Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1998

Flash Flood Warning 25, NWS Corpus Christi, TX

September 16, 1998Calhoun County, Refugio County, Texas

NWS Corpus Christi, TX issued this flash flood warning at Sep 16, 1998, 7:51 AM CDT for Calhoun County, Refugio 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
Sep 16, 1998, 7:51 AM CDT (12:51 UTC)
Expired
Sep 16, 1998, 11:00 AM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Corpus Christi, TX
Area
Whole counties

Counties Calhoun County, TX, Refugio County, TX

The radar

The Corpus Christi radar (KCRP), 90 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 12:53 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, 0.9 hours before the alert went out and 85 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 1998-09-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 27 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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, Corpus Christi, TX at 12:00Z on 1998-09-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -10 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
27 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-3 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
687 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
15 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-10 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
17 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 KCRP 161251
FFWCRP
TXC057-391-161600-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX
751 AM CDT WED SEP 16 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CORPUS CHRISTI HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  REFUGIO IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS
  CALHOUN IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS

* UNTIL 1100 AM CDT

* AT AT 745 AM CDT... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR
  INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN FROM REFUGIO TO PORT
  LAVACA...MOVING SLOWLY NORTHWEST AT 10 MPH.  ADDITONAL SHOWERS AND
  THUNDERSTORMS WERE FORMING IN THE COASTAL WATERS WHICH WILL AFFECT
  THIS SAME AREA THROUGH 11AM.

* VERY HEAVY RAINS PRODUCING 2 TO 3 INCHES IN TWO HOURS TIME OVER
  ALREADY SATURATED GROUNDS WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS
  AND LOW ROADWAYS. REFUGIO COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICE REPORTED WATER OVER
  COUNTY ROAD 629.  DON'T DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER
  COVERS THE ROAD!

AREA RESIDENTS SHOULD MONITOR FLOOD CONDITIONS...AND BE PREPARED
TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND...SHOULD FLOOD WATERS THREATEN. IF FLASH
FLOODING IS OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND TO
ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN
WATER BEGINS RISING. DO NOhT PLAY IN DRAINAGE BASINS.

JM

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 Corpus Christi, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Sep 16, 2:40 AM CDT, 5 hours 11 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 16, 2:40 AM CDT, 5 hours 11 minutes before
COASTAL BEND FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX
240 AM CDT WED SEP 16 1998

SHORT TERM...
KCRP NEXRAD LOOP WAS SHOWING WIDELY SCT SHOWERS OVER INLAND ZONES
THIS HOUR WITH MORE CONCENTRATED RAINS OVER THE NEARSHORE WATERS
FROM BRO NWD TO HOU.  THESE RAINS ARE IN ASSOC WITH A FAIRLY
POTENT TPCL WV MVG STEADILY WEST ACROSS THE WRN GULF.  AS BEST AS
I CAN TELL...THE WV AXIS IS ALONG A LINE FROM NR FREEPORT-BOY002.
A DRIER MORE SUBSIDENT AMS CAN BE SEEN TO THE EAST OF THIS
AXIS...GENERALLY SOUTH OF BPT. THE MODELS TRY AND PUSH THIS DRY
STABLE AMS ALL THE WAY THRU THE COASTAL BEND TDY.  HOWEVER THIS
QUICK WLY MVMT IS A RESULT OF AN OVER INTENSIFICATION OF DVLPG WV
IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL GULF...THE MODELS (ESP ETA) ARE JUST TOO
FAST.

LONG TERM...
SLOWLY DOWN THE MODELS ABOUT 6 HOURS RESULTS IN POTENTIAL FOR
MORE HVY RAINS OVER THE COASTAL BEND AND CROSSROADS AREA TDY.
ATMOS IS STILL VERY MOIST WITH PWS OSCILLATING FROM 2.00 TO 2.30
INCHES FROM 12Z-00Z RESPECTIVELY.  MEAN FLOW IS RATHER WEAK AND A
SLOW SWLY CELL MVMT MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING.  ALOFT...H2 JET
STREAK CAN BE SEEN ON WV LOOP DIGGING INTO WEST TX NEAR DRT. THIS
UPR TROF AND DIFL REGION WILL AGAIN ENHANCE PRECIP TDY ESPECIALLY
NEAR THE TROF AXIS WHICH SHOULD LINE UP OVER THE CENTER OF OUR
CWA THIS AFTN. ALL THIS BEING SAID...WILL KEEP FLASH FLOOD WATCH
UP FOR TDY EAST OF A BEEVILLE-RKP LINE.  ERN ZONES PICKED UP
BETWEEN 1.00 AND 2.50 INCHES OF RAIN YSTDY AFTN-EVENING.  AN
ADDITIONAL 2-3 INCHES ARE PSBL TDY.  FFG IS VERY LOW (1-1.5
INCHES/3HRS) ACROSS OUR ERN ZONES WHERE THE WATCH WILL REMAIN IN
AFFECT. WRN ZONES ARE STILL FAIRLY DRY BUT ARE SLOWLY MOISTENING
UP.

DRIER AMS SHOULD FINALLY PUSH SW OF THE REGION ON THURS AND WILL
DECREASE POPS ACCORDINGLY. WIDELY SCT SH/TSRA ARE STILL PSBL
THOUGH.  WINDS WILL REMAIN OUT OF THE N-NE AS GULF SYSTEM DVLPS.
WILL HOLD OFF ON CFW FOR THE MID COAST UNTIL TIDES APCH 2.5 FT
ABV PRED LVLS.  TIDES ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING 1.0 TO 1.5 FT ABV
PRED LVLS.

PRELIMS...
CRP TB 090/075 093/075 5432
NGP    088/078 091/076
ALI    092/076 095/076
VCT TB 086/075 092/075 5332
LRD EB 090/078 092/078 3232

WRKZONES...
VCT (ARANSAS/BEE/CALHOUN/GOLIAD/REFUGIO/VICTORIA)
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH...
.TDY...CLOUDY WITH 50% CHC OF SH/TSRA...LCLY HVY RAIN PSBL.
NE-E WINDS NR 10 MPH.
.TNGT...M/C WITH 30% CHC OF EVENING SH/TSRA...LCLY HVY RAIN PSBL.
E WIND 5-10 MPH.
.THURS...P/C WITH 30% CHC OF SH/TSRA.  NE WIND 10-15 MPH.

CRP
.TDY...CLOUDY WITH 50% CHC OF SH/TSRA...LCLY HVY RAIN PSBL.
NE-E WIND NR 10 MPH.
.TNGT...M/C WITH 40% CHC OF EVENING SH/TSRA...LCLY HVY RAIN PSBL.
NE WIND 5-10 MPH.
.THURS...P/C WITH 30% CHC OF SH/TSRA.  NE WIND 10-15 MPH.

LRD
.TDY...M/C WITH 30% CHC OF SH/TSRA.  N WINDS NR 15 MPH.
.TNGT...M/C WITH 20% CHC OF EVENING SH/TSRA.  N WINDS NR 10 MPH.
.THURS...P/C WITH 30% CHC OF SH/TSRA.  N-NE WINDS 15-20 MPH.

JM...075

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Sep 16, 4:00 AM CDT, 3 hours 51 minutes before
TXZ231>234-241>247-162300-

SOUTH TEXAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX
400 AM CDT WED SEP 16 1998

...HEAVY RAINFALL LIKELY TODAY OVER THE COASTAL BEND AND VICTORIA
CROSSROADS AREA...

A TROPICAL WAVE IN THE WESTERN GULF WILL MOVE INLAND ACROSS THE
MIDDLE AND LOWER TEXAS COAST TODAY.  THIS WAVE WILL COMBINE WITH A
DISTURBANCE IN THE UPPER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE TO GENERATE
SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.  THE AREAS WHICH CAN
EXPECT THE MOST RAIN ARE EAST OF A KINGSVILLE TO CHOKE CANYON LINE.
THE VICTORIA CROSSROADS AREA IS UNDER A FLASH FLOOD WATCH TODAY
SINCE THE GROUND IS VERY SATURATED FROM RECENT RAINS FROM
TROPICAL STORM FRANCES.

DUE TO THE ABUNDANCE OF MOISTURE IN PLACE OVER THE REGION HEAVY
RAINFALL IS AGAIN POSSIBLE.  RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES ARE
POSSIBLE BEGINNING THIS MORNING AND PERSISTING THROUGH EARLY THIS
EVENING. HEAVY RAINS TODAY MAY RESULT IN FLOODING OF LOW LYING
AREAS...LOW ROADWAYS AND STREAMS...AND FURTHER AGGRAVATE AREA
RIVERS.

PERSONS IN THE COASTAL BEND AND CROSSROADS AREA ARE ADVISED TO STAY
INFORMED ON THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.  LISTEN TO LATER
STATEMENTS FROM YOUR LOCAL NhATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN CORPUS
CHRISTI. THIS INFORMATION CAN BE OBTAINED BY LISTENING TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO. YOU MAY ALSO CHECK US OUT ON THE WEB AT
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/CRP.

METZ
Special weather statement, Sep 16, 4:00 AM CDT, 3 hours 51 minutes before
TXZ231>234-241>247-162300-

SOUTH TEXAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CORPUS CHRISTI TX
400 AM CDT WED SEP 16 1998

...HEAVY RAINFALL LIKELY TODAY OVER THE COASTAL BEND AND VICTORIA
CROSSROADS AREA...

A TROPICAL WAVE IN THE WESTERN GULF WILL MOVE INLAND ACROSS THE
MIDDLE AND LOWER TEXAS COAST TODAY.  THIS WAVE WILL COMBINE WITH A
DISTURBANCE IN THE UPPER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE TO GENERATE
SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.  THE AREAS WHICH CAN
EXPECT THE MOST RAIN ARE EAST OF A KINGSVILLE TO CHOKE CANYON LINE.
THE VICTORIA CROSSROADS AREA IS UNDER A FLASH FLOOD WATCH TODAY
SINCE THE GROUND IS VERY SATURATED FROM RECENT RAINS FROM
TROPICAL STORM FRANCES.

DUE TO THE ABUNDANCE OF MOISTURE IN PLACE OVER THE REGION HEAVY
RAINFALL IS AGAIN POSSIBLE.  RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES ARE
POSSIBLE BEGINNING THIS MORNING AND PERSISTING THROUGH EARLY THIS
EVENING. HEAVY RAINS TODAY MAY RESULT IN FLOODING OF LOW LYING
AREAS...LOW ROADWAYS AND STREAMS...AND FURTHER AGGRAVATE AREA
RIVERS.

PERSONS IN THE COASTAL BEND AND CROSSROADS AREA ARE ADVISED TO STAY
INFORMED ON THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.  LISTEN TO LATER
STATEMENTS FROM YOUR LOCAL NhATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN CORPUS
CHRISTI. THIS INFORMATION CAN BE OBTAINED BY LISTENING TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO. YOU MAY ALSO CHECK US OUT ON THE WEB AT
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/CRP.

METZ

The office that day

Everything else NWS Corpus Christi, TX issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 16, 8:54 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningCRPGoliad, Victoria4 hr
Sep 16, 10:53 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningCRPAransas, Refugio3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Texas, 1998Every flash flood warning in 1998

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.