Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1989

Flash Flood Warning 7, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX

May 17, 1989Travis County, Williamson County, Texas

NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this flash flood warning at May 17, 1989, 8:57 AM CDT for Travis County, Williamson County, Texas. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 17, 1989, 8:57 AM CDT (13:57 UTC)
Expired
May 17, 1989, 12:00 PM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
Area
Whole counties

Counties Travis County, TX, Williamson 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

Stephenville/Cla, TX (KSEP), launched 12:00Z, 2.0 hours before the alert went out and 196 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, Stephenville/Cla, TX at 12:00Z on 1989-05-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 39 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, Stephenville/Cla, TX at 12:00Z on 1989-05-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 166 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
39 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-239 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
760 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
47 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
166 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
412 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
2.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KAUS 171400
FFWAUS
TXC453-491-171700-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
857 AM CDT WED MAY 17 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL NOON CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS
          ...TRAVIS...WILLIAMSON
 
THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINS ARE MOVING THRU TRAVIS AND WILLIAMSON
COUNTIES. FLOODING WAS REPORTED ON HIGHWAY 620 IN SOUTHERN WILLIAMSON
AND NORTHERN TRAVIS COUNTIES.
 
THERE IS ALSO A TORNADO WATCH FOR THIS AREA...BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY
CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
 
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS
IMMINENT.  MOST FLASHs 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, May 17, 6:08 AM CDT, 2 hours 49 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
605 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 600 AM CDT RADAR INDICATED A LARGE AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS AND RAIN
EXTENDING FROM SAN ANTONIO AND UVALDE NORTH AND NORTHEAST OVER AUSTIN
AND ALL OF THE HILL COUNTY TO TO NEAR A STEPENVILLE/LUFKIN LINE.  SOME
OF THE HEAVIER RAIN WAS ALONG A LAMPASAS TO FREDERICKSBURG LINE.
ALL THIS ACTIVITY IS MOVING NORTHEAST AT NEAR 30 MPH...HEAVY RAINS CAN
THEREFORE PASS OVER THE SAME AREAS SEVEREAL TIMES INCREASING THE THREAT
FOR FLOODING.

PERSON ALL THRU CENTRAL TEXAS SHOULD STAY ALERT FOR FUTHER STATEMENTS
AND STAY TUNED TO THE WEATHER RADIO  AS LONG AS THIS POTENTIALLY
DANGEROUS THREAT EXISTS.
Special weather statement, May 17, 7:02 AM CDT, 1 hour 55 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN TX
705 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 700 AM CDT RADAR INDICATED A LARGE AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS AND RAIN
EXTENDING FROM SAN ANTONIO AND BANDERA AREAS NORTHEASTWARD OVER AUSTIN
AND ALL OF THE HILL COUNTY TO TO NEAR A STEPENVILLE/LUFKIN LINE.  THE
HEAVIER RAINS HAVE BEEN ALONG A LINE FROM WACO SOUTHWEST OVER MARBLE
FALLS AND JOHNSON CITY TO BLANCO.  THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAINS HAVE
BEEN MOVING NORTHEAST AT NEAR 30 MPH ALONG THIS LINE AND THEREFORE
PASSING OVER THE SAME AREAS SEVEREAL TIMES INCREASING THE THREAT
FOR 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, 7:18 AM CDT, 1 hour 39 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DEL RIO TX
720 AM CDT WED MAY 17 1989

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR VAL VERDE COUNTY UNTIL NOON CDT...

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR VAL VERDE COUNTY TODAY...

AT 700 AM CDT ALL THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY HAD MOVED EAST OUT OF VAL VERDE
COUNTY.

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 EAS.ILY 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 IS OBSERVER OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.
Special weather statement, May 17, 7:51 AM CDT, 1 hour 6 minutes 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, 45 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, 44 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.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 16, 7:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXVal Verde45 min
May 16, 9:35 PM CDTTornado WarningEWXVal Verde40 min
May 16, 10:15 PM CDTTornado WarningEWXVal Verde60 min
May 16, 10:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXKinney69 min
May 16, 11:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXEdwards60 min
May 16, 11:05 PM CDTTornado WarningEWXVal Verde40 min
May 16, 11:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXKinney66 min
May 17, 12:00 AM CDTTornado WarningEWXKinney45 min
May 17, 12:15 AM CDTTornado WarningEWXVal Verde60 min
May 17, 12:43 AM CDTTornado WarningEWXUvalde62 min
May 17, 1:05 AM CDTTornado WarningEWXVal Verde60 min
May 17, 2:00 AM CDTTornado WarningEWXVal Verde60 min
May 17, 2:55 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXKinney65 min
May 17, 5:39 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXKinney36 min
May 17, 6:44 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXUvalde46 min
May 17, 8:22 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXGillespie4 hr
May 17, 9:09 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXHays66 min
May 17, 9:46 AM CDTTornado WarningEWXWilliamson44 min
May 17, 9:50 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXBurnet3 hr
May 17, 10:13 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXBlanco, Hays3 hr
May 17, 11:51 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXLee, Milam3 hr
May 17, 11:51 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXBastrop3 hr
May 17, 2:32 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXFayette118 min
May 17, 2:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXFayette58 min
May 17, 3:25 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXBastrop, Fayette, Lee75 min
May 17, 3:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBurleson, Lee75 min
May 17, 3:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXFayette75 min
May 17, 4:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXDeWitt, Lavaca60 min
May 17, 5:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXGoliad, Victoria63 min
May 17, 6:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXGoliad57 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.