It's Flooding In Corpus (Corpus Christi: 2015, apartment, house)

[Rust Never Sleeps]

They had a tornado in Flour Bluff this morning. The airport was shut down due to flooding. As usual, Rust knows how the wind blows: Wind Map

[seasick]

Isn't it unusual for Corpus Christi to have tornadoes? We have some strange weather going on in the U.S. this year.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by seasick

Isn't it unusual for Corpus Christi to have tornadoes? We have some strange weather going on in the U.S. this year.

I was really surprised too, as you don't think of the coast as being in "Tornado Alley."

They have revised the map. The part in yellow was what I always went by. The red is the new, and does include the coast--and goes much farther east.

Updated map

Sis lives out on North Padre, so I keep an eye on the area.

[Rust Never Sleeps]

Originally Posted by seasick

Isn't it unusual for Corpus Christi to have tornadoes? We have some strange weather going on in the U.S. this year.

This covers it.

American Red Cross opens shelter for flood victims - Caller-Times

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2...safe.html?_r=0

Where is Tornado Alley

Of concern is the rising temperature of the Gulf of Mexico. Warm gulf waters, to a certain depth/tipping point, and moist air spawn hurricanes - hurricanes spawn (most often) small tornadoes.

[seasick]

I am not particularly fearful of water spouts, but tornadoes horrify me!

The tornado alley has definitely moved and expanded!

[Dr.Mcninja]

Originally Posted by seasick

Isn't it unusual for Corpus Christi to have tornadoes? We have some strange weather going on in the U.S. this year.

Based on this, we average a little under 2 per year.
Tornado History Project: Nueces County, Texas
And this year, we've had 2.
They come in spurts.

[Rust Never Sleeps]

Originally Posted by Dr.Mcninja

Based on this, we average a little under 2 per year.
Tornado History Project: Nueces County, Texas
And this year, we've had 2.
They come in spurts.

Flash flood threat still in effect - Caller-Times

198,000 gallons of wastewater seep into creek - Caller-Times

[schamelon]

Originally Posted by Rust Never Sleeps

They had a tornado in Flour Bluff this morning. The airport was shut down due to flooding. As usual, Rust knows how the wind blows: Wind Map

I'm thinking about moving to Corpus soon, and the apartment I found is in Flour Bluff... Was this just a random event, or will I now have to look forward to worrying about my future apartment and my cats being blown away/flooded/damaged by tornadoes every so often? :/ Or was the tornado not that bad? I saw there were only 3 injuries reported and a few branches blown around, which I've lived through tornadoes like that at least 6 or 7 times in my 22 years.
Just wondering if this is a new trend for people living near the coast in Corpus.

[utsci]

I would be far more worried about hurricanes and resulting flooding in Corpus Christi. But then I have lived in the tornado-prone Midwest in the past. With a tornado you can take shelter in a basement or interior bathroom. The tornado might destroy your home, but you can survive with the right skills. A hurricane will bring horrific winds. If that doesn't get you then comes the flood. There is not really any high ground in Corpus Christi that is going to save you from flooding. You will have to evacuate and not know what you may come back to. There are some places that are better than others if the flooding is not catastrophic but I have not lived here long enough to experience a hurricane. I'm sure some of the other members here can address the "high ground" that might not flood and might be safer during the hurrican itself.

The recent rain storms and resulting floods will give you an idea of the really low ground as they have flooded with just 6 inches of rain over the course of several days.

[Dr.Mcninja]

Originally Posted by utsci

I would be far more worried about hurricanes and resulting flooding in Corpus Christi. But then I have lived in the tornado-prone Midwest in the past. With a tornado you can take shelter in a basement or interior bathroom. The tornado might destroy your home, but you can survive with the right skills. A hurricane will bring horrific winds.

This is ludicrous. Hurricane winds are significantly lower than tornadoes. Sure, hurricanes are bigger, but they're also slower. This isn't the 1800s, you've got a huge warning time for a hurricane. You simply choose to stay or leave. Even with 2015 technology, the best warning we have for tornadoes is 15-30 minutes. They're truly devastating and terrifying. If your house goes, you go, unless you've got a storm shelter, which doesn't exist here because of the flood plain.

If that doesn't get you then comes the flood. There is not really any high ground in Corpus Christi that is going to save you from flooding. You will have to evacuate and not know what you may come back to. There are some places that are better than others if the flooding is not catastrophic but I have not lived here long enough to experience a hurricane. I'm sure some of the other members here can address the "high ground" that might not flood and might be safer during the hurrican itself.

This is true, which is why you should look at flood maps before you buy anything coastal. Corpus is not unique in this regard. There are parts of the city above the 500 year flood plain though. Look at Upper Broadway downtown. Even the seawall gives better protection than was previously available. Consider North Beach versus the downtown area.

The recent rain storms and resulting floods will give you an idea of the really low ground as they have flooded with just 6 inches of rain over the course of several days.

You'd be hard pressed to find any city near sea level that does well with this much rain. Look at Charleston, SC or Norfolk, VA.