Tornadoes · United States · Texas · 2026
EF1 tornado, Dacosta, Texas, May 1, 2026
This EF1 tornado ran 1.1 miles across Victoria County on May 1, 2026, touching down at 2:02 PM CDT and reaching 400 yards wide. It killed nobody.
Preliminary. This is NWS CRP's damage survey, filed in the Damage Assessment Toolkit. The rating, the path and the casualties are the survey's and can change while it is revised. The Storm Prediction Center compiles the official record of 2026 from these surveys and publishes it in the spring of 2027; this page moves to that tornado's permanent address when it does.
The rating scale
Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Enhanced Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.
EF065 to 85 mph
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
EF186 to 110 mphthis tornado
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
EF2111 to 135 mph
Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.
EF3136 to 165 mph
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
EF4166 to 200 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
EF5over 200 mph
Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.
Unrated
The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.
The survey
- Rating, as surveyed
- EF1, preliminary
- Date
- May 1, 2026
- Touchdown
- 2:02 PM CDT (19:02 UTC)
- Lifted
- 2:06 PM CDT (19:06 UTC)
- On the ground
- 4 minutes
- Path length
- 1.1 miles (1.7 km)
- Path width
- 400 yards (366 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- County
- Victoria County
- Touchdown point
- 28.722, -96.944
- Lift-off point
- 28.726, -96.927
- Highest wind the damage implies
- 110 mph
- Surveyed by
- NWS CRP
- Survey last edited
- May 3, 2026
- Record number
- None yet. SPC numbers 2026 in the spring of 2027.
What the survey found
Evidence of a high-end EF-1 (110mph) tornado was found in south-
central Victoria County. Drone footage showed a scour track that
began over farmland between Crouch Rd and HWY-185, and ended near
Crouch Rd east of York Rd along with a track of debris. In between,
several manufactured homes on Jared Rd, Lexie Ln, and York Rd
suffered significant roof damage, broken windows, and scattered
debris correlated to circulation of a tornado. One manufactured home
was completely destroyed along Jared Rd. The tornado track was found
to be around 1.1 miles long and a width of around 400 yards,
spanning from 2:02-2:06pm CDT.
Written by NWS CRP in the NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit. A survey is revised as better evidence arrives.
The damage survey
45 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS CRP, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF1. The highest wind the damage implies is 110 mph.
- Two RVs flipped. Several others pushed several feet. Numerous large branches snapped.
- Corn stripped and laid flat. Small shed destroyed.
- Completely flattened crops.
- Siding ripped off manufactured home.
Survey points are preliminary and are the raw material the published rating was built from. Source: NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit.
What the Weather Service recorded
On May 1, 2026, severe weather developed across South Texas as a shortwave trough moved eastward out of northern Mexico and interacted with a quasi-stationary frontal boundary draped across South Texas and the middle Texas coast. North of the front, a very moist air mass characterized by dewpoints in the lower to middle 70s combined with moderate instability to support widespread showers and thunderstorms. As the upper-level disturbance approached, increasing large-scale ascent and strengthening mid-level winds enhanced deep-layer shear, allowing some storms to become better organized and rotate. Despite extensive cloud cover and ongoing convection, sufficient instability remained in place for stronger updrafts capable of producing large hail. The combination of strengthening shear and organized storm structures also supported isolated severe wind gusts. Additionally, the development of a surface low along the Texas coast locally enhanced low-level wind fields and directional shear near the frontal boundary, creating a favorable environment for a brief, isolated tornado.
Evidence of a high-end EF-1 (110mph) tornado was found in south- central Victoria County. Drone footage showed a scour track that began over farmland between Crouch Rd and HWY-185, and ended near Crouch Rd east of York Rd along with a track of debris. In between, several manufactured homes on Jared Rd, Lexie Ln, and York Rd suffered significant roof damage, broken windows, and scattered debris correlated to circulation of a tornado. One manufactured home was completely destroyed along Jared Rd. The tornado track was found to be around 1.1 miles long and a width of around 400 yards, spanning from 2:02-2:06pm CDT.
From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.
The warnings
No tornado warning for this county appears in the archive as in force at the moment the tornado touched down.
| Issued (UTC) | Expired | Product | Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18:32 UTC | 19:15 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CRP |
| 18:59 UTC | 19:45 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CRP |
| 19:08 UTC | 19:41 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CRP |
Every warning and watch covering the touchdown point that day, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service products. Lead time is measured from the issue of the warning in force to the touchdown time in the database, both of which were recorded to the minute by different people.
The forecast that day
The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a Marginal Risk. The outlook in force was issued at 16:24 UTC.
SPC's Day 1 convective outlook as it stood when the tornado began, read at the touchdown point. The same archive is on the radar archive.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the tornado touched down, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Corpus Christi, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before the tornado touched down at May 1, 12:35 PM CDT, 1 hour 27 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- Updated at 1228 PM CDT Fri May 1 2026
- Marginal (1 of 5) Severe Weather Risk for most of S TX today through tonight.
- Marginal to Slight (1-2 of 4) Risk of Excessive Rainfall today through tonight.
- Gale Warning Friday evening through Saturday morning, then Small Craft Advisory conditions through Saturday afternoon or evening.
- Wind Advisory in effect this evening.
- Minor Coastal Flooding possible Saturday.
- Moderate Rip Current Risk today through Saturday.
Area forecast discussion, May 1, 12:35 PM CDT, 1 hour 27 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED
National Weather Service Corpus Christi TX
1235 PM CDT Fri May 1 2026
...New AVIATION...
.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 1228 PM CDT Fri May 1 2026
- Marginal (1 of 5) Severe Weather Risk for most of S TX today
through tonight.
- Marginal to Slight (1-2 of 4) Risk of Excessive Rainfall today
through tonight.
- Gale Warning Friday evening through Saturday morning, then
Small Craft Advisory conditions through Saturday afternoon or
evening.
- Wind Advisory in effect this evening.
- Minor Coastal Flooding possible Saturday.
- Moderate Rip Current Risk today through Saturday.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 120 AM CDT Fri May 1 2026
A mid/upper level short wave coincident with the cold front and
abundant moisture will continue to lead to showers and
thunderstorms. A marginal risk of severe storms will include most of
South Texas, except along the Rio Grande, today and tonight. If we
can break the cap or if storms move into the area, confidence is
medium to high for severe weather today due to low level moisture
convergence, moderate instability, diffluence aloft, strong PVA and
lift. The main threats will be large hail and damaging winds. There
is a very low chance of a tornado.
There is also a marginal to slight risk of excessive rainfall
through tonight. The slight risk remains generally from Tilden to
Rockport and northward. The rainfall will be beneficial, but we will
need to watch for localized flash flooding with high rainfall rates.
This will mainly affect low lying areas, urban areas, creeks and
streams. Fortunately, the front and associated storms will move
through the region fairly quickly, limiting the chances for
widespread flooding.
Rain chances diminish and skies clear from northwest to southeast
behind the cold front tonight. Cooler temperatures with highs in the
70s and lows in the 50s are expected in the wake of the cold front.
Then a warming trend begins Sunday with moderate heat risk by
Tuesday.
Strong north to northeasterly winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 40
mph are expected behind the front, mainly along the coast, so have a
Wind Advisory in effect tonight from 7 PM through 10 AM Saturday.
Other areas could see wind gusts to 40 mph but, at this time, these
gusts are not expected to last very long so have not included them
in a Wind Advisory. In addition, frequent gusts to gale force is
expected across the marine zones, so have issued the Gale Warning
for this evening through Saturday morning.
Minor coastal flooding is possible behind the cold front tonight
into Saturday during high tide as strong northeasterly flow develops
over the gulf waters, seas build to 10-13 ft, and swell periods
increase to around 8 seconds. We have also continued the moderate
rip of rip currents for today through Saturday, but there is the
potential that we will need to increase this to a high risk.
&&
.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 1228 PM CDT Fri May 1 2026
Showers and thunderstorms will continue through this afternoon as
a cold front pushes through the region. IFR/LIFR conditions can be
expected with the heavier rainfall, with generally MVFR outside of
rain areas. MVFR conditions expected through tonight into Saturday
morning. Rain chances diminish through this evening. Behind the
front, strong northerly winds with gusts up to 30-40kt will be
possible. Winds are expected to decrease Saturday morning.
&&
.MARINE...
Issued at 120 AM CDT Fri May 1 2026
A gentle to moderate onshore flow (BF 3-4) ahead of a cold front
will increase slightly to a more moderate flow through today before
shifting to the northeast and then increasing to strong to near gale
(BF 6-7) tonight through Saturday. A Gale Warning is now in effect
this evening through Saturday morning. Winds will gradually diminish
to a moderate to fresh (BF 4- 5) Saturday night through Sunday
before further weakening to gentle to moderate flow and turning east
to southeast. medium to high (30-70%) chance of showers and
thunderstorms today and tonight will diminish from northwest to
southeast Saturday.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 120 AM CDT Fri May 1 2026
Relative humidity values will remain at or above 35% through the
forecast period. Ahead and along a cold front, there is a medium to
high rain chances tonight through Friday night, which will limit
fire weather concerns into early next week.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Corpus Christi 57 76 56 79 / 30 0 0 0
Victoria 53 75 51 80 / 40 0 0 0
Laredo 57 76 56 82 / 10 0 0 0
Alice 56 77 52 82 / 20 0 0 0
Rockport 59 78 62 79 / 30 0 0 0
Cotulla 55 76 53 82 / 10 0 0 0
Kingsville 56 76 54 81 / 20 10 0 0
Navy Corpus 60 76 65 77 / 30 10 0 0
&&
.CRP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...Wind Advisory from 7 PM this evening to 10 AM CDT Saturday for
TXZ245-342>347-442-443-447.
GM...Small Craft Advisory from 7 PM to 10 PM CDT this evening for
GMZ231-232-236-237-250-255-270-275.
Gale Warning from 10 PM this evening to 10 AM CDT Saturday for
GMZ231-232-236-237-250-255-270-275.
&&
DISCUSSION...LS/77
AVIATION...TE/81In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 1, 11:53 AM CDT, 2 hours 9 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Corpus Christi TX
1153 AM CDT Fri May 1 2026
TXZ229-230-011730-
McMullen TX-La Salle TX-
1153 AM CDT Fri May 1 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHEASTERN LA SALLE AND
NORTHWESTERN MCMULLEN COUNTIES THROUGH 1230 PM CDT...
At 1152 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 9
miles north of Los Angeles, or 13 miles east of Dilley, moving east
at 50 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Cross, Zella, and Los Angeles.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 2864 9852 2857 9851 2844 9906 2863 9913
2864 9909
TIME...MOT...LOC 1652Z 250DEG 42KT 2859 9897
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
BFSpecial weather statement, May 1, 12:31 PM CDT, 1 hour 31 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Corpus Christi TX
1231 PM CDT Fri May 1 2026
TXZ230>232-011815-
Live Oak TX-McMullen TX-Bee TX-
1231 PM CDT Fri May 1 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHEASTERN MCMULLEN...
NORTHWESTERN LIVE OAK AND NORTHWESTERN BEE COUNTIES THROUGH 115 PM
CDT...
At 1231 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Crowther, or 10 miles northwest of Choke Canyon, moving east at 65
mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Crowther, Nell, Whitsett, Esseville, Cross, and Pawnee.
This includes Interstate 37 between mile markers 75 and 83.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 2873 9804 2859 9800 2849 9852 2864 9856
2864 9834 2861 9833 2879 9810
TIME...MOT...LOC 1731Z 255DEG 57KT 2861 9845
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
BFThe air that afternoon
The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.
Corpus Christi, TX (KCRP), 00:00Z
5.0 hours after it, 117 km from the path. May 2, 2026.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -50296 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 32 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 620 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 63 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 13 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -11 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 358 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 5.2
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 3.5 K/km
The radar
The Corpus Christi radar (KCRP), 119 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 19:00 UTC.
Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track
Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.
What was reported nearby
Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Report | Where | County | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18:53 UTC | HAIL 1 | 7 Ene Fannin | Victoria, TX | |
| 19:00 UTC | HAIL 0.75 | 1 Ese Victoria | Victoria, TX | Report of 0.75 inch hail at the intersection of Sam Houston Dr and US-59T Business. |
| 19:02 UTC | HAIL 1 | 3 Ssw Victoria | Victoria, TX | Nickel to quarter sized hail. Winds have knocked out power. |
| 19:02 UTC | TORNADO | 3 Wnw Dacosta | Victoria, TX | NWS damage survey confirmed EF-1 tornado. |
| 19:03 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 3 W Dacosta | Victoria, TX | Photos of an outbuilding destroyed and other building damage nearby. |
| 19:06 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Nw Placedo | Victoria, TX | Report of 3 train cars tipped partially over. Time and location approximated using radar. |
| 19:10 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Ene Dacosta | Victoria, TX | KAVU shared photos of a medium-sized tree snapped in half as well as large branches scattered on Grand Street right behind Placedo Elementary. |
| 19:19 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Nw Placedo | Victoria, TX | REPORT OF 3 TRAIN CARS TIPPED PARTIALLY OVER. TIME AND LOCATION APPROXIMATED USING RADAR. CORRECTED FOR TIME. |
| 19:31 UTC | HAIL 1 | 2 Nnw Tivoli | Refugio, TX | Measured 1 inch hail at the high school. |
| 20:04 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 7 Sse Magnolia Beach | Calhoun, TX | TDEM reported damage and images of overturned RVs. Time estimated by radar. |
| 20:15 UTC | MARINE TSTM WIND 42 | 8 Se Magnolia Beach | Calhoun, TX | Stella Ave Tempest weather station measured gusts to 42 mph. |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2026 tornado in TexasEvery tornado in Texas since 1950Warnings in force in Texas nowThe forecast where you are
What this means
Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. A survey can be revised, so the rating, the path and the casualties can all still change.
Sources
NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit, the record the survey teams file from the damage, and NOAA Storm Prediction Center storm reports. Neither is the official database for 2026, which SPC publishes in the spring of 2027.