Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1989

Flash Flood Warning 5, NWS Lake Charles, LA

May 17, 1989Angelina County, Nacogdoches County, San Augustine County, Texas

NWS Lake Charles, LA issued this flash flood warning at May 17, 1989, 8:07 PM CDT for Angelina County, Nacogdoches County, San Augustine County, Texas. It was in force for 2 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 17, 1989, 8:07 PM CDT (01:07 UTC)
Expired
May 17, 1989, 10:15 PM CDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Lake Charles, LA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Angelina County, TX, Nacogdoches County, TX, San Augustine 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

Longview/Gregg, TX (KGGG), launched 00:00Z, 1.1 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, Longview/Gregg, TX at 00:00Z on 1989-05-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1023 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, Longview/Gregg, TX at 00:00Z on 1989-05-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 287 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
1023 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-6 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
554 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
75 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
287 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
292 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
2.0
Supercell composite
9.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KBPT 180107
FFWBPT
TXC005-347-405-180315-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORT ARTHUR TX
807 PM CDT WED MAY 17 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PORT ARTHUR HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1015 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL TEXAS
          ...ANGELINA
IN NORTHEAST TEXAS
          ...NACOGDOCHES...SAN AUGUSTINE
 
AT 8 PM CDT NACOGDOCHES SHERIFF OFFICE REPORTED THE LANANA AND BONITA
CREEKS WERE RISING RAPIDLY IN THE CITY OF NACODOCHES...WATER WAS
REPORTED ACROSS HIGHWAY 59 NORTH NEAR BRILEY TOWN SOUTHWEST OF
GARRISON.
 
THUNDERTORMS ARE TRACKING ACROSS SOUTHERN ANGELINA COUNTY INTO SAN
AUGUSTINE COUNTY.  TWO TO FOUR INCHES OF RAINFALL ARE POSSIBLE...AND
WILL CAUSE STREAMS TO RISE RAPIDLY.
 
 
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT.  IT'S
IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHERE YOU ARE RELATIVE TO STREAMS...RIVERS...OR
CREEKS WHICH CAN BECOME KILLERS IN HEAVY RAINS.  CAMPERS SHOULD
AVOID CAMPING ALONG STREAMS OR CREEKS DURING THREATENING RAINS.
 
NNNN

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, 4:34 PM CDT, 3 hours 33 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
435 PM CDT WED MAY 17 1989

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT TONIGHT FOR VERNON PARISH
IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...

AT 425 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS SHOWN EAST OF FLORIEN
LOUISIANA MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

ELSEWHERE ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE FROM SOUTHWEST OF
LUFKIN TEXAS NORTHEAST TO OVER THE LAKES OF SAM RAYBURN AND TOLEDO
BEND TO WEST OF NATCHITOCHES LOUISIANA.

OTHERWISE RAIN AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WERE NOTED OVER MUCH OF
SOUTHEAST TEXAS SPILLING INTO LOUISIANA NORTH OF A DEQUINCY AND KINDER
LINE.

ALL MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.
Special weather statement, May 17, 5:37 PM CDT, 2 hours 30 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
535 PM CDT WED MAY 17 1989

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM CDT THIS WEDNESDAY FOR
CENTRAL LOUISIANA...AND PARTS OF SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA EXCEPT FOR
CAMERON AND VERMILLION PARISHES...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT TONIGHT FOR VERNON PARISH
IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...

AT 525 PM CDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EXTREME NORTHWEST
GRANT PARISH AND SOUTH OF NATCHITOCHES..MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

ELSEWHERE ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE FROM NORTHEAST OF CONROE
TEXAS TO NORTH OF LUFKIN AND TO THE NORTH OF A LINE FROM JASPER...LEESVILLE
...AND ALEXANDRIA.

OTHERWISE RAIN AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WERE NOTED OVER MUCH OF
SOUTHEAST TEXAS MAINLY IN VERNON PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA.
Special weather statement, May 17, 5:45 PM CDT, 2 hours 22 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
535 PM CDT WED MAY 17 1989

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM CDT THIS WEDNESDAY FOR
CENTRAL LOUISIANA...AND PARTS OF SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA EXCEPT FOR
CAMERON AND VERMILLION PARISHES...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT TONIGHT FOR VERNON PARISH
IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...

AT 525 PM CDT... STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING THRU EXTREME NORTHWEST
GRANT PARISH AND SOUTH OF NATCHITOCHES..MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

ELSEWHERE ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE FROM NORTHEAST OF CONROE
TEXAS TO NORTH OF LUFKIN AND TO THE NORTH OF A LINE FROM JASPER...LEESVILLE
...AND ALEXANDRIA.

OTHERWISE RAIN AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WERE NOTED OVER MUCH OF
SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND MAINLY IN VERNON PARISH IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA.
Special weather statement, May 17, 6:38 PM CDT, 1 hour 29 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
635 PM CDT WED MAY 17 1989

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM CDT THIS WEDNESDAY FOR
CENTRAL LOUISIANA...AND PARTS OF SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA EXCEPT FOR
CAMERON AND VERMILLION PARISHES...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT TONIGHT FOR VERNON PARISH
IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...

AT 626 PM CDT... STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE SHOWN ABOUT 15 MILES NORTH OF
LIVINGSTON TEXAS AND WEST OF MANY OR OVER CENTRAL TOLEDO BEND RESERVOIR.

ELSEWHERE ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS AND PATCHES OF HEAVY RAIN CONTINUED
TO THE NORTH OF A GALVESTON...KIRBYVILLE...CENTRAL GRANT PARISH LINE.
NO RAIN OR THUNDERSTORMS WERE NOOTED IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA AT THIS TIME.

ALL MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.O
Special weather statement, May 17, 7:25 PM CDT, 42 minutes before
TTAAOO KESF 180025
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALEXANDRIA LA
725 PM CDT WED MAY 17 1989

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR RAPIDES...GRANT AND LASALLE
PARISHES OF CENTRAL LOUISIANA UNTIL 11PM TONIGHT...

AT 720 PM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADARS SHOWED NO SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS OVER THESE PARISHES...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE
LOCATED TO THE NORTH AND WEST OF THE PARISHES AND WILL BE WATCHED
CLOSELY FOR DEVELOPMENT AND MOVEMENT...

PERSONS IN CENTRAL LOUISIANA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO THE POSSIBILITY
OF SEVERE WEATHER LATER TONIGHT IN THE WATCH AREA AND BE PREPARED TO
TAKE NECESSARY ACTION IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.
Special weather statement, May 17, 7:37 PM CDT, 30 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
740 PM CDT WED MAY 17 1989

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM CDT THIS WEDNESDAY FOR
CENTRAL LOUISIANA...AND PARTS OF SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA EXCEPT FOR
CAMERON AND VERMILLION PARISHES...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT TONIGHT FOR VERNON PARISH
IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...

AT 726 PM CDT... STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE SHOWN OVER SOUTHEAST TEXAS
FROM WEST OF HOUSTON TO OVER LAKE LIVINGSTON TO LUFKIN AND RAYBURN LAKE
NORTHEAST TO CENTRAL TOLEDO BEND TO NORTHEAST OF WINNFIELD.
MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT NEAR 30 MPH.

ELSEWHERE A LARGE PATCH OF RAIN WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MIXED IN
WAS TO THE NORTHEAST OF A HOUSTON...KIRBYVILLE...NATCHITOCHES LINE.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Lake Charles, LA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 17, 10:12 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHHardin, Jasper, Tyler3 hr
May 17, 10:12 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHNacogdoches3 hr
May 17, 10:24 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHHardin66 min
May 17, 10:43 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHNewton3 hr
May 18, 1:29 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHNewton2 hr
May 18, 1:29 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHHardin, Jasper2 hr
May 18, 6:20 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHHardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Newton, Orange5 hr
May 18, 6:20 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHTyler5 hr
May 18, 11:09 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHHardin2 hr
May 18, 12:07 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHJasper, Newton2 hr
May 18, 12:22 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHOrange2 hr
May 18, 1:23 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHHardin2 hr
May 18, 2:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHJasper, Newton57 min
May 18, 2:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLCHTyler57 min
May 18, 2:09 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHJasper, Newton2 hr
May 18, 3:30 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHHardin3 hr
May 18, 4:21 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningLCHNewton3 hr

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.