Alert archive / New Mexico / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990

Flash Flood Warning 19, NWS Midland/Odessa, TX

September 16, 1990Lea County, New Mexico

NWS Midland/Odessa, TX issued this flash flood warning at Sep 16, 1990, 6:41 PM MDT for Lea County, New Mexico. It was in force for 2 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Sep 16, 1990, 6:41 PM MDT (00:41 UTC)
Expired
Sep 16, 1990, 8:45 PM MDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Midland/Odessa, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Lea County, NM

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

Midland Regional, TX (KMAF), launched 00:00Z, 0.7 hours before the alert went out and 147 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, Midland Regional, TX at 00:00Z on 1990-09-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 9 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Midland Regional, TX at 00:00Z on 1990-09-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 55 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 km3 km6 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
9 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-46 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
723 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
27 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
55 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
104 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 KMAF 170041
FFWMAF
NMC025-170245-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
741 PM CDT (641 PM MDT) SUN SEP 16 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MIDLAND HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  945 PM CDT (845 PM MDT)
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO
 
   ...CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEA COUNTY
 
AT 735 PM CDT RADAR AND STORM SPOTTERS IN HOBBS NEW MEXICO REPORT VERY
HEAVY RAIN IN AND NEAR THE CITY OF HOBBS NEW MEXICO. THESE STORMS WERE
MOVING VERY SLOWLY TO THE NORTH. UP TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN HAS BEEN
REPORTED JUST TO THE NORTH OF HOBBS NEW MEXICO.
 
BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE
8THE DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS.  IF FLASH FLOODING IS
OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY.  MOVE UP TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS.  DO
NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

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, Sep 16, 1:54 PM MDT, 4 hours 47 minutes before
TXZ007-008-010>018-024-034-050>054-NMZ013-162045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
244 PM CDT SUN SEP 16 1990

...THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN MOVING INTO GLASSCOCK COUNTY...          A
AT 225 PM CDT...A THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WAS LOCATED
NEAR GARDEN CITY. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WERE
NORTHWEST OF MERTZON AND NORTHEAST OF BIG LAKE. THUNDERSTORMS AND
RAINSHOWERS WERE WIDELY SCATTERED OVER THE AREA FROM NORTH OF LUBBOCK
TO EAST OF SONORA AND INTO THE TRANS-PECOS EAST OF VAN HORN.

MOVEMENT WAS NORTHWEST 15 MILES AN HOUR.

MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO USE CAUTION AND NOT DRIVE INTO FLOODED AREAS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL RADIO OR TV FOR FURTHER
STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Sep 16, 3:48 PM MDT, 2 hours 53 minutes before
TXZ007-008-010>018-024-034-050>054-NMZ013-162240-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
435 PM CDT SUN SEP 16 1990

...THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL IN WEST TEXAS...

AT 425 PM CDT...A THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WAS LOCATED OVER
HOBBS NEW MEXICO. A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH HEAVY RAIN...
EXTENDED FROM BIG SPRING TO SOUTH OF ALPINE. MOVEMENT WAS TO THE NORTH
AT 15 MILES AN HOUR.

OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE BOUND BY A LINE FROM MULESHOE TO
TO ABILENE...TO MASON...TO SOUTH OF ALPINE...TO NORTH OF FORT DAVIS
TEXAS...TO HOBBS NEW MEXICO...TO MULESHOE TEXAS. MOVEMENT WAS TO THE
NORTH AT 15 MILES AN HOUR.

STAY TUNED TOc NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION
STATION.
Special weather statement, Sep 16, 4:08 PM MDT, 2 hours 33 minutes before
TXZ007-008-010>018-024-034-050>054-NMZ013-162240-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
505 PM CDT SUN SEP 16 1990

...LOCAL URBAN AND STREET FLOODING IN ODESSA...

AT 500 PM CDT...THE PUBLIC REPORTED LOCAL URBAN AND STREET FLOODING IN
NORTH ODESSA. ROADWAYS ALONG GRANDVIEW EAST OF ANDREWS HIGHWAY MAY HAVE
FLOODING DURING HEAVY DOWNPOURS. THESE STORMS WILL BE IN THE AREA FOR
THE NEXT 1-2 HOURS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATH|ER RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION
STATION.
Special weather statement, Sep 16, 4:54 PM MDT, 1 hour 47 minutes before
TXZ007-008-010>018-024-034-050>054-NMZ013-172340-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
535 PM CDT SUN SEP 16 1990

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO...IN
   CENTRAL LEA COUNTY...UNTIL 730 PM CDT...

AT 530 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF RAIN AND WIDELY SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY SHOWERS BOUND BY A LINE FROM MULESHOE...TO
ABILENE...TO SOUTH OF BROWNWOOD...TO OZONA...TO THE BIG BEND NATIONAL
PARK...TO VAN HORN...TO HOBBS NEW MEXICO...TO MULESHOE TEXAS. THEY
WERE MOVING NORTH AT 15 MILES AN HOUR.

AT 545 PM CDT...VERY HEAVY RAIN DURING THE PAST HOUR...2 1/4 INCHES IN
DOWNTOWN HOBBS...AND 3 INCHES 3 MILES NORTH OF HOBBS...HAD CAUSED
FLOODING THERE.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION
STATION.
Special weather statement, Sep 16, 5:51 PM MDT, 50 minutes before
TXZ007-008-010>018-024-034-050>054-NMZ013-170040-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
635 PM CDT SUN SEP 16 1990

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO...IN
   CENTRAL LEA COUNTY...UNTIL 730 PM CDT...

AT 540 PM CDT...THERE WERE PUBLIC REPORTS OF FUNNEL CLOUDS IN
SOUTHWEST HOBBS.

AT 610 PM CDT...LEA COUNTY SHERRIFF REPORTED THAT BUSINESSES AND HOMES
WERE FLOODING...STREETS WERE FLOODED AND THERE WERE MOTORISTS STRANDED
...IN THE CITY OF HOBBS NEW MEXICO. EMERGENCY UNITS WERE BEING
ACTIVATED.

AT 628 PM CDT...AN AREA OF WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH
HEAVY RAIN...AND NUMEROUS AREAS OF RAIN...WERE BOUND BY A LINE FROM
SOUTH OF MULESHOE TEXAS...TO EAST OF ABILENE...TO NEAR BROWNWOOD...
TO THE BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK...TO SOUTHEAST OF ROSWELL NEW MEXICO
...TO SOUTH OF MULESHOE TEXAS. HEAVIEST RAINFALL WAS AT HOBBS NEW
MEXICO...AND BETWEEN ODESSA AND MCCAMEY.  THEY WERE MOVING NORTH
AT 5 MILES AN HOUR.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION
STATION FOR FURTHER BULLETINS.

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in New Mexico, 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.