Alert archive / Texas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 68, NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX

February 21, 1998Frio County, Texas

NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Feb 21, 1998, 2:59 PM CST for Frio County, Texas. It was in force for 31 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Feb 21, 1998, 2:59 PM CST (20:59 UTC)
Expired
Feb 21, 1998, 3:30 PM CST
In force
31 min
Issued by
NWS Austin/San Antonio, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Frio County, TX

The radar

The Laughlin AFB radar (KDFX), 122 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:00 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Feb 21, 3:15 PM CSTHail 0.75Moore, TX

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in.

The nearest sounding before it

Del Rio, TX (KDRT), launched 12:00Z, 9.0 hours before the alert went out and 177 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 1998-02-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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, Del Rio, TX at 12:00Z on 1998-02-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 36 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
555 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
36 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
72 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.

664 
WUUS1 KSAT 212102 RRA
SVRSAT
TXC163-212130-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
259 PM CST SAT FEB 21 1998
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  330 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS
 
   ...FRIO COUNTY
 
AT 3 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MOORE MOVING NORTHEAST ALONG
INTERSTATE 35.
 
ANOTHER SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS 5 MILES WEST OF PEARSALL ALSO
MOVING NORTHEAST ALONG I-35.
 
RADAR INDICATED BOTH STORMS WERE PRODUCING 3/4 INCH HAIL.
 
MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
 
ALTHOUGH NO TORNADOES HAVE BEEN DETECTED WITH THIS STORM...A
TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT.  SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND
OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING
SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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, Feb 21, 12:00 PM CST, 2 hours 59 minutes before
TXZ171>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-220000-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
1200 PM CST SAT FEB 21 1998

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTH TEXAS THIS
AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

A VIGOROUS AND DANGEROUS STORM SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY LOCATED OVER WEST
TEXAS...MOVING EASTWARD INTO THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY AND SOUTH CENTRAL
TEXAS.  THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECASTED FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
OVER ALL OF SOUTH TEXAS WITH A HIGH RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
ALONG WITH LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING...
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL...AND POSSIBLE FLASH FLOODING.  THE THREAT OF
TORNADIC DEVELOPMENT ALSO EXISTS.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTH TEXAS...SOUTH OF A
LINE THAT RUNS FROM DEL RIO TO JUNCTION TO LLANO TO COLLEGE STATION
TO LUFKIN TO NEWTON.

THIS WATCH MEANS THAT FLOODING IS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA DUE
TO THE HEAVY RAINS THAT WILL OCCUR WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS.  HEAVY
RAINS WILL CAUSE THE RAPID RISE OF STREAMS AND RIVERS...FLOODING OF
LOW LYING AREA...ROADS...AND LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.  RESIDENTS AND
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS IN SOUTH TEXAS ARE URGED TO MONITOR
FORECASTS AND ADVISORIES ISSUED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES.
THESE BULLETINS WILL BE BROADCAST OVER LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS,
CABLE TV OUTLETS AND NOAA WEATHER RADIO STATIONS.  LISTEN FOR THESE
BROADCASTS...AND HEED THEIR ADVICE.

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 FORECASTS, 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.

ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS HOME PAGE OF THE INTERNET
WORLD WIDE WEB AT: www.srh.noaa.gov/ewx, OR TUNE TO THE CLOSEST NOAA
WEATHER RADIO STATION OPERATING ON A FREQUENCY BETWEEN 162.400 MHz
AND 162.550 MHz.
Special weather statement, Feb 21, 12:00 PM CST, 2 hours 59 minutes before
TXZ171>173-183>194-202>209-217>225-228-220000-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
1200 PM CST SAT FEB 21 1998

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTH TEXAS THIS
AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

A VIGOROUS AND DANGEROUS STORM SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY LOCATED OVER WEST
TEXAS...MOVING EASTWARD INTO THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY AND SOUTH CENTRAL
TEXAS.  THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECASTED FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
OVER ALL OF SOUTH TEXAS WITH A HIGH RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
ALONG WITH LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING...
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL...AND POSSIBLE FLASH FLOODING.  THE THREAT OF
TORNADIC DEVELOPMENT ALSO EXISTS.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTH TEXAS...SOUTH OF A
LINE THAT RUNS FROM DEL RIO TO JUNCTION TO LLANO TO COLLEGE STATION
TO LUFKIN TO NEWTON.

THIS WATCH MEANS THAT FLOODING IS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA DUE
TO THE HEAVY RAINS THAT WILL OCCUR WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS.  HEAVY
RAINS WILL CAUSE THE RAPID RISE OF STREAMS AND RIVERS...FLOODING OF
LOW LYING AREA...ROADS...AND LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.  RESIDENTS AND
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS IN SOUTH TEXAS ARE URGED TO MONITOR
FORECASTS AND ADVISORIES ISSUED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES.
THESE BULLETINS WILL BE BROADCAST OVER LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS,
CABLE TV OUTLETS AND NOAA WEATHER RADIO STATIONS.  LISTEN FOR THESE
BROADCASTS...AND HEED THEIR ADVICE.

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 FORECASTS, 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.

ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS HOME PAGE OF THE INTERNET
WORLD WIDE WEB AT: www.srh.noaa.gov/ewx, OR TUNE TO THE CLOSEST NOAA
WEATHER RADIO STATION OPERATING ON A FREQUENCY BETWEEN 162.400 MHz
AND 162.550 MHz.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 21, 3:04 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXFrio56 min
Feb 21, 3:40 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningEWXFrio, Medina3 hr
Feb 21, 3:55 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningEWXAtascosa, Bexar3 hr
Feb 21, 3:55 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningEWXKendall3 hr
Feb 21, 4:19 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXAtascosa, Bexar56 min
Feb 21, 4:37 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningEWXGuadalupe, Wilson2 hr
Feb 21, 4:37 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXGuadalupe, Wilson2 hr
Feb 21, 4:39 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningEWXComal3 hr
Feb 21, 5:08 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXComal67 min
Feb 21, 5:28 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningEWXGonzales2 hr
Feb 21, 5:28 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXGonzales2 hr
Feb 21, 5:33 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningEWXHays57 min
Feb 21, 5:33 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningEWXHays57 min
Feb 21, 5:47 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningEWXCaldwell, Travis118 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Texas, 1998Every severe thunderstorm 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.