Rip Current in Texas, April 1, 2016

Name: Rip Current in Texas, April 1, 2016
Start: 2016-04-01T11:00
End: 2016-04-01T11:00
Location: Texas

April 1, 2016 · NWS CRP · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A 16 year old boy from Mansfield, visiting the coast for a school trip, was caught in a rip current near the base of Bob Hall Pier on April 1st. The rip current pulled him away from shore.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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: 1
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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 16 year old boy from Mansfield, visiting the coast for a school trip, was caught in a rip current near the base of Bob Hall Pier on April 1st. The rip current pulled him away from shore. Lifeguards entered the water but lost contact with him. The Coast Guard deployed a rescue boat and helicopter as part of the search and rescue effort. The person was found deceased along Padre Island National Seashore on April 4th.

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 Apr 1, 8:30 AM CST, 2 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 1, 8:30 AM CST, 2 hours 30 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX
930 AM CDT FRI APR 1 2016

.DISCUSSION...ADJUSTED TEMPERATURES DOWN A BIT AS FRONT IS COMING
DOWN AND WINDS ARE INCREASING. THINK MAIN CHANCE FOR RAIN WILL BE
NEAR THE COAST NORTH OF PORT ARANSAS AND IN THE GULFMEX...SO
LOWERED POPS A BIT. HRRR WAS STILL SHOWING SOME LIGHT ECHOES
THROUGH A PART OF THIS AFTERNOON. IN SHORT...MADE SOME CHANGES
BASED ON OBSERVATIONS (SURFACE AND SATELLITE) AS WELL AS MODEL
TRENDS. MADE SOME SECOND PERIOD ADJUSTMENTS TOO...WILL LEAVE THE
REMAINING PERIODS ALONE FOR NOW.

&&

.MARINE...WILL PUT SCA OUT A BIT EARLIER THAN EXPECTED...AS WINDS
OVER MARINE INTERESTS ARE GUSTING ABOVE 20 KNOTS RIGHT NOW AND NO
REASON TO THINK THAT THEY WILL DECREASE. WILL KEEP THE GALE
WARNING TOO...AS NEW NAM IS SHOWING GALE FORCE SUSTAINED WINDS IN
SOME AREAS (RUC13 WAS SHOWING EARLIER AS WELL). ADJUSTED POPS DOWN
JUST A BIT BUT DID KEEP THUNDER ALTHOUGH NOT CONFIDENT IN THAT AS
MUCH WITH UPPER SYSTEM EXITING AREA.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 755 AM CDT FRI APR 1 2016/

DISCUSSION...SEE MARINE DISCUSSION.

MARINE...BASED ON UPCOMING PRESSURE GRADIENT AND FORECAST 4 KM
MODEL WINDS...WILL GO WITH A SCA FOR THE MARINE AREAS THIS
AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE WITH THE GALE WARNING FOR TONIGHT.
MAINTAINED THE RAIN CHANCES FOR NOW...AS WILL LOOK AT THAT A BIT
CLOSELY. PREVIOUS LOOK AT HRRR DATA HAD SOME SHOWERS DEVELOP ALONG
THE BOUNDARY LATER THIS MORNING...BUT AM NOT SURE WE WILL SEE A
LOT AS HAVE SEEN THE HRRR OVER-DO THINGS LIKE THIS AT TIMES
(SOMETIMES DOES WELL TOO). THUS...WILL KEEP PREVIOUS RAIN CHANCES
GOING FOR NOW...AND LOOK BETTER AT IT FOR THE 1030 AM PACKAGE.

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 640 AM CDT FRI APR 1 2016/

DISCUSSION...UPDATED FOR 12Z AVIATION.

AVIATION...COLD FRONT HAS PUSHED THROUGH THE AREA THIS MORNING.
A MIX OF MVFR/VFR CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH AT LEAST MIDDAY AND
PERHAPS INTO THE AFTERNOON. ADDITIONAL SHOWERS MAY BE POSSIBLE
ACROSS THE EAST AND COULD IMPACT THE VCT TERMINAL...BUT LOWER
CONFIDENCE PRECLUDES A MENTION IN THE TAFS. NORTHERLY WINDS WILL
INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON WITH BREEZY TO GUSTY CONDITIONS MOST LIKELY
AT CRP.

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 431 AM CDT FRI APR 1 2016/

SHORT TERM (TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY)...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
DEVELOPED EARLIER THIS MORNING IN RESPONSE TO APPROACHING SHORTWAVE
TROUGH AND BOUNDARY DRAPED ACROSS THE AREA. A FEW STORMS BECAME
STRONG FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS...BUT HAVE SINCE MOVED OUT OF THE
REGION. ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND STORMS IS CURRENTLY MOVING
ACROSS THE GULF WATERS WITH ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY POSSIBLE LATER
THIS MORNING MAINLY ACROSS EASTERN SECTIONS AS FRONT MOVES
THROUGH THE AREA. TEMPERATURES TODAY WILL BE 10 TO 15 DEGREES
COOLER THAN YESTERDAY WITH LOWER 70S IN THE NORTHEAST TO LOWER
80S AROUND LAREDO. NORTHERLY WINDS WILL BECOME BREEZY THIS EVENING
AND TONIGHT AS PRESSURE GRADIENT STRENGTHENS...WITH STRONGEST
WINDS EXPECTED OVER THE GULF WATERS. MUCH COOLER CONDITIONS ARE
ANTICIPATED TONIGHT DUE TO CAA AND THE NORTHERLY WINDS. LOW TEMPS
WILL FALL INTO THE UPPER 40S ACROSS THE NORTH WITH 50S ELSEWHERE.
HIGH PRESSURE WILL SETTLE INTO SOUTH TEXAS ON SATURDAY WITH SKIES
CLEARING. HIGHS WILL BE BELOW NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR WITH
TEMPS ONLY IN THE LOWER 70S.

MARINE...AREAS OF FOG...WITH SOME DENSE FOG IN AREAS...HAS BEEN
OCCURRING OVER THE MARINE ZONES. THIS WAS SUPPORTED BY OBS AND
WEBCAMS ALONG THE COAST. PUT OUT A MARINE DENSE FOG ADVISORY
THROUGH 12Z...BUT WILL MONITOR TRENDS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF
HOURS. WINDS TONIGHT WILL INCREASE TONIGHT ALONG WITH HAZARDOUS
SEAS. NORTHERLY WINDS 25 TO 30 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO GALE FORCE OVER
THE NEARSHORE/OFFSHORE WATERS AND THE SOUTHERN BAYS. A GALE
WARNING IS IN EFFECT TONIGHT.

LONG TERM (SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY)...LONG TERM PERIOD
BEGINS WITH UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE PULLING AWAY FROM THE CENTRAL
US. A SHORTWAVE IS FORECAST TO PASS OVER THE REGION SATURDAY
NIGHT...BUT WITH LITTLE TO NO MOISTURE TO WORK WITH...DONT EXPECT
ANY RAIN. HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE THEN BUILDS SUNDAY INTO EARLY NEXT
WEEK. WILL SEE A GRADUAL WARMUP IN TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE EARLY
PART OF THE WEEK...HIGHS IN THE MID TO UPPER 80S WEST...LOW 80S
EAST. FORECAST GETS MORE COMPLICATED WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY
WITH NEXT UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE APPROACHING. TIMING NOT TOO FAR
OFF BETWEEN GFS/ECMWF THIS MORNING WITH THE GFS ONLY ABOUT 6 HOURS
FASTER...WITH THE FRONT THROUGH MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA BY SUNRISE
THURSDAY. HAVE KEPT 20 POPS EAST AND SOUTH WITH THE FRONT AS WE
SHOULD HAVE A CHANCE TO BUILD UP SOME MOISTURE BY THEN WITH ONSHORE
FLOW HAVING RETURNED ON MONDAY. WITH CURRENT FRONT TIMING...WOULD
EXPECT AT LEAST A SLIGHT COOL DOWN IN TEMPS ON THURSDAY.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
CORPUS CHRISTI    75  53  73  54  76  /  20  10  10  10  10
VICTORIA          73  48  72  48  76  /  30  10   0   0   0
LAREDO            80  53  74  52  82  /  10  10   0   0   0
ALICE             77  49  74  50  79  /  10  10   0   0  10
ROCKPORT          74  53  72  57  74  /  30  10   0   0   0
COTULLA           74  48  74  48  79  /  10  10   0   0   0
KINGSVILLE        77  51  73  51  78  /  10  10  10  10  10
NAVY CORPUS       73  56  72  58  74  /  20  10  10  10  10

&&

.CRP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...NONE.
GM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR THE
     FOLLOWING ZONES: BAYS AND WATERWAYS FROM BAFFIN BAY TO PORT
     ARANSAS...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.

     GALE WARNING FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM CDT SATURDAY FOR THE
     FOLLOWING ZONES: BAYS AND WATERWAYS FROM BAFFIN BAY TO PORT
     ARANSAS...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.

     SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM CDT SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
     ZONES: BAYS AND WATERWAYS FROM PORT ARANSAS TO PORT
     O'CONNOR.

&&

GW/86...SHORT TERM

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 1, 8:51 AM CST, 2 hours 9 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX
951 AM CDT FRI APR 1 2016

TXZ229>234-239>247-021100-
LA SALLE-MCMULLEN-LIVE OAK-BEE-GOLIAD-VICTORIA-WEBB-DUVAL-
JIM WELLS-KLEBERG-NUECES-SAN PATRICIO-ARANSAS-REFUGIO-CALHOUN-
951 AM CDT FRI APR 1 2016

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH TEXAS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.

GMZ230-235-250-255-270-275-021100-
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-
951 AM CDT FRI APR 1 2016

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON OVER
THE MIDDLE TEXAS COASTAL WATERS.

A GALE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHERN BAYS AND GULF WATERS
TONIGHT. GUSTS TO GALE FORCE AND HAZARDOUS SEAS WILL BE LIKELY.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE FOR THE NORTHERN
BAYS THROUGH TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY
MORNING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.

GW/TB/PZ

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 rip current. Local standard time, as filed.

Rip Current, Nueces

When: April 1, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Nueces forecast zone
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 27.735, -97.516 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A 16 year old boy from Mansfield, visiting the coast for a school trip, was caught in a rip current near the base of Bob Hall Pier on April 1st. The rip current pulled him away from shore. Lifeguards entered the water but lost contact with him. The person was found deceased along Padre Island National Seashore on April 4th.

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

Event	Date	Age	Sex	Where	Kind
Rip Current, Nueces	2016-04-01	16	Male	In Water	Direct

What these are

Rip Current: A narrow, fast current flowing away from the beach that caused a drowning or rescue.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Texas in 2016 Every state in 2016 This day in weather history Warnings in Texas, April 2016

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: 631281.