Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1998

Flash Flood Warning 1, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX

January 4, 1998Brazoria County, Galveston County, Harris County, Texas

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this flash flood warning at Jan 4, 1998, 4:07 PM CST for Brazoria County, Galveston County, Harris County, Texas. It was in force for 4 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
Jan 4, 1998, 4:07 PM CST (22:07 UTC)
Expired
Jan 4, 1998, 8:15 PM CST
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
Area
Whole counties

Counties Brazoria County, TX, Galveston County, TX, Harris County, TX

The radar

The Houston radar (KHGX), 13 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:07 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

Lake Charles Mun, LA (KLCH), launched 12:00Z, 10.1 hours before the alert went out and 208 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, Lake Charles Mun, LA at 12:00Z on 1998-01-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 156 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, Lake Charles Mun, LA at 12:00Z on 1998-01-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 167 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
156 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-112 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
513 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
30 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
167 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
175 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KHOU 042209
FFWHOU
TXC039-167-201-050215-
 
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
407 PM CST SUN JAN 4 1998
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HOUSTON/GALVESTON HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  815 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS
 
   ...NORTHERN BRAZORIA COUNTY...NORTHERN GALVESTON COUNTY
   ...SOUTHEASTERN HARRIS COUNTY
 
AT 400 PM...DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF SLOW MOVING
THUNDERSTORMS WHICH EXTENDED FROM MT. BELVIEU TO FREEPORT. RAINFALL IN
THIS CLUSTER HAS AVERAGED 3 INCHES WITH ISOLATED TOTALS APPROACHING 5
INCHES. FLOODING HAS BEEN REPORTED IN FRIENDSWOOD...PEARLAND AND SOUTH
HOUSTON. FEEDER ROADS ALONG THE BELTWAY AND GULF FREEWAY ARE WATER
COVERED. WATER IS RISING RAPIDLY ON CLEAR CREEK AND MARYS CREEK AND
FLOODING ALONG THESE WATERSHEDS CAN BE EXPECTED. AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2
INCHES OF RAIN IS POSSBILE THROUGH 6 PM. FLOOD WATERS HAVE RISEN RATHER
DRAMATICALLY IN PORTIONS OF LEAGUE CITY AND WATER IS APPROACHING HOMES
NEAR CORAL COVE COURT. THE RAIN IS EXPECTED TO END AROUND SUNSET AND
FLOOD WATERS WILL RECEDE SHORTLY AFTER SUNSET. MOTORISTS SHOULD
AVOID TRAVEL IN NORTHERN GALVESTON COUNTY UNTIL THE RAIN SUBSIDES.
 
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.

NWS Houston/Galveston, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Jan 4, 2:50 PM CST, 1 hour 17 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 4, 2:50 PM CST, 1 hour 17 minutes before
SOUTHEAST TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
250 PM CST SUN JAN 4 1998

SO FAR TODAY THE TSRA HAVE BEEN SOUTHEAST OF THE HIGHWAY 59 CORRIDOR
AND MAINLY IN THE BRAZORIA/GALVESTON/HARRIS/CHAMBERS COUNTY CLUSTER.
2 TO 3 INCH AMOUNTS IN THIS CLUSTER OF COUNTIES DURING THE LAST 3
HOURS.  THE CLUSTER OF STORMS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS RAINFALL SHOULD
LIFT OFF TO THE NE THIS EVENING AS LF QUAD OF JET MOVES EAST AND RR
OF JET IN N TX MOVES NE.  FOG WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT WITH
SOME PATCHY DENSE FOG POSSIBLE. TEMPS WILL HOLD NEARLY STEADY
THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT IN THE MID 60S AREAWIDE...EXCEPT PERHAPS ALONG
THE COAST WHERE TEMPS MAY BEGIN TO RISE NEAR THE END OF THE PERIOD.
CONVECTION SHOULD DIMINSH RAPIDLY AFTER 9 PM AND THEN REDEVELOP AGAIN
ON MONDAY AS THE NEXT IN A SERIES OF S/W ROTATE OUT AHEAD OF THE MAIN
TROUGH THAT SWINGS INTO THE AREA LATE TUESDAY.  WILL CONTINUE THE
THREAT OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL THROUGH THIS EVENING.  PW RECOVER
AFTER THE CURRENT S/W EXITS BUT WITH A MORE SWRLY FLOW AT 850.  WILL
HOLD OFF ON MENTION OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN FOR MONDAY ALTHOUGH THE
FOLLOWING SHIFTS MAY HAVE TO INTRODUCE IT.  PAC FRONT SHOULD ARRIVE
LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING WITH THE MAIN TROUGH AXIS TO THE WEST
SO WILL NEED TO KEEP POPS IN FOR EARLY WED.

45

PRELIMS...
CLL C>F F>E/C E 067 072/065 70 3355
IAH C+F F>C/C E 064 072/065 72 6556 TSRA LOC HEAVY RAIN THIS EVENING
GLS C+F F>C/E E 063 068/065 69 7667 TSRA

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jan 4, 12:24 PM CST, 3 hours 43 minutes before
GMZ335-355-375-TXZ178-179-199-200-210>214-226-227-235>238-050310-

HEAVY RAINFALL OUTLOOK FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1224 PM CST SUN JAN 4 1998

THE THREAT OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WILL EXSIST OVER THE SOUTHERN
PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT AS A VERY
MOIST TROPICAL AIRMASS MOVES INTO THE REGION.  THE SUB-TROPICAL
JETSTREAM WILL LINK UP WITH THE POLAR JETSTREAM AS AN UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCE MOVES THROUGH THE AREA CREATING CONDITIONS FAVORABLE
FOR SLOW-MOVING THUNDERSTORMS TO PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL.

THE THREATENED AREA WILL BE MAINLY SOUTH OF A LINE FROM COLUMBUS TO
HEMPSTEAD TO LAKE LIVINGSTON.  WIDELY SCATTERED RAINFALL
ACCUMULATIONS WILL AVERAGE AROUND 1/2 INCH WITH ISOLATED TOTALS NEAR
3 INCHES.

THE THREAT OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL SHOULD END AROUND MID-EVENING
AS THE UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM LEAVES THE AREA TO THE EAST.

PERSONS IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS SHOULD CHECK BACK WITH YOUR LOCAL NEWS
SOURCES THIS AFTERNOON FOR UPDATES ON THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER
SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Jan 4, 12:24 PM CST, 3 hours 43 minutes before
GMZ335-355-375-TXZ178-179-199-200-210>214-226-227-235>238-050310-

HEAVY RAINFALL OUTLOOK FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
1224 PM CST SUN JAN 4 1998

THE THREAT OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WILL EXSIST OVER THE SOUTHERN
PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT AS A VERY
MOIST TROPICAL AIRMASS MOVES INTO THE REGION.  THE SUB-TROPICAL
JETSTREAM WILL LINK UP WITH THE POLAR JETSTREAM AS AN UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCE MOVES THROUGH THE AREA CREATING CONDITIONS FAVORABLE
FOR SLOW-MOVING THUNDERSTORMS TO PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL.

THE THREATENED AREA WILL BE MAINLY SOUTH OF A LINE FROM COLUMBUS TO
HEMPSTEAD TO LAKE LIVINGSTON.  WIDELY SCATTERED RAINFALL
ACCUMULATIONS WILL AVERAGE AROUND 1/2 INCH WITH ISOLATED TOTALS NEAR
3 INCHES.

THE THREAT OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL SHOULD END AROUND MID-EVENING
AS THE UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM LEAVES THE AREA TO THE EAST.

PERSONS IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS SHOULD CHECK BACK WITH YOUR LOCAL NEWS
SOURCES THIS AFTERNOON FOR UPDATES ON THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER
SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Jan 4, 3:50 PM CST, 17 minutes before
GMZ335-355-375-TXZ178-179-199-200-210>214-226-227-235>238-050530-

HEAVY RAINFALL OUTLOOK FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
350 PM CST SUN JAN 4 1998

THE THREAT OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WILL CONTINUE OVER THE SOUTHERN
PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS THROUGH TONIGHT.

A VERY MOIST TROPICAL AIRMASS OVER THE REGION WILL COMBINE WITH AN
INTERACTION BETWEEN THE SUB-TROPICAL AND POLAR JETSTREAMS TO PRODUCE
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL.  A CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS THAT PRODUCED 2
TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN IN NORTHERN GALVESTON COUNTY AND SOUTHEAST HARRIS
COUNTY WILL SHIFT TO THE NORTHEAST WITH THE UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE.
OTHER THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP OVER THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE
REGION MAINLY SOUTH OF A LINE FROM WHARTON TO HOUSTON TO NEAR
LIVINGSTON.

SCATTERED RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS WILL AVERAGE AROUND 1/4 INCH WITH
ISOLATED TOTALS NEAR 3 INCHES. THE GREATER ACCUMULATIONS SHOULD BE
MAINLY EAST OF A LINE FROM CLEVELAND TO DOWNTOWN HOUSTON TO FREEPORT.

THIS HEAVY RAINFALL WILL LIKELY CAUSE PONDING OF WATER LOW-LYING
AREAS AND MAY HAMPER TRAFFIC.

PERSONS IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS SHOULD CHECK BACK WITH YOUR LOCAL NEWS
SOURCES THIS EVENING FOR UPDATES ON THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Jan 4, 3:50 PM CST, 17 minutes before
GMZ335-355-375-TXZ178-179-199-200-210>214-226-227-235>238-050530-

HEAVY RAINFALL OUTLOOK FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX
350 PM CST SUN JAN 4 1998

THE THREAT OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WILL CONTINUE OVER THE SOUTHERN
PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS THROUGH TONIGHT.

A VERY MOIST TROPICAL AIRMASS OVER THE REGION WILL COMBINE WITH AN
INTERACTION BETWEEN THE SUB-TROPICAL AND POLAR JETSTREAMS TO PRODUCE
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL.  A CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS THAT PRODUCED 2
TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN IN NORTHERN GALVESTON COUNTY AND SOUTHEAST HARRIS
COUNTY WILL SHIFT TO THE NORTHEAST WITH THE UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE.
OTHER THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP OVER THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE
REGION MAINLY SOUTH OF A LINE FROM WHARTON TO HOUSTON TO NEAR
LIVINGSTON.

SCATTERED RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS WILL AVERAGE AROUND 1/4 INCH WITH
ISOLATED TOTALS NEAR 3 INCHES. THE GREATER ACCUMULATIONS SHOULD BE
MAINLY EAST OF A LINE FROM CLEVELAND TO DOWNTOWN HOUSTON TO FREEPORT.

THIS HEAVY RAINFALL WILL LIKELY CAUSE PONDING OF WATER LOW-LYING
AREAS AND MAY HAMPER TRAFFIC.

PERSONS IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS SHOULD CHECK BACK WITH YOUR LOCAL NEWS
SOURCES THIS EVENING FOR UPDATES ON THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.

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.