Thunderstorm Wind — Willacy, Texas

2024-03-16 · near La Sara, Willacy, Texas

Event narrative

A Willacy County Emergency Manager reported a power pole and lines down at 1425 N 490 in Raymondville.

Wider weather episode

A slow-moving, quasi-stationary cold frontal boundary was the focus of strong to severe thunderstorms March 15-16, 2024. A couple of discrete supercell thunderstorms developed off the Mexico plateau during the evening hours of March 15. As the evening/night progressed, these storms formed into a cluster of strong to severe thunderstorms as they translated eastward into and through the Rio Grande Plains and Brush Country of Deep South Texas. In its aftermath, Willacy County proved to be hardest hit as there were reports of nickel size hail, a power pole down, and 55 knot wind gust over Rincon Del San Jose during the overnight hours on March 16.

Welcome rain fell across the ranch areas north of the populated Lower Rio Grande Valley, but reports indicated that the 3 to 6 inches of rainfall soaked in overnight, leaving no trace of any rural flooding early on March 16th.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (26.4600, -97.9800)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1165704. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.