Three times was not the charm for the Rio Grande Valley in July, 2020. For the third summer in a row, significant to locally devastating flooding inundated parts of the Rio Grande Valley...in some cases in the same neighborhoods with similar water levels. In 2018, the culprit was a elongated tropical wave that brought abundant moisture from the western Caribbean, eastern tropical Pacific, and southwest Gulf for days. In 2019, the combination of outflow boundaries from southeast Texas, upper level energy in northeast Mexico, and a highly unstable atmosphere did the deed. In 2020? It was an early-season hurricane.

Hurricane Hanna, the 2020 Atlantic season's first Hurricane, made landfall along the unpopulated Padre Island National Seashore on the mid-Kenedy County coastline at around 5 PM Central Time Saturday, July 25^th, carrying sustained 90 mph winds with gusts over 100 mph in a small portion of the inner eye wall. The hurricane spun slowly but steadily into southern Kenedy and northern Hidalgo County through just after midnight on the 26th, then through Starr County as a Tropical Storm before moving into Tamaulipas before daybreak and eventually near Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, by noon before dissipating during the evening of the 26^th.

Hanna marked the first direct landfall and track of a hurricane across Deep South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley for the first time since Hurricane Dolly in 2008, which coincidentally crossed the Valley just a few days earlier (July 23-24, 2008). The cyclone began as a disorganized area of showers and thunderstorms associated with a tropical wave near Hispañola on July 19^th. Over the next three days, the wave struggled to develop, fighting off dry air and a bit of wind shear as it slowly edge westward. By July 23, however, the wave moved into an area of low wind shear and higher "fuel" in the form of very warm sea surface temperatures. Soon after, Tropical Depression 8 formed, and by late evening on the 23rd, Hanna was born as a Tropical Storm over the west-central Gulf, about 225 miles south of the Louisiana coast. Hanna steadily strengthened on the 24th while on a westward heading, and became Hurricane Hanna at daybreak on the 25^th, just 90 miles east of Port Mansfield.

Following the passage of the inner eye wall, broad feeder bands of torrential rains and gusty tropical storm force winds continued through the mid to late morning hours of July 26^th, slowly migrating from east to west across the populated Rio Grande Valley. Additional feeder bands redeveloped in unstable air Monday afternoon and evening in western Cameron and eastern Hidalgo County, exacerbating the ongoing flood conditions there.

Summary of Impacts
Throughout Hanna's life cycle, the most rain and wind activity was in the southern semicircle. Other than storm surge flooding, which peaked just north of Baffin Bay on the Kleberg and Nueces County coast near Corpus Christi, Hanna's memory for the Rio Grande Valley will be flooding rainfall, power outages, and an array of damage to poorly constructed buildings, from minor roof damage to complete demolition. The rainfall map (at right) for Hanna and two days of remnant squalls, was similar to both Hurricane Dolly and the Great June Flood of 2018. Review the tabs at the top of this page for details on rainfall, wind speeds, river/stream flows, tidal overwash, and even a small tornado that brushed by our office on the east side of Brownsville early on the 26^th. Below is the "Tale of the Tape" from Hurricane Hanna.

• Including post-Hanna feeder bands, 8 to 15 inches of rain fell from Port Mansfield southwest to Harlingen, than along the Interstate 2 and US 83 corridor from Harlingen through Sullivan City and La Grulla (Starr County)
• The rainfall combined with poor drainage systems in Hidalgo and Cameron County left 18 inches to up to 4 feet of water in many areas between Santa Rosa/La Feria (Cameron) and east of Edinburg, as well as in the Mission/La Joya/Sullivan City area (Hidalgo)
• Measured and estimated peak wind speeds were the following in the Rio Grande Valley:
  • 80 to 85 in Port Mansfield
  • 75 to 80 mph in Raymondville
  • 70 to 75 mph in Lyford
  • 65 to 75+ mph in northeast Hidalgo County
  • 60 to 65 mph along Interstate 2 and points north, between Harlingen/San Benito and the McAllen/Mission area
  • 55 to 60 mph in Starr County
• At the peak of the event, at least 250,000 Rio Grande Valley customers were without power. This included nearly 100 percent of Willacy County, and likely up to 50 percent of Cameron and Hidalgo County
• Hundreds of poorly built homes and other structures were damaged, mainly roofs but also some siding and walls. Dozens of buildings in colonias were uninhabitable, with an unknown number demolished
• Tens of thousands of tree limbs were blown down, and hundreds of trees were snapped or uprooted. Hundreds of power poles were snapped, blown down, or leaning.
• Virtually all of the budding and unharvested cotton crop was destroyed by the deluge.
• Citrus was heavily damaged across the Valley with young fruit blown off trees. Sugarcane was heavily damaged, and an unknown number of vegetable crops were expected to be a total loss.
• Crop damage overall was $177 million in South Texas, the majority in the Rio Grande Valley. When including economic/production losses, the preliminary total was estimated at $366 million.
• Measured and estimated storm surge, or levels above mean higher high water, ranged from 1.67 feet on South Padre Island to 2.64 to 3.43 between Port Mansfield and Rincon del San Jose (landfall point in Kenedy County). At the South Padre Island beaches, this amounted to "run-up" to the dune line at wide beaches, and into the dunes a little ways at narrow beaches. Predicted (astronomical) tides were seasonally low, which likely saved South Padre from more significant damage or erosion.

When the damage and economic loss is counted to infrastructure and agriculture combined, it is likely that Hanna cost at least one billion dollars across the Rio Grande Valley and the Deep S. Texas ranch country. Disaster declarations were in effect to collect the data, and this site will be updated with those estimates between August and October 2020 and beyond.

Corrections, additions, and/or deletions to the list below may occur as new information arrives.

Key:
Rainfall measured in inches.
Los Fresnos 0.3 NE = 0.3 miles northeast of Hebbronville.  E=East, S=South, W=West, N=North, etc. 
ASOS=Automated Surface Observing System (NWS monitored)
AWOS=Automated Weather Observing System (FAA monitored)
AWS=Automated Weather Source (WeatherBug) Observing System
COCORAHS=COmmunity COllaborative RAin, Hail, and Snow Network
COOP=NWS Cooperative Observing Network
CWOP=Citizens Weather Observing Program
HADS=Hydrometeorological Automated Data System
RAWS=Remote Automated Weather System

Corrections, additions, and/or deletions to the list below may occur as new information arrives.

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
653 PM CDT SUN JUL 26 2020

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..


0146 PM     HURRICANE        PORT MANSFIELD          26.55N 97.43W
07/25/2020                   WILLACY            TX   PUBLIC

            SOCIAL MEDIA REPORT RECEIVED OF HOUSES IN
            PORT MANSFIELD LOSING ASPHALT SHINGLES.

0240 PM     HURRICANE        PORT MANSFIELD          26.55N 97.43W
07/25/2020                   WILLACY            TX   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED WIDESPREAD
            DAMAGE ACROSS PORT MANSFIELD. THIS INCLUDES
            ROLLED OVER DAMAGED OR DESTROYED MOBILE
            HOMES, AS WELL AS NUMEROUS POWER POLES DOWN.

0830 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG 1.5 N LA FERIA          26.18N 97.82W
07/25/2020                   CAMERON            TX   AMATEUR RADIO

            AMATEUR RADIO REPORT OF ROOF BLOWN OFF SHED
            1.5 MI NORTH OF LA FERIA.


0845 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG MISSION                 26.21N 98.32W
07/25/2020                   HIDALGO            TX   PUBLIC

            LARGE TREE BLOWN DOWN, DAMAGING VEHICLE IN
            MISSION AT SHARY ROAD AND GRIFFIN PARKWAY
            VICINITY.

0846 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 W EDINBURG            26.29N 98.17W
07/25/2020                   HIDALGO            TX   PUBLIC

            LARGE HEALTHY TREE LIMBS DOWN AT A RESIDENCE
            IN EDINBURG. REPORTED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.

0906 PM     HURRICANE        18 N PORT MANSFIELD     26.80N 97.47W
07/25/2020                   GMZ135             TX   BUOY

            TCOON SITE RINCON DEL SAN JOSE (RSJT2)
            MEASURED SUSTAINED WIND SPEED OF 56.9 KTS
            AND WIND GUST OF 69 KTS.

0915 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG 2 WNW WESLACO           26.17N 98.01W
07/25/2020                   HIDALGO            TX   EMERGENCY MNGR

            EMERGENCY MANAGER REPORTED CARPORT BLOWN
            INTO ROAD.

0915 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG 4 S EDCOUCH             26.23N 97.97W
07/25/2020                   HIDALGO            TX   EMERGENCY MNGR

            EMERGENCY MANAGER REPORTS A ROOF COLLAPSE
            WITH FAMILY TRAPPED INSIDE. RESCUE CURRENTLY
            UNDERWAY.

1030 PM     FLASH FLOOD      2 SW PORT MANSFIELD     26.53N 97.45W
07/25/2020                   WILLACY            TX   BROADCAST MEDIA

            HIGHWAY 186 FLOODED OUTSIDE OF PORT
            MANSFIELD; POSSIBLY CUTTING OFF THE CITY.

1030 PM     FLOOD            HARLINGEN               26.19N 97.69W
07/25/2020                   CAMERON            TX   EMERGENCY MNGR

            SEVERAL STREETS BECOMING FLOODED WITHIN THE
            CITY LIMITS OF HARLINGEN.

1032 PM     FLOOD            HARLINGEN               26.19N 97.69W
07/25/2020                   CAMERON            TX   EMERGENCY MNGR

            SEVERAL STREETS FLOODED IN HARLINGEN.

1103 PM     FLASH FLOOD      LA FERIA                26.16N 97.82W
07/25/2020                   CAMERON            TX   EMERGENCY MNGR

            2 ONGOING WATER RESCUES IN LA FERIA.

1115 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG MCALLEN                 26.21N 98.24W
07/25/2020                   HIDALGO            TX   PUBLIC

            PUBLIC REPORT OF LARGE HEALTHY TREE BROKEN
            IN HALF AND SMALL TREE WITH NUMEROUS BROKEN
            BRANCHES. MESSAGE RELAYED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA
            WITH PHOTOS AND VIDEO.

1122 PM     FLOOD            LA FERIA                26.16N 97.82W
07/25/2020                   CAMERON            TX   AMATEUR RADIO

            AMATEUR RADIO OPERATOR REPORTED WATER UP TO
            THE CURB ON STREETS IN LA FERIA.

1125 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 N ELSA                26.31N 98.00W
07/25/2020                   HIDALGO            TX   PUBLIC

            PUBLIC REPORT OF LARGE TREE WITH BROKEN
            LIMBS. REPORT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA VIDEO.


1200 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST PHARR                   26.18N  98.19W
07/26/2020  E50 MPH          HIDALGO            TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            SHEET METAL CARPORT COLLAPSE AND TREES SNAPPED

1202 AM     FLASH FLOOD      HARLINGEN               26.20N 97.69W
07/26/2020                   CAMERON            TX   PUBLIC

            CORRECTS PREVIOUS FLASH FLOOD REPORT FROM
            HARLINGEN. PUBLIC REPORTED FLOODING IN THE
            AREA WITH WATER UP TO KNEES. WATER IS NOW
            ENTERING HOMES. RELAYED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.

0100 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST EDCOUCH                 26.29N  97.96W
07/26/2020  E50 MPH          HIDALGO            TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            SEVERAL LARGE TREES UPROOTED AND BLOWN OVER.

0100 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST MCALLEN                 26.22N  98.24W
07/26/2020  E50 MPH          HIDALGO            TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            SEVERAL REPORTS OF BUSINESS SIGNS, STREET SIGNS AND
            TREES BLOWN OVER.

0100 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST HIDALGO                 26.10N  98.26W
07/26/2020  E50 MPH          HIDALGO            TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            LARGE TREE BLOWN DOWN. ESTIMATED WIND 40 MPH

0200 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST MCALLEN                 26.22N  98.24W
07/26/2020  E50 MPH          HIDALGO            TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            FAST FOOD RESTURANT SIGN BLOWN DOWN. LARGE TREE BLOWN
            ON HOUSE. SEVERAL SHEET METAL ROOFS BLOWN OFF OR TORN
            BACK, SEVERAL TREES UPROOTED.

0200 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST PHARR                   26.18N  98.19W
07/26/2020  E50 MPH          HIDALGO            TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            SEVERAL TREES BLOWN OVER.

0230 AM     FLOOD            2 NNW PHARR             26.20N 98.20W
07/26/2020                   HIDALGO            TX   BROADCAST MEDIA

            FLOODED PARKING LOT RELAYED VIA BROADCAST
            MEDIA.

0255 AM     NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 S ROMA                26.40N 99.00W
07/26/2020                   STARR              TX   PUBLIC

            TIN ROOF BLOWN OFF OF RAMIREZ SERVICE
            STATION IN ROMA. PHOTO RELAYED VIA SOCIAL
            MEDIA.

0300 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST COMBES                  26.24N  97.72W
07/26/2020  E50 MPH          CAMERON            TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            SEVERAL TREES BLOWN OVER.

0334 AM     TORNADO          3 E BROWNSVILLE         25.92N 97.44W
07/26/2020                   CAMERON            TX   PUBLIC

            ROOF BLOWN OFF OF HOUSE AND TREES DOWN ON
            IOWA STREET. RELAYED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. TIME
            ESTIMATED.


0334 AM     TSTM WND DMG     4 SE BROWNSVILLE        25.89N 97.42W
07/26/2020                   CAMERON            TX   PUBLIC

            PUBLIC REPORT OF POWER LINES DOWN NEAR
            CALIFORNIA RD. AND S DAKOTA AVE. POSSIBLE
            TORNADO. TIME ESTIMATED.

0335 AM     TORNADO          3 ESE BROWNSVILLE       25.91N 97.43W
07/26/2020                   CAMERON            TX   OTHER FEDERAL

            AIRPORT MANAGER REPORTS DAMAGE ON THE
            WESTERN SIDE OF BROWNSVILLE SOUTH PADRE
            ISLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. AIRCRAFT WAS
            MOVED, WINDOWS BLOWN OUT OF BUILDING(S) AND
            DAMAGE TO PERIMETER FENCE. TIME ESTIMATED.


0345 AM     TSTM WND DMG     BROWNSVILLE             25.93N  97.48W
07/26/2020                   CAMERON            TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OF FENCES AND ROOF AND SEVERAL TREES
            BLOWN DOWN

0345 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST BROWNSVILLE             25.93N  97.48W
07/26/2020  E50 MPH          CAMERON            TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            SEVERAL REPORTS OF TREES AND BUSINESS SIGNS DOWN NEAR
            SOUTHMOST AND BROWNSVILLE/SPI AIRPORT.

0500 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST LOS BARRERAS            26.39N  98.92W
07/26/2020  E50 MPH          STARR              TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            ROOF OF CARPORT TORN OFF

0510 AM     FLOOD            1 WSW MISSION           26.20N 98.33W
07/26/2020                   HIDALGO            TX   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            CITY OF MISSION FD REPORTS OF WATER ON
            HIGHWAY 83 BETWEEN CONWAY AVE AND HOLLAND
            AVE.

0521 AM     FLOOD            MISSION                 26.21N 98.31W
07/26/2020                   HIDALGO            TX   EMERGENCY MNGR

            MULTIPLE STREETS FLOODED IN THE CITY OF
            MISSION.

0527 AM     NON-TSTM WND DMG 2 SE EDINBURG           26.28N 98.15W
07/26/2020                   HIDALGO            TX   PUBLIC

            A RESIDENT IN EDINBURG, TX REPORTED SMALL
            UPROOTED TREES AND SHINGLES BLOWN OFF OF
            ROOF NEAR NOVIS AVE.


0545 AM     FLASH FLOOD      MISSION                 26.21N 98.31W
07/26/2020                   HIDALGO            TX   EMERGENCY MNGR

            NUMEROUS WATER RESCUES IN SEVERAL AREAS
            WITHIN THE CITY OF MISSION.

0700 AM     FLOOD            LOS FRESNOS             26.07N  97.48W
07/26/2020                   CAMERON            TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            NEIGHBORHOOD STREET REPORTING 1 TO 2 FEET OF WATER.

0707 AM     FLASH FLOOD      MISSION                 26.21N  98.32W
07/26/2020                   HIDALGO            TX   PUBLIC

            REPORT OF 12 INCHES OF WATER FLOWING ACROSS SHARY ROAD
            NEAR GRIFFIN PARK BLVD IN MISSION

0800 AM     FLOOD            PHARR                   26.18N  98.19W
07/26/2020                   HIDALGO            TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            NEIGHBORHOOD STREET FLOODING WITH WATER RISING INTO
            YARDS APPROACHING HOMES.

0800 AM     FLOOD            WESLACO                 26.16N  97.98W
07/26/2020                   HIDALGO            TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            NUMEROUS STREET AND ROADWAYS FLOODED WITH 1 TO 2 FEET
            OF WATER.

0830 AM     FLOOD            LA FERIA                26.16N  97.82W
07/26/2020                   CAMERON            TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            SEVERAL STREET AND FIELD FLOODING. WATER ESTIMATES 1 TO
            2 FEET

0830 AM     FLASH FLOOD      MCALLEN                 26.22N  98.24W
07/26/2020                   HIDALGO            TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            CANAL ON S 23RD STREET RISING OUT OF ITS BANK, SEVERAL
            ROADS FLOODED

0830 AM     FLOOD            MISSION                 26.21N  98.32W
07/26/2020                   HIDALGO            TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            1 TO 3 FEET WATER IN NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS, WATER RISING
            NEAR HOMES

0830 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST EDINBURG                26.30N  98.16W
07/26/2020  E50 MPH          HIDALGO            TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            2 18-WHEELERS BLOWN OVER.

0830 AM     FLASH FLOOD      2 SE EDINBURG           26.28N 98.15W
07/26/2020                   HIDALGO            TX   PUBLIC

            WATER ENTERING HOMES ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE
            OF EDINBURG. EVENT TIME BASED ON TIME THE
            REPORT WAS RECEIVED.

0846 AM     FLASH FLOOD      EDINBURG                26.30N  98.16W
07/26/2020                   HIDALGO            TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            1 TO 2 FEET OF STREET FLOODING AT 14TH AND MAHL. WATER
            NEARING SOME APARTMENTS AND HOMES. WATER UP TO VECHICLES
            TIRE WELL AND BOTTOM OF DOORS SOME PARTIALLY SUBMERGED.

0850 AM     FLOOD            ALAMO                   26.19N  98.12W
07/26/2020                   HIDALGO            TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            SEVERAL REPORTS OF STREET FLOODING. ESTIMATES 1 TO 2
            FEET OF WATER COVERING THE ROADS

1000 AM     FLOOD            ALTON                   26.29N  98.31W
07/26/2020                   HIDALGO            TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            STREET FLOODING AT 4 MILE AND INSPIRATION. 1 TO 2 FEET
            OF WATER COVERING THE STREET

0615 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST MISSION                 26.21N  98.32W
07/26/2020  E50 MPH          HIDALGO            TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            ROOF DAMAGE TO SCHOOL DISTRICT MAINTENANCE SHED.

0643 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST WESLACO                 26.16N  97.98W
07/26/2020  E50 MPH          HIDALGO            TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            SEVERAL TREES AND SOME POWER POLES BLOWN OVER

0805 PM     FLASH FLOOD      SANTA ROSA              26.26N 97.83W
07/27/2020                   CAMERON            TX   EMERGENCY MNGR

            FLOOD WATER LEVELS HAVE RISEN TO THE
            DOORSTEPS OF HOMES; ANY FURTHER INCREASE IN
            WATER LEVELS MAY LEAD TO WATER ENTERING THE
            HOMES.

0805 PM     FLASH FLOOD      LA FERIA                26.16N 97.82W
07/27/2020                   CAMERON            TX   EMERGENCY MNGR

            ONGOING WATER RESCUES IN THE CITY OF LA
            FERIA WITH RENEWED RISING FLOOD WATERS FROM
            RECENT RAINFALL OVER THE LAST HOUR OR TWO.

Click on Image for Full Size

July 25th, 11 AM to 10 PM: Landfall Reflectivity	July 25th, 11 AM to 10 PM: Landfall Radial Velocity
July 25/26th, 10 PM to 10 AM: Inland Reflectivity	July 25/26th, 10 PM to 10 AM: Inland Radial Velocity
July 27th, 3 to 9 PM: Post-Hanna Feeder Band, Reflectivity

Radar Animation for Hurricane Hanna, July 24 through 26, 2020

Full Disk GOES-East Clean IR Satellite Imagery - July 22 through 26, 2020

Port Mansfield Damage Pictures

Raymondville Damage Pictures

Other Willacy County Damage Pictures

Santa Rosa Damage Pictures

Weslaco and North Donna Damage Pictures

Hidalgo County Colonias Damage Pictures

Coastal Kenedy Dune Calving

Click on Image for Full Size

Rio Grande at Rio Grande City	Arroyo Colorado near Harlingen
Rio Grande near San Benito	Rio Grande near Brownsville

Short video of surf running up into the dunes, South Padre Island City Gulf beach access 21, at 7 AM CT July 25, 90 minutes prior to high tide. Video courtesy of spadre.com

Video of dune calving and water channel changes on Padre Island National Seashore along the the Kenedy/Willacy County line, between mile marker 57 and 58. Courtesy of the National Park Service

Hurricane Hanna's late intensification and landfall location along the Kenedy County coast (North Padre Island) east of Rincon del San Jose spared the popular...and populated...beach resort of South Padre Island little more than a six hour period of tidal run-up and minor overwash centered around high tide the morning of July 25th (833 AM CT). As winds increased rapidly from the west (offshore flow) by mid to late afternoon, run-up ceased. At the same time, those westerly winds piled an estimated 1 to 2 feet of Laguna Madre Bay water onto the Laguna Madre side of South Padre Island, with high water into docks and low lying areas that normally don't see any. Morning high surf, up to 10 feet by the Isla Blanca Jetty, was trimmed sharply by afternoon with the strong offshore flow. By Saturday night, rough surf returned on south to southeast winds, but tides slid back to about one half foot above predicted values, which were at low astronomical levels. In fact, it was these low astronomical levels that spared potentially more significant flooding into the dunes on July 25th.

Farther north, tide levels were higher, including on the shore at the Port Mansfield jetty. In Kenedy County, along North Padre Island, there was likely 3 or more feet of storm surge inundation in uninhabited beaches. A overflight video of this part of the island will be shared soon, including any new cuts that the more intense storm surge generated in this area.

Photographic and video evidence from Padre Island National Seashore (PINS) indicated exactly this. Photos from a webcam at the Mansfield Cut (not shown) showed rough and confused surf well into the dunes. The video above, as well as overflight photos, showed extensive beach erosion (calving) of the dunes in extreme northeast Willacy and much of Kenedy County, between mile mark 5 and mile mark 60 (the southern extent of PINS).

A list of measured and estimated peak tides follows, based on Mean Higher High Water (MHHW) and Mean Sea Level (MSL). The zero point of MHHW is a close approximation of where the edge of the foam creates the shoreline. Negative values expand the beach; positive values contract the beach. For example, when values are at 1 foot above MHHW, the water level is now about 1 foot deep. The surf will "run up" farther, reducing the amount of usable beach. At 1.5 feet above MHHW, water typically begins reaching the dunes at wider beaches, and sneaks into the dunes a little bit at narrower sections. Brazos Santiago, located just inshore along the south edge of the Isla Blanca Jetty, is a good proxy for conditions on South Padre Island. We have no other proxy observations for the barrier island from near the Cameron/Willacy County line through Baffin Bay.

*Data estimated using Mean Sea Level instead of MHHW. All (*) but Realitos Peninsula have no matching flood categories.

Images showing tide level and those into minor flood range, with available data during Hanna, are shown below. "Spikes" in the data for Brazos Santiago were disregarded.

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
200 PM CDT Fri Jul 31 2020

...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR 7/26/2020 TORNADO EVENT IN BROWNSVILLE...

.Overview...Hurricane Hanna made landfall along the Kenedy county
coast on the evening of July 25, 2020. As Hanna pushed inland, its
eastern outer rain bands produced several areas of rotation. One
area of stronger rotation developed south of Brownsville just across
the Rio Grande in Mexico. The Brownsville radar briefly detected
a debris signature as it moved northward toward the Brownsville
airport. The Brownsville airport, in addition to residents in
nearby neighborhoodS, reported wind damage. Therefore, a damage
survey was conducted this afternoon to confirm a brief tornado.

Rating:                 EF-0
Estimated Peak Wind:    75 MPH
Path Length (Statute):  3.43 MILES (SEGMENTED)
Path Width (Maximum):   50 YARDS
Fatalities:             0
Injuries:               0

Start Date:             July 26, 2020
Start Time:             332 AM CDT
Start Location:         4.7 Miles East-Southeast of Brownsville
Start LAT/LON:          25.8729/-97.4287

End Date:               July 26, 2020
End Time:               336 AM CDT
End Location:           4 Miles Northeast of Brownsville
End LAT/LON:            25.9222/-97.4355

Updated:  An initial touchdown was discovered about 2.3 miles south 
of Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport.  Here, an
empty tractor trailer was moved on an angle into a stand of trees, 
an unanchored travel trailer was flipped, a storage shed was flattened,
and several mesquite trees lost large limbs. A few minutes later, several 
areas of damage occurred on the west side of the Brownsville airport. 
A dozen windows were blown out of an airplane hangar building, an
unanchored old jet staircase was flipped and a garage door
collapsed inward. In addition, a 737 airplane was moved into a
hangar, causing damage to the hangar wall. No damage was noted to
the plane itself. As the tornado moved to the north northwest,
several large tree limbs were snapped, in addition to a weak
uprooted tree. Finally further north, two homes lost large sections
of their roofs with most walls still standing. The brief tornado
then lifted with no other tornado damage found.

EF SCALE: THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE CLASSIFIES
TORNADOES INTO THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES.

EF0...WEAK......65 TO 85 MPH
EF1...WEAK......86 TO 110 MPH
EF2...STRONG....111 TO 135 MPH
EF3...STRONG....136 TO 165 MPH
EF4...VIOLENT...166 TO 200 MPH
EF5...VIOLENT...>200 MPH

NOTE:
THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT AND PUBLICATION IN
NWS STORM DATA

For a map, specific survey details, and photos of wind damage along the general path of the tornado in east Brownsville, click the image below. Download Google Earth to interact with the map after clicking it.

An overflight drone video of the damage, courtesy of the City of Brownsville Fire Department, can be viewed here.

A sampling of photos - including a brief summary for quick use - is shown below, and a radar loop follows.

July 26th, 307 AM to 402 AM: Radial Velocity Loop of East Brownsville Tornado