Corpus Christi Tornadoes - October 24, 2002

Tornadoes strike Corpus Christi - October 24, 2002

By the Staff of the National Weather Service in Corpus Christi, Texas

Tornadoes left a trail of destruction through populated areas of Corpus Christi on October 24^th, 2002. National Weather Service Doppler Radar tracked this storm cell as it tore its way through town. National Weather Service personnel have surveyed the damage from the storm. The information provided here can be considered only preliminary and may be subject to revision as more information is received. Three tornadoes were believed to have occurred from these storms. All three tornadoes were produced by the same severe storm cell. The first began at around 219 PM and was 8 miles south of the Corpus Christi Airport. This tornado moved across open country, produced no reports of damage, and was rated F0 (F-ZERO) on the Fujita scale. This tornado was estimated at less than 50 yards wide, moved along an approximately seven mile path and dissipated just southeast of the intersection of Old Brownsville road and Padre Island drive in Corpus Christi at 228 PM. The second tornado developed near Navigation Blvd and Old Brownsville road at 232 PM and moved northeast to the west edge of the Gabe Lozano Golf Center and into the Del Mar College West Campus where the most extensive damage occurred. The tornado then moved north and eventually north-northwest, dissipating near Baldwin Blvd north of Agnes street at 240 PM. This tornado was rated an F2 on the Fujita Scale, had a path length of 2 1/2 miles, and was 100 to 200 yards wide. The third tornado developed at 240 PM just south of Driscoll Middle School as the second tornado was dissipating and increased to F2 intensity on the Fujita Scale in the vicinity of the H.E.B. grocery store and the U.S. Post Office. This tornado moved northeast about 5 miles into Nueces Bay and dissipated around 250 P.M. This was the widest tornado with a measured path width of 400 yards. Total damage was estimated at a minimum of $75 million, with much of the damage attributed to Del Mar College.

Information from the Corpus Christi Emergency Management...

FATALITIES...1 (AT DEL MAR COLLEGE)
INJURIES.....26 (14 INJURED AT DEL MAR COLLEGE)
SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WITH SLIGHT DAMAGE...36
SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WITH MINOR DAMAGE....70
SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WITH MAJOR DAMAGE....73
SINGLE FAMILY HOMES DESTROYED............4
MULTI FAMILY UNITS WITH MINOR DAMAGE.....5
MULTI FAMILY UNITS WITH MAJOR DAMAGE.....21
MULTI FAMILY UNITS DESTROYED.............15

There were 60 businesses that ceased operations because of the tornadoes. There were 15 businesses that suffered major damage...1 suffered minor damage...With a repair cost of $6.65 million. There are an estimated 350 people unemployed because of the Tornadoes.

Fujita Damage Scale...Estimated Storm Winds Based on Damage

F0 Winds Less than 73 Mph
F1 73 - 112 Mph
F2 113 - 157 Mph
F3 158 - 206 Mph
F4 207 - 260 Mph
F5 261 - 318 Mph

IMAGE ABOVE IS A LARGE SCALE OVERVIEW OF THE AREA. BELOW ARE MID-LEVEL AND STREET LEVEL MAPS.