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WeatherMatrix
© 2002 WeatherMatrix.Net - Redistribution
Prohibited. Usage logged.
From: Jesse Ferrell (WeatherMatrix) (jesse{at}weathermatrix.net)
Date: Wed Aug 13 2003 - 20:51:02 EDT
http://news9sanantonio.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=4052
CASTROVILLE -- Several Medina County pilots are still salvaging what's left
of their planes. The National Weather Service confirmed a strong downburst
of winds and a mild tornado hit the Castroville Municipal Airfield Monday
afternoon.
The National Weather Service Storm Survey is included below:
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
350 PM TUE AUG 12 2003
...STORM SURVEY IN CASTROVILLE...
THIS MORNING STAFF FROM THE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE OFFICE CONDUCTED A STORM SURVEY IN AND AROUND CASTROVILLE IN
MEDINA COUNTY TO ASSESS DAMAGE FROM A STORM THAT OCCURRED MONDAY
AFTERNOON.
HIGHWAY 90
APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES EAST OF CASTROVILLE, ALONG STATE HIGHWAY 90
(NORTH SIDE OF HWY) 8 TO 10 TELEPHONE POLES SNAPPED AT OR NEAR THE
BASE, APPEARED TO BE CAUSED BY STRONG STRAIGHT LINE WINDS...
ESTIMATED SPEEDS 80 TO 100 MILES PER HOUR. NO INDICATION OF
ROTATION OR TWISTING WAS NOTED ALONG THE 1/4 TO 1/2 MILE WIDE PATH.
VALLEY MOBILE HOME PARK
APPROXIMATELY 3/4 OF A MILE SOUTHWEST OF THE ABOVE LOCATION, ON FM
471, STRAIGHT LINE WINDS CAUSED DAMAGE TO SEVERAL MOBILE HOMES IN
THE VALLEY MOBILE HOME PARK. MOST DAMAGE APPEARED TO BE MINOR,
MAINLY CONFINED TO STORAGE SHEDS WITH DAMAGED OR DESTROYED AND
MISSING SKIRTING. THE VAST MAJORITY OF MOBILES HOMES INSPECTED
WERE SECURELY TIED-DOWN. NUMEROUS TREES WERE DAMAGED AND OR UPROOTED
THROUGHOUT THE PARK. TREE LIMBS UP TO 8 INCHES IN DIAMETER WERE
SNAPPED OR BROKEN THROUGHOUT THE MOBILE HOME PARK. LARGE DEBRIS HAD
BEEN CLEARED AWAY BEFORE INSPECTION SO DETERMINATION OF VEHICLE
LOSSES COULD NOT BE MADE. THE WIDTH OF DAMAGE PATH FROM THE STRAIGHT
LINE WINDS VARIED AND WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 1/4 TO 1/2 MILE. NO SIGN
OF ROTATION OR TWISTING WAS NOTED AT THIS LOCATION. WIND SPEEDS
WERE ESTIMATED IN THE 50 TO 60 MILE PER HOUR RANGE.
CASTROVILLE LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL FIELD COMPLEX (NORTH OF
CASTROVILLE AIRPORT) 1/8 TO 1/4 MILE SOUTHWEST OF VALLEY MOBILE HOME
PARK
CHAIN LINK FENCE WAS BENT OVER IN SECTIONS ALONG THE OUTFIELD FENCE
LINE. ALL SECTIONS WHICH SUSTAINED DAMAGE WERE ATTRIBUTED TO PLYWOOD
ADVERTISEMENT SIGNS AFFIXED TO THE OUTFIELD FENCE LINE. STRAIGHT
LINE WIND DAMAGE WAS ESTIMATED TO BE APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE WIDE AT
THIS POINT AND INCLUDED THE NORTH PORTION OF THE CASTROVILLE AIRPORT
FARTHER TO THE SOUTH. NO SIGN OF ROTATION WAS NOTED AT THE
CASTROVILLE LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL FIELD.
CASTROVILLE AIRPORT
THE FIXED BASE OPERATOR (FBO) HANGER WAS THREE QUARTERS DESTROYED,
ESTIMATED LOSS WAS AROUND $200,000 TO THE STRUCTURE. APPROXIMATELY
$500,000 LOSS TO SEVERELY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED AIRCRAFT AND
EQUIPMENT HOUSED INSIDE HANGER. 3 OR 4 INDIVIDUALS WERE INSIDE
INCLUDING THE AIRPORT MANAGER IN A SMALL OFFICE LOCATED ON LEAST
DAMAGED, WEST SIDE OF THE FBO HANGER. NO INJURIES OR FATALITIES WERE
SUSTAINED. SEVERAL ADJACENT HANGERS LOCATED AT THE AIRPORT RECEIVED
MINOR OR NO DAMAGE. SEVERAL WITNESSES IN ADJACENT HANGERS DESCRIBED
THE SOUND OF A LOUD TRAIN WHEN THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE
STORM HIT THE AIRPORT...AT APPROXIMATELY 4 TO 4:15 PM. SOME
INDICATION OF ROTATION WAS NOTED IN A PATH UP TO 30 YARDS WIDE
INDICATING A TORNADO WHICH LIKELY TOUCHED DOWN AT OR VERY NEAR THE
FBO HANGER. THE DAMAGE PATH WAS IN A NORTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST
DIRECTION WHICH WAS THE SAME TRACK OF THE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. THIS
SHORT LIVED TORNADO WAS ESTIMATED TO HAVE REACHED F1 INTENSITY
(73-112 MPH) AND WAS NOT LIKELY ON THE GROUND FOR MORE THAN A FEW
SECONDS.
-- =================================================================== Jesse Ferrell - Meteorologist / Webmaster / Founder - WeatherMatrix 6000 Weather Enthusiasts Can't Be Wrong! www.weathermatrix.net[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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