Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1986

Flash Flood Warning 28, NWS Midland/Odessa, TX

September 3, 1986Crane County, Texas

NWS Midland/Odessa, TX issued this flash flood warning at Sep 3, 1986, 6:44 PM CDT for Crane County, Texas. It was in force for 4 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Sep 3, 1986, 6:44 PM CDT (23:44 UTC)
Expired
Sep 3, 1986, 10:45 PM CDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Midland/Odessa, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Crane 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, 11.7 hours before the alert went out and 65 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 1986-09-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 161 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 1986-09-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 89 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
161 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-44 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
659 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
17 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
89 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
108 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 032344
FFWMAF
TXC103-040345-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
644 PM CDT WED SEP  3 1986
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1045 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES:
 
IN SOUTHWEST TEXAS
          ..CRANE

AT 630 PM CDT THE CIVIL DEFENCE IN CRANE REPORTED 3 INCHES OF RAIN
IN THE PAST TWO HOURS.
AT 625 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A LARGE AREA OF RAINSHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS MOVING TOWARD CRANE.
 
BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE
THE DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS.  IF FLASH FLOODING IS
OBSERVED, ACT QUICKLY.  MOVE UP TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS.  DO NOT
STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.
 
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.
 
MOST DEATHS IN FLASH FLOODING 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.

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, Sep 3, 1:34 PM CDT, 5 hours 10 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
130 PM CDT WED SEP 3 1986

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEAST PORTIONS OF THE
   SOUTH PLAINS..FAR WEST TEXAS AND THE BIG BEND FOR TODAY AND FOR THE
   SOUTH PLAINS AND ALL OF THE PERMIAN BASIN TONIGHT...

AT 125 PM CDT..THUNDERSTORMS..SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN..WERE SCATTERED
IN A 130 MILE WIDE AREA EXTENDING FROM GUTHRIE TO NEAR VAN HORN.
HEAVIEST RAIN WAS INDICATED BETWEEN BIG SPRING AND GARDEN CITY. MOVEMENT
WAS NORTHEAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR.

THE LATEST ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS TO PASS THROUGH THE MIDLAND/ODESSA
AREA LEFT FOUR TENTHS OF AN INCH OF RAIN AT THE AIRPORT. THESE THUNDER-
STORMS HAVE MOVED OUT OF THE IMMEDIATE AREA..AND THERE SHOULD BE A BREAK
IN THE HEAVY RAIN FOR MIDLAND AND ODESSA FOR THE NEXT HOUR OR TWO.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO..LOCAL RADIO OR TV FOR ADDITIONAL
STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Sep 3, 2:35 PM CDT, 4 hours 9 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
235 PM CDT WED SEP 3 1986

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEAST PORTIONS OF THE
   SOUTH PLAINS..FAR WEST TEXAS AND THE BIG BEND FOR TODAY AND FOR THE
   SOUTH PLAINS AND ALL OF THE PERMIAN BASIN TONIGHT...

AT 225 PM CDT..THUNDERSTORMS..SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN..WERE SCATTERED
IN A 210 MILE WIDE AREA EXTENDING FROM NEAR VAN HORN TO 20 MILES SOUTH-
EAST OF CHILDRESS. THE HEAVIEST RAIN WAS INDICATED 10 MILES EAST OF BIG
SPRING. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR.

THE LATEST ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS TO PASS THROUGH THE MIDLAND/ODESSA
AREA LEFT FOUR TENTHS OF AN INCH OF RAIN AT THE AIRPORT. THESE THUNDER-
STORMS HAVE MOVED OUT OF THE IMMEDIATE AREA..AND THERE SHOULD BE A BREAK
IN THE HEAVY RAIN FOR MIDLAND AND ODESSA FOR THE NEXT HOUR OR TWO.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO..LOCAL RADIO OR TV FOR ADDITIONAL
STATEMENTS A!ND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Sep 3, 3:28 PM CDT, 3 hours 16 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
330 PM CDT WED SEP 3 1986

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEAST PORTIONS OF THE
   SOUTH PLAINS..FAR WEST TEXAS AND THE BIG BEND FOR TODAY AND FOR THE
   SOUTH PLAINS AND ALL OF THE PERMIAN BASIN TONIGHT...

AT 325 PM CDT..THUNDERSTORMS..SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN..WERE SCATTERED
IN A 170 MILE WIDE AREA EXTENDING FROM NEAR VAN HORN TO 40 MILES SOUTH-
EAST OF CHILDRESS. THE HEAVIEST RAIN WAS INDICATED 20 MILES SOUTHWEST
OF FORTSTOCKTON. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR.

THE LATEST ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS TO PASS THROUGH THE MIDLAND/ODESSA
AREA LEFT FOUR TENTHS OF AN INCH OF RAIN AT THE AIRPORT. THESE THUNDER-
STORMS HAVE MOVED OUT OF THE IMMEDIATE AREA..AND THERE SHOULD BE A BREAK
IN THE HEAVY RAIN FOR MIDLAND AND ODESSA FOR THE NEXT HOUR OR TWO.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO..LOCAL RADIO OR TV FOR ADDITIONAL
STATE;MENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Sep 3, 4:42 PM CDT, 2 hours 2 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
433 PM CDT WED SEP 3 1986

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF WEST TEXAS
   FOR THE REMAINDER OF TODAY AND TONIGHT...

AT 445 PM CDT..THUNDERSTORMS..SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN..WERE SCATTERED
OVER THE AREA BETWEEN GUTHRIE..RANKIN..MARFA AND THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF
NEW MEXICO. THE HEAVIEST RAIN WAS INDICATED 20 MILES SOUTHEAST OF PECOS.
MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR.

CONTINUED HEAVY RAINS IN ALREADY SATURATED AREAS WILL CAUSE RAPID RUNOFF
AND POSSIBLE FLASH FLOODING.

MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE THROUGH RUNNING WATER OF UNKNOWN DEPTH.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WETHER RAhDIO..LOCAL RADIO OR TV FOR LATEST INFORMATION
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Sep 3, 5:45 PM CDT, 59 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
538 PM CDT WED SEP 3 1986

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF WEST TEXAS
   FOR THE REMAINDER OF TODAY AND TONIGHT...

AT 525 PM CDT..THUNDERSTORMS..SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN..WERE SCATTERED
OVER THE AREA BETWEEN GUTHRIE..RANKIN..ALPINE AND THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF
NEW MEXICO. THE HEAVIEST RAIN WAS INDICATED OVER GRANDFALLS. OTHER VERY
HEAVY RAIN WAS EAST OF GARDEN CITY AND SOUTH OF MALJAMAR NEW MEXICO.
MOVEMENT WAS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR.

LIGHT RAIN HAD STARTED AT THE MIDLAND REGIONAL AIRPORT.
MORE HEAVY RAINS IN SATURATED AREAS WILL CAUSE RAPID RUNOFF AND POSSIBLE
FLASH FLOODING.
MOTORISTS SHOULD BE CAUTIOUS AND AVOID KNOWN FLOOD PRONE AREAS SUCH AS
DIPS AND UNDERPASSES.
STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO..LOCAL RADIO OR TV FOR LATEST INFORMATION
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

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.