Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1997

Flash Flood Warning 59, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

June 10, 1997Houston County, Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this flash flood warning at Jun 10, 1997, 6:25 AM CDT for Houston 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
Jun 10, 1997, 6:25 AM CDT (11:25 UTC)
Expired
Jun 10, 1997, 8:30 AM CDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Houston County, TX

The nearest sounding before it

Shreveport, LA (KSHV), launched 00:00Z, 11.4 hours before the alert went out and 204 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, Shreveport, LA at 00:00Z on 1997-06-10Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 299 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, Shreveport, LA at 00:00Z on 1997-06-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -2 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
299 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-6 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
611 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
11 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-2 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
75 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 KHOU 101124
FFWHOU
TXC225-101330-
 
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
625 AM CDT TUE JUN 10 1997
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HOUSTON/GALVESTON HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  830 AM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTHEAST TEXAS
 
   ...HOUSTON COUNTY
 
AT 620 AM...RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE HEAVY RAINS IN HOUSTON COUNTY.
RAINFALL RATES AVERAGING 1/2 INCH PER HOUR WITH ISOLATED 1.5 TO 2
INCHES PER HOUR CAN BE EXPECTED FOR THE NEXT 1 TO 2 HOURS.
 
MOST DEATHS IN FLASH FLOODING OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO
NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS BRIDGES...DIPS...OR UNDERPASSES IF WATER
COVERS THE ROADWAY. NEVER TRY TO C0ROSS A FLOWING STREAM...EVEN A
SMALL 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 Houston/Galveston, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Jun 10, 2:40 AM CDT, 3 hours 45 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 10, 2:40 AM CDT, 3 hours 45 minutes before
SOUTHEAST TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
239 AM CDT TUE JUN 10 1997

FOR THE SHORT TERM...TSTMS OVR NE TX WERE DRIFTING SRD A BIT TWD
HOUSTON COUNTY.  ALSO...SATL AND RDR SHOW A CONVERGENCE ZNE OFFSHORE
FM NR FREEPORT SRD WHERE SOME SHRAS OR TSTMS CUD OCCUR WITHIN THE
NEXT FEW HRS OR SO.

FOR THIS FCST...NOTED THAT THE ETA H5 LVL BLDS A WK RDG TO THE WEST
WHICH IN TURN HELPS DEVELOP A NWRLY FLOW OVR SETX.  THE SFC STNRY FNT
OVR NE TX MAY SAG SRD TWD THE NRN PTNS OF THE FA TDY...BUT FEEL THAT
THIS FEATURE WL STAY MAINLY N OF THE FA THRU THE 48 HR PD.  A WK S/W
WL DEVELOP BY 36 HRS OVR THE HILL COUNTRY AND NE TX...REFLECTED BY A
WK LOW AT THE SFC ON THE TX/LA/AR BORDER.  THIS WL BE IN ADDITION TO
ANY SEABREEZE ACTIVITY THAT MAY DEVELOP.  TSTMS THAT DEVELOP ALONG
THESE BNDRY/S MAY IN TURN PUSH OUTFLOWS INTO THE FA.  ONE INHIBITING
FACTOR WL BE THE DECREASING 1000 TO 500 MB MEAN RH...THO ETA PWAT/S
ARE AOA 1.6 EACH AFT AND EVE.  ALSO...ANY TSTMS THAT DO DEVELOP WL BE
SLO MOVG AS SHOWN BY THE LGT WNDS UP TO 500 MB.  PATCHY FOG WL THEN
DEVELOP DURG THE OVRNGT HRS OVR MOST INLAND LOCATIONS.  WL COMPROMISE
BETWEEN FAN AND FWC TEMPS AND POPS.  40

PRELIMS...
CLL EBBB 088/070 090/072 090 4232  PTLY SUNNY 1ST PD
IAH EBBB 088/072 090/073 091 4232  PTLY SUNNY 1ST PD
GLS BBBB 085/075 087/077 088 4332

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jun 10, 4:22 AM CDT, 2 hours 3 minutes before
TXZ176>179-195>200-210>214-226-227-235>238-511-513-102125-

SEVERE WEATHER AND HEAVY RAINFALL OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
422 AM CDT TUE JUN 10 1997

A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXISTS OVER MUCH OF
SOUTHEAST TEXAS TODAY.  THE SLIGHT RISK AREA IS ALONG AND EAST OF A
LINE FROM GALVESTON TO HUNTSVILLE TO APPLE SPRINGS IN EASTERN
TRINITY COUNTY.  THERE IS ALSO THE CHANCE FOR HEAVY RAINFALL OVER
ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING EARLY THIS MORNING ALONG AND SOUTH OF A
STATIONARY FRONT OVER NORTH TEXAS.  THIS LINE OF STORMS WILL DRIFT
SOUTHWARD INTO THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS THIS
MORNING.  SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND
STRONG WINDS IN EXCESS OF 55 MILES AN HOUR.  THESE STORMS WILL ALSO
PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL.

OUTFLOWS FROM THESE STORMS WILL THEN INTERACT WITH THE SEABREEZE
FRONT NEAR THE COAST LATER TODAY AND WITH A WEAK UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCE ALOFT.  THIS COMBINATION WILL THEN LEAD TO THE
GENERATION OF MORE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS.
MOISTURE LEVELS ACROSS THE AREA WILL CONTINUE QUITE HIGH AS THE
SOUTHEAST SURFACE WINDS MOVE OVER THE REGION FROM THE GULF.  HOWEVER
UPPER LEVEL WINDS OVER THE AREA WILL BE LIGHT.  THUS...ANY STORMS
THAT DO DEVELOP LATER TODAY WILL BE SLOW MOVING AND PRODUCING
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL.

RAINFALL FROM THUNDERSTORMS WILL AVERAGE 1/2 TO 1 INCH THROUGH EARLY
THIS EVENING.  ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE.

MARINERS SHOULD BE ALERT TO THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT OVER THE BAYS
AND COASTAL WATERS TODAY.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE
STRONG GUSTY WINDS IN EXCESS OF 35 KNOTS...HEAVY DOWNPOURS...
FREQUENT CLOUD TO WATER LIGHTNING...AND BRIEF WATERSPOUTS.  MARINERS
AND OPERATORS OF SMALL CRAFT SHOULD BE ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND MOVE TO PORT IF THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND UPDATES.
Special weather statement, Jun 10, 4:23 AM CDT, 2 hours 2 minutes before
TXZ176>179-195>200-210>214-226-227-235>238-511-513-102125-

SEVERE WEATHER AND HEAVY RAINFALL OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
422 AM CDT TUE JUN 10 1997

A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXISTS OVER MUCH OF
SOUTHEAST TEXAS TODAY.  THE SLIGHT RISK AREA IS ALONG AND EAST OF A
LINE FROM GALVESTON TO HUNTSVILLE TO APPLE SPRINGS IN EASTERN
TRINITY COUNTY.  THERE IS ALSO THE CHANCE FOR HEAVY RAINFALL OVER
ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING EARLY THIS MORNING ALONG AND SOUTH OF A
STATIONARY FRONT OVER NORTH TEXAS.  THIS LINE OF STORMS WILL DRIFT
SOUTHWARD INTO THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS THIS
MORNING.  SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND
STRONG WINDS IN EXCESS OF 55 MILES AN HOUR.  THESE STORMS WILL ALSO
PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL.

OUTFLOWS FROM THESE STORMS WILL THEN INTERACT WITH THE SEABREEZE
FRONT NEAR THE COAST LATER TODAY AND WITH A WEAK UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCE ALOFT.  THIS COMBINATION WILL THEN LEAD TO THE
GENERATION OF MORE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS.
MOISTURE LEVELS ACROSS THE AREA WILL CONTINUE QUITE HIGH AS THE
SOUTHEAST SURFACE WINDS MOVE OVER THE REGION FROM THE GULF.  HOWEVER
UPPER LEVEL WINDS OVER THE AREA WILL BE LIGHT.  THUS...ANY STORMS
THAT DO DEVELOP LATER TODAY WILL BE SLOW MOVING AND PRODUCING
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL.

RAINFALL FROM THUNDERSTORMS WILL AVERAGE 1/2 TO 1 INCH THROUGH EARLY
THIS EVENING.  ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE.

MARINERS SHOULD BE ALERT TO THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT OVER THE BAYS
AND COASTAL WATERS TODAY.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE
STRONG GUSTY WINDS IN EXCESS OF 35 KNOTS...HEAVY DOWNPOURS...
FREQUENT CLOUD TO WATER LIGHTNING...AND BRIEF WATERSPOUTS.  MARINERS
AND OPERATORS OF SMALL CRAFT SHOULD BE ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND MOVE TO PORT IF THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND UPDATES.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 10, 4:46 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXHouston59 min
Jun 10, 5:12 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningHGXHouston63 min
Jun 10, 5:12 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXHouston63 min
Jun 10, 5:31 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXTrinity59 min
Jun 10, 5:50 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXMadison55 min
Jun 10, 6:08 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHGXPolk, San Jacinto67 min
Jun 10, 10:14 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningHGXBurleson, Washington2 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.