Thunderstorms formed along a mesoscale boundary that moved from the Texas coast into a moist, unstable airmass. One of these storms produced a tornado and damaging 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 mesoscale boundary that moved from the Texas coast into a moist, unstable airmass. One of these storms produced a tornado and damaging 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 15, 1:20 PM CST, 1 hour 55 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX 220 PM CDT Mon May 15 2023 ...New SHORT TERM, LONG TERM... .SHORT TERM... (Tonight through Tuesday night) Issued at 216 PM CDT Mon May 15 2023 A slow moving/stalled frontal boundary is draped across the Edwards Plateau this afternoon, with a relatively ill defined upper pattern consisting of a weak (and weakening) high to our east and a more notable trough to it's north across eastern Canada that will dig southwards through the short term. This will in turn help push a sfc high south through the Plains that will help usher the frontal boundary southwards late tonight into tomorrow. Scattered thunderstorms developed this morning and continue at this hour, generally drifting northward at 10-20 mph. Isolated 30-35 mph wind gusts and pea size hail have been possible in the strongest storms, but locally heavy rains remain the primary concern due to high PWATS near 1.5" and slow storm motions. Coverage of this activity should gradually diminish this evening, but some of the more recent HRRR runs suggest some isolated to potentially scattered storms could continue through much of the night over central and western areas. Isolated additional rainfall totals of 1-2" are possible, with the potential for Advisory-type minor flooding concerns, but most areas will just see some beneficial rains and lightning. Where it has rained, temperatures have been kept down significantly. Only in the upper 60s and low 70s around San Antonio to San Marcos at 1PM. But it reached the mid 80s under more sun in portions of the Austin area already. The cold front will drift slowly south tomorrow and should serve as the focal point for additional scattered storm development during the daytime. Likely will see lower storm coverage than today, but isolated 1-3" rains will again be possible. A marginal Risk of excessive rain thus remains in the day 2 ERO. The best chances for any renewed flooding concerns will be across the areas that are already saturated from the past week. Look for another day with highs in the upper 70s to mid 80s. && .LONG TERM... (Wednesday through Monday) Issued at 216 PM CDT Mon May 15 2023 Upper level ridging dominates the local area for the Wednesday and most of Thursday periods. Therefore, dry weather conditions are expected for the local area for that time frame with high temperatures in the mid to upper 80s across most locations. By Thursday night into Friday morning, an upper level short wave is forecast to push across the local area. Shower and thunderstorm activity is expected to develop along and ahead of the dryline and moves to the east. GFS brings the activity over the Rio Grande and southern Edwards Plateau on late Thursday afternoon into the evening hours but ECMWF stays dry. So, going with a 20 to 30 percent as a blend solution. By Friday afternoon, upper level flow changes to the northwest while surface southerly flow stays through the period. By late Friday into Saturday morning, a frontal boundary is forecast to push from the north into our local area bringing chances for showers and thunderstorms mainly to the northern part of South Central Texas with less activity expected to the southern part. By Saturday afternoon, chances for showers and storms are forecast to concentrate but not limited to the Rio Grande Plains and southern Edwards Plateau. A little change in the weather pattern is expected with another chance for showers and storms to develop across the Rio Grande and southern Edwards Plateau on Sunday. High temperatures in the 80s and lows in the mid to upper 60s and low 70s for the upcoming weekend. && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1216 PM CDT Mon May 15 2023 Scattered thunderstorms developed this morning, but after moving through the San Antonio area the chances for additional storms at KSAT/KSSF is low. Will maintain VCTS at KAUS/KDRT through the mid evening for the storm potential at these terminals, although amendments maybe needed if confidence in direct terminal impacts increases. VFR conditions are expected to prevail through the overnight at all sites, however the development of MVFR ceilings is likely by around 11-12Z Tuesday at KDRT and by 13-15Z at KAUS. These conditions should improve right around 18Z Tuesday, but additional scattered storm development will be possible mainly for the I-35 terminals around the midday hours. Probably slightly lower coverage than today. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Austin Camp Mabry 67 84 65 88 / 30 40 10 10 Austin Bergstrom Intl Airport 66 83 64 86 / 30 40 10 10 New Braunfels Muni Airport 67 83 64 87 / 30 50 20 10 Burnet Muni Airport 65 81 63 86 / 50 40 10 10 Del Rio Intl Airport 69 86 67 90 / 40 40 10 10 Georgetown Muni Airport 66 82 62 85 / 30 40 10 10 Hondo Muni Airport 66 82 64 86 / 30 40 20 10 San Marcos Muni Airport 66 83 64 86 / 40 50 20 10 La Grange - Fayette Regional 67 82 65 84 / 20 40 20 10 San Antonio Intl Airport 67 83 64 86 / 40 50 20 10 Stinson Muni Airport 68 83 67 87 / 30 50 20 10 && .EWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && Short-Term...KCW Long-Term...17 Aviation...KCW
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX 231 PM CDT Mon May 15 2023 TXZ171>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-161945- 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- 231 PM CDT Mon May 15 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for South-Central Texas.. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms are expected across the region tonight. Locally heavy downpours could lead to additional flooding concerns given locally saturated soils. A level 2 out of 4 risk of excessive rainfall is forecast across all of South-Central Texas. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. Additional showers and storms are possible on Tuesday. Locally heavy downpours will remain possible in any activity. A level 1 out 4 risk of excessive rainfall is forecast across most of South- Central Texas. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX
1107 AM CDT Mon May 15 2023
TXZ183-151645-
Val Verde TX-
1107 AM CDT Mon May 15 2023
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northeastern Val
Verde County through 1145 AM CDT...
At 1107 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 12
miles northeast of Comstock. This storm was nearly stationary.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Loma Alta, Bakers Crossing, Vinegarone and Devils River State Nat
Area Del Norte.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 3016 10103 3001 10070 2994 10070 2975 10102
2984 10144
TIME...MOT...LOC 1607Z 115DEG 3KT 2982 10102
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
GALESpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX
1224 PM CDT Mon May 15 2023
TXZ191-207-208-151815-
Guadalupe TX-Caldwell TX-Hays TX-
1224 PM CDT Mon May 15 2023
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southwestern
Caldwell, southeastern Hays and northeastern Guadalupe Counties
through 115 PM CDT...
At 1224 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Fentress, or 8 miles northwest of Luling, moving north at 15 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
San Marcos, Seguin, Lockhart, Martindale, Kingsbury, Staples,
Fentress, Stairtown, San Marcos Regional Airport, Maxwell, Reedville
and Redwood.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 2962 9776 2964 9792 2993 9798 2993 9761
TIME...MOT...LOC 1724Z 183DEG 13KT 2975 9776
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
GALESpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX
223 PM CDT Mon May 15 2023
TXZ184-185-152015-
Edwards TX-Real TX-
223 PM CDT Mon May 15 2023
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northeastern Edwards
and north central Real Counties through 315 PM CDT...
At 223 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 13
miles east of Rocksprings, moving north at 15 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Us-377 Near The Kimble-Edwards County Line and Devil's Sinkhole State
Natural Area.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 3028 9975 3003 9987 3000 10012 3029 10017
3029 9976
TIME...MOT...LOC 1923Z 190DEG 13KT 3009 10000
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
GALEThe Laughlin AFB radar (KDFX), 108 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:14 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind, 1 funnel cloud, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
A thunderstorm produced wind gusts measured at 50 kts by the ASOS at the South Texas Regional Airport in Hondo.
A thunderstorm produced a funnel cloud near I-35 and FM 117 in Dilley. The Frio County Emergency Manager relayed a video of the funnel cloud to our office.
An NWS Storm Survey found that an EF-0 tornado initially touched down on the west side of Dilley where damage to hardwood trees was noted. The tornado then moved in a northeasterly direction, causing damage to roofs of buildings on either side of I-35. The |tornado lifted on the east side of the interstate and covered approximately 0.7 miles over a span of 2 minutes. Maximum winds were estimated at 75 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Texas, 2023Warnings in Texas, May 2023
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: 1101659, 1101662, 1101665.