5 inches of rain in Hidalgo/Willacy, and northeast Brooks to northern Kenedy, on April 17th/18th. The welcome rain and unseasonably cool daytime temperatures contributed to reductions in the coverage of Exceptional (D4) and Extreme (D3) Drought conditions in these areas.
Every event with a place to put it; 7 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.
A few rounds of rain and isolated thunderstorms associated with a late-season cold front dropped bands of 1.5 to 2.5 inches of rain in Hidalgo/Willacy, and northeast Brooks to northern Kenedy, on April 17th/18th. The welcome rain and unseasonably cool daytime temperatures contributed to reductions in the coverage of Exceptional (D4) and Extreme (D3) Drought conditions in these areas. Locations in the upper Valley and Rio Grande Plains missed out, with D3 to D4 conditions prevailing.
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 Apr 19, 11:20 PM CST, 40 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Brownsville TX 1220 AM CDT Tue Apr 20 2021 .DISCUSSION...Updated for latest aviation discussion below. && .AVIATION...VFR conditions will hold through the TAF period. A few mid-level clouds are expected this evening with light and variable winds. Patchy fog may develop across portions of the northern ranchlands this evening but should remain north of the local aerodromes. Winds will veer around to the east later this afternoon with no changes in ceilings or visibility expected. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 605 PM CDT Mon Apr 19 2021/ DISCUSSION...Updated for latest aviation discussion below. AVIATION...VFR ceilings with light to moderate northeast winds. Similar conditions will prevail overnight with high pressure settling over the area. BKN to OVC cloud cover will scatter out Tuesday during the day with light to moderate winds veering slightly more to east. Patchy fog will be possible across the ranchlands tonight, but confidence is low for fog to reach into the lower/mid-valley. Hence, fog is not highlighted in the current TAF set. PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 338 PM CDT Mon Apr 19 2021/ SHORT TERM (Tonight through Tuesday Night): A very weak trough off the coast this evening will continue to keep a slight chance of precipitation in the forecast, mainly along the coast, through tonight. Rain chances will diminish early Tuesday as high pressure, currently located in central Texas, continues to move southeastward into the Gulf of Mexico. Low level moisture in place overnight, along with light winds, will allow for some patchy fog to develop early Tuesday morning, mainly across the northern Ranchlands. Overnight low temperatures will fall into the mid 50s to low 60s. Dry conditions return on Tuesday and skies will begin to clear out allowing for warmer temperatures to filter back into the region by the afternoon. Expect afternoon high temperatures to top out in the low to mid 80s east to a few 90s out west. A weak cold front will move through portions of Deep South Texas by early Wednesday morning with slighlty cooler air ushering in behind the front. Tuesday night lows will drop into the low 60s south to upper 50s north. LONG TERM (Wednesday through Monday): Mid-spring, Valley-style, continues to take a little vacation through mid week as aforementioned weak front sweeps into Mexico by mid morning, followed by a decent uptick in northeast winds and temperatures held in check by cloud cover and slightly cooler air following the front. Low to mid levels dry out enough to allow partial sunshine by afternoon, which will warm temperatures up a bit but only into the low to mid 70s, except mid to upper 70s mid/upper Valley...all about 10 to 12 degrees below late April averages. Low level moisture pools up a bit Wednesday night/Thursday ensuring a pretty solid deck of stratus/stratocumulus which both insulates Wednesday night for more average lows (60s) while putting a lid on how warm Thursday can get (mainly mid to upper 70s) with continued easterly flow. Earlier forecasts had low chances for light showers beginning late Wednesday night...so have kept this per latest model blends and deterministic runs. The NAM-12 is a temperature outlier...carrying north winds and a strong inversion all day Thursday west of I69C which would keep temperatures down in the lower 60s. However, unlike last weekend's shallow but strong front, along with model consistency, the NAM-12 is the only model showing the wind shift which does not match conceptual models for the pattern. Thus...the NAM has been disregarded but still, highs on Thursday will continue around 10 degrees below average, which for the 22nd range from 86 east to 91 west. For those considering the beach despite the relative coolness and cloud cover, be aware that persistent east/northeast flow will bring an increasing threat for higher-intensity rip currents and, with observed tides running close to a foot above predicted, some potential for run-up toward the dunes at narrow beaches during afternoon high tides both Wednesday and Thursday. With the tide cycle lowering, increased flow should stay shy of the dunes but could cut the usable beach once again. Rising 500 mb heights Friday assist with return flow (warm front- type) southeast to southerly flow, which will return a variably cloudy and hazy morning that sees increasing afternoon sunshine. Temperatures recover to or just above average. The weak 500 mb trough pushing the height rises sweeps through Texas early Saturday, with a potential dry heat spike to follow mainly west of IH-69C by afternoon. There is a window for rapid wildfire growth in these areas that afternoon, when humidity crashes to between 15-25 percent, temperatures surge into the mid to upper 90s, and winds could gust over 20 mph. Should have a better idea of Saturday conditions in the next few days. The upper ridge rapidly rebuilds Sunday and Monday, though this time deep atmosphere is plenty dry. Sunday could be a great beach/pool day with modest east winds and plenty of warm sunshine; southeast flow begins to pick up Monday as atmosphere warms, with temperatures rising back into the 90s in most areas. MARINE: (Now through Tuesday Night): Marine conditions will remain favorable through the short term and high pressure settles over the Gulf of Mexico tonight into Tuesday. Light easterly flow will help keep seas generally at 2 to 4 feet. Winds, especially along northern portions of the zone, will begin to increase slightly late Tuesday night as an increasing pressure gradient begins to affect the Gulf waters and will continue to strengthen into the next period behind a weak cold front that will move through late Tuesday night into Wednesday. Wednesday through Saturday Night): Behind the aforementioned front, a period of elevated seas and occasionally gusty east/northeast winds into Thursday that will make for some boating difficulties since wind waves will be present. With surface high well north of the waters and headed into the southeast U.S. Friday, southeast winds pick up nicely and with only a modest marine layer expect decent speeds to carry into Friday, especially across the 20-60 nm leg. Winds will decrease behind Saturday afternoon/evening's wind shift to the north/northeast. Likely to see periods of caution for both 15 to 20 knot winds and seas 6 feet through the period...with perhaps advisory levels behind the initial front Wednesday morning, and in the increasing southeast flow Friday and Friday night. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... BAYVIEW/PORT ISABEL 80 63 73 66 / 10 0 0 0 BROWNSVILLE 83 62 76 66 / 10 0 0 10 HARLINGEN 84 60 75 65 / 10 0 0 0 MCALLEN 86 61 77 64 / 10 0 0 10 RIO GRANDE CITY 88 60 77 63 / 0 10 0 20 SOUTH PADRE ISLAND 75 67 71 68 / 10 0 0 0 && .BRO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...None. GM...None. && This product is also available on the web at: HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RGV 55-Adams/Aviation
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Brownsville TX 438 PM CDT Mon Apr 19 2021 TXZ248>257-351-353-202145- Zapata-Jim Hogg-Brooks-Inland Kenedy-Starr-Southern Hidalgo- Inland Willacy-Inland Cameron-Coastal Willacy-Coastal Cameron- Coastal Kenedy-Northern Hidalgo- 438 PM CDT Mon Apr 19 2021 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...Tuesday through Sunday An elevated risk of rip current is possible at the local beaches from Wednesday through Sunday. Minor coastal flooding possible Tuesday through Thursday due to easterly winds causing persistent easterly swell. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed. GMZ130-132-135-150-155-170-175-202145- 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- 438 PM CDT Mon Apr 19 2021 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...Tuesday through Sunday Small Craft Advisories may be needed along the Lower Texas Coast Thursday through Saturday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
8 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Beneficial rainfall occurred across populated southern Starr County on April 16th/17th, providing some relief to drought conditions in the area. Exceptional (D4) Drought was removed from southern Starr County, which returned to Extreme (D3) Drought.
Beneficial rainfall occurred across the southeast portion Northern Hidalgo County early on April 18th, providing some relief to drought conditions in the area. Exceptional (D4) Drought was removed from southeastern portions of Northern Hidalgo County, which returned to Extreme (D3) Drought. On April 27th, a sliver of D3 conditions near the Starr County line with degrade to D4, as this area missed out on earlier rainfall and combined with a several day period of warmth and low humidity to push into the Exceptional category.
Beneficial rainfall of 1.5 to 2.5 inches occurred across eastern Hidalgo County (between Edinburg and Monte Alto) early on April 18th, providing some relief to drought conditions in the area. Exceptional (D4) Drought was completely removed from Southern Hidalgo County, and Extreme (D3) Drought was also trimmed away from more of far Southern Hidalgo County.
Beneficial rainfall occurred across Inland Kenedy County (north and south) on late April 17th/early April 18th - generally one half to on inch, providing some relief to drought conditions in the area. Exceptional (D4) Drought was removed from far southwestern Kenedy County, and Extreme (D3) Drought was also trimmed away from far northern as well as southeastern portions of Kenedy County, returning those areas to Severe (D2) Drought.
Beneficial rainfall of 0.5 to 1.5 inches occurred across southern and northern Coastal Kenedy County in mid-April (late 17th/early 18th), providing some relief to drought conditions in the area. Extreme (D3) Drought was trimmed out of far northern and far southern portions of Coastal Kenedy.
Beneficial rainfall estimated between 1 and 2.5 inches occurred across Willacy County during the pre-dawn hours on April 18th, providing some relief to drought conditions in the area. The small area of Exceptional (D4) Drought was removed, and Extreme (D3) Drought was removed from western and central portions of Willacy County.
Beneficial rainfall, generally 1.5 to 2.5 inches, fell across Coastal Willacy County during the pre-dawn hours of April 18th, providing some relief to drought conditions in the area. All but a sliver of Severe (D2) Drought, in the northwest corner of the zone, was removed.
A couple of pockets of beneficial rainfall occurred across southern Cameron County near the Rio Grande, and northern Cameron County near the Willacy County line early on April 18th, providing some relief to drought conditions in the area. Extreme (D3) Drought was removed from Cameron County and Severe (D2) Drought was trimmed slightly.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, April 2021
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: 956132, 956134, 956135, 956136, 956137, 956138, 956139, 956140.