An upper level trough moved out of the southern Rockies and provided sufficient lift to form thunderstorms along a dryline in west Texas. These storms moved into South Central Texas and were further enhanced by an outflow boundary that moved out of north Texas.
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.
An upper level trough moved out of the southern Rockies and provided sufficient lift to form thunderstorms along a dryline in west Texas. These storms moved into South Central Texas and were further enhanced by an outflow boundary that moved out of north Texas. Some of these storms produced large hail, damaging wind gusts, and heavy rain that led to flash flooding.
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 May 26, 2:18 PM CST, 2 hours 50 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX 318 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2016 .UPDATE... In coordination with SPC, we have issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch along and northwest of a Junction to Uvalde to Del Rio line. Showers and thunderstorms continued to develop over the Serranias del Burro mountains to southwestern Texas. Strong instability and shear are noted across our area. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 232 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2016/ SHORT TERM (Tonight through Friday Night)... Have issued a Flash Flood Watch for areas along and east of a Burnet to Boerne to San Antonio to Karnes City line for this afternoon through late tonight. A surface boundary from morning rains over Central Texas is slowly drifting south along the I-35 corridor and provided lift to generate showers and thunderstorms. PWS have risen to near 2 inches across the Hill Country and South Central Texas tapering to near 1.5 inches along the Rio Grande. Due to earlier clearing skies allowing convective temperatures to be reached, showers and thunderstorms have developed out west from the Serranias del Burro of Mexico across the Big Bend into southwestern Texas. Expect showers and thunderstorms to continue across the eastern areas with locally heavy rains causing some flooding this afternoon into evening. Showers and thunderstorms out west will organize and move east across our area this evening into the overnight hours. This will cause another round of locally heavy rains. With the rains ongoing in the east adding to the saturated soils...the threat for flooding will continue into the overnight hours especially across eastern areas. An upper level trough will move northeast across the plains states on Wednesday forcing a dryline into the Edwards Plateau and Rio Grande Plains on Friday. Showers and thunderstorms will develop along and east of the dryline. More locally heavy rains are possible with PWS near 1.8 inches east of I-35. CAPEs of 2000 to 4000 j/kg and 0-6 km shear will allow for strong to severe storms this afternoon through Friday evening. LONG TERM (Saturday through Thursday)... A series of upper level impulses will move across the southern tier of states. A moist and unstable airmass lingers over our area due to a persistent southeasterly lower flow off the Gulf of Mexico. As a result, periods of showers and thunderstorms are expected Saturday through Thursday. Similar to the short term, a few strong to severe storms and locally heavy rains with flooding are possible. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Austin Camp Mabry 73 85 73 90 73 / 60 60 40 30 20 Austin Bergstrom Intl Airport 73 85 72 89 72 / 60 60 40 30 20 New Braunfels Muni Airport 73 87 72 88 73 / 50 60 30 30 20 Burnet Muni Airport 71 85 71 88 71 / 60 60 30 30 20 Del Rio Intl Airport 72 95 71 90 73 / 60 10 10 40 30 Georgetown Muni Airport 72 84 72 89 71 / 60 60 40 30 20 Hondo Muni Airport 73 91 73 90 73 / 60 30 20 30 30 San Marcos Muni Airport 73 86 72 88 72 / 50 60 30 30 20 La Grange - Fayette Regional 75 85 75 88 73 / 50 70 40 30 10 San Antonio Intl Airport 74 87 74 88 73 / 60 40 20 30 20 Stinson Muni Airport 75 90 75 90 75 / 60 40 20 30 20 && .EWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flash Flood Watch through late tonight for the following counties: Bastrop...Bexar...Blanco...Burnet...Caldwell...Comal...De Witt... Fayette...Gonzales...Guadalupe...Hays...Karnes...Kendall...Lavaca... Lee...Travis...Williamson...Wilson. && Mesoscale/Aviation...TB3 Synoptic/Grids...04 Public Service/Data Collection...33
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 540 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2016 TXZ171>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-272245- 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- 540 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. SEVERE STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS ALL OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. WHILE ALL AREAS COULD EXPERIENCE SEVERE WEATHER...THE BEST CHANCE WILL BE MAINLY ALONG AND WEST OF A GIDDINGS TO SEGUIN TO DILLEY LINE. LARGE HAIL WILL BE THE MAIN RISK...BUT DAMAGING WINDS AND A BRIEF TORNADO CAN NOT BE RULED OUT. IN ADDITION...HEAVY RAINFALL MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT FOR COUNTIES ALONG AND EAST OF A BURNET TO BOERNE TO SAN ANTONIO TO KARNES CITY LINE. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE...WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS UP TO 6 INCHES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. ADDITIONAL SEVERE STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY ACROSS MOST OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS...WITH THE MAIN AREA OF CONCERN ALONG AND EAST OF U.S. HIGHWAY 281. THE MAIN THREATS WILL BE LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND ISOLATED TORNADOES. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS COULD RESULT IN FLOODING...ESPECIALLY IN AREAS THAT HAVE RECEIVED RECENT SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL. STRONG STORMS WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE THROUGH WEDNESDAY AS AN ACTIVE PERIOD WEATHER PATTERN REMAINS INTACT ACROSS SOUTH-CENTRAL TEXAS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... PLEASE REPORT ANY SEVERE WEATHER OR FLOODING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
353 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2016
TXZ194-262145-
LEE TX-
353 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR LEE COUNTY UNTIL 445 PM CDT...
AT 352 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
DIME BOX...OR 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF LEXINGTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35
MPH.
SMALL HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM. ADDITIONALLY...RAINFALL RATES OF UP TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR WILL
BE POSSIBLE RESULTING IN MINOR FLOODING.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
GIDDINGS...LEXINGTON...FEDOR...DIME BOX...TANGLEWOOD...NORTHRUP...OLD DIME
BOX...LEO...MANHEIM...BLUE...KNOBB SPRINGS...LOEBAU...LINCOLN...SERBIN AND
HILLS.
THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO
STATIONS AND AVAILABLE TELEVISION STATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
LAT...LON 3025 9669 3024 9674 3020 9674 3011 9685
3003 9702 3026 9708 3034 9720 3040 9733
3045 9717 3056 9696 3054 9692 3046 9690
3046 9688 3043 9687 3039 9679 3032 9674
3032 9669 3029 9665
TIME...MOT...LOC 2052Z 235DEG 31KT 3036 9691
TB3SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
418 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2016
TXZ183-262145-
VAL VERDE TX-
418 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN VAL VERDE COUNTY
UNTIL 445 PM CDT...
AT 418 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
PUMPVILLE...OR 13 MILES WEST OF LANGTRY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
OSMAN...PANDALE...PUMPVILLE AND HACKBERRY CROSSING.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 10 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO
STATIONS AND AVAILABLE TELEVISION STATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
&&
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM CDT FOR
SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS.
LAT...LON 3028 10176 3029 10171 3015 10140 2976 10164
2977 10166 2976 10168 2977 10169 2976 10171
2978 10172 2977 10174 2978 10176
TIME...MOT...LOC 2118Z 211DEG 27KT 2986 10179
LJHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
443 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2016
TXZ173-193-194-262300-
WILLIAMSON TX-BASTROP TX-LEE TX-
443 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN BASTROP...
SOUTHEASTERN WILLIAMSON AND LEE COUNTIES UNTIL 600 PM CDT...
AT 440 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS NEAR
ACROSS LEE COUNTY AND PARTS OF WILLIAMSON AND BASTROP
COUNTIES...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
VERY HEAVY RAINFALL RESULTING IN POSSIBLE FLASH FLOODING...FREQUENT
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...SMALL HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH
WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
ELGIN...GIDDINGS...LEXINGTON...FEDOR...CIRCLE D-KC ESTATES...CIRCLE D-KC
ESTATE...DIME BOX...PAIGE...TANGLEWOOD...CAMP SWIFT...NORTHRUP...MCDADE...
OLD DIME BOX...LEO...MANHEIM...BLUE...KNOBB SPRINGS...LOEBAU...LINCOLN AND
SERBIN.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 10 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
&&
LAT...LON 3025 9669 3024 9674 3020 9674 3011 9685
3003 9702 3005 9703 3004 9704 3015 9724
3031 9744 3042 9737 3057 9721 3046 9715
3056 9696 3054 9693 3046 9690 3039 9679
3032 9674 3032 9669 3029 9665
TIME...MOT...LOC 2140Z 236DEG 28KT 3036 9693
TB3SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX 447 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2016 TXZ183-262230- VAL VERDE TX- 447 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2016 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN VAL VERDE COUNTY UNTIL 530 PM CDT... AT 445 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF PANDALE...OR 22 MILES NORTHWEST OF LANGTRY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... PANDALE AND HACKBERRY CROSSING. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD TO LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 10 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE. THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO STATIONS AND AVAILABLE TELEVISION STATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. && A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM CDT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS. LAT...LON 3028 10176 3029 10175 3029 10132 2997 10176 TIME...MOT...LOC 2145Z 223DEG 28KT 3012 10171 PLATT
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
459 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0453 PM HAIL 5 SW HACKBERRY CROSSING 30.16N 101.71W
05/26/2016 M0.70 INCH VAL VERDE TX PUBLIC
&&
EVENT NUMBER EWX1600433
CVPSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
504 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2016
TXZ183-262230-
VAL VERDE TX-
504 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN VAL VERDE COUNTY
UNTIL 530 PM CDT...
AT 504 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER
PUMPVILLE...OR 11 MILES NORTHWEST OF LANGTRY...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.
DIME SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
LANGTRY...OSMAN AND PUMPVILLE.
THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO
STATIONS AND AVAILABLE TELEVISION STATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM CDT FOR
SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS.
LAT...LON 2998 10176 3029 10132 2991 10123 2978 10154
2981 10155 2980 10157 2977 10158 2978 10161
2976 10165 2977 10166 2976 10168 2977 10169
2976 10171 2978 10172 2978 10176
TIME...MOT...LOC 2204Z 254DEG 34KT 2994 10170
LJHThe Ft Hood radar (KGRK), 74 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:09 UTC.
18 flash flood, 8 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing numerous roads across the county. The CO-OP observer in Giddings reported 5.95 inches of rain since 3:30 PM.
A thunderstorm produced wind gusts estimated at 75 mph that demolished a greenhouse, moved a 10 ft by 10 ft storage shed off of its foundation, and broke a six inch diameter tree.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding resulting in high water rescues in Carmine.
A thunderstorm produced hail up to the size of ping pong balls that cover the ground near Hunt.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing low water crossings in southern Austin.
A thunderstorm produced two inch hail at the state hospital in Kerrville.
A thunderstorm produced ping pong ball size hail at the KOA Campground in Kerrville.
A thunderstorm produced golf ball size hail at the Schreiner Golf Course in Kerrville.
A thunderstorm produced one inch hail at Austin Bergstrom International Airport.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing FM2239 in the 200 block and FM2104 near Grassyville Rd. in Paige.
A vehicle was swept off the road due to swift water. The driver was found deceased the next day due to apparent drowning.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding resulting in cars being trapped in high water at Toll 130 and Hwy 71 near Onion Creek.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding resulting in water rescues along FM969.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding resulting in a water rescue in Buda.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing Hwy 71 east of Tahitian Dr. and Hwy 21 near Norfolk Dr.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing low water crossings on FM2766 east of Johnson City.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding resulting in multiple swift water rescues and multiple road closures across the county.
A car was swept away near the intersection of the Toll Road 130 and FM812 due to high water. The drivers body was recovered several days later in a nearby retention pond.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding resulting in high water rescues in Buda with many low water crossings closed.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding resulting in people being rescued from a home on FM1854 in Dale.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding resulting in a swift water rescue at Grssyville Rd. and FM2104.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing Hwy 71 in multiple locations across the county.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding sending water over the dam of a stock pond for the first time and closing roads in the area. This location received 9.35 inches of rain with 8.6 inches falling in eight and a half hours.
Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that caused flash flooding closing numerous roads in the county.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood, Lee | 2016-05-26 | 75 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
| Flash Flood, Travis | 2016-05-27 | 29 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, May 2016
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: 637498, 637499, 637501, 637502, 637504, 637507, 637508, 637509, 637510, 637511, 637520, 637522, 637827, 639324, 637830, 637833, 637835, 637843, 637844, 637846, 639329, 637857, 637858, 637861, 637863, 637867, 637870.