Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1986

Flash Flood Warning 12, NWS Midland/Odessa, TX

June 21, 1986Borden County, Howard County, Martin County, Texas

NWS Midland/Odessa, TX issued this flash flood warning at Jun 21, 1986, 4:55 PM CDT for Borden County, Howard County, Martin County, Texas. It was in force for 4 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 21, 1986, 4:55 PM CDT (21:55 UTC)
Expired
Jun 21, 1986, 9:00 PM CDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Midland/Odessa, TX
Area
Whole counties

Counties Borden County, TX, Howard County, TX, Martin 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

Midland Regional, TX (KMAF), launched 12:00Z, 9.9 hours before the alert went out and 79 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, Midland Regional, TX at 12:00Z on 1986-06-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1235 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, Midland Regional, TX at 12:00Z on 1986-06-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 10 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
1235 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-18 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
762 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
17 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
10 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
22 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAAOO KMAF 212155
FFWMAF
TXC033-227-317-220200-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
455 PM CDT SAT JUN 21 1986
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL  900 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES:
 
IN NORTHWEST TEXAS
          ..SOUTHERN BORDEN..HOWARD..EASTERN MARTIN

AT 456 PM CDT THE BIG SPRING POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORTED ALL MAJOR
STREETS IN BIG SPRING WERE FLOODED.
 
RADAR CONTINUES TO SHOW THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER MOST
OF HOWARD COUNTY WITH ADDITIONAL RAINFALL OVER ALREADY SATURATTED
GROUND EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS.
 
DUE TO THE HEAVY RAINFALL AND SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE
THUNDERSTORMS..THIS CREATES A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION IN THE WARNED
AREA..ESPECIALLY FOR THE CITY OF BIG SPRING.
 
 
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS
IMMINENT.  MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES.  DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO CROSS BRIDGES, DIPS, OR LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY.  NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM, EVEN A SMALL ONE,
ON FOOT.  TO ESCAPE RISING WATER MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND.

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, Jun 21, 11:37 AM CDT, 5 hours 18 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
1133 AM CDT SAT JUN 21 1986

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT TODAY AND TONIGHT FOR THE PERMIAN
BASIN...

AT 1128 AM CDT..SCATTERED RAINSHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WERE
DEVELOPING OVER THE SOUTH PLAINS..PERMIAN BASIN..BIG COUNTRY..CONCHO
VALLEY..AND BIG BEND. A HEAVY THUNDERSTORM WAS OCCURRING 10 MILES
NORTHEAST OF LAMESA. MOVEMENT WAS NORTH AT 10 MILES AN HOUR.

CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THUNDERSTORMS THIS
AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WITH HEAVY RAINS POSSIBLE. ANY ADDITIONAL
RAINFALL ON ALREADY SATURATED GROUNDS WILL PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATION FOR
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Jun 21, 12:38 PM CDT, 4 hours 17 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
1235 PM CDT SAT JUN 21 1986

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT TODAY AND TONIGHT FOR THE PERMIAN
BASIN...

AT 1227 PM CDT..SCATTERED RAINSHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE INCREASING
WITH SOME VERY HEAVY OVER THE SOUTH PLAINS..PERMIAN BASIN..BIG COUNTRY
..CONCHO VALLEY..AND TRANS-PECOS. MOVEMENT WAS TO THE NORTH AT 10 MILES
AN HOUR.

CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THUNDERSTORMS THIS
AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WITH HEAVY RAINS POSSIBLE. ANY ADDITIONAL
RAINFALL ON ALREADY SATURATED GROUNDS WILL PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATION FOR
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Jun 21, 1:48 PM CDT, 3 hours 7 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
144 PM CDT SAT JUN 21 1986

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT TODAY AND TONIGHT FOR THE PERMIAN
BASIN AND PART OF SOUTHWEST TEXAS INCLUDING DAVIS MOUNTAINS AND BIG
BEND...

AT 133 PM CDT..SCATTERED RAINSHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS..SOME VERY HEAVY..
WERE OCCURRING OVER THE SOUTH PLAINS..PERMIAN BASIN..BIG COUNTRY
..CONCHO VALLEY..AND TRANS-PECOS. MOVEMENT WAS TO THE NORTH AT 10 MILES
AN HOUR.

MUCH OF THE AREA HAS SATURATED GROUND AND ANY ADDITIONAL RAINFALL WILL
PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO USE CAUTION AND AVOID
DRIVING INTO FLOODED LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER9 RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATION FOR
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Jun 21, 2:35 PM CDT, 2 hours 20 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
230 PM CDT SAT JUN 21 1986

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT TODAY AND TONIGHT FOR THE PERMIAN
BASIN AND PART OF SOUTHWEST TEXAS INCLUDING DAVIS MOUNTAINS AND BIG
BEND...

AT 225 PM CDT..SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN AN AREA 130 MILES WIDE
FROM NEAR MARFA TO 100 MILES NORTH OF ABILENE..SOME VERY HEAVY RAINFALL
HAS BEEN OCCURRING IN THE PERMAIN BASIN..THE SOUTH PLAINS..THE CONCHO
VALLEY AND IN PORTIONS OF THE TRANS-PECOS REGION. HERE AT THE MIDLAND
REGION AIRPORT 0.75 INCHES HAS BEEN RECORED SINCE 2 PM CDT. MOVEMENT WAS
NORTH AT 10 MILES AN HOUR.

MUCH OF THE AREA HAS SATURATED GROUND AND ANY ADDITIONAL RAINFALL WILL
PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO USE CAUTION AND AVOID
DRIVING INTO FLOODED LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATION FOR
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINrGS.
Special weather statement, Jun 21, 3:32 PM CDT, 1 hour 23 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
330 PM CDT SAT JUN 21 1986

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT TODAY AND TONIGHT FOR THE PERMIAN
BASIN AND PART OF SOUTHWEST TEXAS INCLUDING DAVIS MOUNTAINS AND BIG
BEND...

AT 325 PM CDT..SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN AN AREA 210 MILES WIDE
FROM THE BIG BEND REGION NORTHEASTWARD TO NORTHEAST OF LUBBOCK..SOME VERY
HEAVY RAINFALL HAS BEEN OCCURRING IN THE PERMIAN BASIN..SOUTH PLAINS..
CONCHO VALLEY AND IN PORTIONS OF THE TRANS-PECOS REGION. MOVEMENT WAS
NORTH AT 10 MILES AN HOUR.

MUCH OF THE AREA HAS SATURATED GROUND AND ANY ADDITIONAL RAINFALL WILL
PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO USE CAUTION AND AVOID
DRIVING INTO FLOODED LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATION FOR
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Jun 21, 4:32 PM CDT, 23 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
433 PM CDT SAT JUN 21 1986

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT TODAY AND TONIGHT FOR THE PERMIAN
BASIN AND PART OF SOUTHWEST TEXAS INCLUDING THE DAVIS MOUNTAINS AND BIG
BEND AREA...

AT 425 PM CDT..SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN AN AREA 165 MILES WIDE
FROM THE BIG BEND REGION NORTHEASTWARD TO THE GUTHRIE AREA.  THE HEAVIEST
ACTIVITY WAS LOCATED IN AND AROUND THE BIG SPRING AREA. MOVEMENT WAS TO
THE NORTH AT 10 MILES AN HOUR.

MUCH OF THE AREA HAS SATURATED GROUND AND ANY ADDITIONAL RAINFALL WILL
PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO USE CAUTION AND AVOID
DRIVING INTO FLOODED LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATION FOR
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Midland/Odessa, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 20, 9:34 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMAFGaines56 min
Jun 20, 11:25 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMAFWard, Winkler4 hr
Jun 20, 11:25 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMAFAndrews, Gaines4 hr

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.