Thunderstorm Wind in Starr County, Texas

The storm survey investigated an incident at a fuel service station on the east side of Rio Grande City. The gull canopy tipped over with bent columns at foundation. No other damage in area was noted, so wind speed at the site was estimated to be 65 to 70 mph. The canopy collapsed onto a pickup truck underneath, and injured one adult and two children inside. Wind driven hail may have also been a factor based on vehicle impacts near the location.

A supercell thunderstorm developed just off the plateau of the Sierra Madre and moved along the Rio Grande along the Zapata/Starr Countyline before moving into and across southern Starr County between 1126 PM March 7 and 1204 AM CST March 8. This severe thunderstorm went on to produce a persistent wet microburst, which produced wind-driven large hail damage and wind damage near and around Rio Grande City and Roma. Three people were injured in their car after a gas station canopy collapsed onto their vehicle in east Rio Grande City.

A second wave of heavy rainfall moved along the Rio Grande between Roma and Rio Grande City between midnight and 2 AM, pushing already filled culverts and arroyos over their limits and produced a significant flash flood in Roma early on March 8th.