Thunderstorm Wind in Starr County, Texas

Damaging winds, mainly to poorly built structures, combined with wind-driven hail (generally between 1 and 2.75 in diameter) caused widespread damage in the western side of Rio Grande City, from Zinnia St. near N. Alvarez Road to neighborhoods along and just south of Eisenhower Rd. in the northwest side of the City.

Based on the survey and surrounding reports, as well as quality of building construction, the estimated wind was 65 to 70 mph in most areas. This included locations with wind-driven hail south of Eisenhower Rd. Specific damage included:

*A sheet-metal roof blown off a residence, part of which collapsed into the home and trapped a resident, who was uninjured.

*Wind-driven hail damage to at least 100 single-family residences along Santa Lucia, Santa Maria, and Santa Isabel Roads. The vast majority of damage was shattered windows to every home surveyed.

*Direct wind damage to homes, including peeled-back shingles from 5 to more than 20% to at least a dozen structures, several fences blown down, and flipped trampolines

*A destroyed permanent food-truck canopy (blown off) which did not have appropriate rebar reinforcement, which led to collapse of the support concrete poles. This building was fully exposed to the microburst winds, which came from the northwest.

Damage values provided are estimated, but include the combination of direct wind as well as wind-driven hail situations.

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.