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February 16th: The Valley's Blustery Day
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Figure 1. Atmospheric sounding, 6 AM CST February 16th, Brownsville, TX. Note the very strong winds (circled areas). Wind values are in knots; "flags" represent 50 knots.
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Figure 2. 500 mb analysis, 00z 17 February, 2008. Note the strong cyclone (circular contour) moving across west central Texas.
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A vigorous upper level disturbance, moving across west Texas during the afternoon on February 16th, enhanced surface low pressure development in northeast Mexico, which in turn tightened the typical Winter and Spring pressure gradient that is created between hot inland areas and the cooler, more stable air over the Gulf waters. As a result, low level winds between the surface and around 5000 feet, averaging nearly 50 mph, translated to the surface by mid to late morning, resulting in a prolonged period of 30 to 40 mph sustained winds with frequent gusts above 45 mph, particularly in Cameron, Willacy, eastern Hidalgo, and Kenedy County. Minor damage was reported to some structures (report, below), especially from Harlingen to Mercedes. A table of peak wind speed, and gusts, is shown below.
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Table 1. Selected peak sustained and peak wind gusts, February 16, 2008.
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City/Town
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County
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Sust(mph)
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Time
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Gust(mph)
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Time
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Harlingen/VIA
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Cameron
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44
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253 PM
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52
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253 PM
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Brownsville
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Cameron
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41
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226 PM
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49
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357 PM
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Port Isabel
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Cameron
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36
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1230 PM
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48
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1246 PM
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Weslaco
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Hidalgo
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36
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120 PM
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44
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120 PM
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McAllen/Miller
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Hidalgo
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33
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127 PM
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43
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1103 AM
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Edinburg
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Hidalgo
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26
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105 PM
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36
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125 PM
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PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
1142 PM CST SAT FEB 16 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1200 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG HARLINGEN 26.20N 97.69W
02/16/2008 CAMERON TX NEWSPAPER
VALLEY MORNING STAR NEWSPAPER REPORTED ELECTRICAL LINES
DOWNED BY STRONG WINDS ON WEST MORAN COURT AND ON 23RD
STREET.
1200 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG HARLINGEN 26.20N 97.69W
02/16/2008 CAMERON TX NEWSPAPER
VALLEY MORNING STAR NEWSPAPER REPORTED TREE DOWNED BY
STRONG WINDS. LOCATION UNKNOWN.
1200 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG MERCEDES 26.15N 97.92W
02/16/2008 HIDALGO TX BROADCAST MEDIA
KRGV CHANNEL 5 REPORTED ROOF OF MOBILE HOME BLOWN OFF IN
MERCEDES BY STRONG WINDS.
0330 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG LA FERIA 26.16N 97.82W
02/16/2008 CAMERON TX NEWSPAPER
VALLEY MORNING STAR NEWSPAPER REPORTED TREE DOWNED BY
STRONG WINDS IN LA FERIA AT INTERSECTION OF PARKER ROAD
AND EBONY ROAD.
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