During the late afternoon on May 23^rd, 2017, severe thunderstorms developed across South-Central Texas to the south and southwest of San Antonio. These severe thunderstorms developed due to a strong jet stream, a broad low pressure system aloft, a late season cold front, and a very unstable airmass along with the presence of strong wind shear. These severe thunderstorms continued to strengthen as they moved rapidly southeastward across South Texas during the evening of May 23^rd, generally between 630 and 930 PM CDT. These severe thunderstorms eventually congealed into a squall line as they moved into the Coastal Bend and eventually offshore during the late evening hours. The storms did weaken slightly as they moved into Refugio and San Patricio counties by 743 PM.

Measured winds as high as 81 mph were observed at the Beeville AWOS observing site at 721 PM CDT that evening. A NWS storm survey team estimated winds between 80 and 90 mph generally from Beeville to Skidmore to Papalote. However, winds at around 3800 feet AGL were estimated to be as high as ~144 mph 5 miles northwest of Beeville at 710 PM CDT! In fact, the radar estimated a 10 mile swath of 70 to 100 mph winds several thousand feet just above the surface, associated with the severe thunderstorm that moved through Bee county. On average, a 2 to 3 mile area of 90 to 100 mph winds existed within this swath, several thousand feet above the surface. Many trees were either downed or snapped due to these strong winds. Damage to telephone poles, homes and farm structures also occurred mainly in Bee and San Patricio counties.

Large hail up to tennis ball size was also observed with these severe thunderstorms. The tennis ball size hail occurred further west in McMullen county at around 718 PM in the evening. Nickel to golfball size hail was common with the storm that impacted Bee, Refugio, San Patricio, and Aransas counties.

Radar loop beginning at 542 PM CDT 5/23/17 and ending at 852 PM CDT 5/23/17.
Click image above to view the full-size image.

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

0708 PM     HAIL             7 S TILDEN              28.36N  98.55W
05/23/2017  E1.50 INCH       MCMULLEN           TX   STORM CHASER

            STORM SPOTTER REPORTS 1.5 INCH HAIL.

0710 PM     TSTM WND GST     10 NNW BEEVILLE         28.54N  97.81W
05/23/2017  E90 MPH          BEE                TX   NWS STORM SURVEY

            NWS SURVEY TEAM CONCLUDED A MACROBURST OF STRAIGHT LINE
            WINDS IMPACTED BEE AND SAN PATRICIO CO. GREATEST
            CONCENTRATION OF DAMAGE OCCURRED ROUGHLY ALONG A 40 MILE
            LONG PATH FROM APPROX 10 MILES NW OF BEEVILLE TO 3 MILES
            E OF TAFT. PEAK WIND SPEEDS ESTIMATED AT 80 TO 85 MPH IN
            BEEVILLE...85 TO 90 MPH IN SKIDMORE...60 TO 70 MPH IN
            TAFT. THIS CAUSED EXTENSIVE AND WIDESPREAD TREE
            DAMAGE... CROP DAMAGE... DAMAGE TO NUMEROUS UTILITY
            POLES...MANY HOMES AND MOBILE HOMES WERE DAMAGED.

0718 PM     HAIL             9 NNE LOMA ALTA         28.25N  98.48W
05/23/2017  M2.50 INCH       MCMULLEN           TX   TRAINED SPOTTER

            PICTURE SUBMITTED OF TENNIS BALL SIZED HAIL.

0721 PM     TSTM WND GST     4 SW BEEVILLE           28.36N  97.79W
05/23/2017  M81 MPH          BEE                TX   AWOS

0722 PM     TSTM WND DMG     BEEVILLE                28.41N  97.75W
05/23/2017                   BEE                TX   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TX DPS OFFICIAL REPORTS MULTIPLE TELEPHONE POLES AND
            LARGE BRANCHES DOWN.

0726 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 SE BEEVILLE           28.37N  97.71W
05/23/2017                   BEE                TX   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            GRAIN SILOS DOWN AND DAMAGE TO BONNIE PLANT FARM.

0733 PM     TSTM WND DMG     SKIDMORE                28.25N  97.69W
05/23/2017                   BEE                TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            VIDEO SUBMITTED OF INTENSE WINDS BLOWING OVER LARGE
            TREES NEAR CORRIGAN RD IN SKIMORE

0740 PM     HAIL             PAPALOTE                28.17N  97.60W
05/23/2017  M1.75 INCH       BEE                TX   AMATEUR RADIO

            HAM OPERATOR REPORTS GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL.

0751 PM     HAIL             SINTON                  28.04N  97.51W
05/23/2017  E1.00 INCH       SAN PATRICIO       TX   TRAINED SPOTTER

0751 PM     TSTM WND GST     SINTON                  28.04N  97.51W
05/23/2017  E60 MPH          SAN PATRICIO       TX   TRAINED SPOTTER

0808 PM     TSTM WND DMG     TAFT                    27.98N  97.39W
05/23/2017                   SAN PATRICIO       TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            NUMEROUS TREES DAMAGED IN TAFT. REPORT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA

0810 PM     HAIL             BAYSIDE                 28.10N  97.21W
05/23/2017  E0.88 INCH       REFUGIO            TX   SOCIAL MEDIA

            NICKEL SIZE HAIL REPORTED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA

0812 PM     MARINE TSTM WIND 4 NNE CORPUS CHRISTI IN 27.83N  97.49W
05/23/2017  M43 MPH          GMZ230             TX   MESONET

            NUECES BAY TCOON SITE MEASURED GUST OF 37 KTS

0822 PM     HAIL             1 W ROCKPORT            28.04N  97.07W
05/23/2017  E1.50 INCH       ARANSAS            TX   EMERGENCY MNGR

            PING PONG BALL SIZE HAIL NEAR SPARKS COLONY DRIVE.

0830 PM     HAIL             PORT ARANSAS            27.83N  97.07W
05/23/2017  E0.50 INCH       NUECES             TX   EMERGENCY MNGR

0830 PM     MARINE TSTM WIND 1 S ROCKPORT            28.02N  97.05W
05/23/2017  M59 MPH          GMZ235             TX   NOS

            ROCKPORT NOS MEASURED THUNDERSTORM GUST OF 51 KTS

0830 PM     MARINE TSTM WIND 1 NW TEXAS A&M CORPUS C 27.72N  97.34W
05/23/2017  M43 MPH          GMZ230             TX   MESONET

            POENISCH PARK WXFLOW SITE MEASURED GUST OF 37 KTS

0835 PM     MARINE TSTM WIND 2 SW PORT ARANSAS       27.81N  97.09W
05/23/2017  M48 MPH          NUECES             TX   AWOS

            MUSTAND ISLAND AIRPORT REPORTED A 42 KNOT GUST.

0836 PM     MARINE TSTM WIND 2 SSW LAMAR             28.11N  97.02W
05/23/2017  M39 MPH          GMZ235             TX   MESONET

            COPANO BAY TCOON SITE MEASURED GUST OF 34 KTS. SENSOR
            THEN STOPPED REPORTING AS STRONGEST PART OF STORM MOVED
            THROUGH

0836 PM     MARINE TSTM WIND CORPUS CHRISTI NAS      27.69N  97.29W
05/23/2017  M50 MPH          NUECES             TX   ASOS

            CORPUS CHRISIT NAVAL AIR STATION MEASURED GUST OF 43
            KTS

0848 PM     MARINE TSTM WIND 1 NNW PORT ARANSAS      27.84N  97.07W
05/23/2017  M41 MPH          GMZ230             TX   MESONET

            PORT ARANSAS TCOON SITE MEASURED THUNDERSTORM GUST OF
            36 KTS

0848 PM     MARINE TSTM WIND 2 NNW PADRE ISLES COUNT 27.63N  97.24W
05/23/2017  M43 MPH          NUECES             TX   MESONET

            PACKERY CHANNEL TCOON SITE MEASURED GUST OF 37 KTS

0848 PM     MARINE TSTM WIND PADRE BALLI PARK        27.58N  97.22W
05/23/2017  M40 MPH          GMZ250             TX   NOS

            BOB HALL PIER MEASURED GUST OF 35 KTS

0905 PM     MARINE TSTM WIND 3 NNW MALAQUITE BEACH   27.48N  97.32W
05/23/2017  M40 MPH          GMZ230             TX   NOS

            S BIRD ISLAND TCOON SITE MEASURED GUST OF 35 KTS

0936 PM     MARINE TSTM WIND 7 ENE BAFFIN BAY        27.30N  97.40W
05/23/2017  M45 MPH          GMZ230             TX   MESONET

            BAFFIN BAY TCOON SITE MEASURED GUST OF 39 KTS


&&

EVENT NUMBER CRP1700121 CRP1700132 CRP1700122 CRP1700123 CRP1700129
CRP1700131 CRP1700126 CRP1700124 CRP1700125 CRP1700133 CRP1700134
CRP1700138 CRP1700128 CRP1700130 CRP1700136 CRP1700139 CRP1700145
CRP1700137 CRP1700140 CRP1700135 CRP1700141 CRP1700142 CRP1700143
CRP1700144

$$

STAFF

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