Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1998
Flash Flood Warning 83, NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued this flash flood warning at Oct 17, 1998, 11:57 PM CDT for Austin County, Colorado 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
- Oct 17, 1998, 11:57 PM CDT (04:57 UTC)
- Expired
- Oct 18, 1998, 3:00 AM CDT
- In force
- 3 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Houston/Galveston, TX
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Austin County, TX, Colorado County, TX
The radar
The Houston radar (KHGX), 132 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 04:57 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 00:00Z, 5.0 hours before the alert went out and 243 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
- 2574 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 538 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 26 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 87 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 145 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 1.2
- Supercell composite
- 8.5
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KHOU 180456 FFWHOU TXC015-089-180800- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 1157 PM CDT SAT OCT 17 1998 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HOUSTON/GALVESTON HAS ISSUED A * FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR... SOUTHEASTERN AUSTIN COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS EASTERN COLORADO COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS * UNTIL 300 AM CDT * RADAR CONTINUES TO SHOW THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN MOVING ALONG A LINE FROM SEALY TO EAGLE LAKE TO NADA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 TO 25 MPH. * RADAR ESTIMATES 5 TO 9 INCHES OF RAINFALL OVER EASTERN COLORADO COUNTY AND SOUTHEASTERN AUSTIN COUNTY. LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTS MANY ROADS ARE COVERED WITH WATER IN AND AROUND EAGLE LAKE AND NEAR EGYPT. HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE OVER THIS AREA... POSSIBLY DUMPING ANOTHER 3 TO 5 INCHES OF RAIN. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE 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. BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE DANGERS OF FLASH FLOODING.
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 Oct 17, 8:10 PM CDT, 3 hours 47 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Oct 17, 8:10 PM CDT, 3 hours 47 minutes before
SOUTHEAST TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 810 PM CDT SAT OCT 17 1998 THIS DISCUSSION IS SHORT DUE TO SEVERE WEATHER. THE UPSTREAM 00Z CRP SOUNDING IS VERY MOIST...DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES NEAR AUSTIN-SAN ANTONIO...AND 3-5 INCHES OF RAIN HAS ALREADY FALLEN FROM MADISONVILLE TO COLLEGE STATION TO BRENHAM TO SOUTHERN COLORADO COUNTY. THE 12Z ETA CONTINUES TO INDICATE CONVECTIVELY-GENERATED OMEGA FROM NORTHEAST TEXAS THROUGH THE HILL COUNTRY OVERNIGHT. THUS THE SHORT ANSWER HERE IS TO GO ON THE SAFE SIDE AND EXPAND THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT AND SUNDAY FOR THE ENTIRE CWA AND INCREASE POPS TO 100 PERCENT FOR ALL ZONES TONIGHT. 31/ZEITLER C`LL C/C C/C 070/078 064/076 +766 IAH C/C C/C 074/083 065/078 +876 ADD FFA SW E/C C/C 075/083 073/079 +776 ADD FFA GLS E/C C/C 077/084 074/080 +676 ADD FFA
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Oct 17, 6:20 PM CDT, 5 hours 37 minutes before
TXZ163-164-177>179-199-200-213-214-226-227-235>238-181000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 620 PM CDT SAT OCT 17 1998 LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL REMAINS POSSIBLE TONIGHT AND SUNDAY FOR THAT PORTION OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS GENERALLY SOUTH AND EAST OF HIGHWAY 59 AND INTERSTATE 45. THE CITIES OF HOUSTON AND GALVESTON ARE INCLUDED IN THIS HEAVY RAINFALL OUTLOOK. STRONG SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OUT AHEAD OF A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT THAT PRODUCED FLASH FLOODING ACROSS THE HILL COUNTRY HAVE PROMPTED THE ISSUANCE OF A FLASH FLOOD WATCH TONIGHT AND SUNDAY FOR THAT PORTION OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS ALONG AND WEST OF A COLUMBUS TO NAVASOTA TO MADISONVILLE LINE WHERE THE GREATEST THREAT OF HEAVY RAINS CURRENTLY EXIST. DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINS WITH THIS APPROACHING WEATHER SYSTEM...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY BE REQUIRED FOR THE REMAINING PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS LATER TONIGHT OR ON SUNDAY. ON SUNDAY...THE SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE WESTERN EDGE OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND ACT AS A FOCUS FOR FURTHER SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA. VERY HIGH MOISTURE LEVELS WILL PERSIST WELL ABOVE SEASONAL NORMALS CREATING THE POSSIBILITY OF HEAVY RAINFALL TOTALS. RAINFALL TOTALS TONIGHT ARE EXPECTED TO AVERAGE BETWEEN 1/2 AND 1 INCH WITH ISOLATED TOTALS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES POSSIBLE. ON SUNDAY...THE THREAT FOR HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE TO EXPAND FURTHER SOUTH AND EAST AS THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVES INTO SOUTHEAST TEXAS. RAINFALL TOTALS ARE LIKELY TO BE HIGHER ON SUNDAY...POSSIBLY WIDESPREAD AMOUNTS BETWEEN 1 AND 2 INCHES WITH ISOLATED TOTALS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES OR GREATER. HEAVY RAINS COULD STILL BE A THREAT FOR PORTIONS OF OUR AREA ON MONDAY. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS HEAVY RAIN SITUATION CAREFULLY. EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND STORM SPOTTERS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT AND BE PREPARED FOR ACTIVATION SHOULD HEAVY RAIN DEVELOP AND FLOODING BE OBSERVED. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER RELIABLE WEATHER NEWS SOURCES FOR FURTHER UPDATES...INCLUDING POSSIBLE WATCHES OR WARNINGS...ON THIS HEAVY RAINFALL THREAT.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Houston/Galveston, TX issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 17, 7:08 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Colorado | 57 min |
| Oct 17, 8:09 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Colorado, Wharton | 61 min |
| Oct 17, 8:31 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Brazos, Grimes, Madison, Washington | 4 hr |
| Oct 17, 8:31 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Austin, Colorado | 4 hr |
| Oct 17, 8:31 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Houston | 4 hr |
| Oct 17, 9:17 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HGX | Fort Bend, Wharton | 63 min |
| Oct 17, 10:52 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Wharton | 4 hr |
| Oct 18, 12:49 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Harris, Waller | 51 min |
| Oct 18, 2:55 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Austin, Colorado, Wharton | 5 hr |
| Oct 18, 2:55 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Waller | 5 hr |
| Oct 18, 3:36 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Harris, Waller | 39 min |
| Oct 18, 4:10 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Harris | 55 min |
| Oct 18, 4:38 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Harris, Montgomery | 3 hr |
| Oct 18, 5:21 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Brazos, Houston, Madison | 5 hr |
| Oct 18, 5:21 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Burleson, Washington | 5 hr |
| Oct 18, 5:59 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Liberty, Montgomery | 31 min |
| Oct 18, 6:10 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Waller | 35 min |
| Oct 18, 6:33 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Harris | 57 min |
| Oct 18, 7:12 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Liberty | 3 hr |
| Oct 18, 7:29 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Jackson | 3 hr |
| Oct 18, 7:40 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Harris | 40 min |
| Oct 18, 7:49 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Liberty | 61 min |
| Oct 18, 8:06 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Austin, Colorado, Wharton | 4 hr |
| Oct 18, 8:06 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Harris, Montgomery, Waller | 4 hr |
| Oct 18, 8:17 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | San Jacinto | 4 hr |
| Oct 18, 8:17 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Fort Bend | 4 hr |
| Oct 18, 9:32 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Chambers | 48 min |
| Oct 18, 10:01 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Brazos, Madison, Washington | 4 hr |
| Oct 18, 10:01 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Liberty | 4 hr |
| Oct 18, 10:01 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Jackson | 4 hr |
| Oct 18, 10:23 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Chambers | 32 min |
| Oct 18, 10:41 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Chambers | 3 hr |
| Oct 18, 10:57 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Chambers | 63 min |
| Oct 18, 10:58 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Liberty | 62 min |
| Oct 18, 11:24 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Brazoria, Galveston | 3 hr |
| Oct 18, 12:02 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Austin, Fort Bend, Harris, Montgomery, Waller | 4 hr |
| Oct 18, 12:02 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | San Jacinto | 4 hr |
| Oct 18, 12:02 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Colorado, Wharton | 4 hr |
| Oct 18, 12:23 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | HGX | Chambers | 32 min |
| Oct 18, 2:07 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Chambers, Liberty | 3 hr |
| Oct 18, 2:19 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Jackson | 4 hr |
| Oct 18, 6:07 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HGX | Jackson | 3 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.