Piedras Negras-Eagle Pass Tornadoes
Encyclopedia
| 2007 Piedras Negras-Eagle Pass tornadoes | |
| Date of tornado: | April 24, 2007 |
| Time: | 6:00 pm |
| Rating of tornadoes: | One F4 Fujita scale The Fujita scale , or Fujita-Pearson scale, is a scale for rating tornado intensity, based primarily on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures and vegetation... , one EF3 Enhanced Fujita Scale The Enhanced Fujita Scale rates the strength of tornadoes in the United States based on the damage they cause.Implemented in place of the Fujita scale introduced in 1971 by Ted Fujita, it began operational use on February 1, 2007. The scale has the same basic design as the original Fujita scale:... |
| Damages: | |
| Fatalities: | 10 |
| Area affected: | Coahuila Coahuila Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico... & Texas Texas Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... |
The 2007 Piedras Negras-Eagle Pass tornadoes were a deadly pair of tornadoes that struck the border cities of Piedras Negras, Coahuila
Piedras Negras, Coahuila
-Natural Resources:This region generates a large amount of the national production of coal, one of the most economically important non-metallic minerals in the state.-Tourism:Piedras Negras' main tourist attractions are:...
, and Eagle Pass, Texas
Eagle Pass, Texas
Eagle Pass is a city in and the county seat of Maverick County The population was 27,183 as of the 2010 census.Eagle Pass borders the city of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, which is to the southwest and across the Rio Grande. The Eagle Pass-Piedras Negras Metropolitan Area is one of six...
, along the United States-Mexican border on April 24, 2007. At least 10 people died as a result of the tornadoes: seven in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and three in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
The tornado
Supercell
A supercell is a thunderstorm that is characterized by the presence of a mesocyclone: a deep, continuously-rotating updraft. For this reason, these storms are sometimes referred to as rotating thunderstorms...
producing at least two tornadoes first formed in northern Coahuila
Coahuila
Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico...
around 6:00 pm CDT
Central Time zone
In North America, the Central Time Zone refers to national time zones which observe standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC , and daylight saving, or summer time by subtracting five hours...
(2300 UTC) and tracked eastward. It further developed, and became a right-moving supercell as it approached the city of Piedras Negras, where large tornado was reported to have touched down. At least three people were killed and 87 were injured as the tornado moved through Piedras Negras. Dozens of houses and cars were damaged (with structural damage to some houses) and power poles were knocked down. That tornado was rated "F4" on the Fujita scale
Fujita scale
The Fujita scale , or Fujita-Pearson scale, is a scale for rating tornado intensity, based primarily on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures and vegetation...
.
A second, EF3 tornado then formed across the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
in Texas. In Eagle Pass (about 150 miles (240 km) southwest of San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
) Rosita Valley Elementary School was destroyed, more than 300 houses were damaged or destroyed (including 198 mobile homes) and the municipal water treatment
Water treatment
Water treatment describes those processes used to make water more acceptable for a desired end-use. These can include use as drinking water, industrial processes, medical and many other uses. The goal of all water treatment process is to remove existing contaminants in the water, or reduce the...
plant was also destroyed. Several mobile homes were reportedly flattened and "blown away" by the tornadoes. The hardest-hit neighborhoods were just south of Eagle Pass, where seven died, including five in a single mobile home. In addition, 76 others were injured. The Texas Army National Guard
Texas Army National Guard
The Texas Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army, the United States National Guard and the Texas Military Forces . Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support...
, Texas State Guard
Texas State Guard
The Texas State Guard is one of three branches of the military forces of Texas, reporting to the Adjutant General, and under the command of the Governor. The other branches of the State Military Forces of Texas are the Texas Army National Guard, and the Texas Air National Guard.-History:The Texas...
and Border Patrol
United States Border Patrol
The United States Border Patrol is a federal law enforcement agency within U.S. Customs and Border Protection , a component of the Department of Homeland Security . It is an agency in the Department of Homeland Security that enforces laws and regulations for the admission of foreign-born persons to...
were quickly on the scene looking for additional victims. This was the first of only a dozen tornadoes in the history of Maverick County
Maverick County, Texas
Maverick County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 47,297. Its county seat is Eagle Pass. Maverick County is named for Samuel Maverick, cattleman and state legislator....
(where Eagle Pass is located) to produce any fatalities.
The system that spawned the deadly tornado also spawned 80 tornadoes from April 22 to April 29, 2007.
In both communities, hundreds were left homeless after the tornadoes.
Tornadoes confirmed
The tornadoes were part of two tornado outbreak sequences that lasted from April 20 to April 27. The first outbreak produced several strong tornadoes across western Texas on April 21 while the second outbreak produced tornadoes from Texas to the Ohio Valley from April 26. A total of 93 tornadoes were confirmed during those two outbreak sequences but no other fatalities were reported beside the Piedras Negras and the Eagle Pass Tornadoes.- Note: The tornado listed under "EF4Enhanced Fujita ScaleThe Enhanced Fujita Scale rates the strength of tornadoes in the United States based on the damage they cause.Implemented in place of the Fujita scale introduced in 1971 by Ted Fujita, it began operational use on February 1, 2007. The scale has the same basic design as the original Fujita scale:...
" was actually an "F4Fujita scaleThe Fujita scale , or Fujita-Pearson scale, is a scale for rating tornado intensity, based primarily on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures and vegetation...
"