Alert archive / New Mexico / Flash Flood Warnings in 1996

Flash Flood Warning 72, NWS Midland/Odessa, TX

August 28, 1996Eddy County, New Mexico

NWS Midland/Odessa, TX issued this flash flood warning at Aug 28, 1996, 1:21 PM MDT for Eddy County, New Mexico. It was in force for 4 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 28, 1996, 1:21 PM MDT (19:21 UTC)
Expired
Aug 28, 1996, 5:25 PM MDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Midland/Odessa, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Eddy County, NM

The radar

The Holloman AFB radar (KHDX), 183 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:23 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Midland Regional, TX (KMAF), launched 12:00Z, 7.4 hours before the alert went out and 206 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 12:00Z on 1996-08-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 401 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, Midland Regional, TX at 12:00Z on 1996-08-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 63 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
401 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-18 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
770 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
14 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
63 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
87 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 281921
FFWMAF
NMC015-282325-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
221 PM CDT (121 PM MDT) WED AUG 28 1996

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MIDLAND TX HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 525 PM MDT (625 PM CDT)
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...

IN SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO

   ...EDDY COUNTY
 
AT 119 PM MDT... MIDLAND DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATED 1 1/2 INCHES OF
RAIN HAD FALLEN OVER THE PAST HOUR 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF CARLSBAD.
THE AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAUSING THIS HEAVY RAINFALL IS
EXPANDING AND INTENSIFYING AS IT MOVES SLOWLY EAST AT LESS THAN 10
MILES AN HOUR. THIS IN COMBINATION WITH AN ALREADY SATURATED GROUND
AND AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN WILL LIKELY LEAD TO SOME
FLOODING.

MOST DEATHS IN FLASH FLOODING 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 nSMALL ONE...ON FOOT.

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.

NWS Midland/Odessa, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Aug 28, 9:46 AM MDT, 3 hours 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 28, 9:46 AM MDT, 3 hours 35 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
1046 AM CDT WED AUG 28 1996

ONE BUSY MORNING AROUND THE CWA. A TROPICAL PLUME NOTED VIA WV SATL
IMAGERY EXTDG FROM SOUTH OF THE MEXICAN BAJA TO THE CNTL GREAT
PLAINS. SLOW MOVING TSRA CONTINUING OVER GAINES COUNTY..PROMPTING
FFW. ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT HEAVY RAINS OVER SE NEW MEXICO..ESPECIALLY
WEST OF CARLSBAD. ANOTHER BATCH OF PCPN WAS NOTED FROM GDP SOUTH TO
THE VAN HORN AND DAVIS MTNS vREGION. SLOW MOVEMENT WAS INDICATED BY
RADAR ON THESE SHOWERS. HAVE NOT HAD ENUF NEW DATA OR THE TIME TO
SUGGEST BIG CHANGES FOR AFTERNOON PACKAGE.

BOYD

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 28, 10:46 AM MDT, 2 hours 35 minutes before
NMZ027>029-TXZ045>048-050>052-057>063-067>070-074-075-079>082-290500-

THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
1147 AM CDT (1047 AM MDT) WED AUG 28 1996

THIS OUTLOOK PERTAINS TO THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN WEST TEXAS:

ANDREWS   CULBERSON  GLASSCOCK   MARTIN    REAGAN   UPTON
BORDEN    DAWSON     HOWARD      MIDLAND   REEVES   WARD
BREWSTER  ECTOR      JEFF DAVIS  PECOS     SCURRY   WINKLER
CRANE     GAINES     LOVING      PRESIDIO  TERRELL

AND IN SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO:

EDDY      LEA

SYNOPSIS:DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE REMAINS ENTRENCHED OVER THE AREA AND
THIS COMBINED WITH DAYTIME HEATING WILL RESULT IN SCATTERED SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS TODAY AND TONIGHT.

NONE OF THE STORMS THAT DO DEVELOP ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE...
HOWEVER... THEY WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE VERY HEAVY
RAINFALL. THIS COMBINED WITH ALREADY SATURATED GROUNDS FROM PREVIOUS
RAINFALL WILL ENHANCE THE POSSIBILITY OF FLASH FLOODING OVER
PORTIONS OF THE OUTLOOK AREA.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.

YOUNG/BOYD
Special weather statement, Aug 28, 12:15 PM MDT, 1 hour 6 minutes before
NMZ027>029-TXZ045>048-050>052-057>063-067>070-074-075-079>082-282050-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
115 PM CDT (1215 PM MDT) WED AUG 28 1996

...FUNNEL CLOUDS SPOTTED NEAR CARLSBAD NEW MEXICO...

THE EDDY COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT STORM SPOTTERS
REPORTED FUNNEL CLOUDS NEAR CARLSBAD.

AT 1205 PM MDT (105 PM CDT)...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER PARTS OF SOUTHEAST NEW
MEXICO AND WEST TEXAS. MOVEMENT WAS SOUTHEAST AT LESS THAN 10 MPH.

THESE LOW ENERGY FUNNELS ARE TYPICAL OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
ASSOCIATED WITH A TROPICAL AIRMASS...THE AIRMASS THAT IS OVER THE
AREA AT THIS TIME. WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THESE FUNNEL CLOUDS THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THIS
AFTERNOON.

GENERALLY...THESE FUNNEL CLOUDS REMAIN ALOFT AND DO NOT TOUCH THE
GROUND. HOWEVER... IT IS POSSIBLE THAT ONE OF THESE FUNNELS COULD
BRIEFLY TOUCH DOWN AND POTENTIALLY CAUSE SOME DAMAGE.

IF YOU SPOT A FUNNEL CLOUD APPROACHING YOUR LOCATION... SEEK SHELTER
IN A STURDY BUILDING IN AN INTERIOR ROOM AWAY FROM WINDOWS. AVOID
OPEN AREAS WHERE DEBRIS COULD BE BLOWN AROUND SHOULD ANY FUNNEL
CLOUD BRIEFLY TOUCH THE GROUND.

YOUNG/BOYD
Special weather statement, Aug 28, 1:01 PM MDT, 20 minutes before
NMZ027>029-TXZ045>048-050>052-057>063-067>070-074-075-079>082-282050-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIDLAND TX
115 PM CDT (1215 PM MDT) WED AUG 28 1996

...FUNNEL CLOUDS SPOTTED NEAR CARLSBAD NEW MEXICO...

THE EDDY COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT STORM SPOTTERS
REPORTED FUNNEL CLOUDS NEAR CARLSBAD.

AT 1205 PM MDT (105 PM CDT)...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER PARTS OF SOUTHEAST NEW
MEXICO AND WEST TEXAS. MOVEMENT WAS SOUTHEAST AT LESS THAN 10 MPH.

THESE LOW ENERGY FUNNELS ARE TYPICAL OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
ASSOCIATED WITH A TROPICAL AIRMASS...THE AIRMASS THAT IS OVER THE
AREA AT THIS TIME. WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THESE FUNNEL CLOUDS THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THIS
AFTERNOON.
GENERALLY...THESE FUNNEL CLOUDS REMAIN ALOFT AND DO NOT TOUCH THE
GROUND. HOWEVER... IT IS POSSIBLE THAT ONE OF THESE FUNNELS COULD
BRIEFLY TOUCH DOWN AND POTENTIALLY CAUSE SOME DAMAGE.

IF YOU SPOT A FUNNEL CLOUD APPROACHING YOUR LOCATION... SEEK SHELTER
IN A STURDY BUILDING IN AN INTERIOR ROOM AWAY FROM WINDOWS. AVOID
OPEN AREAS WHERE DEBRIS COULD BE BLOWN AROUND SHOULD ANY FUNNEL
CLOUD BRIEFLY TOUCH THE GROUND.

YOUNG/BOYD

The office that day

Everything else NWS Midland/Odessa, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 28, 2:27 PM MDTFlash Flood WarningMAFLea3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in New Mexico, 1996Every flash flood warning in 1996

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.