Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1997

Flash Flood Warning 172, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX

June 21, 1997Bexar County, Comal County, Texas

NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this flash flood warning at Jun 21, 1997, 6:16 PM CDT for Bexar County, Comal County, Texas. It was in force for 3 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
Jun 21, 1997, 6:16 PM CDT (23:16 UTC)
Expired
Jun 21, 1997, 9:15 PM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
Area
Whole counties

Counties Bexar County, TX, Comal County, TX

The radar

The Austin/San Antonio radar (KEWX), 37 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:18 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

Corpus Christi, TX (KCRP), launched 12:00Z, 11.3 hours before the alert went out and 235 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, Corpus Christi, TX at 12:00Z on 1997-06-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 3868 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Corpus Christi, TX at 12:00Z on 1997-06-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 69 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
3868 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-1 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
570 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
69 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
73 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.0
Supercell composite
5.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KSAT 212315
FFWSAT
TXC029-091-220215-
 
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
616 PM CDT SAT JUN 21 1997
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO HAS EXTENDED THE
FLASH FLOOD WARNING UNTIL  915 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS
 
   ...BEXAR COUNTY...COMAL COUNTY
 
DOPPLER RADAR IS INDICATING A LINE OF HEAVY RAINS MOVING EAST ACROSS
BEXAR AND COMAL COUNTIES. RAINFALL RATES ARE IN EXCESS OF 1 INCH AN
HOUR. PREVIOUS RAINS HAVE ALREADY CLOSED FM 1863 IN COMAL COUNTY BETWEEN
FM 3009 AND U.S.281.
 
BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS.  IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED
ACT QUICKLY.  MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS.  DO
NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.
 
AVOID ALREADY FLOODED AREAS.  TRAVELERS SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO
CROSS FLOODED ROADS.  IF YOUR VEHICLE STALLS...LEAVE IT AND MOVE
IMMEDIATELY TO HIGHER GROUND IF YOU CAN DO SO SAFELY.
 
 
 
&

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, Jun 21, 5:43 PM CDT, 33 minutes before
TXZ171>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-221030-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
600 PM CDT SAT JUN 21 1997

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT FOR ALL OF SOUTH
CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE HILL COUNTRY EXCEPT FOR FAR WEST SECTIONS...

...FLOOD WARNING FOR THE NAVIDAD AND GUADALUPE RIVERS...AND SANDY
CREEK IN COLORADO...WHARTON AND JACKSON COUNTIES...

THERE IS STRONG POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLOODING OVER MUCH
OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE HILL COUNTRY TONIGHT.  THE CHANCE OF
RAIN REMAIN HIGH ON SUNDAY...THEREFORE THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY NEED
TO BE EXTENDED INTO SUNDAY.  FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT TONIGHT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

ATASCOSA...BANDERA...BLANCO...BURNET...DIMMIT...GILLESPIE...KENDALL..
KERR...LLANO...REAL...BASTROP...CALDWELL...FAYETTE...HAYS...LEE...
TRAVIS...WILLIAMSON...ATASCOSA...BEXAR...COMAL...FRIO...GUADALUPE...
MEDINA...UVALDE...WILSON...ZAVALA...DE WITT...GONZALES...KARNES
AND...LAVACA.

A STRONG...BUT SLOW MOVING UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER CENTRAL TEXAS AND
VERY WARM AND MOIST AIR OVER SOUTH TEXAS WILL COMBINE TO ALLOW FOR
HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLASH THROUGH TONIGHT AND INTO SUNDAY.  IN
ADDITION TO THE HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLOODING POTENTIAL...THERE IS A
SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH SUNDAY...WITH THE
POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL.

WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL PERSIST THROUGH SUNDAY
WITH ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES LIKELY AND
ISOLATED AMOUNTS OF 5 INCHES OR MORE POSSIBLE.

MOTORISTS SHOULD AVOID FLOODED LOW WATER CROSSINGS AND DRIVE WITH
EXTRA CAUTION...ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT WHEN HIGH WATER IS DIFFICULT TO
SEE.  PEOPLE SHOULD STAY AWAY FROM FLOODED CREEKS...STREAMS...AND
RIVERS...AS RISES CAN BE SWIFT AND SUDDEN...AND BANKS CAN BE
UNSTABLE.

NEARBY HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOKS INCLUDE:
FOR SOUTHWEST TEXAS...FROM MIDLAND...LBBSPSMAF
FOR THE CONCHO VALLEY...FROM SAN ANGELO...LBBSPSSJT
FOR NORTH TEXAS...FROM FORT WORTH...FTWSPSFTW
FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS...FROM HOUSTON/GALVESTON...SATSPSHOU
FOR COASTAL BEND/RIO GRANDE PLAINS...FROM CORPUS CHRISTI...SATSPSCRP

THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NORMALLY WILL BE UPDATED BY MEANS OF
THE ZONE FORECASTS...SHORT TERM FORECAST...WATCHES...WARNINGS...AND
ADVISORIES.  THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK ITSELF WILL BE UPDATED
ONLY IF UNEXPECTED HAZARDOUS WEATHER DEVELOPS OR IF EXPECTED
HAZARDOUS WEATHER NO LONGER IS FORECAST :TO DEVELOP.
Special weather statement, Jun 21, 6:00 PM CDT, 16 minutes before
TXZ171>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-221030-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
600 PM CDT SAT JUN 21 1997

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT FOR ALL OF SOUTH
CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE HILL COUNTRY EXCEPT FOR FAR WEST SECTIONS...

...FLOOD WARNING FOR THE NAVIDAD AND GUADALUPE RIVERS...AND SANDY
CREEK IN COLORADO...WHARTON AND JACKSON COUNTIES...

THERE IS STRONG POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLOODING OVER MUCH
OF SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE HILL COUNTRY TONIGHT.  THE CHANCE OF
RAIN REMAIN HIGH ON SUNDAY...THEREFORE THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY NEED
TO BE EXTENDED INTO SUNDAY.  FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT TONIGHT
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

ATASCOSA...BANDERA...BLANCO...BURNET...DIMMIT...GILLESPIE...KENDALL..
KERR...LLANO...REAL...BASTROP...CALDWELL...FAYETTE...HAYS...LEE...
TRAVIS...WILLIAMSON...ATASCOSA...BEXAR...COMAL...FRIO...GUADALUPE...
MEDINA...UVALDE...WILSON...ZAVALA...DE WITT...GONZALES...KARNES
AND...LAVACA.

A STRONG...BUT SLOW MOVING UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER CENTRAL TEXAS AND
VERY WARM AND MOIST AIR OVER SOUTH TEXAS WILL COMBINE TO ALLOW FOR
HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLASH THROUGH TONIGHT AND INTO SUNDAY.  IN
ADDITION TO THE HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLOODING POTENTIAL...THERE IS A
SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH SUNDAY...WITH THE
POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL.

WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL PERSIST THROUGH SUNDAY
WITH ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES LIKELY AND
ISOLATED AMOUNTS OF 5 INCHES OR MORE POSSIBLE.

MOTORISTS SHOULD AVOID FLOODED LOW WATER CROSSINGS AND DRIVE WITH
EXTRA CAUTION...ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT WHEN HIGH WATER IS DIFFICULT TO
SEE.  PEOPLE SHOULD STAY AWAY FROM FLOODED CREEKS...STREAMS...AND
RIVERS...AS RISES CAN BE SWIFT AND SUDDEN...AND BANKS CAN BE
UNSTABLE.

NEARBY HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOKS INCLUDE:
FOR SOUTHWEST TEXAS...FROM MIDLAND...LBBSPSMAF
FOR THE CONCHO VALLEY...FROM SAN ANGELO...LBBSPSSJT
FOR NORTH TEXAS...FROM FORT WORTH...FTWSPSFTW
FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS...FROM HOUSTON/GALVESTON...SATSPSHOU
FOR COASTAL BEND/RIO GRANDE PLAINS...FROM CORPUS CHRISTI...SATSPSCRP

THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NORMALLY WILL BE UPDATED BY MEANS OF
THE ZONE FORECASTS...SHORT TERM FORECAST...WATCHES...WARNINGS...AND
ADVISORIES.  THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK ITSELF WILL BE UPDATED
ONLY IF UNEXPECTED HAZARDOUS WEATHER DEVELOPS OR IF EXPECTED
HAZARDOUS WEATHER NO LONGER IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 20, 7:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXVal Verde69 min
Jun 20, 8:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXVal Verde63 min
Jun 21, 1:51 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXKerr3 hr
Jun 21, 6:01 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXFrio3 hr
Jun 21, 7:30 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXAtascosa3 hr
Jun 21, 7:45 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXBexar3 hr
Jun 21, 9:01 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXFrio119 min
Jun 21, 9:33 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXGonzales, Guadalupe, Wilson3 hr
Jun 21, 10:25 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXDeWitt, Karnes3 hr
Jun 21, 10:39 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXBandera, Medina3 hr
Jun 21, 10:59 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXCaldwell3 hr
Jun 21, 11:16 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXBastrop, Fayette, Lavaca3 hr
Jun 21, 11:16 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXBlanco, Comal, Hays, Travis3 hr
Jun 21, 11:16 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXKendall3 hr
Jun 21, 11:38 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXBandera, Bexar3 hr
Jun 21, 12:08 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXLee, Williamson3 hr
Jun 21, 1:25 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXGuadalupe3 hr
Jun 21, 1:25 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXGillespie3 hr
Jun 21, 1:25 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXDeWitt3 hr
Jun 21, 1:25 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXBandera3 hr
Jun 21, 2:07 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXKendall, Kerr3 hr
Jun 21, 2:07 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXLavaca3 hr
Jun 21, 3:20 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXBexar, Medina3 hr
Jun 21, 3:20 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXComal3 hr
Jun 21, 3:36 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXKarnes3 hr
Jun 21, 4:39 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXGuadalupe6 hr
Jun 21, 4:39 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXBandera6 hr
Jun 21, 4:39 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXDeWitt6 hr
Jun 21, 5:09 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXCaldwell, Travis6 hr
Jun 21, 5:17 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXBandera6 hr
Jun 21, 5:17 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXLavaca6 hr
Jun 21, 5:42 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningEWXHays6 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Texas, 1997Every flash flood warning in 1997

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.