Power Outage in Zapata, TX

More than two dozen structures sustained varying damage to|poorly constructed wood, asphalt, and aluminum/tin roofs,|roof decking, and shingles in the Siesta Shores and Falcon|Heights neighborhoods in south Zapata, Texas. A poorly seated|cinder block knee wall and attached fence was blown down, and|a 100-foot tall thin metal tower was twisted. A few power poles|were knocked down by by flying aluminum roof pieces. Dozens of|medium mesquite limbs were blown down by flying aluminum roof|pieces.

More than two dozen structures sustained varying damage to|poorly constructed wood, asphalt, and aluminum/tin roofs,|roof decking, and shingles in the Siesta Shores and Falcon|Heights neighborhoods in south Zapata, Texas. A poorly seated|cinder block knee wall and attached fence was blown down, and|a 100-foot tall thin metal tower was twisted. A few power poles|were knocked down by by flying aluminum roof pieces. Dozens of|medium mesquite limbs were blown down by flying aluminum roof|pieces.

The Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator, along with the public, reported several instances of minor wind damage in Zapata and Siesta Shores just to the south during the mid evening of April 28, 2020. Damage included several felled limbs of mesquite trees in Zapata City park, a poorly constructed awning blown down to an recreational vehicle on the west side of the city, and a power pole leaning along Swope Lane in Siesta Shores. Based on other recent wind events in the City, wind speeds were estimated to be just below severe (58 mph) levels.

Zapata County authorities and the Zapata County News (via the Emergency Management Coordinator) reported several instances of minor damage from a microburst during the late afternoon of August 24. In Falcon Heights (2 miles south-southeast of Zapata City), two anchored deer blinds were blown onto U.S. 83 from a nearby store display. In the city of Zapata, minor roof damage was reported to homes, several trees and large limbs were blown down, and power outages covered a large part of the city for 8 to 24 hours.

The Zapata County Emergency Manager also reported three lightning strikes to power poles in the Medina Addition, Siesta Shores, and in Falcon and a lightning strike to a gas tank in Aguilares.

The Zapata County Emergency Manager also reported three lightning strikes to power poles in the Medina Addition, Siesta Shores, and in Falcon and a lightning strike to a gas tank in Aguilares.

Zapata County Sheriffs Office reported a trampoline blown on top of power lines in Zapata. 40 mph gust reported at Zapata County Airport (Medina), approximately 6 miles north of the damage location. Event wind speed estimated based on proximity and no other corroborating damage.

Dozens of limbs, trees, and powerlines were reported down across the city of Zapata.

Zapata County EM reported several older houses had roofs partially removed, several metal buildings and trailers had roofs totally removed, a chain link fence was blow down, numerous trees and power lines were blown down through the city, and a large object blew off a construction site at the courthouse and damaged nearby objects. Wind speeds were estimated to be 65 to 70 mph.

Zapata County EM reported several older houses had roofs partially removed, several metal buildings and trailers had roofs totally removed, a chain link fence was blow down, numerous trees and power lines were blown down through the city, and a large object blew off a construction site at the courthouse and damaged nearby objects. Wind speeds were estimated to be 65 to 70 mph.

Frequent to excessive lightning knocked out power to the south half of the City of Zapata during a severe thunderstorm during the late evening of May 10th.

Frequent to excessive lightning knocked out power to the south half of the City of Zapata during a severe thunderstorm during the late evening of May 10th.

A combination of sleet and snow dropped at least one half inch of accumulation and accretion on exposed surfaces (tree limbs, power lines, grasses, etc.) early on February 4th. Sleet accumulation and ice accretion was estimated to begin between 6 and 8 PM in the county, with accretions estimated to reach 1/8 inch, the local criteria for such an unusual event, between 10 PM February 3rd and Midnight February 4th CST. Significant damage was not reported.||The sleet and glaze ice, combined with the long duration freeze, fully cured all ranchland (grasses, scrub brush, mesquite) turning all plantlife brown and barren. Temperatures dipping into the lower and mid 20s after the end of the event froze water on non elevated road surfaces, making driving conditions treacherous during the early morning of the 4th. Elevated road surfaces quickly glazed during the evening of the 3rd, requring road closures particularly around the fingers extending east of Falcon Lake.

Damage from the microburst was first surveyed about 2 miles west of the center of town along and near Farm to Market (FM) Highway 496. In the neighborhood of Falcon Mesa, along FM 3074, numerous barrel tiles were torn from the roof; in the same neighborhood, numerous large limbs from ebony and live oak trees were blown down, and minor damage to roofs was noted at other homes. Similar tree and roof damage was noted at another neighborhood along Oak Street, just south of the Zapata Cemetary.||Farther east along FM 496, several large fiberglass storage tanks were rolled, and damaged beyond repair, at a facility between FM 3074 and the Zapata County cemetary. On the same property, a manufactured home had numerous holes in its west facing wall, from wind driven pebbles and stones. The same home had fairly significant asphalt shingle damage to its roof. A nearby low metal tower was bent in half.||The worst-looking damage was seen just west of the center of town, along FM 496 only 1/3 mile west of the intersection of Federal Highway 83. Here, significant damage was incurred to many units at the Highway 496 Storage facility. ||The microburst slammed into the west facing wall of the first of two long, cinderblock structures, and lifted most of the roof up and over the first building, slamming it into the second building about 50 feet to the east. While the truss and bracing of the roof appeared sound, only long nails were found at the connections of the eaves. Missiles generated by the broken roof drove into both cinderblock, and an individual metal garage, in the second building. Another light metal structure, housing another set of individual storage units, separated and collapsed on the leeward side of the second building. ||The microburst continued moving steadily southeast, causing notable damage to neighborhoods in the southwest part of town. Dozens of homes and other structures with poorly anchored roofing material sustained significant damage; a large portion of tin roof was removed from a two story church a few blocks from the center of town. Another barrel-tile roof was damaged at a motel, and the water leak caused at least one unit to be uninhabitable.||In all neighborhoods, hundreds of mesquite and ebony tree limbs of many shapes and sizes were snapped off, some onto roofs, including the town's public library. As the storm finally edged south, additional tree damage was noted in the Falcon Lake Estates subdivision, just south of the bridge, where a report of a blown down roof of a two story house was also received as the storm weakened slightly.||The Zapata County Emergency Manager reported power lines and several trees were down in Zapata and approximately 200 to 300 people were without power at 9 pm. ||Wind speeds were estimated to be between 70 and 75 mph area wide, with the strongest speeds generally along and just south of FM 496 from just west of the cemetary to highway 83. Total path length was estimated to be a little more than 3.5 miles long; width was estimated to be about 1.5 miles.

Roof of a house was blown off onto electrical power lines in the community of Siesta Shores.

A brief tornado was reported by law enforcement officials in the city of Zapata. Several roofs were damaged with numerous reports of power outages.

A thunderstorm that edged eastward from the Sierra Madre produced gusty winds in excess of 50 mph and a couple of reports of minor damage to trees, power lines, and a recreational vehicle during the evening of April 28th, 2020.

A potent upper level disturbance tracked across South Texas on November 22nd. Unstable air that lifted along the Sierra Madre kicked off individual supercell thunderstorms in the lee of the mountains west of the Rio Grande Plains after 3 pm. These cells moved east and one would slam through Zapata County between 515 and 6 pm. Hail up to ping pong ball size and estimated winds of 65 to 70 mph occurred with this particular storm. Damage to roofs, trees, fences, and power lines was reported across the city of Zapata.

A weather disturbance passing by to the north helped in the initiation of powerful supercell storms over Zapata County. These storms produced giant hail over rural sections of the county.