Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1986

Flash Flood Warning 68, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX

October 12, 1986Travis County, Texas

NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this flash flood warning at Oct 12, 1986, 3:11 AM CDT for Travis County, Texas. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Oct 12, 1986, 3:11 AM CDT (08:11 UTC)
Expired
Oct 12, 1986, 6:15 AM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Travis County, TX

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

The nearest sounding before it

Victoria Regiona, TX (KVCT), launched 00:00Z, 8.2 hours before the alert went out and 186 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Victoria Regiona, TX at 00:00Z on 1986-10-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1052 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Victoria Regiona, TX at 00:00Z on 1986-10-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 143 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
1052 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-41 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
710 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
47 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
143 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
197 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.3
Supercell composite
5.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KAUS 120811
FFWAUS
TXC453-121115-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED 
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
311 AM CDT SUN OCT 12 1986

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WARNING 
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 615 AM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY OF

TEXAS...TRAVIS

AT 305  AM CDT A VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER TRAVIS
COUNTY THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE PRODUCED NEAR 2 INCHES OF RAIN
&OVER PARTS OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.

REMEMBER THAT DEATHS DURING FLASH FLOODING ARE OFTEN RELATED TO
MOTORISTS DRIVING THROUGH FLOODED LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Oct 11, 11:54 PM CDT, 3 hours 17 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
1155 PM CDT SAT OCT 11 1986

...PRE-FRONTAL THUNDERSTORMS NOW MOVING INTO THE HIGHLAND LAKES...

JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT...RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS
FROM SOUTH OF WACO PAST KILLEEN...LAMPASAS...LAKE BUCHANAN...JUNCTION
...TO SOUTHEAST OF DEL RIO.  THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING
TOWARDS THE SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

PERSONS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR
BRIEF GUSTY WINDS AND HEAVY RAINS AS THESE STORMS MOVE THROUGH.

COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE SHOULD FOLLOW IMMEDIATEDLY BEHIND THE THUNDER-
STORMS...WITH SHIFTING WINDS TO THE NORTH AT 15 TO 30 MPH AND GUSTY.
CLOUDY AND MUCH COLDER TEMPERA+TURES...LIKELY TO BE 15 TO 20 DEGREES
COLDER...FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.
Special weather statement, Oct 12, 12:24 AM CDT, 2 hours 47 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX
1225 AM CDT SUN OCT 12 1986

AT 1215 PM CDT AN AREA OF HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED IN
NORTHWEST VAL VERDE COUNTY EXTENDING FROM COMSTOCK TO JUNO TO THE
PANDALE AREA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING SLOWLY TO THE
SOUTHEAST.

HEAVY RAINFALL IS LIKELY WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS AND SINCE THE
GROUND IS ALREADY SATURATED...RUNOFF WILL OCCUR RAPIDLY. PERSON
LIVING IN OR NEAR FLOOD-PRONE AREAS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A
PLACE OF SAFETY IF HEAVY RAIN OR FLOOING IS OBSERVED...OR A WARNING
IS ISSUED. MOTORISTS SHOULD EXERCISE CARE AND CAUTION...REUCE DRIVING
SPEEDS...AND DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE INTO OR THROUGH FLOODED LOW
WATER CROSSINGS.

THIS AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE SOUTHEAST WITH THE
COLD FRONT.  STRONG GUSTY WINDS CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED WITH THIS FRONT.
 A LAKE WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR LAKE AMISTAD FOR TONIGHT.
BOATERS SHOULD REMAIN CLOSE TO SAFE OHARBOR.

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL WEA
THER SERVICE AS CONDITIONS WARRANT.
Special weather statement, Oct 12, 1:20 AM CDT, 1 hour 51 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX
125 AM CDT SUN OCT 12 1986

AT 120 AM CDT A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS 10 MILES WIDE WAS LOCATED FROM
COMSTOCK TO LOMA ALTA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING SLOWLY TO THE
SOUTHEAST AND WILL MOVE ACROSS LAKE AMISTAD AND THOUGH DEL RIO DURING

THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS.

HEAVY RAINFALL IS LIKELY WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS AND SINCE THE
GROUND IS ALREADY SATURATED...RUNOFF WILL OCCUR RAPIDLY. PERSON
LIVING IN OR NEAR FLOOD-PRONE AREAS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A
PLACE OF SAFETY IF HEAVY RAIN OR FLOOING IS OBSERVED...OR A WARNING
IS ISSUED. MOTORISTS SHOULD EXERCISE CARE AND CAUTION...REUCE DRIVING
SPEEDS...AND DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE INTO OR THROUGH FLOODED LOW
WATER CROSSINGS.

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL WEA
THER SERVICE AS CONDITIONS WARRANT.
Special weather statement, Oct 12, 2:22 AM CDT, 49 minutes before
KSAT 120528

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
220 AM CDT SUN OCT 12 1986

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECT FOR ZAVALA COUNTY HAS EXPIRED...

THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY EARLY
THIS MORNING.  THE AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDS FROM
BATESVILLE IN ZAVALA COUNTY NORTHEAST TO THE AUSTIN AREA.  THE HEAVIEST
THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED WEST OF YANCEY AND SOUTH OF BANDERA.  THE
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS TO NEAR 40 MPH AND SMALL HAIL ARE
POSSIBLE WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE HEAVIER THUNDERSTORMS.

ANOTHER AREA OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED FROM DEL
RIO TO SOUTH OF EAGLE PASS.  THIS ACTIVITY WAS ALSO MOVING EAST AT 30
MILES AN HOUR.
<

A STRONG COLD FRONT IS CONTINUING TO MOVE SOUTH INTO SOUTH TEXAS.
WINDS HAVE SHIFTED TO THE NORTH AND GUSTED TO 32 MILES AN HOUR AT
AUSTIN DURING THE PAST HOUR AT AUSTIN.

THE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY AND ADJOINING AREAS
WILL CONTINUE TO DURING THE NIGHT. PERSONS LIVING IN THE TEXAS HILL
COUNTRY AND ADJOINING AREAS SHOULD CONTINUE MONITOR THIS DEVELOPING
WEATHER SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Oct 12, 2:24 AM CDT, 47 minutes before
KSAT 120528

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
220 AM CDT SUN OCT 12 1986

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR ZAVALA COUNTY HAS EXPIRED...

THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY EARLY
THIS MORNING.  THE AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDS FROM
BATESVILLE IN ZAVALA COUNTY NORTHEAST TO THE AUSTIN AREA.  THE HEAVIEST
THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED WEST OF YANCEY AND SOUTH OF BANDERA.  THE
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS TO NEAR 40 MPH AND SMALL HAIL ARE
POSSIBLE WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE HEAVIER THUNDERSTORMS.

ANOTHER AREA OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED FROM DEL
RIO TO SOUTH OF EAGLE PASS.  THIS ACTIVITY WAS ALSO MOVING EAST AT 30
MILES AN HOUR.
<
A STRONG COLD FRONT IS CONTINUING TO MOVE SOUTH INTO SOUTH TEXAS.
WINDS HAVE SHIFTED TO THE NORTH AND GUSTED TO 32 MILES AN HOUR AT
AUSTIN DURING THE PAST HOUR AT AUSTIN.

THE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY AND ADJOINING AREAS
WILL CONTINUE TO DURING THE NIGHT. PERSONS LIVING IN THE TEXAS HILL
COUNTRY AND ADJOINING AREAS SHOULD CONTINUE MONITOR THIS DEVELOPING
WEATHER SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Oct 12, 2:57 AM CDT, 14 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX
300 AM CDT SUN OCT 12 1986

AT 250 AM CDT A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS 10 MILES WIDE WAS LOCATED FROM
COMSTOCK TO ROCK SPRINGS WITH ANOTHER LINE EXTENDING FROM ROCK
SPRINGS TO JUNO. LITTLE MOVEMENT WAS NOTED ON THESE THUNDERSTORMS.

HEAVY RAINFALL HAS BEEN INDICATED BY RADAR BETWEEN COMSTOCK AND
JUNO...SINCE THE GROUND IS ALREADY SATURATED...RUNOFF WILL OCCUR
RAPIDLY.

PERSON LIVING IN OR NEAR FLOOD-PRONE AREAS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO MOVE
TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF HEAVY RAIN OR FLOOING IS OBSERVED...OR A
WARNING IS ISSUED. MOTORISTS SHOULD EXERCISE CARE AND CAUTION...REUCE
DRIVING SPEEDS...AND DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE INTO OR THROUGH FLOODED
LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL WEA
THER SERVICE AS CONDITIONS WARRANT.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Oct 11, 10:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXKinney73 min
Oct 12, 3:57 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXUvalde63 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Texas, 1986Every flash flood warning in 1986

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.