Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1997

Flash Flood Warning 89, NWS Fort Worth, TX

April 4, 1997Tarrant County, Texas

NWS Fort Worth, TX issued this flash flood warning at Apr 4, 1997, 5:15 PM CST for Tarrant County, Texas. It was in force for 2 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
Apr 4, 1997, 5:15 PM CST (23:15 UTC)
Expired
Apr 4, 1997, 7:15 PM CST
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Fort Worth, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Tarrant County, TX

The radar

The Dallas/Ft Worth radar (KFWS), 22 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:16 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

Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 12:00Z, 11.3 hours before the alert went out and 272 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, Norman, OK at 12:00Z on 1997-04-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 78 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, Norman, OK at 12:00Z on 1997-04-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 267 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
78 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-46 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
490 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
43 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
267 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
300 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KFTW 042315
FFWFTW
TXC439-050115-
 
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
515 PM CST FRI APR 4 1997
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FORT WORTH HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  715 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS
 
   ...TARRANT COUNTY
 
AT 515 PM CST...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS FROM MERIDIAN TO FORT WORTH TO SHERMAN. RAINFALL RATES OF
UP TO TWO INCHES PER HOUR ARE POSSIBLE AS THIS LINE OF STORM MOVES
ACROSS TARRANT COUNTY. THIS LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL LIKELY CAUSE
RUNOFF PROBLEMS AND FLOODING.
 
DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY.  THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO
CROSS SAFELY.  VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE
ABANDONED QUICKLY.  MOVE 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, Apr 4, 11:40 AM CST, 5 hours 35 minutes before
TXZ091>095-098>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-051000-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH TEXAS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
1140 AM CST FRI APR 4 1997

THERE IS SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FOR ALL OF NORTH TEXAS
THIS AFTERNOON AND ACROSS MAINLY THE EASTERN TWO THIRDS TONIGHT.

A VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL STORM WAS MOVING ACROSS THE ROCKIES AND WILL
DRIVE ACROSS ALL OF NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS BY LATE TONIGHT. A SURFACE
DRY LINE OVER WEST TEXAS AT MIDDAY WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. THE DRY
LINE WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN PARTS OF NORTH TEXAS BY LATE AFTERNOON
AND WILL REACH THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH METROPLEX AND WACO DURING THE
EVENING HOURS. THE BOUNDARY WILL EVENTUALLY REACH EASTERN PARTS FROM
PARIS TO ATHENS TO CENTERVILLE AROUND MIDNIGHT.

AN ABUNDANCE OF DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE REMAINS IN PLACE OVER THE
REGION. COLD AIR ALOFT AND SOME BREAKS IN THE CLOUD COVER LATER THIS
AFTERNOON WILL AID IN THE RAPID DESTABILIZATION OF THE ATMOSPHERE.
MOISTURE CONVERGENCE WILL BE MAXIMIZED ALONG THE DRY LINE WHERE THE
ERUPTION OF SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND IN ADVANCE OF
THE BOUNDARY WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS. A FEW SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED MAINLY IN
THE WACO VICINITY WHERE AN ISOLATED TORNADO COULD BE OBSERVED.

ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES WITH THE STRONGEST
THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY COMPOUND THE FLASH FLOOD THREAT OVER THE
AREA. THE GROUND REMAINS AT OR NEAR SATURATION AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS
AND ANY ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINS WILL RAPIDLY RUNOFF AND PRODUCE HIGH
WATER PROBLEMS.

A VERY TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN WAKE
OF THE DRY LINE BY LATE TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY. WEST TO SOUTHWEST
WINDS SATURDAY WILL INCREASE DRAMATICALLY ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL
PARTS OF NORTH TEXAS WHERE SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WILL
OCCUR. HIGHER GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE LIKELY SATURDAY.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND STORM SPOTTERS WEST OF A JACKSBORO...
STEPHENVILLE...TO WACO LINE SHOULD BE READY FOR SPOTTER ACTIVATION
THIS AFTERNOON. SPOTTERS FROM SHERMAN TO THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH
METROPLEX WILL LIKELY BE ACTIVATED DURING THE EVENING HOURS.
ELSEWHERE...SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE LIKELY FROM LATE EVENING UNTIL
EARLY SATURDAY MORNING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER
FOR THE LATEST STATEMENTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

48
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 11:41 AM CST, 5 hours 34 minutes before
TXZ091>095-098>107-115>123-129>135-141>148-156>162-174-175-051000-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH TEXAS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
1140 AM CST FRI APR 4 1997

THERE IS SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FOR ALL OF NORTH TEXAS
THIS AFTERNOON AND ACROSS MAINLY THE EASTERN TWO THIRDS TONIGHT.

A VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL STORM WAS MOVING ACROSS THE ROCKIES AND WILL
DRIVE ACROSS ALL OF NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS BY LATE TONIGHT. A SURFACE
DRY LINE OVER WEST TEXAS AT MIDDAY WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. THE DRY
LINE WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN PARTS OF NORTH TEXAS BY LATE AFTERNOON
AND WILL REACH THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH METROPLEX AND WACO DURING THE
EVENING HOURS. THE BOUNDARY WILL EVENTUALLY REACH EASTERN PARTS FROM
PARIS TO ATHENS TO CENTERVILLE AROUND MIDNIGHT.

AN ABUNDANCE OF DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE REMAINS IN PLACE OVER THE
REGION. COLD AIR ALOFT AND SOME BREAKS IN THE CLOUD COVER LATER THIS
AFTERNOON WILL AID IN THE RAPID DESTABILIZATION OF THE ATMOSPHERE.
MOISTURE CONVERGENCE WILL BE MAXIMIZED ALONG THE DRY LINE WHERE THE
ERUPTION OF SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND IN ADVANCE OF
THE BOUNDARY WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS. A FEW SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED MAINLY IN
THE WACO VICINITY WHERE AN ISOLATED TORNADO COULD BE OBSERVED.

ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES WITH THE STRONGEST
THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY COMPOUND THE FLASH FLOOD THREAT OVER THE
AREA. THE GROUND REMAINS AT OR NEAR SATURATION AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS
AND ANY ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINS WILL RAPIDLY RUNOFF AND PRODUCE HIGH
WATER PROBLEMS.

A VERY TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN WAKE
OF THE DRY LINE BY LATE TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY. WEST TO SOUTHWEST
WINDS SATURDAY WILL INCREASE DRAMATICALLY ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL
PARTS OF NORTH TEXAS WHERE SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WILL
OCCUR. HIGHER GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE LIKELY SATURDAY.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND STORM SPOTTERS WEST OF A JACKSBORO...
STEPHENVILLE...TO WACO LINE SHOULD BE READY FOR SPOTTER ACTIVATION
THIS AFTERNOON. SPOTTERS FROM SHERMAN TO THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH
METROPLEX WILL LIKELY BE ACTIVATED DURING THE EVENING HOURS.
ELSEWHERE...SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE LIKELY FROM LATE EVENING UNTIL
EARLY SATURDAY MORNING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER
FOR THE LATEST STATEMENTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHnER SERVICE.

48
Local storm report, Apr 4, 1:55 PM CST, 3 hours 20 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORT WORTH TX
155 PM CST FRI APR 04 1997

TIME(CST)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0129 PM    3 S MINERAL WELLS         TX   WIND DAMAGE
04/04/97   PALO PINTO                     POWER LINES DOWNED

0145 PM    EASTLAND                  TX   70 MPH TSTM GUST
04/04/97   EASTLAND

0145 PM    EASTLAND                  TX   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/04/97   EASTLAND

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 4, 2:35 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDLimestone, Robertson55 min
Apr 4, 2:35 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDLimestone, Robertson55 min
Apr 4, 8:23 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDBell, Falls, McLennan4 hr
Apr 4, 8:57 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDDallas, Johnson, Tarrant3 hr
Apr 4, 9:24 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDLimestone3 hr
Apr 4, 9:57 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDEllis, Navarro3 hr
Apr 4, 10:20 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDHunt, Kaufman, Rockwall3 hr
Apr 4, 10:52 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDBell68 min
Apr 4, 11:30 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDEllis2 hr
Apr 4, 11:40 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDFalls65 min
Apr 4, 11:45 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDBell, Falls3 hr
Apr 4, 11:45 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDLimestone3 hr
Apr 4, 12:17 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDLimestone58 min
Apr 4, 12:22 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDHopkins2 hr
Apr 4, 1:01 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDPalo Pinto44 min
Apr 4, 1:05 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDHunt2 hr
Apr 4, 1:16 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDParker59 min
Apr 4, 1:27 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDEastland48 min
Apr 4, 1:32 PM CSTTornado WarningFWDParker43 min
Apr 4, 2:18 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDComanche, Erath57 min
Apr 4, 3:03 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDParker57 min
Apr 4, 3:10 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDParker2 hr
Apr 4, 3:13 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDErath62 min
Apr 4, 3:23 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDHood67 min
Apr 4, 4:18 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDCooke, Grayson27 min
Apr 4, 4:26 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDDenton49 min
Apr 4, 4:33 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFWDTarrant57 min
Apr 4, 4:40 PM CSTTornado WarningFWDDenton, Grayson50 min
Apr 4, 5:32 PM CSTTornado WarningFWDCoryell, Lampasas28 min
Apr 4, 5:54 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningFWDBell3 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.