Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1989
Flash Flood Warning 10, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this flash flood warning at May 17, 1989, 11:51 AM CDT for Lee County, Milam County, Texas. It was in force for 3 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- May 17, 1989, 11:51 AM CDT (16:51 UTC)
- Expired
- May 17, 1989, 3:00 PM CDT
- In force
- 3 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Lee County, TX, Milam 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 12:00Z, 4.9 hours before the alert went out and 189 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1813 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -52 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 663 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 49 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 229 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 586 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 5.6
- Supercell composite
- 22.2
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KAUS 171653
FFWAUS
TXC021-287-331-172000-
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
1151 AM CDT WED MAY 17 1989
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 300 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS
...BASTROP...LEE...MILAM
A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN IS MOVING INTO
MILAN...LEE...AND BASTROP COUNTRIES ...THESES STORMS ARE MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 30 TO 35 MILES. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES HAVE
BEEN COMMON AND FLOODING HAS BEEN EXTENSIVE HAS THIS STORMS HAS PASSED
THROUGH CENTRAL TEXAS.
THE FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS FOR BURNET...WILLIAMSON...TRAVIS...HAYS...AND
BLANCO HAVE BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL 3PM CDT THIS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
FLOODING HAS REPORTED IN ALL OF THESE COUNTIES.
DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO
CROSS SAFELY. VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE
ABANDONED QUICKLY. MOVE 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, May 17, 7:51 AM CDT, 4 hours before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX 755 AM CDT WED MAY 17 1989 ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR VAL VERDE COUNTY TODAY... THE TORNADO WATCH ISSUED EARLIER FOR VAL VERDE COUNTY HAS BEEN CANCELED HOWEVER THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR VAL VERDE COUNTY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR TODAY. AT 745 AM CDT NO RAIN WAS OCCURING IN VAL VERDE COUNTY HOWEVER BECAUSE OF THE HEAVY RAINS EARLY THIS MORNING CAMPERS AND BOATERS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR RISING WARTER AND BE READY TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. SOME LOW AREAS OF ROADWAYS MAY BE FLOODED. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO USE CAUTION AND SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS FLOODED LOW WATER CROSSINGS. THE SURFACE APPEARANCE OF WATER...PARTICULARLY RUNNING WATER IS DECEPTIVE AND THE DEPTH IS NOT EASILY GUESSED CORRECTLY. REMEMBER...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT THE THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING EXIST IN THE WATCH AREA. BE READY TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING I S OBSERVER OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.
Special weather statement, May 17, 8:12 AM CDT, 3 hours 39 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX 805 AM CDT WED MAY 17 1989 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON THIS WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR TRAVIS...HAYS...WILLIAMSON...AND ALL COUNTIES OVER THE HILL COUNTY TO THE WEST. ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF MOST OF CENTRAL TEXAS INCLUDING AUSTIN AND ALL SURROUNDING COUNTIES. AT 800 AM CDT RADAR INDICATED A LARGE AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS AND RAIN EXTENDING FROM SAN ANTONIO AND UVALDE AREAS NORTHEASTWARD OVER AUSTIN AND ALL OF THE HILL COUNTY TO TO NEAR A BROWNWOOD/STEPENVILLE/LUFKIN. LINE. THE HEAVIER RAINS HAVE BEEN ALONG A LINE FROM WACO SOUTHWEST OVER SPICEWOOD AND DRIPPING SPRINGS TO NEAR NEW BRAUNFELS. THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAINS HAVE BEEN MOVING NORTHEAST NEAR 30 MPH ALONG THIS LINE AND THEREFORE PASSING OVER THE SAME AREAS SEVEREAL TIMES INCREASING THE THREAT FOR FLOODING. RAINFALL REPORTS FROM LLANO...GILLESPIE AND BURNET HAVE BEEN IN THE 2 TO 2 1/2 INCH RANGE. THESE HEAVIER RAIN AREAS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE AUSTIN AREA IN THE NEAXT 1 TO 2 HOURS. WHILE THE HEAVIER RAINS WILL MOVE RAPIDLY OUT OF THE AREA THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SOME FLOODING OF LOW WATER CROSSINGS AND THOSE ARREAS PRONE TO FLOODING. PERSONS ALL THRU CENTRAL TEXAS SHOULD STAY ALERT FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS AND STAY TUNED TO THE WEATHER RADIO AS LONG AS THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS THREAT EXISTS.
Local storm report, May 17, 8:13 AM CDT, 3 hours 38 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
800 AM CDT MON WED 17 1989
...PRELIMENARY STORM SUMMARY FOR APRNT TORNADO AT JARRELL TEXAS
TIME CDT... EVENT
0432 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AUSTIN REPORTED TWO HOUSES
DESTROYED IN JARRELL BY TORNADO FROM AUS 8/35
0620 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY LAMPASAS REPORT EXTENSIVE
DAMAGE IN JARRELL AND POSSIBLE ONE FATALITY AND SEVERAL
INJURIES...SEVERAL TRUCKS BLOWN OVER ON I 35.
0742 WEATHER OBSERVER REPORTED DAMAGE ALL OVER THE AREA WITH
TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN. THE APRNT FATILITY WAS LADY
IN MOBILE HOME THAT WAS HIT AND SHE WAS TRAPED UNDER
U WATER BED. ALSO REPORTED THAT SOME TRAFFIC WAS BEGINNING
MOVE THROUGH THE AREA VERY SLOWLY.Special weather statement, May 17, 9:41 AM CDT, 2 hours 10 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX 930 AM CDT WED MAY 17 1989 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON THIS WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR TRAVIS...HAYS...WILLIAMSON...AND ALL COUNTIES OVER THE HILL COUNTY TO THE WEST. ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF MOST OF CENTRAL TEXAS INCLUDING AUSTIN AND ALL SURROUNDING COUNTIES. ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR HAYS AND TRAVIS COUNTIES UNTIL 1030AM CDT. ...FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR TRAVIS AND WILLIAMSON CPOUNTIES UNTIL NOON...AND UNTIL 1230PM CDT FOR GILLESPIE COUNTY. AT 930 AM CDT RADAR INDICATED A LARGE AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS AND RAIN EXTENDING FROM SAN ANTONIO AND UVALDE AREAS NORTHEASTWARD OVER AUSTIN AND ALL OF THE HILL COUNTY TO TO NEAR A BROWNWOOD/STEPENVILLE/LUFKIN LINE. THE STRONGEST ACTIVITY WAS IN A LINE FROM WESTERN WILLIAMSON COUNTY SOUTHWEST OVER TRAVIS AND HAYS COUNTIES. THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN ARE MOVING NORTHEAST UP THIS LINE AT 30 TO 35 MPH. FLOODING WAS BEEN REPORTED AT MANY LOCATIONS IN THE WARNED COUNTIES. ANY AREAS WHERE THESE HEAVY PASS THROUGH WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME FLOODING OF LOW WATER CROSSINGS AND THOSE AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING. PERSONS ALL THRU CENTRAL TEXAS SHOULD STAY ALERT FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS AND STAY TUNED TO THE WEATHER RADIO AS LONG AS THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS THREAT EXISTS.
Special weather statement, May 17, 11:22 AM CDT, 29 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX 1120AM CDT WED MAY 17 1989 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4PM CDT THIS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON TRAVIS...WILLIAMSON...CALDWELL...BASTROP...LEE...MILAN...FAYETTE AND BURLESON COUNTIES IN CENTRAL TEXAS. ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF MOST OF CENTRAL TEXAS INCLUDING AUSTIN AND ALL SURROUNDING COUNTIES. ...FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR TRAVIS...WILLIAMSON... BLANCO...BURNET...HAYS...AND GILLESPIE CUNTIES THRU THE NOON HOUR. A LARGE AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS AND RAIN EXTENDED FROM THE SAN ANTONIO AREA NORTH AND NORTHEAST OVER THE AUSTIN AREA AND ON INTO NORTHEAST TEXAS. THESE STORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN ARE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 TO 35 MPH. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES RAINFALL IN ALL COUNTIES AROUND TRAVIS COUNTY. FLOODING HAS BEEN REPORTED IN ALL THE WARNED COUNTIES. ANY AREAS WHERE THESE HEAVY RAINS PASS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME FLOODING OF LOW WATER CROSSINGS AND THOSE AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING. PERSONS ALL THRU CENTRAL TEXAS SHOULD STAY ALERT FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS AND STAY TUNED TO THE WEATHER RADIO AS LONG AS THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS THREAT EXISTS.
Local storm report, May 17, 11:27 AM CDT, 24 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN ANTONIO TX
1130 AM CDT WED MAY 17 1989
TIME EVENT
1208 AM CDT (CORRECTION) CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO YORK RANCH...POWER
LINES DOWN NEAR BRACKETTVILLE...KINNEY COUNTY(VIA DEL
RIO DPS)
1251 AM CDT 40 YARDS OF PAVEMENT DESTROYED...1/2 MILE EAST OF
BRACKETTVILLE...KINNEY COUNTY (VIA DEL RIO DPS)
137 AM CDT HOUSE TORE UP 5 MILES NORTH OF BRACKETTVILLE...KINNEY
COUNTY (VIA DEL RIO DPS)
310 AM CDT GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL ON HIGHWAY 674 JUST NORTH OF
BRACKETTVILLE IN KINNEY COUNTY RELAYED TO DPS BY TEXAS
PARKS AND WILDLIFE.
534 AM CDT GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL AT BRACKETTVILLE
930 AM CDT LATE REPORT OF TORNADO DAMAGE TO HOUSES NEAR SISTERDALE
RECEIVED BY DPS KERVILLE (TORNADO TOUCH EARLY MORNING
HOURS.
945 AM CDT 1/2 INCH HAIL NORTHWEST SAN ANTONIO BANDER/LOOP 410 NO
DAMAGEThe office that day
Everything else NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 7:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Val Verde | 45 min |
| May 16, 9:35 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | EWX | Val Verde | 40 min |
| May 16, 10:15 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | EWX | Val Verde | 60 min |
| May 16, 10:36 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Kinney | 69 min |
| May 16, 11:00 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Edwards | 60 min |
| May 16, 11:05 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | EWX | Val Verde | 40 min |
| May 16, 11:39 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Kinney | 66 min |
| May 17, 12:00 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | EWX | Kinney | 45 min |
| May 17, 12:15 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | EWX | Val Verde | 60 min |
| May 17, 12:43 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | EWX | Uvalde | 62 min |
| May 17, 1:05 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | EWX | Val Verde | 60 min |
| May 17, 2:00 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | EWX | Val Verde | 60 min |
| May 17, 2:55 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Kinney | 65 min |
| May 17, 5:39 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Kinney | 36 min |
| May 17, 6:44 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Uvalde | 46 min |
| May 17, 8:22 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | EWX | Gillespie | 4 hr |
| May 17, 8:57 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | EWX | Travis, Williamson | 3 hr |
| May 17, 9:09 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Hays | 66 min |
| May 17, 9:46 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | EWX | Williamson | 44 min |
| May 17, 9:50 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | EWX | Burnet | 3 hr |
| May 17, 10:13 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | EWX | Blanco, Hays | 3 hr |
| May 17, 11:51 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | EWX | Bastrop | 3 hr |
| May 17, 2:32 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | EWX | Fayette | 118 min |
| May 17, 2:32 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Fayette | 58 min |
| May 17, 3:25 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | EWX | Bastrop, Fayette, Lee | 75 min |
| May 17, 3:25 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Burleson, Lee | 75 min |
| May 17, 3:25 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Fayette | 75 min |
| May 17, 4:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | DeWitt, Lavaca | 60 min |
| May 17, 5:42 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Goliad, Victoria | 63 min |
| May 17, 6:03 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | EWX | Goliad | 57 min |
Nearby
Flash Flood Warnings in Texas, 1989Every flash flood warning in 1989
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.