Drought stress on ranchlands in Starr, Jim Hogg and Zapata County was maintained with minimal rainfall and mild to warm temperatures; Severe (D2) Drought areal coverage did not change significantly as rainfall favored the coastal counties of the Rio Grande Valley and King Ranch. Extreme Drought (D3) persisted across the western portion of Zapata County.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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 BRO wrote it up.
Drought stress on ranchlands in Starr, Jim Hogg and Zapata County was maintained with minimal rainfall and mild to warm temperatures; Severe (D2) Drought areal coverage did not change significantly as rainfall favored the coastal counties of the Rio Grande Valley and King Ranch. Extreme Drought (D3) persisted across the western portion of Zapata County. These conditions were maintained through February 10th.
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 Brownsville, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 31, 10:22 PM CST, 1 hour 38 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Brownsville TX 1022 PM CST Fri Jan 31 2020 .DISCUSSION...Updated for latest aviation discussion below. && .AVIATION...The forthcoming suite of TAFs will reflect VFR conditions through the next 24 hours. The passage of a feature in the middle layers of the atmosphere will clear skies shortly after sunrise tomorrow morning. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 512 PM CST Fri Jan 31 2020/ DISCUSSION...Updated for latest aviation discussion below. AVIATION...MVFR to VFR conditions are expected through the next 24 hours. The passage of a feature in the middle layers of the atmosphere around sunrise tomorrow will produce rapidly clearing skies at that time. PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 313 PM CST Fri Jan 31 2020/ SHORT TERM (Now through Saturday night): A 500mb trough continues to move across the Central and Southern United States. Another weaken embedded shortwave trough will dig southeastward across South Texas overnight tonight, helping to reinforce the northerly flow at the surface. Models are not impressed on rainfall potential tonight, and the disturbance looks to open and become absorbed by the main trough. Therefore, have kept rain chances low through the short term period. Temperatures today have been below normal in the mid 60s for most locations, and may only rise a degree or two as cloud cover continues to dissipate. On Saturday, much drier air moves in as a 500mb ridge builds over the region. This will allow temperatures to warm up into the 70s, making for a very pleasant day. LONG TERM (Sunday through Friday): Mid-level ridging and surface high pressure will continue shifting eastward over the central Gulf of Mexico Sunday morning through the afternoon on Monday as surface low pressure develops and deepens across the Central Plains. Weak mid/upper-level flow will transition to southwest flow by Sunday evening. Surface pressure gradient will tighten Monday, increasing winds across Deep South Texas, especially along the coast. A Wind Advisory may be needed for portions of Deep South Texas through Monday evening. Additionally on Monday, upper-level divergence from an approaching jet streak will increase shower chances, but best dynamics and rain chances will be north of the BRO CWFA. For now, increased PoPs slightly (20-30%) for areas along and east of U.S. Highway 281/I-69C. A deep and potent synoptic mid-level trough will continue to progress eastward across the Rocky Mtns Monday night into Tuesday morning. Its associated surface cold front will push southward into Deep South Texas sometime mid-late Wednesday morning. Tuesday could potentially be a very hot day across Deep South Texas as southwest winds at 850mb turn southwesterly, allowing for downsloping and compression ahead of the cold front. Highs on Tuesday will range in the upper 80s to lower 90s, with warmest temperatures out west. Timing of the cold front continues to be modified as the long-range forecast models remain somewhat at odds on the overall pattern. High pressure quickly builds in behind the cold front as the mid-level trough axis shifts east of the CWFA on Thursday morning. Northwest flow aloft and high pressure across the western Gulf of Mexico will transpire on Friday, resulting in beautiful, albeit still abnormally warm, weather. MARINE (Now through Saturday night): Moderate northerly flow continues across the lower Texas coastal waters with gusty winds across the offshore waters, so small craft should exercise caution the next few hours. As another weak upper-level disturbance moves overhead, reinforced northerly flow will maintain moderate northerly winds, especially across the Gulf waters. By Saturday afternoon and Saturday night, high pressure will move overhead and allow winds to diminish and seas to gradually subside. Sunday through Wednesday: High pressure builds and heads east into early next week as low pressure develops across the Plains, increasing southerly flow Sunday into Monday. Small Craft Advisory conditions are expected by Monday afternoon as winds and seas increase and become hazardous. Winds diminish slightly Tuesday, allowing seas to somewhat subside, before a cold front arrives Wednesday morning or early afternoon, increasing winds and seas again to Small Craft Advisories levels through Wednesday night. && .BRO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...None. && This product is also available on the web at: HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RGV
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Brownsville TX 421 PM CST Fri Jan 31 2020 TXZ248>257-351-353-012230- Zapata-Jim Hogg-Brooks-Inland Kenedy-Starr-Southern Hidalgo- Inland Willacy-Inland Cameron-Coastal Willacy-Coastal Cameron- Coastal Kenedy-Northern Hidalgo- 421 PM CST Fri Jan 31 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of Deep South Texas. .DAY ONE...Tonight No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday An elevated risk of rip currents is possible at the beaches of South Padre Island and at Boca Chica Beach Monday through Thursday. A Wind Advisory may be needed for portions of Deep South Texas during Monday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed. GMZ130-132-135-150-155-170-175-012230- Laguna Madre from the Port of Brownsville to the Arroyo Colorado- Laguna Madre from the Arroyo Colorado To 5 NM north of Port Mansfield TX- Laguna Madre from 5 nm north of Port Mansfield to Baffin Bay TX- Coastal waters from Port Mansfield to the Rio Grande out 20 nm- Coastal waters from Baffin Bay to Port Mansfield out 20 nm- Waters from Port Mansfield to the Rio Grande extending from 20 to 60 nm- Waters from Baffin Bay to Port Mansfield extending from 20 to 60 nm- 421 PM CST Fri Jan 31 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of The Gulf of Mexico and The Laguna Madre. .DAY ONE...Tonight No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday Small Craft Advisories are possible along the Lower Texas Coast Monday through Thursday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed. Brady
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
A sliver of Extreme Drought (D3) persisted across western Zapata County, with the remainder of the County in Severe Drought (D2), through the 10th of February, as rain-free and low humidity conditions continued.
Severe (D2) Drought persisted across all but northeast and southwest Starr County through February 10th, due to a combination of little to no rainfall and dry conditions with warm days and cool nights.
Severe (D2) Drought persisted across western Jim Hogg County through February 10th, due to a combination of little to no rainfall and dry conditions with warm days and cool nights.
Severe (D2) Drought persisted across a slice of southwestern Hidalgo County through February 10th, due to a combination of little to no rainfall and dry conditions with warm days and cool nights.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, February 2020
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: 878716, 878717, 878719, 878720.