1902 Goliad tornado

Storm development and track

During May 17 to 19, thunderstorms occurred from the lower Missouri Valley to Texas. On the 18th at 12:15pm, the Galveston weather office issued a special warning of "Squalls, with brisk and occasionally high winds are indicated for the west gulf this afternoon and to-night." That afternoon, Beeville, which is 30 miles to the southwest of Goliad, had considerable damage by high winds. The tornado is believed to have first touched down near Berclair, about 15 miles southwest of Goliad, and moved toward the northeast.

The tornado was on the south side of town, across the San Antonio River about 3:35 p.m. It continued traveling northeast and wrecked the steel bridge across the river at San Patricio Street. The tornado then destroyed the filled Fannin Street Methodist Church at Mt. Auburn Street, killing about 50 people. It went on to destroy the brick factory. Witness Browne reported it sounded like a "million-ton [train] engine". The tornado was a couple of blocks wide when it moved up the west side of town destroying more homes, businesses and churches. The tornado path was 1/8 to 1/2 mile wide and traveled for about a mile. Reports say the tornado lasted only 5 minutes.