INTERSECTION OF HALL ACRES ROAD AND CAGE
BOULEVARD.
0420 PM FUNNEL CLOUD RIO HONDO 26.23N 97.58W
04/16/2012 CAMERON TX LAW ENFORCEMENT
RIO HONDO POLICE REPORTED DIME SIZED HAIL AND 2 FUNNEL
CLOUDS.
0424 PM FUNNEL CLOUD N SANTA ROSA 26.25N 97.83W
04/16/2012 CAMERON TX PUBLIC
PUBLIC REPORTED FUNNEL CLOUD NORTH OF SANTA ROSA
0455 PM FUNNEL CLOUD NW LOS FRESNOS 26.07N 97.48W
04/16/2012 CAMERON TX NWS EMPLOYEE
NWS EMPLOYEE J. GIBBS REPORTED SEVERAL FUNNEL CLOUDS NW
OF LOS FRESNOS.
0502 PM FUNNEL CLOUD N LOS FRESNOS 26.07N 97.48W
04/16/2012 CAMERON TX PUBLIC
PUBLIC REPORTED FUNNEL CLOUDS NORTH OF LOS FRESNOS.
0505 PM FUNNEL CLOUD LOS FRESNOS 26.07N 97.48W
04/16/2012 CAMERON TX NWS EMPLOYEE
NWS EMPLOYEE A. VEGA REPORTED FUNNEL CLOUDS NEAR
LAURELES AND INDIAN LAKE.
0557 PM HEAVY RAIN BAYVIEW 26.12N 97.40W
04/16/2012 E4.00 INCH CAMERON TX NWS EMPLOYEE
&&
EVENT NUMBER BRO1200030 BRO1200033 BRO1200031 BRO1200032 BRO1200035
BRO1200036 BRO1200037 BRO1200038 BRO1200034
TOMASELLIThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
9 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Hidalgo County continued to see improvement in drought conditions. D2 drought remained only in a sliver on the far eastern boundary of the county, while the rest of the county was in D1 and D0 drought conditions.
Jim Hogg County continued to see improvement in drought conditions. Much of the county improved to D1 and D0 drought, with only the far NW corner in D2 drought.
Brooks County saw no change in drought conditions. The western half of the county remained in D1 drought, while the eastern half of the county was in D2 drought conditions.
Kenedy County saw improvment in drought conditions. The western two thirds of the county entered in D2 drought, while the eastern third remained in D3 drought conditions.
Willacy County saw no change in drought conditions. The western two thirds of the county remained in D2 drought, while the eastern third remained in D3 drought conditions.
Cameron County saw no change in drought conditions. The western two thirds of the county remained in D2 drought, while the eastern third remained in D3 drought conditions.
Coastal Cameron County saw no change in drought conditions. The area remained in D3 drought conditions.
Coastal Willacy County saw no change in drought conditions. The area remained in D3 drought conditions.
Zapata County continued to see improvement in drought conditions. The southern tip of the county was in D1 drought conditions, the middle of the county in D2 drought conditions, and the NE corner of the county in D3 drought conditions.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, April 2012
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: 379372, 379373, 379375, 379376, 379378, 379380, 379381, 379382, 379383.