Marine High Wind — Laguna Madre From Port of Brownsville To Arroyo Colorado, Gulf of Mexico

2021-05-19 · near Port Isabel, Laguna Madre From Port of Brownsville To Arroyo Colorado, Gulf of Mexico

Event narrative

Coast Guard reported 3 unmanned fishing boats breaking loose, then capsizing and sinking in the Laguna Madre due to high marine thunderstorm winds. Damage was also observed at the Dolphin Docks location in Port Isabel, which was quoted as being between $25-30k based on similar damage instances in the past. Time was estimated based on wind observations nearby. Damage costs are estimated as well.

Wider weather episode

The May 19th thunderstorm complex that brought flash flooding and high winds to portions of the Lower Rio Grande Valley also developed a wake low, which led to high northerly winds occurring across the Laguna Madre and immediate coastal areas. This led to several boats breaking loose. The boats then drifted down the Laguna, causing damage to a dock and ultimately capsizing and sinking near the Queen Isabella Causeway.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (26.0796, -97.2057)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 962435. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.