May 16, 2020
On May 16th, a shortwave trough moved eastward across Texas providing an opportunity for thunderstorms to develop in a very unstable and moist environment. Several convective boundaries were in play, but the main event revolved around the line of storms that bowed out and produced strong winds and frequent lightning. One early morning lightning strike burned down a large portion of a condominium complex on South Padre Island, leaving several million dollars in damage behind.
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database (event 898020). Narrative written by NWS staff at the time of the event.
This event is one of many recorded floods in Cameron County. See the full FEMA flood zone map, NFIP claim totals, and disaster history for the area.