An upper level ridge of high pressure was prevalent over South Texas for most of the month of May. Well below normal rainfall occurred during the month.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 CRP wrote it up.
An upper level ridge of high pressure was prevalent over South Texas for most of the month of May. Well below normal rainfall occurred during the month. Severe drought developed over portions of the western Brush Country and over the Coastal Bend by the end of the month.
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 21, 6:33 PM CST, 5 hours 27 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Corpus Christi TX 733 PM CDT Mon May 21 2018 .DISCUSSION... Cap is forming and not much surface forcing this evening so believe rain chances (barring a very stray weak shower) have ended at least for this evening. Could have some very weak showers near the coast Tuesday, but that is about it. As a result, removed the rain chances this evening. Also cleaned-up some of the weather grids as rain-cooled air over the NE areas has temperatures out of balance. Public products have been updated. && .PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... /Issued 606 PM CDT Mon May 21 2018/ DISCUSSION... See .AVIATION discussion for 00Z TAFs. AVIATION... Quieter terminal forecast compared to 24 hours ago, and the main challenge is the timing and levels of the MVFR conditions expected over the terminals tonight. Feeling is that we will see MVFR conditions develop by 12Z all terminals, mainly between 08Z and 12Z. Could have both MVFR CIGS and VSBYS at KVCT and KALI, especially the former as expecting light easterly winds overnight which has a tendency to be a wind conducive to fog. MVFR conditions should end by 15Z all terminals, with SE winds generally AOB 11 knots but increasing with the passage of the sea-breeze during the afternoon. No SHRA/TSRA in the terminals at this time, and expect that to remain true as any convection will be isolated and likely to end by 06Z with drier air on Tuesday. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... /Issued 402 PM CDT Mon May 21 2018/ SHORT TERM (Tonight through Tuesday night)... Lingering boundary and a weak upper level impulse have combined to produce additional showers and thunderstorms today across parts of the area. Convection this afternoon has focused across the northern Coastal Bend into the Victoria Crossroads. Instability is quite lower this afternoon compared to yesterday so storms have been well behaved thus far. Some pockets of moderate to brief heavy rain will be possible though through the remainder of the evening. Showers and storms should be diurnally driven and begin to weaken with the loss of daytime heating. Will carry some low pops beyond 00z primarily across the Victoria Crossroads. 20 pops were also carried along the Rio Grande for storms that may approach the border, but confidence of this occurring is not that great. It will be another warm night across the area under mostly cloudy skies and temperatures in the 70s. Daytime heating may trigger some isolated showers and storms on Tuesday, primarily east of Highway 281. Will keep 20 pops in the forecast. Very warm conditions return on Tuesday with highs climbing into the low/mid 90s inland. LONG TERM (Wednesday through Monday)... Ridging aloft will persist across the region during the mid to late week. Dry air will push into the region, with near to below normal PWAT values during the mid to late week as well. Highs early in the period will peak in the low to mid 90s. However, going into the holiday weekend, H85 temperatures will reach the low to mid 20s(C), translating down to widespread afternoon temperatures in the upper 90s to 102 degrees at the surface for all but the immediate coast. Although relative humidity values will not be too high, heat index values over 100 degrees may cause concern, especially for those with Memorial Day weekend plans outdoors. Be sure to take frequent takes from the heat and stay well hydrated during prolonged activity in hot weather. Models continue to show a mid level low developing east of the region, but do not anticipate any direct impacts to the Middle Texas Coast at this time. Some indication leans towards some slight chance of showers across the eastern and coastal portions of the region early next week, but strong cap and limited moisture should curb this, and maintained a dry forecast throughout the period. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Corpus Christi 73 91 73 91 72 / 10 20 10 10 10 Victoria 71 92 70 92 70 / 10 20 10 10 10 Laredo 73 96 73 96 74 / 10 10 10 10 10 Alice 71 95 71 94 71 / 10 20 10 10 10 Rockport 76 88 77 89 75 / 10 20 10 10 10 Cotulla 71 96 71 96 72 / 10 10 10 10 10 Kingsville 72 95 72 94 72 / 10 20 10 10 10 Navy Corpus 78 90 78 90 77 / 10 20 10 10 10 && .CRP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...None. GM...None. && GW/86...SHORT TERM
Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Corpus Christi TX 759 PM CDT Mon May 21 2018 TXZ229>234-239>247-342>347-442-443-447-221100- La Salle-McMullen-Live Oak-Bee-Goliad-Victoria-Webb-Duval- Jim Wells-Inland Kleberg-Inland Nueces-Inland San Patricio- Coastal Aransas-Inland Refugio-Inland Calhoun-Coastal Kleberg- Coastal Nueces-Coastal San Patricio-Aransas Islands- Coastal Refugio-Coastal Calhoun-Kleberg Islands-Nueces Islands- Calhoun Islands- 759 PM CDT Mon May 21 2018 This hazardous weather outlook is for South Texas. .DAY ONE...Tonight No hazardous weather is expected. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday Isolated thunderstorms will be possible for the coastal plains Tuesday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated. GMZ230-235-250-255-270-275-221100- 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- 759 PM CDT Mon May 21 2018 This hazardous weather outlook is for the Middle Texas Coastal Waters. .DAY ONE...Tonight No hazardous weather is expected. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday Isolated thunderstorms will be possible on Tuesday. Otherwise... no hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe drought developed over western La Salle County toward the end of the month.
Severe drought developed over northwestern Webb County toward the end of the month.
Severe drought developed over northern Goliad County toward the end of the month.
Severe drought developed over northern Victoria County toward the end of the month.
Severe drought developed over western Refugio County toward the end of the month.
Severe drought developed over western San Patricio County toward the end of the month.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, May 2018
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: 750884, 750885, 750886, 750887, 750888, 750889.