Texas, 2024Rip Current in Texas, October 20, 2024
October 20, 2024 · NWS BRO · 1 event in 1 county or zone
Rough surf and high intensity rip currents along the Lower Texas coast for several days were present when a man ventured into the surf, unaware of the power of the water. The swimmer, who was from Houston, was quickly moved by the current into deeper water, where he drowned.
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- Deaths
- 1
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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.
Rough surf and high intensity rip currents along the Lower Texas coast for several days were present when a man ventured into the surf, unaware of the power of the water. The swimmer, who was from Houston, was quickly moved by the current into deeper water, where he drowned.
What forecasters said that day
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 Oct 20, 5:29 AM CST, 1 hour 16 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Oct 20, 5:29 AM CST, 1 hour 16 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED
National Weather Service Brownsville TX
629 AM CDT Sun Oct 20 2024
...New AVIATION...
.SHORT TERM...
(Today through Monday)
Issued at 321 AM CDT Sun Oct 20 2024
The KBRO upper air sounding from Saturday evening indicated 1.66
inches of precipitable water in the atmospheric column. A brief
surge of deeper moisture will move into the BRO CWFA today, and
this will support generally scattered showers and thunderstorms
across the area today. The loss of daytime heating, and the moisture
rapidly waning, will produce dry weather tonight. However, enough
scraps of moisture may allow for isolated convection for the southern
and southeastern portion of Deep South Texas and the Rio Grande
Valley on Monday.
Meanwhile, temperature-wise, well above normal daytime highs and
overnight lows are anticipated, but no extreme values are likely.
Finally, elevated seas along the Lower Texas Coast will continue to
support a High Risk of rip currents at the local beaches through at
least sunset Monday, with coastal flooding conditions until the late
night hours of Monday.
&&
.LONG TERM...
(Monday night through Saturday)
Issued at 321 AM CDT Sun Oct 20 2024
The long term starts with a 500mb ridge over Deep South Texas with a
mid-level trough over the Plains. Mid-level ridging will provide
subsidence across the region through much of the week. The mid-level
ridge will slide westward as a 500mb shortwave will dig southward on
the eastern periphery of the ridge. A weak front will approach the
area late in the period but should stall to our north.
Temperatures are expected to remain near to slightly above normal
through the period. Highs will range from the low to mid 80s near
the coast to the around 90 across the Upper Valley and the Rio
Grande Plains. Overnight lows are expected to fall into the 60s,
except for the lower 70s at the beaches.
A persistent easterly flow across the Gulf and long period swells
will continue our coastal flooding and rip current threat through
around midweek.
&&
.AVIATION...
(12Z TAFS)
Issued at 626 AM CDT Sun Oct 20 2024
Only minor adjustments made to the previous issuance of TAFs. VFR
will generally be the rule at the aerodromes through the next 24
hours. A TEMPO has been retained for the possibility of late
morning to afternoon convection. Mostly cloudy skies with light to
moderate winds are also anticipated.
&&
.MARINE...
Issued at 321 AM CDT Sun Oct 20 2024
Today through Monday: Buoy 42020 reported east winds around 18
knots gusting to around 21 knots with seas slightly over 8 feet
with a period of 9 seconds at 1:50 CDT/6:50 UTC. Small Craft
Advisory conditions will continue for the Gulf of Mexico waters
from 0 to 60 nautical miles offshore through the period courtesy
of an enhanced pressure gradient. Meanwhile, more benign winds and
bay waters will occur on the Laguna Madre.
Monday night through Friday...Moderate east winds and elevated seas
should support low end small craft advisories on the Gulf Waters
Monday night or Tuesday. The driving factor will be moderate east
winds across a long Gulf fetch. Wave heights will become moderate
on Tuesday as east winds across the Gulf weaken slightly.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
BROWNSVILLE 86 73 86 71 / 40 10 10 0
HARLINGEN 86 69 86 67 / 40 0 20 0
MCALLEN 89 72 90 70 / 50 10 20 0
RIO GRANDE CITY 86 68 88 68 / 40 10 10 0
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND 83 77 83 77 / 30 10 10 0
BAYVIEW/PORT ISABEL 85 72 84 71 / 40 0 10 0
&&
.BRO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...Coastal Flood Advisory until 1 AM CDT Tuesday for TXZ451-454-455.
High Rip Current Risk through late Monday night for TXZ451-454-
455.
GM...Small Craft Advisory until 1 AM CDT Tuesday for GMZ150-155-170-
175.
&&Rip Current, Cameron Island
- When
- October 20, 6:45 AM CST
- Where
- Cameron Island forecast zone
- Deaths
- 1 direct, 0 indirect
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 26.152, -97.453 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A man ventured into rough and confused surf after completing his shift at the Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) factory just west of Boca Chica Beach. The rough surf, which included intense rip currents and surf waves higher than four feet, took the man quickly offshore, where he was unable to return back and disappeared into the sea, according to Cameron County sheriff deputies on-scene. Another man who accompanied the deceased attempted to rescue him, but could not. Multiple local, state, and federal agencies assisted in the initial search, and the U.S. Coast Guard took over later that day. A search was called off by the U.S. Coast Guard the following morning due to rough seas.
The body of the deceased was found on Boca Chica Beach nearly 36 hours later.
- Rip Current
- A narrow, fast current flowing away from the beach that caused a drowning or rescue.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Cold in Arizona, October 20, 20241 death · 1 event
- Coastal Flood and Heavy Snow in Alaska, October 20 to 23, 202485 kt wind · 22 events
- Flood in Alaska, October 20 to 21, 20241 event
- Damaging Wind in Colorado, October 20, 202452 kt wind · 1 event
- Frost and Freeze in Colorado, October 20 to 21, 20241 event
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: 1221760.