A retreat of the sub-tropical upper level ridge allowed thunderstorms to form over the coastal plains and move into south central Texas. Some of these storms produced damaging wind gusts.
Every event with a place to put it. 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 EWX wrote it up.
A retreat of the sub-tropical upper level ridge allowed thunderstorms to form over the coastal plains and move into south central Texas. Some of these storms produced damaging wind gusts.
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 Austin/San Antonio, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 31, 1:50 PM CST, 1 hour 55 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 250 PM CDT FRI JUL 31 2015 .SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT)... HEAT INDEX VALUES ARE AROUND ADVISORY LEVELS ACROSS OUR COUNTIES NEAR THE COASTAL PLAINS. THEY WILL CONTINUE AT THOSE LEVELS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS AFTERNOON. HAVE ISSUED A HEAT ADVISORY FOR DE WITT...FAYETTE...GONZALES...KARNES AND LAVACA COUNTIES THROUGH 6 PM. ISOLATED TO WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS AS DAYTIME HEATING HAS INTERACTED WITH AN AREA OF DEEPER MOISTURE WITH PWS OF 1.5 TO 2 INCHES THAT ROTATED TO THE SOUTHWEST UNDER THE SUBTROPICAL RIDGE CENTERED OVER THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES. THESE WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND SLOWLY DISSIPATE THIS EVENING WITH LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING. THE DEEPER MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE DRIFTING WEST AND LAY ACROSS THE EDWARDS PLATEAU TO RIO GRANDE PLAINS AS DRIER AIR WITH PWS OF 1.2 TO 1.6 INCHES CURRENTLY OVER THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY MOVES TO THE I-35 CORRIDOR ON SATURDAY. EXPECT ISOLATED TO WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP MAINLY WEST OF I-35 SATURDAY AFTERNOON WITH THE GREATEST COVERAGE OVER EDWARDS AND VAL VERDE COUNTIES. THE RAINS WILL END BY EVENING WITH LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING AND AS DRIER AIR CONTINUES TO SPREAD TO THE WEST. && .LONG TERM (SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY)... THE SUBTROPICAL RIDGE REMAINS CENTERED OVER THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES AND SOUTHERN PLAINS. BELOW NORMAL MOISTURE LEVELS WITH PWS OF 1 TO 1.5 INCHES CONTINUE AS WELL OVER SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS. HAVE REMOVED POPS FOR SUNDAY WHERE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED IN THE NORTHERN HILL COUNTRY AND SOUTHERN EDWARDS PLATEAU AS DRY AIR TAKES OVER. NO RAIN IS EXPECTED DUE TO STRONG SUBSIDENCE AND BELOW NORMAL MOISTURE LEVELS. SAN ANTONIO INTERNATIONAL WILL REACH 100 FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR DURING THE NEXT FEW DAYS WHILE THE OTHER CLIMATE SITES ADD TO THEIR TOTALS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... AUSTIN CAMP MABRY 77 101 77 101 76 / 10 10 - - 0 AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTL AIRPORT 74 100 72 100 74 / 10 10 - - 0 NEW BRAUNFELS MUNI AIRPORT 76 100 73 101 75 / 10 10 - - 0 BURNET MUNI AIRPORT 74 98 74 99 75 / 10 10 - - 0 DEL RIO INTL AIRPORT 78 101 77 101 78 / 10 30 10 - 0 GEORGETOWN MUNI AIRPORT 74 98 74 99 76 / 10 10 - - 0 HONDO MUNI AIRPORT 75 100 73 100 74 / 10 10 - - 0 SAN MARCOS MUNI AIRPORT 76 99 73 101 75 / 10 10 - - 0 LA GRANGE - FAYETTE REGIONAL 74 100 74 100 76 / 10 10 - - 0 SAN ANTONIO INTL AIRPORT 77 99 77 100 76 / 10 10 - - 0 STINSON MUNI AIRPORT 77 101 75 101 76 / 10 10 - - 0 && .EWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...HEAT ADVISORY FOR DE WITT... FAYETTE...GONZALES...KARNES AND LAVACA COUNTIES THROUGH 6 PM. && MESOSCALE/AVIATION...TB3 SYNOPTIC/GRIDS...04 PUBLIC SERVICE/DATA COLLECTION...TREADWAY
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 400 PM CDT FRI JUL 31 2015 TXZ171>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-010945- LLANO-BURNET-WILLIAMSON-VAL VERDE-EDWARDS-REAL-KERR-BANDERA- GILLESPIE-KENDALL-BLANCO-HAYS-TRAVIS-BASTROP-LEE-KINNEY-UVALDE- MEDINA-BEXAR-COMAL-GUADALUPE-CALDWELL-FAYETTE-MAVERICK-ZAVALA- FRIO-ATASCOSA-WILSON-KARNES-GONZALES-DE WITT-LAVACA-DIMMIT- 400 PM CDT FRI JUL 31 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS. .DAY ONE...REST OF TODAY AND TONIGHT. AFTERNOON HEAT INDEX VALUES ARE EXPECTED TO REACH 100 TO 108 DEGREES ...WITH THE HIGHER READINGS EXPECTED UP TO 112 GENERALLY SOUTH OF A LINE FROM KARNE CITY TO GONZALES TO LA GRANDE. A HEAT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT ACROSS THE SOUTHERN COUNTIES OF FAYATTE...KARNES... GONZALES...DEWITT AND LAVACA UNTIL 6 PM THIS AFTERNOON. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS FOR THE REST OF THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA. SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS COULD PRODUCE WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 40 TO 50 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ON SATURDAY AND WILL ONCE AGAIN BRING A THREAT OF STRONG GUSTY WINDS IN EXCESS OF 50 MPH. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 123 PM CDT FRI JUL 31 2015 TXZ171>173-183-190>194-202>209-217>225-228-312300- LLANO-BURNET-WILLIAMSON-VAL VERDE-BLANCO-HAYS-TRAVIS-BASTROP-LEE- KINNEY-UVALDE-MEDINA-BEXAR-COMAL-GUADALUPE-CALDWELL-FAYETTE- MAVERICK-ZAVALA-FRIO-ATASCOSA-WILSON-KARNES-GONZALES-DE WITT- LAVACA-DIMMIT- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LLANO...BURNET...GEORGETOWN...DEL RIO... BLANCO...SAN MARCOS...AUSTIN...BASTROP...GIDDINGS... BRACKETTVILLE...UVALDE...HONDO...SAN ANTONIO...NEW BRAUNFELS... SEGUIN...LOCKHART...LA GRANGE...EAGLE PASS...CRYSTAL CITY... PEARSALL...PLEASANTON...FLORESVILLE...KARNES CITY...GONZALES... CUERO...HALLETTSVILLE...CARRIZO SPRINGS 123 PM CDT FRI JUL 31 2015 ...TRIPLE DIGIT HEAT INDICES EXPECTED THROUGH THE AFTERNOON... TEMPERATURES ALREADY IN THE UPPER 90S AND EVEN 100 EARLY THIS AFTERNOON HAVE RESULTED IN HEAT INDICES FROM 100 TO 109 ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS. WITH MUCH OF THE AFTERNOON STILL LEFT TO CONTINUE HEATING THE AREA...EXPECT THESE HEAT INDICES TO CONTINUE OR RISE THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON. HEAT INDICES OF 105 TO 109 WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH SOME LOCATIONS LOCALLY SEEING VALUES HIGHER THIS AFTERNOON. A HEAT ADVISORY MAY BE NEEDED LATER THIS AFTERNOON IF TEMPERATURES AND HEAT INDICES CONTINUE TO RISE BEYOND THESE EXPECTATIONS. IN ADDITION TO HIGH HEAT INDICES...DIRECT EXPOSURE TO SUNLIGHT CAN FURTHER TOLL ON THE BODY DURING TIMES OF HIGH HEAT INDEX SO MAKE SURE TO TAKE FREQUENT SHADED BREAKS IF WORKING OUTSIDE. ALSO...DO NOT LEAVE ANY CHILDREN OR PETS UNATTENDED IN VEHICLES FOR ANY AMOUNT OF TIME AS TEMPERATURES WILL RISE AT A RAPID RATE IMMEDIATELY AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF. TB3
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
330 PM CDT FRI JUL 31 2015
TXZ205-312115-
BEXAR TX-
330 PM CDT FRI JUL 31 2015
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN BEXAR COUNTY UNTIL
415 PM CDT...
AT 328 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
THE DOMINION...OR 13 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BOERNE...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT
25 MPH.
WIND GUSTS OF 50 TO 55 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
SAN ANTONIO...HELOTES...FAIR OAKS RANCH...HOLLYWOOD PARK...SHAVANO
PARK...CROSS MOUNTAIN...TIMBERWOOD PARK...THE DOMINION...LEON
SPRINGS...CASTLE HILLS...HILL COUNTRY VILLAGE...GREY FOREST...FIESTA
TEXAS AND SCENIC OAKS.
LAT...LON 2974 9853 2974 9849 2959 9841 2950 9854
2957 9872 2969 9878 2974 9864 2975 9862
2975 9860 2974 9858 2976 9855
TIME...MOT...LOC 2028Z 061DEG 21KT 2968 9855
YURAThe Austin/San Antonio radar (KEWX), 88 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:46 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A thunderstorm produced wind gusts estimated at 70 mph that bent a railroad crossing arm, blew down some large trees in the park, and numerous large tree limbs around Shiner.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, July 2015
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: 591541.