Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1997

Flash Flood Warning 30, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX

April 4, 1997Uvalde County, Texas

NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this flash flood warning at Apr 4, 1997, 3:32 PM CST for Uvalde County, Texas. It was in force for 58 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 4, 1997, 3:32 PM CST (21:32 UTC)
Expired
Apr 4, 1997, 4:30 PM CST
In force
58 min
Issued by
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Uvalde County, TX

The radar

The Laughlin AFB radar (KDFX), 51 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:34 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

Del Rio, TX (KDRT), launched 12:00Z, 9.5 hours before the alert went out and 104 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, Del Rio, TX at 12:00Z on 1997-04-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1922 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Del Rio, TX at 12:00Z on 1997-04-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 213 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 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
1922 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-20 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
580 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
55 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
213 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
198 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
2.5
Supercell composite
10.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KSAT 042135
FFWSAT
TXC463-042230-
 
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
332 PM CST FRI APR 4 1997
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND FLASH FLOOD WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL  430 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS
 
   ...UVALDE COUNTY
 
AT 330 PM DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
FROM UTOPIA TO KNIPPA...MOVING EAST NEAR 35 MPH. EXPECT STRONG
GUSTY WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL.  THIS STORM
WILL MOVE THROUGH SABINAL WITHIN THE NEXT HALF HOUR. THE STRONGEST
PART OF THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS JUST WEST OF UTOPIA.
 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WINDS CAN REACH SPEEDS OVER 60 MPH.  THESE WINDS
BLOW DOWN TREES...POWER LINES...AND SEVERELY DAMAGE MOBILE HOMES...
SOMETIMES BUILDINGS.  VERY LARGE HAIL CAN INJURE ANYONE CAUGHT
OUTSIDE.
 
PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM SHOULD BE ALERT TO THE POSSIBILITY
OF LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.  FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY
HEAVY RAIN CAN ALSO OCCUR WITH SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...FLOODING SMALL
STREAMS...LOW AREAS...AND LOW WATER CROSSINGS.
 
IF YOU .SEE SEVERE WEATHER TAKING PLACE...CALL YOUR REPORT TO
THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FOR IMMEDIATE RELAY TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

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, Apr 4, 10:49 AM CST, 4 hours 43 minutes before
TXZ171>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-051200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
11 AM CST FRI APR 4 1997

...STORMY EARLY APRIL DAY OVER THE HILL COUNTRY AND SOUTH CENTRAL
TEXAS...

AN INTENSE SPRING WEATHER SYSTME TO THE WEST OF THE AREA WILL MOVE
EAST CAUSING MORE DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TODAY
AND THIS EVENING.  ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES
IN SOME AREAS IS POSSIBLE BY THE TIME THE EVENT ENDS THIS EVENING.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAY ALSO DEVELOP OVER THE HILL COUNTRY AND
SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS TODAY AND THIS EVENING...CAUSING STRONG WINDS
AND POSSIBLE DAMAGING HAIL.

AS THE WEATHER SYSTEMS SWEEPS EAST OF THE AREA...A MOSTLY SUNNY
DAY IS EXPECTED SATURDAY...FOLLOWED BY A SUNNY TO PARTLY CLOUDY
ON SUNDAY.
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 11:00 AM CST, 4 hours 32 minutes before
TXZ171>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-051200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
11 AM CST FRI APR 4 1997

...STORMY EARLY APRIL DAY OVER THE HILL COUNTRY AND SOUTH CENTRAL
TEXAS...

AN INTENSE SPRING WEATHER SYSTME TO THE WEST OF THE AREA WILL MOVE
EAST CAUSING MORE DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TODAY
AND THIS EVENING.  ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES
IN SOME AREAS IS POSSIBLE BY THE TIME THE EVENT ENDS THIS EVENING.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAY ALSO DEVELOP OVER THE HILL COUNTRY AND
SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS TODAY AND THIS EVENING...CAUSING STRONG WINDS
AND POSSIBLE DAMAGING HAIL.

AS THE WEATHER SYSTEMS SWEEPS EAST OF THE AREA...A MOSTLY SUNNY
DAY IS EXPECTED SATURDAY...FOLLOWED BY A SUNNY TO PARTLY CLOUDY
ON SUNDAY.
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 11:47 AM CST, 3 hours 45 minutes before
TXZ171>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-051200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
1147 AM CST FRI APR 4 1997

...STORMY EARLY APRIL AFTERNOON OVER THE HILL COUNTRY AND SOUTH CENTRAL
TEXAS...

AN INTENSE SPRING WEATHER SYSTEM TO THE WEST OF THE AREA WILL MOVE
EAST CAUSING MORE DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS
AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING.  AT 1147 AM...STORMS ARE RAPIDLY FORMING
WEST AND NORTHWEST OF DEL RIO...BEGINNING TO DEVELOP A LINE OF
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...WHICH WILL MOVE EAST AND AFFECT SOUTH
CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE HILL COUNTRY THIS AFTERNOON.  A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR VAL VERDE COUNTY TIL 1230 PM.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS EARLY APRIL WEATHER
SYSTEM...CAUSING DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL.  ADDITIONAL RAINFALL
AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES IN SOME AREAS IS POSSIBLE BY THE
TIME THE EVENT ENDS THIS EVENING.

AS THE WEATHER SYSTEMS SWEEPS EAST OF THE AREA...A MOSTLY SUNNY
DAY IS EXPECTED SATURDAY...FOLLOWED BY A SUNNY TO PARTLY CLOUDY
ON SUNDAY.
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 11:51 AM CST, 3 hours 41 minutes before
TXZ171>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-051200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
1147 AM CST FRI APR 4 1997

...STORMY EARLY APRIL AFTERNOON OVER THE HILL COUNTRY AND SOUTH CENTRAL
TEXAS...

AN INTENSE SPRING WEATHER SYSTEM TO THE WEST OF THE AREA WILL MOVE
EAST CAUSING MORE DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS
AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING.  AT 1147 AM...STORMS ARE RAPIDLY FORMING
WEST AND NORTHWEST OF DEL RIO...BEGINNING TO DEVELOP A LINE OF
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...WHICH WILL MOVE EAST AND AFFECT SOUTH
CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE HILL COUNTRY THIS AFTERNOON.  A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR VAL VERDE COUNTY TIL 1230 PM.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS EARLY APRIL WEATHER
SYSTEM...CAUSING DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL.  ADDITIONAL RAINFALL
AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES IN SOME AREAS IS POSSIBLE BY THE
TIME THE EVENT ENDS THIS EVENING.

AS THE WEATHER SYSTEMS SWEEPS EAS~T OF THE AREA...A MOSTLY SUNNY
DAY IS EXPECTED SATURDAY...FOLLOWED BY A SUNNY TO PARTLY CLOUDY
ON SUNDAY.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 3, 8:33 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningEWXDimmit42 min
Apr 3, 8:33 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXDimmit42 min
Apr 3, 9:18 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXMedina, Zavala57 min
Apr 3, 10:36 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningEWXGillespie69 min
Apr 3, 10:47 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningEWXKerr58 min
Apr 3, 11:10 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBexar65 min
Apr 3, 11:32 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXComal58 min
Apr 3, 11:55 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXHays65 min
Apr 4, 12:25 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningEWXWilliamson65 min
Apr 4, 12:25 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXWilliamson65 min
Apr 4, 12:43 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXHays62 min
Apr 4, 1:17 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningEWXDeWitt, Lavaca3 hr
Apr 4, 1:34 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningEWXTravis, Williamson116 min
Apr 4, 5:36 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningEWXLavaca3 hr
Apr 4, 6:23 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningEWXTravis, Williamson3 hr
Apr 4, 6:31 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningEWXBlanco3 hr
Apr 4, 6:43 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningEWXKendall3 hr
Apr 4, 9:24 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningEWXTravis, Williamson3 hr
Apr 4, 10:12 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningEWXDeWitt2 hr
Apr 4, 11:30 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXVal Verde60 min
Apr 4, 2:34 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXUvalde56 min
Apr 4, 2:40 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXReal65 min
Apr 4, 3:00 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningEWXReal2 hr
Apr 4, 3:25 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningEWXBandera65 min
Apr 4, 3:25 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBandera65 min
Apr 4, 3:32 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXUvalde58 min
Apr 4, 3:53 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningEWXKerr2 hr
Apr 4, 4:24 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningEWXBandera2 hr
Apr 4, 4:34 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXMedina56 min
Apr 4, 5:11 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXBexar, Kendall79 min

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.