By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Areas of Del Rio received nearly two inches of rain in several rounds of thunderstorms that sailed over Val Verde County Saturday night and Sunday morning.
No official rainfall totals for either day have been posted by the National Weather Service station here, but Del Rio meteorologist Daniel Schreiber reported the results from several rain gauges around the area to The 830 Times on Sunday.
Schreiber said 24-hour rainfall totals as of Sunday morning were reported as follows: 1.71 inches in Alta Vista, 1.84 inches in Ceniza Hills, 1.75 inches on Industrial Boulevard/Frontera Road and 1.14 inches in Comstock.
Schreiber also reported that the San Felipe Creek crested at 10.87 feet due to the wave of rain events. Several photos posted on social media show the creek overtopping the Johnson/Academy Street Bridge.
Schreiber also spoke about the successive waves of thunderstorms that brought rain, high winds, thunder, lighting and small hail to various areas of the county beginning Saturday night and Sunday morning.
Schreiber said, “These thunderstorms were the result of a small but robust atmospheric disturbance within the jet stream, which is somewhat common between April and May in Del Rio.”
The meteorologist added, “During this time of year, parts of the U.S. are still relatively cold, but other parts of the U.S. begin to heat up. As prevailing winds in different regions within the U.S. begin to move these cold and hot airmasses together, severe weather can erupt.
“Particularly, cold air aloft on top of warm air near the surface – which is common during springtime in Del Rio – can result in severe weather outbreaks with hail, high winds, and even tornadoes. Large amounts of rainfall can also occur, as they did in March and again in the past 24-48 hours, as a strong influx of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico [America] can aid in fueling these storms,” Schreiber added.
