On the evening of March 31st, a decaying supercell, associated with convective activity that developed along an outflow boundary over south Texas, moved southeast at 25 mph over the far northeastern corner of Brooks County. The storm dropped half dollar to golf ball size hail over the city of Falfurrias and was accompanied by strong winds and lightning.
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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.
On the evening of March 31st, a decaying supercell, associated with convective activity that developed along an outflow boundary over south Texas, moved southeast at 25 mph over the far northeastern corner of Brooks County. The storm dropped half dollar to golf ball size hail over the city of Falfurrias and was accompanied by strong winds and lightning.
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 Mar 31, 7:44 PM CST, 51 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX 844 PM CDT SUN MAR 31 2013 .DISCUSSION...ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE SOUTHEAST ALONG THE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY AT THIS TIME. THIS THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY IMPACT PORTION OF BROOKS AND KENEDY COUNTIES AS THEY MOVE SOUTH/SOUTHEAST. MAKE CHANGES TO THE POPS EXPECTED BUT EVERYTHING ELSE STAYED THE SAME. PLEASE RELATE TO THE LATEST SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT FOR MORE INFORMATION. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 647 PM CDT SUN MAR 31 2013/ DISCUSSION...UPDATED FOR LATEST AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW. AVIATION...BREEZE CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING DIMINISHING TONIGHT WITH CLOUD COVER INCREASING ACROSS SOUTH TEXAS. EXPECT MVFR CEILINGS TO BEGIN DEVELOPING AROUND MIDNIGHT WITH POSSIBLE IFR CLOSE TO SUNRISE MONDAY. CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE AROUND 15Z WITH BREEZE SOUTHEAST WINDS IN THE AFTERNOON. MOISTURE STREAMING ACROSS MEXICO INTO SOUTH TEXAS WILL INCREMENT TOMORROW INCREASING THE HIGH CLOUDS ACROSS SOUTH TEXAS. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 215 PM CDT SUN MAR 31 2013/ SHORT TERM.../NOW THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/...WEAK MID LEVEL RIDGING OVER NEW MEXICO WILL BECOME ZONAL ON MONDAY AS 500 MB LOW MOVES ACROSS THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAIN RANGE. SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO WILL MAINTAIN THE ONSHORE FLOW ACROSS DEEP SOUTH TEXAS. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED ALONG A COLD FRONT ACROSS CENTRAL TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON. SPC HAS PLACED A GENERAL TO SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS JUST NORTH OF THE AREA. THIS CONVECTION IS EXPECTED TO DISSIPATE OR MOVE EAST BEFORE REACHING THE BRO CWA. MODERATE TO BREEZY SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL DIMINISH THIS THIS EVENING. LOW CLOUDS WILL BE ON THE INCREASE TONIGHT AND WITH AREAS OF FOG DEVELOPING OVERNIGHT. LOW TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE MID TO UPPER 60S. MOSTLY CLOUDY MONDAY MORNING WITH SKIES BECOMING PARTLY CLOUDY BY AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL BE SLIGHTLY WEAKER WINDS THAN TODAY WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES BACK INTO THE UPPER 80S AND LOWER 90S AGAIN. OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES WILL BE JUST A DEGREE OR TWO COOLER. LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...AS WE HEAD INTO THE LONG TERM MAIN FEATURE OF INTEREST WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE UPPER LOW/TROUGH SPINNING OFF THE CALIFORNIA COAST. MEAN MID TO UPPER FLOW OVER NORTH AMERICA IS TRANSITIONING INTO A SLOW BUT PROGRESSIVE SPLIT FLOW PATTERN. THE UPPER TROUGH TO TRACK SOUTH OF A LARGE SCALE RIDGE OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND SOUTHWEST CANADA SLOWLY WORKING ITS WAY INTO THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES TUESDAY THEN SLOWING DOWN FURTHER AS IT MOVES THROUGH THE SOUTHERN PLAINS WEDNESDAY AND HEADS INTO GULF SOUTH THURSDAY. AS FOR THE MUCH ADVERTISED FRONT THE SLOWER THE EASTWARD PROGRESSION OF THE UPPER LOW THE SLOWER THE FRONT MOVES SOUTH. GFS AND ECMWF MODELS STILL INDICATE A LATE WEDNESDAY OR WEDNESDAY EVENING PASSAGE SOUTH OF BROWNSVILLE WITH THE NAM STILL MUCH FASTER. GENERAL TREND OF THE PREVIOUS FORECAST TO REMAIN UNCHANGED THIS PACKAGE. AFFECTS ON OUR CWA FROM THIS SYSTEM COULD COME AS EARLY AS TUESDAY AFTERNOON WITH A MORE ROBUST SOUTHERN JET COMING INTO PLAY. WITH DISTURBANCES WITHIN THE SOUTHERN JET TRACKING ACROSS NORTHERN MEXICO AND SOUTH TEXAS ATMOSPHERE BECOMES INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE WITH MOISTURE ADVECTION INCREASING AS WELL. PWAT VALUES ARE BECOMING MORE SUMMER LIKE AND AS A SERIES OF JET MAXES ROTATE THROUGH THE REGION IN ADVANCE OF THE MAIN TROUGH THUNDERSTORM CHANCES INCREASE. TIMING AND EXACT PLACEMENT OF BEST POPS IS STILL UNCERTAIN SO WILL CONTINUE WITH PREVIOUS FORECASTERS POP PLACEMENT AT THIS TIME. THE NORTHERN ZONES ARE HIGHLIGHTED FOR TUESDAY THEN AS THE UPPER TROUGH AND SURFACE FRONT BEARS DOWN ON THE CWA RAIN CHANCES INCREASE ALL AREAS WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS BETTER OVERALL ASCENT TAKES PLACE. AS FOR RAINFALL AMOUNTS HPC QFP 5 DAY TOTALS...WHICH MOST LIKELY WILL FALL LATER TUESDAY THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY...CONTINUE TO RANGE FROM 0.25 TO .75 INCHES. NO REASON TO DEVIATE MUCH FROM THIS WITH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE SUFFICIENT TO PRODUCE EVEN SOME ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS. AT THIS POINT IN OUR PROLONG DROUGHT WE WILL TAKE ANYTHING WE CAN GET. TEMPERATURES TO REMAIN WARM TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY WITH NO SUBSTANTIAL COOLING UNTIL THE FRONT PASSES. COOLEST DAY CONTINUES TO LEAN TOWARDS THURSDAY BUT AS THE UPPER TROUGH EXITS TO THE EAST DRIER AIR AND A QUICKLY MODIFYING AIRMASS MAY ALLOW FOR TEMPERATURES TO REMAIN CLOSER TO WARMER GUIDANCE VALUES. A RETURN TO MORE BENIGN WEATHER BY FRIDAY AND NEXT WEEKEND AS AN UPPER RIDGE REPLACES THE TROUGH AND SOUTHEAST WINDS RETURN. TEMPERATURES TO WARM AND MOISTURE TO GRADUAL INCREASE AS WE HEAD WELL INTO APRIL. MARINE...NOW THROUGH MONDAY...SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO WILL MOVE EAST WHILE A WEAK FRONT WILL APPROACH THE NORTHWEST GULF TONIGHT. CURRENT TCOON OBSERVATIONS ALONG THE LAGUNA MADRE INDICATE WINDS OF 15 TO 20 KNOTS DUE TO THE INCREASE IN THE LOCAL PRESSURE GRADIENT. WILL MAINTAIN EXERCISE CAUTION CONDITIONS ON THE LAGUNA MADRE THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING THEN...WINDS WILL DIMINISH AFTER SUNSET THIS EVENING. BUOY 42020 REPORTS SOUTHEAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS WITH SEAS AROUND 3 FEET EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. MODERATE SOUTHEAST WINDS AND LOW TO MODERATE SEAS TONIGHT AND MONDAY. TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...MODERATE ON SHORE WINDS AND SEAS TO CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. WINDS THEN WEAKEN WEDNESDAY PRIOR TO A COLD FRONT FORECAST TO MOVE THROUGH LATE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING. NORTH WINDS TO GRADUALLY INCREASE THROUGH THURSDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS SOUTH. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS WILL BE NECESSARY THE LATE WEDNESDAY THROUGH AT LEAST THURSDAY AFTERNOON. MORE FAVORABLE CONDITIONS TO DEVELOP FRIDAY AND OVER THE WEEKEND AS HIGH PRESSURE SHIFTS EAST AND UPPER RIDGE BUILDS ACROSS TEXAS WITH ONSHORE SOUTHEAST FLOW TO RESUME. && .BRO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...NONE. GM...NONE. && THIS PRODUCT IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE WEB AT: HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RGV 67/66
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX 933 PM CDT SUN MAR 31 2013 TXZ248-249-252-011100- ZAPATA-JIM HOGG-STARR- 933 PM CDT SUN MAR 31 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR DEEP SOUTH TEXAS. .DAY ONE...REST OF TONIGHT. ISOLATED SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH 1 AM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. GMZ130-132-135-150-155-170-175-011100- 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- 933 PM CDT SUN MAR 31 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO AND THE LAGUNA MADRE. .DAY ONE...REST OF TONIGHT. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER THE LAGUNA MADRE AND THE LOWER TEXAS GULF WATERS THROUGHOUT THE OVERNIGHT HOURS PRODUCING BRIEF GALE FORCE WIND GUSTS... FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE COASTAL WATERS LATE ON WEDNESDAY...ACCOMPANIED BY A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. STRONG NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS AND HIGH SEAS WILL DEVELOP IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT...WITH SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS LIKELY FROM LATE WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... TXZ250-251-253>257-011100- BROOKS-KENEDY-HIDALGO-INLAND WILLACY-INLAND CAMERON- COASTAL WILLACY-COASTAL CAMERON- 933 PM CDT SUN MAR 31 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR DEEP SOUTH TEXAS. .DAY ONE...REST OF TONIGHT. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 77 IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM CDT MONDAY FOR HIDALGO...WILLACY...BROOKS...KENEDY COUNTIES. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING BASE BALL SIZE HAIL...DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS AND FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING THROUGH 1 AM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. ELEVATED RIP CURRENT RISK WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE OUTLOOK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED FOR HIDALGO...WILLACY... BROOKS...KENEDY COUNTIES THROUGH 1 AM.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX 837 PM CDT SUN MAR 31 2013 TXZ250-251-010300- BROOKS-KENEDY- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FALFURRIAS...SARITA 837 PM CDT SUN MAR 31 2013 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING FROM THE NORTHWEST... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR IN BROWNSVILLE IS TRACKING SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER DUVAL AND JIM WELLS COUNTY...ABOUT 33 MILES NORTHWEST OF FALFURRIAS...AND 48 MILES NORTHWEST OF SARITA. MOVEMENT OF THE THUNDERSTORMS IS TO THE SOUTH-SOUTHEAST AT AROUND 35 MPH. THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE A HISTORY OF PRODUCING HAIL THE SIZE OF BASEBALLS...AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS MAY BE ISSUED FOR BROOKS OR KENEDY COUNTY WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR. RESIDENTS OF THESE COUNTIES ARE URGED TO MONITOR THIS DANGEROUS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION...AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER SHOULD WARNINGS BE ISSUED FOR THEIR AREA. TOMASELLI
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Golf ball size hail was reported in Falfurrias by local law enforcement and nearby by a trained spotter during the mid evening.
Half dollar size hail was reported near the Hollywood Hunting Camp about 3 miles west of Falfurrias by a Cooperative Observer.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, March 2013
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: 440570, 440572.