The event known as the Gunsmoke Wildfire in northwestern Starr County started on the afternoon of September 11th, when it was first discovered, and burned until the evening of September 12th, when it was announced to be contained.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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.
The event known as the Gunsmoke Wildfire in northwestern Starr County started on the afternoon of September 11th, when it was first discovered, and burned until the evening of September 12th, when it was announced to be contained.
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 Sep 11, 1:52 PM CST, 49 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Brownsville TX 252 PM CDT Mon Sep 11 2023 ...New SHORT TERM, LONG TERM, MARINE... .SHORT TERM... (Tonight through Tuesday night) Issued at 244 PM CDT Mon Sep 11 2023 Broad upper-level ridging will be the dominant feature for the short term. Associated subsidence and dry air in the mid levels will stifle rain chances, especially inland. Additional moisture in the marine layer could lead to some isolated convection offshore on Tuesday. Temperatures across Deep South Texas are expected to reach the low 100s again Tuesday afternoon, and drop to the mid 70s overnight tonight and Tuesday night. Heat will remain the primary concern for Tuesday, however heat index values are expected to stay below 111, so a heat advisory isn’t likely to be needed. Dry to critically dry fuels, hot temperatures, and low relative humidity could cause an increased risk of wild fire ignition. 20Ft winds, however, are forecast to stay below 15mph, limiting the risk of rapid spread. && .LONG TERM... (Wednesday through next Monday) Issued at 244 PM CDT Mon Sep 11 2023 The long term forecast stays off hot and rain-free, but there is perhaps a slightly better chance of rain this weekend. More on that later. Starting with Wednesday, the mid-level ridge is still going to be the dominating influence on the local weather here. This will lead to high temperatures in the 100s for most of Deep South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley, while the areas along the coast will be in the 90s for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. While low temperatures for this time period will be mostly in the 70s, with a few places close to 80. During the course of the week, a series of upper level troughs are expected to wear down the mid-level ridge and push it south. This will allow for a cold front to move further south. This will bring instability to the atmosphere allowing for the development of showers and thunderstorms. The further the cold front moves south, the more instability in the atmosphere, and thus the greater the chances for rain to occur in the area. The NBM still brings PoPs way too high, so blend of NBM and GFS for Friday and Saturday, and then a blend of NBM and ECMWF was used to bring PoPs to a more reasonable percentage based on current confidence. While this last model run is a bit more consistent with the one before and keeps the peak chances of rain on Saturday, confidence is still low at this time. If further model runs can keep the rain chances on the same day, then confidence will grow. Another benefit if this forecast should pan out is that the cloud cover from the showers and thunderstorms will reduce the high temperatures for the CWA. We could see high temperatures in the 90s over Deep South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley over the weekend and on Monday. Of course, this is all dependent on the cloud cover coming in. If the cold front does not come far enough south, then there will be less chance of rain and less cloud cover, and hotter temperatures. && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1226 PM CDT Mon Sep 11 2023 VFR conditions are expected to prevail through the TAF period. Southeasterly winds will pick up slightly this afternoon as they shift eastward with the seabreeze before dying down and shifting back to the southeast overnight. Sky conditions are expected to remain mostly clear, and no visibility concerns are forecast. && .MARINE... Issued at 244 PM CDT Mon Sep 11 2023 Tonight through Tuesday Night...A weak pressure gradient over the Gulf of Mexico will support light to moderate winds and slight seas through Tuesday night. Subsidence from a broad upper- level ridge over the southwestern US will hamper convection, however some isolated showers and thunderstorms are possible Tuesday and Tuesday night. Favorable conditions are expected to prevail on the Laguna Madre as well with light winds overnight, and moderate winds Tuesday afternoon as daytime heating tightens the pressure gradient slightly. Wednesday through Next Monday...Mostly favorable conditions Wednesday through next Monday as light to moderate onshore flow with seas between 1 to 2 feet with the occasional 3 feet at times. Isolated to scattered showers are possible over starting Friday through Monday as a cold front approaches the Lower Texas Coast. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... BROWNSVILLE 79 97 79 97 / 0 10 0 10 HARLINGEN 74 98 74 99 / 0 10 0 10 MCALLEN 77 101 77 101 / 0 10 0 10 RIO GRANDE CITY 75 103 76 102 / 0 0 0 0 SOUTH PADRE ISLAND 82 90 82 90 / 10 10 20 20 BAYVIEW/PORT ISABEL 77 95 77 96 / 10 10 10 10 && .BRO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TX...None. GM...None. && SHORT TERM...60-BE LONG TERM....64-Katz AVIATION...60-BE
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Brownsville TX 504 AM CDT Mon Sep 11 2023 TXZ248>255-351-353>355-451-454-455-121015- Zapata-Jim Hogg-Brooks-Inland Kenedy-Starr-Southern Hidalgo- Inland Willacy-Inland Cameron-Coastal Kenedy-Northern Hidalgo- Coastal Willacy-Coastal Cameron-Kenedy Island-Willacy Island- Cameron Island- 504 AM CDT Mon Sep 11 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of Deep South Texas. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Heat Indices are expected to range between 105 to 110 degrees this afternoon. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday Heat Advisories may be needed next Thursday and Friday, otherwise Heat Index values will range between 105 to 110 degree everyday through Saturday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed. GMZ130-132-135-150-155-170-175-121015- 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- Gulf waters from Port Mansfield to the Rio Grande out 20 nm- Gulf waters from Baffin Bay to Port Mansfield out 20 nm- Gulf waters from Port Mansfield to the Rio Grande extending from 20 to 60 nm- Gulf waters from Baffin Bay to Port Mansfield extending from 20 to 60 nm- 504 AM CDT Mon Sep 11 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of The Gulf of Mexico and The Laguna Madre. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday Isolated to scattered thunderstorms are possible over the Gulf waters Wednesday through Saturday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
The event known as the Gunsmoke Wildfire in northwestern Starr County started on the afternoon of September 11th, when it was first discovered, and burned until the evening of September 12th, when it was announced to be contained. It burned a total of 447 acres.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, September 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: 1120832.