Marine Thunderstorm Wind · Gulf of Mexico

Buoy station IRDT2 S. Bird Island, TX measured gusts up to 55 mph.

Elevated winds developed across South Texas as a progressive MCS evolved along a stationary front. Ahead of the front, a very moist and unstable air mass was in place, characterized by surface dewpoints near 70F and extreme instability with MLCAPE values of 3,000-4,500 J/kg. Steep mid-level lapse rates and moderate deep-layer wind shear supported organized thunderstorms capable of high winds. During the overnight hours, clusters of thunderstorms interacted with multiple outflow boundaries, enhancing localized wind production. The moist environment and persistent southerly inflow helped sustain the convective system as it pushed southeastward across the region, producing broad areas of 30-40 kt winds with isolated severe gusts exceeding 50 kt.