Alert archive / Texas / Flash Flood Warnings in 2001

Flash Flood Warning 24, NWS Brownsville, TX

November 16, 2001Brooks County, Texas

NWS Brownsville, TX issued this flash flood warning at Nov 16, 2001, 9:30 AM CST for Brooks County, Texas. It was in force for 90 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Nov 16, 2001, 9:30 AM CST (15:30 UTC)
Expired
Nov 16, 2001, 11:00 AM CST
In force
90 min
Issued by
NWS Brownsville, TX
Area
Whole counties

County Brooks County, TX

The radar

The Corpus Christi radar (KCRP), 109 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:31 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, 3.5 hours before the alert went out and 116 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 2001-11-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 311 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Corpus Christi, TX at 12:00Z on 2001-11-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 224 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
311 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-31 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
677 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
53 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
224 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
267 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS54 KBRO 161537
FFWBRO
TXC047-161830-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
930 AM CST FRI NOV 16 2001

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  BROOKS COUNTY IN DEEP SOUTH TEXAS

* UNTIL 1230 PM CST

* AT 935 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
  WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL OVER 
  CENTRAL AND NORTHERN BROOKS COUNTY.  THESE STORMS ARE MOVING       
  SOUTHEAST AT 10 TO 15 MPH.  DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATED THAT FROM 2 TO 
  3 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN SINCE 830 AM OVER THE NORTHERN AND     
  CENTRAL PORTIONS OF THE COUNTY.  

* THESE SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS ARE PRODUCING TORRENTIAL RAINFALL  
  IN THE WARNED AREA. RUNOFF FROM THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE 
  FLASH FLOODING TO OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE       
  FLASH FLOODING INCLUDE...FALFURRIAS AND ENCINO AND THE MAINLY      
  RURAL AREAS OF BROOKS COUNTY.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS  
IMMINENT. MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT 
ATTEMPT TO CROSS BRIDGES...DIPS...OR OTHER LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS 
THE ROADWAY. NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...EVEN A SMALL 
ONE...ON FOOT. TO ESCAPE RISING WATER MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND.

$$

LAT...LON 2727 9851 2709 9845 2682 9840 2680 9801
          2724 9802

SPEECE
1 follow-up statement
000 
WGUS74 KBRO 161559
FFSBRO
TXC047-247-505-161700-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
953 AM CST FRI NOV 16 2001

...FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS IN EFFECT FOR BROOKS...JIM HOGG AND ZAPATA
COUNTIES...

AT 10 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR IN BROWNSVILLE
INDICATED THAT WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE CONTINUING TO
PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL OVER ZAPATA...JIM HOGG...AND BROOKS
COUNTIES. THESE STORMS ARE MOVING SLOWLY TO THE SOUTH AND HAVE A
HISTORY OF PRODUCING RAINFALL RATES FROM 3 TO 5 INCHES AN HOUR IN THE
WARNED COUNTIES...NEAR THE CITIES AND TOWNS OF SAN YGNACIO...
HEBBRONVILLE...ZAPATA AND FALFURRIAS.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT.  KNOW YOUR
LOCATION IN RELATION TO STREAMS...RIVERS OR CREEKS THAT CAN BECOME
KILLERS IN HEAVY RAINS.  DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH RISING
WATER.  DO NOT CROSS AREAS WHERE WATER IS FLOWING...EVEN ON FOOT.
RAPIDLY FLOWING WATER CAN QUICKLY SWEEP YOU OFF YOUR FEET.

$$

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 Brownsville, TX wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Nov 16, 9:00 AM CST, 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 16, 9:00 AM CST, 30 minutes before
DEEP SOUTH TEXAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
900 AM CST FRI NOV 16 2001

.DISCUSSION...TODAYS WEATHER HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME MORE
COMPLICATED BY THIS AFTERNOON.  A POTENT 5H UPPER LOW OVER WEST
TEXAS CONTINUES TO SPIN...FEEDING MID LEVEL MOISTURE OVER DEEP SOUTH
TEXAS FROM THE SOUTHWEST.  LOW LEVEL SOUTHEAST FLOW IS ALSO PUMPING
MOISTURE INTO THE AREA.  HEAVY RAIN CELLS TO THE NORTH HAVE BEEN
BACK BUILDING INTO ZAPATA AND JIM HOGG COUNTIES THIS MORNING...
PROMPTING A FLOOD WARNING FOR THOSE COUNTIES.

THIS MORNINGS SOUNDING EXHIBITS ABUNDANT LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE...WITH
PWAT OVER 1.5 INCHES...COMBINE THIS WITH AN LI OF -7.5 AND A CAPE
OVER 3000.  CLEARLY THE INGREDIENTS ARE IN PLACE FOR FUELING DEEP
CONVECTION.  THE CURRENT QUESTION IS HOW FAR SOUTH INTO THE CWA THE
HEAVY CONVECTION WILL MOVE.  THIS MORNINGS ETA MODEL SHOWS THE TAIL
OF A MID-LEVEL IMPULSE CURRENTLY PASSING OVER THE CWA...WHICH IS
ENCOURAGING UPWARD MOTION THIS MORNING.  HOWEVER...STRONGEST PVA
WITH THIS IMPULSE WILL BE FARTHER TO THE NORTH OVER CENTRAL
TX...HINTING THAT SOME CONVECTION WILL REDEVELOP TO THE NORTH LATER
ON THIS AFTERNOON. NEVERTHELESS...THE CURRENT RUN OF THE RUC MODEL
APPEARS TO BE CAPTURING THE SOUTHWARD MOTION OF THE MCS OVER THE
NORTHERN HALF OF THE CWA...SUGGESTING THAT THIS SYS WILL CONTINUE TO
SAG SLOWLY SOUTHWARD THIS MORNING...BUT BELIEVE MAIN THREAT WILL BE
HEAVY RAIN...THUS WILL RAISE POPS OVER THE CWA AND INCLUDE MENTION
OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL...AS WELL AS ISSUING A FLOOD WATCH FOR THE
CWA.

.MARINE...WINDS AND SEAS HAVE DIMINISHED SLIGHTLY OFFSHORE...TO
AROUND 15 KNOTS AND 6 FEET...SO WILL GO WITH SCEC NOW INSTEAD OF SCA.

COORDINATION...52.WCM/PUBLIC-SYNOPTIC-AVIATION-MARINE...54.BHM-CAM/
MESO...60.TS-55.MM

.BRO...FFA TXZ248>257.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Nov 16, 5:00 AM CST, 4 hours 30 minutes before
TXZ248>257-161900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
500 AM CST FRI NOV 16 2001

...ISOLATED INTENSE TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE AGAIN TODAY...

A STRONG UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE AREA...NOW CENTERED OVER SOUTHEASTERN
NEW MEXICO...WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH ABUNDANT MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY
INTO MOST OF TEXAS TODAY. THE MAJORITY OF THE MORE INTENSE THUNDERSTORM
ACTIVITY WILL REMAIN CONCENTRATED TO OUR NORTH OVER SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS
AND THE COASTAL BEND AREA TODAY.  HOWEVER...SCATTERED SHOWER AND
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL ONCE AGAIN THREATEN PORTIONS OF DEEP SOUTH
TEXAS THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

THE COMBINATION OF THE UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE...THE LIGHTER SURFACE
WINDS...AND THE EXPECTED AFTERNOON HEATING WILL MAKE CONDITIONS MORE
CONDUCIVE FOR ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY ACROSS THE REGION
TODAY. LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND VERY HEAVY RAINS WILL BE THE
MAIN THREAT FROM ANY INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS THAT FORM.

IN ADDITION...A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONTINUES FOR THE LOWER TEXAS GULF
WATERS TODAY. CONDITIONS SHOULD STEADILY IMPROVE TONIGHT AND LATER THIS
WEEKEND ALLOWING WINDS AND SEAS TO SUBSIDE TO BELOW SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY
CRITERIA.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL TELEVISION OR RADIO
STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER...FOR LATER STATEMENTS
CONCERNING THIS POTENTIAL SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.

SPEECE/MCGUIRE
Special weather statement, Nov 16, 9:30 AM CST, 0 minutes before
TXZ248>257-161900-

DEEP SOUTH TEXAS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BROWNSVILLE TX
930 AM CST FRI NOV 16 2001

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR DEEP SOUTH TEXAS THROUGH 4 PM...

A STRONG UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE AREA...NOW CENTERED OVER
SOUTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO...WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH ABUNDANT UPPER
MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY INTO MOST OF TEXAS TODAY. THE MORE INTENSE
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL REMAIN CONCENTRATED TO OUR NORTH OVER
SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE COASTAL BEND AREA TODAY HOWEVER...
SCATTERED SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL ONCE AGAIN THREATEN
PORTIONS OF DEEP SOUTH TEXAS THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

THE COMBINATION OF THE UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE...THE LIGHTER SURFACE
WINDS...AND THE EXPECTED AFTERNOON HEATING WILL MAKE CONDITIONS MORE
CONDUCIVE FOR ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE REGION TODAY.
VERY HEAVY RAINS AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN THREAT FROM
ANY INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS THAT FORM.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL TELEVISION OR RADIO
STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION PROVIDER...FOR LATER STATEMENTS
CONCERNING THIS POTENTIAL SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.

SPEECE/MILLER

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Nov 16, 7:50 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBROJim Hogg, Zapata3 hr
Nov 16, 10:27 AM CSTSpecial Marine WarningBRO63 min
Nov 16, 10:27 AM CSTSpecial Marine WarningBRO63 min
Nov 16, 10:51 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBROHidalgo, Jim Hogg, Starr, Zapata99 min
Nov 16, 10:57 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROStarr63 min
Nov 16, 12:06 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROHidalgo54 min
Nov 16, 12:30 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBROHidalgo, Starr3 hr
Nov 16, 12:51 PM CSTTornado WarningBROHidalgo24 min
Nov 16, 1:12 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROHidalgo63 min
Nov 16, 2:47 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBROCameron, Hidalgo, Kenedy, Willacy118 min
Nov 16, 3:01 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROCameron59 min
Nov 16, 3:58 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROCameron62 min
Nov 16, 4:20 PM CSTSpecial Marine WarningBRO55 min
Nov 16, 4:20 PM CSTSpecial Marine WarningBRO55 min
Nov 16, 4:45 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBROCameron, Willacy60 min
Nov 16, 5:07 PM CSTSpecial Marine WarningBRO68 min
Nov 16, 5:07 PM CSTSpecial Marine WarningBRO68 min
Nov 16, 5:07 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBROCameron53 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Texas, 2001Every flash flood warning in 2001

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.