Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1987

Flash Flood Warning 12, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX

May 29, 19874 counties in Texas

NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this flash flood warning at May 29, 1987, 3:19 AM CDT for 4 counties in Texas. It was in force for 4 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 29, 1987, 3:19 AM CDT (08:19 UTC)
Expired
May 29, 1987, 7:15 AM CDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
Area
Whole counties

Counties Bandera County, TX, Kendall County, TX, Kerr County, TX, Real 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

Del Rio, TX (KDRT), launched 00:00Z, 8.3 hours before the alert went out and 162 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, Del Rio, TX at 00:00Z on 1987-05-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 4195 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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, Del Rio, TX at 00:00Z on 1987-05-29The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 90 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
4195 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-2 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
880 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
90 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
111 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
2.3
Supercell composite
10.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KSAT 290819
FFWSAT
TXC019-259-265-325-385-463-291215-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
319 AM CDT FRI MAY 29 1987
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 715 AM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN SOUTH TEXAS
          ...BANDERA...KENDALL...KERR
          ...MEDINA...REAL...UVALDE
 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND
GUSTY WINDS HAVE CONTINUED ACROSS THE HILL COUNTRY AND EDWARDS
PLATEAU THIS MORNING.  SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ALSO PRODUCED
HEAVY RAINFALL IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WHICH WILL LIKELY CAUSE
FLASH FLOODING.  THE WATERSHEDS OF THE GUADALUPE...MEDINA...FRIO AND
SABINAL RIVERS...AND THEIR CREEKS AND TRIBUTARIES...WILL BE MOST
AFFECTED BY RUNOFF FROM THESE HEAVY RAINS.  AMOUNTS APPROACHING THREE
INCHES HAVE ALREADY BEEN REPORTED IN SOME HILL COUNTRY AREAS...AN
ADDITIONAL 3 TO 5 INCHES COULD OCCUR.  SINCE THE GROUND IS ALREADY
SATURATED FROM PRIOR RAINS...ANY MORE RAIN WILL NOT SOAK IN BUT RUN
OFF AND GREATLY ADD TO THE THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING.
 
CAMPERS AND HIKERS IN GARNER STATE PARK AND OTHER HILL COUNTRY
RECREATIONAL AREAS SHOULD MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND AT ONCE.  MOTORISTS
SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE ACROSS LOW-WATER CROSSINGS WHICH ARE
FLOODED.  RESIDENTS LIVING CLOSE TO THE FLOOD PLAIN OF HILL COUNTRY
CREEKS AND RIVERS SHOULD BE ALERT AND MOVE TO SAFETY IF HEAVY RAIN OR
FLOODING IS OBSERVED.  PARENTS ARE REMINDED TO KEEP CHILDREN AWAY
FROM FLOOD-PRONE DRAINAGE DITCHES...CREEKS AND RIVERS THIS MORNING.
 
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR HAS BEEN
REPORTED.
 
REMEMBER...DEATHS DURING FLASH FLOODING ARE FREQUENTLY RELATED TO
MOTORISTS DRIVING INTO FLOODED LOW WATER CROSSINGS OR FROM CHILDREN
PLAYING NEAR FLOODED STREAMS OR DRAINAGE AREAS.
 
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS OFTEN ACCOMPANY FLASH FLOOD
PRODUCING THUNDERS9TORMS.
 
PLEASE LISTEN TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO...TV OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO STATION
FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS REGARDING THIS SEVERE WEATHER EVENT.

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, May 28, 11:22 PM CDT, 3 hours 57 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX
1117 PM CDT THU MAY 28 1987

...TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 AM CDT FOR VAL VERDE COUNTY
INCLUDING THE CITY OF DEL RIO...

AT 1112 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED AN AREA THUNDERSTORMS IN THE SOUTHERN
HALF OF VAL VERDE COUNTY MOVING TO THE EAST AT AROUND 10 MPH. AN
INTENSE STORM WAS LOCATED 20 MILES W OF DEL RIO INSIDE MEXICO MOVING
SLOWLY NORTHEAST.

HEAVY RAIN HAS FALLEN IN SOME PARTS OF SOUTH VAL VERDE COUNTY AND LOW
WATER CROSSINGS AND LOW LYING AREAS EITHER HAVE FLOODED OR COULD
FLOOD WITH ANOTHER STRONG DOWNPOUR.

THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXISTS WITH THE UNSTABLE
ATMOSPHERE AND MOIST SOUTHEAST FLOW.

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.
PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSEIBLE
WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, May 29, 12:28 AM CDT, 2 hours 51 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX
1228 AM CDT FRI MAY 29 1987

AT 1215 AM CDT RADAR INDICATED AN INTENSE THUNDERSTORM ABOUT 20 MILES
WEST OF DEL RIO IN MEXICO MOVING EAST AT AROUND 20 MPH. RADAR IS
INDICATING HAIL ASSOCIATED WITH THIS STORM. EXCEPT IN THE EXTREME
NORTHWEST THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO ROMP TO THE NORTHEAST ACROSS VAL
VERDE COUNTY.

HEAVY RAIN HAS FALLEN IN SOME PARTS OF SOUTH VAL VERDE COUNTY AND LOW
WATE}R CROSSINGS AND LOW LYING AREAS EITHER HAVE FLOODED OR COULD
FLOOD WITH ANOTHER STRONG DOWNPOUR.

STRONG GUSTY WINDS...DAMAGING HAIL...AND HEAVY RAIN ARE POSSIBLE WITH
A THUNDERSTORM AS INTENSE AS THE ONE NOW NEAR DEL RIO.
Special weather statement, May 29, 1:27 AM CDT, 1 hour 52 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX
127 AM CDT FRI MAY 29 1987

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH COVERS ALL OF VAL VERDE COUNTY UNTIL
7 AM CDT...

AT 115 AM CDT RADAR INDICATED A VERY STRONG  THUNDERSTORM ABOUT 10
MILES WEST OF DEL RIO IN MEXICO MOVING EAST AT AROUND 25 MPH.
THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOW SCATTERED OVER ALL OF VAL VERDE COUNTY.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS
SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND
LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, May 29, 2:06 AM CDT, 1 hour 13 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
200 AM CDT FRI MAY 19 1987

...VERY INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS NOW MOVING NORTHWARD AND AWAY FROM
AUSTIN...

JUST BEFORE 2 AM...RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF VERY INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS...
TO EXTEND FROM JUST NORTH OF COLLEGE STATION AND AUSTIN THROUGH KERR-
VILLE AND ON INTO THE WESTERN HILL COUNTRY.  THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE
LOCATED NEAR CAMERON...IN MILAM COUNTY AND OVER WILLIAMSON COUNTY
NEAR HUTTO AND LEANDER.  THOSE INDIVIDUAL STORMS WERE MOVING TOWARDS
THE NORTH NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED TO OR DETECTED BY THIS OFFICE
AT THIS TIME BUT CONDITIONS REMAIN VERY UNSTABLE.  CONTINUE THE
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH...WHICH COVERS TRAVIS AND ALL SURROUNDING
COUNTIES.
Special weather statement, May 29, 2:38 AM CDT, 41 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX
138 AM CDT FRI MAY 29 1987

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH COVERS ALL OF VAL VERDE COUNTY UNTIL
7 AM CDT...

AT 125 AM CDT RADAR INDICATED A VERY STRONG  THUNDERSTORM ABOUT 10
MILES WEST OF DEL RIO IN MEXICO MOVING EAST AT AROUND 25 MPH.
THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOW SCATTERED OVER ALL OF VAL VERDE COUNTY.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS IN A0ND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS
SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND
LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, May 29, 2:58 AM CDT, 21 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
300 AM CDT FRI MAY 19 1987

...VERY INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAINS REMAIN ON THE WEST
AND NORTH SIDE OF AUSTIN....

LOCAL RADAR SHOWS VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS JUST WEST OF THE CITY...NEAR
LAKE TRAVIS AND ALSO IN THE ROUND ROCK/GEORGETOWN AREAS.  RAINFALL
RATES WERE ESTIMATED AT JUST OVER TWO INCHES PER HOUR IN SEVERAL SMALL
SPOTS WITHIN THOSE STORMS.  AN UNCONFIRMED REPORT OF OVER THREE INCHES
HAS FALLEN OUT AT LAKEWAY.

THE THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING MAY BECOME MUCH MORE IMPORTANT DURING
THE EARLY MORNING HOURS...EVEN THOUGH THESE STORMS HAVE A HIGH
POTENTIAL FOR LARGE HAIL AND HIGH WINDS.

CONTINUE THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR A LARGE PORTION OF CENTRAL
AND SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS...INCLUDING TRAVIS AND ALL SURROUNDING
COUNTIES...UNTIL 7 AM.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 28, 7:05 PM CDTTornado WarningEWXVal Verde70 min
May 28, 8:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXVal Verde70 min
May 28, 9:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXKinney62 min
May 28, 9:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXVal Verde65 min
May 28, 10:18 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXKinney57 min
May 28, 11:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXKinney61 min
May 29, 12:24 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXReal, Uvalde66 min
May 29, 12:24 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXKinney66 min
May 29, 1:35 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBandera, Medina, Uvalde55 min
May 29, 2:32 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBandera, Medina58 min
May 29, 2:35 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXVal Verde2 hr
May 29, 3:14 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXTravis, Williamson2 hr
May 29, 3:19 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXMedina, Uvalde4 hr
May 29, 3:30 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBandera, Kerr, Real, Uvalde60 min
May 29, 3:30 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXKendall60 min
May 29, 3:30 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXMedina60 min
May 29, 4:39 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXBastrop, Caldwell, Hays4 hr
May 29, 4:39 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXLee4 hr
May 29, 4:39 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXBlanco4 hr
May 29, 4:55 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBandera, Medina, Uvalde65 min
May 29, 4:58 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXKinney, Maverick62 min
May 29, 7:27 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXBandera, Medina, Uvalde4 hr
May 29, 11:58 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXEdwards, Kerr, Real3 hr
May 29, 1:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXKerr58 min
May 29, 2:23 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXEdwards, Kerr, Real3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Texas, 1987Every flash flood warning in 1987

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.