A combination of showers, squall lines, thunderstorm clusters, and individual super cells dropped rain across the entire Rio Grande Valley and Deep South Texas between May 8th and 12th, which ultimately improved drought conditions in most areas beginning on the 15th. 26 at the Brownsville/South Padre Island Airport in Brownsville.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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.
A combination of showers, squall lines, thunderstorm clusters, and individual super cells dropped rain across the entire Rio Grande Valley and Deep South Texas between May 8th and 12th, which ultimately improved drought conditions in most areas beginning on the 15th.
Specific rainfall totals from across the region included: 3.43 inches in Zapata County, 1.56 inches in Falfurrias, 4.68 inches in Raymondville, 2.36 inches at McAllen/Miller International Airport, 3.21 inches at Valley International Airport in Harlingen, and 1.26 at the Brownsville/South Padre Island Airport in Brownsville. This rainfall greatly improved drought conditions across the region, with only a sliver of extreme (D3) drought across the northern tip of Jim Hogg County (including Hebbronville) for much of the period.
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 May 14, 11:56 PM CST, 4 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX 1256 AM CDT TUE MAY 15 2012 .DISCUSSION...UPDATED FOR LATEST AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW. && .AVIATION...SATELLITE IMAGES AND SURFACE OBSERVATIONS INDICATE INCREASING MID TO HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS EARLY THIS MORNING OVER DEEP SOUTH TEXAS. CEILINGS WERE NEAR 6000FT AT KMFE. EXPECT VFR... EXCEPT BRIEF MVFR/IFR CEILINGS IN AND AROUND THUNDERSTORMS...CONDITIONS TO PREVAIL THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS NEAR APY WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST OVERNIGHT. A 500MB SHORTWAVE TROUGH ACROSS WEST TEXAS TONIGHT MOVES SOUTHEAST TOWARDS THE AREA ALLOWING MVFR CONDITIONS TO DEVELOP AFTER 15Z TUESDAY AS SHOWERS DEVELOP ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY. MVFR CEILINGS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON AS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP IN THE VICINITY OF LOCAL TAF SITES. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 715 PM CDT MON MAY 14 2012/ DISCUSSION...UPDATED FOR LATEST AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW. AVIATION...SATELLITE IMAGES AND SURFACE OBSERVATIONS INDICATE MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES ACROSS THE CWA THIS EVENING WITH A FEW MID TO HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS. CEILINGS WERE NEAR 6000FT AT KMFE. EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS TO PREVAIL TONIGHT INTO EARLY TUESDAY BEFORE A 500MB SHORTWAVE TROUGH ACROSS WEST TEXAS TONIGHT MOVES SOUTHEAST TOWARDS THE AREA ALLOWING MVFR CONDITIONS TO DEVELOP AFTER 15Z TUESDAY AS SHOWERS DEVELOP ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY. MVFR CEILINGS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TUES AFTERNOON AS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP IN THE VICINITY OF LOCAL AERODROMES. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 132 PM CDT MON MAY 14 2012/ SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/...RELATIVELY DRY AIR REMAINS IN PLACE OVER THE REGION TODAY WITH A LIGHT TO MODERATE EAST TO EAST NORTHEASTERLY WIND. AN UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO IS CONTINUING A SOUTHEASTWARD TRACK TOWARDS SOUTH TEXAS AND A WEAK MCV...THE REMNANTS OF LAST NIGHTS MCS...IS MOVING SOUTHEASTWARD NEAR ALICE. THE MAIN CONCERN FOR THIS FORECAST PACKAGE IS POPS/WX AND SVR POTENTIAL. THE TRACK AND SPEED OF THE MCV GIVE ME SOME CONCERN FOR LIGHTING BACK UP LATER THIS EVENING AS THE BOUNDARY LAYER BECOMES MORE UNSTABLE. SFC BASED CAPE VALUES ARE AT AROUND 1000 J/KG...AND THE THERMODYNAMIC PROFILE IS SUCH WHERE THE MECHANICAL FORCING OF THE MCV MAY BE JUST ENOUGH TO GET A FEW SHRA/TSRA SPARKED LATER THIS AFTERNOON IN NORTHEASTERN KENEDY COUNTY AND THE NORTHERN COASTAL WATERS. TONIGHT...BROAD LARGE SCALE ASCENT IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN AS THE UPPER LOW MAKES ITS APPROACH AND PASSES JUST TO THE NORTH OF THE CWA WHILE GRADUALLY WEAKENING. SFC MOISTURE REMAINS A LITTLE ON THE LOW SIDE AND THE NEAREST 70 DEGREE DEW POINTS ARE LOCATED MORE THAN 100 MILES OFFSHORE IN THE GULF. AS A RESULT THE LIGHT EASTERLY RETURN FLOW OFF THE GULF WILL NOT SEND LOW TO MID 70S DEW POINTS INTO THE AREA. THE BROAD ASCENT ALSO BUILDS MID AND UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE AHEAD OF THE LOW AND NAM/GFS SOUNDINGS SATURATE THE COLUMN... WHICH LIMITS MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES SIGNIFICANTLY AND WOULD SERVE TO LIMIT HAIL GROWTH POTENTIAL. THIS COUPLED WITH THE MARGINAL MOISTURE ONLY LEADS TO PROJECTED SBCAPE VALUES AROUND 1000 TO 1500 J/KG WITH MARGINAL HAIL GROWTH ZONE CAPE AND FAIRLY WEAK OVERALL DEEP LAYER AND LOW LEVEL SHEAR WHICH IS PROJECTED BY BOTH NAM AND GFS...WHO SEEM TO HAVE A REASONABLE HANDLE ON THE SITUATION. THAT BEING SAID I SUSPECT THE COLUMN WILL BE A BIT DRIER AND LAPSE RATES STEEPER THAN PROJECTED GIVEN RAOB INDICATIONS OF THE TEMPERATURES AND CONDITIONS NEAR THE UPPER LOW. WITH THAT BEING SAID...HAVE CONTINUED THE GIST OF THE GOING FORECAST WITH CHC POPS TONIGHT IN THE NORTHWEST BUILDING TO GOOD CHC/LIKELY THROUGH THE MORNING AND AFTERNOON IN THE VALLEY. EXPECT WE WILL SEE A PRETTY GOOD COVERAGE OF SHRA/TSRA. WITH THE AVAILABLE THERMO AND SHEAR PROFILES...MOST OF THOSE STORMS SHOULD BE BELOW SEVERE... BUT AN INSTANCE OR TWO OF ONE INCH HAIL SEEMS POSSIBLE. THE NORTHWEST FLOW MAY ALSO BE SUFFICIENT TO HELP GET A FEW SEVERE GUSTS TO THE GROUND IF AN ORGANIZED MCS DEVELOPS. THE AIR MASS WILL EVENTUALLY OVERTURN AND SCOUR OUT WITH NORTHERLY WINDS...SO CONTINUED THE STAIR STEPPING DOWN OF POPS THROUGH THE EVENING. LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/...WEDNESDAY MORNING SHOULD SEE THE TAIL END OF ANY ACTION ASSOCIATED WITH THE MID LEVEL TROUGH AND SURFACE FRONT MOVING THROUGH THE CWA. TEN PERCENT POPS REMAIN OVER LAND WEDNESDAY MORNING. H5 RIDGING BUILDS IN OVER THE CWA LATER ON WEDNESDAY WITH HIGH PRESSURE AND A WEAK GRADIENT ALSO PREVAILING AT THE SURFACE. HALCYON CONDITIONS WILL SETTLE OVER DEEP SOUTH TEXAS FOR THE LATTER PART OF THE WEEK. LIGHT TO MODERATE NORTH WINDS WILL TAKE THEIR TIME...A COUPLE OF DAYS...TO VEER TO SOUTHEAST. TEMPS WILL BE NEAR NORMAL. HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST AND GREAT LAKES WILL FLATTEN AND SHIFT EAST AND SOUTHEAST...ALLOWING A BETTER MOISTURE FEED...WITH A SLIGHTLY BETTER CHANCE OF MARINE AND COASTAL SHOWERS BY THE WEEKEND. MARINE... TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...LIGHT EAST TO EAST NORTHEASTERLY WINDS WILL BECOME A LITTLE MORE SOUTHEASTERLY TONIGHT. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE...MAINLY FROM ABOUT MID MORNING TUESDAY THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS TUESDAY. GENERALLY LOW SEAS AND LIGHT TO MODERATE WINDS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...THE LONG TERM MARINE FORECAST APPEARS RATHER STRAIGHTFORWARD. LINGERING SHOWERS WEDNESDAY AS SHORT WAVE TROUGH EXITS STAGE RIGHT...FOLLOWED BY H5 RIDGING BUILDING OVERHEAD AND SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE RETRENCHING IN THE NORTHWEST GULF OF MEXICO. LIGHT TO MODERATE NORTH WINDS WILL VEER TO MODERATE SOUTHEAST BY FRIDAY. NO BIG ISSUES SEEN IN THE MARINE FORECAST. && .BRO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...NONE. GM...NONE. && THIS PRODUCT IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE WEB AT: HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RGV 63
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX 1256 PM CDT MON MAY 14 2012 TXZ248>257-151800- ZAPATA-JIM HOGG-BROOKS-KENEDY-STARR-HIDALGO-INLAND WILLACY- INLAND CAMERON-COASTAL WILLACY-COASTAL CAMERON- 1256 PM CDT MON MAY 14 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR DEEP SOUTH TEXAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF DEEP SOUTH TEXAS LATE TONIGHT. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BE STRONG...WITH HAIL UP TO AROUND DIME SIZE AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 OR 50 MPH. THERE IS SOME POTENTIAL FOR STORMS TO BECOME SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WIND TO 60 MPH AND LARGE HAIL TO AROUND QUARTER SIZE. THE MOST LIKELY TIME FOR THUNDERSTORMS IS AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED OVER MUCH OF THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND DEEP SOUTH TEXAS ON TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. SOME STORMS MAY BE STRONG WITH HAIL UP TO AROUND NICKEL SIZE...AND GUSTY WINDS TO 40 OR 50 MPH. THERE IS SOME POTENTIAL FOR STORMS TO BECOME SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WIND TO 60 MPH AND LARGE HAIL TO AROUND QUARTER SIZE. THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BE MOVING SOUTHEAST FROM THE RANCHLANDS INTO THE VALLEY BETWEEN AROUND 6 AM AND 12 PM WITH ACTIVITY POSSIBLY PERSISTING INTO THE EARLY EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... FORMAL SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS UNLIKELY. HOWEVER...SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE. GMZ130-132-135-150-155-170-175-151800- 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- 1256 PM CDT MON MAY 14 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO AND THE LAGUNA MADRE. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE TUESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT ACROSS MUCH OF THE LOWER TEXAS COASTAL WATERS. A FEW STORMS MAY BE STRONG WITH GUSTY WINDS TO AROUND 30 KNOTS...AND HAIL TO AROUND ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... FORMAL SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS UNLIKELY. HOWEVER...SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE. JGG
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX 1036 PM CDT MON MAY 14 2012 TXZ248>257-150600- ZAPATA-JIM HOGG-BROOKS-KENEDY-STARR-HIDALGO-INLAND WILLACY- INLAND CAMERON-COASTAL WILLACY-COASTAL CAMERON- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ZAPATA...HEBBRONVILLE...FALFURRIAS... SARITA...RIO GRANDE CITY...ROMA...MCALLEN...EDINBURG...PHARR... MISSION...WESLACO...RAYMONDVILLE...BROWNSVILLE...HARLINGEN... PORT MANSFIELD...PORT ISABEL...SOUTH PADRE ISLAND... LAGUNA HEIGHTS...LAGUNA VISTA 1036 PM CDT MON MAY 14 2012 ...THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR IN BROWNSVILLE IS TRACKING NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS LOCATED OVER COAHUILA AND NUEVO LEON STATE IN NEIGHBORING MEXICO. MOVEMENT OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS IS TO THE SOUTHEAST AT AROUND 40 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY AFFECT ZAPATA...STARR...AND JIM HOGG COUNTY AROUND MIDNIGHT TONIGHT...BROOKS AND HIDALGO COUNTY NEAR 2 AM CDT...AND CAMERON...WILLACY...AND KENEDY COUNTY NEAR 4 AM CDT. FREQUENT LIGHTNING...WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...AND PEA-SIZE HAIL WILL BE THE MAIN THREATS WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS AS THEY MOVE OVER THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND DEEP SOUTH TEXAS THROUGH THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS. TOMASELLI/STRAUB/CACERES
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Drought conditions improved across Zapata County. The northern half of the county slipped into D2 drought conditions, while the southern half of the county saw D1 drought conditions.
Periodic rains between May 8th and 12th helped douse the drought somewhat across the King Ranch by May 15th. Levels across the county dropped one notch, from Extreme (D3) to Severe (D2) along the coast, and from Severe (D2) to Moderate (D1) inland.
Periodic rainfall from strong to severe thunderstorms during the week of May 8th to 12th improved drought across inland Willacy County from Severe (D2) to mostly moderate (D1) with a sliver of Severe (D2) remaining east of U.S. Highway 77.
Periodic rainfall from strong to severe thunderstorms during the week of May 8th to 12th improved drought across inland Cameron County from Severe (D2) to mostly moderate (D1) with a sliver of Severe (D2) remaining east of U.S. Highway 77.
Periodic rainfall from strong to severe thunderstorms during the week of May 8th to 12th improved drought across coastal Cameron County from Extreme (D3) to Severe (D2) by mid month, which continued until the end of May.
Periodic rainfall from strong to severe thunderstorms during the week of May 8th to 12th improved drought across coastal Willacy County from Extreme (D3) to Severe (D2) by mid month, which continued until the end of May.
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, May 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: 384585, 387097, 387100, 387102, 387103, 387104.