Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990

Flash Flood Warning 97, NWS Fort Worth, TX

May 2, 1990Ellis County, Texas

NWS Fort Worth, TX issued this flash flood warning at May 2, 1990, 4:41 AM CDT for Ellis County, Texas. It was in force for 4 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 2, 1990, 4:41 AM CDT (09:41 UTC)
Expired
May 2, 1990, 8:45 AM CDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Fort Worth, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Ellis 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 00:00Z, 9.7 hours before the alert went out and 124 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 00:00Z on 1990-05-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 00:00Z on 1990-05-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 313 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
552 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
313 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
414 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KFTW 020945
FFWFTW
TXC139-221-251-379-467-499-021345-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
441 AM CDT WED MAY 2 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FORT WORTH HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  845 AM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS
 
   ...ELLIS COUNTY...HOOD COUNTY...JOHNSON COUNTY
 
IN NORTHEAST TEXAS
 
   ...RAINS COUNTY...VAN ZANDT COUNTY...WOOD COUNTY
 
AT 440 AM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADARS INDICATED A BROAD AREA
OF RAIN OVER MUCH OF NORTH TEXAS. THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAINS
WERE CONCENTRATED IN AN AREA FROM NEAR KAUFMAN TO NEAR MT. PLEASANT...
OTHER THUNDERSTORMS HAD MOVED INTO THE AREA FROM NEAR GRANBURY TO NEAR
WAXAHACHEE.  THE THUNDERSTORMS IN BOTH OF THESE AREAS WERE PRODUCING
HEAVY RAINS IN AREAS THAT HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED ABUNDANT RAINS
THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT AND EARLY MORNING. THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO
THE NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.
 
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS
IMMINENT.  MOST FLASH 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 1, 11:44 PM CDT, 4 hours 57 minutes before
TXZ031-037-020545-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
1143 PM CDT TUE MAY 1 1990

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS
THROUGH WEDNESDAY...

AT 1140 PM CDT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN
EXTENDED FROM NEAR JOHNSON CITY TO NEAR JACKSONVILLE.  THE HEAVIEST
RAIN WAS OVER EXTREME WESTERN ROBERTSON COUNTY NEAR CALVERT...OVER
EXTREME EASTERN LIMESTONE COUNTY SOUTHEAST OF GROESMBECK AND OVER
SOUTHERN FALLS COUNTY SOUTHEAST OF MARLIN.

MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO.
Special weather statement, May 2, 12:06 AM CDT, 4 hours 35 minutes before
TXZ031-037-020600-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
1205 AM CDT WED MAY 2 1990

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY FOR
PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS...

AT 1201 AM CDT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN
EXTENDED FROM NORTHEAST OF JOHNSON CITY TO NEAR TYLER.  THE HEAVIEST
RAIN WAS OVER EXTREME WESTERN ROBERTSON COUNTY SOUTHWEST OF BREMOND
AND EXTREME WESTERN BELL CpOUNTY SOUTHWEST OF KILLEEN.

MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS.
Special weather statement, May 2, 1:31 AM CDT, 3 hours 10 minutes before
TXZ031-037-020600-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
130 AM CDT WED MAY 2 1990

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY FOR
PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS...

AT 125 AM CDT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...
EXTENDED FROM 20 MILES NORTHWEST OF AUSTIN TO TYLER.  THE HEAVIEST
RAIN WAS OVER EXTREME EASTERM LIMESTONE COUNTY SOUTHWEST OF FAIRFIELD
AND EXTREME SOUTHERN BELL COUNTY SOUTH OF TEMPLE.

MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS.
Special weather statement, May 2, 2:50 AM CDT, 1 hour 51 minutes before
TXZ031-037-020850-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
248 AM CDT WED MAY 2 1990

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY FOR
PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS...

AT 239 AM CDT NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY
RAIN...COVERED A MAJOR PORTION OF CENTRAL TEXAS AND EXTENDED INTO NORTH
TEXAS. THE HEAVIER RAINFALL WAS IN SOUTHERN FALLLS COUNTY...NEAR ROSEBUD
...AND IN SOUTHERN BOSQUE COUNTY...SOUTH AND WEST OF CLIFTON.

ALSO LIGHT RAIN WITH ISOLATED HEAVIER SHOWERS WAS OVER NORTHEAST ROBERTSON
COUNTY...WESTERN LEON AND MOST OF MADISON COUNTY.

ELSEWHERE...AN INCREASING AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM
FREDERICKSBURG...TO MARBLE FALLS TO JARRELL...AND WAS MOVING TOWARDS
SOUTHERN BELL COUNTY.
<
ALL PRECIPITATION WAS MOVING NORTHEAST ABOUT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

ALTHOUGH NO REPORTS OF FLOODING HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AT THE WACO OFFICE
...CENTRAL TEXAS RNESIDENTS SHOULD STAY ABREAST OF THIS POSSIBLE HEAVY
RAIN SITUATION.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS.

07
Special weather statement, May 2, 4:25 AM CDT, 16 minutes before
TXZ031-037-021025-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WACO TX
424 AM CDT WED MAY 2 1990

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY FOR
PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS...

AT 403 AM CDT NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY
RAIN...WERE NORTH OF A LINE...FROM COMANCHE...TO MERIDIAN...TO NEAR
CORSICANA. THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WERE OVER NORTHERN HILL
COUNTY...FROM ITASCA TO SOUTH OF CLEBURNE. RESIDENTS IN NORTHERN HILL
COUNTY CAN EXPECT BRIEF HEAVY RAINS...GUSTY WINDS AND DANGEROUS CLOUD
TO GROUND LIGHTNING DURING THE NEXT 30 MINUTES UNTIL THESE STROMS MOVE
NORTHEAST AND OUT OF THE AREA.

ELSEWHERE...ISOLATED SHOWERS WERE OVER CORYELL COUNTY. LIGHT RAIN AND
ISOLATED HEAVIER SHOWERS WERE OVER EASTERN LIMESTONE COUNTY AND SPREAD
SOUTHEAST INTO LEON COUNTY.
<
ANOTHER AREA OF RAIN WITH EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS  WAS FROM MASON...
TO BURNET...TO ROGERS...AND COVERED MOST OF BELL COUNTY.

ALL PRECIPITATION WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 TO 35 MILES AN HOUR.

THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF FLOODING IN THE DALLAS/FT WORTH AREA DURING THE
NIGHT...AND MOTORISTS PLANNING TO TRAVEL NORTH ALONG I-35 ARE URGED TO
EXTREME CAUTION NORTH OF THE HILLSBORO AREA.

ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINS ARE EXPECTED DURING THE DAY...ALONG WITH POSSIBLE
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL RADIO AND TV FOR THE LATEST
WEATHER INFORMATION.

07

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 1, 10:45 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDHood, Johnson, Somervell, Tarrant4 hr
May 1, 10:45 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDComanche, Eastland, Erath4 hr
May 1, 11:43 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDDallas4 hr
May 1, 11:55 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDAnderson, Freestone, Henderson4 hr
May 2, 12:45 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDCollin, Hunt, Rockwall4 hr
May 2, 1:53 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDHopkins, Rains4 hr
May 2, 1:53 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDDelta, Lamar4 hr
May 2, 4:41 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDHood, Johnson4 hr
May 2, 4:41 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDRains, Van Zandt, Wood4 hr
May 2, 6:20 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDPalo Pinto4 hr
May 2, 6:20 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDDallas, Parker, Tarrant4 hr
May 2, 6:43 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDKaufman4 hr
May 2, 11:33 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDWichita4 hr
May 2, 11:33 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDYoung4 hr
May 2, 12:11 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDJohnson3 hr
May 2, 1:38 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDPalo Pinto, Parker4 hr
May 2, 2:02 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDStephens4 hr
May 2, 2:02 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDCooke4 hr
May 2, 3:00 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDTaylor3 hr
May 2, 3:00 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDShackelford3 hr
May 2, 3:19 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDJohnson4 hr
May 2, 3:28 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDArcher, Jack, Young4 hr
May 2, 3:28 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDClay, Montague4 hr
May 2, 3:28 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDWichita4 hr
May 2, 5:29 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDPalo Pinto, Parker4 hr
May 2, 5:51 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDStephens4 hr
May 2, 5:59 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDTaylor3 hr
May 2, 5:59 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFWDShackelford3 hr

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.