Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1998
Flash Flood Warning 37, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this flash flood warning at Mar 16, 1998, 10:08 AM CST for Brazoria County, Galveston 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
- Mar 16, 1998, 10:08 AM CST (16:08 UTC)
- Expired
- Mar 16, 1998, 12:10 PM CST
- In force
- 2 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Brazoria County, TX, Galveston County, TX
The radar
The Houston radar (KHGX), 27 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 16:07 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, 4.1 hours before the alert went out and 210 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 601 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 47 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 297 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 453 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- -0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KHOU 161607 FFWHOU TXC039-167-161810- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 1008 AM CST MON MAR 16 1998 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1210 PM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... IN SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS ...BRAZORIA COUNTY ...GALVESTON COUNTY AT 1000 AM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LARGE CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM PEARLAND TO ALVIN TO LAKE JACKSON MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. RADAR ESTIMATES RAINFALL RATES NEAR 2 INCHES PER HOUR. WITH THE HEAVY RAIN FROM EARLIER THIS MORNING... ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN WILL LIKELY CAUSE FLOODING OVER BRAZORIA AND GALVESTON COUNTIES. WATER LEVELS ARE RAPIDLY RISING ON ROADS AROUND GALVESTON AND BRAZORIA COUNTIES. A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT. IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHERE YOU ARE RELATIVE TO STREAMS...RIVERS...OR CREEKS WHICH CAN BECOME KILLERS IN HEAVY RAINS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATION FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.
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 Mar 16, 9:20 AM CST, 48 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 16, 9:20 AM CST, 48 minutes before
SOUTHEAST TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 920 AM CST MON MAR 16 1998 WILL WANT TO SLIGHTLY REWORD FCST FOR THIS AFTN... BRINGING POPS DOWN TO 50 PCT ACROSS FA AND JUST LEAVE MENTION OF COASTAL FOOD POTENTIAL IN HIGHLIGHTED SECTION OF FCST. (CURRENT WORDING MAKES IT LOOK LIKE COASTAL FLOODING IS ASSOCTD WITH TSTMS.) UPPER LOW SEEMS TO HAVE PICKED UP A LITTLE SPEED DURING THE NIGHT... AS SQUALL LINE CURRENTLY TRAVERSING FA IS MOVING EWD AT NEARLY 20 KT. THIS WILL ALLEVIATE WORRIES OF FLASH FLOODING SOMEWHAT... BUT WE ARE STILL SEEING RADAR PCPN RATE ESTIMATES 2 IN/HR IN THE LINE... SO WISH TO KEEP THE FF WATCH UP AT LEAST INTO THE AFTERNOON. THE REASON FOR EXTENDING THE WATCH THAR FAR IS THAT WE STILL MAY HAVE ANOTHER BOUT OF CONVECTION DEVELOPING LATER THIS AFTERNOON. AFTER INITIAL LINE DUMPS A COUPLE OF INCHES OVER THE AREA... THEN SE TX SHOULD BREAK INTO PTCLDY ZONE BHD THIS LINE... AND FINALLY GET ANOTHER BOUT OF SPORADIC CONVECTION THIS AFTERNOON. ALSO... AS SPC POINTS OUT... SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE. TIDES ARE RUNNING UP TO 2.2 FT ABOVE PREDICTED LEVELS... AND STILL HAVE LONG FETCH OF 20KT+ WINDS OVER GULF. SEAS WITHIN 20 NM OF SHORE HAVE REACHED 10 FT AND ARE HIR FURTHER OFFSHORE... SO WILL KEEP CFW UP FOR THIS AFTERNOON AS WELL. ALL AREAS...SOME PSBLY SVR W/LCLY HVY RAIN 1ST PD) CLL T/>E B/A 68/51 74/51 5220 IAH T/>B B/A 70/55 75/53 5200 GLS T/>B B/A 69/64 75/62 5200 38
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Mar 16, 5:53 AM CST, 4 hours 15 minutes before
GMZ330-335-350-355-370-375-TXZ163-164-177>179-199-200-212>214-226- 227-236>238-161745- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 553 AM CST MON MAR 16 1998 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS THROUGH 11 AM THIS MORNING... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH EFFECTIVE UNTIL 11 AM THIS MONDAY MORNING FOR A LARGE PART OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS MAINLY EAST OF A PALACIOS...HEMPSTEAD...MADISONVILLE LINE. THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES ARE INCLUDED IN THE TORNADO WATCH: MADISON... HOUSTON...TRINITY...POLK...WALKER...SAN JACINTO...LIBERTY...HARRIS... WALLER...MONTGOMERY...MATAGORDA...BRAZORIA...CHAMBERS...WHARTON AND FORT BEND. A SQUALL LINE WAS ENTERING THE WESTERN EDGE OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AT THIS TIME AND WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST AFFECTING ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. THE INDIVIDUAL STORMS WITHIN THE LINE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHEAST RAPIDLY OVER THE SAME AREAS AND MAY PRODUCE FLOODING RAINS ALONG WITH STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS AND LARGE HAIL...AS WELL AS THE POSSIBILITY OF TORNADOES. EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND STORM SPOTTERS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS EARLY THIS MORNING AND ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED. PLEASE RELAY ALL SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS TO YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FOR IMMEDIATE RELAY TO YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS MAY ALSO OCCUR. BE READY TO MOVE TO SHELTER IF A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE LATEST UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Mar 16, 5:53 AM CST, 4 hours 15 minutes before
GMZ330-335-350-355-370-375-TXZ163-164-177>179-199-200-212>214-226- 227-236>238-161745- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 553 AM CST MON MAR 16 1998 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS THROUGH 11 AM THIS MORNING... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH EFFECTIVE UNTIL 11 AM THIS MONDAY MORNING FOR A LARGE PART OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS MAINLY EAST OF A PALACIOS...HEMPSTEAD...MADISONVILLE LINE. THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES ARE INCLUDED IN THE TORNADO WATCH: MADISON... HOUSTON...TRINITY...POLK...WALKER...SAN JACINTO...LIBERTY...HARRIS... WALLER...MONTGOMERY...MATAGORDA...BRAZORIA...CHAMBERS...WHARTON AND FORT BEND. A SQUALL LINE WAS ENTERING THE WESTERN EDGE OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AT THIS TIME AND WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST AFFECTING ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. THE INDIVIDUAL STORMS WITHIN THE LINE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHEAST RAPIDLY OVER THE SAME AREAS AND MAY PRODUCE FLOODING RAINS ALONG WITH STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS AND LARGE HAIL...AS WELL AS THE POSSIBILITY OF TORNADOES. EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND STORM SPOTTERS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS EARLY THIS MORNING AND ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED. PLEASE RELAY ALL SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS TO YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FOR IMMEDIATE RELAY TO YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS MAY ALSO OCCUR. BE READY TO MOVE TO SHELTER IF A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE LATEST UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Mar 16, 7:25 AM CST, 2 hours 43 minutes before
GMZ330-335-350-355-370-375-TXZ163-164-177>179-199-200-212>214-226- 227-236>238-161745- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED TO INCLUDE GALVESTON COUNTY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 725 AM CST MON MAR 16 1998 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS THROUGH 11 AM THIS MORNING... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH EFFECTIVE UNTIL 11 AM THIS MONDAY MORNING FOR A LARGE PART OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS MAINLY EAST OF A PALACIOS...HEMPSTEAD...MADISONVILLE LINE. THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES ARE INCLUDED IN THE TORNADO WATCH: MADISON... HOUSTON...TRINITY...POLK...WALKER...SAN JACINTO...LIBERTY...HARRIS... WALLER...MONTGOMERY...MATAGORDA...BRAZORIA...CHAMBERS...WHARTON... FORT BEND AND GALVESTON. A SQUALL LINE WAS ENTERING THE WESTERN EDGE OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AT THIS TIME AND WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST AFFECTING ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. THE INDIVIDUAL STORMS WITHIN THE LINE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHEAST RAPIDLY OVER THE SAME AREAS AND MAY PRODUCE FLOODING RAINS ALONG WITH STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS AND LARGE HAIL...AS WELL AS THE POSSIBILITY OF TORNADOES. EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND STORM SPOTTERS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS EARLY THIS MORNING AND ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED. PLEASE RELAY ALL SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS TO YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FOR IMMEDIATE RELAY TO YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS MAY ALSO OCCUR. BE READY TO MOVE TO SHELTER IF A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE LATEST UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Mar 16, 7:25 AM CST, 2 hours 43 minutes before
GMZ330-335-350-355-370-375-TXZ163-164-177>179-199-200-212>214-226- 227-236>238-161745- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED TO INCLUDE GALVESTON COUNTY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 725 AM CST MON MAR 16 1998 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS THROUGH 11 AM THIS MORNING... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH EFFECTIVE UNTIL 11 AM THIS MONDAY MORNING FOR A LARGE PART OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS MAINLY EAST OF A PALACIOS...HEMPSTEAD...MADISONVILLE LINE. THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES ARE INCLUDED IN THE TORNADO WATCH: MADISON... HOUSTON...TRINITY...POLK...WALKER...SAN JACINTO...LIBERTY...HARRIS... WALLER...MONTGOMERY...MATAGORDA...BRAZORIA...CHAMBERS...WHARTON... FORT BEND AND GALVESTON. A SQUALL LINE WAS ENTERING THE WESTERN EDGE OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AT THIS TIME AND WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST AFFECTING ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. THE INDIVIDUAL STORMS WITHIN THE LINE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHEAST RAPIDLY OVER THE SAME AREAS AND MAY PRODUCE FLOODING RAINS ALONG WITH STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS AND LARGE HAIL...AS WELL AS THE POSSIBILITY OF TORNADOES. EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND STORM SPOTTERS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS EARLY THIS MORNING AND ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED. PLEASE RELAY ALL SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS TO YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FOR IMMEDIATE RELAY TO YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS MAY ALSO OCCUR. BE READY TO MOVE TO SHELTER IF A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE LATEST UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Mar 16, 7:59 AM CST, 2 hours 9 minutes before
GMZ330-335-350-355-370-375-TXZ163-164-176>179-195>200-210>214- 226-227-235>238-161650- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 759 AM CST MON MAR 16 1998 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES UNTIL 11 AM... ...MADISON...HOUSTON...TRINITY...POLK...WALKER...SAN JACINTO... LIBERTY...HARRIS...WALLER...MONTGOMERY...MATAGORDA...BRAZORIA... CHAMBERS...WHARTON...FORT BEND...AND GALVESTON. ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS TODAY... ...COASTAL FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM HIGH ISLAND TO THE MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL...INCLUDING GALVESTON AND MATAGORDA BAYS... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS AS THE STRONG UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CONTINUES TO SPIN ACROSS WEST TEXAS. THE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE REMAINED BELOW SEVERE LIMITS. HOWEVER...AS A NORTH-SOUTH ORIENTED LINE CONTINUES TO MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS THE AREA...SOME THUNDERSTORMS STILL HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF REACHING SEVERE LIMITS. THE MAIN THREAT CONTINUES TO BE STRONG DAMAGING DOWNBURST WINDS. IN ADDITION...LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL HAS OCCURRED ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS...WITH HEAVIER AMOUNTS AVERAGING 1 TO 3 INCHES IN ASSOCIATION WITH A SQUALL LINE. MORE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AHEAD OF THIS SQUALL LINE...AND AN ADDITIONAL 2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY EAST OF A LINE FROM HEMPSTEAD TO WALLIS TO PALACIOS. THE HOUSTON METROPOLITAN AND GALVESTON AREAS ARE IN THIS HEAVY RAIN THREAT. SOME LOCALIZED STREET FLOODING MAY DEVELOP FROM THESE HEAVY RAINS...AND FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS MAY BE REQUIRED LATER THIS MORNING. COASTAL TIDES CONTINUE TO REMAIN AROUND 2 FEET ABOVE PREDICTED ASTRONOMICAL LEVELS AS LOW LEVEL WINDS CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN RESPONSE TO A TIGHTENING SURFACE GRADIENT. HIGH WAVES...AVERAGING BETWEEN 12 AND 15 FEET...WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE TOWARD THE COAST AND MAY CAUSE SOME LOCALIZED BEACH FLOODING. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER WEATHER NEWS SOURCES FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS ON THIS WEATHER SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Mar 16, 7:59 AM CST, 2 hours 9 minutes before
GMZ330-335-350-355-370-375-TXZ163-164-176>179-195>200-210>214- 226-227-235>238-161650- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 759 AM CST MON MAR 16 1998 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES UNTIL 11 AM... ...MADISON...HOUSTON...TRINITY...POLK...WALKER...SAN JACINTO... LIBERTY...HARRIS...WALLER...MONTGOMERY...MATAGORDA...BRAZORIA... CHAMBERS...WHARTON...FORT BEND...AND GALVESTON. ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS TODAY... ...COASTAL FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM HIGH ISLAND TO THE MATAGORDA SHIP CHANNEL...INCLUDING GALVESTON AND MATAGORDA BAYS... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS AS THE STRONG UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CONTINUES TO SPIN ACROSS WEST TEXAS. THE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE REMAINED BELOW SEVERE LIMITS. HOWEVER...AS A NORTH-SOUTH ORIENTED LINE CONTINUES TO MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS THE AREA...SOME THUNDERSTORMS STILL HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF REACHING SEVERE LIMITS. THE MAIN THREAT CONTINUES TO BE STRONG DAMAGING DOWNBURST WINDS. IN ADDITION...LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL HAS OCCURRED ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS...WITH HEAVIER AMOUNTS AVERAGING 1 TO 3 INCHES IN ASSOCIATION WITH A SQUALL LINE. MORE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AHEAD OF THIS SQUALL LINE...AND AN ADDITIONAL 2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY EAST OF A LINE FROM HEMPSTEAD TO WALLIS TO PALACIOS. THE HOUSTON METROPOLITAN AND GALVESTON AREAS ARE IN THIS HEAVY RAIN THREAT. SOME LOCALIZED STREET FLOODING MAY DEVELOP FROM THESE HEAVY RAINS...AND FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS MAY BE REQUIRED LATER THIS MORNING. COASTAL TIDES CONTINUE TO REMAIN AROUND 2 FEET ABOVE PREDICTED ASTRONOMICAL LEVELS AS LOW LEVEL WINDS CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN RESPONSE TO A TIGHTENING SURFACE GRADIENT. HIGH WAVES...AVERAGING BETWEEN 12 AND 15 FEET...WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE TOWARD THE COAST AND MAY CAUSE SOME LOCALIZED BEACH FLOODING. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER WEATHER NEWS SOURCES FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS ON THIS 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.