Severe Weather in Texas: 2010
Severe weather in Texas can be categorized by two factors: loss of life and the cost of damage estimating over $1 million. The following events were included because they caused an extensive amount of destruction and in some cases, fatalities were also a result of the severe weather.
June 9, 2010: Flash Flood. New Braunfels. Storms produced rains in excess of 11+ inches in the area of New Braunfels, which caused the Guadalupe River to rise over 20 feet in just two hours. Campers, vehicles, boats, homes, and businesses all suffered extensive damages along the riverbanks. This flash flood resulted in 1 death and over $10 million in damage.
July 2, 2010: Tornado. Hebbronville. Developed along the residual shear left behind from Hurricane Alex, this EF1 tornado caused considerable damage in the town. Over half of the town’s population lost power and the tornado was reported to be as wide as a football field. The estimated damage cost was to be $1.5 million.
July 4, 2010: Flood. Terry, Lubbock, Garza, and Lynn Counties. A series of thunderstorms erupted in the early morning of the fourth of July over the west South Texas Plains. Local flooding caused numerous roadway closures and damage to over 100 vehicles. While there were no injuries, local officials estimated that over 300 homes and businesses were affected and the economic losses were to approach $16.5 million.
July 8, 2010: Flood. Starr County. Another resulting storm of Hurricane Alex that year; this system was estimated to have dumped more than 50 inches of rain on the lower Rio Grande Valley over a period of ten days leading up to July 8th. Falcon Reservoir began to rise over the rain-soaked days, and finally poured over on the 8th. The Rio Grande was up to 2 miles wide at some point. The estimated cost was near $37 million.
October 24, 2010: Tornado. Emhouse. An intense EF2 tornado struck the town of Rice and obtained maximum wind speeds of 135 mph. Vehicles were overturned on I-45 and 11 train cars were derailed once the tornado had hit the railroad tracks. The football, baseball, and softball fields of the local high school were all damaged and the intermediate school lost the gymnasium roof and suffered a caved-in wall. The economic loss estimated at $1 million.
