Lightning struck a construction worker who died from electrocution and blunt force trauma.
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 HGX wrote it up.
Lightning struck a construction worker who died from electrocution and blunt force trauma.
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 Houston/Galveston, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 22, 5:16 AM CST, 3 hours 44 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
616 AM CDT Mon Oct 22 2018
.AVIATION...
VFR conditions will prevail today with some cirrus. Two areas of
rain will move into Southeast Texas during this TAF period. First,
light to moderate rain will start at the coast this afternoon and
gradually spread inland overnight with SCT to BKN MVFR ceilings.
Additionally, light rain north of the area will move into CLL
late tonight, but will likely reach UTS after this TAF period. As
the rain from the Gulf spreads inland overnight, IFR ceilings are
possible Tuesday morning as well as gusty winds of 15-20 kts. 22
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 333 AM CDT Mon Oct 22 2018/
DISCUSSION...
Clouds are increasing across Southeast Texas early this morning under
a strengthening southwest flow aloft, and do not expect to see much
sun for the next several days. Radars are starting to show some activity
developing to our west and also off the lower Texas coast. Our area
should see slowly increasing rain chances as the day progresses and
as we head on into tonight (values generally lower up north and higher
at the coast/offshore) as a coastal trof and surface lows begin to
get organized off the Texas coast. Much of our area could see a
little less coverage Tuesday and Tuesday night, so went with slightly
lower rain chances. As the day progresses on Wednesday and especially
as we head on into Wednesday night through early Thursday morning,
much of Southeast Texas will see rain as the surface lows remain in
our vicinity and moisture from the remnants of Eastern Pacific
Hurricane Willa (a near category 5 hurricane with 155 mph winds off
the coast of Mexico at 1 AM, and more strengthening is expected before
landfall) works its way across the state. Anticipate rains to come
to an end from west to east during the day on Thursday, with most
locations receiving four day rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches
(locally higher amounts might occur depending on where some of the
surface features set up and/or move inland and where any training
and/or slow moving storms develop). Quiet weather is still in store
for the area at the end of the week and on through the weekend as
this mess moves off to the east and high pressure takes over. 42
MARINE...
Seas are still 7-8 ft in the 20-60 nm waters, so advisories will
remain in effect for the offshore waters until 7 AM today. Moderate
northeast winds continue today with caution flags for all Gulf
waters through this afternoon. A developing low pressure system in
the Western Gulf will elevate winds and waves and increase rain
chances this afternoon. Advisories will be required again tonight
for the offshore waters. Expect periods of caution flags and
advisories to continue through this week as a series of coastal low
pressure systems progress through the Western Gulf. 22
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
College Station (CLL) 66 53 65 55 62 / 30 50 40 40 60
Houston (IAH) 68 55 64 57 66 / 30 60 50 50 70
Galveston (GLS) 70 61 67 65 72 / 30 60 50 50 70
&&
.HGX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...NONE.
GM...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION until 4 PM CDT this
afternoon for the following zones: Coastal waters from
Freeport to Matagorda Ship Channel TX out 20 NM...Coastal
waters from High Island to Freeport TX out 20 NM.
Small Craft Advisory until 7 AM CDT this morning for the
following zones: Waters from Freeport to Matagorda Ship
Channel TX from 20 to 60 NM...Waters from High Island to
Freeport TX from 20 to 60 NM.
SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION until 4 PM CDT this
afternoon for the following zones: Waters from Freeport to
Matagorda Ship Channel TX from 20 to 60 NM...Waters from
High Island to Freeport TX from 20 to 60 NM.
&&
Discussion...42
Aviation/Marine...22Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX 358 AM CDT Mon Oct 22 2018 TXZ163-164-176>179-195>200-210>214-226-227-235>238-300-313- 335>338-437-231200- Austin-Brazoria Islands-Brazos-Burleson-Chambers-Coastal Brazoria- Coastal Galveston-Coastal Harris-Coastal Jackson- Coastal Matagorda-Colorado-Fort Bend-Grimes-Houston- Inland Brazoria-Inland Galveston-Inland Harris-Inland Jackson- Inland Matagorda-Madison-Montgomery-Northern Liberty-Polk- San Jacinto-Southern Liberty-Trinity-Walker-Waller-Washington- Wharton- 358 AM CDT Mon Oct 22 2018 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of Southeast Texas. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Areas of rain are expected to develop as the day progresses with increasing coverage anticipated tonight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday The area will see periods of rain Tuesday through Thursday, with the best chances probably coming Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning as the remnants of Hurricane Willa move across the state. Monday through Thursday rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches are anticipated, and some spots could see locally higher amounts. The end of the week and weekend will be dry. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation might be needed Tuesday through Thursday. GMZ330-335-350-355-370-375-TXZ436-438-231200- Coastal waters from Freeport to Matagorda Ship Channel TX out 20 NM-Coastal waters from High Island to Freeport TX out 20 NM- Galveston Bay-Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula- Matagorda Bay-Matagorda Islands- Waters from Freeport to Matagorda Ship Channel TX from 20 to 60 NM-Waters from High Island to Freeport TX from 20 to 60 NM- 358 AM CDT Mon Oct 22 2018 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of Southeast Texas. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Caution or advisory flags will be in effect for elevated winds and seas. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday Elevated winds and seas will persist through most of the week, and Small Craft Advisories will likely be needed. Periods of showers and possible thunderstorms can be expected through Thursday morning. Above normal tide levels are also expected on Wednesday which could lead to some minor coastal flooding. The end of the week and weekend look dry with lowering winds and seas. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation might be needed Tuesday through Thursday.
The Houston radar (KHGX), 26 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 15:01 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
A roofer was installing metal paneling to a commercial building under construction. Lightning struck the employee, resulting in electrocution and blunt force head trauma based on OSHA report.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning, Harris | 2018-10-22 | 34 | Male | Unknown | Direct |
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, October 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: 863758.