Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1988

Flash Flood Warning 6, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX

June 25, 1988Real County, Uvalde County, Texas

NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this flash flood warning at Jun 25, 1988, 6:53 PM CDT for Real County, Uvalde County, Texas. It was in force for 4 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 25, 1988, 6:53 PM CDT (23:53 UTC)
Expired
Jun 25, 1988, 11:00 PM CDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
Area
Whole counties

Counties Real County, TX, Uvalde 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 12:00Z, 11.9 hours before the alert went out and 104 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 12:00Z on 1988-06-25Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1181 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, Del Rio, TX at 12:00Z on 1988-06-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 35 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
1181 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-65 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
910 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
21 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
35 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
21 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KSAT 260003
FFWSAT
TXC385-463-260400-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
653 PM CDT SAT JUN 25 1988
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SAN ANTONIO HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 11 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN SOUTH TEXAS
          ...REAL...NORTHERN UVALDE
 
AT 650 PM CDT...HONDO RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM IN NORTHERN
UVALDE COUNTY EXTENDING INTO REAL COUNTY.  THIS SLOW-MOVING STORM
LIKELY CONTAINS LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WHICH MAY CAUSE FLOODING ON THE
UPPER REACHES OF THE NUECES RIVER FROM CAMP WOOD DOWNSTREAM...AND IN
REAL COUNTY FROM LEAKEY DOWNSTREAM PAST GARNER STATE PARK.  SINCE THE
GROUND IS SATURATED FROM RAINS LAST NIGHT WHICH TOTALED OVER 5 INCHES
IN REAL AND NORTHERN UVALDE COUNTIES...ANY ADDITIONAL RAINFALL FROM
THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL NOT SOAK IN BUT RUN OFF RAPIDLY INTO SWOLLEN OR
FLOODED CREEKS AND RIVERS...GREATLY ADDING TO THE THREAT FOR FLASH
FLOODING.
 
CAMPERS AND HIKERS NEAR THE FLOOD PLAINS OF THE NUECES AND FRIO
RIVERS...ESPECIALLY CAMPERS AND HIKERS IN GARNER STATE PARK...SHOULD
MOVE TO HIGH GROUND AT ONCE.
 
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 THUNDERSTORMS.
 
YOU SHOULD ASK THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO RELAY YOUR
SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS TO THE LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE.
 
PLEASE LISTEN TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO...TV OR NOAA WENATHER 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, Jun 25, 2:51 PM CDT, 4 hours 2 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX
251 PM CDT SAT JUN 25 1988

AT 245 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS AND
SHOWERS THROUGHOUT EASTERN VAL VERDE COUNTY...FROM SOUTH OF DEL RIO TO
COMSTOCK TO SONORA. A THUNDERSTORM WITH HEAVY RAIN WAS JUST SOUTH OF
LOMA ALTA ALONG HIGHWAY 277. MOVEMENT OF THE STORMS WAS SLOWLY TO THE
NORTHWEST.

HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL...FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND STRONG GUSTY
WINDS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.

THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL LIKELY BE WIDESPREAD THROUGHOUT VAL VERDE
COUNTY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...THEN SLOWLY BEGIN TO DISSIPATE AFTER
SUNSET.

BOATERS AND FISHERMEN ON LAKE AMISTAD AND SURROUNDING RIVERS SHOULD
REMAIN ALERT THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF
SAFETY IF THUNDER IS HEARD...LIGHTNING SEEN OR WINDS BEGIN INCREASING.

STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL NOAA WEATHER RADIO..TV AND RADIO STATIONS FOR
FURTHER STATEMENTS.
Special weather statement, Jun 25, 4:05 PM CDT, 2 hours 48 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX
305 PM CDT SAT JUN 25 1988

THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND
SMALL HAIL IN DEL RIO.

AT 300 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN IN
THE EASTERN HALF OF VAL VERDE COUNTY FROM DEL RIO TO EAST OF COMSTOCK TO
JUNO. A VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER NORTHERN LAKE
AMISTAD NEAR ROUGH CANYON MARINA. MOVEMENT OF THE STORMS WAS SLOWLY TO
THE NORTHWEST.

HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL...FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND STRONG GUSTY
WINDS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.

BOATERS AND FISHERMEN ON LAKE AMISTAD AND SURROUNDING RIVERS SHOULD
REMAIN ALERT THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO EA PLACE OF
SAFETY IF THUNDER IS HEARD...LIGHTNING SEEN OR WINDS BEGIN INCREASING.

STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL NOAA WEATHER RADIO..TV AND RADIO STATIONS FOR
FURTHER STATEMENTS.
Special weather statement, Jun 25, 4:06 PM CDT, 2 hours 47 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED FOR TIME
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX
405 PM CDT SAT JUN 25 1988

THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND
SMALL HAIL IN DEL RIO.

AT 400 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN IN
THE EASTERN HALF OF VAL VERDE COUNTY FROM DEL RIO TO EAST OF COMSTOCK TO
JUNO. A VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER NORTHERN LAKE
AMISTAD NEAR ROUGH CANYON MARINA. MOVEMENT OF THE STORMS WAS SLOWLY TO
THE NORTHWEST.

HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL...FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND STRONG GUSTY
WINDS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.

BOATERS AND FISHERMEN ON LAKE AMISTAD AND SURROUNDING RIVERS SHOULD
REMAIN ALERT THROUGHOUT THE DAY ANFD BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF
SAFETY IF THUNDER IS HEARD...LIGHTNING SEEN OR WINDS BEGIN INCREASING.

STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL NOAA WEATHER RADIO..TV AND RADIO STATIONS FOR
FURTHER STATEMENTS.
Special weather statement, Jun 25, 5:50 PM CDT, 1 hour 3 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX
550 PM CDT SAT JUN 25 1988

THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN CONTINUING TO MOVE TOWARDS DEL RIO.

AT 545 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTHERN AND EASTERN
HALF OF VAL VERDE COUNTY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM 30 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF DEL RIO TO 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF DEL RIO TO JUNO. MOVEMENT
OF THE STORMS WAS SLOWLY TO THE NORTHWEST.

BESIDES LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS...BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND LOCALIZED
FLOODING OF LOW WATER CROSSINGS...CREEKS AND STREETS MAY
OCCUR...SO MOTORISTS SHOULD DRIVE WITH CARE. PARENTS SHOULD ALSO
DISCOURAGE CHILDREN FROM PLAYING IN OR NEAR FLOOD DRAINAGE
DITCHES...CREEKS AND CULVERTS SUSCEPTIBLE TO RAPIDLY RISING WATERS.

DURING THE EARLIER THUNDERSTORMS THAT MOVED THROUGH DEL RIO...THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE RECEIVED 1.07 INCHES OF RAIN...SMALL
HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 31 MPH.

BOATERS AND FISHERMEN ON LAKE AMISTAD AND SURROUNDING RIVERS SHOULD
REMAIN ALERT AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF THUNDER IS
HEARD...LIGHTNING SEEN OR WINDS BEGIN INCREASING.

STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL NOAA WEATHER RADIO..TV AND RADIO STATIONS FOR
FURTHER STATEMENTS.
Special weather statement, Jun 25, 6:08 PM CDT, 45 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
605 PM CDT SAT JUN 25 1988

AT 6 PM CDT...HONDO RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM LAREDO
NORTHWARD ALONG THE RIO GRANDE TO EAGLE PASS AND DEL RIO...AND INTO
THE EDWARDS PLATEAU AND HILL COUNTRY.

THE HEAVIER THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED FROM EAGLE PASS TO BRACKETTVILLE
AND IN NORTHERN REAL AND WESTERN KERR COUNTIES.  BESIDES FREQUENT
LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS AND POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL...THESE SLOW-MOVING
STORMS LIKELY CONTAIN LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WHICH COULD CAUSE SOME
FLOODING OF LOW-WATER CROSSINGS...ROADS AND HIGHWAYS...AND ADJACENT
CREEKS AND/OR RIVERS.

MOTORISTS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR FLOODED LOW-WATER CROSSINGS OR ROADS AND
NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE INTO OR THROUGH SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS.  HIKERS
AND CAMPERS NEAR THE FLOOD PLAIN OF HILL COUNTRY CREEKS AND RIVERS...
ESPECIALLY THE FRIO AND GUADALUPE RIVERS...SHOULD MOVE AWAY FROM THE
RIVERS TO HIGHER GROUND.  MANY FLOOD-RELATED DEATHS OCCUR WHEN HEAVY
RAINS FROM UPSTREAM THUNDERSTORMS FLOOD UNSUSPECTING BATHERS OR CAMPERS
DOWNSTREAM...SO PERSONS ALONG THE GUADALUPE RIVER WEST OF KERRVILLE...
AS WELL AS PERSONS ALONG THE FRIO UPSTREAM FROM GARNER STATE PARK...
SHOULD REMAIN ALERT AND BE PREPARED TO ACT QUICKLY.

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR BULLETINS WILL BE ISSUED AS CONDITIONS WARRANT
THIS EVENING...SO PLEASE STAY TUNED.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 25, 2:59 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXReal, Uvalde2 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Texas, 1988Every flash flood warning in 1988

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.