Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990

Flash Flood Warning 28, NWS Fort Worth, TX

March 11, 1990Dallas County, Tarrant County, Texas

NWS Fort Worth, TX issued this flash flood warning at Mar 11, 1990, 7:48 AM CST for Dallas County, Tarrant County, Texas. It was in force for 117 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 11, 1990, 7:48 AM CST (13:48 UTC)
Expired
Mar 11, 1990, 9:45 AM CST
In force
117 min
Issued by
NWS Fort Worth, TX
Area
Whole counties

Counties Dallas County, TX, Tarrant 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 12:00Z, 1.8 hours before the alert went out and 233 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 12:00Z on 1990-03-11Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 49 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 12:00Z on 1990-03-11The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 209 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
49 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-73 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
676 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
33 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
209 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
292 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KFTW 111351
FFWFTW
TXC085-113-439-111545-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
748 AM CST SUN MAR 11 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FORT WORTH HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  945 AM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS
 
   ...COLLIN COUNTY...DALLAS COUNTY...TARRANT COUNTY
 
AT 745 AM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LARGE AREA OF
RAIN AND EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS TARRANT...COLLIN...AND
NORTHWEST DALLAS COUNTIES. RAINFALL RATES OF 3 INCHES PER HOUR HAVE
BEEN REPORTED. INDIVIDUAL STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45
MPH...WHILE THE AREA HAS BEEN MOVING ONLY SLOWLY TO THE EAST.
 
BEWARE OF RAPIDLY RISING WATER IN LOW-LYING AREAS...ESPECIALLY IN
UNDERPASSES.
 
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, Mar 11, 3:16 AM CST, 4 hours 32 minutes before
TXZ031-111015-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
310 AM CST SUN MAR 11 1990

...RAIN AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER WESTERN PORTIONS OF
   CENTRAL TEXAS...

AT 305 AM CST A DEVELOPING AREA OF RAIN...WITH ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS...
SOME WITH HEAVY RAIN...WAS NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM JOHNSON CITY...TO
TEMPLE...TO DALLAS. THIS AREA WAS OVER THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE
TEXAS HILL COUNTRY AND EXTENDED WEST TO SAN ANGELO AND NORTHWEST TO
COMANCHE.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WITH THE HEAVIER RAINSHOWERS WERE ALONG THE BOSQUE/
HAMILTON COUNTY LINE...WEST OF MERIDIAN. PERSONS IN WESTERN BOSQUE
COUNTY SHOULD EXPECT BRIEF HEAVY RAINS...GUSTY WINDS...POSSIBLE SMALL
HAIL AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.

THE SHOWERS AND HEAVIER RAINFALL WERE MOVING NORTHEAST ABOUT 35 MILES AN
HOUR.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS.

07
Special weather statement, Mar 11, 4:47 AM CST, 3 hours 1 minute before
TXZ031-111145-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
445 AM CST SUN MAR 11 1990

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL TEXAS...

AT 440 AM CST A WIDESPREAD AREA OF LIGHT RAIN...WITH EMBEDDED SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...WAS WEST OF A LINE FROM
DALLAS...TO JONESBORO...TO JOHNSON CITY. ISOLATED HEAVY SHOWERS WERE
OVER THE EXTREME NORTHERN PORTIONS OF BOSQUE COUNTY.

ELSEWHERE...WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND PATCHES OF LIGHT RAIN WERE
OVER CENTRAL TEXAS.

CENTRAL TEXAS RESIDENTS ARE URGED TO STAY ABREAST OF THE WEATHER TODAY
...AS HEAVY RAINS ARE EXPECTED. DUE TO HEAVY RAINS OVER THE PAST FEW
DAYS...THE GROUND IS SATURATED IN SOME AREAS...AND ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINS
WILL NOT SOAK IN AND WILL CAUSE RAPID RUNOFF AND FLOODING.

REMEMBER...IT ONLY TAKES TWO FEET OF RUNNING WATER TO SWEEP A VEHICLE
OFF ROADWAYS. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS MOVING WATER. DONT BECOME THE
NEXT FATILITY.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS...OR
WARNINGS SHOULD THE NEED ARISE.

07
Special weather statement, Mar 11, 4:57 AM CST, 2 hours 51 minutes before
TXZ019>032-1211000-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH TEXAS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
455 AM CST SUN MAR 11 1990

AN OUTBREAK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TODAY OVER PARTS OF
NORTH TEXAS. LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND A FEW TORNADOES WILL BE
POSSIBLE. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ALSO BE A THREAT OVER THE
CENTRAL AND WESTERN PARTS OF NORTH TEXAS.

THE GREATEST THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE OVER THE CENTRAL
AND WESTERN PART NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS...WITH A LESSER RISK OVER EAST
TEXAS.

STRONG LOW LEVEL SOUTHERLY WINDS HAVE BROUGHT WARM AND MOIST AIR INTO
NORTH TEXAS. MEANWHILE...A VIGOROUS UPPER AIR LOW PRESSURE TROUGH WILL
BE MOVING ACROSS NORTHWEST TEXAS TODAY...RESULTING IN A VERTICAL WIND
PROFILE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...AND TORNADOES.

EARLY SUNDAY MORNING...WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE
OCCURRING OVER MUCH OF THE WESTERN HALF OF NORTH TEXAS. STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALSO OCCURRING IN WEST TEXAS...AHEAD OF A
DRYLINE...THAT WAS BEGINNING TO SURGE EASTWARD OUT OF NEW MEXICO. AS
THE UPPER TROUGH...AND ASSOCIATED DRYLINE APPROACHES...SOME OF
THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTH TEXAS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE LATER THIS
MORNING...AND THROUGH THE AFTERNOON.

AN INHIBITING FACTOR FOR SEVERE STORMS WAS THE PRESENCE OF WIDESPREAD
CLOUD COVER OVER TEXAS. HOWEVER THIS MAY BE OVERCOME BY THE STRONG
DYNAMICS ASSOCIATED WITH THE UPPER TROUGH...AND THE POSSIBILITY OF
SURFACE HEATING WEST OF THE DRYLINE LATER TODAY.

SPOTTERS IN THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN PARTS OF NORTH TEXAS CAN EXPECT
ACTIVATION THROUGH THE DAY...WHILE THOSE IN THE EAST MAY REQUIRE
ACTIVATION THIS AFTERNOON.
Special weather statement, Mar 11, 6:40 AM CST, 1 hour 8 minutes before
TXZ031-111340-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
383 AM CST SUN MAR 11 1990

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL TEXAS...

AT 626 AM CST A WIDESPREAD AREA OF LIGHT RAIN WAS WEST OF A LINE...FROM
DALLAS...TO VALLEY MILLS...TO GEORGETOWN. ALSO...EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS
...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...WERE NOW MOVING INTO THE NORTHERN PORTIONS
OF CORYELL AND WESTERN BOSQUE COUNTIES.

RESIDENTS IN CORYELL AND BOSQUE COUNTIES SHOULD EXPECT HEAVY RAINS...
GUSTY WINDS...POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL...FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND
THE THREAT OF FLOODING. THESE STORMS HAVE PRODUCED OVER TWO INCHES BACK
TO THE WEST AS THEY MOVED THROUGH ADJACENT COUNTIES.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS MOVING WATER. IF TRAVELING IS NECESSARY THIS
MORNING BE PREPARED FOR REDUCED VISIBILITIES AND BE ESPECIALLY CAREFUL
AT LOW WATER CROSSINGS AND KNOWN FLOOD PRONE AREAS.

ELSEWHERE...SCATTERED PATCHES OF LIGHT RAIN WERE OVER CENTRAL TEXAS...
HOWEVER...HEAVIER RAINFALL WILL BE SPREADING INTO THE CENTRAL TEXAS AREA
DURING THE NEXT 1 TO 2 HOURS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS...OR
WARNINGS SHOULD THE NEED ARISE.

07
Special weather statement, Mar 11, 6:46 AM CST, 1 hour 2 minutes before
TXZ031-111340-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED TIME IN HEADER
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
633 AM CST SUN MAR 11 1990

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL TEXAS...

AT 626 AM CST A WIDESPREAD AREA OF LIGHT RAIN WAS WEST OF A LINE...FROM
DALLAS...TO VALLEY MILLS...TO GEORGETOWN. ALSO...EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS
...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...WERE NOW MOVING INTO THE NORTHERN PORTIONS
OF CORYELL AND WESTERN BOSQUE COUNTIES.

RESIDENTS IN CORYELL AND BOSQUE COUNTIES SHOULD EXPECT HEAVY RAINS...
GUSTY WINDS...POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL...FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND
THE THREAT OF FLOODING. THESE STORMS HAVE PRODUCED OVER TWO INCHES BACK
TO THE WEST AS THEY MOVED THROUGH ADJACENT COUNTIES.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS MOVING WATER. IF TRAVELING IS NECESSARY THIS
MORNING BE PREPARED FOR REDUCED VISIBILITIES AND BE ESPECIALLY CAREFUL
AT LOW WATER CROSSINGS AND KNOWN FLOOD PRONE AREAS.

ELSEWHERE...SCATTERED PATCHES OF LIGHT RAIN WERE OVER CENTRAL TEXAS...
HOWEVER...HEAVIER RAINFALL WILL BE SPREADING INTO THE CENTRAL TEXAS AREA
DURING THE NEXT 1 TO 2 HOURS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS...OR
WARNINGS SHOULD THE NEED ARISE.

07

The office that day

Everything else NWS Fort Worth, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 11, 6:25 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDHood, Parker, Tarrant2 hr
Mar 11, 6:41 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDDenton2 hr
Mar 11, 7:15 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDHill60 min
Mar 11, 7:39 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDEllis, Johnson66 min
Mar 11, 7:48 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDCollin117 min
Mar 11, 8:42 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDDenton4 hr
Mar 11, 8:47 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDDallas, Kaufman43 min
Mar 11, 9:22 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDCooke, Grayson3 hr
Mar 11, 9:47 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDArcher3 hr
Mar 11, 11:04 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDEastland41 min
Mar 11, 12:09 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDMontague3 hr
Mar 11, 1:07 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDComanche53 min
Mar 11, 2:54 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDHood, Parker4 hr
Mar 11, 2:54 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDDenton, Tarrant4 hr
Mar 11, 3:32 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDComanche43 min
Mar 11, 3:57 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDErath, Hamilton63 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Texas, 1990Every flash flood warning in 1990

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.