Thunderstorms formed along a dryline in West Texas and moved into South Central Texas. One of these storms produced severe wind gusts.
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.
Thunderstorms formed along a dryline in West Texas and moved into South Central Texas. One of these storms produced severe wind gusts.
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 20, 8:52 PM CST, 29 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX 952 PM CDT Wed May 20 2020 .UPDATE.../RAIN CHANCES INCREASE TONIGHT FROM HWY 83 TO HWY 281/ Robust storm activity continues into the late evening aided by MCV activity. A couple weak MCVs were noted over the past hour on either side of HWY, fueling a resurgence of a convective squall line while nocturnal winds increase. Another, stronger MCV was noted over Schleicher county and moving southeast to fuel a separate squall line that should build into the the NW Hill Country and possibly interact with the squall line to the south. This should translate to increased PoPs into the likely category in areas just west of San Antonio, with spotty downpours of 1/2 to 1 inch possible. The severe potential should be easing soon, so will probably update the HWO to lower that threat before the next shift arrives. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 700 PM CDT Wed May 20 2020/ UPDATE... After the convection west of DRT first looked supercellular and headed south, more cells formed and congealed the activity into a squall line moving straight eastward through DRT. With this trend, PoPs were increased to likely around DRT and slightly increased for downstream locations like Rocksprings, Uvalde, and Crystal City. Marginal severe threat remains through around 03Z. AVIATION... /00Z TAFS/ Just received a wind gust to 45 knots at DRT, so a last minute update was added; we'll likely see the winds ease up for the top of the hour, warranting another update to the TEMPO group. At the current time we don't believe the storms will hold together long enough to reach the metro TAF sites, but subsequent runs of the rapid refresh models may change our minds in a few hours. In this 00Z update, a new change was added to the normal diurnal dance of winds and clouds typical for mid May--a post-convective outflow is now projected to slip into AUS around midday and possibly breifly affecting the San Antonio TAF sites in the late afternoon before the southerly flow storms back. We accepted this scenario, from the majority of convective allowing models, but suspect the storms may not be still ongoing. Thus no mention of convection near the shifting winds Thursday, but again, subsequent runs of the rapid refresh models may have us updating frequently in this unstable pattern. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 258 PM CDT Wed May 20 2020/ SHORT TERM (Tonight through Thursday Night)... Latest visible satellite images are showing storms already firing up across the northeast part of Mexico. This trend is expected to continue for the rest of the afternoon into the evening hours. As time progresses, an upper level shortwave over central Mexico is forecast to push to the northeast and enhance storm development along and ahead of the dryline that will ultimately send those storms across parts of the Rio Grande this evening. The main weather hazards for this evening are large hail and damaging wind gusts. One thing for this forecast period is that HiRes models suggest a couple of complexes of storms: one moving across the San Angelo area and the other one over the Rio Grande. When it comes to medium range solutions and for example, the NAM, keeps the area relatively quiet with storms dissipating over Mexico this evening. Now, the GFS shows a strong signal of storms and the ECMWF brings isolated convection over Val Verde and ends it midnight. With that said, confidence is low for these storms to hit any particular area along the Rio Grande, however, the impacted areas could be dealing with large hail and damaging wind gusts as mentioned earlier under this high cape environment but low shear. Thursday morning will start cloudy all over the area with clouds breaking in the afternoon for partly cloudy skies for the period. Highs will be cooler by at least 5 degrees across the area due cloud coverage. Also, there is a slight to low end chances for showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon for areas west of a Austin to Luling to Karnes City line. Similar conditions continue on Thursday evening as another short wave disturbance moves across the Southern Plains. LONG TERM (Friday through Wednesday)... Friday a strong upper level trough will begin moving out of the Great Basin region and through the southwestern part of the country. A weak shortwave trough embedded in the flow will move across Texas bringing some low chance POPs for Friday and Friday night. The main trough will continue to move to the east over the weekend and heights will fall over Texas through this time frame. While this happens, the low level flow will be from the southeast. With the warm, moist boundary layer the height falls will bring chances for showers and thunderstorms Saturday through Memorial Day. PW values will not be excessive across our CWA and we don't expect heavy rain at any time during this period. However, the slow movement of the upper system will mean an extended period of showers and thunderstorms and the accumulation over this period may eventually lead to flooding. Beyond Monday, the upper trough will close off into a low and drift out over the Gulf. Rain chances will continue as this feature moves slowly away. As it move farther east POPs will decrease into the middle of next week. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Austin Camp Mabry 73 90 72 89 72 / 20 10 20 30 10 Austin Bergstrom Intl Airport 74 89 71 90 72 / 10 10 20 30 10 New Braunfels Muni Airport 73 90 71 90 72 / 30 10 20 20 10 Burnet Muni Airport 71 88 69 87 70 / 20 20 30 20 10 Del Rio Intl Airport 73 91 72 95 72 / 70 20 20 20 20 Georgetown Muni Airport 72 89 71 88 72 / 10 10 20 20 10 Hondo Muni Airport 73 91 71 93 72 / 70 30 30 20 20 San Marcos Muni Airport 72 88 70 90 71 / 20 10 20 20 10 La Grange - Fayette Regional 74 90 73 91 74 / 10 - 10 20 10 San Antonio Intl Airport 74 91 72 90 72 / 40 20 20 30 20 Stinson Muni Airport 76 91 73 91 73 / 40 20 20 30 20 && .EWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && Short-Term/Aviation...Oaks Long-Term...Treadway
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX 316 AM CDT Wed May 20 2020 TXZ171>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-211200- 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- 316 AM CDT Wed May 20 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for South-Central Texas.. .DAY ONE...Today And Tonight. Isolated storms will be possible late this afternoon and evening across the Edwards Plateau and Rio Grande. Some of these storms could be strong to marginally severe with hail and gusty winds the main threats. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. Thunderstorm chances will be on the increase through the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Some of these storms could be strong and produce locally heavy rainfall mainly over the weekend. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX
714 PM CDT Wed May 20 2020
TXZ183-184-202-217-210115-
Maverick TX-Kinney TX-Val Verde TX-Edwards TX-
714 PM CDT Wed May 20 2020
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR KINNEY...NORTHERN MAVERICK...
SOUTHWESTERN EDWARDS AND SOUTHEASTERN VAL VERDE COUNTIES UNTIL 815 PM
CDT...
At 713 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Laughlin AFB, or 8 miles east of Del Rio, moving east at 30 mph.
Nickel size hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with
this storm. These storms produced 48 mph winds at Del Rio.
Locations impacted include...
Del Rio, Brackettville, Spofford, Quemado, Lake View, Darling,
Laughlin AFB, Anacacho, Alamo Village, Paloma, Amanda, Val Verde
Park, Radar Base, Cienegas Terrace, Kickapoo Cavern State Park, 277
South Boat Ramp, 277 North Campground and Turkey Mountain.
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.
&&
LAT...LON 2883 10057 2889 10059 2894 10065 2910 10067
2917 10078 2920 10077 2926 10081 2928 10087
2933 10094 2972 10094 2995 10019 2874 10016
TIME...MOT...LOC 0013Z 267DEG 28KT 2933 10074
AATPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
733 PM CDT WED MAY 20 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0647 PM TSTM WND GST 2 WNW DEL RIO 29.37N 100.92W
05/20/2020 M48 MPH VAL VERDE TX ASOS
DEL RIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT REPORTED A 42
KNOT OR 48 MPH WIND GUST.
&&
AATPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
735 PM CDT WED MAY 20 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0713 PM HAIL 3 NNW DEL RIO 29.41N 100.91W
05/20/2020 E0.88 INCH VAL VERDE TX TRAINED SPOTTER
NICKEL SIZED HAIL REPORTED VIA FACEBOOK AT A
LOCAL CAR WASH.
&&
AATPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
743 PM CDT WED MAY 20 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0720 PM TSTM WND GST LAUGHLIN AFB 29.36N 100.78W
05/20/2020 M45 MPH VAL VERDE TX AWOS
METAR FROM KDLF - LAUGHLIN AFB REPORTED
SUSTAINED WINDS OF 36 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO
45 MPH.
&&
AATSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX
814 PM CDT Wed May 20 2020
TXZ202-203-217-218-210215-
Maverick TX-Uvalde TX-Kinney TX-Zavala TX-
814 PM CDT Wed May 20 2020
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR KINNEY...NORTHERN MAVERICK...
UVALDE AND ZAVALA COUNTIES UNTIL 915 PM CDT...
At 812 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7
miles west of Laguna, or 18 miles east of Brackettville, moving east
at 35 mph.
Nickel size hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with
this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Eagle Pass, Uvalde, Crystal City, Brackettville, Spofford, Quemado,
La Pryor, Batesville, Sabinal, Laguna, Concan, Darling, Las Colonias,
Uvalde Estates, Dabney, Cline, Anacacho, Reagan Wells, Utopia and
Loma Vista.
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.
&&
LAT...LON 2872 10051 2882 10055 2883 10058 2889 10059
2890 10063 2894 10065 2909 10067 2916 10076
2962 10047 2963 9941 2864 9946
TIME...MOT...LOC 0112Z 264DEG 29KT 2941 10012
AATSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX
912 PM CDT Wed May 20 2020
TXZ202-203-217-218-210300-
Maverick TX-Uvalde TX-Kinney TX-Zavala TX-
912 PM CDT Wed May 20 2020
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN KINNEY...
NORTHEASTERN MAVERICK...UVALDE AND NORTHERN ZAVALA COUNTIES UNTIL
1000 PM CDT...
At 911 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7
miles south of Dabney, or 17 miles southeast of Spofford, moving east
at 45 mph.
Half inch hail and winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with
this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Uvalde, Brackettville, Spofford, La Pryor, Batesville, Laguna,
Knippa, Blewett, Washer, Uvalde Estates, Dabney, Cline, Anacacho,
Turkey Mountain and Fort Clark Springs.
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 2883 10029 2916 10043 2937 10043 2949 10012
2949 9950 2884 9948
TIME...MOT...LOC 0211Z 247DEG 38KT 2907 10014
AATThe Laughlin AFB radar (KDFX), 108 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:22 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A thunderstorm produced a wind gust measured at 52 kts. at the South Texas Regional Airport in Hondo.
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, May 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: 891009.