Zapata storm history

Extreme Drought snuck across the southeast corner of Zapata County on December 23, courtesy of zero to minimal rainfall that extended from northwest Starr County. Severe (D2) conditions remained elsewhere, except for some improvement to Moderate (D1) between Zapata and San Ygnaci…

Severe (D2) Drought would prevail across all but the northern quarter of Zapata County through December 22nd.

Due to prolonged dryness and near-record late summer through mid-autumn heat, Severe (D2) Drought conditions developed across much of Zapata County that initially included the the city of Zapata, but would expand to cover the entire county, including San Ygnacio on the 18th and c…

Following locally heavy rainfall before daybreak on May 7th, and again during the afternoon no May 8th, which dropped pockets of 2-4+ inches of rain across much of Zapata County, Drought Improved to Moderate (D1) and Abnormally Dry (D0) across all but the extreme northwestern por…

Zapata County Sheriff's office state that the public reported golf ball to softball size hail iin the city of San Ygnacio. The hail derived from a supercell thunderstorm that moved east from the foothills of the Sierra Madre Oriental mountains in northern Mexico. As of this writi…

Due to the continued combination of dry and hot conditions with a strong sun angle and evaporation rates, Severe (D2) Drought continued across Zapata County to begin May. A band of thunderstorms with more than 2 inches (estimated) of rain on May 2nd covered southern Zapata, reduc…

Due to the continued combination of dry and hot conditions with a strong sun angle and evaporation rates, Severe (D2) Drought continued across either a large portion of Zapata County, including the cities/towns of Zapata and San Ygnacio through the month of April, from April 1st …

The combination of humidity averaging near 10 percent each afternoon for a week (March 9-17), occasional heat spikes, and gusty winds moved conditions into flash drought territory, and the drought monitor was adjusted to Extreme (D3) on the 18th. These conditions would continue u…

A Severe (D2) Drought was designated for Zapata County on March 4, which continued through March 17, 2025, as a combination of very dry air, repeated dry fronts that produced northerly winds, and warmer than average temperatures created a flash drought condition.

The Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) platform in Zapata recorded 23.5 hours (from 12:30am to 11:20am on January 21 and from 7:15pm on January 21 to 7:55am on January 22) of wind chill values at or below 25F degrees. Minimum wind chill values of 20F degrees at 7:35am on J…

The Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) platform in Zapata recorded 23.5 hours of freezing temperatures (32 degrees or lower) from 12:30am to 11:20am on January 21, and from 7:15pm on January 21 to 7:55am on January 22. A minimum temperature of 23F degrees occurred at 6:35a…

Broadcast media reported freezing rain on fences and vegetation in Zapata. The AWOS site recorded 0.13 inches of ice that had accumulated. With temperatures at or below 32F degrees, it's likely that freezing rain was falling between 12:30am-7:00am on January 21.

Radar estimates of 4 to 6 inches of rainfall fell over a 3 hour period. Flooding was reported with high water as high as 2 feet flowing over Highway 16 in the city of Zapata. Water was reported in a home in the Medina Addition.

Zapata recorded max heat indices between 111-117F for 5 hours, from 1:55-6:55 PM CDT on June 5, 2024.

Zapata recorded max heat indices between 111-116F for 6 hours, from 12:55-6:55 PM CDT on June 4, 2024.

An Emergency Management Coordinator reported a downed powerline along U.S. highway 83 near the Zapata/Webb County line.

Zapata recorded max heat indices between 112-116F from 11:55 AM-5:55 PM CDT on May 27, 2024.

Zapata recorded max heat indices between 111-116F for 7 hours, from 1:55-8:55 PM CDT on May 26, 2024.

Zapata recorded max heat indices between 111-116F for 5 hours, from 12:55-5:55 PM CDT on May 25, 2024.

Zapata recorded max heat indices between 112-114F from 1:55-7:55 PM CDT on May 24, 2024.

Zapata recorded max heat indices between 111 and 113.5F between 335 and 655 PM CDT.

Zapata recorded max heat indices between 111-113F for a little more than four hours from 215 through 625 PM CDT on May 21, 2024.

Baseball size hail was reported in San Ygnacio, related by the Zapata County Sheriff's office.

Zapata recorded temperatures at or below freezing for almost 11 hours (between 1235 AM and 1045 AM on the 16th. A Hard Freeze (temperatures below 28 degrees for 2 or more hours) was observed at Zapata between 555 AM and 825 AM. Minimum temperatures fell to 26F degrees across the …

Zapata recorded temperatures at or below freezing for almost 11 hours (between 835 PM on the 16th and 855 AM on the 17th). A Hard Freeze (temperatures below 28 degrees for 2 or more hours) was observed at Zapata between 955 PM on the 16th and 825 AM on the 17th. A minimum tempera…

The Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) platform in Zapata recorded a little bit over 6 hours of freezing temperatures (32 degrees or lower) from 335AM to 955AM on January 15, 2024. A minimum temperature of 31F degrees occurred between 630AM and 830AM.

Severe (D2) Drought conditions replaced Extreme (D3) Drought conditions across all but far northern Zapata County, following widespread 1 to 1.5 inches, locally 2 inches, of rainfall associated with showers and thunderstorms along the season's first cold front during the late aft…

Extreme Drought (D3) prevailed across all but the northern fifth of Zapata County, from San Ygnacio north to the Webb County line and northeast to Jim Hogg County just five miles south of the Webb County line, through October 9th. Broad rainfall of 1 to more than 2 inches during …

Extreme (D3) Drought dominated September across most of Zapata County, as rainfall was limited to patches of the county (mainly the northern tier) after mid month. At the start of the month, a sliver of Severe (D2) Drought existed near the Starr County and Webb County lines (sout…

Lack of persistent rain and hot to very hot temperatures allowed Extreme (D3) Drought to develop across all but the southern tip of Zapata County on August 22nd.

The Zapata County Airport AWOS reported a heat index of 111 by 3:15 PM CDT, with 111 or higher values persisting until approximately 5:35 PM CDT on August 11th.

The Zapata County Airport AWOS reported a heat index of 111 by 1:15 PM CDT, with 111 or higher values persisting until approximately 6:35 PM CDT on August 10th.

The Zapata County Airport AWOS reported a heat index of 111 by 3:55 PM CDT, with 111 or higher values persisting until approximately 6:55 PM CDT on August 9th.

The Jennings Fire in Zapata County burned 3,506 acres. A Spot Request was received at 2:19 PM CDT and an article from the Zapata County News was used to estimate the start time of the fire at around 10:31AM CDT on August 7th. It was contained at 12:17 PM CDT on August 10th. The e…

Lack of persistent rain combined with dry to very dry conditions and hot temperatures allowed Severe (D2) Drought to persist across all of Zapata County.

Lack of persistent rain combined with dry to very dry conditions and hot temperatures allowed Severe (D2) Drought to develop across all of Zapata County.

The Zapata County Airport AWOS reported a heat index of 111 by 2:55 PM CDT, with 111 or higher values persisting until approximately 7:15 PM CDT on July 12th.

The Zapata County Airport AWOS reported a heat index of 111 by 3:15 PM CDT, with 111 or higher values persisting until approximately 4:35 PM CDT on June 22nd.

The Zapata County Airport AWOS reported a heat index of 111 by 2:35 PM CDT, with 111 or higher values persisting until approximately 5:35 PM CDT on June 21st.

The Zapata County Airport AWOS reported a heat index of 111 by 3:35 PM CDT, with 111 or higher values persisting until approximately 6:15 PM CDT on June 20th.

The Zapata County Airport AWOS reported a heat index of 111 by 2:55 PM CDT, with 111 or higher values persisting until approximately 6:15 PM CDT on June 19th.

The Zapata County Airport AWOS reported a heat index of 111 by 1:55 PM CDT, with 111 or higher values persisting until approximately 6:55 PM CDT on June 18th.

The Zapata County Airport AWOS reported a heat index of 111 by around 215 PM CDT, with 111 or higher values persisting until approximately 630 PM CDT. Peak value was just below 114 at 235 PM CDT. Proxy observations to other sites along the Rio Grande in Zapata County suggest dura…

The Zapata County Airport AWOS reported a heat index of 111 by around 3 PM CDT, with 111 or higher values persisting until approximately 8 PM CDT. Peak value was just below 113 at 415 PM CDT. Proxy observations to other sites along the Rio Grande in Zapata County suggest duration…

The Zapata County Airport AWOS reported a heat index of 111 by around 4 PM CDT, with 111 or higher values persisting until approximately 545 PM CDT. Proxy observations to other sites along the Rio Grande in Zapata County suggest duration could have reached 3 to 4 hours in a few l…

The Zapata County Airport AWOS reported a heat index of 111 by 4:35 PM CDT, with 111 or higher values persisting until approximately 530 PM CDT. Proxy observations to other sites along the Rio Grande in Zapata County suggest duration could have reached 3 hours in a few locations.

Zapata County Sheriff's Office reported a car swerving off the road in Morales-Sanchez due to hail the size of golf balls.

Lack of persistent rain coupled with dry to very dry conditions allowed Extreme (D3) Drought to continue for Zapata County into April. Light rain on March 28th and 29th allowed for a continuation of Extreme (D3) Drought into early April. Significant rainfall, on the order of 0.75…