Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, May 27, 2014

Name: Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, May 27, 2014
Start: 2014-05-27T15:36
End: 2014-05-27T18:52
Location: Texas

May 27, 2014 · NWS CRP · 9 events in 2 counties and zones

A mesoscale convective system moved into southeast Texas during the morning hours on May 27th. This left an outflow boundary located over south-central Texas by the afternoon.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $2.5 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 9

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS CRP wrote it up.

A mesoscale convective system moved into southeast Texas during the morning hours on May 27th. This left an outflow boundary located over south-central Texas by the afternoon. A strong upper level low pressure system was moving across north Texas during the day and a strong upper level jet streak enhanced the low to mid level shear in the atmosphere during the afternoon. A supercell developed south of San Antonio near a merger between the outflow boundary and sea-breeze boundary. The supercell moved to the south-southeast and then south along Highway 281 from Pleasanton down through Alice. The supercell produced large hail at times over Live Oak County. The storm intensified as it approached Alice, causing damage due to large hail and high winds. An EF1 tornado moved across the southeast side of Alice. The storm weakened briefly after leaving Alice but again organized as it moved toward the community of Premont in southern Jim Wells County. Another EF1 tornado occurred near Premont.

What forecasters said that day

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 May 27, 3:06 PM CST, 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 27, 3:06 PM CST, 30 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX
406 PM CDT TUE MAY 27 2014

.SHORT-TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY)...THE STORMS PREDICTION
CENTER HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH TEXAS UNTIL
11 PM CDT. HAVE EXTENDED THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 11 PM DUE TO
THE ADDITIONAL PRECIP ACROSS THE VICTORIA CROSSROADS WHERE PREVIOUS
RAIN HAS SATURATED THE GROUND.

ANOTHER ROUND OF SCT STORMS ARE DVLPG ACROSS EWX'S SOUTHERN CWA
AND ARE BEGINNING TO ENTER THE NRN CWA THIS AFTERNOON IN RESPONSE
TO AN EMBEDDED SHORT WAVE ROUNDING THE BASE OF A STRONG UPPER
CLOSED LOW LOCATED OVER OK. THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONT AN
E TO SE MOVEMENT THROUGH THE EVENING HRS...COMBINING WITH ISOLD
STORMS THAT ARE DVLPG ACROSS CENTRAL CWA. THESE STORMS ARE
EXPECTED TO BECOME BETTER ORGANIZED AS THEY MOVE E AND SE. THERE
IS AN E TO W ORIENTED OUTFLOW BDRY PER VISIBLE SATELLITE EXTENDING
FROM PORT ARANSAS EASTWARD ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS. THERE IS
LIKELY A PORTION OF THIS BDRY EXTENDING W WHICH THE STORMS CAN
FOCUS ON AS THEY MOVE E TO SE. MODELS PROG CIN TO INCREASE ALONG
THE COAST THROUGH THE EVENING WITH THE BETTER INSTABILITY
REMAINING OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA BUT
ALSO WEAKENING THRU THE EVENING. PWATS ARE PROGD TO LOWER SLIGHTLY
THROUGH THE EVENING. WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING COMBINED
WITH THE INCREASE OF CIN AND DECREASE OF MOISTURE...AM EXPECTING A
DECREASE IN ACTIVITY LATER THIS EVENING. BY WED...THE AIRMASS IS
PROGD TO BE SLIGHTLY DRIER AND THE UPPER LOW IS PROGD TO BE
SLIGHTLY FARTHER E...BUT STILL PROVIDING EMBEDDED SHORT WAVES ON
THE W SIDE OF THE LOW. A WEAK FRONTAL BDRY IS ALSO PROGD TO MV
INTO S TX ON WED WHICH WILL PROVIDE A FOCUS FOR CONVECTION. THE
MOISTURE AND SFC BDRY SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR ISOLD/SCT
CONVECTION ON WED.

&&

.LONG TERM (WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY)...MAIN FORECAST PROBLEM
OF THE DAY IS THE RAIN CHANCE THROUGH THE PERIOD. UPPER LOW IS TO
THE EAST BY WEDNESDAY NIGHT...WITH MAYBE SOME LIFT REMAINING
WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOR SOME EVENING CONVECTION OVER THE EASTERN AREAS.
HOWEVER...MODELS ARE SHOWING 850MB BOUNDARY WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS
WELL...AND SOME CONVECTION CAN FORM ON THIS BOUNDARY (GOOD MOISTURE
CONVERGENCE ASSOCIATED WITH IT). THUS...AM GOING TO KEEP SOME RAIN
IN THE FORECAST. FOR NOW...WILL ONLY GO WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE BUT
COULD HAVE MORE OVER THE SOUTHERN AREAS. CWFA GETS UNDER DIFFLUENT
SIDE OF UPPER LOW ON THURSDAY WITH SOME DRIER AIR IN PLACE AND WEAK
MID-LEVEL DRYING GOING ON. FEELING RIGHT NOW IS THAT CONVECTION WILL
BE MORE OF A SEA-BREEZE TYPE...WITH MOST OF THE CONVECTION STAYING
TO THE EASTERN AREAS (SINCE DRIER AIR/PWATS LESS THAN 1.5 INCHES ARE
FORECAST OUT TO THE WEST). PWATS GRADUALLY IMPROVE FARTHER WEST
THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK...AND MOISTURE IS SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL
FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR (PWATS ON AVERAGE ABOUT 1.5 INCHES). IN
SHORT...WILL MAINTAIN A SEA-BREEZE/DIURNAL TYPE CONVECTIVE PATTERN
OVER THE FORECAST ARE THROUGH SUNDAY...WITH NO MORE THAN LOW CHANCE
POPS OVER THE INLAND AREAS THROUGH SATURDAY. AFTER THAT...THINGS
BEGIN TO DRY OUT AND RIDGE BUILDS IN BY MONDAY...SO WILL JUST GO
WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE POPS SUNDAY EASTERN AREAS THEN DRY AFTER THAT.
EXPECTING PRETTY MUCH NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE
WEEKEND...THEN GOING ABOVE NORMAL DURING THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK
AS UPPER RIDGE REALLY BEGINS TO TAKE HOLD.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
CORPUS CHRISTI    75  91  72  91  71  /  50  20  20  30  10
VICTORIA          72  86  69  89  69  /  50  30  20  30  20
LAREDO            75  98  75  98  75  /  20  10  20  10  10
ALICE             73  93  70  94  70  /  40  20  20  20  10
ROCKPORT          75  86  74  88  73  /  50  20  20  30  20
COTULLA           72  93  70  95  71  /  10  10  10  10  10
KINGSVILLE        74  93  72  93  71  /  50  20  20  30  10
NAVY CORPUS       76  84  75  87  74  /  50  20  20  30  10

&&

.CRP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 11 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING
     ZONES: BEE...GOLIAD...VICTORIA.

GM...NONE.

&&

TE/81...SHORT TERM
GW/86...LONG TERM

Hazardous weather outlook, May 27, 3:14 PM CST, 22 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX
414 PM CDT TUE MAY 27 2014

GMZ230-235-250-255-270-275-TXZ229>234-239>247-280830-
BAYS AND WATERWAYS FROM BAFFIN BAY TO PORT ARANSAS-
BAYS AND WATERWAYS FROM PORT ARANSAS TO PORT O'CONNOR-
COASTAL WATERS FROM BAFFIN BAY TO PORT ARANSAS OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM PORT ARANSAS TO MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL OUT
20 NM-WATERS FROM BAFFIN BAY TO PORT ARANSAS FROM 20 TO 60 NM-
WATERS FROM PORT ARANSAS TO MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL FROM 20 TO
60 NM-LA SALLE-MCMULLEN-LIVE OAK-BEE-GOLIAD-VICTORIA-WEBB-DUVAL-
JIM WELLS-KLEBERG-NUECES-SAN PATRICIO-ARANSAS-REFUGIO-CALHOUN-
414 PM CDT TUE MAY 27 2014

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH TEXAS AND THE MIDDLE
TEXAS COASTAL WATERS.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL BEND...VICTORIA
CROSSROADS AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE BRUSH COUNTRY ALONG WITH
THE COASTAL WATERS OF THE MIDDLE TEXAS COAST UNTIL 11 PM.
SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING WIND GUSTS UP TO 70 MPH
AND HAIL UP TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER. THE SHEAR PROFILE IS STRONG
ENOUGH TO PROVIDE AN INCREASED THREAT FOR TORNADOES.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR BEE...VICTORIA...AND GOLIAD
COUNTIES THROUGH 11 PM THIS EVENING.

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK FOR DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS TODAY ALONG
GULF FACING BEACHES OF THE BARRIER ISLANDS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS SOUTH
TEXAS WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. SEVERE STORMS ARE NOT CURRENTLY
ANTICIPATED...ALTHOUGH ISOLATED AND BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ALONG
WITH CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...WILL OCCUR WITH SOME STORMS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED ACROSS SOUTH TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING.

TMT

The radar

The Corpus Christi radar (KCRP), 104 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:35 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 hail, 2 tornado, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.

Funnel Cloud, Live Oak

When: May 27, 3:36 PM CST
Where: Live Oak County, 2.76 mi N of Three Rivers
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 28.510, -98.180

A funnel cloud was spotted near the merger of Interstate 37 and Highway 281.

Hail, Live Oak

When: May 27, 3:38 PM CST
Where: Live Oak County, 2.76 mi N of Three Rivers
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 28.510, -98.180

Quarter sized hail occurred near the merger of Interstate 37 and Highway 281.

Hail, Jim Wells

When: May 27, 5:10 PM CST to 5:14 PM CST
Where: Jim Wells County, Alfred to 1.6 mi SSW of Alfred
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 27.900, -97.970

Quarter sized hail occurred in Alfred.

Hail, Jim Wells

When: May 27, 5:22 PM CST to 5:33 PM CST
Where: Jim Wells County, 2.81 mi NE of Alice to 1.93 mi ESE of Alice
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Property damage: $500,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 27.776, -98.045

Baseball sized hail occurred in the east-central portion of the city of Alice.

Tornado, Jim Wells

When: May 27, 5:30 PM CST to 5:40 PM CST
Where: Jim Wells County, 1.61 mi E of Alice to 2.38 mi SSE of Alice
Rating: EF1
Path length: 2.34 mi
Path width: 550 yd
Property damage: $1.6 million
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 27.752, -98.054

An EF1 tornado touched down on the southeast side of the city of Alice just south of the intersection of Highway 359 and Stadium Road. The tornado traveled 2.3 miles and lifted just north of the intersection of County Road 1352 and County Road 382. This tornado produced shingle damage to the roof tops of several homes, lifted the roof deck off of several homes, and snapped a dozen power poles at their mid-point. The tornado destroyed a metal building and a portable building, broke overhead doors, blew out the siding of several metal buildings, and downed numerous trees.

Hail, Jim Wells

When: May 27, 5:35 PM CST to 5:38 PM CST
Where: Jim Wells County, 1.07 mi SSE of Alice to 1.55 mi ESE of Alice Southwest Arpt
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 27.736, -98.072

Quarter to half dollar sized hail occurred on the south side of Alice. Power was out on the south side of town also.

Thunderstorm Wind, Jim Wells

When: May 27, 5:37 PM CST to 5:40 PM CST
Where: Jim Wells County, 0.92 mi NE of Alice to 1.02 mi ESE of Alice
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 27.760, -98.070

Large trees were blown down in the central part of the city of Alice.

Thunderstorm Wind, Jim Wells

When: May 27, 5:38 PM CST
Where: Jim Wells County, 1.4 mi WNW of (Ali)alice Intl Arpt
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 27.740, -98.040

Alice International Airport ASOS measured a gust to 50 knots.

Tornado, Jim Wells

When: May 27, 6:45 PM CST to 6:52 PM CST
Where: Jim Wells County, 0.38 mi SSE of Premont to 1.41 mi NNW of La Gloria
Rating: EF1
Path length: 5.26 mi
Path width: 650 yd
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 27.365, -98.128

An EF0 tornado touched down in the city of Premont near the intersection of Northwest 3rd Street and South Cora Street. The tornado traveled south and briefly produced EF1 damage near Southeast 5th Street and Southern Bernice Street. Partial roof damage was observed to a few homes, numerous large tree limbs were snapped, and one tree was completely uprooted. The tornado continues south of the Premont city limits and regained EF1 status near the intersection of Highway 281 and East County Road 401. Numerous power poles were snapped at their mid-point and several poles were leaning in a southerly direction.

What these are

Funnel Cloud: A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Texas in 2014 Every state in 2014 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Texas, 2014 Warnings in Texas, May 2014

Sources

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: 520954, 520955, 521130, 520956, 521134, 520957, 520958, 520959, 521135.